Labor with All Your Might

Just another week in the life of a missionary! Wednesday I start my 7th week here. Crazy, right?! Things just keep rolling along here at the MTC and life is good!

#companionshipselfie

With the Cantonese Sisters

One of the glass coverings over the buffet lines in the cafeteria literally exploded into a million pieces this week, so that sure was exciting! And I mean literally exploded. No one hit it or anything. I guess it just got too hot or something and broke into a million pieces and fell to the floor. It made a huge crashing noise and everyone just stood there looking at it in silence. Super crazy! (As you can tell, not too many out of the ordinary things happen around here, so when it does, it's a big deal!)

#hongkongtshirtsforlife

The language continues to come along! It's interesting how you start to feel like you're really getting a hold on things and then the Lord throws a big giant humbling experience your way. It's great. But I've really grown to love the language! I wouldn't go as far to say that it's a beautiful language yet, but it's really cool and I really enjoy studying it! As I continue to learn, I continue to make more mistakes, but it keeps things light, so it's a blessing in a weird sort of way! I was talking to one of our "investigators" about her laahm pahngyauh (boyfriend) and she kept looking at me weird until I realized I was calling her laahm pahngyauh a syu pahngyauh (child). The literally translation for syu pahngyauh is "little friend" so that was definitely really funny! She sure thought that was funny. Boy am I glad that laughter is a universal language. Because I'm already fluent!

Friday we had a "fast from English." No English. All day. Not even a little bit. I didn't realize how much I actually talk.. It was hardest during Gym time. It's not as fun to smack talk when the people you're talking to don't know what you're saying... Haha it was fun though! Lots of charades, but it was a good time! The plan is to do that every Friday from here on out!

I was doing my laundry today and when I went to put my clothes from the washer to the dryer, I accidentally put them in another washer and started it. Don't ask me why. Or how. There's only a big red sticker on the door that says, "WASHER." I think we'll be spending a little longer in the laundry room than usual today...

I am the Juggling Master

Sister Killpack and I in our Natural Habitat

Lots of fun, lots of learning!

I've spent a lot of time in Jacob 5 this week. (I realize I relate most of my thoughts to missionary work because.. I'm a missionary. But remember that we're all missionaries and all trying to do our part to build the kingdom of God starting with ourselves and also with others, so this applies to everyone!)

So in vs 62 it says, "Wherefore let us labor with our might this last time, for behold the end draweth nigh, and this is for the last time that I shall prune my vineyard." This is it folks. The "final quarter", the "last inning."

vs 70. "And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard sent his servant; and the servant went and did as the Lord had commanded him, and brought other servants;"

We are those other servants. We are called to help the Lord labor in his vineyard this last time.

So what needs to be done? Gather the fruit, graft in the branches, dig about the roots, and prune and dung the trees.

I don't know about you, but gathering the fruit sounds a whole lot more fun than dunging. But the Lord needs servants willing to do all the things necessary to "preserve his fruit." Sometimes we get to gather the fruit, sometimes he needs us to just stand under the tree and hold up one of the branches for a while, sometimes we are handed a shovel and asked to dig, and sometimes we are needed to dung. But all jobs are important to the preserving of His fruit. The Lord needs us all to work our hardest at whatever job he gives us. We are asked to "labor in the vineyard with all (our) might."

But He doesn't just hand us a shovel and send us off with a "good luck, hope you can figure it out." vs 72: "And the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them." This is very much His work and He is very much involved. When it is done His way, He is there every step of the way, helping us with whatever task we are assigned. And it's hard work, but it's worth it!

And the promise that we receive for laboring with all our might is that we "shall have joy in the fruit which (He) shall lay up unto (Himself.)" How cool. We can have joy in the work that the Lord set apart for Himself.

I can't wait to get out to the vineyard and get my hands dirty. This is the greatest work in the whole world! I know that I'm where I'm supposed to be, doing what I'm supposed to be doing to become who the Lord wants me to become. I know if we do our best with whatever the Lord asks of us that he'll be right there working with us the whole time! If we give Him everything we've got, he'll make it happen. I've felt his help. There's no way I could be doing the things that I'm doing without Him.

Ngoh ngoi leih deih!! Remember it's all about the little things!

Love,
Sis Rob