Campus Life

This Area Is So Crazy!
I don't even know where to start with this week...

First off, just to give you an idea of how sketchy my area feels LOL, we caught our manager kicking out a naked hobo who was bathing in our apartment hot tub.😲 So that was pretty fun to see!

My Chinese has continued to grow more and more. I can't begin to express how hard this language is and how much focus it takes to understand the people! But regardless it is improving and as I put my faith in Christ I know it will improve!
We had a crazy experience this week! 1st, a man was yelling at us from across the parking lot. We decided to walk over to him and he asks us, "What do you know about the Bible?" I basically took that time to bear my testimony and the importance of it. He continues to ask, "What about us sinners?" I told him, "We can all repent if were are willing and are sincere in our efforts." He said "I know I'm going to hell". I replied, "Why do you say that?" He says, "I've killed more men than I can count". So this pretty much freaks me and my comps out but I felt prompted to reaffirm my statement. I said, "We are judged to our own knowledge. If you are sincere and go through the repentance process you can change." All of a sudden something happened and he said, "You know, I respect that. Where is your church?"

We gave him a card and an address and he said. "Expect me there on Sunday. I appreciate you guys." THAT WAS CRAZY! Lesson learned- always allow the Holy Ghost to teach through you!

Last thing! This week was CHINESE NEW YEAR! We got to go downtown to a Festival. We were able to talk to more Chinese people than I can count! LOL They love the fact that are white and speak Chinese! It is actually the only reason they talk to us. LOL
Hope you all have a great week! Talk to you soon.
​我爱你满 (Wo ai Niman- love you lots)

孫長老

Elder Nelson
In Ben's recording he shares a little more about the experience from his email. This guy was a really BIG Mexican dude. When he called them over he thought they were students and when they announced themselves as missionaries he said, "Oh ____(I'm sure you can fill it in). I screwed myself over huh." LOL
When he asked about the Bible, they thought it was going to be a Bible bashing session. The area that Ben is in, the other churches HATE our religion. They actually teach ANTI-MORMON classes. They teach people how to stump the missionaries and how to tear down our Church. One Church was founded by an ex Mormon who recorded what we do in the Temple and he shows it to people. Ben talks about how sad it makes him that someone would break covenants like that. 
Ben was really grateful that the spirit guided them over there because as you read the story above it ended up being very different and possibly helping this man come to church.  
Another experience he shared made me tear up. 
In Ben's words:
"We were headed to a meeting on how we can improve attendance in our ward and our ride cancelled on us. We ran into our Ward Mission Leader who was conducting the meeting so we started walking with him. It was super dark outside, we couldn't really see but as we were walking we came across a man who was sitting there looking really sad. We keep walking but then he starts calling us over. So we head over and he says, "I need to say a prayer." He has NO IDEA we are missionaries but says, "I just need to say a prayer with someone, I am going through a hard time." We said OK. Found out his name is Julian. We said the prayer together and afterwards he says, "That prayer felt different and I really appreciate you guys. I know you are just random people, but I really need the help. I just found out my wife of 15 years is cheating on me and I don't know what to do because I have all these kids and she is now pregnant with another son." He then looks at our name tags and said "Who are you guys?" We told him we were missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He said, "Oh, I didn't even know you were missionaries. I feel like I keep trying to take the right step forward and I keep going backward." I told him that I believed we could help him take that right step forward. He said, "I'll take anything I can get right now." I told him that our Church could help him grow as a person. He said he appreciated that and asked how it all worked. I told him we would love to come stop by and talk to him whenever he was available. He said, "How about Sunday afternoon at 1:00 pm?" He set up an appt. just like that. 
I believe in the gospel there are no coincidences. Our ride canceled on us last minute and we had to walk. I know the Lord put this man in our path. We can't teach him because he's not Chinese, but we turned him over to the other Elders and he was taught the 1st lesson and he received it well. I am excited to hear how it turns out."
While both of Ben's experiences had to be turned over to the English speaking missionaries, I am so glad he was able to be a part of the process and to see God's hands in people lives when they least expect it. Happy to hear he is LOVING the work. He sounds exhausted but that just means he's working hard and I know he will be blessed for his efforts. 

I LOVE that my son ALWAYS has to do some GOOFBALL picture. Elder Zeng holding his face...LOL