Part 2: Week 12--Columbia University

感恩节快乐

Going to Columbia University for finding was a miracle. An answer to prayers! We met the exact person we prayed to find. Someone who was sweet, calm, and introspective. He has such a prepared heart, and every question we asked for his personal insight and beliefs seemed to tie in exactly to gospel principles (agency, premortal life, God, Jesus Christ, etc). He has been so excited reading the pamphlets and Book of Mormon and praying.

He told us that the day before we met, he had decided to believe in the possibility that God was real. It was so peaceful, and spiritual. It was refreshing and we were able to ask so many inspired questions and really learn a lot from his desire/ search for truth. The moments like this are what make the mission so sacred to me. I thank Heavenly Father so much for this experience and those like it... Being able to meet His children who have prepared hearts. To be able to love and empathize with random people, and to see how faith in Jesus Christ blesses their individual lives. It is beautiful.

There are so many people we know now and can meet with and love-- to help come into Christ. And there are so many more out there, who are so sweet and simple and are ready to be found (I always think and ask Heavenly Father to help me find my New York "Yan Chan." She is our recent convert from Hong Kong who I love with all of my heart and soul. She was so teachable and ready to listen and learn). There are people who are prepared. And how sacred is our opportunity to find and to love them. I'm thankful for the investigators we are already in contact with. They are so earnestly seeking, it is really inspirational and awesome.

I have hope and trust for the future.

There are actually many Chinese people in New York. Especially at the universities. We do however, find a lot more English and Spanish speakers who we send as referrals!

Yesterday someone yelled at us terrifyingly in Chinese to leave. It is not a story I can really explain except that there was so much darkness around him and in his words, and his eyes were not clear. The cool thing is that right after we had prayed for whether we should go upstairs and continue tracting or to leave, he came out of his house and started saying those things. Who knows if he would have actually harmed us, or if something worse could have happened , but it felt like angels were around us to protect us. A really interesting experience. And an interesting answer to our prayers!

Contention is often something you can't reason with. There are people with prepared hearts, and then there are some who aren't trying to learn yet. Let's not fight off a ram with a Twinkie! Let's not testify to a brick wall. Hahahaha. These are things I'm quoting from Aunt Kim that are so applicable!

Tomorrow our ward is all getting together with many people of New York in our chapel to eat Thanksgiving dinner together and share what we are thankful for!

Happy Thanksgiving. I love my family. An eternal family is the best gift I can ask for.

韦姐妹

Part 2: Week 11---Living in Chinese NYC

Chinatown here is like being immersed in another country. Most people don't speak much English and the grocery stores and food is all authentic. They serve real authentic Chinese food here. The ward has many dialects including Fujinese and Cantonese. I spend a lot of time speaking Cantonese and Mandarin with my companion (and English, of course). We teach in Cantonese when necessary but stick to our mission language as often as possible and for studies.

We find people new every day and witness miracles. A lady on the subway teared up the other day when we were talking and asking inspired questions, and said that God answered her prayer through us. It was so sweet. We have another person who we found who adores expounding upon our beliefs and sharing his insights. It is really cool the miracles you find daily.

Our area is gaining more potential investigators day by day. We know that some of these sincere hearts will become new investigators, whether in Chinatown or another area, and are thankful for the opportunity to explore the city and meet new people interested in the Gospel day by day. We will try to find at the Universities soon, as well, and keep finding in new places.

Im so thankful for my mission president, President Smith. I'm so glad I can trust that he will have the right things to say. It reminds me of the talk, "Then Jesus beholding Him loved Him." He is so loving to his missionaries and always encourages us to be better. And he is guided by the Spirit to know what to say. I trust that and am thankful for that.

I love my family! You are all what brings a smile to my face when I need it.

................

I know that this Gospel is true. I cannot deny it. And I'm so thankful for that knowledge; it brings such comfort and peace at the times when you truly need it. It brings purpose and direction in the times when you think you don't.

Christ's grace is saving, and He is perfect. I'm thankful for Him.

Sister Wilcox
韦姐妹

Sometimes I wonder which country I'm in!!

Part 2: Week 10---New Companion

My new companion from the Temple Square Mission is Sister Tai. She is from Hong Kong and knows some of the missionaries I was in the MTC with. They were close with her and uplifted her ward! We speak lots of English and Cantonese (sometimes we have to clarify in each other's languages), and of course, practice lots of Mandarin together. She loves to eat lots of noodles and vegetables, and we always love to cook asian food to eat or go to Decheng to buy cheap but delicious large quantities of vegetables, rice, tofu, and meats (the best authentic chinese food you can get). She has a cute accent and is always hyper and happy. But she's a powerful teacher and is amazing with inspired questions.

Isn't the atonement a blessed thing? Our mission culture is "repentance is cool." And it's awesome always thinking of what more you can do to repent, and having people around who are also always trying to change and become better-- who are also so willing to forgive!

I feel so positive and happy. My companion is an angel to me! We always plan our tracting hours specifically so that we can use time wisely and find specific souls who are prepared. We have seen miracles! We have also been teaching the restoration on the street with pamphlets, and many people have been prepared to hear!

The first couple days with this new area felt a bit tough (we opened a new area in Chinatown)-- we spent hours upon hours tracting; but then we felt to break up our finding in different ways. We now have many set appointments with members with different levels of activeness (meeting in person or over skype; we can get to know them and ask questions to help them think of people in their lives who are prepared to hear about the Gospel), and with some investigators or referrals! We still spend consecrated time tracting and utilizing our tools to find! Wechat has helped us to already be in contact with many former investigators, less active members, and potentials.

