This week I have chosen on to look and remember the simple pleasures in life. It has been much of a help to me and my missionary work.
As we spent our time finding this week, Heavenly Father sure did listen to my prayers. We had sunshine, lots of it, all week! :) It felt so good. Anyways as we were out finding, I realized how happy life is and can be.
For instance we were walking along the river and a man rode by on his bike. He stopped and said hello. This man had a type of special needs (i can't remember what to call it) But he stopped and was just bouncing on his bike smiling and happy as can be. Loves his bike. He then pressed his little bell that was electronic and was so excited. Then he rode off leaving two missionaries smiling very big and feeling happiness in their hearts.
This week I noticed many things such as a little girl covered in ice cream and she was following her mum, a dog happy as can be when the dog and wife went to the bus stop to pick the husband, and a little kid hugging their dad saying i miss you, I love you, i miss you, i love you.
These simple things around me really got me thinking just about how important simple things are in our lives and how fair our God is. He gives us real happiness in many ways and doesn't need to be complex to supply us with them. Noticing these just made me realize that in the simplicity lies the truth; just as with the gospel.
The past weeks I spent too much time looking for bigger answers that I forgot to remember the simple truth. Such as God is our Loving Heavenly Father. I say that everyday to people, I had forgotten that wasn't something I only teach, but something I truly believe. I love how as missionaries how we are able to share what we believe and what we know to be true.
As I talked to President Hawks for support and just for help he taught me some very good things. He is a very wise man and I sure do respect and love him. I had so much time on trying to understand what truth is and means, he told me that what I should focus on is what IS true. It doesn't matter what is truth until you know what is true. Through what is true we find the truth.
He also said one thing that I really liked was don't expect 2 years knowledge until after 2 years. Time takes time. You also can't walk up to a large amount of weight and bench it your first try, you have to work up to it. That's when I realized how important it is to allow the Lord to strengthen us. He puts us through the trials so we can have the strength to overcome the later ones. I always think of President Eyring's talk "Mountains to Climb" and on how that the farther we go in life, the larger trials we may have. So as of now, I will be grateful for the trials that I have to give me strength.
Well the missionary work out here in Tai Po is going to progress, I know it. We were able to schedule a couple of contacts on the road to share with them more next week. This week was mostly only finding. Elder Kwan has been having terrible allergies and it is killing his immune system so that has been a bummer.
This week we were able to teach an investigator and get to know her. It was a turn-over lesson. As we taught, we taught on the story of the ugly duckling. Elder Kwan had just watched the mormon message of that with President Uchtdorf and felt we should share it. We focused on the importance of who we are. Who are you? this was a question that we asked each person that was there. It made me think a little more as well as each person there. As we taught we focused on the importance of being God's children. That we have such a large potential especially when we rely on him for help. He knows best and will always help us reach the best we can be. How lucky we are to have prayer and the Holy Spirit so that we can be guided. That through serving others we will find Christ's help in our lives. The lesson turned out really well.I am praying that we will be able to meet her again and help her continue in the path back home.
I love being able to teach lessons even though I am not a good teacher and can't understand much. I just like to feel that spirit there and see that Heavenly Father cares for us. That Christ wants so bad for others to come unto Him. He through the Holy Ghost sure does fill our hearts. I believe it. I know it. I have felt it.
Well my hands are tired of typing so I will end there. Oh it is also the Mid-Autumn festival this week. They have these foods called moon cakes. They always say they are too dense for the white missionaries and that they don't like them. They are a lotus paste DENSE pastry with an egg yolk in them. I like the pastry part, but I am not too big into the egg yolk. Very different. haha
I am thankful that I am able to be here in Hong Kong helping bring souls unto Christ and also able to bring back souls as well. If I have one thing to say, help the missionaries bring back those who have left the church. It is sad to see how many people have fallen away. We need their strength.
Loves
Elder Townsend
1. First MoonCake!
2. Just my friends that show up an hour early for church. They live at the old folks home by the church and Peter (next to me) was baptized 30 somewhat years ago and just came back!
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