China Hong Kong Mission: 05/28/18

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Léih hóu!

Pictures: Hammock inside our STL's room lol

Last week passed by so fast! Idk how did it happen lol. And I've been here in the MTC for a month and 3 days now! 😊 One more month then I'm off to Hong Kong! Exciting! Soooo, how's everyone doing? 😊 .. For me, nothing much happened this past week hahaha :😀

Sooo, here are my Updates/Highlights from last week:

Tuesday 22 -

We had a workshop and it's about "Teach Repentance and Baptize Converts" (2 Nephi 31:17-20). So we talked about our central purpose as missionaries is to teach, convert people, and have them accept our invitation to be baptized. And there was a question raised during the workshop, "What does it mean to be a successful missionary?" --- The answer is on D&C 4:2 ("if you put your heart, might, mind, and strength to the work"). The speaker said that "Success is a special gift given from the Lord but you have to work hard. Believe you can baptize. Believe in yourself. Believe that this is possible and don't lower your expectations." .. For the Tuesday Evening Devotional, we (choir) sang "Hope of Israel".. The speakers were Sister and Elder Rasband (from the quorum of the 12). Sister Rasband talked about our Savior's love for us. We should recall how much our Savior has given to us --- that because of Him, we have the chance to be back in our Heavenly Father's presence someday. Elder Rasband talked about Revelation (the speakers who visit MTC really reiterate the importance of President Nelson's talk last General Conference about Personal Revelation). Elder Rasband said that as missionaries, we share a special bond or we have this "revelatory bond". "Your mission assignment is not just an assignment but it was a revelation, an assignment that has to be perfect.". He also said we MUST listen to our current Prophet because he is the one who is living in our days and he has the latest, inspired words, and the Lord's mouthpiece of our days. We are accountable to the one we sustain our arms into.. He also said, "We live in a perilous world nowadays, full of rage and full of calamity, nevertheless we must be optimistic. We must learn to receive revelation. Our Savior will perform some of His mightiest works between now and when He comes again. We will see miraculous days. 😊 .. He also shared that the announcement of building a temple in India was revealed to President Nelson JUST the night before the General Conference (he received the revelation when he woke up in the middle of the night. Isn't that amazing? Wowww)... I know that we should be worthy and prepared if Heavenly Father will reveal something to us through the Holy Ghost. We must know what to do and follow this. Personal revelation will come through our simplest request (prayer) to our Heavenly Father. I know that I've been called perfectly by revelation so I will go forward with faith. 😊 I chose to serve, I volunteered, I signed the forms, and that means I have to commit myself to exact obedience and work harder each and everyday 😊

Pictures: Just a group pic before lunch (Elder Simmons from North Carolina, Sister McColgan from Wales, Sister Delong from Utah, Elder Haraipai-Teura from Tahiti, and Sister Valencia from the Philippines), Going crazy on our 5th week!

Wednesday 23 -

Today while me and my companion were teaching our investigator (our teacher who is just roleplaying), asked us "Why did Nephi kill Laban? Does that mean it's okay to kill?". And we really struggled on answering his question (and I guess growing up in the church, we just have this knowledge and accepted that yes, Nephi killed Laban for a good purpose and he is very obedient). So after teaching him, we went back to our classroom and our teacher explained to us that in today's perspective of course it is really bad to kill, but in Nephi's time (he used as an example about the Law of Moses Exodus 21:13-14) Laban tried to kill them and stole their properties, so Nephi's act to kill him is not premeditated. God truly delivered Laban into his hand to get those brass plates... At night, we taught our 2nd investigator about Joseph Smith and I recited the First Vision (in Cantonese yaaaay) during the lesson..

Pictures: Just an elevator pic (the spotlight's on me lol) (1st photo), after class (2nd photo)

Thursday 24 -

We taught our investigator about Repentance and used an object lesson ($20 bill). The bill represents us and we know our worth but when we sin (crumpled the bill), it doesn't mean that our worth diminished (same with the bill, it's still $20). Soooo, Satan attacks our self-esteem and because of that our self-confidence decreases but that doesn't mean that God doesn't love us anymore --- we still have our worth --- and Repentance is a special gift given to us. 😊 At night, we practice teach WOW (Word of Wisdom).

Pictures: Half-way MTC Celebration Package with our cute socks (mine is the pineapple one lol)

Friday 25 -

It's my one month mark today! 😍 In class, we discussed about the different Parables found in Matthew 24-26. 😊 Then at night, the sisters in my zone had a mini celebration (had apple cider, cinnamon bread, some chips) -- thanks for the package Tristan! 😊

Pictures: Filipinos after the gym service.

Saturday 26 -

Shared a message to Cantonese members (during our TRC) about Foreordination. 😊 Then in the afternoon, we played "Strike ball' during our gym time. It's my first time to play that game lol fun!!

Pictures: After church red theme, Filipinos in my district sang "Have I done any good" (Tagalog) in our Sacrament meeting (2nd photo), with our District Leader Elder Ray (3rd photo)

Sunday 27 -

Sunday Evening Devotional - speakers were Sister and President William Young (he's a district president here in MTC) and talked about who our Savior really is. We know that He is our older brother and our friend, but He is more than that. As missionaries, we represent the creator of the Earth. He is our Savior.. In that note, how much respect and do we give Him? :) President Young extended an invitation that we should seek to understand more about Jesus Christ.

Pictures: we had to translate these English sentences to Cantonese (with correct grammar) lol it's haaaard, Mohk Jimuíh's (2nd photo), and mine (3rd photo)

Monday 28 -

P-Day and Memorial Day today (so the temple is closed). That's my 5th week! See you all next week! Love y'all and take care!

Dojeh leih!

Your Sister in Christ,
Aū Jímuih - Sister Apao