你好 from Sydney! : Week 6

This is where I'm going!!
(Thanks Sister Clark for the pretty scarf!)

Some highlights from this past week:

We taught Zhang Wang Quan (one of our Progressing investigators), and we got him to commit to baptism!! The lesson went so perfectly. He asked about the celestial kingdom because when he studied the plan of salvation, that was something he really liked, and he asked how we could get there, and then our lesson just flowed. The spirit was so strong, and I know that Heavenly Father was definitely guiding our lesson.

I had my medical examination this week for my Australia visa. While walking to the BYU Health Center, a white car drove by, and some Asian girl with short hair kept calling 'Sammi! Sammi! Sammi!' I had no idea who it was...I kept thinking of all the Asians I know in Provo. Then I asked Sam Lew and we think it was Allison Lew...but I'm still not sure...so if you're that mysterious person and you're reading this, let me know! Haha, it's been bugging me!! The medical examination took forever...most of the time was spent waiting for different doctors. I had to do a urine test, then a chest x-ray, which was so weird...I had to stand up right against this machine, and then it just jiggled.

Thursday's class was mostly focused on how to teach according to the needs of the investigator, because we've had a really hard time with that. We also read 1 Nephi 21 as a district. I highly recommend you all to read this chapter. Wu Lao Shi shared a thought he had while reading this scripture, and it was "the greatest act of faith is to accept the Lord's timing". This is something I know I struggle with personally. I know I'm a control freak and I like planning things and knowing what's going to happen. But working within the Lord's time is so important. This scripture also really applies to missionaries. It talks about how we are the Lord's tools and we've been saved specifically for this time.

On Sunday we went to Music and the Spoken Word and then Relief Society. Elder Elliott's dad played the organ...he's absolutely insane! He played the entire time without any sheet music. it was incredible. Relief society was really good. Sister Esplin, in the General Primary Presidency, spoke about how we are saved for this time. She talked about how our call as missionaries is to bless lives as we represent the Savior. Like the savior, we need to 1. Have a deep sense of our sacred responsibility, 2. Receive revelation and instruction from our Father in Heaven, and 3. Be strengthened and prove our loyalty through overcoming trials and temptation.

Sacrament meeting was all about repentance. Elder Weber played a beautiful arrangement of Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing and I just bawled...it was so amazing. Then Elders Barnum and Butler sang Savior, Redeemer of My Soul, while Elder McLaughlin played the piano. That was so pretty as well. Those lyrics are just so powerful.

https://www.lds.org/music/library/hymns/savior-redeemer-of-my-soul?lang=eng

It's such a beautiful song.

Devotional was really good this week. Jenny Oaks Baker, a professional violinist and Elder Oaks' daughter did a musical devotional with her family. She talked a lot about how the Lord blesses us and how we need to recognize these blessings. She and her kids played songs in between some parts of her talk. It was just so beautiful. She's an amazing violinist. In her talk, she said how her Julliard music education was 'decent', which I found pretty amusing.

That's about it for now...

Scripture of the week: Isaiah 55:2...eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness...This was our motto for the week :) So enjoy eating and being fat!

Thanks for all of your prayers, love, and support. I hope you're all doing well, and I miss you all.