Family and Friends!
Happy New Year! No, I am not behind the times. I am just in a country that celebrates the Chinese New Year and it's so cool! The Chinese New Year holiday season is a lot like the Christmas season in America. Everyone goes home to their "home towns", there's lots of shopping, school is out for a couple weeks and not many people want to meet with the missionaries. :D Okay, that's not fair, we have some really great people that are still meeting with us, but we have even more people that tell us to call them after the new year.
I had a request this week to tell some misison stories- "Funny ones, or sad ones, or super awesome spiritual ones". So I think today I will send one of each. Funny one... I don't know if this will actually be funny with the language difference but I will try. Training a new missionary that doesn't speak the language provides lots of funny moments- some that I can laugh at, some that I can't. But one good one that both Sister Liston and I laughed about happened one day while getting off our bikes. She started telling me how a lady that she was talking to on the street earlier was not very polite to her. In Chinese shopping is pronounced, "my dong she"- which litterally means "buy things". When Sister Liston asked the lady where she was going she heard the lady's response half in Enlgish, half in Chinese- "my things"- which Sister Liston took to mean, "It's personal, I'm not going to tell you. It's my things." She was very relieved when explained to her that "my" is also a Chinese word, and that lady was not being rude, but instead politely telling her where she was going. Okay, was that still funny, or just come out as a "you had to be there- and speak Chinese-" kinda thing? :D
Okay, sad story. This week Sister Liston and I had a chance to sit down with a recent convert of almost a year. She is a really nice college student that occaisionally comes to church. As we were talking with her we found out that her once strong testimony of the Savior, our Heavenly Father and this gospel has now dwindled to a, "maybe their true." She said that when she was baptized she was in a hard spot in her life- things were rough at home and she was searching for a sense of worth and belonging. Since that time a year ago she found the things she was looking for and as her life got better, she slowly started to forget where the blessings were coming from. Hearing stories like these break my heart. It is like seeing the "pride cycle" in real life. Fortunately though she is not to the "destruction" part yet, and she is willing to let us missionaries help her see that she needs God at all times- the good and the bad.
And last but not least- the spiritual story. This one involves an investigator that I abosultely love and may have told you about- Sister Huang. She is a mother of four kids that is not in her late 50's, early 60's. About six years ago her 19-year-old daughter passed away suddenly from a heart problem. This left the mom very turn up and confused. The first time we met with Sister Huang we shared with her Alma 40:11-12 and helped her understand where her daughter is. This week we went back to visit her twice. Each and everytime we go and visit her the Spirit is so strong and she is so receptive of all that we teach her. I know that this woman has been prepared for years- in large part by her daughter on the other side of the veil. Teaching her has helped me better understand that the veil between this world and the next is not very thick. Like it says in Alma 13:24, there are angels preparing the hearts of many.
I am so grateful that I have this opportunity to have so many various experiences. I absolutely love being a missionary and wouldn't trade this time for the world. As I watch Sister Liston just starting her mission, I think about where I was a year ago. I don't know if it is a change that others will see, but I know that I have been refined and tested. And I love it. If you are thinking of going on a mission, or should be and are not- DO IT! The Lord has so much prepared for you and needs your help. Do all you can to prepared and be worthy to go so that you can take part in this life changing adventure.
I love you all! Be safe and pray for the missionaries across the world.
Loves!
Sister Amy Reece
p.s. the pics are from our new years dinner last night with two families from the ward. It was so yummy! I am collecting recipes so expect a feast in a couple months! :D
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