Four and a half investigators

What a week it has been out here in the field! Elder Liu and I had some of the most incredible experiences this week and I couldn't be more grateful to be right here in Melbourne speaking Chinese. Four and a half new investigators, one new baptismal date and lots of lessons to teach. The work is progressing. 

In our area, we haven't had new investigators in a long time. A few that have come back, a few that were almost investigators that bailed on us after one lesson...but not tons of progress. We were so blessed to have lots of opportunities this week to find new people. One was a referral, one was digging through an old area book, one was a GQ, and one happened to be married to the guy we GQd (funny how that works). The other half an investigator is their seven month old daughter who, according to the zone leaders, "does not count as an investigator". Something about not being old enough to be accountable for decisions...I dunno. I think they just didn't want to give us the Tim Tams they promised if we got five new investigators.

Kidding aside, we're so excited. The first two are solid and we're overjoyed to have a couple and their daughter. Family is so important - who we are surrounded by changes who we become. I've met a lot of people out here who didn't have the family they deserved and ended up in places they didn't want to be. I am more and more grateful to have grown up where I did, surrounded by the people I was. To each and every one of you, thank you for the role you've played in my life. I don't think we can ever quite comprehend the extent to which we touch others' lives. 

We had a lesson with Mandy before FHE last Monday. She showed up early (which we're always excited for) and had time to read Mosiah 3 and discuss the Gospel of Christ. It was such a powerful moment as Elder Norby (exchanges) laid out the whole circuit and we testified of the process of change through Christ. Faith in him that encourages us to repent and be cleansed and receive God's constant guidance which helps us build our faith...it goes on and on and on. And Mandy saw that. She saw what we can become with God. She told us - this is a good thing. So, I extended a baptismal invitation. Our beloved investigator committed to prepare to be baptized on March 17 of this year and I couldn't be more excited. 

We had a few fun moments this week. Elder Liu and I have a fun time singing and chatting wherever we go. He introduced me to Nashville Tribute's "Children Go Where I Send Thee" and I don't think I've stopped singing it since. We had a cooking competition last week against the branch - the two of us and our member Joan proved that we were the supreme cooks in the branch. Those of you who know about my cooking skills know that it was all me who won that contest because I am a fantastic cook. 

I'm kidding. I probably would have poisoned everyone. 

Anyway. Joan and Liu prepared two dishes that were spicy beyond all measure. We named them "Sodom and Gomorrah" and had fun watching everyone else suffer. 

We were on the train the other day from Heidelberg to the city. There's a station named Dennis we pass every day. On this particular day, there was a father and three young girls. The two older girls were singing nursery rhymes. As we passed Dennis, the youngest shouted, "We're driving on Dennis' head! We're driving on Dennis' head! That must hurt a lot!" and I busted up laughing. My dear father, please avoid train stations in the near future. 

Thank you all for your letters and emails and constant prayers. I feel so good out here. There's nothing better than serving the Lord. I'm not perfect - I see my weaknesses more and more. But the thing is, with Christ, finding weaknesses isn't a problem - it's a chance to repent. And there's no peace that compares to that of the repentant soul. 

Have a lovely week, my friends and family. I look forward to hearing from you soon. 

Elder Blackhurst

Real ones

Hey everyone! Another great week in the land down under. This week was really the first full week of "training" and let's be honest, I haven't the faintest clue how to train. But we're putting forth our best effort and Elder Liu and I are giving it our all. We're searching and teaching and growing and I'm so grateful to have him to work with. We're growing. It's slow, but sure. We work and work and trust that the Lord will provide for us the chances we need to teach those He's prepared. 

I had to retype that first paragraph about four times because I can't figure out the English grammar. I've had days this week where I'd be talking in English and realize I don't know a word anymore. My English is falling a lot faster than my Chinese is growing. But hey, we press on. 

Speaking of Chinese, I had the unique opportunity this week to try translating. In meetings, we'll occasionally have a few English speakers in the room and someone has to translate. We sit behind them and just repeat whatever was said in the front of the room from Chinese into English. Our typical translators all went home in the last few transfers so lots of missionaries are starting to have the chance to help out. I did bits and pieces of our district meeting on Monday, and that was fine. But then at church, the stake president showed up and no one else spoke English in the room so I had to give it a go...yikes. Some of them speak fast. Anyway. We're growing. Slowly but surely. 

