Monkeys...so...many...thieving...monkeys...week15

Monday, November 30, 2015

Hello Everyone! Hope that you are all still feeling pretty full from Thanksgiving! I have had so much happen in the past week. So much to report. Here we go.

First, a huge experience I had with a man named Ng Sing San and his daughter Betty. We taught the Plan of Salvation on Monday after P-day ended. Towards the end of the lesson, I suddenly had a massive prompting to pull out my family photos and tell them about how the plan of salvation has helped not only me, but my entire family. Ng Sing San looked first. I could feel my ability to perceive his feelings heighten like I had never felt before. After a few seconds of looking, he looked at his daughter for the longest time. It was silent, and Betty just looked, commenting on how pretty my mom and sister were and how fat we all looked (fat in cantonese is a little bit more of a compliment in cantonese). I bore testimony that we as families have potential to live together forever, and I knew something was struck in his heart. We invited him to our BBQ (I'll elaborate on how that went in just a second) and also invited him to church. Usually what he does in the past is he'll drop Betty off and then wait in the bastketball court down the street and sit for ALL THREE HOURS and then pick her up. This week though, he came to sacrament meeting. He stayed the entire meeting. He had to leave with Betty yesterday because he had some "stuff to take care of" whatever that means. He seemed a little different after that. Good different. I can't wait for the future with them.

Second, Thanksgiving and Zone 24's. Thanksgiving was delicious and President Lam and his wife as well as Elder Pack and Sister Pack. Lots of food, loads of fun, and afterwards, we had Zone 24's: 24 hour exchange that happens every month in the zone. I was put with Elder McGowan. For those who don't know, he was in the same MTC group as me, so we have similar experience levels. He was given the responsibility by his companion to end up teaching four lessons total with me. First lesson was with a man who was just about to be baptized in the coming weeks. That was a good comfort. 

The next morning, I realized I hadn't packed running shoes, So I tried to use someone else's size 11 shoes (that worked for about the duration of the elevator ride down before we turned around because I wear size 14 usually). We were skipped on by our next investigator (who is supposed to be kind of crazy anyways), had another lesson after lunch that was simply a melt down in my head. I couldn't understand him, and neither could Elder McGowan. We eventually gave up trying to teach him because he wouldn't listen to a word we said. Invited him to keep reading the Book of Mormon, and were able to schedule another meeting with him (thank goodness). I felt really down though and, being selfish, became very frustrated with my skills for not being better.

 The last lesson we had after dinner and right before the exchange ended was with a man that lives in an area what we call a "shingle". About 500 homes all smashed together with pretty much no system of location at all. We couldn't find a mail man and no one could help us because people usually only know how to get to their own houses. Our companions were both in a lesson, so we couldn't call them. We were alone...or so we thought. We looked around for about 10 minutes and ended up completely lost. We couldn't even find our way out because the roads inside are NOT straight and all are pretty much a dead end. We stopped, sat, and felt like giving up. We had 5 minutes until the appointment with this investigator who was really close to being ready for a baptismal date. We said a prayer though, and as we looked up in thanks to the spirit that we both felt, we saw it...the number of the mans house! We had evidence of God's support. He stopped us at just the right time. The lesson went wonderfully, and he actually brought up how he understood that his previous baptism in the Catholic church was invalid. He bore his own testimony. I was so grateful for that miracle. Great times.

I also have talked quite a lot about how we can apply ourselves to the principles we know with Elder Tung. We are both just simply seeking the more fine points during the day where we feel that we can be more worthy of the blessings of the spirit. Especially concerning language, I wan't to revert to speaking only Cantonese whenever possible with my companion. I need to get this down. All according to the Lords will though. I think of the Hymn "Where can I turn for peace" and realized the turn in it. Almost the entire hymn is focused on the individual. I want peace, I want solace. The last words in the last verse though...Love without end. We can't have that peace for ourselves. It has to be given to us. The peace is a result of feeling love from someone, and in a members perspective we are specifically to seek the love of God. How do we earn it? By showing love to Him. By being willing to give love first, having faith that God will fill the rest and do His part and keep His promises. How do we show love to God? Mosiah 2:17. Serve others. "Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends." The Savior has the perfect love. The most powerful love ever shown by sacrificing Himself for all of us whom He loves so dearly.

Lastly, on a silly note, the monkeys. You would think it would be so awesome to have a monkey sitting two feet in front of you? Not really. Nasty animals that have no limits. They are more familiar with eating food than we are. Before the BBQ started, Elder Tung and I were waiting for everyone. Suddenly, monkey drops out of no where, grabs a loaf of bread, and scrambles just out of reach to eat it in a tree. Oh well, right? Just some bread. No, It kept throwing the chunks at us (thankfully it only threw bread at us). At the end, another monkey showed up and we all ran away after cleaning up because it went crazy in the garbage can. I got a picture though.



Ponderize for this week is Alma 7:22-24. It's our Duty to God to become meek and humble and to about in good works. I am so grateful for the Church's Duty to God program. (I finished everything for that, right mom;)?) Love you all! Ga Yauh!



a vending machine for ink cartriges, 


and a mountain that I wasn't able to run because I forgot shoes.


that tall building in the distance in is Mainland...yeah, we're that close. The monkeys too...


Some photos of Thanksgiving meals, courtesy of President Lam's Facebook page:



Very little time left, but Happy birthday to the two women that mean the most in my life. My sister who can start driving now and stop bragging about how much better a driver she is than me, and for my mom whom I owe life, care, and my perspective of the world to. I hope you are both happy, and that you are both progressing. Have a wonderful week, and enjoy the snow!

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