Wow! That's pretty much all that I can say about my first week in San Francisco! What a completely different place to what I was used to in Hayward. Its been non-stop adventure, non-stop learning, and non-stop memories and miracles since I left the transfer van Tuesday morning!
This week has been a busy one, with a lot to get used to all at once. Elder Ho has been very patient with me and is very willing to help me along and do a little bit of translation here and there, which I do need at times! He is a very hard-working missionary. He is from Hong Kong, and has been in San Francisco for almost as long as I was in Hayward. Least to say, he knows the bus and BART (train) system like the back of his hand! Cool thing, we are in a bus area, so we use public transport everyday to get everywhere in this crazy city! That's the first thing, there are SO MANY PEOPLE EVERYWHERE! We've met some crazy people while street contacting, including the most buff 70-year-old I have ever seen, who flipped upside down a few hundred times on a playground monkey-bar for our enjoyment.
We have experienced some real miracles as a companionship this week. We spent most of the week street contacting in Chinatown (I was there my FIRST DAY!) and other parts of the area, and I love the feeling of the city! I love that there's always someone around the corner, and that there's always energy.
Regardless, we started up a new English Class at our Sunset chapel on Saturday, and a man named Han Xi An attended. He had called Elder Ho and I the night before asking if we were still planning on having class, and he walked in very excited and very prepared to learn some English. The turnout was small, and we had to start from the VERY beginning and basics of the language (we only made it through letters A-E in the hour), but afterwards, we showed the students a Bible video. Bro. Han had a LOT of questions following the film, mostly about who Jesus Christ was and primarily, baptism. We gave him a basic explanation, and invited him to come to church the next day. He accepted the invitation, and even brought his wife along to all three meetings! It was wonderful! We have an official appointment with them tonight, so we are hoping to keep the momentum going with the pair of them!
What's more, last night, at around 8:30, we were contacting potential investigators from our files in our area book. Elder Ho called one woman, and they ended up having a 30 minute phone conversation all about missionary life. At the last minute, we were able to share some doctrine with her and make an appointment to meet with her later in the week! Miracles are so real!
Many of you have been asking about my new calling... Its been a definite change, but our district is doing well, and seeing just as many miracles among our companionships as Elder Ho and I were apart of this week. The Spanish Elders had three baptisms this weekend, which was unbelievable! Our District Meeting went really well. It was on the importance of Listening as a teaching skill, and I was studying and prepping for it for most of the week (least to say, I was pretty nervous...), but everyone seemed to really enjoy the training prepared and took it very seriously. I learned that the Spirit is just as real and effective in role-play as much as it is in a "real world" situation. I'm still making some adjustments to the new position of District Leader, but so far, I'm enjoying it.
I love you all and am grateful that I get to share with you all of the craziness that is my new area and my mission! Have an amazing week!
Wo Ai NiMen!
Elder Butters (Bao ZhangLao)
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