Missionary Letter #85

I never thought this day would come, but I've been called to Chinese Mandarin work in this mission.

JK, mostly, my companion, Elder Lokatama, covers our stake for Chinese work. He's been out a little less time than I have but he's super awesome! I can testify to you all that I do not (as of yet) have the gift of tongues. I've studied with him during language and the entire affair still boggles my mouth and mind as I attempt to duplicate the basic sounds of Chinese. He says there is hope for me, but alas, my dream of being fluent in a foreign language is a long shot.

Something I have learned though is this really cool character in Chinese that teaches a great gospel lesson. I'll explain, the word is Spirit, and it has an ultra cool meaning in the characters behind it.

靈 : spirit

​雨​ ： rain (or in other words, that which comes down from heaven)

口 : mouth (If you look at the main symbol you'll see there are three of these square symbols, so three mouths)

人 : person with flesh and bones (there are only two of these symbols, so only two persons with flesh and blood)

工 : purpose (this symbol comes underneath the three mouths and the two bodies)

So combining the characters explains tell of three mouths that came from heaven. Two of them have bodies of flesh and bones but all of them speak and share the same purpose. #Godhead #Chineseisthepurelanguage

Mind blown!


Besides smiling and nodding to affirm that what my companion says is true during Chinese investigator lessons we have had the opportunity to teach lessons to those that speak my  native tongue. This week we taught a lesson to a girl and her mother about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I didn't know this family, and I had heard my companion that lessons with this family usually ended up with teaching the mother, who responded to all the questions shot at the daughter.

As the lesson started I felt something wasn't right, so I started asking questions. I got to know about the family, they were from Africa and had lived in Canada for years, we talked about what they liked and disliked, and finally we asked what they believed. Now the mother says she is a devout Catholic, but they both told us that they felt that parts of the Book of Mormon were true, but they didn't know if it was all true.

We committed them to read and pray about a specific passage, and invited them to come to church. Lo and behold they came, and promised they would again attend this next week. They are reading it, and coming to know it is true. We wouldn't have found their concern had we not asked questions and gotten to know them first and foremost. I'm grateful the Spirit took that lesson out of my hands and let me be apart of it.

I bumbled into this area when it is going well. It's been a fun week and I'm happy that I get to serve here.

Loves

Elder Wolford