Feb 17, 2013

 Sister Gummow wrote this week after finishing the last week of "Guo Nian" - Spring Festival/Chinese New Year!  It sounded like a great way to start the new year!!

This week was a great Guo nian adventure and I loved it!  It was so fun to get to know the members better.  I am finally starting to remember them and know them.  It was also good for me to learn my way around the city a bit better.  I'm still not great at it, but every day improve.  This week I saw so so so many miracles!  It was so cool.  The lord was giving me reminders EVERY day that it truly is His work.  ALL of our investigators were in other places, so this week we got to focus on members, less actives, and FINDING.  ha ha this was a bit hard, but the lord truly uses our talents.  So many people were willing to listen to us.  I think it is because I have really learned how to show my love to people quickly, so they were curious about what we were doing working during guonian.  It was so cool.  We taught 18 lessons when the usual is about 12 for us.  Our District Leader was amazed so many were willing to listen.  I know it was a direct result of very very earnest prayers.  The lord really helped us find some great people.  We also got to do Temple tours.  Sister Ochoa and I got to be companions for 2 hours!  It was so fun.  Ha ha she is a great missionary and it was fun to be together for a little while.  Soooo weird to me sometimes that we speak Chinese...

Oh you asked about the CD and Chinese.  CD I LOVE!   I often choose this CD to listen to.  Primary songs are my favorite by far.  You can also tell John we often listen to the CD he sent us too.  

Chinese... well honestly I have very high goals and expectations for my Chinese so I don't think it is that good, but people always make comments on it.  I definitely mostly think and talk in Chinese and am already starting to forget English sometimes... so weird!  So it is going well... though Language studies have been struggling so much lately!  Any good ideas on how to help me memorize vocab or make my language study time more effective?  I want to keep up the progress.  This week was ok, but still not as good as I would have liked.

 This was her response to her dad sharing his mission experiences with her and what he learned:

So dad I have to thank you once again for your advice.  You know me too well.  So this week we also had interviews with the mission president.  I asked Pres. Day how I could better inspire others to want to serve and how could I help inspire investigators.  I have such a strong testimony.  I wanted to be a light like President Monson and help other people have a desire to do and be excited about the gospel.  He told me four great things 1. always strive to be the perfect example. 2. consistently and constantly demonstrate Christlike attributes 3. strive to have the spirit at all times 4 be the most positive and enthusiastic.  I definitely have some room for improvement though I have definitely been improving!  But back to dad's advice... my companion helped me point out a very helpful thing... My high goals and standards for myself are great, but she asked if I expect the same of others around me... and to be honest I do!  I expect a lot from my family, friends, companions and investigators.  I think it is good to have high expectations because it says you believe in other's potential to become.  The problem is when they don't measure up they feel guilty and I don't want anyone (especially my companion) to feel this kind of pressure.  It has been hard for her too because this week I saw a lot of success.  It was not mine though it was because I was listening to the spirit's very small thoughts and promptings, but when you are not seeing the same thing yourself I could see how that would be discouraging.  I am going to be working a lot on genuine compliments this week.  I encourage you all to do the same.  Sometimes it is so much easier to see the good in others and put yourself down.  Don't do it!  God gave us all gifts.  Let us rejoice in other's successes!  I love you all and hope this Valentine's was good.  Good luck this week.  Mom we love you and appreciate all your sacrifices for us.  Dad, Dan and Bry we recognize the toll on you guys and want you to know the lord is grateful for your sacrifices too. Dan keep up the 15 min reading!  LOVE YOU!!! :)