As of late

Hello,

I've written about my friend Anna. She has two little boys 7 & 4 and
an adopted Chinese baby, Jing Jing or Jade. When they dropped Jade and
the 7 year old off at our house the other night after midnight, I
noticed Jade wasn't eating anything and didn't finish her one bottle
in 12 hours.  She just didn't feel good.  This was Feb. 13. If you
follow my instagram, she is the little chinese baby who was dancing
like crazy in the video.  Anyhow, Anna took her into the hospital to
check her out after a week or so, they gave her an ultra sound of her
neck, put her on IV and antibiotics thinking she had a sore throat.
Anna was sick and her boys were throwing up so they thought Jade had
what they all did.  She did send me a text saying she was such a
paranoid mom because she thought Jade may have swallowed a toy.  OF
COURSE, her husband was out of the country most of the month.  She was
in the hospital a few more times trying to get more tests
done...sedating her, waiting for meds to kick in and then she would
wake up as they moved her to the testing bed. So things were not
working out. They decided to give her a simple x-ray, and today they
found a coin (they thought) lodged in her throat.  After three
unsuccessful balloon catheter attempts to get it out, they decided to
have surgery to remove it.  We went to the hospital to grab her boys
tonight and Todd was able to stand behind a curtain in a shared room
with another sick little boy, and give Jade a blessing on her mother's
lap, along with her teary eyed dad who happened to be able to be home
this morning.  Within minutes they took her to surgery. We got on the
elevator with the boys and Anna walked up holding some gauze and a
battery.  Jade had swallowed a battery over two weeks ago.  Her throat
is burned from the acid and the battery was corroded.  The flat round
kind. She's lost weight and is probably starving!  Anyhow, the message
is, follow the spirit and use your mother's intuition! She knew it and
was persistant in getting Jade the help she needed, and i know she was
protected until Anna could find the right doctor to find the problem.
I also realized what a gift the priesthood is in all of our lives as
the Chinese mother and father sat on each side of the bed in the same
room with Jade, trying to comfort their son.  I wished they could know
of the priesthood and have what we do and hope that someday they will.

My grandma asked if I was over here on an official church assignment.
I told her no, but this is the closest thing to a mission I've ever
experienced. I write home once a week (haha), I miss my mom and dad
and siblings and family and friends.  We have people over for dinner
nearly every Sunday. And it's not just one or two, it's two families
or all the visitors etc. If there is a conference, we are the hostel
so we wash lots of sheets.  Mutual is held here at our house more
often than not lately.  We are the closest family to the church, so if
anyone needs anything or if we need to check on anything, we are the
ones to watch over the building.  We get to attend the temple and
fetch things from the distribution center to share with investigators
in the branch.  I have to study in order to teach seminary so gospel
topics are always on my mind. One of us is teaching something or
playing or leading the music every Sunday.   You aren't allowed to
breath a word about religion to Chinese Nationals, but there are so
many good people from around the world here. My friend Cherie jokes
that we are companions because we tag team inviting our friends to
church.  I don't know why it's easier here to invite people to things,
but it just is.  One Sunday I invited four people to church. Only one
came, one said she already had a church and we are still working on
the other two. REJECTION--now that's a mission! Cherie took one to a
cafe today and gave her the LDS 101 as she called it. I invited our
friend again and she said yes and that Cherie's driver is picking her
up Sunday morning.  So, pray for Sherley and Adi in China.  Sherley
has a home on Beacon Hill in Boston-I'm dying to see which one it is,
she said it's right next to the state house.  Adi is Nigerian via
London via NYC and is here for just a short time. Her husband works
with Todd at IBM. I hope I can come back and not be so stubborn and
lazy in inviting as we should. I'm surrounded by Swedes.  Ally will
have lots of friends when she visits us.    Chase was put in charge of
an investigator family.  Our good branch president is smart to put a
newly called missionary to work.  He got to go with Todd for the
second meeting and is in charge of setting up appointments.  They have
a baptismal date set for Mother's Day and the day of Chase's farewell
and Sophie's baptism too, so hopefully things progress as they should
and they can make the date. (would be nice to fill up the outside
portable font only once).   The 18 year old girls are also teaching a
Chinese woman married to an American man (that makes it legal). Hoping
she can make the date also. So yes, not official, but we are ALL on a
mission to hasten the work.  The running theme I see in the missionary
letters I'm lucky to receive is that people are placed in our lives
for a reason and the Lord will direct our lives to do His will if we
seek His guidance on a daily basis.  He will keep us busy doing His
work, if we are willing (and then in turn, He blesses US).  Satan
attacks missionaries by making them feel as if they aren't good enough
and eats away at their confidence. I've seen this in multiple
missionary letters.  He knows they aren't necessarily in positions to
be tempted...bars or hanging out late at night, dating,etc. so he
attacks from the inside out. Pray for missionaries! There is a lot of
work for them to do.

Elder Holland in HKG Notes

3 reasons why we are pioneers

Point 1
We are the first generation to cease fleeing from Babylon but confront
it.  The history of the children of the covenant has always been to
flee.  Flee to Zion.  Until now.

We will no longer flee.  We will no longer run.  But we will confront
Babylon.  We will take the gospel to every nation, tongue and people.

In a sense, we turn and fight!  Our weapons are peace, love,
compassion, truth and service.  Square your shoulders, straighten your
back and stand for truth.

This is how Babylon will be conquered.

Point 2
This is the greatest dispensation, the dospensation of the fullness of
times.  It is so much more than the restoration of the primitive
church.  It is the church of Adam, Noah, .... All the prophets, and
scores of prophets came to restore their keys, dispensations.... This
is the dispensation of the fullness of times.


Point 3
This is the dispensation that must prepare the church of the lamb for
the lamb.   There will never and never again be an apostasy but
continual growth of the church.

We cannot draw near to him with our lips and have our hearts far from
Him. (As He spoke to the prophet Joseph.)

Elder Holland testified  that He will recognize this church.



That's all for now. thanks for letting me spill my brains, above and
beyond my weekly letter.

Love you all,

Jane