Out to Lunch. Metaphorically.

[Note: This post was originally written on 9/9/12. My apologies for the delay. - TBG]

So, this weekend, I am in Shanghai.

I still haven't started teaching, and due to a lot of situations that no one could've predicted, things are really frustrating and difficult. This is sincerely the hardest thing I have ever done. But I don't question it being right, and being Heavenly Father's will for me. I have gained an enormous amount of insight, just in the two weeks in our province, that Heavenly Father KNOWS us in our situations and even when we really, really don't understand the reasoning behind things that happen... He does. And that is enough.

SO! Shanghai.

I have seen the Yuyuan Gardens, The Bund, the lights of Shanghai from a ferry at night... basically everything romantic and lovely you can imagine. There is definitely a reason they call this city the Paris of the East.

But the highlight has been District Conference. I am not even in the Shanghai District, but I rode a seven and a half hour train (yes, you read that correctly) to come and hear the messages shared, to take the sacrament, and to meet up with all our friends again. It feels tremendous. So tremendous in fact, that we have chosen to make the best of the fact that we are STILL not teaching at our school by staying in Shanghai until Tuesday.

Therefore, I will blog later this week. Look forward tooooo seeing/reading:

1) My first encounter with an Irish man. Two, actually. That sounded sketchy and I'm 100 percent fine with that. It kind of was, but not in the way you are thinking.

2) A discertation of my nick names for the people/places around me... because I can pronounce none of them. Trust me. It will be ...insightful.

3) District conference moments. Holler.

4) Shanghai noon.

5) Shanghai night.

For now, though. Enjoy these pictures from Yuyuan Gardens. I know I do.

Man. I love weekend trips. Also, you, as well.