Sister Cecily Roberts: Week 53: 時間(Time) Goes So Fast

Hello :)

Well I officially am an old missionary.... only have 6 months to go....yikes where does time go? For my year mark we went up to the bu for a training and I got to see Sister Erickson from the MTC which was super super fun! We went to eat peanut butter burgers together for our year mark :) Super fun! Other than that it was a pretty normal day so not too special. But just a lot of reflecting. I've come a long long way. From speaking Chinese, to loving myself more, to having more faith, to a strong testimony of this work, etc. Just a lot of things have happened and I just can't believe that I'm here...a year later. Dad sent me a picture of the day I was set apart and I just can't believe it....it was a tender moment to just reflect on how a year ago I said goodbye to them and gave up my life to the Lord. It's been a journey and one that I would do over and over again.

This week was super good :) Basically a lot happened from exchanges, to temple tour training, to interviews with president, temple day, Serene was confirmed, we lost our phone, I hit my year mark, etc. Lots of fun things.

We went on exchanges with Sister Fenlaw and Sister Li and it was super fun! Sister Fenlaw and I just talked a lot and we saw some cool miracles. I was kinda stressed out because of the short notice of finding out when temple day was, we didn't have any lessons planned for Monday so it was just finding all day but I didn't feel completely good about anything that I had planned. I was just stressed because I wanted to have a good exchange but just became overwhelmed. Anyway, Sister Fenlaw arrived and we talked about the plan and decided to go visit a few LA's. Well we get to one house and she isn't home but it turns out her roommate was and her roommate said that we could meet with her. Her name is Xie XJ. It was just a quick contact but we hope that it turns out. Then we were heading to this other place (to go english boarding) but it was a little far away and I started to question whether or not we should go. And we decided that we needed to go to this other school, to go english boarding. So we did and we had one ama who came up to us and asked if it was really free so we said of course and talked to her and got her number etc. Then this other lady comes up to us and waves at me like she knew who I was. I waved back and she's like 'I met you over at ____ mRT station and you showed me _______" And just talked about how she had seen me before and we knew each other etc. Well I have never seen her before in my life but I pretended like I had. She didn't have the other person (that she actually met)'s number and she didn't give them hers so basically no one will ever know if we actually met but she gave us her number and she set up with us and is coming to scripture class!!! WOOHOO!!! Miracles! I learned again that I need to follow the spirit and not worry so much.

Our RC, Eago taught me a very important lesson this week. I asked her why she was so happy and she said "Just don't be nervous/worry. Just let God do His work" and I was so stunned by her answer because it applied to me sooo much. I was like "yes I just need to worry less" :) I love her.

Temple day was awesome and I'm so grateful for the Spirit. I don't understand the temple completely yet but I am so grateful for the peaceful Spirit and the incredible feeling that accompanies the temple. I felt so strongly that God loves me and it made me tear up and I don't know how to explain how I felt. Basically it just feels good and right.

We also had interviews with president this week and it was super great. Basically he sat me down and said "what's on your mind?" So we just talked. I told him how I was again feeling like I wasn't an amazing missionary and he invited me to ask God how He felt about me. And he said something that really struck me. He said "When you believe in yourself, God will be able to do more through you" or something like that. I think that's something I'm going to remember the rest of my life. I just need to be more confident. I've changed a lot and am a lot more confident but I'm still working on it :)

We don't have many progressing investigators right now, so we are working on it. We have a lot of great potentials that we are meeting with this week. We are meeting with this cute girl, Qian XJ. She has a baptismal date and said she will read the Book of Mormon etc. But she can only meet once a week because of work. We will see.

I think that's basically it :) I love you all. I know with all of my heart that God lives. He loves every single one of us, and I know that He is in the details of the details of the details of our lives. I can't express my gratitude for Him and for all that He has helped me do and helped me to become. I love Him and I love His work.

I also learned one other thing I want to share, someone shared this and it really hit home. "There's three reasons someone goes on a mission. 1. Out of fear. Fear of what others will think if they don’t serve. 2. Duty. Where they feel it's their duty to God and to others. 3. Out of love. Love for God. Love for the gospel. Love for His children" This is something I will share with others the rest of my life. I realized (or at least I feel like) the reason I came on a mission was mostly #2. Which isn't bad but the best is love. And I know that I'm there now. I love God. I love this work. I love His children. I go finding because I love God. I go out on the streets because I love knowing I am an instrument in His hands and knowing that through my efforts God is going to bring the happiness of this gospel into someone's life. I want to do this work because I want others to feel the joy and peace that comes from Jesus Christ. The feeling of being completely clean. No guilt, no pain, just joy and hope. Other's agency frusturates me sometimes because it hurts knowing they are turning away the greatest thing in the entire universe, but that's ok. That's just part of God's plan.

I love this work so much and I can't wait to just soar this next 6 months!!!! Shi jian guo de hen kuai (time goes fast) Just believe in yourself more. Have a little more faith, and pray all the time. And life will be good :) I love you all!!!

Love,

Sister Luo

Sister Roberts