Year of the Maaaaaaaaaaaaa!!! Jan. 27, 2014

Yep, nailed it. Year of the Horse! It is Chinese New year coming up and we are pretty excited! 

Lately by our place, it has been crammed crowded of people. Lots of them. Buying shoes mainly, since we live on the shoe street! I am not sure exactly what it will be like here, but I know that the city kind on like shuts down. Only big supermarkets are open. I am hoping that we are going to be able to find a time to email next week if the library will be open or not! 

I also hope we will be able to see some fireworks or something.. But since the buildings are all so tall, if they go off late at night, we won't be seeing anything. Also this week at church, we only have 1 hour because of the New Year. and also on Saturday, the first, we don't proselyte. We stay in our apartment all day and do a killer deep clean! also no one will be outside.

Well today is cool, because in honor of not getting hit by a bus for our first year out, us Canto Boys (MTC group) and couple of the sisters are going to the island to eat some burgers today! Pretty excited about that.

Well this week was cool because we were able to do some service! The sisters have a friend who needed our help so my companion and i got to move flower pots, sweep, do gardening stuff, water, and just be rooftop gardeners. Then we also made a chandelier! well hung up the glass things to make it one. 

So kind of a bummer this week. Sister Lam's mother passed away. She just recently had been to the hospital and got home, but wasn't doing to well. Sister Lam has a ton of faith and has really impressed me on how she knows that the Plan of Salvation is really real and that she will see her mother again. She is showing a lot of faith in Christ and I believe He is comforting her at this time. It's amazing how God works to comfort us through the Holy Ghost. She believes that Christ understands her right now and He will guide her. The only bummer is that she won't be making her baptismal date anymore. So I found out Chinese culture has a thing where you mourn and do things for the one who has passed for like 40 days? I am not too sure, I have only had it explained to me in the Chinese so I am not too exactly sure. But in March she will be baptized and be able to get the gift of the Holy Spirit! 

Well a couple of weeks ago, we went to a place in our area called Kowloon City and to a little park called Kowloon Walled park. While we were there we were trying to talk to families and people but weren't having much success. So we were thinking of heading out, but decided to stay just a little longer. (I have to add that to make the story seem cooler and it's true!) Well as we were talking to a couple and their kid, a member from a different ward walked up . The family wasn't interested after a little bit so after we talked to this sister. Well she was like, hey can I sit down and read a scripture with you two real quick? I need your help.. Then she was kind of crying and we weren't sure what was up. Well then she answered her phone and it was the bishop she called and was like I am alright, I found two angels, two missionaries. As we sit down, she explained what happened that someone in her family was in a bad situation and she came all the way out here to find them and then got lost in the city and was super panicked and getting nervous. So as she was not sure where to go or to do, she saw us. She said instantly she thought she was looking at two angels and felt the warmest peace come over her. She knew that'd it would be alright. So we sat down with her and read scriptures. She was crying because of how blessed she felt. Of how she truly knew, especially at that moment, that Heavenly Father is mindful of her. It is so true. I found it to be a really special experience to be able to be part of Heavenly Father's team I guess. I don't know the word to use. Just that we were able to be part of His plan and have him send us where He needed us.

 Just another witness allowing me to know of the power of a calling of being a representative of Jesus Christ, and being able to be where He would be. It's pretty cool of all the little tender mercies that He gives us each day or week. Just reminding me and each person blessed with them the amount of love He has for us. I just love Him! So grateful to be able to be part of His Restored church here on earth again. 

That's all I got.

Loves,

Elder Townsend

Ben- super awesome & not so recent convert!

Service- happiness!

I made tortillas!!!

Whoopie cushion...! Jan. 23, 2014

Yep, just remembered that. Whoopie cushions. Nailed it.

Alright well since it was temple day today, I am feeling super good! Life is solid.

So shoot, I don't remember this week and have nothing written down to write about so I will try to think of stuff. 

Ah! So something I have been doing lately that I really like doing is kind of an interesting thing. Sometimes I will be like, shoot, how do I always love the people I serve? Well I watched Elder Bednar's mormon messages about Light. and he shares about how when people do something good, it really isn't just human nature, but the Light of Christ in them. So as I walk around during the day, I like to look at how the Light of Christ is effecting people. It has shown me how good these people are here. It's nice to see it in myself and write that down, but I love it even better when I see it all around me. It makes loving and serving the people here so much more happier and easier. I love to see how Christ is out here. I feel that I see so much good around me that it's not hard to be happy

.

Oh shoot! This week of Sunday so rad. Yeah, there is this super less active well non-active member we have been working for the last month this and he came to church this Sunday!!!!! Super stoked. Why? Well because we have some super awesome members who were his friends back in the day and they came with us (all 6 of us) and shared and really emulated Christ. Super loving and happy. Well they did their magic and next thing you know we have this member at church feeling super happy again because he was back at church feeling the love. Ahh it was so cool. He also came to a FHE and that was solid. After praying lots, Heavenly Father answered. He sent the right people to help us.