Also, Taiwanese Chinese and Chinese Chinese are a teeny bit different. I learned the character for "land", pronounced "tu", and I asked Elder Liu if it was the same "tu" as in "tudou", which means potato. Long story short, I asked about peanuts instead, and this time it wasn't totally my fault. We're all over the place. 

The work this last week was kinda tough, not going to lie. We dropped an investigator or two for a variety of reasons and are short on people to teach so we're on the street a lot. We had a few people run away from us - see, turn their tails and run as fast as they can in the opposite direction. It's hard. It breaks your heart to see these people you've come to love and trust and then they just give up on all they've earned so far. But we move on. Keep looking for those who are ready and invite everyone we meet to come unto Christ. There is no peace like He offers. Nothing in this world that compares, there's no question to it. The world offers temporary pleasure. The Savior has joy and families and the temple. Oh, come unto Him. If you don't know where to go, come to Him. Take up your cross and follow Him because there is no greater work in this world. Almost every other week I hear about someone else putting in their papers or going to the MTC and I get so excited. There is so much joy to be found. Let Him take your burdens. Let Him answer your questions. Let Him bring you together. He will help you become more than you could ever imagine. 

There's my thought for the week. I try to have variety, but they all kinda come back to "trust in Christ and He'll take you all the way". But hey, it's fine, because it's a great message and it's true. He will take us all the way.

We were on the train the other day when two girls in their 20s got on the train. They were laughing and joking about what not, and then they kinda looked over at us. We were discussing our members, so were weren't really paying attention. I remember hearing one of them say, gesturing towards us, "Real ones", with a laugh. People know us in the city. They know the Mormons. We're a novelty. It's great fun. A pity the Chinese never saw the musical. 

Anyway. That was our week. Looking forward to another great one. I miss you all and I'm proud of the great accomplishments I'm hearing about back home. Keep up the good work and I look forward to hearing from you all soon!

Elder Blackhurst

Me and my sooooooon

"I hope my child becomes a dragon"

That's a pretty good translation of a Chinese idiom I learned the other day. Pretty accurate for my feelings right now. It's been a great first week with Elder Liu and we've had a blast diving into the work. Lots of lessons and phone calls and GQing. It's still kinda maddening that I'm supposed to be responsible enough to take care of a brand new missionary - especially not in English - but hey, so it goes. I've been called and so it goes. We work. 

Elder Po Chen Liu. He's Taiwanese and is a little older than I am. He's a phenomenal cook and eager to spread the message of the gospel to every family that will listen. 

A little on Taiwan. I don't know too much about it, other than everyone kinda argues over it. Taiwan was under Japanese control from 1895 unto 1945, after which the Republic of China took possession. China wants to say that Taiwan belongs to them. Taiwan wants to say that they don't belong to China. As far as I can tell, all of the Chinese acknowledge that Taiwan is pretty much their own country but secretly think someday they'll all be one again. The Taiwanese all pretty much know they're their own but have to make sure none of us forget it. As for me, I'm just trying to figure out the obsession with house slippers and eating things that make you hurt. 

For Elder Liu, the work started out with two very tough lessons on Friday and GQing in the rain on Saturday. This week was a tough one but he's jumped in head first. We were trying to tough out a little sprinkle on Saturday and we went out contacting. We approached an older Chinese woman and the moment we started talking the rain went from a drizzle to cats and dogs in about a 30 seconds flat. We pulled out umbrella out and gave it to the lady, and Elder Liu kinda hid under it too, so I was completely drenched for our dinner appointment that night. It was quite the adventure.

