2-23-15

主曰快樂

SanLihn Faailohk!

This last week was a good week. I learned a lot, and despite it being the New Year, we were able to make success out of it. Of course, people were busy and we weren't able to meet with many and most of our investigators. They're all in mainland or just not very free, and we didn't want to push them too much. I hope and pray and plan that we will be able to get them all involved again in this next week or so.

But, this week we had the opportunity to meet with A-Cheung once again. He's just such an amazing person. Very rational, smart, down-to-earth and the kind of person who ponders on things. The kind of person that is a good investigator. I can never be thankful enough for the opportunity I've had, and will continue to have to work with him and be friends with him.

This last week we recommitted him to being baptized on March 1st. He's ready. And he knows he's ready. The thought of him actually being baptized, and the thought that I've actually been a part of his conversion has made me very happy. I think back to the Vision of the Tree of Life.

"And as I partook of the fruit thereof

it filled my soul

with exceedingly great joy;

wherefore,

I began to be desirous

that my family should partake of it also;

for I knew

that it was desirable above

all other fruit."

I'm beginning to understand the scripture and gain a testimony of it. Before, I did not know what it meant to have a desire to bring others to Christ. I mean, I knew what it meant, and I knew that it would happen, but I had never truly experienced it. I've always talked to others about Christ becuase it's the right and the good thing to do. Because that's what I've been taught. But now it's beginning to make sense. It was a very sweet experience, and I cannot express how excited I am that A-Cheung is getting baptized.

On top of that great experience, I was able to really feel what it was like to be struggling with the work. I know now that I've been blessed to live in an area that has had existed investigators, and been blessed to have a continuous flow of people to work with. But, being Chinese New Year, we had so few lessons and so few Potential Investigators, even though we worked as hard as we have been all along. Though it's not exactly a good thing, it has helped to give me a stronger desire to go out finding and invite others to come unto Christ. I can't stand the thought of not being able to teach lesson(s) every day. Which just goes to show that good things can and always will come of situations such as this.

We also were able to enjoy the New Year. We had a great activity with the Mandarin Elders and Sisters, as well as the Cheung Sha Wan Sisters. It started out as just a normal banner find. We took a Mormon.org banner, covered it in white paper and decorated it with some chinesey stuff and some little sheeps; this year being the Year of the Sheep.

In most traditional Chinese homes, they place a diamond shaped piece of paper with the character for "Juk," which means blessings, upside down on their front door. This signifies that blessings will pour out on their home. Then they take these strings of firecrackers, which look kind of like the Mexican strings of red chili peppers, (a pretty accurate representation if I do say so myself,) and place them on either side of the door. The firecrackers signify something that I I really don't know because no one's ever explained it to me but I've never really asked so, yah. Anyways, we adopted the same style for our banner, but instead of using firecrackers, which would probably not be okay, we drew a string, cut out a bunch of red pieces of paper, and had people write what their dreams or wishes for the New Year are. We then arranged the papers so they look like they were firecrackers. Pretty nifty huh?

But it was windy and the banner was going to keep falling over. For the first half hour or so we really didn't get anywhere. Then Elder Barker picked up the banner and started to carry it around.

What it turned into was us all running around like crazy white peoples. We would all go up to groups of people walking down the street, with the running banner right behind us, and pretty much mob the people into writing on the pieces of paper. It was very fun. It was crazy and everyone was laughing and the people had a great time talking with a bunch of non-chinesey people from American who can sort of speak their language. All-in-all, it was good.

喬長老

Kiuh Jeunglouh

- Elder George 

 I love you all. Happy New Year! (Sort of.) I'm doing great and learning lots. I wish I had more time to email and such, but I do what I can. Thank you so much for all of the support and don't stop being weird.

Entrance to 10,000 Buddhas

 No comment

 Buddha Hill