Well the end of this week was a little wild! On Saturday we got the Move Call saying that I would not be moving! That I would be staying with the amazing Elder Teerlink for at least another 6 weeks! Obviously we were super stoked! We have just loved every second of doing this work together! So of course we are super pumped, PLUS ON TOP OF ALL THAT it was GENERAL CONFERENCE! #RealTimeRevelation! We were having a good time and were able to be with lots of great friends and in the middle of the Sunday Morning Conference who calls me? President Blickenstaff! Of course I get up immediately to answer. As I do he says, "Elder I need you to do something for me." (Not those exact words but along those lines.) He last minute changed some things and has sent me to 東港! So that is where I am right now, in the B.E.A.UTIFUL land of DongGang. It is an amazing place! Over the phone President called it a "hard area." But I really don't believe in hard areas! It may be struggling a bit now...but that will all end soon!! I was sad to leave Elder Teerlink, but I know that Elder Anderson and I are going to work miracles here through our faith, obedience, and diligence! He already seems like EXACTLY what I want in a companion! So hopefully very soon you will be hearing about the SWEET miracles down here!
On another happy note LAI HONG QUAN GOT BAPTIZED!!! :) It was amazing! He will stay strong too, the ward did an AMAZING job of loving him and showing him his next steps, like going to the temple and becoming a leader. He is awesome! I will totally miss him, but that's just the way the cookie crumbles #BruceAlmighty! What is a bit sad....but also SUPER EXCITING is that next week YongKang (the area I just left) will be having 2 baptisms and the week after that should be having another! :) It is SOOO Obvious how this is the Lords work and he is deeply involved! So needless to say, a BIG part of my heart is in YongKang, however I will do all that I need to and all I am asked to do!
Last week Elder Teerlink and I thought up a way to make 3,000,000$ before we are 30...so watch out world ;) haha.The things that happen at night on a mission are WONDERFUL haha.
So I want to take the rest of this and talk about what I learned from General Conference this last week...which if you haven't seen...go check it out at LDS.ORG....it was SO inspirational. Whether you are religious or not, LDS or not, you will benefit from it! So my invite this week is to just go watch at least ONE of the talks given in last weeks conference (if it is for the second time, then all the better!).
One of my favorite of all was... oh jeeze....haha. I just looked at my notes, I don't think I can pick a favorite, and there is so much there is no WAY I could fit it all in here...shooooot. Well lets just say it was amazing!! :)
Russel M Nelson told us this last week that Truth is Truth, it is from God and it will not change. I love that. Truth is Truth! That just makes so much sense! One thing I really don't enjoy out here is when people tell me that "That may be true and right for you, but it may not be that way for me." Does that make any sense at all!?! No. No it does not! That is like you trying to tell me that for ME 5x5=25 but for YOU 5x5=22. That just makes ZERO sense. Truth is Truth, and i'll tell you what. It is out there, it is real. And like any other teacher, I can tell you, anyone can tell you that 5x5=25 (i.e. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the only true and living church of God on the Earth). But until you go and take 5 groups of M&Ms with 5 in each group and count and see that there really is 25, then you wont know if I am just lying to you or not! And the great thing is that God has invited us, AND he gave us the M&Ms and said, just count, just do the experiment (i.e. read, pray, and go to church, AND meet with the Missionaries in your area....we are everywhere mwahahaha :)). I know that wasn't the best example, but you all understand right? 懂我的意思嗎?懂吧.好了. :) He also told us that when we keep the commandments we will be blessed 100% of the time! An APOSTLE said that! What a great promised blessing! He also said that when we don't keep the commandments that we will not be blessed 100% of the time! UhOh! Seems pretty clear that we should keep the commandments :).
There was SOO much more!..you just gotta go watch it!
So this past week my AMAZING BROTHER IN NEW ZEALAND sent me an Amazing story about an experience that he had! I don't have time or his permission to share it haha, but I want to thank everyone for keeping him in your prayers! Him Gageroo and Dane are the biggest parts of my life. My Brothers and I love them so much! We strengthen each other, push each other and love each other. That is one of the greatest blessings I have received from being apart of this church. Life long connections and friendships, brothers from other mothers ;) haha. But really. I just can't express how much I love plan that God has for us! It just seems so clear to me that it is a part of his big plan! Even outside of this church the Lord puts us in places to meet great life long friends! I just got back in contact with some of my AMAZING friends from Highschool! #lovin'life!
I love you all so much! Have a great week! Shine Bright!
My USB thing seems to not be working...Mom if you could go on Facebook to get pictures to show everyone that would be great! :)
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Ge Sheng Long ZhangLao
葛勝龍長老
Images courtesy of Sam’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=755567596&fref=ts
