Letter #26

Hello!

Wow that was an amazing week! First of all I just want to talk a Little bit about my elder bednar experience! It was so cool! My companion and I sat on the front row, so we were very close to him. Wow I wish that I could explain everything that I felt and how strong the spirit was in that meeting in an email but I really can’t it was just way to special! I had so much personal revelation come to me during that meeting. Things that I didn't even know I was looking for. But when they came to me, it was so clear and obvious that it was just for me. I have such a testimony of apostles being called of god. It is so obvious when you are in their presence! We all also had an opportunity to shake his hand, and look him in the eyes, another experience that you cannot explain in an email. I was so grateful for that opportunity! I needed that so bad.

The rest of the week was also incredible! We got a referral! Something that never happens in china town! A member of our ward taught his friend about our church, enough to even give him a desire to be baptized!! This feeling is SO much better than us finding someone! It really shows this member has a testimony! We taught him on Saturday with ni dao mao (the member). It was so great! ni dao mao was testifying so boldly and the spirit was so strong! Especially when we taught him about prayer. ni dao mao started to testify about how prayer can help you with any difficulties that you have in your life! After he said that chen di xiong (investigator) became very interested. He started to talk to us about his family. His family is still living in China and he came over here to work so that they could have enough money. He lives in an apartment about the size of a bed because that is all that fits in it. We didn't go there but he told us. He lives there so that he can send more money to his family. I have never met someone that is so selfless. He works crazy hours but calls us whenever he has even an hour of time! The part that was so touching to me was when he was talking about his children. He misses them so much and really worries that they will be ok. It drives him crazy that he can’t watch them grow up. He said he talks with them every night on a web cam. He is such a great guy! I can’t wait to see how much this gospel is going to help him in his life!

I also had the opportunity to go to the temple twice this week! Once with my branch to do baptisms and once to do an endowment. When we went to do baptisms I saw my MTC companion serving in the New York south mission! It was so awesome to see him! He is doing so well. It was awesome to talk to him though he is having a very similar experience to the one I am having! He said it is really hard looking over at Manhattan all of the time and not being able to come over AND CHECK IT OUT! That was not supposed to be in caps but lets just go with it! He is such a great guy though and it was great to catch up with him. The endowment was also very cool! That was my first time in the Manhattan temple, and wow it was incredible. It is amazing how no matter where the temple is you still feel so peaceful inside! If it can still feel peaceful in a crazy place like New York that is really saying a lot!

Chinese is still insane! Right when I feel like I get it and I am stud, something will happen that completely humbles me! For example this week I had the opportunity to teach a district meeting. In the opening line that I said, my district started cracking up! Well, I still have no idea why but I am sure it was bad!! It continues to go up and down! But I can feel it slowly getting better! My understanding is a lot better than my speaking though! My favorite thing to do for study is still read out of the book of Mormon! Although most of the time I have to look at what the character or the word means when something clicks I get so excited!

The biggest thing that I really learned this week (I think) is trust. I think there are so many times when we spend so much time waiting around for an answer or a miracle to come but I think most of the time it will come through doing! Sometimes we will not receive answers to prayers when we are on our knees, it will come through us trying something and not giving up on trying! I personally do this one so much! I am loving this new small miracle thing that I am doing! It really is helping me to trust more!

Well, sorry this week’s email is a little short. But I can assure you I am still loving my mission! This is the best experience ever! There is not another place where a boy can become a man! I feel myself becoming more of a man every day! Everything from hair on my chest, taller, stronger, more agile, and stronger. Ha well those things have not happened YET but I am sure that they will! Ha I love you all so much thanks for all of the love and support out here it means everything!

Love, Bao Zhang Lao