And we're back

Hey everyone! I'm very sorry to all you who regularly read my emails and have been asking where my letters have gone - no, not dead, nor did I delete anyone off the list. Busy P Days for the last while and I've lacked the motivation to write well. But I've decided to pick it back up, so hopefully I get some consistent emails back home. We've had a lot of great adventures and met a lot of wonderful people in the last month or so. 

To start off, we had transfers last week. Elder Gao was moved out to a brand new area in the city with a golden Elder and I was given Elder Hansen, a hard working football player from Washington state. He likes football and baseball and working out at the gym and his mandarin is absolutely ridiculous for someone who has only been out a few months. We've been working hard for this last week or so. The first day he arrived he told me we'd be working out in the mornings, so on P Day we bought gym memberships. I virtually have my own personal trainer. I'm sore all the time. Love it.

With the end of Chinese New Year and the start of the new university semester for all of the schools in Melbourne, tons of new students are moving into the city and our teaching pool is growing. We have several excellent guys we've been teaching for the last few weeks and it is such a thrill to see them progressing. Ivan has only missed one Sunday of church in the last seven weeks. A Yang is working and studying and still makes time to meet with us. Ralph is excellent, Yanlin is progressing, and Fisher is going to the Book of Mormon to find answers to all of his struggles. It's such a blessing to be part of this work. 

We had an excellent meeting yesterday with a couple members of the Seventy. They emphasized the enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. On the way home, the other Chinese missionaries ditched us and made us take the train back to the city. Turns out to be a blessing as I get the chance to chat with a lady named Carol (Carrie? Something like that) and discuss the role Jesus Christ plays in our lives. I was able to testify of that power in my life - the power that comes from yielding our hearts to Christ. As we turn our hearts to Him, He will change us, He will comfort us. He can make us more than we ever could be on our own. We see that in the mission field. We strive to find that support because we can't do the work without. But the Lord hears us and answers us and if we're willing to listen, He'll change us into what He see we can be.

Love you all lots. I'll do better at writing, promise. Maybe I'll even throw some pictures in next week, we'll see how we're feeling. Talk to you all soon!

Elder Blackhurst