Sister Cecily Roberts: Week 60: Missing an Hour of Jedi Council

Hi guys,

So this week was a blur....I feel like they are all starting to be like that. I feel like the only probably that I'm having right now is getting everything done that I need to get done and just staying on top of things. Sister Tinsley and I work really well together but we have a hard time calling all the people we want to call and do all the things we need to do... so it's kinda stressful. There just doesn't seem to be any time to do it. We teach two English classes, one on Wednesday and Saturday and we can't find the time to plan for them. And things like that. I'm tired all the time and I don't even have time to write in my journal. Especially with choir practice on p-days. We get up early so we can do things before hand but really it all just ends up being really crunched for time. And then afterwards, we don't have much time either. I am really learning how to rely on the Lord. I know that God will not let our area "fail" just because of our stress and weakness, and we see miracles. Somehow things get done, somehow we still are on top of things even though we feel like we are drowning. I'm learning.

I think the ultimate stress factor is time. I feel like the only conflict that Sister Tinsley and I have, is that I'm stressed with time and I feel like she's more relaxed about it. It's not a conflict at all really. I just get really stressed when we are time crunched. Which is basically this whole transfer. But it's because of the standard that I have. I want to be on time. I want to be obedient etc. I'm not stressed to the point of "i can't handle it" but it's just enough to always keep me on my toes and always rushed. It's just stressful. And I hate the feeling of being late and of not getting things done because we don't have time.

This week (in reference to my title) we attended MLC or Jedi Council as Sister Tinsley likes to call it. Well we got up at the normal time. 6:45 am so we can be out the door and exercizing by 7. We get out the door, down to our bikes and Sister Tinsley kinda gasps and goes "DO you have the keys?" I stop walking, standing there horrified and turn to her and say "Do YOU have the keys?" We basically cry and are like shoot. Because our door is a automatically locking door. And there's absolutely no way to get in. Not only that, but we didn't have our phone either....I told you we had been tired...but we did have flashcards haha. Yikes. So luckily Sister Tinsley has the AP's number memorized because of some crazy story that happened in Hualian. Well we call the AP's and they are like the zone leaders are coming. So we go to the church to wait for them (which is really close to our house) and about 8:15 they arrive. They had to bike here from XinDian. I don't know how long it was. But they have the wrong keys! MLC starts in like 45 min...it started at 9. And we are still in sweats, stranded. The zone leaders bought us breakfast and then they left. Before they left though, they called the AP's and one of the office elders comes down but doesn't get here for another hour. We get into our house about 9:30. Get dressed and ready ridiculously fast and get there by 10. We missed an hour of Jedi Council.....oh well.

Other than that it was a pretty pu pu tong tong qing qing song song week. (a childs way of saying ordinary and relaxed week). Our investigators are doing great. Chen Ama is doing great. She didn't come to church this week though but that's ok.....not really. She lost her baptismal date because of it. But mei you wen ti.

Nancy is our most progressing investigator. Shes' awesome and is basically already a member. She always comes to church and she saw me paying my fast offering and she goes "Can I do that?" I was like...um I think so. Haha she's great. She just fits in. Her only problem is that she says she hasn't felt a difference in her life yet. That she hasn't felt that these things are true or not true. Her date is the 31st of December. Pray for her.

New Jessie is also doing great. She's the one that we met at English class the first week I was here. She is curious and is willing to learn but not willing to set a date and isn't really sure if these things are going to work out. But she came to church last last week. Just sacrament at 10:30 (the last hour) and she liked it I guess. We really really with a lot of effort invited her to church this week. All three hours. She was very very hesitant. She doesn't understand why she needs to come. Her main concern is that she thinks people have created religion for emotional support and that religion makes everyone be better which is what she wants in life but she doesn't believe 100% that God exists and things like that. She's just not sure. But she understands that she has to pray and read and come to church to understand. But she didn't understand why 3 hours. But I told her very longingly "Jessie, this is literally the reason I came all the way from America. To invite people to church. To God's church" Or something like that. And she came :) She's like Only this week. And only because you came from America. She liked it but she didn't like the sitting for so long. It's going to be a slow process with her but she's willing. I also talked about meeting her family. So she might let us.

That's pretty much it for our main investigators right now. We've just been so busy trying to plan exchanges, and getting everything done. Zone conference is this week and Sister Tinsley and I are over the East and South zone, so we will be going to two zone conferences and giving training there. Training according to MLC. So excited.

I'm doing well. My body was better this week. And I love being a missionary. Time goes really fast and I hate it. I realized this week how hard it will be coming home..... really hard.. But anyway.

I know this church is true. I know that it will fix any broken heart, any pain, any sorrow, any trial that we face in life. Because of Jesus Chris. He suffered for our sins, our pains, our sorrows, our sicknesses, and because of Him, He knows how to help us. I know with all of my heart and soul that He lives. I had a very touching moment this week. Actually last night. We have an investigator from a friend of a member and she's already Christian so she's had some hard time accepting the restoration. This was only our second time meeting with her but she wouldn't say anything when we invited her to do things. I bore my testimony and it was the first time that I've cried while doing it. At least that I can remember. I just felt the Spirit so strong tell me that this is true. And that this would bless her life. I know it, I live it, and I love it. God lives. This is His plan for His children. For us to overcome our heartache and sorrow, our sins and our weaknesses, and to be better. I love you all and I'll talk to you next week :)

Love,

Sister Roberts

羅姐妹