Jan 6, 2014 

 

Happy New Year!

 

I hope you're all surviving the cold in MN! It sounds frigid. I hope next week is not as cold. 

 

We've seen many wonderful miracles this past week. Sister Chu and I had some remarkable experiences while we were contacting. We had one special lesson while passing by the DongMen metro stop. Sister Chu and I were contacting two friends as they entered the Metro entrance and, as we sent them away with tracts, we saw a man leaning against a railing nearby. We followed the impression that we should go talk to him. We started discussing his life, his hopes and dreams, and his feelings toward God and religion. He was full of questions and was very attentive to everything we told him. Our discussion soon moved into prayer, the purpose of challenges, our divine identity, and the purpose of church in keeping us safe and happy. We shared passages from the Book of Mormon and bore our testimonies as he continued to listen and question. When we finally glanced at our watches and noticed we had been talking for nearly half an hour, we asked him if he was short on time. "It's not a problem. My class started ten minutes ago but I feel I should keep listening to you". We were able to write down his information and pass it along to other missionaries. It strengthened my testimony that there are so many people who are hungry for the gospel, who are seeking for something to fill the spiritual void in their lives. We saw another miracle in one of our young investigators. She is 13 years old and hoping that her parents will agree to allow her to join the church. This week, we taught her about fasting and how it brings blessings. We then invited her to fast with us on Sunday and attend church with us. She seemed skeptical at first and wary of the idea of going hungry for such a long time. However, this Sunday she came to church and fasted with us. I am amazed by her. It's hard for a 13 year old to fast, especially when it is something he/she has never done before! … So impressed with her faith! 

 

This week, I've been studying about "plainess" - or in connection to missionary work- teaching simply and clearly. I tend to have a lot of thoughts and enjoy using many metaphors when I teach.  I think I could become a better and more powerful teacher if I taught more simply and clearly. I love the verse in 2 Nephi 28 that discusses how God shares truth with us... He shares it "line upon line, precept upon precept". We cannot learn heaven all at once. Our investigators also cannot learn the gospel all at once - as much as we wish they could! I love a quote in PMG from the Teaching Skills chapter. President John Taylor states " It is true intelligence for a man to take a subject that is mysterious and great in itself, and to unfold and simplify it so that a child can understand it". I hope to teach so that a child could understand the fundamentals of every one of the lessons, to teach clearly and simply so the spirit can allow the investigator to know that the doctrine is true. 

 

One of the most beautiful things about serving at the temple is that I feel I have a new way of being accountable in my missionary work. God always expects us to do our best, but he also gives us tools to help us achieve good goals. This is the purpose of accountability and reporting numbers. There are days where Chu JieMei and I are very busy and working very hard, but there are no numbers to account for all we have done. The real measure of our day to day efforts is between us and the Lord, individually and as a companionship. I feel that's really special. 

 

I love my companion Sister Chu! She is very sharp and unbelievably funny. Every day is busy, fun, and full of miracles. She's doing a fantastic job of teaching me about all the responsibilities of being here in JinHua and we're working hard and doing our best. She has a very strong testimony that is so apparent as she teaches and contacts. I know that she is going to help me learn so much while we serve together! 

 

Love you all so much, Hope you have a great week starting up school again! 

Sister Barden