Harbor Lights, A New Family "In the Fold", and Becoming a Trainer

Hong Kong Harbor lights--so THIS is what he's looking at!

Wow, what a week! It was really busy right from the get-go. On Tuesday we had district exchanges so I got to leave my area for only the 2nd time my entire mission. I went to TST (TsimShaTsui) and was with Elder P for about 24 hours. It was a blast! We didn't have a single lesson planned so we just went finding the whole time. My favorite part was as we walked along the Harbor on the Kowloon-side and looked across at Hong Kong Island and all the lights. Elder P and I also got pretty close through the whole thing. He's from Pleasant Grove, Utah so we had some common friends and interests.

Besides exchanges, we spent a fair amount of time working with A-J and A and getting them squared away for baptism this past weekend. We met with them on Wednesday, and then again on Friday. On Friday Elder W and I went on splits with 2 recent converts and I taught W, a 17-year-old I met on the street and invited to church last week. He's actually really good and one of our only investigators right now since our 3 other progressing investigators just got baptized:) At the same time I was teaching, Elder W had gone over to A-J's apartment, taught them the last of the commandments, and then made the 15 minute walk together down to the church to have their baptismal interviews! They showed up at about 8:45 and had their interviews until 10 (which by the way, since the Hong Kong mission is a half hour behind other missions, is not past curfew just as long as you are teaching lessons or having interviews). They both passed their interviews! We hurriedly called our correlator and started getting everything in place for the baptism this Sunday.

Finally Sunday came, we were at church with 7 investigators and the first counselor in the Mission Presidency was in attendance as well. It was a really good fast and testimony meeting. Many people got up and I just noticed a general theme of hardships they they had had recently and which they had overcome through the basic principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It strengthened my testimony and I hope that it sparked deeper interest for the investigators that were with us in the meeting.

Church ended at 12:30 and after that it was a flurry of activity to get everything squared away for the baptism. Finally at 1 the service started. After a musical number by yours truly:), we had the baptismal ordinances performed. I stayed in the congregation with A-J as she watched Elder W baptized A first, and then A-J and I made our way around to the font and as A watched from the door, I baptized A-J! What a great feeling! I got to help my sister get baptized and through her faith make commitments to follow Christ!

A new family!

This family truly is a tender mercy of the Lord. To have found them on the street 6 weeks ago and then for the past several weeks to help them along and watch as they grow in faith is remarkable to me. Miraculous really. We were all so happy for them and the ward came out and were really supportive. I was impressed with how many members who didn't even really know them came out and gave congratulations and support to a fellow brother and sister who are now in the fold. What really gets me is to look out over the ward and to realize that the 4 American missionaries in the congregation are the only ones who grew up in the church. There are fantastic members and leaders in this ward and all of them are converts from their teens or early 20s. The bishop is a convert from age 16, his 1st counselor is a convert who, as a missionary, actually baptized the 2nd counselor when he was a young man! It really is the work of the Lord and I'm just filled with love as I see everyone striving to get to church and be the best people that they can be--even in a busy city like Hong Kong.

The baptism is really the only thing that you HAVE to know about this week, but just so you know, yesterday we had a fireside for all the departing missionaries (12 of them) and some of their recent converts. We invited some investigators and new members along with us, and while we all listened, President Hawks pulled people aside to talk with them. I was pulled aside and informed that this coming week is transfers, I will be staying in KwaiChung, I will go Senior, and I will be training one of the 22 Elders coming in from the Provo MTC. I can't say I was surprised, since I'm at about "that time" in the mission, but I am a little scared. We just baptized all of our investigators with dates, and besides them, we only have a few other investigators right now. I have some big shoes to fill as Elder W leaves, so wish me luck, and PLEASE keep me in your prayers! I'll need them.

Anyway, hope everyone is staying cooler and drier then I am here in Hong Kong... Its beastly hot and there haven't been any clouds for relief in days. So much for the rainy season :)

Love,

Elder Siebach