MTC - 1 MONTH!

The Zone grew by 8 Elders and 11 Sisters

It's already February? Where is the time going? I've been here for exactly a month! This week was probably one of the best that I've had so far. Don't get me wrong it wasn't easy at all. Its' definitely hard, but I'm good!! I've had so many spiritual experiences it's insane. I wish I could describe them all to you!! I don't really feel like I know a whole lot but I have to remember where I started.

Last Wednesday we met all of the new elders and sisters in our zone, and gave them a tour of the MTC. One elder is 6'7" and it makes me feel like a midget. Me and Sister Menzie got to interview all of the girls and it was a little overwhelming,  but they are all amazing!!! They all tell me they can't wait to be at the point I am, which is weird to me because I feel like I still know nothing, but I really do know a lot and I have learned more than I think. Chinese grammar is so different than English grammar so it's hard to create sentences off of the top of my head. But I'm getting better each day!

On Sunday my district preformed a musical number. We sang Nearer My God to Thee. The first verse we did in English then the next two were in Chinese. We sounded so good! I've never sang so much in my life. That's all me and my friends do. From Disney music to My Girl by Temptations and everything in between.  We sing church music too don't worry. Also choir saves my life. The choir director is amazing. Last week he showed us clips of The Other Side of Heaven. And now I just want to watch that movie, and the best two years. We got to watch the movie Legacy. Probably the closest thing I will get to a chick flick for a year and a half. Everyone clapped and screamed every time at the kissing scenes. lol. I even cried at the part he had to leave and go on a mission. The feels. 

My lessons went super well for me this week with my two investigators. Amin is committed to get baptized in March!! When we left the room I jumped and screamed. I was excited. We are now just working her towards that, and trying to get her husband and 7 year old daughter to come to our lessons. Chen is a different story, so we've been teaching him for about two weeks now. And we are still trying to get him to have a desire to know God. We had such a good lesson where we read the Book of Mormon with him. We read Alma 22 where King Lamoni's father is taught by Ammon and prays to know if God is there. Chen said he could read the Book of Mormon and understand it, but that it doesn't do anything for him cause he doesn't have a desire to know God like Lamoni's father did. I love the story of King Lamoni's father and I'm kicking myself that I didn't just flip to Alma 20 and show him that the king didn't have a desire at first. It's so hard to express myself in Chinese. He also said "my life would be good with the gospel, and my life would also be good without it." I was talking to one of the teachers Liao Laoshi  (Liao is his name - Laoshi means Teacher) about Chen (probably the funniest Asian teacher here, and there are a lot). He said "He's so close! He's on the edge of the baptismal font and you just have to PUSH HIM!" hahaha I wish it was that easy.

Also another thing about Liao Laoshi, we were asking him what we could do for Chinese New Year and he said "I partied in the mtc all the time, you should be obedient missionaries" and that's it. He says a ton of funny things but I'll only share one more. We were asking him about his mission, (he went to France) he said he loved it but he would not want to go back. He then said, "do you think if you asked Jesus to do the atonement again, he would say yes? No! he would say "heck naaaaw!!" hahaha just imagine this in a Asian accent. He is the greatest.  

I seriously have the BEST teachers. Li Laoshi is the most in tune with the spirit guy I've ever met. He is helping me so much not just with Chinese, but with life in general. Dodge Laoshi asked me and Sister Menzie to help teach his class, super fun. I wish I could hug all  my teachers. Maybe I will right before I leave the MTC. Just don't tell on me. 

Temple Walk Selfie Time

Update on Sister A's sleeping episodes. In Sister M's words.. "I woke up to Sister A going down the ladder, then going to her closet and start pulling out all her clothes. I just watched her cause I was so tired, confused, and it was three in the morning. Then she just layed down on her clothes and fell asleep" Sister C then woke up and turned on the light to see what was going on. That's what woke me up. Sister A then told us that in her dream she was late to her train and had to pack. We laughed then went back to bed. In the morning Sister A saw her clothes that were still on the ground and said "Are those my clothes?" SHE DIDN'T REMEMBER AGAIN HAHAHAHA 

This is what you get when two selfie sticks are being used at the same time!

More about Elder Coloobanan, the one who gives us candy. During gym time he motivates me by saying "DO YOU WANNA BE QUEEN B" he is currently sitting next to me emailing as well. 

Elder Coloobanan

I am so sick of the food here, I just have a soup for lunch and dinner pretty much. They did have steak on Sunday and that was awesome. The food here makes me want to eat the food in Taiwan. I can't wait to be there!! I got to watch my sister training leaders arriving in the video on the Taiwan Taipei blog. Wish it was me, but I'm not ready yet cause I need to learn more.

I want to share a little bit of my testimony. If you're familiar with the story of the Brother of Jared you know that he got some stones and God touched them and made them give light. That's obviously the simple version. But as hard as the brother of Jared worked to get those stones, nothing came from of them until he brought them to the lord. Relating this to me, I could work as hard as I can at learning this language. But I will never be able to learn it like I need too unless I work with the Lord by praying and inviting the Holy Ghost. "Two people can do anything, as long as one of them is the Lord."

Ether 6:6-7 

6 And it came to pass that they were many times buried in the depths of the sea, because of the mountain waves which broke upon them, and also the great and terrible tempests which were caused by the fierceness of the wind.

7 And it came to pass that when they were buried in the deep there was no water that could hurt them, their vessels being tight like unto a dish, and also they were tight like unto the ark of Noah; therefore when they were encompassed about by the many waters they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them for again upon the top of the waters. 

We all have struggles, trials, and challenges that we need to overcome. When you are buried by the waters take your problems to the lord. Humble yourselves. We can't do anything without the Lord. He will bring you again upon the top of the waters.

Love you guys, have a great week! The church is TRUE!

Sister Nicole Scharman