This week's e-mail was full of good news. Eric is excited because he and Elder Read had a good week, and so did the zone.
Four of the people Elders Hansen and Read are teaching came to church with them this week, and all are doing very well. Manuella continues to prepare for her baptism and is very upbeat about it. The elders visited her several times this week, and helped her overcome some apprehension about whether she is ready for baptism. Apparently, she felt like she needs to be perfect before she can be baptized. Once the missionaries helped her to understand this is not the case, she became very excited about the upcoming date.
Bukhosi also continues to do well and to look forward to his baptism. Another young African man who was recently baptized has become his friend and is helping him prepare for baptism. Actually, it sounds like they are giving support to each other.
Nikki, the young Chinese woman we mentioned last week, came to church again this week. She enjoys the services, but struggles with the language barrier. She is the only Chinese person in attendance, which makes it difficult for her. She has also been looking into other churches, and has been attending a Chinese Christian church. It's not surprising that she would enjoy the activities and fellowship there, where everyone is Chinese. She continues to read the Book of Mormon and to keep her commitments, and she has been involved in activities with the young single adults in the ward. I guess we'll see where it leads.
Mel and Mike also came to church this week with their children. Mike is a member of the church who hasn't been attending recently. His wife, Mel, is not a member. Mike has had difficulty getting to church because he works from 6pm to 6am, and church starts at 10am, right when he is usually sleeping. Mike told the missionaries if they would call him to wake him up, he would come to church. They offered to come knock on his door instead. So, Sunday morning, they went to his home and knocked on the door. One of the children answered the door and said his father was sleeping. So, Eric, who never was terribly shy, went in and knocked on Mike's bedroom door. Mike said through the door that he would come to church. When Elders Hansen and Read arrived for church, Mike was there with Mel and the kids. They stayed for all the meetings and really enjoyed themselves.
We'll close with an interesting experience. Last week, while Eric was on exchange in Bradford, he met a Chinese couple while he was street contacting. The Bradford elders went back to see them, and they are apparently quite interested in the gospel but have a difficult time communicating in English. So, this week, the Bradford elders went to see them, and called Elder Hansen while they were there. He taught them over the phone, and by the end of the conversation, they committed to being baptized! Unfortunately, they can't attend church right now. The woman just gave birth to a baby, and according to Chinese tradition, she must stay home for a month. Not long after that month is up, the couple is returning to China. So it looks unlikely they will be able to be baptized before they leave, but Eric is praying for a miracle. I think I'll join him.
Four of the people Elders Hansen and Read are teaching came to church with them this week, and all are doing very well. Manuella continues to prepare for her baptism and is very upbeat about it. The elders visited her several times this week, and helped her overcome some apprehension about whether she is ready for baptism. Apparently, she felt like she needs to be perfect before she can be baptized. Once the missionaries helped her to understand this is not the case, she became very excited about the upcoming date.
Bukhosi also continues to do well and to look forward to his baptism. Another young African man who was recently baptized has become his friend and is helping him prepare for baptism. Actually, it sounds like they are giving support to each other.
Nikki, the young Chinese woman we mentioned last week, came to church again this week. She enjoys the services, but struggles with the language barrier. She is the only Chinese person in attendance, which makes it difficult for her. She has also been looking into other churches, and has been attending a Chinese Christian church. It's not surprising that she would enjoy the activities and fellowship there, where everyone is Chinese. She continues to read the Book of Mormon and to keep her commitments, and she has been involved in activities with the young single adults in the ward. I guess we'll see where it leads.
Mel and Mike also came to church this week with their children. Mike is a member of the church who hasn't been attending recently. His wife, Mel, is not a member. Mike has had difficulty getting to church because he works from 6pm to 6am, and church starts at 10am, right when he is usually sleeping. Mike told the missionaries if they would call him to wake him up, he would come to church. They offered to come knock on his door instead. So, Sunday morning, they went to his home and knocked on the door. One of the children answered the door and said his father was sleeping. So, Eric, who never was terribly shy, went in and knocked on Mike's bedroom door. Mike said through the door that he would come to church. When Elders Hansen and Read arrived for church, Mike was there with Mel and the kids. They stayed for all the meetings and really enjoyed themselves.
We'll close with an interesting experience. Last week, while Eric was on exchange in Bradford, he met a Chinese couple while he was street contacting. The Bradford elders went back to see them, and they are apparently quite interested in the gospel but have a difficult time communicating in English. So, this week, the Bradford elders went to see them, and called Elder Hansen while they were there. He taught them over the phone, and by the end of the conversation, they committed to being baptized! Unfortunately, they can't attend church right now. The woman just gave birth to a baby, and according to Chinese tradition, she must stay home for a month. Not long after that month is up, the couple is returning to China. So it looks unlikely they will be able to be baptized before they leave, but Eric is praying for a miracle. I think I'll join him.
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