Week 9 Begins!

Dear Friends and Family,

Sorry that I have boring subject lines. I don't have anything creative to title these like some Elders do. It was a really good week! In the beginning of the week I got a huge package from Jim and Julie--full of everything a hungry missionary could need! Lots and lots of goodies! So thank you for that! Each night we come back and it gets spread among the missionaries in the hall. Speaking of other food items, I said last week one of the Cantonese teachers moved to New York. He sent out 2 dozen donuts for our district and the other new Cantonese district! Super nice of him.

Here is the Devotional Update: On Tuesday Robert R. Steuer, and Emeritus Seventy spoke to us. He talked about words--the word of God, the doctrine of Christ, and told us about his new project which is translating the Bible into Portuguese. I didn't really understand that part because I thought there was one already, but nonetheless, he picked apart words and talked about their roots and how they convey something different than we actually typically associate them to. All rather scholarly and interesting. He did have a couple good scriptures, one in 2 Corinthians, "The Lord loveth the cheerful giver." I took from this that all trials and sacrifices I make on the mission and in life should be done with full purpose of heart and gladness. He also said, "Any excuse, no matter how valid, weakens character." I've made this a little bit of a personal motto this week and I don't complain too much to begin with, but there are things that I think to complain about so my goal is NO COMPLAINING! Ever. Last nights devotional (Sunday July 15) was incredible! It was given by Jenny Oaks Baker, the daughter of Elder Oaks. I didn't know anything about her, but she is a very accomplished violinist. She shared some great personal stories about working through trials, prayer, and the joys of a family and played 5 pieces for us. "Amazing Grace", "This Is The Christ", "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" and two others that I can't think of off the top of my head. Her whole family was with her as well and her husband bore a short testimony and her 4 kids, ages 11, 9, 7, and 5 played "I Am A Child of God" I was blown away! It wasn't you're typical Primary version either, it was a hard rendition! Great devotional!

Lessons this week: Went really well! We've been teaching Zoe 3 times so far, (4th is tonight) and are through lesson 1 so far. She asks a lot of really good questions so we spend a lot of our lesson talking about what she read, and herself. Her dad is out of work, and we know her brother isn't doing well, we're not exactly sure about what though....The joys of learning a language and that language barrier... She reads and prays daily and attended church this week. This week we hope to get through lesson 2, possibly 3, and try to extend the baptismal commitment if we feel prompted to do so. Our other investigator is Kim. She sprained her ankle really bad last week so that has been a really pain for her. We pray for her and made a lot of progress this week. We got through lesson 2 and 3. She didn't understand why she would need or what the Spirit with her always when it has been answering her questions only when she needs it, so after lots of pondering we related experiences and scriptures of our own, and on Saturday night we extended the baptismal commitment (3rd time) and she said yes!!!!! We practically jumped for joy! All we could say was, "Ngohdeih haih feiseuhng hoisam waih leih!" Direct translation: "We are exceedingly (very) happy for, and in behalf of you!" Cantonese doesn't have 'for' or many filler words for that matter so "waih" functions as "in behalf of" and is what we use. Cantonese language is so backwards from English that if we translate directly is sounds like cavemen talk but it is starting to sound natural to me. A few times this week I found myself saying english phrases with Cantonese grammar.

This week I got letters from a few people so I want to thank you for those and just mention one in particular. I got one from Elder Ryan Rostrom over in Hong Kong! He sent our a postcard and a short letter to me and we all got really excited when we saw the Chinese stamps and characters. One of the members from the older Cantonese district is in his same apartment so they made the connection!

We've had a few rainy days this weekend which have been really good for us because on Friday the whole sky was grey from soot and ash. There must've been a pretty big fire somewhere nearby, the smell is in everything and on our clothes so thank heavens for laundry day.

I told you about the Elder who didn't leave with his district two weeks ago for Australia? Well this past Tuesday morning we sent him off to Mesa while he waits for his visa to come in. That was a rough day...He was up at 4:15, we all had to take him to the bus at 5, and then we got 30 minutes to sleep after that because Tuesday is our 6:05 gym time...

We've been remodeling our residence room a bit. We have 14 pictures that we have collected in our 9 weeks here and we are building a timeline of Book of Mormon events around the window--It might extend further before we leave. Who knows. We're all getting a little bit "trunky". For those who are unfamiliar with this slang as I was until I got here, "trunky" as in pack the trunk or get out of here and get into the mission field!

This week in the mail we were informed that our district had been invited to serve in the temple this morning! We served from 8 to 11:30 and my purpose was wiping down walls of cobwebs, vaccuuming stairs, and finally finished with wiping down chairs in the sealing rooms. It was nice to be in the temple after 3 weeks of not, and it was nice to feel useful! This next week we also get to host new missionaries. Let me know if there are any people I should look out for who are coming in this week. I can't remember anyone's entrance dates anymore.

We will have one last temple time before we are supposed to go to the field so we will do the 4 names that you gave me. Would you like me to send the names home after that or what?

Grace's trip sounds way exciting! She should write me and tell me how long she will be there so that I don't send a letter to an empty home...

I have thought a lot about Sterling's question this week about the Anti-Nephi-Lehis in the book of Alma who choose to lay down their weapons of war for good. t I like to think that they just really didn't want to return to their old selves. Like if you are sinful in some way, and then you clean up, you don't really want to go back because it is a weakness you have. The people of Ammon were much the same way, they were worried they would fall back in their own ways. Look up Helaman 15:4.

Last thing: In personal study this week I got through Alma and am in Helaman now. It's great! But one thing I thought a lot about were the 2000 stripling warriors. (My favorite BoM story). I love that they were so exceedingly valiant and that none of them had experience fighting, but nonetheless they trusted in the Lord. I feel like this is my mission. I don't know what I'm doing, but I can have faith--as taught by my mother-- and can succeed against the enemy. In live application I love how they were all injured too. We go through life and we get injured in various ways. We make mistakes and we bear the scars. But we don't give up. I picture the blade piercing their skin, and them thinking to themselves, "Oh, I'm dead." but instead they say, "I'm going to keep fighting and ignore the threat and pain." At the end of this life I will bear life's scars but I endured to the end and I will have my reward as they did theirs.  They are true role models to me.

Have a great week! Thanks for your prayers and love! I love you all!

Sincerely,

Elder Leslie Spencer Siebach