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Sunday, January 1, 2012

Merry Christmas!! (Sorry, I'm posting this a week late...Dad)

Merry Christmas!!

Today we had our mission Christmas party, which one of the missionaries in my group pointed out, marks our 6 months of being on our missions. I feel like I just started a month ago, the time FLIES by. It was really fun because we had a white elephant thing and ate a giant roast pig (they just brought out an entire pig, head and everything like in movies.), then watched a slideshow that they put together. It made me realize how great being a missionary is, especially in such an amazing mission. They are going to order a bunch of DVDs with the slideshow on it for us. I will probably send one home. I feel like when I go home someday and watch those slideshows, it is going to be pretty rough. I know I will miss Hong Kong and being a missionary tons. I really love all the people I am around. The investigators, the missionaries, and the members. I just cant even imagine if I didnt have this privilidge to be here. I would be missing out on the greatest experience in the world.

There was one part of the Christmas party that I could have done without. President Chan got up and was talking about how there was one companionship that has been on fire getting new investigators and helping them progress, and how we all need to learn how to do that. He then asked Elder Palfreyman and I to come up to the stage and show everyone how we do it. We explained a little bit, then did a role play with president chan being someone we meet on the street. While it is nice to know that we really are doing so well, both my companion and I felt that the recognition in front of the entire mission was a little too much. Also, it is not anything we can credit ourselves for doing, as God is putting these people in our paths, and the spirit is the one converting them.

But I have been blown away by how much success we are having. We have been getting new investigators and teaching strreet lessons EVERYWHERE. Kids are walking up to us and saying, "Hey I have seen you before talking to my friends, what do you have to tell me that can help my life."

We have not even been trying to get any new investigators because we have PLENTY that we are trying to focus on. But whenever we go to meet with an investigator they bring their friends or someone approaches us, or we feel prompted to go talk to someone on the way.

We are being blessed right now and I am so happy. My comp and I get along really well even though we dont have most of the same interests or anything. But we are both willing to get out there and do what it takes to help these people.

Our two investigators who have given us countless referrals, Tony and Lam, are doing sooo well. We went fishing with them last friday which was AWESOME. I dont have my camera because they used it to take pictures of the activity today. But I am excited to send some pictures from our fishing trip. I caught two little fish. But my favorite part was sitting down on the rocks right on the edge of the harbor and teaching these two kids that have been forever changed because of the book we gave them a couple of weeks ago. They read it every single day and are so proud of that. They want to change their lives and stop doing the things that are keeping them from being baptized.
Their biggest problem has been smoking. But Tuesday we checked up on them and one said he had went from 2 packs to 7 the day before, and the other only had 1! since then the one who smoked 7 has been going down 1 or 2 a day and the other one hasnt smoked at all!

It is important that we call them or meet with them everyday to make them feel accountable to someone, but the best part is that they are using prayer and the Book of Mormon to get through this. When they feel the craving to smoke, they read the Book of Mormon to get rid of it. We have been giving them verses to read everyday, but especially the one who is not smoking anymore just keeps reading and reads page after page everyday.

Who would have ever thought that these two kids we met on some rooftop smoking would develop such a love for the Book of Mormon?

Last night we had a Zone Caroling Find in our area. It was fun because while the Zone caroled on this busy path, my companion, I, and a few other missionaries walked around talking to people. In two hours we passed out over 20 books of mormon and got 8 new investigators.

While I was talking to these two boys, a lady walked up and in Cantonese said to them, "Hey! Kids! Dont you know who you are talking to?! Those people are MouhMuhnGaau! (It is their way of saying Mormon, but is a lot more negative than when people say it in English. Members never say they are MouhMuhnGaau.) Get away from them!" I turned to her and said, "Excuse me? We are here teaching how families can live together forever, and how to find Eternal Happiness through Jesus Christ. So if you want that, I can spend a few minutes talking to you, otherwise dont try to stop other people from finding more happiness in life." She got a horrified look on her face because I dont think she knew that even the white missionaries can speak and understand Cantonese. The two boys were just like, "wow she is crazy." and it didnt affect them at all. But it is just sad when people are misinformed or hear and believe rumors about the church then try to spread it to people who are interested.

Actually, the biggest problem going on lately is that the high schools in Hong Kong have been anti-ing the kids. They will have assemblies where the principal gets up and talks about how we are devil worshippers and how we kill people or whatever the heck they think they can tell the kids to try and keep them away from us. But nothing is stopping missionary work from moving forward here. President Chan takes some stake or area presidents with him and goes to the schools that we find out are doing that and march in and talk to the principals. I am so grateful to have a mission president who is so humble and kind, and pretty quiet. But then when something like that happens he is bold and is not afraid to face those people and tell them what they are doing is wrong.

Love you all!

Love, Elder Jordan Roe Bingham

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