Jacob Dyer Missionary Blog: June 20, 2016

My last transfer in the mission! Going to finish in Eastvale with Elder Warren.

It was Elder Merriman's last week in the mission. We found a lot of people to commemorate it. We unfortunately dropped from a trio to a regular companionship early in the week because a missionary in the zone went home. Elder Warren took one for the team and went English for the rest of the week... on bike... in really hot weather... He got a good tan.

We were meeting with our eight year old investigator and he prayed that Heavenly Father would help him play less computer and read scriptures more - from the mouth of babes. We got him some clothes to wear to church - white shirt and tie and black pants. It reminded me of the nine year old recent convert from La Sierra Heights. I was back in the area last week and got to talk to his family. I think his example has really changed them. The Dad found a job, everyone seems more responsible, and some of his other family members are now coming to church and preparing for baptism. He's a strong little man, I miss him.

At the park the other night, we ran into this guy and got talking to him. He asked what our Chinese names were. When I told him my full Chinese name, he kind of looked at me weirdly, then looked at his wife, grinned and said "that's a good name." Turns out he shares the same name with me! Fun stuff!

We had so much Chinese food this week because it was Elder Merriman's last. His last meal was at an investigator's house full of Shanghainese people. We had already finished everything, and the grandpa goes back into the kitchen for a little bit, then comes back with "tang cu pai gu" [sweet and sour pork chop]. Suffice it to say, I ate too much. We had a hilarious conversation with all of them though. They all seemed to have different opinions on Shanghai, China, and America. Some seemed to love everything about Shanghai, some said China was just communist, and some just loved America. We were talking about the matchmaking parks in Shanghai, and one of the ladies admitted to going there to try to marry off her 30 year old son a couple years back. They all had mixed feelings on whether or not we should find Shanghainese wives.

One was a retired cop and asked how my parents met. Another one quickly interjected saying that that was PRIVATE and he couldn't ask that. I didn't know that was a "no no" in China. He said it's because he's a police officer that he asks those questions naturally. Funny times.

We had to translate a lesson in relief society at church. It was unique not only because of the fact that we were the only guys in the room, but we were translating a lesson for a Chinese member going Chinese to English. It was a lot smoother than going the other way.