Juggling January

Dear Friends and Family,

Great week here in Hong Kong. We started and ended very busy. At the start of the week we had a lot of lessons scheduled but not many fellowshippers since so many people were out of town for the long weekend. That proved to be a blessing though, as we were able to meet with A-F and An- and get started on their ABLs' ( After Baptism Lessons). We also were able to schedule to meet with some of our other investigators. Al- is doing wonderfully and making great strides to be baptized on the 19th of January. And- is also doing great. He's got a lot of genuine interest and desire to do what is right; it's just a matter of getting him out of bed for the 9:30 sacrament meeting:-/ We're chipping away at that and there are no other real problems. 

Thursday was Mission Leadership Council so we spent the day in Kowloon Tong reporting on December successes and sharing plans/actions for the New Territories this January. I love those meetings! Get to be with President, learn from each other, and basically all my MTC mates are in leadership positions so it's a bit of a reunion. That night we met once again with President Hawks and our Stake President to report on the New Territories Stake successes of 2013 and goals for 2014. Lots of great things happened this year with 35+ baptisms and 15+ LA's-now-active. It's so fun to be able to brainstorm and share!

Friday morning we were scrambling to put together our zone training meeting which we then delivered flawlessly--haha!; ok, maybe not flawlessly, but we filled the 2.5 hours and the zone seems PUMPED about January. It kinda reminds me of Senior Year when I did CREW and tried to get the crowd excited.

New Years Eve we were able to do a little bit of finding and really quite miraculously stumbled across a mountain home that I had contacted with Elder L one of my first weeks here in this area. I'd been unable to locate it since. The first time I was there we had left a Book of Mormon. When we came back I asked about it and they said they've been reading a little bit from it each day!!!! Miracle! The other miracle was that prior to that moment I had completely forgotten the names of those we had contacted--then as they came out to greet us at the door the names came right back! Such a miracle and really showed me that God is mindful of everyone. I may not remember every one I contact, but God can reveal it to me in the very moment I need it.

Doctrine and Covenants 100:6 - 

For it shall be given you in the very hour, yea, in the very moment, what ye shall say.

To end that night we decided to treat ourselves to something a little different for dinner. We went and got snake soup. A little expensive but well worth it! Yum!

On Sunday we had a really special day as we got to watch A-F and An- get confirmed. We didn't participate, but we were sitting in the congregation with a few of our investigators and it was just a great moment of reflection. Not to mention that a newborn baby was also blessed. It kinda felt like An- and A-F's rebirth and this newborn's birth. Both parts are absolutely necessary for God's plan of Happiness:-)

That evening Elder P and I were able to pull ourselves away for an hour or so to go have dinner at the Li's home (my last companion who's home now). It was an FHE evening and they invited the 4 missionaries, An-, A-F, two investigators, and the Bishop. The 12 of us were crammed into this little apartment, but it just felt like home. Everyone really could feel the Spirit and the love that was in that room. One thing that particularly touched me was that one of the investigators who showed up is a German foreign exchange student named Caroline. She doesn't speak a word of Chinese; however, she wants to learn the gospel and the Spirit is the only language you need for that. (Also Sister Li translated the message into English for her). That was incredible though--to see Sister Li explain the gospel in her non-native tongue to Caroline who was trying to understand in her non-native tongue--Wow!

An- and A-F are doing incredibly well and the ward is really supportive of them. Lots of good feelings here in Tuen Mun! Sorry this letter is short, however, I'm low on time! Enjoy your week! Read the scriptures!

Love,

Elder Siebach

Christmas Eve Subway sandwich run!

P.S. I finished the Book of Mormon this week for the 6th time on my mission. It's not a race though. I'm going to try and take it a little slower this time around and try and delve into it a bit more. Maybe even use PMG as a companion study aid like you suggested mom.

Here's the photo we sent that made him say this...

P.P.S. Sterling--are you trying to grow a beard? WIMPY WIMPY WIMPY! Go on a mission! That'll put some hair on your chest and face!