Chinese New Year is no longer the worst

Another week! I really wish I could stop saying "the Asians are all still gone, they'll be back next week" but I really mean it this time. Students are coming back, one by one. Teaching pool is filling out and then draining again because they're all in school. But this is our life - pray, study, seek, pray some more, teach, come home and do it again the next day. Recently, still a little short on the "teaching" part. But we have so many contacts and so many opportunities to serve, for which we are grateful. 

Elder Liu and I are doing awesome. I'm so grateful for him, and that the Lord trusts me enough to guide him as he grows to become the missionary He needs him to be. We spent a lot of time bonding this week. It's going to be a sad day when I'm inevitably transferred out. It's alright, though, we're still in the same mission which means I'll see him regularly. We see almost all of the Chinese on a weekly basis, which is fun.

Except for Mourino and Gao and Wang and Bibb, who have been transferred to Outer Darkness. 

Chinese. As of recently, I've been translating in district meetings, so I'm okay-ish at going from Chinese to English. I've discovered it isn't too bad to translate a meeting for someone who doesn't speak the language because, guess what - they don't speak the language. You just have to get close and make sure you don't share false doctrine and they won't know otherwise. I do my best to give accurate translations and I can see my language growing. It's been a long long time coming, but we're starting to get there. What an incredible language and culture it is. 

Speaking of culture, we attended the annual New Years activity last week. If you've never experienced any part of Chinese culture before, I highly recommend finding a chance to attend anything related to New Year. The ancient Chinese used a different calendar, one based off of the moon and lunar year instead of the one we use. So every middle of February-ish, we have the New Year celebration. Even here in Australia, it was one of the most impressive gatherings I've ever seen. Food and music and games and people and everything is in red. It was festive and cultural and Chinese and I loved it. They invited a few members with old Chinese instruments to come play - Chinese harps and mandolins and whatever else - so incredible. We forget sometimes, within our own culture, that there is so much more beyond what we live - people with lives so different and yet so rich and diverse. What a blessing it is to be here. 

We made lots of phone calls this week from super old area books. It was great fun to talk to all of the people who are angry that the missionaries still have their phone number. 

Elder Liu and I spent a lot of time talking about some more obscure topics to increase our language capacity. Elder Liu can now explain The Count of Monte Cristo and all included vocabulary. If you need someone to tell you all about betrayal, framing people and revenge, he's your man. And I can now confirm that Pokemon names are way better in English than Chinese. Fire-breathing dragon (penhuolong) isn't nearly as cool as Charizard. 

We did have the opportunity this week to meet with Mandy and with Ken, both lessons we were very excited for. Mandy is so close to baptism - she's ready to change and grow and come to know Christ - she's just a little hung up on the whole "tea" thing. I know giving up coffee and tea can be kinda hard for Americans, yes. But to ask a Chinese to give up tea is like taking part of their history away - tea is life. So, it's hard. But it's also such a miracle to watch and see them change and grow and be willing to give up something so simple to obtain something so much greater. The Lord understands sacrifice better than any of us ever will. As we are willing to give up of ourselves, He gives us so much more in return. We've seen that as missionaries - I find that it's when I worry less about myself and my own inadequacies and my own hope and start to be more concerned about serving these people, I find that my own faith and abilities grow and I find that I love the people more than I ever thought I could. We met a less active and her son last night - oh, man. I just want to share what's in my heart with them. Let them feel how Christ has made me feel. No greater power on this earth than that of His love. 

Have a lovely week, my dear friends and family. I miss you all lots. Best of luck to all my choir children back home in their Broadway performances - I hope it all goes beautifully. Keep on reading and praying and I look forward to hearing from you next week. 

Elder Blackhurst