Angels Among the Rice Fields

Dear Family,  
We had a great week! So many miracles. Wendy was baptized on Saturday. We love her so much. She buys us food... literally every day. Overwhelmed with generosity. Yesterday it was Krispy Kreme doughnuts. If that isn't proof enough that she is heavenly, I don't know what is! I kept watching her open, timid face during the whole baptismal service. Her eyes smiled and she seemed to exude a sense of simple wonder. She investigated the church before but was not able to be baptized because her parents did not agree. She is now 21, and God brought her back... brought her back to join the church. She kept hugging us and smiling... her testimony was powerful. The Brother conducting the service was nervous that she would catch cold with her wet hair (70 degrees outside....?) So she wore a towel draped over her head for the second half of the service. haha. I'm never forgetting that. What a beautiful day! 
  Recently, we've had the unique opportunity to teach many people from mainland China. They are unbelievably prepared. When I think of them, I think about what one of our members recently said (fists pumped!) after leaving one of our lessons: "China is ready!!!" The Chinese people are so ready! One of the people we are teaching is one of the most unique characters I have ever met. We saw her on the street over a week ago and got an impression to speak to her. She is well over six feet and has an elegant style - her lessons are full of the most humble, intelligent, excited questions. She is undoubtedly special. As she bonded with our members and shared her conflict on putting aside the atheist mentality she has kept her entire life, she also told us of her profound desire for happiness... something she has consistently seen in those practicing religion. We can almost see the gears inside her head spinning every time we teach her... she is a deep thinker! On one of the days we taught her, our helping member called just before 10pm. "I just spent 3 hours talking to Sister Shi" she told us in shock. "She has LOTS of questions and is excited to learn more!" We are incredibly excited to see her progress toward her baptismal goal.  Another stunning miracle took place one afternoon. Sister Chao and I had been working hard during contacting but hadn't met with any success. Still hoping for an unexpected miracle, we came back to the chapel to grab something in preparation for another lesson. To our surprise, a couple was waiting in the JinHua chapel lobby. Their thick, unique accents instantly gave them away. "We are from mainland China. We are teaching at the neighboring college and have always been curious about this church. Would you mind telling us more about it?" Sister Chao and I looked at each other with big eyes. As we gave the tour... the woman began telling us about her background. She was from the heart of China and had never had contact with Christianity. However, ever since she was young, she had believed in the existence of a God. "Why are there so many different churches?" She asked innocently. A scripture came to mind. Alma 13:24: 

"For behold, aangels are declaring it unto many at this time in our land; and this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive his word at the time of his coming in his glory".

As I thought about this scripture, the truth of it hit me like a wall of bricks. It is beyond probable logic that a young girl, living in the heart of religion-closed China would have such a tender and persistent belief in God. It defies simple reason, for someone with such a background to have such a profound interest in religion, to even understand that many different Christian churches exist. I believe angels have whispered things to her all of her life... and I believe she is not the only one in mainland China who is being prepared for the gospel. It just makes me so excited!!!!! I love these people so unbelievably much! Angels are literally walking through the rice fields of Asia....
 This week, I've been pondering about my relationship with the scriptures. I've had a number of wonderful experiences on my mission that have inspired me to gain a deep and thorough knowledge of  the scriptures... to keep rediscovering them for myself. The word "feast" that is offered us in 2 Nephi 32 keeps changing as I ever try and seek to dig deeper into those sacred pages. Over the course of my mission, I have grown from an appreciation and great interest in the volumes to a daily hungering during my studies- to continual pondering, soul-searching, asking. There is always a greater level of understanding we can reach in the scriptures. If we want to always dig deeper, all we find is "a reservoir of living water" that never ceases to stun us. As I've read, I keep thinking about 1 Corinthians 2:11-16 that talks about how spiritual things are only learned spiritually. No one can teach them to you, no one can help you understand by describing their experience alone... we only understand spiritual things by the tutorage of the Holy Ghost. More fully realizing this has consistently reminded me of all the things that I still do not know, of all the spiritual truths that I need to work hard to learn. Letting the scriptures sink into our hearts, asking to open our understanding to the connections the Holy Ghost makes for us, truly open up ceilings of possibilities. I'm so exciting for a lifetime of continually working and asking to learn a little more. Love to you all!