Happy New Year!

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Hello family!! 

Happy New Year everyone!

I got the pillow case from the ward. It is so nice. Thank you all so much.

This was a week of languages, ha-ha. I learned how to say a sentence in Romanian that I now completely forgot but a guest wrote it down for me, and I tried out my one word of Chinese, spoke a sentence of Portuguese that made this Brazilian so happy, and then was able to talk to some really amazing Mexicans in Spanish. Slowly but surely I'm going to learn every language in the world! Ha-ha, not, but at least I'm going to try. =D

People are finally coming back, parking is starting to get harder and harder to find and it just makes me super happy, because all the students are coming back! Woohoo! So happy! At sacrament meeting we had more than 20 people and it was great. Sister Tanner got to meet some of the people in the ward and we got to set up appointments with them. I'm really excited for this next transfer. It’s going to be one of miracles.

This week was a little bit challenging but it was really good at the same time. I think that's kind of how things go sometimes. We had some really positive, awesome experiences and then we had days where it seemed like they went really slowly and discouragingly. I love the line in Preach My Gospel, though, that says that although sometimes you will have disappointments you never have to be disappointed in yourself if you are doing all you can to bring others to Christ. I've been having a lot of introspection about that particular statement and I know that I'm trying my very best, and working as hard as I can each day to bring everyone I meet to Christ. It’s been a good week.

We had a really excellent experience yesterday. We had decided that our vision for this week was to find an elect. Our goals to make that vision happen was to be exactly where we told God we would be every hour of the day, and be diligent in keeping schedule even if it didn't make sense driving wise. So we were going to find this Chinese man named Liang at about 7 last night and I got the distinct impression that we needed to go to the temple. We were right next to the temple, and I thought about our vision and goals for the week, but the impression continued so I told Sister Tanner we were going to the temple. We drove slowly in and we couldn't see anyone, until sister Tanner pointed out this person in dark colors taking pictures of the temple. We parked, went up to him, and this Brazilian was searching for a church, had tried a lot of Christian churches and just didn't believe it. We were able to testify about the Book of Mormon and about the temple, but I think what really made him reconsider was your story mom and dad. He asked about my family. It was after I told about our conversion story that he said that we'd "convinced" him. That he would take a Book of Mormon. So we gave him one in English and are going to send him one in Portuguese.

Elise's parents came to the battalion and it was crazy that we were there at the same time. Yesterday was our full day, but we went to go on a tour with one of our investigators and they came 10 minutes later. Apparently it was meant to be. They bought us lunch too. It was so nice of them. =)

We've also had some really funny conversations with people over the phone. I'm the one driving so I just hear one side of the story. But this one guy named Lamont was a referral and Sister Tanner was talking to him, and its going pretty normal until I hear "Moses? YEAH he's a prophet!" out of NOWHERE. I'm going to be quoting that for the rest of my life. =D He said we could set up a time to meet with him via his friend Wilson. That is pretty sweet. He'll be a really entertaining person to teach I imagine.

Deshan has accepted a date for baptism. Hurray =D He is so cool. We love teaching him.

I love a scripture I found in D & C 84: 60-72. It’s about missionaries and those who have been called as high priests. He gives us a great promise and responsibility and I am so grateful for that opportunity that I have.

So yep! That's my week! I love it here! I love serving the Lord and I love my mission president. He is called of God.  I love the temple! I love following the promptings of the Holy Ghost and I love the atonement of Jesus Christ.

I love you all so much!

Love,

Sister Tardiff