你們好!
The work is continuing as usual- here's a couple updates from this week !
Corona Virus Update
This week New Zealand got the Coronavirus, which caused everyone to go to the store and stock up on toilet paper and baked beans haha. There's only been the one confirmed case so far... so the threat is a lot less than in many other countries, where I have friends serving Missions. I know it'll just get worse, but I do trust the Lord to protect us. I've noticed the fear of getting sick will stop some people from wanting to meet or come to church. However, the people who are ready to hear about God and the hope which can bless their lives are willing to come and see.
Slowly Overcoming Fears
So when I first got my mission call, most people focused on the Chinese and the fact Lord of The Rings was filmed in New Zealand (nowhere near where I serve by the way), but I had some who tactfully reminded me their would probably be some weird bugs.
As I've mentioned before, fleas and bed bugs are no myth and are really common. I do know though, that for the most part, NZ is not as bad as Australia. For example, the whole island is snake-free! Sister Sparrow was ecstatic to hear that news. But yeah, so I figured after this long everyone was exaggerating and that as expected, New Zealand is just a little more tropical than I'm used to. I haven't seen heaps of weird bugs or animals... well, until this last week ahhah. Our flat is huge and old. Gnats keep dying on our windowsill bathroom mysteriously... we clean it every week but always more pile on. We have no clue where they are coming from or why they are dying. There are ants in the back, not too weird or anything. But then the other day I was on the couch during our companionship study and I saw something crawling super fast across the floor. I hate bugs. So I wasn't willing to do anything besides point it out to my companions, and then consequently Sister Rich went and got a cup to trap it under. Hahah it was this weird centipede, caterpillar, spider.. thing. Lots of tall thin legs, had a tail thing, moved really fast. She kept it under the cup for a little bit and then let it go. Just seeing her deal with it like that gave me courage. I thought this weird thing was dealt with... and then it started crawling across our living room again a day later! We don't know where it came from, but it/its family came back. So once again I pointed it out, Sister Rich got a cup, and then we had a pet. This time we kept it for over 48 hours and Sister Rich would move the cup around to 'walk it' (it was a fast bugger). Living with it for that long also gave me more courage to deal with any bug that comes into my life. I'm not about to be the one to go get the cup quite yet, but at least I know I can live knowing we have an insect under a cup in our living room haha.
Weather
It's been SO HOT here haha which I realized would be really weird to hear if you were in Utah. Seasons around the world is a such concept- the southern hemisphere is wild!
Food
We also were craving cake one night, and we only had milo, sugar, and flour, and eggs. So we made some weird pancake crepes lol.
Chinese
I've noticed it's easy to lose my Chinese a bit as I've been teaching in and talking to people in English- which is sad, but also my English teaching skills are improving. I know as I have solid teaching skills in English, I'll be able to improve my teaching skills in Chinese as well.
Feeds
Are still a huge blessing! I love talking with the ward here and feeling of their spirits. Yesterday we met with 2 big families for one meal appointment and It was honestly just us sitting back as they caught up on the week like a big happy family does. We learned some random things about alpacas, too ahha. We also met with a Filipino family this week and they were so sweet and their food was so yummy. Apparently cutting food with a spoon is the Filipino way!
The Work
We are teaching one family in particular that I am so excited about- they are recently moved from South Africa and they are so spiritual and open. We had our ward mission leader come with us to our last lesson (he's also from south Africa) and he is such a good fellow-shipper!! We are so grateful for his willingness to just befriend this family. They are such a fun family ♡.
As I said, I've been a lot happier. I'm still being refined through the refiners fire- a lot I still need to work on, but it's been a great week.
This week, I wanted to emphasize the importance of listening to the Voice of the Lord! Do all of you know that the Lord speaks to us today? When we pray and ask Him questions, he actually answers. Not only that, He often warns us and counsels us, months, even years ahead of when we need it. That is, through living prophets and apostles. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are holding our semi-annual General Conference in April and that is when the prophets and apostles, messengers of God, will counsel us for now and for many months and years in the future. I've personally been looking at old general Conference talks and seeing how they had counseled me for moments ahead of time. As I read I could see the voice of the Lord counseling for my specific needs when I was younger, and the words still ring true today.
I'd invite you all to go on to comeuntochrist.org or thechurchofjesuschrist.org and see what truths the Lord wants us to know to provide us more peace and comfort today. If you want to review General Conference talks- I would recommend that too! It's really been touching to see how God knew and still knows me and my personal needs so well.
I love you all and I hope you keep yourselves healthy!
♡ 马姐妹
Sister Martinez
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