Stuck with you for Eternity!

This week was great! I know I say that every week, but I really mean it haha. Every day I'm more and more grateful I'm serving in the area I'm in. The YSA are such a huge boost to missionary work. All of them are converts, so hearing their stories and getting to know them so personally not only makes me love them more, but love the people we teach! Yesterday at  church President Ertel asked our investigator Phanida to get up and bear her testimony. (Backstory: She's the mom of Pankou and Emily, and her husband won't let her be baptized because he's still Shaman, but she's faithful in coming to church every week! We've been teaching her since we got here, and her faith has grown exponentially! Obviously not attributed to us, but to the fact she has a natural born desire to believe. #believingbloodofisrael). Sister Xiong and I exchanged looks of terror from across the room, because Phanida is extremely shy, but she walked up there with "peng xue" and shared how even though she's not a member yet, the gospel has already changed her life. She was baller! There wasn't a dry eye in the chapel when she was done. We're praying her husband's heart softens with time, and that he'll let her be baptized.

Saturday we went to a sealing at the temple, and it was so beautiful! It's weird seeing YSAs become YAs. They're the cutest couple in the whole universe and are so in love with each other. I'm so grateful for temples and the ability to be married for time and ALL eternity, not just "till death do you part." That's not God's plan for His children! Families are meant to be together forever, and I'm so blessed to know the priesthood authority to do that has been restored again on the earth today through a prophet of God.

Good and bad news: Mor is still getting baptized...just not on the 23rd anymore. She had a few slip-ups with her smoking, so she has to wait until she's truly given it up. Her perseverance is so inspiring. She fasts and prays and is so faithful with overcoming her addictions. Last night at the mission president's fireside, she started crying because she was so excited to bear her testimony when she's a member, too. We're going out with her tonight to celebrate her birthday!!! Who wants to spend their bday with missionaries?? Mor, that's who. <3

Sarah and Ruth hit a blockade with their progress: their parents won't allow them to meet with us anymore, which means they won't be baptized anytime soon. It's so heartbreaking, I can't type out the words to express how devastated Sister Xiong and I were when they told us. It's hard to understand why their parents would rather them go to no church rather than our church. But seeing their progress in coming to know the Savior has been so touching. They started out with hardly any knowledge of who God is and why we're here on this earth, to now having a solid relationship with Him and feeling like their life has purpose. And honestly, if that's all they can do right now, that's incredible. I know when they're older they'll build even more on their foundation by coming back to the church.

Love you all! I love this gospel so much, and I know it's true! I can't believe it's already a week into transfers. Time is flying by! -Sister Brett

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