Shanghai via Dunedin!

This week our mission president asked us to go to Dunedin, easily the prettiest place we have yet seen here.  We were to greet a new couple, Elder and Sister Webb and help get them set up to start their mission experience here.  We had the opportunity to do a few things here that were fun and enjoyable before meeting the Webbs who had been on a plane for who knows how many hours.  We picked them up, took them to get groceries, out to dinner and then back to their flat for some well needed sleep.  They are wonderful people and we had a good time with them today.

The big bonus came after we took care of them tonight.  For some reason, I chose a little bed and breakfast to stay in while we were here.  I checked out lots of regular motels etc. but we love B&Bs and this was about the same price as the hotels so I booked it for two nights (we planned to stay three but couldn't because of the wedding at our home on Friday).  When we got back from delivering the Webbs to their home, we came back to our place expecting to just hang out and relax a while.  What we got was sooooo much more.

As we came in, Ken checked in the lounge.  There he was greeted by a chinese lady we had seen the night before with her husband and daughter.  They are here on holiday and mom and dad wanted to talk with us.  They invited us in to "sit down" and have a cookie with them.  We sat down and things started out a little awkwardly.  They didn't speak English and we didn't speak Chinese.  After a lengthy picture taking session which included the owners of the B&B, the daughter soon became a go between and we had a delightful time talking with them.

The mom kept talking about feeling one anothers hearts and soon the spirit was alive in that room.  They were so sweet and genuine.  There was much teasing and sharing of feelings and love.  You could feel it in the room.  It seemed to make the air heavy and it was pretty amazing.  We were having a missionary experience and we hadn't even tried.  She seemed to have so much respect for the fact that we were working for the church.  We gave her a thank you note and a pass along card and our business card.  She gave us some good luck charms from China.  We gave each other our hearts.

Thanks President Kezerian for asking us to do this thing which was so right and which has led to the sharing of e-mails and addresses and future opportunities.  Thanks Heavenly Father for inspiring him and us.  We are so blessed to be here, two Americans, doing what we are doing and sharing the gospel with all God's children in Dunedin, New Zealand with a family from Shanghai, China.  It can't get better than this!