WEEK FOUR!

This week was AMAZING! Sister Good and I really needed a week like this after we collapsed last week. I think I prayed more this week than I have ever before, and it's made all the difference. Ever since Sister Good and I hit that bump in the road last week, we've only gone up from there and our lessons were on point this week. We taught our two new investigators Qiu Dixong and Wang Dixong. We decided that I needed to be talking more during our lessons to get more practice, so our lesson plan was basically all me except for when I needed help, or if Sister Good wanted to jump in. I was really nervous, but both of our lessons went really well this week. I feel my Chinese improving and I know it's because Sister Good has really helped me to work harder. I feel like our companionship was inspired. I've learned so much from her.

Luo Laoshi offered Sister Good to be fast-tracked since she's so far ahead of all of us. She would be moved to a new district with a new companion and only focus on gospel doctrine for the next 4 weeks, and leave one week earlier than us. She decided not to though, so our teacher said that we can only speak chinese to each other except for when we're in our bedroom, or when we're at lunch. So we'll see how this week goes!

Liu Laoshi is back! His surgery went well. We missed him - he's the best teacher in the MTC, I swear. 

He told us that during our first week, he felt stomach pains and they went away, but they came back last week and they were more severe, so when he went to the hospital and found out he had appendicitis, the doctor said that he's pretty sure it exploded the first time he felt stomach pains, which is really unusual. But Brother Liu told us he thinks that the Lord meant for the stomach pain to go away for the first couple weeks of our MTC experience, because we needed to learn something from him during that time, and he needed to learn something from us.  

(By the way Mom, you should tell Jonathan Shumway that my teacher served with him in Australia. His name is Jonathan Liu. Also, our substitute teacher Thomas Cottle lives next door to the Shumways. Small world!)

So, I'm so sad to report that another one of the elders in our district went home this week - Elder Spencer. He left for some personal reasons, and didn't really tell anybody or say goodbye. It was so sad, so now Elder Tan, Elder Mertz, and Elder Davidson are back in the tripanionship. It feels so small!

Also, we lost two districts in our zone last week so now we only have three. And the oldest district is leaving next week so our district will be the oldest for the rest of our time in the MTC, so we're all basically guaranteed to speak in sacrament meeting. At some point.

This week, we got to direct traffic for the new missionaries which was kinda fun. Apparently David Archuleta came and dropped off a missionary but I didn't see him. So that's kinda cool. All I did was direct the cars out of the MTC, so I saw all of the crying moms. Some of them took pictures of me which was a little weird. I guess they just wanted the full experience of dropping off their sons/daughters.

Our Devotionals this week were so awesome. I learned about the importance of invitations. When we do TRC, essentially we're just sharing a message with members. But they have really emphasized the importance of inviting them to do something. Because, they can definitely feel the spirit from our lessons, but for them to continue to feel something from our meeting, we should invite them to do something throughout the week to strengthen their faith in one way or another. The devotionals were central to that. Our speaker last night gave us like 5 invitations to help us improve in one way or another. It was awesome.

I hope everyone is having a good week! I don't have a lot of time, so that's it for this week. Remember to serve others when you're worried about yourself~
Sister Hendricks

 

 Pday laundry time!

Sister Kirkham, Sister Oviatt, Me, Sister Good, Elder Tan, Elder Mertz, and Elder Davidson

  

The temple this morning! Me, Sister Good, Elder Mertz, Elder Martin, Elder Davidson, Elder Tan

 We were trying to be creative haha

Temple walk! Sister Oviatt, Sister Kirkham, me, Sister Good, Sister Kitchen, Sister Tu'ione, Sister Payne, Sister Crowell, and Sister Baird. I love these sisters!

Directing Traffic!

 Saying goodbye to Sister Cutler! I will miss them! But luckily we'll meet them in Taiwan. Sister Giles was transferred to Georgia, and Sister Cutler to Arizona!

​Saying good bye to Sister Giles

WEEK THREE!

Nimen hao!

This week went by really fast. Which is good, because it was so draining. We had to say goodbye to two districts from our zone today. Most of them are going to Taiwan, which is good, but it was hard saying goodbye to Sister Sharp since she's going to Hong Kong. But the good thing about the MTC is there are always new missionaries coming in - we got a new district this week in our zone! They're going to Taichung, Singapore, and ... England.. I believe? Also, our district got to Host on Wednesday which was so much fun. It was weird, because I feel like I got here yesterday. The MTC really messes with time. It's so confusing here, I never know what day of the week, or month it is.

