Week 19.5 New Apartment, Personal Revelation, & Insights 11/14/2016

Hey everyone!!!! How is life going for everyone? :) we move apartments this week… 

and [elders in] my apartment had all their birthdays in November so that was fun haha :)

I have been dwelling on the fact of personal revelation. I realized, all the little insights that I get from observation, are the things that God has put into my mind :)

It is through these "small and simple things" that I have gained my testimony. Testimony is not an event it is a process, but even as you are reading this you are not expecting this to be a long event. But it is. In the world we live in today, we don't want anything to be long, we want things that are good to come now! and things that are challenging to go now! but we must look into the details of life to truly be happy and have that happiness last.

Here is a thing that I wish I knew in high school when deciding a major, if it's hard do it. if you do it and have a hard life that is ok. Nothing good in life comes from things that are easy, that is the great lie of Satan is that you don't need to work to get what you want, but you do.

Insights

we look for the spirit to be a huge event, but it is a process and it is continual

We must read the Book of Mormon all the way through and earn our way to 3rd nephi (Christ) because it will mean so much more

Thank God for our failures -Ronald Yeun

God has hope for us to change because we are still on this earth, so we have a chance to repent. Time is a blessing of God. If you haven't died it is so you can repent -Bro Fan

You and God write your story together

no effort is wasted, no effort spent on you is wasted, take all time as a learning opportunity

Every moment in this life has been to prepare you for the next so learn from it

everyone has a different capacity and varying levels of everything. The important thing is to use it so you can increase it

Chopsticks one moves more then the other. Don't complain about people that don't move as much, if they weren't there it would be very bad for you work

This gospel is to change our hearts

if the people you teach feel something, then you are doing your job because they are learning

be grateful for challenges because they are consecrated challenges from the lord to help us grow

We pay a high price to serve him but he paid an even higher price to serve him so it is a blessing to pay the price we are paying now

When you have perfect love for someone, you don't expect anything back

We are happy if we fulfill the ends of our creation

you are wondering why you go out to work and see no success, the lord will bless you and do it in his own way that may not come from where you efforts are put but as long as you try it will work

serving people is to help them be happy

the more knowledge you have, the quicker you learn because you have more things in your brain to connect that new idea to

what’s the point of having eternal perfect bodies when we don't have eternal and perfect and lasting happiness with the people we care, that is why we must strive for eternal life

do you try to solve problems so they don't bother you anymore or out of love for that person

if you try every day and experience a change of heart, then you have a greater chance of making it back

Satan's whole goal is to keep us from the atonement

if you compare don't. Maybe god trusts you to have more faith and to not have to have signs to confirm that you are going in the right way. Maybe that is a gift of yours, so dong compare

I want to take a poll of who actually reads this, for future reference, if you do just say hi :) its easy and I put this at the end for a reason haha :) Tell me what from above is your favorite

I challenge you all to right down the little impressions that God gives you as a tender but heavenly gift by doing so, you will see his influence in your life, in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Week 18.5 New District Leader & Goal to Double Baptisms 11/7/2016

我知道神是我的天父 (I know God is my Father in Heaven)

This week was transfers!!!!! and I am staying!!! so that is great

so [last Thursday] they called me as district leader even though I am still being trained. Elder McGrath is still my trainer but he is now zone leader :)

our district is all district leadership so the other companionship of elders also has a zone leader in it

I totally forgot to talk about mission conference from like 3 weeks ago. My bad. IT was absolutely great!! The greatest lesson I learned from that is to teach people not lessons. He talks about how David when going to slay Goliath, he prepared 5 stones. He only used one of them. He talked about how David later uses Goliath's sword to finish it. He then talked about how we must prepare as much as we can so that we can hit it the first time, and use the right stone. He also talked about after we do that, we will be able to find people's sword. We must find it, so we must discern what their concern is and teach them the gospel according to their need, by doing so they will be 開心 (happy). 

