Hi Amazing Family!!!
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| Doubles Partner Elder Eyring Headed to Melbourne! |
Man oh man, I miss you guys so much! Being here
teaching everybody about families makes you love your own a whole lot more. You
guys are awesome! :)
So this week was a billion times better than last
week!!! Thank you so much for the packages and mail!!!
The learning/teaching routine is that we sit in a classroom for 16 hours and
study on our own with some dictionaries and books with gospel terms to learn
the language. Three hours a day a teacher comes in and helps you if you have
questions. Weird right? It's all up to you to work hard and memorize vocabulary
and grammar.
On Tuesday we got to hear from Elder Groberg
(The Other Side of Heaven movie), and it was incredible. I sat on the second
row behind his family, and I felt the Spirit the whole time. Some things that
stuck out to me were to bear your testimony all of the time. Love the people all
of the time because you never know how far your good influence will spread
(just like Brother James). Seriously though, reach out to everyone and anyone
and then some more!!!! The devotionals here are so amazing; everything is just
better when you're a missionary because the Lord gives us a lil extra! :)
I lost my companion last week to the fast track.
Wednesday, while playing soccer, I kicked the ball
right at the corner of the goal and happened to hit one of my friends in the face. It broke his tooth and I felt super bad! He got it fixed
though, whew :) We also had a Malaria appointment where the doctor sat us down
and told us all about it. It scared me a little bit. We have to do a bunch of
stuff and take pills with weird side effects everyday, but I know I'll be
alright because I'm an experienced medicine taker (thank ibuprofen and sports
for that)!
One of the highlights of the week was singing I
Know That My Redeemer Lives http://youtu.be/uPkJaeRfIhk. It's now my favorite hymn. I can't get through it
without crying!!! Singing is probably my new favorite way of bearing my
testimony, and I just want all of you to try and sing extra loud on Sundays, alright?:)
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| Trio Companionship |
Thursday was fun because we got to clean toilets!!!
Yep. That's right. During cleaning you get to go on your own, and it was nice
to take my time and just ponder about some things. Who knew that cleaning would
be a better part of the day? We finally had our first good lesson Thurdsay too!
We taught the investigator how to pray and explained that God loves him. I understood quite a bit of his Chinese,
and he understood us! We finished with our testimonies, and they were simple
and strong. It was just awesome. Those are the moments that make you want to keep
working harder and harder.
On Friday, we worked hard to prepare another lesson
on baptism for him, only to find that our investigator has become our second
teacher!!! So now both of our teachers will teach and be our
investigators while we role play; it's good and bad. Hopefully, they'll better
see what we have to work on. I also made about 100 flash cards.
The
language
is
tough!!!!
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| Elder Porter - Samara Russia Bound! |
Saturday was the first day that I didn't run out of
energy!! I think I'm finally adjusting. We sit down all day, but I normally am
so tired by the time five o'clock rolls around. Saturday was different! I was
happy and whistling and everything was grandiose :) I finished Saturday by going to weigh myself. I gained seven
pounds in one week. Someone in our District gained 11. Wowza. I've been jumping
rope, pushups, situps, pullups every night, and lifting/running every single
morning, but I guess that doesn't makeup for the full day of sitting and
eating. I’m not worried though because I think I'll sweat it off the first day
I get to Singapore haha!
Sunday was amazing!!!! Fast Sunday!!! WHOOOHOOO. I
didn't even get hungry, and we all fasted for like 24 hours. We're all setup in
different branches based on our languages for Sacrament meeting, so I had a
chance to bear my testimony in Chinese. It was super duper scary, but I felt so
good after!! I was on the pulpit looking out at everyone, and I just saw the
power. We are doing a great work here. I didn’t understand everyone, but I
understood the spirit. I hope the people of Singapore can feel the spirit, and
not listen to the language as well!.
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| So Many Mandarin-Speaking Friends! |
We walked around the temple, and I
said goodbye to Mckay [friend leaving for Thailand] before dinner too. I'm so
proud of him, and I can't wait to be in that position in a couple months!!! We
finished off last night by watching Joseph Smith. I've seen it before, but this
was something completely new. I thought that I was doing a good job handling
some of my trials (like Chinese or leaving my family), but after watching that,
I realized that I have it so easy!! Joseph sacrificed absolutely everything. It
was so humbling, and so motivating to watch. I challenge all of you to watch it
again and say a prayer before to try and bring the Spirit. I
This week, try and read the scriptures with a
purpose. Read with a question in mind, or do it for somebody else. It's amazing
how much more you can learn when you do it that way. Also, read Alma 34:32. Repentance is not a bad
thing! It's a good thing that's supposed to help us. Do it everyday, multiple
times a day, and you'll be so much happier.
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| Elder Luker Thailand Bound! |
I love all of you so much!!!! And Dad, I wanna play
football haha [Note, just for fun; missing this time of year.] It's hard not to
get homesick sometimes, but I know this is where I'm supposed to be. One thing
that stood out to me this week is just how lucky I am to have so many people
praying for me and loving me. I am the luckiest. Zai jian!!!!
Thank you all!! I love you so
much!! I literally have the best family in the world!!
Lastly, thanks for the Dear Elders, those make my day!! Thank you, thank
you, thank you!
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| Mandarin Elders & Friends Perkins and Humphries |
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| Friend Elder Roundy - Headed to Singapore Next Week! |
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| Elder Luker Teaching the Secrets of Clean Laundry! |
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| Best Friend and Taiwan-Bound Elder Redding |
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