This week we had our first TRC which was really scary. Basically we just have two 20 min. lessons with some converts that speak Chinese. It went alright, but we didn't prepare as well as we should have. We started our first lesson, and I didn't understand anything that was going on while the member spoke with Sister Good. So I just thought to myself "Just smile and pray" (that's something my sister training leader advised me to do, haha). Sister Good and I have been trying to find a way for me to talk more in the lessons, so basically when she's done talking with the investigator, she'll just look at me and wait for me to carry on the conversation. I hate it! But it's helped me soo much. I'm just always worried that I'll say something completely out of context. But after TRC, Sister Good told me that everything I said was in relation to what they were talking about and it made perfect sense (even though my grammar didn't). And that made me feel really good, because I honestly just listen to the Spirit in those situations so I can know what to say.

Our lessons are getting better.  Sister Good and I hit a bump in the road this week with our lessons and figuring out how the best way to work together is, and we discovered the magic in role playing before we teach. It's awesome- it gives me the opportunity to mess up before the real deal. And it also helps me practice saying things correctly.

So, I've decided that the MTC is the reason for all abandonment issues. Liu Laoshi (our favorite teacher) has appendicitis so he's been gone all week and Sun Laoshi (our other favorite teacher) just got assigned to teach a different district. So then they gave us a substitute all week, his name is Brother Cottle. He's actually a french teacher here at the MTC, but he went to France Mandarin speaking on his mission, so he speaks Chinese. So we got attached to him and now he's leaving. And of course, we hated saying goodbye to the two districts which was basically half of our zone. 

This week felt so long, but I can't believe it's already Pday. I can't believe I've been here for three weeks! I'm learning so much about myself and about what I want to change about myself by the time I get home. This is the hardest experience I've ever had, and it's only the beginning. But I'm trying to appreciate every moment I'm here. I've never felt so close to the Lord in my life. He is our number one source for comfort. He's the one friend you'll have for your entire life that will NEVER let you down. 

Anyways, I hope you're all having a good week! Sorry if I don't email you back. I try really hard to, and I will eventually, but 1 hour is not enough time to email. But I really appreciate all of your letters, emails, Dear Elders, etc. They make my day!

MORONI 10

Sister Hendricks

PICTURES, FINALLY!

 

Sister Hendricks and Sister Good - Provo Temple

 

Elder Spencer - San Tan Valley, AZ, Elder Mertz - Wauwatosa, WI, Elder Bayn - Layton, UT, Elder Tan - Fort Worth, TX, Elder Davidson - Layton, UT

 Sister Kirkham - Lehi, UT, Sister Oviatt - Round Rock, TX, Sister Hendricks - Draper, UT, Sister Good - Sugar Land, TX

WEEK TWO!

Nimen hao!

I don't even know where to start - so much happened this week! I'll do my best to talk about the best parts and to have proper grammar, but time is so tight here so no promises that this will be beautifully written. It feels like I've been here for months but at the same time it feels like I got here yesterday. The days are soo long and tiring, but everyday keeps getting better!

My whole zone goes to choir practice, which is so awesome. Sister Good and I look forward to Tuesday and Sundays so we can all sing together. It's such a cool feeling being in a room full of missionaries singing their heart out to the Lord. I get chills every time. 

I'm starting to feel a little better about the language. It was hard at first getting used to having a companion who knows the language so much more than I do, but now I realize it's a blessing! it pushes me to work so much harder, and it really motivates me to get to know this language really well.

On Wednesday, we taught Luo Yang again. I was a little nervous because the two lessons prior to this one have been horrible for me. I havent understood a word he says at all. But this time, Sister Good and I worked SO HARD on this lesson and I prayed so much that I would gain from this experience. It went so well - the spirit was so strong, and during the whole lesson, everything he said made sense. It was so crazy. I still couldn't find the words to say to him, and I have yet to experience the gift of tongues. But the gift of interpretation is so real and so cool. So, we felt inspired to invite Luo Yang to be baptized and he said he wants to! We were so excited until the next day when he turned out to be our new teacher. I felt pretty stupid. It's okay though, even though he was an actor, the lessons felt so real. 

Friday was sad. Elder Bayne (from our district) went home because he was having anxiety issues. he plans on coming back out but he said he has to wait 6 months to 4 years before coming back out on a mission.

I love the sisters in my zone! Our sister training leaders, Sister Cutler and Sister Sharp are awesome. We started running with them in the mornings around the MTC before gym time. It feels so good exercising first thing in the morning. Sadly, Sister Sharp leaves for Hong Kong next week. We're all going to miss her so much!

