Today we went to visit Muih Pohpo. The weather was gorgeous, it felt like May. Muih Pohpo's got this new neighbor- the constantly drunk and loud Mr. Yip. Great guy. So anyways, when we finished teaching Muih Pohpo Sister McNeely said the closing prayer. As she prayed Mr. Yip comes marching into Muih Pohpo's little room and kneels down right between Sister McNeely and I. He put one hand on my stool and on hand on her's and dramatically bowed his head and kept saying "amen, amen, amen" during the prayer. When Sister McNeely finally said "amuhn" Mr. Yip threw himself, yeah like literally collapsed, into Sister McNeely's lap, then after a second he stood up, bowed to us, then strolled on out. We looked at Muih Pohpo and she was just normal like nothing had happened. What on earth. As soon as Sister McNeely and I left Muih Pohpo's we laughed so hard. But truly, I just wanted to cry. I wanted to fall down onto the gravelly floor right there and weep. Isn't that silly? I know. But it was because there we were in this tiny cement room covered in plastic bags and mosquitos, with a beautifully stubborn old woman and a crazy old man and there He was- our God who stoops. And He stooped. He was there, really, I felt Him. In the most unlikely of places, but He isn't shy. Not shy of dirty, not shy of sin, not shy of young and irresponsible, or old and ignorant. Tonight we also got to meet with our darling new fillipina friends Wilma, Jessa, and Dorry. Dorry talked about how she sins and makes bad choices but thanks God for being with her through it all. Tonight I join her in that thankful prayer. He is good.
I have been reading a quote Dad sent me with my favorite line: Grace is a God who stoops. It's been running through my mind time and time again as I have been working in Fanling this week. The truth of it fills my heart with gratitude.
We are seeing awesome things happen in Fanling. It just is such a sweet testament of how God loves His children to see the things He does with them here. We were able to meet again with the family we met while getting lost finding last week. We taught there cute little kids English which was mostly their son throwing his flashcards at us but I'm pretty sure he learned how to at least say the word yellow so pretty good. They fed us octopus and told us we could come over any time. We will be seeing them next week and are excited to share more about Christ with them. They actually already believe in Him, just that he is an alien sent from another world. We'll work on that.
My favorite thing that happend this week was defninitly getting to meet again with Wilma, Dory, and Jessa. They are three darling fillipinas we met a few weeks ago. Last week we invited them to be baptized and there was a long pause. We got nervous and bummed out thinking oh no not again, they're gonna think we're pushy and say that they're fine and probs to busy to have us over again (good think I'm such a positive thinker), but then they say "it's just that we can't all get baptized on the same day because at least one of us has to be home to take care of pohpo.." they then frantically started to organize a shift of who could stay home one week while two get baptized then the next week they switch and oh my it was adorable and made me laugh. But anyways, when we saw them on Saturday we talked again about baptism. They then told us that they don't think they can be baptized soon because they are sinning and if they get baptized they want to be serious about it. It filled my heart with joy to be able to testify to them with my companion of the forgiving and merciful nature of God and that if they have a desire to change, they can.
It made me think of the things I have been reading in the Book of Mormon lately. I read about Alma the elder first, about how he sinned and was wicked but was changed and converted. Then there is Alma the younger who rebels and destroys and yet is sent an angel. Then there's Amulek who says that he also rebelled against God despite the times He tried to reach out and yet he too gets an angel sent to him. Next is Zeezrom who is a liar, a hypocrite, the large cause of the murder of many women and children, and the cause of the torture of two innocent men, and he even cowardly runs away from all of it and yet the moment he asks Jesus for help he is completely forgiven and becomes a teacher of the word of God. And it just keeps going after that. I realized that the Book of Mormon is actually just a book about terrible sinners who kill people that Jesus loves and nurtures. It's really amazing.
You know how sometimes you just want to rebel against what your parents say and you don't even really have a reason but you just want to do that. Lol. Well, my parents have preached grace too me forever and so sometimes I read the scriptures and I think, "okay, it can't be like that. This can't really be all grace, and mercy, and love, there's gotta be some kind of a catch or something else they never told me." But NO, it turns out they were right what the heck. He really is only mercy, only love, only forgiveness. I don't understand that but I know it is good and I love it and am grateful.
Hope you all have a fun and happy and good week and most importantly that you play a lot of basketball. Love you. xoxo
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