Tuesday April 16, 2013

Tuesday April 16, 2013

I only have 20 minutes until P day ends. There is never enough time here!

I hope I can answer your questions and write you all the things I've been putting in my planner to remember to tell you about!

Ok Dad! My companions are Sisters Wuthrich and Bywater. My companion went home last week, so we just became a tri companionship. Which means our entire district is now two Tri companionships. I LOVE my district. This past week one of our teachers called us "the fire district".  It was the late after dinner class and we were all energized and involved. Just last night I overheard the teachers encouraging our discouraged elders and telling them that our district is making the teachers step it up--or keeping them on their toes. But seriously, our district is really made up of some of the best missionaries. You asked if I'm getting enough sleep. Usually . . . yes . . . but there is always so much to do that I am always making my roommates get up early . . . usually just 6, but this morning was 5:30, and I'm feeling the lack of sleep! This seems weird, because I didn't ever get that much sleep before my mission. 

 I loved hearing mom and dad each talking about their trip to Daniel's summit!  That sounded so fun!  Although it really made me laugh to hear the story from each of your points of view because they were quite different!

Mom, our Sunday turned out to be busier than I thought it would be (as usual), but they are still pretty good. Each sacrament meeting two random missionaries are called from the congregation to give a 5 minute talk in Chinese. Everyone is made aware of the topic of the meeting beforehand, and then everyone has to prepare a talk just in case. Fortunately they let the new missionaries off for a few weeks, but sometime in May I'll have to start preparing my own Chinese talks!

I loved what you said about soft hearts mom. We learned in the devotional two Sundays ago about how to get the spirit . . .and the answer was to be humble and have a soft heart. So I've been praying for those and trying to have them. Question for anybody reading, what does it mean to have a soft heart? I'm actually really curious because I want to know how to get one, so if you know, write me a little paragraph!  Not on email, cause time is so limited, but dearelder it :) Mom I'm so proud of you for walking so much!! That's a ton!! How is it going now?

Apparently I am learning Chinese. After I'd fallen asleep one night last week, Sister Wuthrich began to hear distressed talking from my bed. Concerned she came over to make sure I was ok, and had to wake me up to do it. Katie's told me before that I sleep talk so I wasn't too surprised. When I woke up in the morning Sister Wuthrich claimed some of what I'd been saying had been in Chinese! Considering that I can't even speak the language when I'm awake, I think it was likely weird sounds that sort of sound like Chinese, but who knows! Gift of Tongues. I pray for it every day.

Lately my biggest thought has been, that this is not about me. Nothing about this mission is about me. This is all about the Lord and what he has planned for His children. I need to be the absolute best I can be so that He can work through me, but none of this is about me. And I LOVE it. At no other time can I be so directly and purely the hand of the Lord in blessing others. It also doesn't really matter how good I am at Chinese or teaching, as long as I do everything I can, the Lord will take care of his children.

I love you all!! I tried to write as many as I could today, but there is just so little time! So if it takes me a long time to respond to a letter, don't be offended or think that your letter doesn't mean anything to me, it does, and I will write back when I can. Love Sister Edwards