September 3, 2010 Temple Square

Ok, Mandarin phrase of the week: "Ne Yao It Ban Mormon Ging Ma?" (Do you want one copy of the Book of Mormon?) Tagalog word of the week: "Makapag bagbag damdamin" (yes, that is one word meaning touching like "the movie was touching.") So as you all can tell my vast knowledge of languages is expanding... very very slowly, but we learn what we need to. I learned the Mandarin phrase because we were helping with a Mandarin motorcoach (a really, really big group tour) and my companion and I were assisting them. We help with re-inviting them for missionaries and the Book of Mormon. The cool/sad part of teaching people from China is that they can get a Book of Mormon right away since they don't have missionaries in their country. At the end of the tour 15 of the 32 people said they wanted a copy and missionaries to come!! It was amazing watching as we gave them Books of Mormon and they looked through the pages. Throughout the entire tour people were looking at Sister Yao with their mouths open and listening so attentively. I leaned over to my companion and said, "If only people would look at us that way when we give tours". The referral cards they fill out are scanned and filed so when China does open the missionaries will know right who to go teach. The Church has been working with China to allow for more opportunities for the members there. This past week China came out and said that they are allowing members to meet in regular meetinghouses rather than in homes. So now the church is public BUT no missionaries yet. It's rumored to open in 1-3 years but I think it will be a little longer than that and when it does open they won't be able to proselyte. It will probably be like India and just a humanitarian mission but that's just me so don't think its legit.

Anyway I also can give Motorcoaches now so yesterday we gave an English tour with 52 "old people". No Sisters want those because if they are old they are not interested in learning about our basic beliefs. They just want to take pictures, like Asians. So I put on the charm and went out to greet them. Within 20 seconds they were laughing and eating out of the palm of my hand. So I leaned over to my comp (I lean a lot because my companion is only 5 feet tall) and said "They are all warmed up; let's go for it!" It was a really good tour. They listened to us and I could feel the spirit. Unfortunately none of them was interested. On top of that we had met with people all day who were... difficult... so I was kinda sad to say the least, especially when we taught this one lady while showing her the conference center. She was gasping at everything we told her and said, "Yes, yes, I believe all of this. This is amazing!" We offered missionaries but then she looked so afraid and said, "No, my husband wouldn't like it. They can't come." Talk about depressing!! But after all of that this old couple came up after them and at that moment I was thinking, "What are we doing wrong?! Is it me? Can we please have a miracle today?" and this old couple said, "Everything is so wonderful here we want to learn more!" My companion and I started talking to them and asked, "So where did the Sisters take you?"
"No where?"
"Wait, so you haven't talked to any Sister missionaries?"
"No, but we want to read the Book of Mormon." So my comp and I looked at each other and then I busted out the guest card and said, "Here, fill this out and we will send missionaries to your home to meet with you."
Miracles do happen!!! And prayers of desperation work. I will take what I can get.

But I am learning so much and I still have so far to go. Sometimes I look at the older Sisters and wonder if I will ever be as good as them, meaning they just know how to listen to the spirit to teach. They know how to ask really good thought provoking questions, and much more. I guess it will all come with being here so until then I am working my hardest.

The amount of people is slowing down here. School started and summer is ending so a lot of times we don't get to talk to people. When I am at the south visitor center entrance no one came in for a solid 20 minutes. I almost jumped on the poor, indigent individuals when they walked in. Words of caution: If you visit Temple Square in the dead of winter get a referral card from the Sisters and just hold it in a visible spot and Sisters will leave you alone. Those who don't will be asked/invited by Sisters about a million times. Well, gotta go but until next week!!!

Sister Nelson