A New Plan for the Mission

Its been a great week!  Elder Liu and I have had so much work, and it has just been awesome!  We were able to help so many people this week as well, and I am grateful for the chance I have to be serving here in Edmonton.

Probably the highlight of the week was District meeting, which I didn't have to give a training for.  Instead, the zone leaders gave a training to all the missionaries in our zone, talking about the New Plan for the Mission.  Going through 4 steps: Strengthen work with the Ward Council, Rely on the Spirit, Strengthen Personal Conversion, and Diligence.

I am super excited about these four steps and seeing how I can apply them personally.  We have been asked this week to set specific goals and steps that we will follow to work on this plan ourselves.  I am anxious to see how this plan increases our work, and helps us help those we meet.  That has been a big part of this week for me, realizing in everything that I do, that I am here to HELP people. That's the big reason. I know everyone says that all the time, and some part of me realized it, but I internalized it in a new way this week, and it brings a whole new sense of peace and hope to the work.

This week we also got the picture taken of our half of the mission conference with Elder Golden.  I'm in the middle, on the left side of the middle, standing on a chair.

Love you all and hope you are doing well!

Mission Conference

Hey!  How's everyone doing?

This week was our Mission Tour with Elder Golden, of the First Quorum of the Seventy.  It was a great chance to learn from Elder Golden.  He taught us a lot about faith, personal righteousness, and the key indicators.  It was a great conference, and I learned a ton.  I have recommitted to perfect obedience.  Elder Golden shared with us that perfect obedience doesn't mean waking up at 6:30 if that is what the rule says.  He told us it is waking up at 6:29.  Living the commandments on the edge is not the way to live.  Instead, he told us to live on the safe side of the commandments.  I loved the wisdom he shared and the knowledge he has.  Afterwards, I was able to have a personal interview with him.  We talked about my family, missionary work, and the scriptures a little bit.  It was a great experience.

Other than that this week has also been a huge success for missionary work in the Bonnie Doon Mandarin area.  We have an investigator, Hanson, on date for baptism.  He is doing awesome!  As well, we have two new investigators to work with.  This week at the YSA Home Evening activity, we had 10 people who showed up.  It was amazing to see the fellowship the ward brings to activities like this.  This particular one was a dinner put on by the bishopric and their wives, and it was great to see how all of the students introduced themselves to our friends, and tried to break down a very obvious language barrier.  I am so grateful for the people I serve around and I serve with.

I hope everyone is enjoying the heat as well, because it started to get cold now.  Today may have actually had a little snow.  It didn't stick, but it felt like the rain at one point turned to snow.  And in that weather, we played Ultimate Frisbee.  It was a great day.

Hope you are having a great time.  And I love you all!

New Investigators

Hello all!  Its been a wonderful week here in Edmonton!  Elder Liu and I have had the chance to teach two more Chinese people this week, Hanson and Jason.  Both are new students from China, and are studying at the University.  They are super awesome and super solid!  We are super excited to start meeting with them.  This  weekend Jason got sick because of all the rain that fell in Edmonton.  Seriously, we had two solid days of rain.  Nothing heavy, but just so long and so much, and Jason wasn't prepared for it so he got sick and wasn't able to come to church or to FHE.  But we had both Angel and Hanson at Church and FHE, and they both really loved it.  It is sweet to see how great the ward here is at fellowshipping new people and making them feel so welcome.  Having the support of members, and knowing there are people you can count on to watch out for those we love and are trying to help is such comforting thought.

The rest of this week has been great.  Elder Liu and I are doing well again.  We are still completely different people, but we are growing a lot more together and learning to complement the differences we find in each other.  Elder Liu's enthusiasm and ability to talk makes up for my lack of things to say.  And I can help Elder Liu focus and drive him to finish a task or a goal and we get some real work done here.  Its been a great time.

This week also marks two important days.  My one year mark of being a missionary, and the day from which I only have one year left of being a full-time missionary!  Its crazy to see the time passing so quickly.  But I still have so much time and so many great experiences in store!  It is super exciting!  

I love you all and hope you are doing well!  Bye!