Week 40: April 13, 2020

Hi all!

Quite a week. We've been busy with lessons! And also calling our huge list of contacts haha. But it's been amazing again to see the miracles from this week. And the people we've found who are so prepared for the Gospel!

In my interview with the mission president this past week, we talked a bit about how much of a blessing the lockdown has been. Before all this happened (and I guess still now), the whole mission was kinda obsessed over the whole idea of finding those prepared to receive the Gospel. And that often meant spending as much time as possible on the street talking to everyone. But wow, this past week has proven that some of those prepared people have literally been in our hands or pocket the whole time. And all they needed was a quick phone call or text to start receiving the Gospel again. This past week we found 10 new people to teach. Which is honestly so many people! In comparison, before the quarantine, each companionship in the mission would find an average of 4-5 new people to teach each week. So it's been such a faith builder to see the miracles that still happen!

Also this past week we put our friend Wangyue on date for baptism! May 23rd, I'm so excited for her! And also! She's from Shanghai! Where the new temple is going to be! She's already excited to go to the temple there and she's not even baptized haha. The whole mission currently has so many people on date for baptism, about 50 people! Which is the highest the mission has had in a while. The work is seriously progressing so much even in this chaos. I know everything happens for a reason. 

Also, happy Easter! On saturday night, I had one of the worst nightmares I've had in a while. It basically involved a lot of death with those around me. I remember waking up in the middle of the night in distress, and then feeling instant relief as I came back to reality. And as I laid there I kind of pondered on the message of Easter, and what the Atonement of Jesus Christ means to us. And it just makes me so grateful to know that because of His sacrifice for us, we will all live again. We will be able to see our loved ones again. I love this Gospel and the peace and happiness it brings!

-Elder Ensign 高长老

From our balcony

Masks