I've Eaten My Weights Worth of White Rice (and probably more)

Week 33: 

What made this week special was my 4th baptism. I was able to preform my 2nd baptism and I was just as nervous as the first time. What made it even better was that she was terrified of the water. She was complaining afterward how I went too fast and she didn't get a full breath in. (I went super slow haha). She forgave me when I gave her a small baptismal gift, a stitch pillow (that blue dinosaur thing does anyone know what I'm talking about) and a small card. That turned out to be a sucess full day

I also got to try some chicken feet and some ducks blood cake. The ducks blood was like jello and tasted OK. The chicken feet was interesting and I don't think I'll be eating that again soon. 

Don't have much planed for today. Just some board games and going to a BBQ after. Yay. 

Every Week I Have 14 Hours On All Other Missionaries

Week 32:

As for interesting stories this week, I don't have many. This week promoted a lot of personal change; Hence the confusing email subject.

A couple months ago, I was waking up at 7:00 AM, the mission rule and I was tired every morning. I found myself not having enough time to study Chinese and I could tell. One hour of studying wasn't enough. My first idea was to stay up late, but that was seen as a serious transgression in the mission field, threw that idea out. My Speaking and Listening were poor so I started waking up at 6:30. Half an hour still wasn't long enough. 30 minutes was not long enough to reach my language goal. I was waking up at 6:00, doubling the time I have to study. Other missionaries thought I was a bit crazy, but what they don't know was that my Chinese was improving twice as fast. I wasn't feeling anymore tired now then I was getting an extra hour of sleep. My Chinese was improving but I wanted to become better and becoming better was going to take more work. I started waking up at 5:00 AM and just had an interview with the mission president and he asked me if I'm getting up on time. Told him that my alarm is set at 5:00. What I didn't tell him is that sometimes I don't use the alarm. Some mornings I'm waking up at 4:30. I haven't seen immediate results but big change doesn't come in a day. Now I'm getting 3 hours of language study in the morning plus the opportunity to use my newly learned Chinese throughout the day. I'm not feeling anymore tired, and , people may be crazy when I say this, but I've been having more energy throughout the day. A true blessing. The harder I work, the more blessings come rolling in. Some mornings I am very tired but I tell myself that after my work is done, I can take a nap (haven't taken a nap though which is surprising because I love sleep). Every Week I Have a 14 Hour Head Start on All Other Missionaries.

On a normal note, this week we have been working with members trying to get Less Actives back to church. Two missionaries I'm living with are going home this transfer and the church members have been going crazy. They are all wanting to invite them over for meals and share some dating tips to them for the missionaries to bring home. Its a real treat sometimes when I'm able to understand what they are saying. 

Happy Mothers Day!!

杨長老

耶穌基督後期聖徒教會

Random Pics for the Week:  

YUMMY McDonalds Sandwich

Not quite like the picture on the box!

Ate at a super nice restaurant on the top floor of the tallest building in our area.

We went bubble finding.

How Eating 3 Week Old Sushi Changed My Life

There were many email headings I could have used. There were many spiritual and, lets just say other experiences that are keeping me on my toes. Such as finding a centipede in my bed.

The centipede was quite small but surprising at the same time. I grabbed the nearest weapon, a shiny pair of scissors, and diced that centipede. Now I thought I was safe, until we found another centipede in the bathroom. Except this one was about 7 inches long. Out of fear my companion took a broom and, with a full windup, gave the centipede multiple fatal blows. This is only one of the stories that are keeping me on my toes...

Earlier this week we were walking on the port and we see an man swinging a baseball bat at a light pole. Of course my companion wanted to contact him so we did. WE could smell the alcohol in his breath and asked the man if we could see his bat and took it away from him. we were trying to get help from the locals but no one wanted to help us. The Locals were telling us that things like this happen all the time.....

Back to a more serious note, I was able to attend another one of my companions baptisms. Another spiritually strong experience. I love the feeling I get at baptisms, knowing that the investigator is making a major step towards Christ. We also had a Recent Convert fireside and I was able to see my RCs'. We are always so exited to see each other. Max, the RC I was able to visit last night, was so happy that he hugged me and picked me up and starting spinning me in circles. Yay for missionary and member relations. 

One of our Investigators is having her baptismal interview at the end of this week. We have been working with her for a couple months now and she is the most positive and uplifting Investigator I've ever seen. I can't wait for her baptism! 

Last funny story. So we were cleaning up the church and my companion was fixing an exit sign on the ceiling. It was an illuminated sign and wasn't aligned right. While taking the sign down, a metal screw fell inside of the sign and onto the circuit board. I heard a loud pop and saw a flash of light like a camera flash going off. I was able to get the screw out of the exit sign and it was black from the shock it made. My companion was freaked out because all of this happened inches away from his face. 

As for the sushi. I was hungry and didn't want to buy more food. The egg in the middle had turned purple from the soggy seaweed. Didn't taste very good. My stomach didn't like it either. Lesson learned. Trying harder to be sucsessfull

until next week

Pics for the week:

Hike, I have rice cheeks.....Oh No!

Church Health Activities, Shocking!

-- 

杨長老

耶穌基督後期聖徒教會