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Thursday, October 20, 2011

Elder Bingham on "Watching People's Lives Change"

This week my younger district from the MTC got here to Hong Kong. That means I have been here for 6 weeks already! It definitely doesnt feel like it has been that long.
 
On Sunday we had our first baptism!! He has been coming to church for 2 years but the missionaries dropped him forever ago because he wasnt willing to get baptized or progress. But we started meeting with him and this time he was ready. :) It was such a cool experience. Also, in the next ward who meets in our building, Po Siu got baptized. He is the guy with all of the tattoos and ear gauges and stuff. They combined the baptismal services and it was really humbling to see them bearing their testimonies and watch them get emotional before and after their baptisms.
 
Shirley is still on track to get baptised in a week and a few days! She is so awesome because most people here (even members) are really apprehensive towards aknoweledging us (Im sorry my English is getting really bad and I realy dont know how to spell that) on the street or letting people know that they have takled to us or anything, because they are worried about what people might think. But despite all the opposition from her friends and family, Shirley is always inviting everyone she knows to cometo church with her or to go to her baptismal service. Last night after we called her, before she hung up we heard someone ask, "who was that you were talking to?" and she said, "Oh that was the missionaries that have been teaching me in the church I am getting baptized in."
 
My main story I want to talk about today actually is about a kid who we met that has blown my mind. When I first met him I just thought feijai (punk). He has long hair, earrings, likes to act all tough and everything. He came with us to a fireside and had to leave halfway through to go smoke. But then he came back in. We were kind of suprised. Afterwards I was talking to him and getting to know him really well. Originally I thought he just wanted to meet with us to learn English, but he told me that he really wants to learn about our church and the things we teach.
 
The next day I called him and he told me to call him everyday because when I call, he gets a really warm feeling that he also got when he prayed and asked God to help him get his life together.
 
We met with him yesterday and tought him a lesson. He opened up to us and told us about his life. His mom had an affair with some guy who lives in Taiwan, and her husband doesnt know that this kid is his son. His mom then gambled away all of their money and left them. His dad drinks all day and is not very good to him.
 
When this kid was younger, he said he felt super lonely and sad so he started drinking and smoking and doing lots of things to make him fell better. But he told us that he now realizes these things are just making his life fall apart more and more. He said his dream in life is to  go to humanitarian work around the world.
 
He then told us how he pretty much has a problem with every commandment. He has huge law of chastity and word of wisdom problems. He told us that he has tried to stop these things but never could, so he prayed to God to help him get through these things.
 
He really believes that God sent us to him so that we can help him. He wants to get baptized so bad, but knows he needs to change his life first. We gave him a plan to fix everything, and set a baptismal date for December 25 (christmas).
 
His humility and meekness amazes me. He is the nicest kid who just wants a better life and is willing to do anything to get it. He saw the pictures of our families and told us he wishes he had a family. We talked a lot about that and about life in general. It was one of the best lessons I have ever been a part of.
 
I am so excited to see the transformation in his life. I jsut hope he stays faithful and willing to do what we ask him. Because even though he has so many issues, he is really golden because he already has a testimony that what we teach him is true, and he really wants to let it change his life.
 
Well I love you all!
 
Love, Elder Bingham

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