This place is so awesome

This week in the city was awesome. We met so many new people and the work is going well. I love it here.

Being in the city is different just because of the sheer amount of people. In my old areas, we would get in the car and drive somewhere, then walk around and find people to talk to, and then get in the car and drive somewhere else. In the city, I take one step outside our apartment and within 20 seconds I'm talking to someone about the gospel. And as soon as we finish one conversation, there's another person to talk to right after them. It's constant and nonstop, even when we go other places we talk to people at the bus stop and on the bus. And 80% of them are Chinese, so I end up having the same beginning to the conversation almost every time. 

Me: Hi how are you?

Them: ...Uh hi (awkward since they can't really understand much)

Me: Where are you from?

Them: China

Me: 哇我会说中文！ （I speak Chinese!)

Them: *has a mini heart attack* and then starts talking to me so excited since now we can use Chinese 

It's a lot of fun. I get to use Chinese all the time and most of the people are really nice. I'm getting more used to talking to people literally all day, and I love it. It definitely pushes me since that's not really my personality, but God gives me so much energy to spread the gospel. And our efforts are MUCH more effective here in the city. 

I heard these two guys speaking Chinese at a stoplight, so I went up to them and (in English) asked them where they were headed. They started talking to each other in Chinese 'this guy is from the church he's trying to preach to us' and then I jumped in with the Chinese '对啊我是传教士，你见过吧' (yeah I'm a missionary, you must have met us before). They went totally white when they realized I could understand them and after that we had a decent conversation. But I thought it was pretty funny, speaking Chinese has completely changed my mission and it's awesome.

We were heading back for lunch one day and still talking to people on the way back. At that point we were pretty tired but committed to continuing to talk to people. We saw this Chinese student coming and I was thinking 'there's no way he's interested' but we stopped him anyway, he said his name was Frank and then we asked if we could share a message about Jesus Christ. He shrugged and Elder Graham started getting a pamphlet and stuff out of his bag. Then the guy said 'I think this message can really help me. I'm having a tough time right now. I don't believe in God but I want to find the faith'. Elder Graham and I were pretty surprised and then told him about God and how he is loved, then set up an appointment for later that day. We met up with him that evening and he started sharing with us about how he had just had something really hard happen and he needed to feel peace. I felt so bad for him, he just kept saying 'I just want to feel happy' and then when we got to read some scriptures with him and bear our testimonies that we knew God can help him, it was really powerful. I love teaching lessons to people that have never heard about it before because it helps me realize what a blessing it is to know about Jesus Christ. We know that because He atoned for our sins and went through everything that we will and more, He perfectly understands us and knows exactly how to help us. We're never alone, and sharing that with Frank was just awesome. We invited him to say a prayer to feel that love from God, and told him that we can keep teaching him how to be happy. Frank really was a miracle because that day before we left the apartment we had asked God to lead those people to us who are ready to receive the gospel and who would listen to us. I know that God answered our prayer and I felt blessed.

Another time when God answered my prayer was when in the morning I was studying about looking for little opportunities to do service and help others. Then when we left in the morning I prayed for that opportunity. Immediately out the door, I felt we should go a different way than usual. Within 30 seconds we ran into a girl who was lost and we were able to help her find her way to the college campus. She also wanted to come to the church that weekend so it was a miracle all around. I know God answers our prayers and will give us the answer when we listen to the Spirit.

We met with a guy named Luke who missionaries had been teaching before. We got into the lesson and quickly felt that he was ready. He has such strong faith and was telling us about all the times that he's said prayers and God has helped him. He said he wanted to follow Jesus Christ. Near the end of the lesson we invited him to be baptized and he wanted to as soon as possible- he was so excited about his baptism. Both of us were so hyped that we had just met this guy who is so golden and ready. March 7 is his date for baptism, and I'm just feeling blessed to have the chance to meet someone who is so devoted to Jesus Christ. 

Elder Graham and I were talking to someone on the street when another guy came up and introduced himself as a member of our church. He was like 40 and he was holding an open bag of weed, and while telling us about his conversion story he added in 'yeah I'm a little inactive right now'. We left when his friend came up and he reached into the bag of weed and started rolling a blunt right then and there. 

Our lesson with Frank was great, we met up with him and he told us about how ever since he had said a prayer, things were getting better. We shared about how Jesus Christ will help us overcome all of our trials and he really liked that. At the end he said the prayer and it was so innocent and pure, I was really moved. He said something like "Dear Father, thank you for sending these two kind people to help me and be kind to me. And for showing me that people love me still. Thank you for helping me learn about you. Thank you for giving me the faith to overcome my challenge. I will pray today, and tomorrow, and probably every day for the rest of my life. Amen". I could feel the Spirit so close during his prayer. I already love Frank so much, it's beautiful to see how this gospel is changing his life.

We met this guy named Donny who we ended up teaching the first lesson to. It was so cool, he used to go to college in Missouri right by my hometown. Donny is Chinese and really wants to learn about God. I think it's pretty awesome how interested he is. It was a good feeling to share about the Restoration and how we know that we have a God who loves us, and we can communicate with Him through prayer. Then we heard Donny's first prayer and it was touching. It was like a son talking to his father for the first time in many years.

I love it here. There are all sorts of spiritual experiences and we're just so busy all the time. I love being a missionary and helping people feel that God loves them.

Also, the guy I found (Pan) with Elder Feng my first transfer finally got baptized. We got to go this week and it was awesome

Going to Pan's baptism was a really special and unique experience. This was the first guy I found on my mission and it was a 6 month process until he finally got baptized. Going back to my old area and seeing all the streets I used to walk up and down with Elder Feng was pretty nostalgic. It felt like so long ago. We showed up to the baptism and I saw Pan who looked pretty excited for the big day. All the members from before talked with me and I could actually communicate with them now. Then we started the program. It was a little haphazard but the Spirit came through powerfully anyway. After Pan was baptized, he bore his testimony. I saw a change in him immediately, he was speaking powerfully in front of a large group of people when before he was pretty shy and reserved. I felt the Spirit really strong when he said he knew without a doubt that we are all children of God and that he knows the Book of Mormon is true. He said it gave him answers to questions that he had been burdened with for years. I felt so happy to see that he had taken the next step toward Jesus Christ. 

真的好开心！！

Elder Halverson