Do you remember that line? I should have put it in my last email or
the one before that? It is from our amazing investigator Philip! Well
guess what? HE GOT BAPTIZED!! Oh man he is so good! He even called
himself a 傳教士 (Missionary). Oh it was so awesome! He is amazing and we
all agree we can see him being a bishop here one day!! I am excited to
see him progress in the gospel!
So as a good little shout out...I read a scripture that reminded me of
my mom! It was in Proverbs 3:15-16...read it...YES MY MOM IS
PRICELESS! She is so incredible! She is wonderful! I love her so much
and I am so lucky to be her son! I have learned so much from her and
for those of you that know her I know that you know how incredible she
is! She is absolutely the most amazing woman! She REALLY IS AN
ANGEL!!! :)
So sorry if my thoughts seem a little scattered this email...if they
seem a bit scattered it's because...well they are scattered...hahaha.
But that is okay I can try to bring it all back in. There has just
been a lot going on! The district seems to be struggling a little bit.
I am not really sure what it is...Everyone seems to be getting
offended really easily. I try my hardest to keep everything chill and
good, but some people just get offended and don't back down. So there
is some tension between some of the members of the district. It just
makes me think about how it is so important to be humble as a
missionary (or as a person haha) because without it we lose the spirit
and with out the spirit we can't represent Christ which means we CAN
NOT teach his gospel and do his work! (I know what you are
thinking...Elder Gish?....talking about being humble!? haha, well
while it may not be my BIGGEST strength, it is something I am working
on and hope to be able to accomplish out here! At least I recognize
the importance! :) haha)You know one thing that I also learned that I
love and that I heard from my mission president is the line "champion
horses do not look at other horses." While YES it is great and
important to have role-models and to have goals and such, we shouldn't
be constantly comparing ourselves to others. We are each our own
individual person with our own individual story. We really have no
place to judge or put others down. There are missionaries and members
that I know that have had rough pasts that are now some of my best
friends! They are amazing people, if people could just see the good in
them...it would change so much. I don't know why some people SEARCH
for the bad...thats like being in a cave without a light and trying to
go to darker and darker parts of the cave! It makes no sense. The
light is what leads us and will bring us joy. If we are with others
and have negative attitudes toward them and see all this bad in
them...well...think about it. No wonder we don't get along, we just
keep going deeper and deeper into the dark parts. Now if we can take a
second to just look at the lighter sides and go THAT way. We might
find out that they really are great people!...I should probably get
off this horse now haha, but anyways...long story short...just love
people and look for the good over the bad! It REALLY will make
everything so much happier! :)
So two other really cool things happened this week! We had Assistant
Exchanges and a Zone conference (where a bunch of missionaries get
together to receive training from the mission president!). It was
incredible! First off I got ANOTHER confirmation that President
Blickenstaff really was sent here for a reason and was sent here to
help us! I am so excited to serve under him! The other cool part of it
was that I got to see so many missionaries that I knew and missed so
bad like Elder Miller! It was awesome! He and Elder Stark both gave
their Reflections (last talk as a missionary). Sad day....but I know
that they are going to do awesome things back in America when they
return!
So the other cool thing, Assistant Exchanges. I think you all probably
know, but my trainer went assistant after training me. He really is a
good guy. So anyways he came back down with me and we went out again
just like the old days! It was really amazing to see the growth I have
had from the time I got here until right now! There have been a lot of
changes and pretty much all for the good :) It was nice and fun! (No
pictures of it though since it wasn't on P-day :(..)
As my last comment I just want to reinforce in everybody's mind the
importance of attitude. I have kind of been on this train this email
haha so I am sorry but it really is something that is getting at me
lately..(I think I need to check my attitude ;)) haha. But really...do
we all remember what Thumper says?..."If you don't have anything nice
to say....then don't say anything at all" I remember that hitting me
as a kid and thinking...what?...don't say ANYTHING...well YES don't
say ANYTHING. It is so incredible what a nice good word will do for
people and it is amazing what a hurtful phrase can do to someone...one
for the VERY GOOD and one for the VERY BAD. Now of course I am not
perfect, I have been out here and had moments where I get too heated
and turn and say something that I regret...but that is the thing...I
regret it. I have never once in my whole life regretted saying
something nice to someone...no matter what the situation is. When we
respond lovingly and in a kind way or "showing forth and increase of
love to him whom we have reproved" (D:C 121) we can really see and
feel the light of Christ in us. So now the question is...what are you
going to do?...If you don't immediately think of something that you
want to do this week then please allow me to invite you to go out and
find someone...anyone..and just say something really kind and loving
to them. Try this week to not say anything negative about anyone or
any situation...just see how much 'light' it will bring into your
lives.
My mom (that amazing angel!) Sent me a letter recently that touched on
the importance of obedience. Let me tell you future missionaries,
young missionaries, about to go home missionaries...even return
missionaries...obedience is key and is SO important! I can honestly
say that when I am obedient I am happy, when I am not obedient I am
sad...it really is just that simple..would you rather be happy or sad.
:) Be obedient and remember to shine bright! :)
LOVE YOU ALL!
-
Ge Sheng Long ZhangLao
葛勝龍長老
P.S. GARY CAME BACK TO VISIT ME THIS WEEKEND!!! HE IS DOING SO GOOD
AND IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! I sure miss that guy!
加油。我希望你們都可以把這個信息去運用。發光吧！如果你只會講中文而且你看不懂。。。不好意思。你還可以寫信給我。我一定要回信給你。哈哈愛你們！
