Date: Wednesday, November 17, 2010 10:30:12 PM
Subject: Oh no

I want to share an experience that I found very funny, but I just realized that it shows that I am quite missionary. Oh well. I guess that's good.

The other day on the street I was trying to explain that the spirit is not something that I can explain, so I followed that example of Elder Packer and asked him "What does salt taste like?" In English the answer is, "Salty," which of course just means Salt Flavor, In Chinese, salt is pronounced 'yan' while salty is 'xian'. So it didn't quite work out as well. It still worked, but not as beautifully.

I am no longer companions with Elder Chung. We are split, our enormous area is split, and we are both training. My new companion is Elder Edwards from Pleasant Grove. I just met him yesterday so I don't know very much about him at this point, but he seems like a lovely chap. He spent two years in BeiJing and now regrets not studying Mandarin harder. I am excited to be able to help him and learn all the things they taught us in the MTC that I forgot.

Recently I somehow was able to change my attitude toward finding. I always hated it. I remember once a rather pompous Elder told me "Why hate something you have to do? If you have to do it, there's no reason to hate it." At the time I was just annoyed, but the advice has stuck with me, and suddenly went into effect this week. I am happy when finding, I feel the joy of the gospel, and then I can share it with people on the street. Not only does this make it much more enjoyable for me, it makes it much more effective. It is no longer a annoying waste of time, it is actually useful. There really are prepared people, and the Spirit really will lead us to them if we listen. For reals.

I talked to Sister Ning last night on the phone. She is too busy taking care of her children and grandma to meet lately, but she is so happy! She cannot even contain it when she talks. It is by far the biggest change i have ever seem in any one. She is great. Her Life hasn't changed, but now she is happier in it.

The gospel is true.
-Noah