"The Jade Neighborhood", Meaning of YULI

How are the pumpkins, leaves, and fall weather in America? Here it is still either, really hot, or pouring rain. Sometimes both! (trying to figure out a way to carve something here on a p day.. I might have to get creative) 

This week we got THREE NEW INVESTIGATORS. We are seriously so blessed. Heavenly Father is so good to us here in Yuli. 

Yang JM is such a stylish 33 year old. She is also a psychologist and very smart. She met the Elders nine months ago and started to meet with them on and off. She really likes this gospel, she is just waiting for her own testimony that God is her Heavenly Father. We asked her what her favorite part of the missionary lessons was and she told us it was faith. PERFECT. So we are helping her develop faith! She hasn't been consistently reading the Book of Mormon so we are encouraging her and helping her develop that desire. Because that is what is going to help her develop faith. She came to sacrament meeting and "geng geng hao" the topic was faith. A member came up to us after and said Yang Jiemei was practically glowing (:  

Luo Yu Ting is a cutie 17 year old. She also has previously met with missionaries (It seems like everyone in this town in a former lolol) She really progressed but her mom is "fandui" so she wont allow her daughter to get baptized. We are hoping and praying for a miracle this time around and hope that we can meet her mom soon (: Me, my companion, and Luo Yu Ting have quickly become friends. 

Huang JM is a 12 year old. So cute! We were out knocking, and her father let us in. Him, his wife, and son were in the room so it was safe for us to go in. But then right as we sat down his wife left hahhahah. We were like, "oh shoot what do we do?" We can't be alone with two guys! So we got up quickly to leave but then the daughter came in the room so we were safe. We got to know them, then started to apply the gospel to their lives. The father and son were not interested.. at all hahaha,  but the dad kept pointing to the daughter and told us to share with her. We said a prayer with her, taught her how to pray, and gave her a Book of Mormon. We have a set time to go back this week, we don't know if she has that much desire, but we are hoping she continues to meet with us!

We also met other really awesome people this week. Some cute old couple in Lehe, a cute mom with two cute kids, an Amah and her granddaughter. These were some really special experiences for me and I am grateful Heavenly Father allowed me to meet them, and share my testimony with them.  

As I was thinking about all my past/present investigators I felt really thankful. I haven't had as many baptisms as I would like, but I realized something new. Every investigator that I have had, and that I am currently teaching, are more like an acorn instead of a sunflower seed. They maybe are slower in growing, and gaining a testimony, but when they grow to be a tree, they won't wither and die like a sunflower. Yes, some investigators get baptized quickly and stay active. But I am grateful for the acorns that I have been able to help in their growing process.  

Lehe is this little town filled with aboriginals. It is about a 30+ minute bike ride from our area, which is super close. It is really cute and small. There are so many nice people there and the town was super humble. The old man and his wife were really fun, we talked and shared with them.

We are going to visit more members this week, give them cookies, and invite them to pray and fast for their friends who need the gospel!! I hope this can help them have more desire toward missionary work! 

Me and my companion came up with this fun song

REFLECTION...of key indicators. (from Mulan)

"Look at these, I will never pass for a chinese speaker, or a perfect teacher,

Can it be, I am meant to play this part?

Now I see, if I sent these numbers in on Sunday night,

I would break my district leaders heart.

What are these numbers I see, staring straight, back at me?

Why is this a reflection of numbers I don't want?

Somehow, I cannot find, a new investigator, though I've tried,

"When will my key indicators show, how hard we are working?"

"When will my key indicators show, a baptismal date in Yuli?"

We are working on "baptism... is an open door" (from Frozen) and many others.. my personal favorite is probably our uncompleted version of "I'll make a chuan jiaoshi out of you" (from Mulan) 

Its part of our companionship unity goals, and just really fun. 

I figured out that the exact translation or meaning behind the word "peanut butter" in chinese is.. "flower blossom, give birth, thick sauce." Chinese doesn't make sense to me quite yet. 

Thanks for the kind words, prayers, and support! I AM SO GRATEFUL. Have a good week xoxo

Sister Scharman

Shi Jiemei

施姐妹

Pictures from a little aboriginal town called Lehe 

And we made cookies for our members. I had real milk and cookies for the first time in forever.