Week 25

This week has been great! This week we're focusing on particular Christ-like attributes each week to improve. It's been a great opportunity to be able to focus on Faith and Hope this week. I feel that by better understanding how to express my faith, it can more easily grow. I think a lot of us have the faith to do a lot of things, but our faith won't grow unless we realize what the Lord wants us to do with it and to do it. Reading a clear definition from Preach My Gospel really helps a lot to sort out how you can express your faith to the Lord. This week has been a little harder for Elder Su and I finding/teaching-wise. We haven't been finding too many people and our investigators are wavering in their progression. But I know because of our hope, and our willingness to keep pressing forward, we will be blessed. I think the Lord planned out these topics really well for our situation this week. I know that I can continue on, even with the trials we face. This week we had our baptism with Wang2 dx! He had a great baptismal meeting. He shared a lot of miracles and stories that he's had since he met us. It was wonderful to increase our faith by hearing how the Gospel and Atonement have healed his wounds. Last Thursday we were able to give him a priesthood blessing because his anxiety and seizures were acting up. I shared a message from 3 Nephi 17, how the Nephites had great enough faith for Christ to stay a while and heal their sick and afflicted. I shared how these blessings will be according to his faith in Jesus Christ. I know we can all be the same. We don't have to limit the Lord's power by our doubt or feelings of insignificance. Wang dx was feeling a lot better after our blessing. We are still debating how to differentiate someone who has a mental problem and just someone who is a bit different. And then most importantly is if they still need to be baptized. And then what to do if we decide they doesn't need baptism. Wang dx has major depression, but I personally feel mentally he's perfectly fine. But some members say that he still has some problems. But our leaders were willing to let him be baptized, so we went through with it. I guess they see this kind of thing a lot in Miao Li, so they're all a bit more cautious. Yesterday we were able to see some of a broadcast of the First Presidency Christmas message. I really miss all this wonderful Christmas stuff, especially the MUSIC! Seeing the Orchestra at temple square made me squirm in my seat! I really miss band, orchestra, and choir. But I know that that can come later. It was a great opportunity to appreciate some really good music again. But for some reason, our satellite feed was interfering with a BYU-Aggies game, which was fun to listen to (don't worry, I didn't pay attention. Since both signals were coming in equally strong, there were some funny moments. Right after an Aggie touchdown, the Tabernacle choir started to sing "Joy to the World!" I was the only one laughing because only I understood it, I guess. Yeah, it's getting pretty cold down here. But I got some wonderful clothes from my family ^^ (thank you!) and I bought a cheap windproof pair of gloves that I've come to love a lot. I've actually been getting a lot of stuff from you all, so thank you! I will thoroughly enjoy my Tim Tam Slams in this cold weather :D We have an investigator, Qiu1 dx, who we've been meeting with for a while. He's been through a lot. He was in a car accident a couple years ago, and they had to amputate his foot. Recently two of his best friends passed away. And so we know that our message really can help him out. We know that he knows it, too. But he's lacking the faith to be able to do a lot. He forgets to read scriptures a lot, and he has a lot of excuses to keep him from coming to church. It's been hard to see his potential to improve but choosing not to. We hope our lack of teaching skill isn't preventing him from making a full decision. But of course we understand. It's hard sometimes to let go of what you're used to relying on and start to trust in the Lord. But at some point, we've got to take the first move and let go so that the Lord can take our hand and lead us. Work here is going great! I love you all. Thank you for your love and support. And good luck with finals! Love, --Elder Liu