In only a couple of weeks my mission will be half over! I will have 9 months left but half over?! Wow. I just realized that while I was looking at the calendar this week. Shocking.
This week was a little crazy, but really good. We had something unusual everyday. We went to Taipei on Monday for P-day, then back again on Tues for temple tours (Love them!) and then Wednesday was district meeting and English class, Thurs 4 hours were taken up by weekly planning, then Friday (Sister Wynder's Birthday!) we had a zone conference. Which was absolutely amazing.
I feel like we have been running around all over the country side. But its been a good one.
On Thursday night we had an experience with an investigator that I would like to relate. This investigator is a member referral, and so this member is with us every class we have. This woman, Fu Jiemei (sister Fu) is from a family of three sisters. The other sisters right now are all taking lessons with the missionaries in different places (imagine that!) and so that day Fu Jiemei had been visiting her sister when the missionaries came over. She loved the lesson and baptism was briefly mentioned, but she didn't know what it was, and she didn't have a chance to ask. That day on the drive home she was thinking about it a lot and her curiosity was piqued. Per the ways of the Lord, that day Sister Wynder and I shared about baptism. After the lesson she related to us that she had been wondering about that very topic all day and she was so glad that w shared it. She really believed it was the "arrangement of God." A little miracle. I really hop she can work her way to baptism. She comes to church every Sunday. :)
We had an amazing special meeting today given by the Church's President of records from SLC. It was soo good. It really pounded in the importance of keeping a record. A clear record filled with important things. Really people, appreciate it. That is why we have this gospel today, if some person wasn't wise enough to listen when the Lord said, Hey, Write that down ok? We wouldn't have the scriptures, and so we would have nothing. I am so grateful. Get a journal. Write in it, write you experiences, write your thoughts and your spiritual impressions. And seek for things to write!
On Sunday I had sort of an epiphany. Our Sundays are really long because Zhongli has two wards and we attend both sets of meetings, so we are at the chapel from 8:30 to 5 every Sunday. But in the second sacrament meeting (I have two so if I don't repent thoroughly for the first I have another chance) I received revelation. We have a lot of investigators right now that are dealing with varying levels of depression. I was thinking about a few in particular and how the cause was the self images the world tries to impose on us. Mainly their weight. I remembered over my past experiences with this issue, and my struggles and trials. I've heard that our experiences, like spiritual gifts, are given to us to be used to help others, especially for missionaries. I realized how precious all of those trials were for m and how much I need to rely on them to understand and help pull others through their own hard times. I realized that may be the very purpose the Lord called me here to Zhongli to help these very people right now. I also thought about the power of keeping positive, because it is so easy, almost natural o sink into that pit of despair and just give up, accepting the lie that there is no way out. But we cant to that. We Must Press On. Whatever our hardships are. I have resolved to change my outlook this week. I will develop a positive attitude in all that I do, and develop my own faith in the matter. You cannot convert anyone past you own conversion. And I am here to help that conversion.
Well that's all I have time for. I love you all so much, and miss you too. Carry on!
Melissa Thiessen
No comments:
Post a Comment