The
4th of July!!! Oh
what a wonderful holiday!!! We definitely celebrated! I don't think I
have been more patriotic in my life!!! We sang all the songs in the hymn book a
billion times and listened to the Mo-Tab patriotic CD in all of our meal times!
For lunch Sister Merrill and I had a picnic because that sounded American and
ate grilled PB and J sandwiches! They were so good! Then we had a big
party that evening with our district and the zone leaders at Sam's house (our ward missionary mom)! We
read the patriotic scriptures of the civil war in the Book of Mormon and just spent time
talking about the country. Sam decorated the house in flags and we
got patriotic tiaras. It was fun! Also she made all the American
food she could think of and we sang the star spangled banner! So much fun! It
was a very good and patriotic day! I loved every second of it!
This
week we have had so many new experiences and so many miracles!!! I can't begin
to explain how blessed I have felt! The Lord knows what is best even if it
doesn't seem like it is! 200 new Chinese students arrived this week at
Liverpool University! That means there are some prepared people waiting for us
to find them! We went contacting and talked to a lot of them! We were talking
to one girl and a different girl came running up to us and asked to hear about
our church! She said she wanted to come and gave us all her contact
information. She said she would bring her friend too. Then we were sitting
doing language study because there weren't very many people out and a young man
walked up to us and asked if we were missionaries and gave us all his contact
information and asked if he could come to church. So we set up with everyone so
that we could meet with them before church and go together. We ended up with 6
new investigators at church!!! That's huge!!! The ward noticed and they all
said something to us and introduced themselves to the investigators! It was the
best!!! Even the bishop came and met them.
It
was such a struggle though. We were running around to get them all settled and
someone stopped us and asked if one of us would lead the music... so I ended up
doing that. Then all their translators weren't working and Sister Merrill and I
just prayed that it would be okay and they would feel the spirit! The best part
is they did! They all expressed interest in learning more and coming back! One
even said he wants to know how soon he can be baptised! He just has a few
little struggles we have to overcome first so we will see what happens. I can
see how the Lord is preparing people and the best part is the church is going
to convert China from the inside out!!! And that's what I get to be a part of
here!!! Ah!!!
That
weird moment when a member introduces herself to you
while you are writing home... that never happens... weird moment...
Anyway...
Ah the church is true!!!
Oh
right investigators at church... there is no physical way we could have done
it... but the Lord helped us! Joseph Smith talks of how after spiritual
experiences he is left physically weak... yeah I testify that is true!!! We
were dead when we got back to the flat! The best part was we were teaching two
member present lessons at the same time! We just did it in the chapel so we
were in the same room! It was insanity!!!
Oh
so another of those 200 students was talking to us and expressed interest in
learning about the church. Then as we were saying good bye he handed us a
banana and an orange and told us it was a gift to us because we shared the
gospel with him. It was really nice! Chinese people are the best!!!
Next,
I met my first Mormon basher this week. He was telling us a lot of things he
had "read" about Joseph Smith. It was terrible... but we told him to
read and pray for himself and then we left. It turns out that we went to the
next bus stop and he went to the one in the other direction and we ended up on
the bus with him. He came and sat right next to me too... I was so afraid I
didn't want to hear more or have a bashing party... My goal on my mission is to
help everyone feel of our Saviour's love. So after he started I asked about his
family. We got talking about family and family history. I shared my family
picture with him and he commented on how happy we all looked. We talked about
family history and he said he did like how the church did family history and
focused on family and he had used family search before. It was a testimony
builder to me that the Spirit of Elijah is in everyone! Family history is the
best! Family is something that touches everyone and everyone loves it! It is so
good!
In
short, the man and I had a great conversation and it was good. I was glad we
were able to leave on such a good note!
This
week I also learned to trust the Lord's timing. We were tracting and ended up
walking in a circle. We didn't know what was going on... it was weird... it was
pouring rain too! We were soaking wet! We saw a Chinese mom and ran to talk to
her! She told us she knew someone in our ward who is another Chinese mother and
then she walked up with a third Chinese mother (we want Chinese families right
now!) it was a miracle! They didn't want us in the rain so they shared their
brollies (umbrellas) with us and took us back to their apartments and gave us
food!!! It was so good!!! I was so happy!!! Yay for the rain!
Love,
Sister
Hubbard!!!
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