The power of fasting is real!
8:04:00 PMAloha!
Last week I hit my year mark on my mission, and I can hardly believe it. I was thinking about how unique my mission experience is because it is so different from your regular missionary work, where you're outside all day or you have teaching appointments. Here we get to do online teaching, have visitors come in to know about the temple, and we do these fun tram tours from the PCC. I was able to serve in the Toronto Mission for a bit, then here, then Kaneohe, and back here at the VC. The best part about our mission is there is ALWAYS something to do, someone to contact or talk to. But like any mission, we face different challenges as well.
Anyway, I'm trying to keep a better record of my experiences by writing in my journal and trying to capture more pictures haha. Vacation season is pretty much over, so less people are coming in, but that doesn't stop us from doing the work!
In our area:
- Ar Lon will be MIA until October because he has a friend visiting, so as of right now we have no investigators. Sister Leng and I decided to pray and fast yesterday to know how we can find more people to teach, and it was so obvious that God was already placing the right people in our path! There's a soccer player who we've been meaning to meet, but haven't yet, and Sister Bradley (in our married student ward) is actually really good friends with her, and has even Skyped her parents (you know you're close when you know the parents well haha). And Brother Bradley is actually our new ward mission leader, so now we have some connection! The power of fasting is so real, and we are so grateful, because this isn't our work, but God's work, and it will go forward, with or without us.
- Dwayne, a soccer player from England, isn't really investigating the church with missionaries per say, but he has been attending church with his two other soccer buddies (both served missions). We were so happy to see him in sacrament meeting! His friends are super great at helping him understand the things he learns at church
- as Sister Leng and I continue to serve in the married student ward, our desire to be in a ward like this one in the future increases hahahaha (it's just so convenient to be with people going through the same stage in life as you). We've learned so much from simply seeing their faith put into action, and the blessings Heavenly Father has bestowed upon them for their obedience and trust in Him.
At the VC:
- I got a member referral online and called Ana to get to know the situation about the person she referred. Turns out she was investigating with the missionaries as well! And she actually was super worried because of some harsh things the Christian pastor said about our church (her previous church), like how we believe Jesus Christ was just a prophet, not our Savior, and how we're not "real" Christians (pretty typical misconceptions). I was so happy to tell her the truth and bear my testimony that Jesus Christ is our Savior, and everything we learn is centered on Him and His gospel. It was a late call, but she was looking forward to the missionaries' visit the following day. It sure wasn't coincidence I called her that evening! We are literally the mouthpiece to help others resolve concerns, and to help them align their will with God's will.
- my investigator Tevyan got baptized on Saturday! She's 19 years old and from Texas. I've been keeping in touch with her since I've sent the local missionaries over, and I was so happy to hear her testimony, which grew over time. Basically she prayed to God for the first time, to know how she can find more happiness in her life, and felt prompted to learn about our church (she remembers her Mormons friends in high school were always happy), and since then has felt so much joy while she read the Book of Mormon. She received that answer to her prayer, and loves reading the Book of Mormon every day. It's so amazing to see others gain their own testimony of this restored gospel, and experience for themselves the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.
- Samuel wants to learn more about the Book of Mormon. As I was talking to him about where his interest came from, he noted that " feel like I need a kind of compass, as does the rest of humankind, now more than ever...When I said the world needs a compass now more than ever, I'm saying that being aware of what's happening all around the world. People are being stripped of their identities (gender, religion, race) and forced towards a way of life that leaves very little freedom, hope or happiness in our lives. I think that humans need god if they want to live moral and productive lives and I've heard you guys fit both of those criterion." I was pretty impressed by that thought, and bore testimony of how much happiness this restored gospel gives us.
Fun times:
Last week, there were still many Chinese tour buses that came, but the highlight was a Chinese actor (the name I cannot read but will take a picture of his card to send to my mom) came to the Visitors Center and serenaded us with Christian songs! Like "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and "Hallelujah" by Handel. It was kind of bizarre because usually Chinese people don't know such music... but I was able to take some material back too! He also showed us an album full of pictures from the shows and movies he has filmed (the closest I'll get to any famous Chinese person). He told asked Sister Swinton (VC Director's wife) how old she was, she replied 60 years old, and he replied back he was 80 years old!
In closing, I just want to say how much I love sharing the gospel. I probably say that all the time. The more I study and testify each day to people I meet, the more my conversion to the Lord grows.
Scripture of the week: 2 Nephi 25:23
"For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do."
Pictures:
Love,
Sister Wu
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