Letter #35

Hello hello!!

Ok so this week was awesome!! To start off I got to go to time square for the first time ever!! It was so awesome! There was a “Revlon walk for breast cancer” and all of the missionaries serving in Manhattan south and north got to go and volunteer! We had to wake up at 4 30 in the morning but it was so worth it! We helped people sign in at late registration! It was so cool being there that early in the morning! There was no one there! The streets were empty! I got some awesome pictures! Overall though I realized why our mission president doesn’t want us going there! There is no reason for a missionary to be there! They gave us free doughnuts and lunch! That was pretty awesome I am not going to lie! And after we got to count all of the money from the race!! I got to hold so much money in my hands! Great feeling... it was cool they trusted all of the missionaries to do something like that. Ya but that was a fun trip.. I love my mission.

This week was good! Elder Near and I did a lot of finding! We had some 4-hour street contacting days this week.. I love it though! It is so nice just being out side and talking with people! The weather is getting better too so it is easier to stay out side! We met a lot of new people this week! A lot of them we have not met with yet, but I am really looking foreword to when we do! One of them was soooo stable! That is something sooo rare in china town! He was talking on a black berry, lives in up town, and approached me in Chinese to talk about the church! I was in shock! I am excited to see what comes out of him! We also did some more basketball contacting this week. It was really cool because we actually ran into a less active member while we were playing! He didn’t say anything to us at first, until one of the missionaries here recognized him. Kinda sad, but we are hoping that we will be able to reactivate him!

Our b dates are still doing well! They are expected to get baptized this Sunday! Chen is still saying it depends on if he passes his license test! I am excited for him to pass.. We had the funniest lesson with him on the word of wisdom! He was doing fine until we introduced tea.. His eyes got so wide! And he said “wu cha wu sheng!!”… Which means “no tea no life!!” I was laughing so hard! But he eventually said that it would be hard, but he was willing to give it up! He is such a stud!! I really want him to gain a testimony of prayer though! He thinks that heavenly father listens to his prayers sometimes.. He says there are so many people on this earth it would be hard for him to listen every time! We shared scriptures and experiences, but it will just come down to him doing it that he will realize the power that prayer really has!! Fan is still doing well too.. Not quite as good as Chen though.. She is very nervous to get baptized and still thinks that she has not got her answer yet! This was the one I talked about last week, which had all of those amazing blessings happen in her life! We are going to meet with her again this week, and I am so excited! I have been preparing for her like crazy! I ended up finding a really good scripture in the doctrine and covenants that I want to share with her! It is when Oliver Cowdery wants to translate the golden plates, and he asks Joseph smith to ask for him. The lord told him that he already gave him the answer! It is such a powerful scripture! The words really spoke to me! Section 6 is really a powerful part! Ya I hope that will help her!

Oh one of the people I met contacting this week was really cool! Her name was Shao. She attends another church, but wanted to learn about what we believe! I gave her a quick summary, and she had so many questions! She didn’t think that we needed a prophet, baptism, or a spirit world. She thought we would all return to live with god for free! As I explained, she said that she wanted to see proof in the bible of these things! I told her that I would show her, but I did not want to argue with her. She agreed, and met with us on Sunday in the park. I showed her many scriptures and stories in the bible that supported prophets! It left her with a question that she wanted to ask her priest! Then I showed her many scriptures about baptism. It left her very confused! She said that she wanted to talk to her priest but we told her that heavenly father would know so much better! We encouraged her to pray and ask! It was so cool! We were not arguing, the spirit was there, and helped us so much! How I know this is because the whole time she was speaking in Cantonese.. I was called Mandarin speaking. It was a complete miracle that I was even able to talk with her.. This was the biggest testimony of the gift of tongues I have ever had!!

I am really starting to learn how to study!! I am still bad.. But I am getting better! It is so amazing how much the lord is willing to help you if you give yourself to him!! My scripture knowledge is still not good at all, and neither is my Chinese! But the fact that I am trying my best, heavenly father helps me!! This is the best life lesson I could ever learn! And this is the only place I can learn it!

Well I love you all so much I hope you had a great week!!

ELDER Bao