Sister Hendrick's Missionary Blog: Transfer 5 is coming to a quick end!

Sister Branch and I and Elder Mansell - Great Pday!!

This week was great. We saw a lot of improvement here in XiZhi. Sister Peng and I have been really praying for opportunities to meet the prepared. We know we are not perfect, in fact we both have so many things to work on individually and as a companionship. We've really worked on the power of the Atonement and really humbled ourselves.

I remember one night this week while I was saying my nightly prayers, I felt so vulnerable and inadequate. I felt like I was failing in so many areas. I didn't feel like I was making a difference in XiZhi. I didn't feel like I was qualified to understand and uplift my struggling companion. I didn't feel like I was really doing what God expects of me during this transfer. For a while, my prayers have been directed towards praying that next transfer, I would be put with a companion and in an area that would help me and uplift me, rather than make me feel so inadequate and insecure.

But then I realized I needed to change my prayers.. I know my companion is still struggling. I'm starting to realize that I need to help her before I help myself. I started praying that whatever happens next transfer, will be appropriate for Sister Peng. I pray that whoever she is with and wherever she is sent, she will be able to feel God's love for her. That her companion will be able to help her, love her, and encourage her. That she can find happiness wherever she is sent. That she will be able to change the things she's been wanting to change for so long. That she will be able to have an experience that will strengthen her testimony.

I really want the best for her. I have endless faith is God's plan. I know He will provide for Sister Peng. I know He will help her develop a testimony through the help of others, and through her own hard work and experience.

I wanted to share a really cool miracle we had this week. After being rejected for what seemed like weeks on end, we were out finding one morning before lunchtime, and met a really awesome new investigator. He was intrigued by the Book of Mormon, and had a pretty open schedule, willing to meet up with us and be baptized on July 18th. It was really awesome. Then, with only 10 minutes left before lunch, we walked passed a guy sitting on a bench, but he had his headphones in, so we kept walking. After about 10 seconds, we both turned around and started talking to him. His name's Jeff, and he's a super nice guy from Canada. His parents are from Taiwan so he's just here visiting for a couple months, and his first language is English but he also speaks really good Chinese. Turns out, his mother was an active Christian when he was young and he remembers going to church with her, but then their family just got too busy with things. But we started talking with him. We asked him if he believes in God, and he said he believes in a greater being, but he hasn't pondered on the concept of a God for a while. Then he stopped and thought for a second and then said "...I think I want to know more about God. Is there any way I can meet with you and learn more?" By that point I was speechless. I was speaking English, I could actually understand him, and on top of that he was a very prepared person that God had placed in our paths that day.

Definitely a tender mercy that I didn't deserve. If I've learned one thing this transfer, it's that God gave me these past 5 weeks to show me every little thing I needed to change. I have seen a side to me that I've never seen before. A side that I never want to see again. But because of this, I have truly experienced the cleansing and purifying power of the Atonement. I have truly discovered and recognized that there is nothing I have done personally that has brought "success" as a missionary. It has all been from my Father in Heaven. This week we have transfer meeting, and we find out on Wednesday if we are moving or not. I finally feel content that God knows where we need to be and who we need to be with. I'll go where He wants me to go.

Sister Hendricks