I've been getting the question a lot recently about how these Chinese/Taiwanese [I'm just going to say Chinese from now on...sorry, Liu] find the church. Missionaries are not allowed to proselytize in China, this is true. But they're allowed to have their own branches in Mainland, provided they're run by Chinese without contact from foreign (American) leadership. Many, many people find the church because a friend invited them to come learn about it in their branch. Let's say a few find the gospel and are converted while living in, let's say, Melbourne. They go home and find a branch. The tell their family, and one of them join. It spreads, slowly but surely. The spirit will touch their hearts and tell them these things are true. I've heard stories of Mainland members who leave the country or go to Hong Kong for just a few weeks to receive the missionary lessons. It's such an incredible work. This is why some of us will say that those of us called to speak Chinese in Melbourne have really been called to China - because the work we do here, doesn't stay here. It goes back. It spreads. I look forward to the day when the People's Republic of China is open to missionaries and we can go and teach them in their own lands. For now, we keep working where we've been called. Thank heavens Taiwan is already open - the work their is flying. I pray someday it is the same for the rest of Zhongguo. 

So, some fun moments with Elder Liu. I commented on how I was very kindly volunteered to do a musical number by our Zone Leaders for Zone Conference this week. He told me after we sang a song for companion study that I shouldn't worry about it. His words were: "Your singing isn't fatal, so you'll be fine." Wow, thanks. Really appreciate it. Glad it's not fatal. 

Speaking of great compliments, we had a dinner appointment last week. Within ten minutes of arriving, every member of the household had commented on how I'm fatter now than when I arrived in the mission field. Thanks, guys. I really appreciate it. 

I hope you're all loving life back home. There's so much good to be found. Let God in heaven be your guide and I know all will end up as it should. I spent way too much time in 1 Nephi 20 this week - verse 18 teaches how we can have the greatest peace in this life. As we follow God's commandments, we can know we're doing all He expects of us. We know He'll take care of us. We have nothing to fear. 

Keep up the good! Have a lovely week!

Elder Blackhurst

Elder Liu, and me looking uncomfortably white

In which I give birth

Hello everyone! A very exciting last week. The work was very slow, but there was enough to take care of anyway. Between Elder Feng's death and transfers, we've been all over the place. 

We can start with my dear companion, Elder Feng. He passed away peacefully yesterday at 11:25AM after we left him at the mission office to head back to the city. He's excited to head back to China for a few months before heading to BYU-I in the spring. Ladies, he's single. Highly recommended. 

For transfer news, Elder Norby decided to have a little fun. He gathered all of the branch missionaries together on Sunday after church and began to describe his Book of Mormon reading the previous night. He started sharing scriptures that he "thought might enlighten us" and "give us direction". For example, he shared with Elders Feng and Yang (both who were heading home) scriptures from Alma about men who died of old age. He told Elder Mourino about those who built ships and sailed across the many waters to get to the Promised Land (also known in this instance as Tasmania). When Elder Norby got to me, he opened to 1 Nephi 17 and "read":

1 And it came to pass that we did again take our journey in the wilderness; and we did travel nearly eastward from that time forth. And we did travel and wade through much affliction in the wilderness; and Elder Blackhurst did bear children in the wilderness. 

So, long story short. I'm training a new Elder from China starting tomorrow and I'm absolutely terrified. It's going to be incredible. 

On an unrelated note, shoutout to my dear cousins Koen and Jarom who built an awesome gingerbread land speeder and are carrying on my legacy. Koen, when I get home, we're building the Death Star. Keep up it. 

Short letter this week, not a lot of content - we're trying to get out of the library quick so I can go stalk my new companion before he finds out I'm training him. Heaven knows I'm going to need all the help I can get. I have faith and trust that this calling was giving to me from God, and I will do my best to serve to my fullest. 

I miss you all tons. I reflect more and more often on the things each and every person I've ever met has taught me in their words and examples and I'm grateful for each and every one of you. I hope I have the chance to pass these things on to my own son, Elder Liu. 

Wish me luck and keep me in your prayers - I'm gonna need it. 

Elder Blackhurst

You'd think after being a quarter in I'd be able to speak Chinese

A very happy new year to all of my friends and family back home! I hope you've had a lovely time celebrating the new year. Our new year was super exciting: we were back in our flat by 9:00, and asleep by 10:30, same as always. It's okay, though. We were awake for the AZ new year, at 6:00 the next day. You're all a little behind the times, so hurry up. I'll beat you all to next year too. 

This week was truly an eventful one. Lots of activities with the members. For a lot of them, this is their home. They spend so much time at the branch, because they have no other family in the country. They treat us like family. For example, just yesterday, one of the members told me that since I came to the branch, I've gotten fatter. Thanks, pengyou. Really appreciated that. 

