Let me start by just answering the question virtually all of you asked me - no, I haven't seen conference yet so no, I don't have anything to share from it. Next week I'll have something good for you all. Because we're almost a full day ahead, they just wait to replay them next week at all of the church buildings. We did hear about the unfortunate passing of Elder Hales. He was an incredible man and a powerful witness of God. He will be dearly missed.
The highlight of this week was what the Chinese call Hot Pot. Elder Hu has been raving about it since I got here. But every time I ask what it is, he'd just tell me I'd have to wait. They take this pot, fill it with oil and spices and other miscellaneous floaties, and boil it to about a billion degrees (Celsius, to be exact) and dump random food items in, most of which they wouldn't identify for me until after I ate it. Assorted fish, crabs, eggs, roast beef, potatoes, and some sort of plant thing that they could only describe as "vegetable you can't digest very well but tastes very good". That's the Chinese for ya. I scalded both my tongue and my lip and was half-sick for several days but it was all delicious. Still. This week, I'm probably going to stick with American food. Lots of grilled cheese sandwiches.
Which, for those of you who know me, know that isn't a problem.
Chinese is still a little slow. It's such an incredible language, and I'm learning a lot being surrounded by a whole lot of native speakers. The other missionaries are from all over Asia - Sichuan, Hong Kong, Taiwan...I've heard so many different dialects and slangs and accents. There's lots to learn, lots to try and grasp. It's coming. Slow, but sure.
As far as the work goes, this week was awesome. Our investigators are progressing bit by bit, and we found a whole lot of new potentials. It's incredible to see them come and want to learn. I had a young lady yesterday sit down with me on a bench on the street and we just discussed God the Father and Jesus Christ, our older brother. I think I focus a whole lot on how everything around me is so new, but I forget that the world I grew up in, the one I'm sharing with them - it's foreign to them too. We're all just kinda trying to understand one another better. But as we do, that's where we learn, that's where we grow. It's the most incredible thing.
This week, more so than the others, was kinda hard for me. I came home a lot of evenings feeling like I couldn't do anything right. It's hard - everything around me is still very new. It was through a whole lot of fervent prayer, scripture study and the guidance of some of the other missionaries that I found some of my strength. Christ is always there. He knows what we've been through and understands our problems personally. We read in Ether that He will take our weaknesses and make them strong as we turn to Him. I know this is true. I've felt it. I've needed it. He is the way we progress and I'm so grateful to have Him behind me. I wouldn't have made it this far without. We look at the lot we've drawn a lot of the times and just wonder how we're going to get through. Why we have to go through it. I know that as we turn to Christ, our trials become blessings. I hope we all can rely a little more on Him this week.
In other news, Aussie Rules premier. We were really confused the other day why nobody was in the streets in the evening. We remembered the next day why. Note to future Melbourne Australia missionaries: good luck finding people during the finals. It'd take a whole lot of faith to get an Australian to miss the cup finals.
One last fun story. We were in church, sacrament was over, we were waiting for the next class to begin. The teacher is standing in front, and is talking (Chinese, not a clue what she was saying), but it was apparent we weren't starting yet. Everyone is chatting. I had left my seat to go talk to our investigator. Elder Hu suddenly turns to me and says, "Elder Blackhurst. You need to go get your bag from your seat. Right now." I think nothing of it and stand up to go get it. Everyone looks at me kinda funny and laughs. Apparently they had just asked for a volunteer for a prayer, so I kinda sheepishly shuffle to the front and offer one. Elder Hu claims it was an accident. I'm not sure I believe him. I still love him anyway.
Anyway. Australia is incredible. I've got the best mission in the world. Keep on doing your best, everyone. We're so blessed to be alive right about now. I look forward to discussing conference with you all next week - send me your favorite quotes and thoughts from whichever session. I'm always grateful to hear from any of you - I do read them all, they mean the world. Have an incredible week. I miss you all.
Elder Blackhurst
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