Public Relations Campaign in Bloomfield

Brr. It snowed last night, and since we have zone conference tomorrow, we had to wash our car. One of the members here lets us use their hose every Monday. One of the Spanish Elders in our area is sick, so we offered to help them wash their truck as well. It was pretty fun. We made a mini snowman! Also, Sister Crossley had a brilliant idea for a "public relations campaign" that we could do right here in Bloomfield! We made up flyers to advertise General Conference. One of the ward missionaries let us come over and design the flyer on her computer. We gave them to the members to hand out yesterday, and we have also been using them in our tracting. After all, Thomas S. Monson was called as a prophet to speak to the world, not just our church. We are hoping to post our flyers in the Farmers' Market and the Triangle Cafe, and maybe some gas stations around town. We had to get approval from the stake president, and he was really excited about the idea, so that was good.

What else happened this week? Last week for P-Day we played a massive game of dodge ball with all the missionaries. The Elders set up tables and chair racks as barricades. It was super funny. We had to use tennis balls, basketballs, and volleyballs because we didn't have very many soft, bouncy ones. Sister Crossley video recorded it, I'll have to start doing video recordings as well.

We also had dinner with some of the Navajo families in the ward this week, and I got to try Navajo Tea! I learned about one more ceremony this week as well. I talked about the "Coming of Age" ceremony a few weeks ago. But now I know about the "Laughing Party" as well! Apparently, whenever a baby is born, the first person who can make the baby laugh has to throw the child a party. They must provide gifts for the child to give out so that it won't become selfish. I wish I could remember and had time to go into more detail. It really is a fun tradition. It reminds me a lot of Mary Poppins' laughing scene.

MOM! I almost forgot. I wrote my mission office last Monday to ask if I could order you a mission name tag in Mandarin Chinese. (My mom took her name tag to a Primary activity about missions/missionaries and couldn't find it afterwards.) My mission office said they were excited to do it for me, (I explained the situation, and was going to do it as a surprise.) But they called the MTC, who directed them to the Salt Lake City Mission Department, who said that they were not allowed to do that. But the Sister in my mission office said that if you were to call Salt Lake City yourself, you would probably have more luck. She asked if you still spoke Chinese, and I told her about how you were going back to school to learn more. She said that "we are going to need all the Chinese speakers we can get pretty soon." It made me so excited. The way she said it made me wonder whether or not she knew something I didn't know. I realize that I'm speculating a TON....and that nothing will probably happen....but President Monson asked the Church to pray for new areas to be opened to missionary work. Last Conference he talked about how he meets with leaders of other countries. How cool would it be if they announced that China was opening? I know, it's TOTALLY unlikely right now...but exciting to think about. I'm sure there will be a flood of people begging to go there when it is opened. We talked with a family who is very familiar with the Church. The mom was wearing a Chinese T-Shirt and told us that their two little girls were adopted from China. It made me think of you.

One of our investigators came to church yesterday! We were so excited! We also had a senior missionary couple talk about the, Strengthening Family Program and the, Addiction Recovery program. There is a verse in 2 Nephi that talks about never giving up on people, because you NEVER know when they will come back into the church. I'll have to look up the reference. It is good for those days when you think people will never change, and that talking to less actives and people who aren't interested is useless.

We met a lady this week who started her own church. It was kind of a tense discussion, but she showed us her "singing dog". She sang, "You are My Sunshine", and the dog would sing along. Except it sounded more like the dog was CRAZY and wanted to bite this woman's head off for trying to make it sing.

We LOVE reading the Book of Mormon with our investigators. It just calms the situation down and brings the spirit. We were in a Bible bashing situation with a family who believes that all churches that worship on Sunday are wrong and that Saturday is what the Bible tells us to do. But after we read the Book of Mormon with them, they calmed down, and said they liked it.

Okay, I know my email this week was really random. My email is WAY more disorganized than usual...but I feel a little rushed today because we're trying to make it to Farmington in time for a Luncheon. Anyway, I love you! Have a good week!