Some Great Bread

Dear family,

Since zone conference we have tried to be more 'urgent' about the message we share. It is sometimes hard, but it is always rewarding. Even when I get rejected every time on the subway, I still feel so much better about my life when I get home at night knowing that I did it, I opened my mouth. I do wish that I could get more of a desire to be urgent. Desire and urgency are words often used by my mission president. Right now I think I act more because of the guilt that comes when I don't act. That is fine if it makes me act, but according to Elder Bednar the point of works is to become something. No, we aren't saved by works, we are saved by grace. We are saved through grace in a certain kingdom of glory according to our works, and who we are. That's one thing I think people (myself included) struggle with. The lower kingdoms of glory are not punishment, they are reward for our works. We become eligible for glory through Christ's atonement, and then go and live in a kingdom that we choose for ourselves. It's good. And working because of guilt can hopefully one day become working because of a desire to please our Father and our Savior.

Well, that was not expected. It just came out. I hope there's no false doctrine in there anywhere.

Sister Hancock is in my zone and lives very nearby. I guess she is friends with the Taylors and met Dad or something. So that's pretty cool. She's nice. I guess she learned Mandarin before her mission, but now it is very heavily influenced by Cantonese. It's pretty funny.

I can't really think of things that happened this week. Elder Fulmizi told us that the new program they are starting will be "Clear as Concrete." I had to write it down. Thanks to Grandma for her advice on dealing with him. He really is a good guy and it's really not hard to get along with him if you try.

We were going to give one of our investigators a baptismal date yesterday, but before we even started the lesson she said something along the lines of, "What is tithing? I heard something about it, and i just don't understand it. I mean I kind of do. I understand it a little. Not that I'm not willing to pay it, I will, I just don't understand. But I definitely won't get baptized." That was a bit of a shock. Started out feeling a little nervous, then excited, then crushed. Turns out she just didn't know what baptism was though. Later that same day she got to see one of the visitors from Mainland baptized. It was great. She's great. I think she'll get baptized pretty soon. It's exciting!

We made corned beef and cabbage and potatoes for Saint Patrick's day. It was very delicious and actually quite cheap. I think we will do it more often. I haven't eaten anything super good or crazy lately. Although I have baked some great bread. I made a raisin cinnamon swirl bread. It was way good, but it fell apart a lot.

Love you all!
-Noah