Sister Pao in the North Star State: Dinkytown: Week 34 "Officially Humbled...by a French guy"

Well, mom, all I can say is that if I told you the stories of what happened to me this week, you would laugh hysterically and say, serves me right.

After all these years someone has finally taught me the lesson of not being so quick to slip off my shoes, and to not be so quick in walking around barefeet. haha But more importantly, what I learnt from this experience is First: to follow the promptings of the Spirit at all times and not to satisfy my own selfish curiosity! Second: Humility!

Wednesday, we were out contacting on campus, and we came in contact with a man from France--take note that he was in about his late 40s. He had broken English, and seemed lost and confused--especially after being approached by two strangers wayy too happily greeting him. From there, he showed us a text message of what he was doing because, I was quick to say 'hey! i know some french' (now thinking on retrospect, i should've just kept my mouth shut! Oh prideful Sister Pao)

Anyhow, we finally figured out that he was doing an Amazing Race like challenge with some of his friends, because they had all pitched in their money to buy a plane ticket for Brazil, and if he wins, he gets to take it! He was really into the game, and if we had known, we should've just ended the conversation their, wished him good luck, and continued sharing the gospel with others. (That would have been the smart thing to do) but of course, I kept digging for more info, trying to understand more of what he was doing and of trying to figure out how we could help him. Anyway, long story short, the challenge that he was at went something like this "You are to take your shoes off and give them to the first woman you see on the streets, then you are to walk for the rest of the day barefeet."

So, lucky Sis. Huang and I, we were the first women that ran into him after he received that text message. So basically he took his shoes off and forced them to us. He was really frustrated though because he felt really stupid having to walk around barefeet--something about french culture and not liking the idea of losing face and looking foolish. But we really couldn't tell, because he had broken english and we thought that he was joking! So finally, he remembered that we introduced ourselves as missionaries from a church, and so it clicked and he said, "you are christians right? Will you help me out now then, because I can't wear my own shoes, give me yours. If you are a Christian, you will help somebody in need. I am in need! Give me your shoes." I thought that he was just messing, because in my mind, I thought that it would be even MORE foolish for him to walk around with half of his feet slipped into some turquoise women's flats! He kept insisting and said, oh yes, it'll be ok, i'll show you what I can do, it's okay, and before then, (who knows what i was thinking) but I had slipped off my flats and they were on his feet! ah! imagine that! Too late for me to take it back. SO! yes, i was a very undignified missionary for a short 5 minutes, because I had to walk back to the institute from the campus BAREFEET. Embarrassing huh?! Basically, the story ended with him, borrowing my flats for a short time so that he could go prove to his friends that he completed the challenge, and then he promised to return them to the institute--in which he did. Embarrassingly enough though, I was very humbled by the end of this little adventure, and learned a very important lesson to not be quick to take off my shoes, and to think before i act! Heavenly Father finally taught me a lesson that probably mom wanted me to learn all those years where I even managed to walk around Shanghai China, barefeet (luckily I didn't have to learn through catching some disease or infectious fungus or whatnot in China) Heavenly Father spared me until my mission to learn! haha

This story took a lot longer than I expected to recount to you all, but I hope that it brought more laughters to your faces and the assurrance that Sister Pao is still Sister Pao. I wouldn't be without my silly stories eh? haha

Just know that I am learning lifelong qualities through ALL different means on this mission of mine. Be expecting pictures for Sister You's baptism this Saturday! Keep her in your prayers for us, because she truly is our miracle from heaven, brought right over from Qing Dao China. Sister You passed her baptismal interview this week by the way! She is so awesome, we shall all visit Qing Dao when I get back from the mish and she will be sure to bring us all over to tour China.

Love you all tons me ohana! You are all in my prayers.

Love,

Sister Pao