This week has brought many suprises and I caught myself thinking 你有沒信心 (do you have faith) in the scriptures and I do! Elder Wong gave our mission a goal which is to double the total number of baptisms by the end of the year...  Moroni 7:37 I probably have already shared this one, but part of it says "Nay; for it is by faith that miracles are wrought" getting as many baptisms in 1 and a half month to baptise as we have in 11 months is a miracle!! !! I will be honest... there is a lot of doubt that I must dispel. But I have God's promise from the scriptures that Through faith miracles are brought to pass. In Moroni 10:20 on another day and it says "Wherefore, there must be faith; and if there must be faith there must also be hope; and if there must be hope there must also be charity." I have to have charity towards the people I work with to have faith. I know that since President wong revealed it that it is God's will for the China Hong Kong mission to double the number of convert baptisms it has in the weeks to come. I know that the Book of Mormon is true, and more importantly, it applies to me. I was reading in 1 nephi 3 and it talks about how laman and lemuel did it, but didnt have faith that it would work. That is why they became discourage after the first rejection. We must be stronger and make it to how ever many number of rejection the lord puts in front of us to make us strong. 神好愛我們 (God really loves us) we just need to show our love back by having faith and doing.

Why is faith a principal of action? in Alma 32 it says that faith is a things that are hoped for and true but not seen. Likewise, I don't see 14 baptisms in our zone yet, but I know it will be accomplished, and I want to be part of the great work that God has asked me to be a part of. but since it is a servant of the lord saying we will accomplish it. it is true (D&C 1) I know that God is merciful, and lets us witness and be a part of miracles, This I testify in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen

Week 17.5 Powerful Scriptures from the Book of Mormon 10/31/2016

Hello everyone!!! this week has been great especially as I have gotten closer to finishing the Book of Mormon!! My favorite studies from this week was Ether 4 and 12. They are both fantastic.

The first scripture of this week is Mormon 3:12 it says "...I had led them many times to battle, and had loved them, according to the love of God which was in me, with all my heart; and my soul had been poured out in prayer unto my God all the day long for them;..." 

I liked this scripture because it says that we can love people if we pray for them and that was an exciting discovery.

The second exciting one this week was Mormon 8:12 it says "And whoso receiveth this record, and shall not condemn it because of the imperfections which are in it, the same shall know of greater things than these. Behold, I am Moroni; and were it possible, I would make all things known unto you." 

I love it because this scripture is so true!! If we read and ponder the Book of Mormon, and don't look for faults, we will receive more knowledge then is in the book because it is a book of God.

The third scripture is Ether 4:12 "And whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do good is of me; for good cometh of none save it be of me. I am the same that leadeth men to all good; he that will not believemy words will not believe me—that I am; and he that will not believe me will not believe the Father who sent me. For behold, I am the Father, I am the light, and the life, and the truth of the world."

I like it because it talks about if you don't listen to the scriptures or believe them, then you don't truly understand and believe in Christ, or God.

Ether 9:20 "And thus the Lord did pour out his blessings upon this land, which was choice above all other lands; and he commanded that whoso should possess the land should possess it unto the Lord, or they should be destroyedwhen they were ripened in iniquity; for upon such, saith the Lord: I will pour out the fulness of my wrath."

The promise land is a land of blessings, if we follow god's commandments!!! if not, the nation shall be destroyed off of it, just like the jaradites, the mule kites, and the Nephites. It has been proven again and again that we must follow the commandment of the Lord to prosper.

Ether 6:12 "And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith."

I have seen how true that is throughout my mission. I like in d&c 1 it says "And inasmuch as they were humble they might be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive knowledge from time to time." 

I like how it is not a continuous flow, but a blessing of the trial of our faith that we get knowledge of god.

Ether 12:14 "Behold, it was the faith of Nephi and Lehi that wrought the change upon the Lamanites, that they were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost." We can have faith that we can be able to convert people. We have to trust that god is preparing them. This scripture has been a great comfort to me.

Finally Ether 12:37 "And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me: If they have not charity it mattereth not unto thee, thou hast been faithful; wherefore, thy garments shall be made clean. And because thou hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father." 

I like how it says even if we see our weaknesses we can be made stronger. The gospel is so simple compared to what we get out of it.

We would not be able to make those huge changes without God. All God asks of us is to do the simple things that are shown in his gospel. I know that nothing compares to this gospel. It has brought me great joy and happiness, and I know it will continue to give me those things if I keep listening and doing. I know that Christ did die for me and that someone would have enough love for me to suffer so I can become clean again. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

group of missionaries

Week 16.5 The Book of Mormon is True! 10/24/2016

We are told as missionaries that the best tools for conversion is the Book of Mormon and the Spirit. Often I forget the importance of the divine blue book, which is the Book of Mormon.

