This week I really feel the miracle that this work is. That chinese boy whose door we knocked on on sunday? He is on date to be baptized at the end of June. This boy, Daniel, has no religious background but has been prepared to receive the message of the restored gospel. Everything we taught him about God's love for him and how we have prophets to guide us jsut made sense from the very beginning. We also work with a recent convert girl who is also originally from China so came to the lesson and at the end of the lesson he wanted us to come back the next day and the next and then again on saturday. He has already latched on to praying and prays about his problems even when they are little. He said that before he learned to pray he felt like he didn't know what to do when he had problems, but now he gets strength and knows he can get through things. After we invited him to be baptized we told him that we don't believe it was a coincidence that we knocked on his door, and he agreed telling us that he had just been feeling so sad and down about his friends and himself before we knocked on the door. In his prayer he prayed that he would be able to become a true believer. On saturday we realized he didn't know what baptism was but had just agreed to it because he knew that it was what he had to do to follow God. Daniel exhibits true childlike faith. He came to all 3 hours of church yesterday (did I mention he was the one that asked US to come to church?) and liked it. even though we don't have a lot of people to teach right now, I would have served my whole mission just to find him, because he needed the gospel so badly and didn't have any opportunity to find it in China!
James didn't get baptized yet but he really wants to. Its hard to see the evidence that God is answering him but just in smaller ways that he doesn't expect. But everyone must choose what is truth and what is not for themselves and I know that with faith and perseverance we can find answers from God. He just has such a pure heart and pure intentions, I know he will find his answer soon.
Like I said, we aren't teaching very many people right now, but we work with about 8 less active and recent converts and that is just as important. One girl that we were working with said that before we started coming over and reading scriptures with her, she didn't have much motivation to read and didn't get much out of church, but over the past few months she has learned to love the scriptures and gets a lot from church. She went to the temple for the first time
on thursday and wants to go back. She also told us after we took her to a lesson that she feel like she wants to go on a mission now! She asks us questions all the time and when we let her read the many rules we have to follow, she thought they were cool. It is so exciting to see change occur in people, no matter how gradual it is. I know that because of Jesus Christ, we all have the potential to change.
One of my favorite parts about being a missionary is being able to tell people their worth. Sometimes they don't believe us, but there is something powerful about looking into someone's eyes and telling them that they are a son or daughter of God and that Heavenly Father has a plan for them specifically. It is interesting because people who come the darkest of circumstances recognize us most easily as servants of the Lord. I learned this as we talked to a 21 year old outside of our apartment who is addicted to smoking and drinking and told us that he thinks something really bad will happen when we leave because we're God's people. The sad part is that he doesn't believe he can overcome his addictions no matter how many times we testify that he can!
Thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes, I hope to make my 20th year one of the best because it is the only full year of life I have as a young full time missionary!
2 Nephi 31:20- Hope is one of the saving graces of the gospel. Never ever ever give up on God!
Love,
Sister Pearson
We learned how to make artisan bread with one of our wards! I told Sister ELkins (the Bishop's wife) that she is training the next generation of mothers. Ben- the guy is a convert from guatemala and he is literally the most loving sweetest person in the world! He gave a Book of Mormon to his boss this week after we challenged him:)
Finally got to try the "best" (or so they say) taco truck in salt lake on my birthday. MMM
