Thursday, February 2, 2012

The Best Two Years

Hello Everyone!!!!

Happy February! Can you believe it?!!! I've been in Hong Kong for 2 months!!! Yikes!!!! I had a bit of a crisis the other day when I realized next month I'll hit my 6 month mark. . .WHAT?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm already almost a third of the way through my mission! Sometimes I feel like 18 months is super long and that I'm going to be a missionary forever! Then I have moments like this where I realize how ridiculously fast time is flying and I realize that I'm not going to be a baby for much longer and sooner than I realize.  I'll have to be "daih tuhngbuhn" (senior companion) or even training a baby of my own!!!! Yikes!!!

So remember that part of The Best Two Years when the mission president comes to visit and the Elders scurry around cleaning, turning over pictures and looking decent? That totally happened to us on Monday (minus the part about hiding pictures.) We were doing our language study when the phone rang and I heard Sister H. (in Cantonese, of course.) "Good Morning President Chan!. . . Yes, that’s where we live. . . oh you're here right now. . . sure!!...That’s the right floor. . . Sister K. looked at me, with huge eyes and then we darted every direction clearing off the couch, putting dishes back in the kitchen, putting dresses on (we usually get ready in the morning, but if we're just doing our studies at home we'll stay in our PJs).  Sister C. just threw on a skirt and zipped a coat over her t-shirt. When we heard the knock at the door, we all gathered at the front and smiled big. . . wow!!  He just wanted to do interviews with us so Sister C. and I had to hurry into our office and clear our scriptures and notebooks off of our desks!!  hahaha too funny!!! It was nice to have the chance to talk to both President and Sister C. and to have our apartment re-organized!!! Haha!!

President Chan also came to our district meeting. Elder H. asked me to do a sharing about the importance of receiving revelation through the Book of Mormon. Except for the word for "Keystone" I did it all in Cantonese.  I am so grateful I got to do this sharing because it really helped me remember how powerful the Book of Mormon is. Every concern can be resolved through the Book of Mormon. It is the keystone of our Witness of Christ, our doctrine and our testimony (President Benson.) I realize how much I need to be using it more as I teach.  It is an amazing book!!!!

Speaking about the Book of Mormon, we are starting to meet with Y., a young woman we contacted in December. We met with her on Friday and taught her about prayer and the Book of Mormon. We called her on Monday to follow-up.  She said she prayed about the Book of Mormon and knows it's true!!!!!! She's also teaching her little sister to pray. Ahhhh!! This is one of the best feelings in the world!! It is so amazing when someone can get a testimony for themselves of the Book of Mormon! I am still sooooo happy about that!

I've been working toward doing a pass-off for the Plan of Salvation (Tomorrow at 1:30!!!) I've been struggling to know how to teach it well. I've been studying a lot in the Book of Mormon about the Plan of Salvation and praying a lot about it this week. It finally clicked for me yesterday while we were talking with two students.  We asked them what their purpose in life was and one wasn't sure other than going to school so he could get a job and support a family. I realized how grateful I am to have a bigger picture. I know that Heavenly Father sent me here to learn and grow and that each day my purpose is to learn repent and change so that after I die I can live with Him again. I take this knowledge for granted way too often, it is such a blessing!

We were able to go to the temple today, and that really just solidified my testimony and excitement for God's plan for us, He has pretty much told us exactly what we need to do to return to His presence. He has also told us what our reward can be!!! His plan is absolutely amazing!

On Sunday we're starting a member missionary class! During Sunday school, 10 members will come to the class. It is 4 weeks long, so in March we'll have a new set of members. I am so excited! We've got some fun activities planned and I think it will be really good.

In
English class yesterday we read an article about self-portraits and why artists draw them.  Then we had the class draw portraits and tell why they drew themselves that way. I drew Sister C. and I stepping on crunchy leaves in Hong Kong!!!  I drew it to express how happy I am in Hong Kong! :) (I don't know if I've mentioned this, but the leaves here are AWESOME!!!  Some are as long as 7 inches!! yikes!!)

I love you all so much and hope you have a great week!!

Love,

Sister Nelson

PS I have my brown shoe back!!!!!!!!

No comments: