As a new Zone Leader, I have to be trained. The APs (assistants to the president) came out Wednesday and went through the training of how to be a good leader. It was interesting, and certainly gave me some better insights. In passing they mentioned that they would be at our Stake Conference this week and might be speaking. They looked at me and asked, "What are you speaking on?" I laughed. Then looked at my companion and he said, "Oh, yeah. We're speaking." So from about Wednesday to Saturday morning I thought and thought and we role-played like 10 times. We had 15 minutes allotted to us and were to speak on Hastening the Work: How Members and Missionaries working together and teaching together can bring about the most success. It was a fun topic to talk about actually and we presented it in the Saturday Evening session of General Conference. We talked about how good Correlation Meetings and Ward Council meetings were crucial so that members and missionaries were on the same page. That was our first point. Our second point was how investigators are best found and nurtured in the gospel through members. We talked about Finding, Fellowshipping, Teaching, and so on. The last point was a focus on how missionaries and members can teach together in unity. We used Preach My Gospel and the Liahona exclusively. I was really nervous to share but in the end I got up and with a prayer in my heart we delivered our message in just under 15 minutes. Right on if you ask me! I was, and still am, very thankful for the Lord's help with that. My Cantonese was better than it otherwise would have been under the pressure of the circumstances, and both the mission president, President Hawks, and the Stake President, President Chan, said that we did great. Having a native companion was such a big help! The experience reminding me of treasuring up the words of life so that we can call upon them in the moment when we need them. Lots of preparation but great success too.
Doctrine and Covenants 88:85 Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man.
Between the Saturday evening session of stake conference and the Sunday morning session we had 9 investigators that were in attendance! That was a mind-blowing number considering the history of investigators that attend church in this area. Divine intervention for sure! We also met with most of our investigators this week which was another blessing. Most of them were "other lessons" but that's fine! They're progressing, and Elder L and I have been focusing on getting them to do the basics of reading, praying, and church attendance. We also extended baptismal invitations to 3 people this week, all of whom are praying about it. We hope that this next week we will be able to commit them to a date. Lots and lots of good work going on in this area right now!
This week we also had two turn-over lessons which was another big blessing for us! (That's when a companionship is unable for some reason to continue on with an investigator and turns them over to a different companionship) We have new investigators coming in and they are, for the most part, solid investigators, sincerely interested in learning more about the gospel!
Unfortunately the responsibility of ZL also brings a little extra work that can keep us from doing everything we would like to do. For instance, finding. It was cut dramatically this week, but in the 6 hours that we were out finding this past week we had 7 street lessons!
Dad, you might be interested in seeing the recently built New Territories stake center from GoogleEarth. I don't know the address in English but it's near "Hung Shui Kiu" next to a stop on the over-ground train station named "Chung Uk Tsuen". It's a beautiful building that EVERYONE notices because of its proximity to a major thorough-fare, plus the fact that there are no other buildings are around it. The chapel for the Tuen Mun ward is next to the over-ground train stop called "Prime View".
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| Tuen Mun chapel (from Google Earth!) |
I've realized that all three times I've arrived at a new area, within a month it is General Conference and the following week is Stake Conference. It has helped me get to meet and know the majority of members in Hong Kong actually. Kind of a blessing to have been able to serve 3 areas and 3 different zones so far!
Lots to learn, lots to do. Another thing that ZLs are now experimenting with is using Facebook to connect with members, LAs, and investigators. I created my profile, but haven't had time to do any real work on it yet. Maybe this week if there is time.
Sorry this is such a scattered letter. I'm trying to answer questions, share insights, and do it all from free computers that I'm using in an Apple Store right now! You bet there is indie music in the background... I'm trying to tune it all out!
I want to share a couple high-lights from stake conference. Our stake president got up and talked soon after we finished and he shared about how it really is the "Lord's mission plan" that we should be working to be a part of. He said in effect, "Street finding and knocking doors is not the Lord's mission plan." Boy, it was powerful! Think about it. What do missionaries spend 95% of their time doing? As he was closing his remarks he mentioned that there might be some people that are confused to have come to stake conference and to have heard only messages about missionary work. Maybe they didn't get the answers that they were hoping to have received in regards to work or family? He said, "We are receiving the answers that we NEED, not necessarily the answers that we WANT." Great stuff!
I know I've mentioned this before but I just have so much admiration for the people of Hong Kong. They seriously go against every family and peer pressure that there could even be invented; and what for? For Christ! For their testimonies of His gospel! Most of the people I meet in church are converts of not much time and they are so strong and righteous. Great people are everywhere, I'm sure, I just didn't notice them until I got to Hong Kong:-)
Speaking of converts, I talked with Elder B, from my last area, and he said that yesterday the young man we baptized back in May, L, was sustained in the Kowloon Stake Conference to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood! Woot woot!
Great stuff going on! It's exciting to be a missionary in these times! The most the world has ever seen at one time before--EVER! It can be felt and seen here in Hong Kong for sure!
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| Taken from the Mormon Newsroom website, Oct 3, 2013 |
Stay true to the faith!
Love,
Elder Siebach
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