Open Your Mouth...and Sweat

My (Elder Croft's) biggest worry about this mission has consistently been the language. Part of my desire to be called to Taiwan was for me to be able to learn to speak Mandarin, but unfortunately desire does not equal ability. 

When Sister Croft and I were first dating, I eagerly started learning a few words. But, I quickly became discouraged when the Mandarin for, "I want to go to sleep" and "I want to eat dumplings" sounded exactly the same to me. This video has fun with those exact phrases, so apparently I'm not unique.

In the 33 years since then, I've done some sporadic studying. Most of the time I can hear the tones now, but my vocabulary is so limited that anything anyone says to me just goes right on by. In Chinese this is, "I hear but don't understand."

In October I got a Mandarin tutor from the MTC who helps me for an hour or two a week over zoom. The last session we had before I ended up leaving for Taiwan he challenged me to write a simple testimony in Chinese and try and translate it. He was going to help me refine it before I would be using it. Things didn't turn out that way, but I'm glad he got me started when he did.

When we came to Taidong, we were told the bishopric of the 2nd ward was expecting missionaries to speak in sacrament meeting. Since we are currently the only missionaries here, I tried to expand my testimony into a talk and tried to work on the translation, but my tutor wasn't available until after the speaking assignment. Sister Croft helped, but she was also trying to prepare a talk too, and hers needed to be longer than mine.

On Sunday, it ended up that all three wards asked us to share a testimony. The first one gave me just minutes of warning. I was extremely nervous. My family knows that when I'm nervous I sweat. I don't have a picture of me, but I looked exactly like the picture above, and not just on my head!

The other two wards I didn't get quite as drenched, probably because I had already sweat out all the moisture in my entire body, but I was still nervous.

This was really hard for me to do, but it was also very important for me to do. When I served my first mission to Japan I had a hard time "opening my mouth." At that time, this verse in Doctrine and Covenants 60:2 helped motivate me to change, "But with some I am not well pleased, for they will not open their mouths, but they hide the talent which I have given unto them, because of the fear of man. Wo unto such, for mine anger is kindled against them."

A more positive version of this command is given a little later in Doctrine and Covenants 71: 1-3, "the time has verily come that it is necessary and expedient in me that you should open your mouths in proclaiming my gospel,... according to that portion of Spirit and power which shall be given unto you, ... proclaim unto the world in the regions round about, and in the church also, for the space of a season, ... Verily this is a mission for a season, which I give unto you."

So not only has the Lord commanded me to open my mouth now, with whatever spirit and power (ability) he has given me now, but it is also important because I came to share the gospel with people, and I can't do that if I don't open my mouth. So, I trusted in the Lord that trying to speak would be a good thing and not a bad thing for the three wards and that Hei would help me through it.

I definitely made mistakes reading what I had down, and there were definitely translations errors in it as well, but I felt the love of the Lord that I was doing a good thing. I also felt Him help me to open my mouth and keep going as the sweat poured down my back. I also felt Sister Croft's support and the love of the ward members. They kindly told me they could understand me.

Here is the English and the pinyin (romanized Mandarin) for part of what I shared last week. This is the cleaned up version, after I was able to meet with the tutor.

I know that God is our Heavenly Father. He loves us. He has a plan for us to learn and grow and return to live with him.

Wo zhi1dao4 Shen2 shi4 wo3men de tian1fu4. Ta1 ai4 wo3men. Ta you yige jihua lai bāngzhù wo3men xué2xí2 he2 chen2jiang3 ran2hou4 hui2dao4 ta de shen1bian1. 

I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is Christ’s church on the earth today and was restored through the prophet Joseph Smith.

Wo3 zhi1dao4 ye1su1 ji1du1 hou4qi1 sheng4tu2 jiao4hui4 shi4 xian4zai4i Ji1du1 de jiao4hui4 zai shi4jie4 he2 tou4guo4 yue1se4 si1mi4 fu2xing1 le.

I know that we will find the greatest peace and happiness in this life by keeping our covenants and obeying the commandments. 

Wo3 zhi1dao4 Dang1 wo3men zun1shou3 wo3men de sheng4yue1 he wo3men zun1shou3 Shen2 jie4ming4  de shi2hou wo3men hui4 zhao3dao4 zui4da4 ping4’an ha xing4fu2.

I know that President Nelson is the living prophet. 

Wo3 zhi1dao4 Luo2su4 Na4er3xun4 hui4zhang3 shi4 huo2xhe de xian1zhi1. 

I know that he receives God’s word and we will be blessed as we follow him.

Wo3 zhi1dao4 ta shou4dao4 shen2 de hua4 he dang1 wo3men gen1sui2 ta shi wo3men hui4 shou4dao4 zhu4fu2.

God’s words are also in the Book of Mormon.

Shen2 de hua4 ye3 zai4 mo2’er3men2jing1.

I am so thankful for it! I read it every day. It is an incredible gift and blessing.

Wo3 hen3 ganxie Mo2’er3men2jing1. Wo3 mei3tian1 du2. Shi4 te4bie2 li3wu4 he zhu4fu2.

I am thankful for my family. We have 5 children and 10 grandchildren.

Wo3 gan3xie4 wo3men de jia1ting2. Wo3men you3 wu3 ge er2nu3 ha shi2 ge sun1zi.

We are all sealed as an eternal family. 

Wo3men zai4 sheng4dian4li3 yin4zheng4 bian4cheng2 yong3heng2 de jia1ting2

What a wonderful blessing!

Tai4 bang4 de zhu4fu2!

We miss them while we are missionaries in Taiwan, but we know God will protect them.

Dang1 wo3men zai4 Tai2wan1 de2shi2hou4, wo3men hui4 xiang3nian4 ta1men, ke3shi4 wo3men zhi1dao4 Shen2 hui4 bao3hu4 ta1men.

I'm grateful to be with you in Taidong.

Wo3 gan3xie4 zai4 tai2dong1 gen1 ni3men zai4 yi1qi3.

I pray I can learn Chinese quickly and talk with you soon.

Wǒ qi2dao3 wo ke3yi3 hen3 kuai4 xuéxí zhōngwén he2 bùjiǔ yi3hou4 gen1 ni3men yi1qi3 tánhuà.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Feng4 ye1su1 ji1du1 de ming2, Amen