Hello All! This Be Mai Zhanglao:)

Well, it's been a while since last I sent out an email/blogpost to all y'all. Sorry about that... :/ Anywho, these past few weeks have been busy and fun! I have the great opportunity and privilege to be training--sometimes it's super stressful, but for the most part it's been really fun. Both of our Chinese has been improving, and we've been doing a lot of finding/contacting. We're really hoping that the Chinese group leader will get us a list of all the Chinese members (active, less active, and inactive) soon so that we can start going and visiting them. That'll be fun :)

Lately President Mains has been putting a great deal of emphasis on having faith while we find. Believing that God really is preparing those people whose doors we knock and who we meet on the street. Me and my companion have been working hard to do just that, and it's brought about MIRACLES! Not super big ones--miracles that are just the right size to build our strength and faith in the Savior and His Atonement. Take, for instance, this miracle: Several days ago we were knocking an area that hadn't been tracted for at least 3 or so months, and so we were busy trying to do work there. We ran into a girl from Zimbabwe whose going to the local university--we gave her a pass-along card with our names and number on it, and the very next day she called us, wanting to schedule an appointment with us! She's a Seventh-Day Adventist--apparently they believe that when we die our bodies and spirits remained joined and just sorta hibernate in the ground until the Resurrection. It's an interesting doctrine, and one that prompted me to study more about the spirit world and resurrection and the Atonement for yesterday's Personal Study. It was AWESOME!!! All these little miracles that seemingly come out of nowhere--or rather, from the midst of everything, even God Himself :)

I've learned a lot about the Atonement this past week. Part of having faith in it and its remarkable power is having the confidence that God really does love you and wants you to return to Him. (See 'Faith in Jesus Christ' in Preach My Gospel for more info). I've been able to study more about the power and mercy and grace contained within the Atonement, and I cannot even attempt to describe or deny the feelings that I've received. I know that this Gospel is true, brothers and sisters, and I know that as we fight for the light, we'll receive that same confirmation :) All of the pain and ache that life can give us sometimes is swallowed up and forgotten in the light and joy of this Gospel. For that wonderful truth I am so very thankful! I know that this work is God's, and I know that He is my Heavenly Father. I know that He is yours, as well :) Don't you ever forget it! :)

I love you all and look forward to talking to you soon,

God be with you till we meet again,

Mai Zhanglao :)

Crocodile Farm

Here are a few pictures of Elder Mitchell at a Crocodile Farm.

Hello Hello Hello!

Hiya everyone!

Greetings from beautiful downtown Miri! :) This week has gone by super quick, and how eventful it has been! The first half of the week had some good proselyting time in it, and then me and my compadre journeyed forth from Miri to Singapore. He's going to be finishing someone's training over in Singapore, and I had to go and get my new companion/trainee--aka, my son! :) He's a great guy who just barely got out of high school in good ole Utah--yep, one of those eighteen-year-old, "catch-the-wave" missionaries :) It's pretty exciting. I hope that he's getting settled into Miri well.

This past weekend we were able to watch General Conference!!! So good! It was way awesome, and if you haven't yet watched it, then you need to! It's legit :) I loved every minute of it :)

I love that two of the main focuses of Conference were members+missionaries=success, and that God should be the center of our love and focus. Ultimately, these two focal points testify of the same thing: As we make God the center of our lives, we'll be more than happy to help out the missionaries and other members in bringing souls unto Christ. This is ultimately all of ours' purpose :) It truly is a glorious and happy truth, and I'm so grateful for it :) Through the power of Christ's Atonement, we can come closer to our Heavenly Father, and we can help others do this exact same thing. Pretty great :)
I hope that you're all doing swimmingly, and that life is just grand for ya! I know that the Lord loves you! This is His holy and glorious work: To bring us all back home to be with and like Him! Let's help Him out in any possible way we can! I know that this is true! :)

I love you all! God be with you till we meet/chat again :)

Mai Zhanglao :)

That Awkward Moment When...

1. That awkward moment when...It rains like krazy and you can't help but feel like you're living the days of Noah's Flood. Your shoes are full of water, your pants are soaked, and you're sweating to death inside of a hot rain jacket. Fun fun fun :)

2. That awkward moment when...You find out you're training, and you're afraid you're gonna break the poor child's Chinese.

3. That awkward moment when...You run out of milk for your cheap Malaysian cereal and have to forge onward, crunching away and hoping that it's all fake chocolate puffs that you're eating.

4. That awkward moment when...The light in your study room dies the night before, and you're already sitting in half-darkness trying to do Companion Study...and then the stormclouds outside thicken and you're pretty much sitting in the depths of pergatory.

5. That awkward moment when...You name five 'awkward moment when's at the very beginning of your blogpost. Yep, awkward moments. Gotta love 'em :)

So all those awkward moments pretty much sum up the day so far. Hopefully, if all goes well and the weather gets its act together, we'll be able to go to a crocodile farm later today. But I guess we'll see :)

I don't have a whole bunch of time, but I'd like to say this: The Lord lives. He truly does. He's aware of all of our circumstances, even when and especially if we feel inadequate or lost or forgotten. The Lord has numbered the sheep of His fold and He will not leave them desolate! I've felt Heavenly Father's love several times throughout this past week, and it's a constant reminder to me that the Lord lives and that He is anxious for all of His children to hear the good news of the Gospel. Never quit, brothers and sisters; don't doubt, but be believing. As President Monson puts it: "The future is as bright as your faith" :)

Love you all!

Mai Zhanglao :)