WEEK 6!

Nimen hao!

This week was really good! Lots of Chinese, lots of studying, lots of lessons (good and bad), and lots of growth.

We had the opportunity to go to the Marriott Center on Tuesday for a BYU Devotional. It was weird being in the midst of so many students my age. Elder Evens talked about having tenacity... an absolute determination to complete a task (AKA serving a mission). If we are tenacious in our missions and work diligently, we can experience a change of heart.

Sister Good and I started teaching a new investigator, Guo Jie Mei. She's super shy and very, very reserved. It was the hardest lesson we've ever had. We didn't really get to know her very well because she wouldn't open up to us. On top of that, Sister Good and I were talking about two completely different things and it was just so confusing and complicated, and the Spirit was not in the room at all.

It was so discouraging, but I talked to my teachers and they were so helpful. Liu Laoshi said he wants to help me with my listening skills so he sets aside an hour during coaching to tell me stories in Chinese based on the grammar principle we learned that day. That has helped as well as a lot of personal hard work. By the end of the week, we had TRC with a member from Taiwan who speaks a little English, but is studying Japanese. She was really cool. However, she speaks super fast and I was intimidated at first, but I was so surprised by how much I understood. She told me I sounded like I was in my fourth transfer. An encouraging thought, yet I still have more room to improve than I could imagine. 

Last night we watched 'Missionaries are Forever' by Holland. It was so inspiring.

"People have got to see something in you that they haven't seen anywhere else in their whole life." 

How can I be that person?

He also brought up a question he's had his whole life: "Why is it so hard for others to endure through this life by living the gospel of Jesus Christ?" - Because salvation is not a cheap experience. How could we expect to have an easy life on earth when Christ's experience was so difficult? We say that we are disciples of Christ - How can we say that, yet not expect to have a TASTE of Christ's experience on earth? Life isn't easy. Missions aren't easy. But that's because it CAN'T be easy. 

Well, other than that - our week was just like any week here at the MTC. Our days are still the same, the food still tastes horrible, the language is still hard, the days are still long, and we still work harder than ever before. But somehow, my experience is continually getting better. I'm starting to love the MTC, and I'm loving the service and the hard work. I love this opportunity I have to change and become something more. I can't believe we will be getting our flight plans in two weeks! It really does feel like time has flown by.

I hope everyone has a great week! I miss and love all of you!

Sister Hendricks

 Last day with Luo Laoshi as our teacher! Also, that's Elder Ethington in the back. He was on splits for a day since his entire district went to Singapore, and he was the only one going to Canada so his flight plans were different.

 Our tiny zone! this week we will be getting one more district though!  Elder Stevens, Elder Chin, Elder Jones, Elder Mertz, Elder Davidson, Elder Harmon, Elder Tan, Elder Avery, Sister Good, Me, Sister Payne, Sister Crowell, Sister Kirkham and Sister Oviatt.

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Laundry Time!