December 6, 2010

Yes I had a wonderful week. Sick yes, but it was still wonderful. :) It is hard getting sick on a mission I have found, because you never get as much sleep as you need to recover, plus you are outside all day in the rain and cold. But oh it is so fun at the same time. :) So don't you worry about me, I am still alive.
 
I guess to answer your question about my purpose as a Mandarin Speaking Missionary: First, thanks for asking a specific question. I never really know what to write to you besides random events during the week, and it is nice to have some outside guidance in what I should write. :) Second, my purpose as a Mandarin Speaking Missionary is to focus on the Chinese people here in England. You might say, well duh, but it is kind of hard sometimes because all the Chinese people are usually in one area, and we are not always in that one area.
 
It is somewhat hard right now because of the way our companionship is set up. Having and English Trainer who is trying to teach me everything, but can't really teach me anything about Chinese and the Chinese people. Fortunately he is a great trainer and really tries to keep most of the time focused on the Chinese population. Sorry, that probably didn't make a lot of sense. Basically, after I get settled in and don't have to be trained anymore, get paired with another Mandarin speaking missionary, and get set loose, our efforts will be on the Chinese people and finding them. Right now we go everywhere and talk to everyone which is great. But later, we will probably only teach Chinese investigators. When we meet English investigators, we will teach them the first lesson, and then pass them on to the English missionaries. And Vice-versa.
 
In the end, we are a forever finding mission, but as a mandarin speaking missionary, we would rather be speaking to mandarin speakers. :) Now I just need to better my Chinese, which is really hard because of the previously mentioned problems. But I am trying my best and just need to pray harder. It will come i am sure.
 
The Chinese people who are baptized do not have a Chinese branch to go to, not anywhere close to enough members as of yet. So they go to the English ward, and can't quite understand everything, which is somewhat of a problem, but they still like to go to at least better their English. :) 
 
Most of the Chinese are Students. Pretty much what we are doing is converting the Chinese youth who will then return to China and spread the gospel themselves. Truthfully, they are going to be the reason the church gets into China. I can't wait to see the fruit of our labors. It is going to be amazing when China eventually opens and those Chinese youth will have already set somewhat of a foundation to build upon.
 
I will end with just a couple of funny things that happened this week. The other day we were waiting at a bus stop and started talking to a man. After a minute or so he specifically asked, "what part of Ireland are you from?" Haha, he didn't ask, where are you from, but what part of Ireland? A couple of days later I was asked the same type of question on a bus. So Kjanela, to answer your question, I am assuming the accent that I am slightly developing sounds Irish. :)
 
Also on Saturday the Zone leaders needed me to go help teach a Chinese investigator. So we went and started teaching. I started teaching or speaking in Chinese, and the two Chinese girls just busted out laughing (first time this has happened). Finally they stopped laughing and said that it wasn't because my Chinese was horrible, but because it was "cute". What does that even mean? Cute Chinese? That doesn't make any sense. I am going to have to work on not sounding cute.
 
I love you, and you are in my prayers as well,
 
Elder Fawcett

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