How do you feel about the Book of Mormon? I don't know, but I do know that regardless of: if you believe [and] have a testimony of it or don't believe in it. It is true. It can change your life as it has mine, all one has to do is to read, study, and ponder the teachings it has in it.

This week has been a very spiritual high for me.

First we had mission tour, and we talked about how to individualize [the message to the] people. We had Elder Wong preside at that meeting.

The second and more important one that I had this month was [that] I know, without a doubt that the Book of Mormon is true. I was reading and studying hymn number 25 on the 21st of October. The hymn is "now I sing with one accord." Do you know what it says? verse 3 it says "And the Book of Mormon true, With its covenant ever new." That was a very wonderful and peaceful moment in my life, to know for sure, that the book that I carry around with me every day and the book that I talk about and preach about is the Word of God.

Because the Book of Mormon is True. That means Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, That means he did have priesthood power, the power to wash away our sins through baptism. That means there are people on this earth that can save us and help us get back to heaven.

Following the Gospel is simple. It is not easy, but if you first seek up the treasures in heaven, then "all things shall be added unto you" (3 Nephi 13:33). I found a way that could help me tell if I had my heart set upon the things of heaven. in 3 Nephi 13:21 Christ says that where your treasure is, there also is your heart. Where our heart is is so important because it provides the driving force for our actions. So I choose to treasure up the Book of Mormon, and I know that if I do that I will have a testimony of Christ as my Savior.

The Book of Mormon teaches that you must repent for we must all be cleansed through the blood of Christ. It says it like at least 140 times. Our ward mission leader brother Faahn said that we are still here on this earth for a reason, and that reason is because Bod still has hope in us that we well repent or change our lives. Every opportunity is to change and become more perfected in Christ. If we apply the things from the Book of Mormon, we will change. Jesus Christ's Gospel is to change and perfect us.

I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. In the words of Elder Bruce R Mckonkie who says it much better then me 

"I believe in Christ; he is my King! With all my heart to him I'll sing; I'll raise my voice in praise and joy, In grand amens my tongue employ. I believe in Christ; he stands supreme! From him I'll gain my fondest dream; And while I strive through grief and pain, His voice is heard: "Ye shall obtain." I believe in Christ; so come what may, With him I'll stand in that great day When on this earth he comes again To rule among the sons of men."

He is my Savior, He is your Savior. In his name Amen.

Week 15.5 The Plan of Salvation 10/17/2016

This week was pretty good :) I learned and gained a testimony of the plan of salvation the greatest plan of all :)

Plan of Salvation

It is the plan which we can become perfect and gods and has all the good results that we want our lives to have.

CreationThis is one of the reasons that God loves us! because he created us. If we create something we want it to succeed and grow. We are god's creation and he wants us to succeed because he has put in so much effort such as our bodies, the holy ghost, all those things so that we can succeed. How disappointing it must be when we are not able to live up to our potential.

Life

there are things we must do in life to be able to live up to our full potential

Endure to the end

We must do this to reach the end but it seems super grudging sometimes

Do it with love

follow the commandments out of love. it will be easier because we will want to do it

Acts of service out of love

choose to love those that have wronged us in chinese it is 寬恕. The second character Syu is girl mouth and heart combined. We must forgive with our heart and mouth and do it like a mother would to her child.

Dont procrastinate repenting

Helaman 13:38

But behold, your days of probation are past; ye have procrastinated the day of your salvation until it is everlastingly too late, and your destruction is made sure; yea, for ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain; and ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity, which thing is contrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head.

Hymn 229 Today while the sun shines

1. 1. Today, while the sun shines, work with a will;
   Today all your duties with patience fulfill.
   Today, while the birds sing, harbor no care;
   Call life a good gift; call the world fair.
2. (Chorus)
   Today, today, work with a will;
   Today, today, your duties fulfill.
   Today, today, work while you may;
   Prepare for tomorrow by working today.
3. 2. Today seek the treasure better than gold,
   The peace and the joy that are found in the fold.
   Today seek the gems that shine in the heart;
   While here we labor, choose the better part.

3. Today seek for goodness, virtue, and truth,

As crown of your life and the grace of your youth.

Today, while the heart beats, live to be true,

Constant and faithful all the way through.