Yesterday was awesome. It was basically our first sunday since last week was general conference. It was so cool listening to the talks given in Chinese, and understand some of it. After sacrament, we went on a temple walk and then had choir, and then devotional, and then we had the best part of the day.

Character of Christ - it was a Christmas devotional given by Bednar a few years ago. I don't think I can explain the inspiration I felt upon leaving that film. I have never felt such a strong desire to love deeper and be completely self-less. I don't think we can ever comprehend how amazing christ's character is.

Something I learned this week is that the blessing I will receive from doing such a hard thing will just happen. But that shouldn't be the motivation I have to be here. This mission isn't for me. It helps me, but that's not why I'm here. I am here on the Lord's time doing the Lord's work. It's okay that I don't speak Mandarin Chinese yet, and it's okay that I have struggled.

Proverbs 3:5-10 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart: and lean not unto thine own understanding"

I LOVE YOU ALL!! I wish I had more time! I miss you all and I pray about you every night!

Wo ai nimen!

Sister Hendricks

WEEK ONE!

Ni men hao!!

Wow this has been such a crazy week. I don't even know where to begin! Every day here is so long and so busy. The first few days here were an emotional roller coaster. On Wednesday, I met my District and my companion, Sister Good. I love all of them! I'm pretty convinced we have the best district. We all got along so well right off the bat. Also, Mom and Dad, remember Sister Oviatt that we met at Brickoven? She's one of my roommates! As well as Sister Kirkham. We all like each other, so that's good.

It was really overwhelming getting there and only speaking Chinese. I realized very soon just how much I don't know about this language. Luckily, my companion knows the language really well, and she helps me out a lot. But, two and a half days is not enough time to teach a successful lesson to our first investigator. On Friday, we met Luo Yang. He's from China and moved to Provo and obviously heard so much about our church. So in our lesson, we asked him what he knew about Jesus Christ. I honestly couldn't understand a word he said, it was so frustrating. At one point, he asked me something, and I didn't understand so I looked at Sister Good and she said to tell him about Jesus. I told him I believe in Jesus Christ, and I know He lives. I told Him that Jesus loves him, and He loves me, and He loves Sister Good. That was about all I could say in Chinese. After that, Sister Good talked with him. She's basically conversational. It was good I guess, but I was really discouraged after we left because I felt like I just missed our first lesson because I didn't understand what was going on.

After he left, I felt soo discouraged and disappointed in myself. I thought "the gift of tongues" would overwhelm me. I guess I just need to spend a little more time studying Chinese.

This weekend however, was a much needed General Conference. Our District Leader, Chen Zhang Lao (Elder Tan), told us to think of some questions/feelings/concerns we had before conference, and to pray that we could receive an answer. I thought about my discouragement and how I had already considered coming home and giving up.

I couldn't have asked for a better conference. D. Todd Christofferson was my favorite talk. He said "We can trust in God, because He is perfectly trustworthy. CHOOSE GOD in everything you do! HE WILL NOT FAIL YOU. After he spoke, I heard similar quotes from several other authorities. I hope you all watched conference. If I had the time, I would watch it again. 

One thing I have learned this week so far, that has stuck with me since the day I was dropped off at the MTC, is to ENDURE TO THE END (Which was also in Uchtdorf's talk). I feel like my prayers are being so obviously answered this week. I feel like the Lord is blessing me in so many ways. I never thought a mission would be so hard, yet so rewarding- and I haven't even been here a whole week, so I can't even imagine how much I will continue to learn and grow.

One more thing: On sunday, after General Conference, we sisters had the opportunity to listen to the Women's Conference again. My favorite talk was by Sister Marriot. "We NEED our Redeemer. He is our only hope. It is ONLY through the Atonement of Christ that we can change. ACCEPT the Lord's plan for you."

It's so weird how much my life has changed in these past few days. Everything from having a companion with you at all times, to learning a new language, waking up at 6:30am every morning, and basically adjusting to the missionary lifestyle overall. But I can tell you all without a doubt in my mind that this work is true. I hope everyone heard Elder Bednar's talk on Sunday Afternoon, he really hit it home.

I wish I had more time to email and write letters. I miss you all so much, and I hope you're doing so well. I'd love to hear from you all! Send me emails, letters, Dear Elders, anything! I'd love it and really appreciate it. Hope to hear from you all soon!!

Zia Jian!

Sister Hendricks

I'll send pictures in a separate email!