Q and A Week 12

So when you put your questions all together, it would be a lot easier if you just put them, how do I say this, ALL together. I don't have very much grip on English any more, so I'm struggling. To answer as many as I can though:

1) If you're not eating, your finding or with an investigator (or maybe on the subway). These people live to eat, which makes me wonder how they are all so small and skinny! Crazy, but that's how it is. I haven't actually met with any investigators yet. I'm very discouraged by that and how they are always rescheduling, but they are the ones rescheduling, so that's something to be happy about because at least they want to meet with us (I think). Either way we wouldn't eat with them though. In this culture you only feed the people you know, and you feed them until they explode.

2) Especially because we are living in Kowloon but serving in Tai Wai, we are forced to eat out quite often because of the inability to go home. It's very inexpensive though once you figure it out. That's why we have trainers right? My trainer actually never has the ability to finish his meals so he usually gives the rest to me, so I usually don't have to buy very much in the first place. Kind of sad that I'm literally feeding off of my companion, but that's the way it is. No waste of food will happen while I'm here.

3) Typical day: wake up and exercise for 30 min. 1 hour to get dressed and ready for the day. Personal Study for 1 hour, companionship study for 1, Language for 1. Lunch. We might go finding or to an appointment or do the other hour of comp study that I have to do for the first 12 weeks in the field. Finding is usually quite a long time since we are not very booked at the moment with investigators and we haven't had as much success as we would like in finding, but that's okay. Alma 26:27+37 has been especially helpful this week for that purpose of bearing afflictions and giving myself.

4) Language is still coming. It's hard having a companion who spends his time during language study doing other stuff not needing to learn a language, but I can't complain. I have seen so much improvement and hopefully others can see it too.

5) I decided to not worry about my release date for now. It's not too important at the moment and I don't want to get caught up looking beyond the mark. Everything has a time and place and the spirit tells me that release date is not now. I have met with President Lam though...almost every night. He's right across the hall from my apartment. Such an amazing man. I don't have anything in specific, but anything you send is super appreciated. I'll probably need toothpaste someday, but as far as soap goes, I have gone the way of my father in using baby soap. It's the best, cheapest, and simplest solution (plus it smells like peaches.)

I actually had quite a struggle with my companion this week. I have been a little frustrated in some situations where I try to talk to someone and he simply keeps walking. Afterwards, he tells me what I did wrong (like he should) as far as language goes and tells me how awkward it felt. "Trust me I know" was my sin of the week. Why? I'm realizing more and more how prideful I truly am. I read a talk this week by President Ezra Taft Benson from the May Ensign of 1989 called "Beware of Pride." I am now seeking to repent of all of my pride. I don't know all of my weaknesses. Am I supposed to though? If a man or woman had all their weaknesses made known to them by God at one moment, would it help, or would it destroy them? God teaches us line upon line so that we 1) don't get overwhelmed and 2) so that we don't become angry. I actually felt really close to getting angry with my companion for pointing out my weaknesses for a while. God made my pride known to me though, and I have a little more understanding of what real humility is and how it is really more of a process than anything. Getting rid of your pride is the first step to perfection...and the last. All sin comes from our choosing to let satan in through the door that we refuse to keep closed to him because when the spirit tells us to keep it closed, we too often tell it to shut up and get out. The spirit is then replaced. For if a man returneth to his house after having the evil spirit cast out, finding his house empty and garnished, then will he go and find seven other spirits more evil than he, and his circumstance will be worse than in the beginning (See Luke 11). Your pride causes damning and degrading consequences. I invite you to look up this talk by President Benson and find the suggestions that he gives on how to begin giving up your pride. If it's still not enough, look at this:

My ponderize scripture this week is Alma 33:14. If you have a problem or a question or you "just don't know" then...read the scriptures.

I know that they are sent from heaven. Sacrifice has been placed on every single page of these sacred works. We have innumerable resources both ancient and modern that can provide answers, comfort, insight, and the fullness of the gospel in these latter days. We have prophets, one who is living today holding all of the keys required for salvation and leading the Church of Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon is the truest book ever written and we would all do well to never forget to study it with the deepest intent that we can muster and abide by the principles that we learn. What then? Share. Discuss. Preach. Proclaim the good news to all within sight an hearing. 2 Timothy 4:1-5. This is the charge to all of us.