Kidding aside, we really do invest a lot in these people. We love them. We really do love these people. Some of my best friends are people I've met in this branch. Which is also why it's so hard to work out here. We found a new investigator a few weeks ago, and he finally came to meet with us at the branch last week. We met with this kid, who expressed his desire to learn who God is and how he can become better. We were so excited. We started thinking about how we can help him grow and change and progress towards baptism. And then we call the next day to invite him to come with us to a branch activity and he tells us that he's changed his mind, that he doesn't think what we have to share is necessary and it breaks your heart. We love these people and they turn away from what could be the most important thing in their life and it just hurts. But what can you do? You keep working. Because you know, there will be those who accept it.

For example, our dear Ren Rong - or Aren - was baptized this week. I had the blessed opportunity to attend her baptism on Saturday and personally give her (bestow upon her? I don't even know what to say in English anymore. 赐给圣灵的恩赐) the Gift of the Holy Ghost. I stood in the circle and, in my broken Chinese, blessed her by the authority of God to always have His presence near her. I will never forget that moment. She is preparing to go to the temple. How honored I am to be here in this mission, serving the most high God. 

Don't get me wrong, I still make mistakes. Usually more mistakes than not. We were discussing something with her the other day before the baptism, and I was sharing a thought about the purpose of our trials. I was trying to tell her that patience allows us to identify the value in our trials. I accidentally said that if we have patience, our life will be filled with spiders. She looked at me for a moment and then she and Feng both lost it. I just kinda sat there trying to figure out what I said. We have a lot of those moments in the mission field. Chinese is a mess. Lianxi and lianxi are practice and contact, zhizhu and zhizhu are comfort and spider and definitely not value, which his jiazhi. Anway. It's coming. 

I hope you're all setting lots of good goals for the new year. More specifically, I hope you're coming up with lots of good ways to stick to said goals. The new year is a time for change. Also, so is the rest of the year. We should always be changing. We should always be growing. There isn't time for being stagnant - never cease to develop your testimony in the Savior, Jesus Christ. Therein lies the greatest New Year's resolution: find specific ways to become like Him. Be diligent in your work in following Christ. No better change can be found, not in this world.

I love you all. Miss you lots. It's been a crazy first six months (six months! I can't even believe it. I'm a quarter in and still can't speak Chinese. Heck, I nearly left the grocery store today without groceries after paying for them) but I love this work. There is nothing like being a missionary. No reward on earth that can compare to seeing a sweet brother or sister enter the waters of baptism. I will continue to serve the Lord with all I have. I invite you all to do the same. Have a great week and I look forward to hearing from you all soon. 

Elder Blackhurst

Christmas Miracles

A very merry Christmas and a happy Boxing day to all of you back home. I know you don't celebrate boxing day, but boxing day was yesterday and yesterday is today for all of you, so yay. You can all celebrate by spending too much money. We had the most incredible last few days - Christmas Eve and Christmas and Boxing Day here in Australia were such a blessing. 

Our Christmas Eve was really special. Church was the best - combined 1st and 2nd branches for Sacrament meeting, so the chapel was absolutely packed with Aussies and Chinese alike. S and C and Ren Rong all came, and that was so good. We had a musical devotional for the second hour of church and somehow Mourino and I were roped into all of them except for maybe three. Still, it was a sweet hour. The music really was powerful - there is something special about singing praises to Christ. I hope you all have been singing your hearts out this Christmas season. 

The evening of Christmas Eve, we had dinner at Oli and Mint's house (two of our members). They invited several members of the various Mandarin wards in Melbourne and asked us to bring Ren Rong to have a lesson before we ate. Elder Feng and I didn't prepare (oops) but we went in anyway. We sat down with Ren Rong to discuss gifts of the Spirit when two of the other sisters joined us and hijacked our lesson. I don't remember how it happened, our what any of us said, but all of a sudden, these two sisters were discussing baptismal dates with Ren Rong. Elder Feng and I were a little apprehensive because we knew how much she hates pressure to accept a date - but when these two sisters were talking, there was no pressure. There was no push. It was just two friends helping another plan something they knew she was going to love. We eventually tied it all back together into a cohesive lesson, and Elder Feng invited Ren Rong to give the closing prayer. He asked her to ask Heavenly Father if baptism was for her, and if so, when she should make that step. Elder Feng and I haven't made much progress recently towards baptism, so we were both really hoping she'd pick a day. February. End of January, awesome. Even early March, we didn't care when. She began her prayer, thanking God for the wonderful evening she'd had. We were absolutely dumbfounded when she then asked Him to help her know if this coming Saturday, December 30th, is the day for her. 

