Hello Everyone!
This was one of the best week's ever and it was also one of the most exhausting week's ever! So pretty normal.
So Tuesday we had lunch with a member and her visiting teachers and it was a good lesson all around! It was also really good food all around, I can feel myself putting the weight back on. So we walked out of that lunch appointment and nearly fell down because it was freezing rain again! So lot's of extremely slow travel and opportunities for service. So slick though sister Chen and I just kind of held onto each other and shuffled down the sidewalks. Because of the weather we had an appointment cancel and our member present cancelled too but that's okay safety first! Sister Chen and I made our way carefully to WeiXin and Dennis house to teach the 10 commandments and Obedience, it was a good lesson and we are just so happy for them!
Wednesday was Zone Conference! Yay! I love missionary meetings. We met in Oshawa and even though we had to travel an hour to get there on still icy roads it was more than worth is! We got to see sister Wu! It was good to see her again and see how much she's grown in the time we've been apart. Anyways, we learned a lot about accountability and repentance! My favorite revelation though goes like this: "Repentance is not me and discipline, It's Christ and me." That struck me so hard. I feel like so many times I've forgotten that repentance is not something I need or even can do by myself. Real change comes from Christ and I will spend the rest of my life doing my best to let that truth sink deep into my soul and spread to everyone else. Because that's what this world really needs: A Savior.
Thursday we did service for Tina again! Cookies and Cards and teaching her how to use all this arts and crafting stuff she had bought! Sister Chen and I really enjoyed that part. Then we traveled to the church to practice the missionary skit for the Chinese New Years Party on Saturday. Why was our wards party on Saturday like a week after the actual New Year was over? Because everyone went to China to celebrate and now they are all just getting back to we hold it when more people are here! That being said most of our 'free' time on previous days of this week were spent writing a script, translating said script, coordinating with ward leaders and trying to find appropriate clothes to wear for the night. Plus... we were also preparing for the baptism on Sunday, figuring out logistics and calling people for assignments and making sure we had white clothes to use and the list goes on and on. There were moments where we really just needed to sit down and call people for hours on end. We organized like half the party and all the baptism and sister Chen as a bonus drew the program and it was beautiful and she's amazing!
Friday the snow started to come down! In dangerous quantities and so guess what? Our member present for Dennis and WeiXin was unable to come again! But that's okay, safety first! The lesson turned out really well and even though Dennis was nervous they both were anxiously anticipating Sunday. We were too! After the lesson we picked up some Tim Horton's for Dinner and made out way to church to Coordinate and practice some more! We were going to help set up too but we had to get home by 9.
Saturday was the big party day and sister Chen and I decided to invite anyone and everyone we could talk too! We OYMed for three hours, taught Tony about seminary and institute! (Both of which are inspired programs and you should all enjoy them to the fullest!) And then we booked it to the church to finish the preparations only to find that it was full of a smokey burnt smell! I got called on to use my 'big nose' to find the source of the smell but couldn't do it! That was okay though because once the food arrived the smell was overpowered and the night turned out great! and I got to wear a traditional Chinese dress! Our missionary Skit was kind of painful to watch but we got through it! The food was great the decorations were perfect and we were just so blessed to have so many people come! Sister Chen and I spent a lot of the night helping out and talking to new people but we did take a few moments off to say hi to CALEB! Who came up for the party and for my birthday! I was so touched. It turned out to be a success, God was the one who really set everything in place though and I know that He provides for all our needs.
Even though Saturday was exhausting our work wasn't done yet and so Sunday we got up and kept on with our last minute prep for the double baptism. True to the weather patterns every time something was happening for WeiXin and Dennis the weather turned for the worse! So much snow! But they came anyways! Church went well and as soon as church was over we got them all preped for the baptism and taught Tony how to baptize his little brother and even though the water was cold and there were too many little kids running around both Dennis and WeiXin offered their testimonies at the end and I felt so much love for them! WeiXin told us that her being baptized and choosing to live the word of wisdom was the greatest gift she could give her children! I just felt so blessed to be there and to feel of the love in that room.
God answers prayers. We have been praying for WeiXin and Dennis for Two months now and every time there was something that kept pushing the baptism back but it was all according to God's timing. When we started teaching even though she wanted to get baptized she wasn't willing to let go of some of her preconceived notions about our church being the only true church. She told us that she wasn't sure the word of wisdom was important and that she didn't want to give up coffee. And now two months later she stood up in front of the church and told us that this is what she wants in her life. To be with God. It was such a miracle and even though my birthday is today I felt like that was the true gift.
Because Christ is the ultimate gift.
His atonement is real and life Changing.
He can change you for good.
I want to end this with something that I read this morning in True to the Faith and I plead with all of you to take these words into your hearts. You can make it. I know you can.
"As you ponder your progress on the "strait and narrow path," be assured that eternal life is within your reach. The Lord wants you to return to Him, and He will never require anything of you that you cannot fulfill."
The Celestial kingdom is not just a dream it's a reality and you can make it. We all can.
Lots of love,
-Sister Skinner
PS. Thank you all for the wonderful birthday wishes having my birthday on a p-day has been super fun so far :)
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