...And then sometimes you have the BEST WEEK EVER.

So... it was a pretty fantastic week.

Thursday I went on a split into my old area with Sister Toronto, and it was awesome. She is great.  And a fantastic missionary.  Are we surprised?  No.  Not in the least. 

Also, we ate mooncakes together, because it was Mid-autumn festival.  We found some pineapple ones that were far superior to lotus paste.

And then there was Stake Conference, which was just great.  (Here's the view from our Relief Society president's rooftop.)

Something I learned this week about New Yorkers: they all love to talk about the city they live in, and to talk about it really, really fast.  Faster than any translator would ever want them to.  I know, because I was sitting right next to her as she did it.  (Sister Khong did an admirable job, by the way.  But we are still requesting the speakers give their talks to us beforehand next time.)

Perhaps the best part of the past week, however, is the Mission Conference we had on Monday with Elder Bruce A. Carlson of the First Quorum of the Seventy.  What an incredible day!  He talked with us about the difference between being justified (having stopped sinning and repented), and being consecrated (actively working to do exactly what the Lord wants us to, or Alma 53:20-21).  Other topics for the day included what it means to be successful (even though many of His converts fell away, I think we can all agree the Savior was successful, right? He opened His mouth and followed the Father to do what was required of Him), how to "be of good cheer" in the midst of a storm, and what it means to be a leader.

All in all, it was a great day.  And a fantastic week.

Being a missionary is the best.

Love,

Sister Beer

BONUS:

So our P-day activity today was making pretzels for our Sundae Sunday night this week. This is living proof that cooking adventures can indeed happen on a mission.

Next step: dipping potato chips in chocolate. :)

Love you!

Sister Caitlin Beer

Missionaries... on Facebook?!?

Yeah, you read that right.  I am officially approved as an online proselyting missionary.  That means I can use Facebook, email, Skype, and other technology as proselyting tools.  That means that you all will soon see me posting almost daily to my Facebook account about gospel subjects and other fun, missionary things.  This is an incredible step forward in missionary work, and we are one of the first missions that has been approved for online work.  There are some rules, and I figured I should let you all know some of them.

1.  Facebook and other internet based sites (like Skype) are to be used as proselyting tools, not as social mechanisms.  I still won't be able to respond to messages, posts, and such until I am no longer a set apart missionary.  But I still love you, I promise.

2.  My Facebook account must be missionary appropriate, which means removing or hiding any non-missionary appropriate pictures, posts, etc., so if something that you put on my timeline disappears, it's not because I don't love you, it's because I'm trying to help spread the gospel.  I promise.

3.  You can still communicate with me through email or through regular old snail mail.  It is still true that missionaries love to get mail.  Time and new technology have not changed that fact.

That's pretty much it.  We live in exciting times, my friends.  Missionaries on Facebook... who ever thought that would happen?

There are other big changes coming to happy Chinatown family, including the introduction of what is called the Model District, a program that lowers area boundaries and allows missionaries to work as a unit, not solely as separate companionships.  We are the third district in the mission to start this new program, and I think it makes a lot of sense in a place like Chinatown where there are so many missionaries in one ward.  This allows us to pool our resources teaching investigators and members, as well as helps us to improve our unity as a missionary force with ourselves and with ward leadership.  A huge focus of the Model District is doing exactly what the ward, specifically the Bishop, asks us to. And that is exactly what we are doing.  Big changes are coming to Chinatown, I can feel it.

Amidst all of this, Sister Khong and I continue to go on splits, teach lessons, and find people wherever we can.  It is times like these that I think about what an awesome opportunity it is to serve a mission, especially where I am and when I am.  Recently I have reflected on my life and noticed very clearly instances where the Lord has provided experiences that would help to prepare me for what I am doing now.  Sister Hinckley once said that "Everything you are doing now is preparing you for something else."  That is incredibly true.  I have seen it in my life, and I continue to see it as the Lord gives me new challenges and blessings here in the mission field.  It almost makes me wonder what he is preparing me for next!  But we'll let that adventure come when it will.  For now, missionary work.

I love you all!  Have a great week!

Love,

Sister Beer

I think I can I think I can I think I can I think I can...

If there was a book that described my life right now, it's probably The Little Engine that Could.  This week has been crazy, and it's only through moments of "Okay, I think I can get through this next day, hour, minute" that it has been possible to get as much done as we have.

It has been awesome.

Last Friday we had a Mission Leadership Council where President Morgan talked about ministering to the people we work with.  Our mission has a goal right now of being consecrated to the Lord, and connected to that goal is another one, for every missionary companionship in the New York, New York North mission to bring someone into the Church through baptism in the month of September.  We set this goal back in August, and September has now arrived.  As a result, President has challenged us as leaders to take a more invested approach to working with all of our people.  (In Sister Khong and my case, that is all of the sisters on the island of Manhattan.)  For this week that meant meeting with each of them face to face and talking about the areas they are working in, along with seeing what we need to do to help them and their investigators progress.

As we have met with each companionship of sisters (nine in total) we have seen miracles that have been happening in each of their areas.  People are popping out of nowhere who want to be taught and learn about Christ.  And not just any people, really, really prepared people, who are ready to make a covenant with God by being baptized.  I am amazed at how much Heavenly Father is blessing us for being consecrated and focused on this work!

Sister Khong and I do have someone we are helping prepare for baptism.  She is a lovely old Hakkanese woman who doesn't really speak any Mandarin and communicates with Sister Khong in Cantonese.  It's been fun teaching her.  I have actually learned a little more Cantonese, which is great for freaking people out when contacting. :)  That language is ridiculous.  This woman's name is Sister Liu, and she was raised on a farm in China so she can't read.  That makes reading the Book of Mormon rather difficult, and since there is no Cantonese recording of the book we got permission to record it with some members of our ward.  It's been a crazy project, and we have about half of it done now, which is awesome.  We taught Sister Liu to use a CD player this week, too, so now she can listen to it on her own.

Through all of this, the scripture Jacob 4:6-7 has been on my mind again and again.  It talks about the faith that is given to us by learning about the Lord through the scriptures, but then reminds us that it is only through the grace of Christ that we are able to see and experience these miracles.  The weakness that we experience by being people is normal and actually necessary to our eternal growth, because it helps us remember who it is we rely on for salvation.  It is one of my favorite doctrines, now.

I invite anyone who reads this letter to remember our mission in your prayers.  Your added faith will bring blessings to the people living in New York in ways you cannot even imagine!

With love,

Sister Beer