Sister Tai has helped me so much already in becoming a better teacher (roleplays in all the languages always). We always practice "how to begin teaching" points and ponder on the different inspired questions to use during the day (Temple Square missionaries have a sheet list of inspired questions ideas and a planning sheet for how to tract effectively and specifically in that hour). She is always so full of energy and diligent and wanting to improve. She also is so friendly to all those we meet. It has been a blessing and a strength to our ward, and I am excited to continue to work well together! I will do all that I can to help her to feel loved and to know how much we appreciate her.

Miracle

We met a man on the street, and after explaining some HTBT points, began to teach the restoration. It was amazing-- at the time we began to speak of Christ's ministry on Earth, he said that he believed that Christ also came to the Americas to minister. We were so excited to hear this, and were able to tie in his own beliefs with the truths of the Book of Mormon. My trainer in Hong Kong always had ideas like this before she found the missionaries in the Phillippines; her soul was always searching for the missing pieces of truth. I know that peoples' hearts are being stirred, and that everyone has a Christian background, and perhaps a recognition of the restored Gospel. These eternal truths were a part of them before they came to earth. They can recognize the Spirit and the truthfulness of our message.

Fun

We have done some exploring on P days. They have ice skating at Rockefeller Center. We might go to the MET and Natural History Museum (both where night at the museum was filmed) and to the 911 museum. We had a fun time exploring SoHo today and doing some window shopping. It is such a different world, and only a couple blocks down from Chinatown-- though it feels like it could be another country (modern New York vs China)!

It is cool that our family history has such a connection to New York in the past. I've loved looking through where people came from and where they lived when they came to America, in my free time.

( I remember that Aunt Carrie lived here, and it is cool how it ties together with so many of the Thompson families memories/ decisions. I would love to go to a ballet when I return to New York. )

Alma 32. We have to take action to again feel the spirit in our lives and to remember the truth that we knew and felt before. We have to prepare our own hearts to develop faith. I know taphat as we work for it in diligence, and pray for it, our faith will grow and we can add that light to our lives.

韦姐妹
Sister Wilcox

Me and my new companion Sister Tai

Our area

Part 2: Week 9--Halloween fun

I am learning Chinese characters pretty slowly as I type on our computers. I type the pinyin (or the version of Chinese in our alphabet} and the computer changes it to the Chinese character.

Last night I just learned that Sister Tai is my new companion! She is a cantonese/mandarin Temple Square missionary who will be here for 1-2 transfers. I will be with her for 4 weeks until the other sister from Hong Kong comes!

I am so thankful that Grandpa has told me about my LDS heritage and the good examples in my family tree and extended family. I am so excited to discover more about my ancestors and their gospel adventures . What great people have prepared the way before us.

...........

I have loved being able to love and visit an elderly lady Xu Nai Nai from our ward. She is so cute and sweet.

I learned that I must do all I can to serve, get to know, and love my companions, just as we would with our eternal companions. I love my sweet companions. They have so many strengths; there is so much to learn from them. The apostles always say beautiful, positive things about their wives, and recognize them as daughters of God. I want to always have that eternal perspective. I've learned a lot about sacrificing in order to work in harmony and allow the spirit to be with us. I've been pretty harsh about exact obedience, cleanliness, and diligence in the work.. I think now, that being an example is enough; that being at peace and choosing to love one another is more important. And we can all stand to humble ourselves a bit more (that's what we've all learned through this, I think)!

The Halloween FHE was awesome. Our planning and the help of the members all came together. We shared the story of the Tree of Life and the children then held on to the iron rod to knock on doors to get candy. If they let go to knock on the other doors, they would be in scary rooms with black lights and jello grapes (bloody eyeballs to feel). The kids also enjoyed playing in a streamer spider web/ obstacle course (if they let go of the rod, and "got lost"). At the end of the rod, there was a glowing Christmas tree!

We also had face painting, and lots of fun food from the members. It turned out well and there were so many families who brought their nonmember friends (also families)! Some of them are interested in coming to church. It is so special how many referrals we've been getting lately. Exciting things to come.

I am excited for my new companion. I love her so much already! I love all of my roommates; they are so sweet and full of faith. They really enjoy and love their fellow brothers and sisters, which is a great example to me. I'm excited to have a one on one companionship where we can support one another, and grow together. Sometimes it is hard to find balance in a trio, but I am so thankful for the ability to trust the Lord in all things. I have grown a lot and have had a lot of humbling experiences. I love these Chinatown sisters! They are such lovely spirits.

The pictures are of Chinatown,the firefighter station, a part of South Manhattan, getting ready for a Skype lesson with our awesome Zhang 姐妹， the Halloween FHE, and the Brooklyn Bridge again.

爱你们 Ai Nimen !
Will you read Alma 37:38-47 with your family? How can we apply these scriptures to our lives? The Word of God will guide our lives just as the Liahona did in times of old. Look to God and live. What a simple choice! 😊

Alma 5:26 "And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?"

韦姐妹
Sister Wilcox

Chinatown, the fire station, and fountain in lower Manhattan

Our skype screen--click on the photo to see the Chinese writing on the instructions.

The Halloween family home evening

Us standing on the Brooklyn Bridge