WEEK 8!

Nimen Hao!

This week was such a drag waiting for news about our visas. We all got letters on Friday saying that we are getting reassigned to the states for a transfer since our visas haven't been processed yet. They said they would let us know by Thursday or Friday of this week, but we just got emails today for our new assignments! Looks like I'm going to Atlanta, Georgia for a transfer! Same with Sister Kirkham. Sister Good is going to Colorado Springs, and Sister Oviatt is going to Pocatello, Idaho! There are still some rumors that our assignments were cancelled, and we're going to stay at the MTC for no longer than one more week because our visas will only be a few days late. But we'll see!

All of the excitement of preparing to leave the MTC has really burnt us out. Sister Good and I met our goal for being prepared to teach the entire first lesson and then after that, I think we got a little lazy. 8 weeks at the MTC is so draining - I think we are just ready to leave. I cannot imagine being here for 12 weeks like some missionaries used to do. Anyways, so Saturday was a very unproductive day for me during our study time at night. I don't know why I felt so guilty for wasting that time until I realized that it wasn't my time to waste. It was the Lord's time. A mission is supposed to be hard and demanding. I learned that lesson pretty quickly, and I made some difficult goals this week to help me soak up everything I can during my last week here. Luckily our whole district feels the same way and doesn't want to waste our time here, so we made some goals together to appreciate our time here while we have it. It's not smart to wish our time away.

The language continues to challenge me. It's very very difficult. I had an interview with my teacher, Liu Laoshi this week, and I realized something. I realized how much negativity can shape your whole being. I have focused too much on the things I can't do - the things I can't say in Chinese. Why would I focus on those things? All it has done is weaken my confidence and drain my motivation. Those negative thoughts have influenced me for the worse. Liu Laoshi helped me set some goals to avoid noticing every little thing I do wrong, and to focus on my progress. He helped me see how much I have progressed and how much I can continue to progress with self encouragement and trust in the Lord. I've noticed that the more I focus on my growth and progression, the more excited I feel about learning a difficult language. I love the constant encouragement from our teachers - they really care about each of us.

Our devotional last night was so awesome. We heard from Stephen B. Allen - he talked about how the Father can only help us when we let Him in. Conversion can only happen when we are willing to humble ourselves before the Lord, and open our eyes, ears, and hearts to the scriptural guidance he has given us, the council of our Latter-Day prophet, and the Holy Spirit that testifies of this truthfulness. I know that if we let the spirit testify to us, we can know the truthfulness of this gospel.

I love you and miss all of you!

Sister Hendricks

Later that day........

I guess the re-assignment was cancelled. We are going straight to Taiwan because our visas should be here within a week or so, so there's no point in sending us to the states for 6 weeks. We should be out of the MTC by December 9th! Hopefully sooner! Sorry about the false alarm. Would have been cool to get to go to Georgia, but now I guess I don't have to worry about my Chinese getting worse. I'll keep you updated with anymore news we hear, but the people we talked to at the travel office said that we are for sure going straight to Taiwan and that the re-assignments have been cancelled. 

Sister Hendricks

Sister Good and I with Elder Asenjo! He left for Arcadia this week!

 Sister Komatsu, Sister Giang, Sister Oviatt, Sister Kirkham, me, Sister Haupt, Sister Good, Sister Gardner, Sister Carlson, Sister Andrewsen, and Sister Findlay