各位弟兄姐妹大家早安!

That is how every talk starts in church! I still can't understand anything else, but I've got that part down! It means "Brothers and Sisters, good morning!" But the literal translation is more along the lines of "Everyone, brother, sister, big house good morning!"... Chinese is hard. But this week was awesome! We had my second baptism on Tuesday, and I got to do the baptizing! It was an amazing experience, and I felt the Spirit so powerfully as I got to help someone receive the ordinance of baptism, and start their path back to their Heavenly Father! The person who got baptized, his name is David (that's his English name), and he has such an amazing testimony! He originally met the Sister missionaries at an internet cafe. He said he didn't know why he had chose to go there, he needed to buy some stuf, and so he went to the internet cafe. It just so happens the Sister missionaries were there, emailing their families! Both the Sisters and David said they felt prompted to go talk to one another, and so they did. The Sisters invited him to come to English class, and he said he was super busy with work, but that he would try and come. He was able to come one time, and since then, he's been to busy too come back. But while he was there, we were able to set up a time to meet with him. He said he only wanted to read the Bible with us, because he's a Christian in another church. But as we sat down with him, he asked us why he felt different when he came in to our church. We ended up sharing the first lesson with him, and he wanted to learn more. He said at his baptism, that he knew from the beginning that this church was different, and that it is true. He can feel the Spirit, and God's love for him. David is so amazing!

This week has been busy, but we have seen so many miracles! On Saturday, I got to go on Exchanges with the Assistants to our Mission President, and we taught 8 lessons in one day! It was so crazy! I was super tired, but so awesome!

This week has definitely been full of trials, but a few weeks ago, we had a training that talked about Christ and His Atonement, and our missions. Elder Holland shared about how, as missionaries and as people, if we truly have a desire to be the kind of person Christ is, we have to be willing to endure a small, small portion of the things he had to endure. His entire life, He was persecuted, despised, and eventually killed, and he suffered the pain of every sin and every weakness. If we want to be like Him, we have to be willing to endure some trials, and feel some pain, so that we can become the kind of person He is. I know that my mission is hard, but I am so grateful fo the opportunity I have to become like my Savior, my brother, my ultimate example. He truly is the Savior of mankind, and our only way to lasting peace. In my trials, I remember His sacrifice, and it gives me strength to continue. I love Him, and I know He loves all of you.

I love you all, thank you for your emails and your prayers!

Love,

Elder Shope