Down the street from the National Mall

     Hello from the Library of Congress! Elder Synelnikov and I biked from our apartment on 16th street all the way down to the white house. Then we biked around and saw all the memorials. It's sooo much easier on bike! Remember how painful it was walking? We could go from the Lincoln to the capital easily :) The whole time we looked at the memorials the hymn "Faith of our Fathers" played in my head. In spite of all the opposition, they did great deeds on our behalf, and I am so eternally grateful for that. They prepared the way for the restoration. The only memorial they're missing is man who has had the greatest influence on us all.. Christ. They need a huge Christus or something, because there is none greater. None who deserve greater respect. Yes there have been many great free thinkers, but what of the author of freedom itself? Who made the great gift of agency available to us. That's just my rant for the day. We went through every bit of the air and space museum, and it's so weird being back there! I remember looking at the exhibits before, but I appreciate them even more now. Big museum though! I'm so tired!
     Last night I shared a message in Family Home Evening about how we can have peace in trying times. In unjust times. We have a lot of investigators and recent converts there, so I wanted it to be really practical, and have immediate application in their lives. So in Helamen 5:47, the Lord says that Nephi and Lehi will have peace, because of their faith in the only begotten. Then we had a discussion about how we develop our faith. Of course that's by working every day to become more like the Savior. I know this is a true principle. For some reason on Monday, I felt the difficulty of the work getting to me. Like, really getting to me. I haven't felt so down in such a long time. So for lunch, I poured over the Book of Mormon. And something changed. That book has power, it changed the very thoughts of my mind. I felt hope and peace, and the love of my Father. Then I was ready to go out. Instead of that feeling that my heart would break at another rejection, I felt the Lord before my face, and I couldn't stop smiling! I love how in his mercy, he made a way for our existence to be like His, full of joy.The people we're working with now are great! They're very pleasant and somewhat open to learning. But they're not really progressing. They're not picking up the book and reading! I know that if they do things will change for them, and I always express that, but people are kinda slow to do those things they really need to. As long as I'm giving them the best chance possible! I think that's what we can all do in our every effort, just give people the best chance possible. That may be from an invitation, or just being an example, but that is a duty each of us has.

Burning heart, freezing toes

I have not yet experienced COLD like this! The temperature here this week won't get above freezing.. Perfect time to be riding a bike around! It's so cold that at night, within 10 minutes I get brain freeze because it's so cold outside. I guess I should've just expected that! Apparently last year the temperature was really moderate during the winter though. But nonetheless, the work is going forward. I've put a lot of work into our area book and sorting out former investigators. Maybe I got that quality from Dad, but records really do need to be kept well. Otherwise you have no idea where people are at in their progression and who is worth giving another visit. We spent quite a bit of time up in the very northern tip of DC. We call that area the "Jew Square" because there are 2 synagogues up there on 16th and many Jewish people. While riding up there, we ran into a Jewish lady from New York. When we GQd her, she said that the Mormons helped her unflood her basement, and that they were angels! But when we invited her to share our beliefs, she took it as a form of disrepect. It wasn't until the next day that I found what my response should be. I'm reading our search for happiness, which puts our beliefs into really simple terms. And Elder Ballard points out that we believe it is our divine comission to share our beliefs. We have no intention of disrespecting nor taking away other's beliefs, in fact, we will defend their privilege to do so. However, it is our obligation as disciples of Jesus Christ to invite them to come unto him and receive a remission of their sins. That is a calling that each of us have. I just wish people would respect that idea. Out here I've been ignored, cursed, and disrespected, not anything like the Chinese! It's really sad because it closes them to learning of something more. I think people are just tired of being sold to. This area definitely has it's challenges, but I'm seeing all the blessings as well. There are humble people, people from every land. There isn't a much more diverse area in the world. People from El Salvador to Ethiopia to South Carolina all converge in this special place. I didn't get to go check out the inauguration, that day sucked! Everyone was gone! Zone Conference yesterday was so wonderful. President Eyring's younger brother is now the director of the visitor's center. President Matsumori invited him to bear his testimony at the end. He told us that when his older brother set him apart, he blessed him that all who would hear his testimony, would know in their hearts that it was true. And then he bore his testimony to us. It was so powerful, it pierced me to my very core. I'm so excited to be near that man! He looks and speaks just the way  his older brother does :) Excited for a new week, hopefully people start keeping commitments!

