S5:E6 The One Where I Get Called STL

 

大家好！

Yes you've read the title to my email. Let's talk about transfer interviews! I got inside the room and president Chan asked me to say a prayer and I gave it in Mandarin as usual. He said "wow, your Mandarin is better than mine." And then started talking about how proud he was about the numbers we accomplished this whole transfer especially last week. Then he told me that I was going to move to Kowloon to become an STL and move to Filipino work. I'm excited! But holy moly I'm going to be moving apartments and leaving the great Elizabeth House. Not a causeway babe anymore. In other interviews other sisters have shared with me about how President Chan has been sharing about how our companionship has had some record-breaking numbers and also shared how he said our companionship was very important to this mission. That's the cutest thing I've ever heard. 

• We had a really good lesson with our friend Sophie. We told her at the beginning that our lesson would be a little different because we had been reading the book of Mormon for some time and haven't shared the restoration message yet. As we got to the great apostasy she had some concerns like how we believe there is only one right translation of the Bible and that the book of Mormon had no other translation. We explained to her how a lot of people interpreted the bible using their own wisdom and then she said that she had a hard time reading the book of Mormon and we told her that's why we are here to help you read it. And then just like what PMG says, indeed her concerns were like an iceberg. We only saw a part of it but then she finally said that she had dyslexia and it REALLY was hard for her to read because she mixes up everything. She said she read a different version of the Bible that was more friendly to her needs. She asked why the book of Mormon didn't have it and so we told her there was a children's version but she didn't want that because it missed a lot of parts. I never thought of it that way. There was a misunderstanding on our part because we didn't know that she meant "translations" in that way. We didn't know she needed a simpler version because she was dealing with dyslexia. So it was an eye opener to us and saw it in a different point of view. It was a very open conversation. We got to research a little bit about how we can help her. She even said "if God loved us wouldn't he want the book of Mormon to be accessed by everyone including people like me?" and I loved that question! We couldn't really help her a lot but we told her that we missionaries are here to help her understand and then we gave her an idea to listen to the audio of the book of Mormon. I then told her I was leaving soon and I was heartbroken. Sophie is my favorite person to teach. I've grown to love her and learning together with her has been the most fun I've ever had. She is the sweetest soul ever. Before her palsy got worse, she was a horseback rider which I think is SOOO cool :) she even met with us this week at church even if she was so scared to come to church because she was afraid her pastor would find out. She gave me airpods  it's crazy. She's so loving and sweet! She also bought sister Liu a shirt and said "I studied your profile picture so I would know what kind of shirt to get you" that's the cutest thing ever!!

• We met Ava and she just went inside the chapel randomly and then we got talking and started crying so much because she felt that she was being treated unfairly. It was so hard cause English isn't her first language and we didn't understand her a lot with the way she expressed her English but we could feel that she felt so hurt. We had her watch peacemakers needed and it calmed her a lot. I think it's special how people just stumble on our chapel and then have a wonderful experience afterwards. 

• We had a successful art exhibition / performance last Saturday. So many people got to share their talents. One I was simply amazed by was Christina. She played Chopin's and even memorized it. I want to be as good at the piano as her! It's amazing how she's so determined and disciplined. 

• Started saying goodbye to some friends at church. It saddens me that I have to leave this chapel. It's going to be a very very different and unique chapter of my mission but I'm so excited to learn from my new companion. Wow. Big change. New chapel, new apartment, new faces. But I'm so grateful for another transfer to stretch and really grow. I have one more week until I leave Wan Chai. Also can't believe I'm not going to be an island baby anymore haha I'm going to spend my 1 year in Kowloon!! 

• I've learned a lot this week. I'm grateful everyday I understand and learn new things about my purpose as a missionary. My love for the people increase everyday which drive me to wake up on time, get out on time and HUSTLE. I'm glad to be here. Always glad I'm here. 

XUE JIEMEI

薛姐妹

SISTER SY

PICTURES:

• last Lehi district picture WAAAAA

• last zone picture goodbye and hi

• PANASONIC ☆☆☆☆ the great Elizabeth house goodbye.... thank you for the 9 amazing months, glad I could be a causeway babe

• 苹果. This baby is literally named Apple. Her cousin is also named Orange.

• Eva! She's so cute

• My girl SOPHIEEEE I'm going to miss her with my entire heart 

• the Lee kids !! I will also miss seeing them run around at church :(

• Lucas and Noah oh my goodness my 帅哥 boys. They're gonna grow up and break some hearts. Also it breaks my heart that Noah keeps wanting to wear a mask because he thinks he isn't handsome  he's literally the most handsome kid I've seen my entire life