Game Winner

Hello from Australia, where I am 16 hours ahead. How is Sunday night? Right now it's Monday morning.

This week we formed our trio. Elder Feng and I drove a few hours to pick up our new companion Elder Yi. Elder Yi and Elder Feng already knew each other, so I learned a lot of slang as these two friends talked in some crazy fast Chinese. It's been a little overwhelming this week listening to them because they talk so fast, but my understanding skills are really improving. 

We also got a lot of new missionaries this week, so it was fun to meet them and help them feel welcome. And remind them that a 16 hour flight requires more than just a few days' recovery, so no worries. Even though I've only been here 6 weeks, I feel like I've made the most of that time and learned a lot. Meeting the new missionaries helped me see how much I've grown in my first transfer, and allowed me to encourage and motivate them. It's awesome getting new people. We're all on the same team and I love meeting fellow missionaries. When I think about the 70,000 missionaries all over the world, I get pretty hyped up. We're an army. Do the WORK.

The fire alarm went off this week and it was quite the fiasco. All 3 missionaries were gathered underneath, trying to find the source of smoke and think straight with the loud beeping. Finally we got it off the ceiling and wrenched the battery out. Really funny. Turned out that it was just a false alarm but that didn't stop Elder Yi from army-crawling his way to the door while screaming in his minimal English "HOT FIRE SMOKE BEEP". 

Our lesson with Emily and her family was really great. We sat in the grass in her yard and I was once again surrounded by the little kids, listening to me tell the story of David and Goliath. They couldn't believe how tall Goliath must have been. I loved teaching them that like David, we can rely on the Lord and overcome even the most intimidating of challenges. Each of the kids began to ponder how they could apply this to their own lives. My favorite part was when Emily told me: "I've been praying a lot recently and everything just goes smoother. I can feel the difference in my life. Ever since we met you, things have been better".  

Her simple testimony of God's hand in her life filled me with joy. I was so grateful that she had been able to see how much the Lord would bless her. I could see the difference in her in just those two weeks. She is being filled with light and I can see her burdens and worries being taken away. Seeing the impact that the gospel I'm working so hard to share has on people's lives is the greatest reward I can ask for.

Elder Yi's English is so funny. I'm sure my Chinese sounds the same. He saw somebody wearing a Spongebob shirt and exclaimed: ''Spoon gub baby!"

We go to a popular outdoor basketball court once in a while and play with the people there. They're always a little confused why two people in white shirts and ties are asking them to play 2 on 2, and even more confused when we beat them. My companion Elder Feng is a baller and crosses people up like clockwork. Him and I have our chemistry down and weave passes in and out of the defense, often through someone's legs. Then, with one point left I'll drop a game winning three in the face of my opponent. It gets their attention enough to want to know who we are and then we have a great opportunity to share and invite. I love using different methods to find people to teach, and I can't say I don't enjoy a little streetball. Especially when we walk away from the court and hear: "Man, we just got beat by some Mormons".

 

Once in a while I'll try out new ways of starting conversations with people. This week I was inspired when reminiscing on the pranks of one of my MTC companions. While walking down the street I noticed a Chinese lady behind me. I was turning a corner around a pole, and while doing so I smacked my hand on the pole (creating a loud noise) while at the same time flipping my head back and then 'holding it in pain'. The lady ran up and started checking to see if I was okay, and also trying to hold in a laugh. When I assured her that I was fine, we had a great conversation and I invited her to our English class. But knowing that what goes around comes around, I'll probably ACTUALLY hit my head on a pole sometime soon in return for falsely leading someone to believe so. Until then, I'll say it was worth it. It's important to keep things fun out here.

