The Truth Will Defend Itself

Ground breaking news:
Mormon.org is now legal and can be accessed in China. This is great progress!

Golden investigator alert:
We have this super golden investigator that had absolutely no Christian or religious background (not uncommon with Chinese) and didn't believe/ know if God existed the first time we met him. Before we even taught him, he came to church with us and that was the first time he had ever been to church in his whole life. Within the past 8 days, he has come to church twice, attended FHE, we have only taught him twice, and he also attended another activity. He told us in our last lesson with him that since he has been praying, he has come to know more and more that God is there. He also feels really warm when he prays too. The Spirit is does wonders! He is already wanting to know what he needs to do to be baptized. We are hoping to give him a baptismal date and be able to prepare him to be baptized the first week the new YSA building opens :)

This week we went street contacting with a member of the YSA and at times we would split off on our own so we could talk to as many people as we could on the street. I stopped this one girl that was from Mexico and she told me that she gave up on religion and doesn't believe anymore. I asked her if she wanted to learn more about the gospel of Jesus Christ but she kindly rejected. Before she continued to her destination she told me that talking to me made her happy and that I ''have a good energy.'' Woah.. I am sure all of us missionaries radiate the light of Christ and everyone we talk to can feel it.

We have been teaching this investigator named Bobby lately. Before he meet with us he told us he wanted to find the true church (perfect!) but all he has done since we have meet with us is pull out random scriptures from the Bible that he wants us to clarify. Turns out he is actually a missionary for another church here. Awkward.. He wants us to ''convince him'' that this church is true. Sorry, but that is not how it works. We have invited him again and again to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it and that through the Spirit, he will know this church is the only true church on the earth. In the first lesson teaching him I feel like I was trying to defend what I knew was true by wanted to show him all these scriptures that proved that what we were saying was true. Then I realized, however, that we could try convincing him all we want with our evidence but that wont get him anywhere.  Unless he does his part and reads the Book of Mormon and prays about it he can never know the truth. I am so grateful that we do not have to defend the truth through contentious persuasion but if sincere seekers of the truth want to know if what we share is true, all they have to do is read the Book of Mormon and ask God if it be true. The truth, through the Holy Ghost, will defend itself.  If he can overcome his concerns and receive a witness from the Spirit that the Book of Mormon is true, he will be such a solid member. Until he shows a little more commitment, we are not going to meet with him again.
Important side note: Bobby's mom is a member and he remembers going to church with her 20 so years ago when he was 6 and partaking of the sacrament. This memory is no coincidence but I know it is the Spirit trying to communicate with him and tell him to go to church and take the sacrament.

Another challenging investigator we have met with comes from a protestant background but he has a sincere desire to follow Jesus Christ. He had some questions about the priesthood and why we need it to be baptized and a member of the bishopric that came teaching with us was invaluable in resolving his concern. Note to all you reading this: Use the members! Or if you are a member, make yourself available to go teaching with the missionaries! I know now more than ever after this experience just how much we need the members when we teach.  Often times they have more experience than we do when it comes to resolving concerns. This investigator has to leave to go to the US for over a month to look at what schools he wants to go to get his PhD :(. The most amazing thing about this investigator is he has already set up a return appointment with us in March, time and location and everything. Talk about booking in advance.

We said goodbye to a member in the ward that is going back to the states since she could not renew her VISA.  She told Sister Merrill and I yesterday, her last Sunday, that she was glad she got to know us and that the both of us ''are just what the ward needs.'' It is always nice to hear from members themselves that they too can tell that we are needed in the area we are in at that specific time.

This gospel is true. I know that as we apply what we learn, we can overcome the challenges of life and become more like our Savior.

Love you all!
Sister Jordan