October 4, 2010

With Love From Donggang

Well, it's been an interesting week. Last Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday Elder Bickmore had a huge training meeting up in Gaoxiong (Kaohsiung) and I spent the day in Chaozhou (chow joe) with a Taiwanese companion. It was fun--I spoke no English at all. However, his plans for the day consisted basically of 2-3 hours straight of street contacting. It was pretty well exhausting. Then on Friday we planned to meet with (name), that kid I told you about last week. Turns out his school inducted him into some program where he lives at the school and basically cannot leave until February. That was kind of disappointing, but at least I feel confident that he'll be baptized after this is over. I guess the disappointment was for myself not getting to see him be baptized.

Also, this week we've been praying and fasting like crazy for a girl who's been ready for baptism for about a year, but her dad won't let her. Her goal was to ask him last Friday, and on that day he still said no. It seems that sometimes the Lord wants to test our faith by not answering in the way or timeframe we expect, but I know that He will answer. It's just like Nephi getting the plates. He knew the Lord would provide a way for them to accomplish His commandments, but it took three tries to finally find that way.

Yesterday we also got to see one of our less-active members come back to church for the first time in a few years. He's a good man, he was just thinking that he didn't have time for church because he had to look for work. Our zone leader, who at the time was taking my place on exchanges, bore powerful testimony that he needed to switch that order of priority, and that if he started honoring his covenants again the Lord would help him find work. So he came. We're planning to visit him today and discuss how he felt at church. It's great to see people keep their commitments and return to their Savior.

Well, that's about it for my time this week. I love you all so much, and I look forward to reading next week's letter.

I love you!

Carter