Qin wode jiaren he pengyoumen

Qin wode jiaren he pengyoumen,

 

Xie Xie for the dearelders (dearelder.com) and the snail mail.  It seriously is a pick me up during the week.  It helps me to know that I haven't been forgotten about and that you support me!  Thank you!

 

This week has been better than last week.  Thank you for all your prayers and words of encouragement. 

 

I helped teach three lessons in Chinese this week to our two investigators Lin and Li.  I don't understand much of what is said, because my Chinese is still in its infancy and my companion came to the MTC already knowing Chinese, but the Lord has blessed me with the gift of discernment.  I am starting to understand their needs without knowing sometimes what is being said.  The Lord loves all of his children and this is His glorious work.  I do know the 1st vision in Chinese, so I was able to share that and my testimony on Joseph Smith with Lin and Li.  It was really scary, I thought I would forget the words in the moment, but the Lord helped me, and will always help me. 

 

I have been struggling this week with getting used to my new companion.  I was so close to Sister Jorgensen that this companionship seems awful and disconnected in comparison.  I am praying and trying to figure out what the Lord would have me learn for this new companionship with Sister Reid.  I loved what Katelynd Blake wrote to me the other day: "They are strengthening and preparing you and are making out of you what the Lord needs you to do and be to build his Kingdom."  The greatest amount of growth occurs when we are the most uncomfortable.  It is through our trials that the Lord builds us up and makes us stronger.  I met with the District President, President Bertasso, this week. He is a very wise man.  We talked about the Atonement and becoming like Christ.  Here is a scripture sequence to ponder in case I don't have enough time to talk about them: Alma 7:11-12; D&C 101: 39-40; D&C 103:9-10; Moroni 7:47-48; Moroni 10:32; and Moroni 6:4.

 

I started to learn Chinese characters this week, mostly to help me read along in the scriptures with my investigators.  I only know a handful of characters.  Anyway, I discovered that the character for my Chinese surname translates to "tight" or "stern."  Haha!  I had a complex about it for like an hour.  Haha!  And then my laoshi told me that most of the time the Chinese don't think about the translation of surname, they are just a name.  So for all you Yancey's out there, just know that your Chinese Surname means "stern".  Haha!

 

On Wednesday, we got a brand new group of Chinese speaking missionaries.  The Wednesday before, the older districts left, and so for a week, it was just the 16 people that I came in with in our zone.  So, on Wednesday, I was so excited, I could hardly stand it.  We got 11 new elders and 6 new sisters.  They are all very nice, and add a little more spice to my life.  Hehe!  Most of them are going to Taiwan.  The Chinese zone usually plays 4-square (siwang qiu - death ball) at gym, and the lines were pretty small for a while.  The Germans almost took over the game, but now with 17 new Chinese, we are back in the game.  Haha!

 

On Thursday, Sister Jorgensen and I made the spontaneous decision to try out for a musical number.  We auditioned in front of Sister Nally, Sister Brown, and President Brown (the MTC president).  I have to say, Sister Jorgensen and I sound great together.  Our voices blend really well.  They told us that we sounded beautiful, and a lot of people try out with "Nearer, My God to Thee", but not very many people do it well, and we did it very well.  What a compliment!  Because of the spontaneity, we accompanied ourselves on the piano.  They said that they want to use us, but we need to come back next week with a pianist.  We found one the other day.  I am so excited!  I recorded us practicing, so I will send that home soon. 

 

April 1st was super fun.  It was fun to see what people did for April Fools.  Our elders put toilet seat covers on all of our desk chairs.  The elders from my old district set up a classroom in the men's restroom, with desks, pictures on the wall, and a plant.  Haha! 

 

General Conference was wonderful.  I encourage everyone to watch it or read it who hasn't (www.lds.org).  My favorite scriptures used in conference were D&C 50: 40-44 and D&C 19:16-18.  Look them up!  :o)  Saturday was a beautiful warm sunny spring day, but when I woke up on Saturday, Utah was a winter wonderland.  I was a little sad at first, until I saw the sun reflect off of the snow in mountains and the it glistening in the trees.  God loves us so much that he created this beautiful world for us! 

 

Businessweek or Newsweek (I don't remember which) is doing an article about the MTC, actually about Chinese speaking LDS businessmen, and they interviewed my district for it.  Keep a look out for that.  Also, there was a tv special about the MTC called "Army of Faith: Inside the MTC".  Look for a rerun of it on BYUTV.  And play Where's Meg (Waldo). I am in the special 4 times. 

 

 

I love you all!  I love being a missionary!

 

Yan Jiemei

 

 

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