Week 11... I think. Has it really been that long?

June 7, 2011

Well this is my last P-day at the MTC. I am almost on the plane and in the field! I cannot wait to share what I have learned with the Taiwanese people. These last weeks have been incredible and I can become the missionary the Lord wants me to be.

Last Tuesday, Allan F. Packer of the Seventy and his wife spoke to us. Sister Packer talked about 2 points: first learn how to work (make a goal and work until it is done), and second learn how to get the spirit. Brother Packer said that this was the best time to be serving, because people are looking for purpose in life and that is what we offer. We offer the purpose of life. This is salvation. He also talked about the difference between conversion and testimony. Testimony is knowing and feeling, conversion is doing and becoming. Not only will those that are seeking need to find this, but I will need to know and feel as well as do and become to help them. That is why it is so important to understand this process as a missionary, that is why we should all seek opportunities to feel and be a part of this. He laid out the learning process: hear, remember, understand, apply, become. To really understand this process we must exercise faith and invite others to as well.

Wednesday we had a workshop with one of our favorite trainers, he set up ponderpods... which are what we had done previously, this week we sort of discovered with him and created a new one we called the lifepod (or at least I did, it's all still in development). The point was to think of events in our lives where we have learned and then think about them in light of doctrines and study the doctrines and really apply those to our lives.

This week we taught both of our investigators. Peng seems to understand and really enjoy what we offer, we need to make it more clear that we are the one true church (one faith, one baptism Mosiah 18:21). Amy is confusing. I don't know what to do, we've discussed everything, we only have a few more times to help her come to Christ, then I hope that I can have all my questions answered. In our lesson last Friday with her the lesson was going nowhere fast again and I prayed for help, we turned to 1 Neph 3:7 and she seemed more involved, we talked about how our Heavenly Father prepares a way for us to overcome our trials and follow his commandments. The next lesson didn't seem at alll like she cared or remembered that. I guess this won't be uncommon in the field, but as the teachers have said that these investigators (who are people the teachers taught and seen their conversion) were picked so that we could have success.

in TRC on Saturday we met another sister we had taught before there, we had a good time and practiced our lessons for Amy on Monday (Alma 26:20-22, 27-29, 25-27). It went really well, then we spoke with a teacher from Singapore. He complimented our accents and said that he could understand what we said. We have been given incredible teachers and tools to help us to be easily understood. We also have the spirit, which makes up for a lot of our weaknessess.

On fast Sunday we had mission conference. The highlight was when a sister was called up by the president to bear her testimony. She just did it simply and powerfully. Besides that there were talks on prayer, faith, Joseph Smith's first vision, the atonement, and the resurrection. In the fireside Brother and Sister Peterson spoke on service and the Nauvoo temple.

On Monday we watched Elder Bednar's talk on becoming a missionary, that is my goal for my mission to do what he said and not be the Elder Andersen you knew before my mission.

I know that this is the restored church of Jesus Christ, he is the one leading it through prophets. Joseph Smith did see Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Our Saviour Jesus Christ lives. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God.

Love
Shen Zhang Lao