Then we will be doing his will.

3 Nephi 11:11

And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning. 

So Trust in the plan!

Trust in the lord with all thine heart

he is the investment that will never fail

Lean not upon thine own understanding

Make decisions with him and not what you think would be best

In all thine ways acknowledge him

Whether the things you are experiencing are good or bad it is his will and sometimes we suffer but we can suffer with joy as they said in general conference

And he shall direct thy path

We have the heavenly promise that he will help us and direct us.

On this day of Joy and Gladness

1. On this day of joy and gladness,

Lord, we praise thy holy name;

In this sacred place of worship,

We thy glories loud proclaim!

1. (Chorus)
   Alleluia, Alleluia,
   Bright and clear our voices ring,
   Singing songs of exultation
   To our Maker, Lord, and King!

2. Open wide the fount of Zion;

Let her richest blessings flow

To the Saints who nobly serve thee

In the gospel here below.

3. May we labor in the kingdom--

By the prophets long foretold--

Where the children of the promise

Shall be gathered in the fold.

God loves us. I am glad we have a chance to make it back. Even if it is one in an infinity (like me) there is still a chance. We have perfect people parents and brothers who want to help us. With there help we can defy the natural odds and make it back. It is there that we will find 永恆的快樂 (eternal happiness). We can have all the blessings of god if we Trust him. In the name of his beloved son amen.

Week 14.5 General Conference (a week later) 10/10/2016

Ok Yes Hong Kong is special and didn't have conference until yesterday sorry haha :)

General conference was great so here I go!

I. we all have emptiness within us

we have the capacity to feel but we have not yet felt infinity. What makes us empty and want to fill it with something?We naturally desire for something to fill us, to love us, to lift us, and to trust us, to feel important in some way.

II. How do we then fill the void?

1. Gospel of Jesus Christ!!!!!!!

This is what this whole church is about, is that if we keep his commandments we can be made whole and we can have the ability to be filled with light and happiness!
i. Faith
Faith is so important because it starts it all. It is that because someone loved us and did things for us, we can achieve eternal potential. when we wax "firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ" we can fill that emptiness that there is someone that does love us. Some things are hard to accept but "some things can only be learned by faith" (W. Mark Basset)
ii. Repentance
We often look to the wrong to fill our emptiness thinking that we can become important to satan, but that is a lie. Satan doesn't care about us and sin makes us emptier and drains what light we have out of us. We cannot be saved in our sin. God gave us the gift of repentance to fill us again with the gift of love and peace. Elder Renlund said "repentance is not only possible but also joyful." May we be joyful in fulfilling our potential. Change is difficult but if we change into what the lord wants us to be, it will be completely worth it. "And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?" (alma 5:26). I know that if we use repentance like it is suppose to be used that we can be swept from our guilt and we can fill our emptiness with light and knowledge and testimony that Christ is our savior.

iii. Baptism
it shows the full power of the atonement and gives us promises that if we keep we can be happy in Christ. The lord expects perfection. If we strive for it, we will get as close as we can, and he will carry us the rest of the way. (not in this life, but we need to try as hard as we can).
iv. Gift of The holy Ghost
The gift of the Holy Ghost is so important because it can give us peace and comfort and fill us and make us feel special. It can fill us up to the capacity to make it so we no longer seek things of no value to fill our souls. It helps us know what is correct to help us to be happy and that there is a divine being that loves us even if we are not perfect.
v. Enduring to the End
Yes enduring seems kind of not fun but it is more fun that. It is more being faithful to the end. It is enduring trials, and struggles and turning to the lord at all times. Enduring to the end is not to be grudgingly don it is to be cheerfully done! if you do this you can be filled and happy now and be filled to have eternal happiness

III. It will be hard

Nothing worthwhile is easy. The people who make it big quickly also loose it all quickly. "Things that grow slowly lasts longer." having "treasures in heaven (Hel 8:25)" is not easy. It is a process. Elder bender said in General Conference that if we serve him and deny ourselves of ungodliness, gradually his will becomes our will. like it says in Heleman 10:5 are we seeking his will? Elder Eyering said the work "matters because we are serving others for our master."

IV.We are to have Joy

Most important of all, if you are doing all you can be happy! Elder Nelson said that saints are to have Joy because they are patient with their afflictions. The ultimate gift and proof of our emptiness being filled is joy no matter what happens in our life.

