Dear family,
Good morning! It's honestly been a fantastic week - the best one number-wise since I've been here. And maybe the best otherwise, too. I don't really keep track of these things. Life is wonderful every week as a missionary!
Investigator update: there are a good five people who have firmly set dates for April 20th. That's the last Saturday before I go home. PLEASE PRAY FOR THEM. Rena ("Layna"), Annie, Sister You, Oprah, and Lisa. They are wonderful and I've seen incredible miracles from prayers and faith on our behalf. Probably the biggest one happened yesterday: YOU JIEMEI CAME TO CHURCH. Yes, this is the same has-been-investigating-for-five-years-but-has-never-once-in-her-life-been-to-church You Jiemei that I've talked about before. I honestly still can't believe it. She was progressing and we were hoping and putting our whole hearts into it but then she hit a rut and said that she just couldn't come to church and I was devastated. And we didn't come for a while because honestly, I just didn't know what to talk about. But I think in that time she changed, because she made up her mind she was going to come at least once. And so she came. And she loved it. I could have kissed the members I was so happy and proud of how well they cared for her at church (okay, I couldn't have kissed them and wouldn't really wanted to kiss them, but you get what I mean). They were awesome.
For those of you wondering how my new companion is, I'm happy to report that Sister George is fantastic. Last Monday we were out finding on our way to dinner and then ended up finding a new investigator instead of eating dinner. I apologized that she was probably really hungry, but she smiled and said, "That's fine! Finding a new investigator is better than eating dinner any day!" I knew from that point on that we'd work hard together and see a lot of success. We're trying to get her to a point where she can train next transfer, so we'll need your prayers. I'm confident that she'll be great - yesterday she felt a prompting to ask one of our investigators if they wanted a priesthood blessing and it turned out to be a great spiritual experience.
We've still been doing more service lately, and it's been so awesome. Ya Ting's little sister (the one who was terrified of the missionaries) prayed on her own this past week at her lesson! So amazing. We're definitely seeing progress there. We also went to an orphanage for disabled children this past week and I gave a special violin performance. It's been so rewarding to use the talents God's given me to help His children here.
Time is running short but I wanted to share a quick insight on grace that I heard this past week. Christ's grace is like a mom paying for piano lessons. The piano lessons are a free gift from Mom that she has paid for. We don't pay for the lessons - Mom does. Even when we practice, we don't "pay" for the lessons - our practicing is a way that we show Mom that we're grateful for the gift she's given us. And that's what we do when we follow Jesus Christ. Nothing we can do can "pay the price" for our sins - we've sinned and we need Him to rescue us. But we live a Christlike life because it is our way of showing Christ that we love Him and are profoundly grateful for His wonderful Gift. We live a Christlike life to show that we accept His Gift. Anyway, you all probably got this already, but for me it was a lightbulb moment. I love Jesus Christ and I love that He is a God of mercy and of grace. I need it - every single day of my life.
Anyway, I'm loving life and I'm loving all of you! Make this week a great one!
Love,
Sister Winters
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