Inauguration to city life

It really has been quite a shock! The work has an entirely different dynamic here. I like having a confined space where I am assigned to minister as a representative of Jesus Christ. I've experienced a whole new level of opposition, but also a whole new level of openness to the gospel. Everyone knows who God and Christ are! The difference is showing them how our message can give them access to all that Heavenly Father has prepared for them. There's more happiness than just embracing Jesus! There is eternal peace and lasting joy that comes from becoming a true disciple of Christ and building His kingdom. I've met some truly awesome people, and I feel so loved already. So you see how DC is a big diamond? My area is the Northern most tip of all of DC. It is legitimately city! It's not ghetto at all though. That's down in Anacostia! But I wouldn't be surprised if I serve there at one point ;) I've accepted that Heavenly Father has a plan, and I can't even begin to predict it! My companion is the best! He is hardworking, bold, and soo funny! I can't believe I wouldn't have gotten the chance to serve with him. I've gotten all the things I need to do the rough missionary work. I probably have to get more durable shoes at one point, because the ones I got at the thrift store have their soles kind of ripping already. I only crashed ones! But my gymnast instincts kicked in and I ended up on my feet! I just messed my shoes up a bit and scraped one of my blue suit slacks! Too much fun! This weekend is inauguration, but we don't get to go. The mall looks sweet! We've gone there every preparation day so far. We went to the holocaust museum today.. Wow. I can't even believe it. This area is literally the coolest in the nation though!

Midnighted to DC

So guess what?! I got emergency transferred. I'm now in the middle of the northwest corner of DC, speaking English! I can't even believe it right now.. I feel like Heavenly Father is really pushing me to the maximum. I thought I would never get that feeling that I got in the MTC when they told me I was going to leave 3 weeks early again, and yet there it was. An Elder who just got out in the field decided to go home, leaving this area threatened to closing. And so, being the only trio, President's only resort was to pull me out and put me in the area. On bike, talking to black people all day. Completely opposite!! Talking to Ders all the time definitely prepared me for this ;) I sometimes feel like I'm talking to him when I talk to some people, I LOVE it!! My companion is from Ukraine, and he has excellent English. I hope he is doing alright, he's had some pretty difficult companions. I want to be the best that I can be for him. Even though this is unexpected, being my second transfer, I truly feel like this is part of Heavenly Father's plan for me. No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing. I was thinking about why he wouldn't call any Chinese Elder to this area for a year, and then 2. He was ready for this, and I'll be ready for this. It feels so unfair leaving the area I worked so hard on behind. I just was getting the hang of things. But I know this change is truly for my good as well. I have a specific purpose here, and I feel it is the best possible environment for me to grow the most that I can. I am ready to put my heart and soul into the work here, and love these people like my brothers and sisters. I had to get shoes to bike in and clothes to get dirty and I have to provide all my meals now, so I don't know how I'm going to make my money go this month, but I trust that the Lord will provide. I just haven't budgeted for I learned that I always have to be prepared for things like this to happen. I just think I should have been prepared to serve English at the beginning of my mission. I feel like one of my weaknesses is just the first approach, so I get a lot of practice in my own language! I hope I can bring it back to Chinese. I know my language can suffer too, so I'm putting a lot of effort into keeping it up through self study. I'm learning some Russian too from Elder Synelnikov! I love him already though, and I trust that there is a work very specific for us to do at this time.

Welcome Elder He and 2013

Elder He has arrived! Transfer meeting this morning was really cool, and I finally am starting to feel like I'm a real missionary ;) So Elder He is from San Fransisco. He came from China, near Hong Kong 2 years ago and is the only member of his family that decided to be baptized. He is turning 26 on Sunday! There is never a moment when he isn't smiling, he is so happy to be here. I feel bad for Elder Mclane having to finish my training and start his at the same time, but he can handle it. On New Years Eve we went to the VC where a GuZhang  society was playing. I have never seen it played before! Super cool instrument. There were tons of Chinese people so we found a few potentials. We had 7 investigators at Sacrament on Sunday! The people we're working with are progressing and building faith, and I feel like with Elder He, we have all the more potential to do great things. I really feel so much determination to put everything I have into working with these people and helping them increase their faith and develop their relationship with God. People in our branch are very migratory, but we'll just keep working at who is here! A lot of key active members are moving away in the next 6 months so the whole dynamic of the branch is about to change.