We ran into a dilemma when our key was left in our apartment as we went out. Too late we realized our mistake and we were locked out. It was 8 PM and the only way to get in would be to drive over an hour to the mission office to find a spare key. But then, Elder Feng had an idea. He remembered that our 3rd story flat had a balcony with a tree growing nearby. I saw the look in his eyes and knew what he planned to do. Keep in mind, Elder Feng is from Hai Nan, a tropical island south of China where he spent his childhood climbing coconut trees. So, agreeing that this was the best solution, I walked out to the back and watched my companion scale up the side of the building, supported by the tree. However, the tree did not reach all the way up to the third story. Elder Feng made his way onto the balcony of our downstairs neighbors and began to search for a new solution. From below, I heard a loud scraping as he dragged a chair over to his intended launch point. I was surprised that no one called the police, the whole thing looked exactly like a bank heist. Elder Feng set up his chair below our balcony. However, there were still 9 vertical feet between him and the overhanging ledge. I opened my mouth to offer an idea, but before I could get a word out, Elder Feng leaped with the strength of a kangaroo from the chair and barely grabbed the top of the ledge with his fingertips. From there, he used a technique I think I've only ever seen Bear Grylls do and pulled himself up and over the railing onto our balcony. He entered through the screen door, secured the key to the apartment and saved the day. When I got my mission call to Australia, I joked that my companion would be a kangaroo. But I honestly wasn't far from the truth. This guy can JUMP.

A common theme I've found when talking to Chinese people is that they completely exaggerate my level of Chinese, for worse or for better. If I approach someone for the first time and begin to speak Chinese, they sometimes say "no English no English". They see a white guy and immediately their brain hears English even though I'm speaking Chinese. However, this hindrance is more than balanced out by the majority of the Chinese people I talk to-when I start to speak Chinese to them, they audibly gasp and then exclaim how good my Chinese is and how I'm so fluent (even though I only said one sentence). So basically I can't really trust the opinions of Chinese people. But it's pretty funny seeing the complete opposite reactions. My favorite is starting in English, and then when they say "no English" thinking that this will be a sufficient excuse for not talking with me, I switch into Chinese and they just lose their minds. It never gets old.

We invited Duan, one of our investigators, to come teach English class with us (even though her English isn't great) it was great to have her at the chapel. She really liked helping the old people. Giving people an opportunity to do service is a way to help them feel joy. Then we gave her a chapel tour afterward and she wanted to come back next week. Making progress.

I don't care how big a dog is or how scary a house looks or how mean a person appears. I'll go talk to anyone. Faith in God is more powerful than fear. And acting in faith pays off. Every single day I see multiple miracles where I'm in the perfect place in the perfect time to talk to someone, and because I opened my mouth we find someone new to teach. 

At our weekly Sports Night at the chapel, we had a lot of people show up. We combine all the wards, so we have the Polynesians and the Chinese people along with the Australian members. At Sports Night, I was playing ball with this young guy I had just met named Brandon. After shooting with him for a while, I asked him about himself. He explained that he was a member who had been out of the church for a long time and now trying to come back. He was working to strengthen his faith and make changes in his life. I could feel his good desires and the light coming from him. I encouraged him, telling him of the spirit I could feel around him and that that was evidence that Jesus Christ was making a change in his heart. I was just making a simple observation, and it wasn't until I saw his reaction that I realized that the Spirit had prompted me to say it. He was quiet for a while, then looked at me with tears in his eyes and said "that's exactly what I needed to hear today". 

He told me about how he had been longing to know if he was making progress. He said that at work that day, he had been praying: "who can tell me if I'm doing the right thing? How can I know it's actually working?" My simple words had been a testimony to him of God's love and mindfulness of him. Brandon knew in that moment that God was looking out for Him and had answered his prayer. Brandon wasn't the only one who was moved by the experience. That day, I had been working really hard with a strong desire to share God's light with someone, but we hadn't been able to find many people who were receptive to listen. I was wondering if I really had a positive impact on anyone that day. But then, with just the few words I said to Brandon, I was an instrument in God's hands to answer His child's prayer. It was just what I needed as well. This is how God works and why the gospel is so amazing. As we serve one another and seek to spread the light and love of Jesus Christ, we AND the people we serve are uplifted and blessed. This is why I love being a missionary so much.

I know it's true. It will change your life.

这个星期你打篮球吗

Elder Halverson