Oh my, Alise and Crystal taking the ACT together. I hope they have a great time! I remember walking into Longmont High School, 11 years old, half the size of all the big smart high schoolers there...
I'm proud of Crystal! I think about her all the time. Well her and everyone else. Did Mitt announce, then? Good thing, Colorado is under 4 feet of snow and Melbourne is hot hot hot. I put on sunscreen twice a day and still get burnt.
We just got back from a temple session. This morning I studied several things about the temple, especially in Leviticus, and so I was a lot more ready to learn.
Yesterday Sister Wang and I knocked on a lady's door and taught her some about the Restoration and how to learn and love trials, and she was uplifted but uninterested until she told us her name...Alma! Now she holds a book that, though she doesn't understand it, is precious to her because one of its prophets has the same name that she does. Alma is such a good person, just think of all the things he had to put up with and yet he was always gracious and valiant...
One of my enduring how-to-deal-with-people lessons came this week. I more than ever want to always do what I say I will do. We have had plenty of broken appointments. The problem is we dream big for these people and then they don't come to their appointments and it's the end of those expectations we had.
A week ago we were riding past a park and saw this little old person doting over a small human in a stroller. We talked to him--well Sister Wang talked to him because he is Chinese to the fullest--and he was so excited that he walked us almost all the way to his house to show us where he lives, and told us it's number 20. That referral went to the Chinese elders. Sister Wang and I went past his house a few days later but number 20 sure didn't exist. Sad. BUT Monday after one of our broken appointments we decided to finish companion study in the car instead of going tracting. Pay attention to this sequence: should we study or knock on doors? study. should we study here? no, let's go somewhere else. where should we go? let's go towards our dinner appointment. [we stop somewhere.] should we study here? no, let's go over there. We park in a shady parking lot. I look over and Little Old Very Chinese Man is once again hovering over a baby in a stroller. It was a different location, same man, and he once again showed us his house. It's number one, but how sweet is this--he lives near a speed limit sign that says 30 km and he thought since he lives by it, his house number is 20. I couldn't help laughing because even though the language was understandable I knew he was saying he thought that street sign showed his address. The moral of the story is that the Lord works in our lives so so intricately, so delicately, and in this case we found that man again by being where we hadn't planned to be.
Michael. He works at a home where disabled folks live, and he seemed to just be polite as we taught him about the Restoration. He was like--what do you want me to do? Read this book? When we came back the next week he said "you should come back, I've only read about 80 pages." What!? When was the last time I read 80 pages of scripture in a few days? Anyway we taught the Plan of Salvation and at the end (O magical question) he said "this is all nice--but what if different members of the family end up in different kingdoms?" Ding ding ding! Temples! Michael's response: so the next step would be to meet with Amanda (the wife) and Jessica (the infant daughter)? That's right, dear Michael. That one was too easy, but he's not "ours" because he lives just over our mission boundaries so we can't teach him anymore.
We have been qualified to be in the presence of all the great prophets: We got persecuted!!! :) It was awezome! (Aussies say "awesome" as if the s were a z.) In a different area, Frankston, people throw stuff at the missionaries all the time. Until the following incident, we were living on the sunny side of the street. We were riding our bikes to go to see the previously mentioned Michael and some car drove past and some entity within projected something orange and watery, which missed Sista Wang and landed before me. I was thinking--is someone angry with us? Please don't come back, please please please. Then whatdoyaknow, not much later the car drove by again and something pink and watery landed in front of my trainer. It was just a cheeky teenager. His baseball cap fell off and landed in the road just as he threw the second water balloon at us, and was he one to stop and pick it up in front of someone he'd just persecuted? No. They drove away, and we confiscated the hat. Crystal, you may be seeing this cap in the future :)
On Monday we had interviews. Our mission president is a-maze-zing. I don't know how to describe why, but he's so powerful and natural and engaging and humorous. I was really looking forward to getting to know him better. I thought I would be nervous around him but I'm not. Speaking with him was very reassuring. He said he can tell that though I am--in his words--intellectual and talented, I am spiritual and humble, and that the mission needs me :) and eventually I'll be great in this dear mission.
I NEED this reassurance because I think I am about to be launched into this huge growing opportunity. President warned me that Sister Wang will most likely be transferred and I'll stay in Wantirna, this affluent, most difficult area that I'm in now. I feel verrrrrrry verrrrrrry unprepared to assume responsibility for this area without having someone who's been there already six months. I don't even look at the map because I drive and she navigates. The ward has had just one baptism this entire year and being the innovative type, I want to revitalize it. Get new, creative approaches. Something has to change...we are planting good seeds but I think many of them are getting lost by the wayside, if you know what I mean.
To the sender of the beautiful beautiful Chinese greeting card and associated beautiful letter: thank you. Underlined and bolded.
Bishop V, so good to hear from you! What a clever missionary son you've got. I'll be sure from now on to blitz Hell for breakfast! :) It's true though...
Hey, I need your prayers.
Love,
Savanna
Sister S. Nilsen
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