You touch more people then you think. Fruit takes year to grow, but when it blossoms you then see that it was all worth it. God wants us to be happy! he sees the capacity and potential of our souls and bases his love off of that because he has served us for all eternity. The plan of salvation is his ultimate gift and service for us because it required the ultimate sacrifice of someone who didn't deserve to be sacrificed but Christ willingly did so because he loved us. We are all worth loving to him. If we see ourselves through God's Eyes we will be filled. This is The truth and glad tithings of the Gospel. In the name of his beloved son, even Jesus Christ my redeemer, Amen.

Week 13.5 Preparing for Conference & Working with Members 10/3/2016

This week has been absolutely awesome!!!

We met some new friends and they seem pretty cool. Working with members is the best!!!!!!

I. The blessings of God

So general conference is coming up (for me anyway) and I am reading all the conference talks from last year. One of the talks I read this week was "that I may draw all men unto me" In this talk Elder Renlund quotes Elder Wilford W. Anderson. He says "The greater the distance between the giver and the receiver, the more the receiver develops a sense of entitlement." He talks about how we must make it so we are like Nephi who has the attitude of thanks 

1. Humility to become closer to God

The most important thing we can do is to be humble before God

1.1 Alma 51:17 Pull down their pride

we must pull down our pride if we want to see the blessings and tender mercies of God
1.2 Alma 56:46are we worthy to be called his sons (daughters) like the 2000 strippling warriors?
1.3 Alma 48:20 example of drawing unto Christ and being blessedAnd thus they went forth, and the people did humble themselves because of their words , insomuch that they were highly favored of the Lord, and thus they were free from wars and contentions among themselves, yea, even for the space of four years.
1.4 God of our fathers whose almighty hand being humble is we will follow god and do what HE wants, and not what we want
Of shining worlds in splendor through the skies,
Our grateful songs before thy throne arise.
In this free land by thee our lot is cast.
Be thou our Ruler, Guardian, Guide, and Stay,
Thy word our law, thy paths our chosen way.
Be thy strong arm our ever-sure defense.
Thy true religion in our hearts increase.
Thy bounteous goodness nourish us in peace.

1. God of our fathers, whose almighty hand

Leads forth in beauty all the starry band

2. Thy love divine hath led us in the past;

3. From war's alarms, from deadly pestilence,

I know if we do let him lead us, we will never go astray and we will always have his spirit to guide us

2. Act Like he would

our thoughts are not the only thing we must change, we must also change our actions

2.1 To the Rescue we can do it

Don't delay because you never know when it is too late, but be patient with your efforts.

3. When you have done all you can Trust

This is something that is very tender and dear to my heart because it is one of the principals that I have always tried to work on. Trust is so important because we have to trust that when things don't work out, God is behind it, that when we don't get what we want, that there is something better that he wants to bless us with. We have to be patient with his timing and patient with what his will is to be.

II. I realize I talk a lot about what has to be done

don't worry I am working on all these things too. I have come to realize that 

1. by small and simple things

nothing ever will come immediately, if it looks like it has in someone else life that is because they have been honing in on that specific aspect of their life for longer then you know. Don't be discouraged if it comes slowly. We are Children of an eternal being. We are to be learning forever and to progress forever. That is why we must be patient and that is why that is a Christ-like attribute

2. God and Christ are with you

They know exactly what you have been through. They are not ahead of you when you ask for help. he is exactly where you are and is there to nourish you. That is the great thing about the Gospel. Just because he is perfect doesn't mean he sees himself above us. He is perfect for us so that we can learn.

3. Moses 6:31

Why have you chose me enoch asks. It is not because we are perfect but it is because heavenly father and Jesus Christ want us to grow, they want us to fulfill our potential and to have the great joy and happiness that they have! it is a truth of the gospel that we are chose to try not to be perfect in this life, but to try to be perfect, and then achieve it later in the eternities.

III. If we are worthy

we will have the spirit to be with us. That is part of the greatest gift that God has given us. by using the spirit we can always make the right choice. God loves us all perfectly. He knows you individually, Don't you ever forget that there is a god waiting for you to call on him. In the name of His beloved son, Amen

Elders Chou & McGrath and view from apartment

BBQ with members