She had her baptismal interview yesterday. Passed with flying colors. We picked out the suit she'll wear for the baptism. I cannot express how incredible this is. She is making steps to come unto Christ and towards her eternal family and we couldn't be happier. 

Nothing else in the next few days really compared. Lots of little blessings. Ren Rong is going to be baptized and it's the most incredible thing. 

On an unrelated note, turns out that pretty much all of the baseball fans here in our mission are Yankees fans. This is a problem. Doing our best to convince the Asians that, yes, the KC and the SOX hats are cooler than the NY hats. Slow going, but we're getting there.  

Love you all. Have a lovely new year and I'll look forward to hearing from you all soon. 

Elder Blackhurst

Ni you meiyou huochai jie wo dianhuo?

Merry Christmas to all my dear friends and family! I hope things are going well for all of you back home. We're having a lovely time working with our investigators, teaching about Christ and His birth and all of the wonderful miracles that have followed. This week was full of so many little blessings. I think I promised last week to review last week this week, and I think I'm just going to not and assume that if there's any story you all really need to hear I'll let you all know eventually. 

Let's move on. 

This week, we spent a lot of time contacting lots of people who we hope will eventually meet with us. Lots of texts and phone-calls to old contacts, lots of encouraging people to join us for Christmas. You'd think that people would be more willing to learn about Christ during Christmastime, but not really. But it's okay. We've got a few new people to meet with so we're hoping for new investigators for Christmas. Fingers crossed and lots of prayers. 

Speaking of our investigators, we've still got a solid three. We had a really awkward conversation where we found out L.R.'s name isn't actually L.R., and my dear trainer just misheard it the first time we found out. So R. R. is doing great. S. is great. J. is also great, except that he's going back to China next week, so that isn't so great. I met a young man on the street on Monday named V., and he came back to FHE with us. He didn't seem to have much interest at first, but he texted us this morning asking us to pray for him (we did) and then texted us later telling us he thinks God gave him a miracle. I'm not really sure yet, but you can bet I'll be giving him a call tonight after he finishes his exam to find out. 

Chinese is still great. I've been contemplating what makes a Chinese person a Chinese person, and I've decided it's the slippers they all wear around their houses. I'm going to start wearing them around our house too. Expect fluent Chinese next week. 

I have no explanation for the subject line. Let's just say I learned how to say that this week and let's leave it there. Let your imaginations run wild. 

We got hit by a huge storm the other night. We happened to have a lesson that night. There was no rain when we left the flat, rain as we got out of the car and walked to the park, no rain while we taught, and then it started pouring right as we were finishing to leave. Our poor member who stuck it out and met with us, bless her heart - Melbourne weather is ridiculous. 

Christmas party was last P Day, and that was so fun. We played stupid olympic games where Mourino and I showed the world that we're pretty much the best at everything except for throwing water-balloons straight. 

Thank you all for the ways you're Lighting the World. I'm proud of the work you're doing and encouraging you to keep it up. Excluding the last day, there are 24 ways they suggest. Imagine the change we could all make if we picked one or two a month for a whole year...just a thought.

I'm so grateful for the atonement of our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. This week reminding me how important it is that He drives our actions and our work. As we continually repent, as we continually remember His sacrifice, we can obtain His power in our lives. He is the way, the truth, the light. It is only through Him that we return to the Father, only through Him that we can be perfected. I'm grateful for Him, for the greatest gift of His life. May we all make Him the focus of our lives this week. 

Have a merry Christmas, everyone! Be sure to take lots of pictures of the Holiday festivities and share them with me back here. I miss you all. God bless you all!

Elder Blackhurst

Video courtesy of Elder Feng.