Hey family,
What time do you read your emails? We generally do it at 6:40. Do you have a computer in your apartment? No! That would be crazy cool but probably to much of a distraction. What do you do for P-days? It's never the same but the best part is your letters. Tell us a little about the city you're in- Longtan is a relatively small city, there are trees, gardens, lakes etc.. It's a beautiful area; because of the smaller population contacting everyone God puts in your path is a lot easier. How's Chinese coming? It's coming slowly but surely. I hope next transfer I will get a native companion because then it will improve faster. It is just slow to learn a language. Are you still working on characters or mostly just vocabulary? I am working on phase one, trying to get it done in two transfers; this is phrases, teaching, vocab, etc. It will be great, then I get to do phase two (vocab), then three which is just characters, but everyone in the BOM. The president’s goal is for us to finish phase 3 by the end of our first year. So no characters now. Sad.
What a weird thought, my first transfer is done. Time truly flies. I am a part of a new training 12 week program so I knew I was staying with my companion in Longtan, your wish came true. I am loving it most of the time. We are being so blessed, my companion says I don't even realize how blessed we are. This was our best week yet. We taught 31 lessons and 16 member accompanied lessons, and 7 investigators at church. We saw so many miracles this week.
My favorite one was when God used me. My companion told me to find a place to track for 10 minutes, so I found a place that was relatively small, my companion said it was too small but if I wanted we could try. I said I wanted to. Then we rang on door bells and were rejected the first few times. Then we rang another and no one came but we could hear voices which we realized were around the house. I looked and saw a little girl waiting expectantly. I told my companion that there was a little girl waiting for a parent over there and he said, "If you want to go contact them you can?" Shortly after the mom came out on the scooter and I went and contacted them. They were interested and set up for the next day, she said she wanted to forget some things of the past, and we told her we could help. We set up with the bishop and his wife as peikes (members to help). When she came we started off on our average first- time meeting using teaching phrases like "Every person we teach has individual challenges and concerns. No matter what your concerns or challenges are the savior and his teachings-the gospel- can help them." We proceeded to explain prayer and asking question when she just opened up to us. She has been abused by her husband, and so has her daughter "half to death." So moved away once, but he found her again. So she went to the government and they moved her here from Taizhong. She has no job, and is struggling with the past. It was so sad, but the spirit was so strong. I love helping her. Our Bishop is trying to get her a job, while we had a lesson on the atonement and I could testify that the atonement can heal anything. She once said "Every time we set up I want to not go, but I follow my heart and come." I had no idea I was being lead by the spirit to find her that day until looking back but now I know. I hope you guys will pray for her. Also as a missionary what can I tell you when people tell me stuff? Is this acceptable?
Another miracle was we had an appointment at someone’s house, who was new so he told us the street (with about 1000 houses) but forgot his address. He told us to call when we got there. We did, with no response. We decided to go tracking, but before prayed that he will answer his phone again in ten minutes when we try again. On the third door we knocked and a boy and girl came walking by and stopped and asked if Bai zhanglao was one of us, and we said yeah. He was our APPOINTMENT. They WERE ON THEIR WAY TO the girl’s SCHOOL (and were planning on fanging [not showing up to the appointment] us). We asked if they had time to meet and the girl said we could and she Would just be late. I felt a little bad that she would be late, but this was more important. It was so cool how that prayer was answered, but even better than we prayed for. He was sent to us.
I love you all.
Elder Matthew Sabey
PS If you haven't sent my package I would love waterproof gloves.
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