WEEK 50

I attended the Chinese Temple session this week with our branch and the other Chinese members from this bay area. I was so surprised to see Sharn and Eric Lin there…I had forgotten that they also attend the Chinese branch in San Jose (belongs to the San Jose Mission) and would be there for the Chinese session! It was a delightful reunion at the temple =)
I understood a lot more during the session, and even though my Mandarin is far from presentable, I could tell that I can understand and speak more now than I did a year ago!

Yesterday Sister Hsiao and I got to bring an investigator to attend the "Why I Believe" fireside. It was a treat for me to be able to hear 3 of the new converts, who I knew, speak at the fireside. It touches my heart to hear the way each new convert talks about the missionaries. Even though sometimes I wonder if what I do really makes a difference, I am touched as I hear these converts talk about the challenges and commitments missionaries extended to them (sometimes even when they felt they were not ready or could not do it) to pray, to read the Book of Mormon, or to keep a commandment, or to be baptized. Each convert had experiences that helped them gain a testimony of the Restoration, of Jesus Christ, of prayer…as they humble themselves and are sincerely willing to try what the missionaries have asked them to do. It also was a reminder to me that as missionaries, we can only do our part and preach the gospel, but the converting power is in God's hands, and has everything to do with the willingness and diligence of the individual who is seeking truth. We then should not fear to constantly extend that invitation to everyone whom we meet to learn of the gospel, to make and keep commitments. How grateful I am for missionary work and for the joy that comes from being a part of it!

"And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me." Moroni 7: 33