Busy busy changes and more business- January 20,2014

Nimen hao! 
  
This week was good. Busy busy busy. But good. 
  
1. We had this really long specialized training last week from President Day, his wife, and the Assistants. It was really crazy. They are trying this new thing where they split every single area in half and they gave one half to the sister and one half to the elders. So Sister Zippro and I can only teach people who live on the left side of Jilong. This includes ward members, investigators, contacting, RC/LAs..everyone! The purpose is so that we can travel more and more easily get around our ENTIRE area. Our area is REALLY spread out which means we are going to be traveling A LOT. Mostly by train and bike. Also, pretty much all of our ward members and investigators live on the Elder's side so we had to pass a lot of people over which means we have A LOT of finding, traveling, and overall a ton of work to do. Pretty much all of the LAs live on our side so we are going to be visiting a lot of people this week. Its going to be a busy week. Also, sisters are allowed to teach boys now (as long as we have a female member present and they live in our area). That means the ward is really really going to need to help us out. Which means we can teach Young now! (the man I contacted last week!) Lots of changes to come and a lot more work but its all going to help our area flourish in the end.

 
  
2. Another challenge that's coming up is Guo Nian (Chinese New Years). From what I understand, during guo nian no one works, no one goes to school, no one goes outside. It is one of the very few times the whole family gets together. Everyone sits in their house for a week and just eats haha. Its like a week long Thanksgiving. I've heard from older missionaries that it's the worst time of the year for missionaries because there is no one outside to contact and barely anyone goes to Church and no one wants to meet. The best way to contact is through the members. They made a schedule for us to go to their houses and eat food with their families and share messages to their nonmember families. Also, knocking doors is going to be big since everyone will be home. Pray that the Chinese missionaries have success meeting with people during this time. Its gonna be rough but I have faith we'll be able to find some wonderful people! 

I realized I only took a few pics this week so I took this random selfy while walking.

3. I decided that I am naming my future daughter Cora, after a member here in JiLong. She is the coolest person ever and I promised her I'd do it so everyone needs to hold me to it. 
  
4. Last Saturday we had a baptism! Her name is Wang Mei Jun. She is the cutest little girl. She was soooo nervous to be baptized. Afterwards she went up to bare her testimony and started to cry and say how happy she was that Heavenly Father helped her have courage to be baptized because she is scared of going under water. But it was something she really wanted to do because she wanted to be like Jesus. Her whole family attended too and they were in tears. So precious! What a great example! 
  
5. Last week we had a miracle with an LA family. It was a miracle. The husband usually never ever comes out when the missionaries come over. We said lots of prayers beforehand that we would be able to teach him. At first it was us, a few ward members, the mother, her son and daughter just sitting in the living room. My companion got the impression to sing a song. So I jumped on their piano and played a hymn and we all began to sing. Suddenly from the corner of my eye I saw the husband come out of the bedroom. He stood in the back of the corner and watched me play. Then he came over and sat on the bench next to me and started to accompany me on the piano. He has beautiful talent. At the end of the song he started to cry and he said, "I forgot about hymns." We started teaching their entire family about Jesus Christ and Sacrament. The husband listened the whole time and told us that his faith was coming back. It reminds me of that scripture in D&C about how music has a powerful power and invites the spirit. We have hymns for a reason. Reasons like this. 
  
6. Please everyone pray for our investigator Lin Chun Zi and her family. I promised her more prayers would be coming her way. She is ready to be baptized and her date is this Friday, but were still working on getting her husband's approval. Pray for them please! 
  
These people are all so special. I don't want to leave them. Transfers are coming soon and it just makes me sick that I might be leaving them. Need to cherish every day! 

I was praying next to the heater and I caught on fire. (I'm ok!)

There are now duck stores on EVERY corner.

Also, I want to say THANK YOU to my friends from MI who emailed me! I really appreciate it and I read all of your emails. I ran out of time today but I am going to email you next week! Kelsy, Nina, Sarah Lee, and Joey: you rock!
 
Have a beautiful week!
 
Love,
Sis Tracy