One of the brothers that helped us, well it was a funny story how we got to know him better. So one day, Elder Goronson and I are out finding and we are waiting to cross street and there are 2 guys on the other side and one waves. Well as we cross and they do too, we have 5 secs to talk. One says he is a member of a different ward and that the friend (right next to him) is very less active. then he says in our ward! Then as they are almost across, he yells out his friends name Man Kit and I write it down. A day later, i was looking in the record list and see his name so I give him a call and he scheduled us and was like lets go eat rice, so I am stoked, this never happens. Well then the next day at English class and some members are at the church and one of them is helping us with our Less Active friend who we visit frequently and then Peter tells us he scheduled Man Kit to help us and I was like What!? You must be on the same boat, helping us with less actives! Then he is like noooo, he is super active, the ward clerk gamaah! And then said his last name brother. Then I realized we scheduled a member to go eat rice and planned a lesson and everything. We ate rice and had a good laugh explaining it. I am glad we made the mistake, he is such a rad member and super helpful. Just a tender mercy in disguise.

Well since it took me 30 minutes to get this dang computer started up and running, i am unfortunately out of time. Aso don't know what else to write.

Happy Almost Chinese new year!!!!!!!!!!

Loves,

Elder Townsend

or

Elder Sugar

ps. I know that this gospel is the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST!

pps. I need to write my angel story next week. pretty fun.

District at the Temple

Comp Unity

Straight out of the meih gwok, Harbor Dragon

Hitting up the Singdihn!

Ni Hao Shwagga..

Not sure how to spell the pinyin for that last one there... for that title.. 

Well to start off, I am feeling pretty good because just two days ago while out finding Ackleemahhad from India came up to me and shook my hand and said "Sir, I am Achkleemahaad from India, I can see your future and you comings. Next month will be a very good month for you.. Where are you from?" I said, "Wow thanks! I am from the America." Then he looked at my forehead and said "I can see on your forehead really good success, please sit down with me for a couple of minutes so I can tell you of what to expect and yada yada yada.."

 Well then I got a little creeped out, pretty tough looking big guy. So I sat down and he prophesied to me. After 10 minutes I was out $200 HK. yeah....It is cool though, I am looking forward to next month now. 

Alright, well I didn't actually sit down with him. I was afraid he'd take my money so I told him we had a friend to me and we headed off. He kept looking back though, but I tried not to. I don't want to be like Lot's wife and turn to a pile of salt. (Check out the new New Years Mormon Message!!) But I am excited for what next month brings. Maybe just like a new awesome best friend who is ready to come unto Christ!!!! 

So to give you an idea of what HK is like imagine standing in a store and looking at a shelves with food. Then have a perfectly normal mother walk up to you, look at your tag (face about 1-2 feet away) and then touch the tag and say out loud YeSiu JiDu (Jesus Christ in Mandarin) then you say dwei, dwei (yes yes) and say what you can. then her look at you like why is he talking to me or did he hear me?? or they give you like thumbs up, show you their cross necklace and walk away. Yes I love it. Makes me smile so big. I guess mainly those are all the people from the Mainland so if we ever go there, that's what it'd be like. ahaha

Well This week was super cool. We were walking up and down a street talking to people and there was a husband and wife walking together holding hands (super rare) and I was like oh for sure going to talk to them and make them talk to us! So we walked up to them and talked, they said they were busy, and I said I know you are, but it's alright we can talk still. :) then we walk together and I start asking the husband some questions and then he said he had been to our temple in SLC many times! I was like whah!? and he starts speaking perfect american english. Yep, he grew up in SF. haha Then his wife spoke in an Australian accent. They were super cool. I was like you speak perfect English and listen to me speaking terrible cantonese?! they said it was alright and we had a good laugh. They were terrific. So awesome and just the nicest, humblest people. They attend another church, but talked with us. I shared how I love the blessings this gospel has for families and the knowledge of who we are. They agreed that this gospel has amazing things as well, they just enjoyed their church.

 Well After talking to them, the husband, was like "you know, i have a hard time calling you guys elders. I just like to call you brothers." I loved that, family everywhere. One big ole family. So we said goodbye and after talking to him, i felt on top of the world. And the best part was that he said he was Siu sing saang which is like the same as Mr. Smile! haha 

This sunday we were able to teach Sister Lam and it was awesome! She is so great, and she came to all 3 hours of church! Didn't have to leave early for work. We taught her about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Faith, Repentance, Baptism, and Gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end! She enjoyed it and when we talked about faith she told us about how so many things would work for the better for her when she had faith towards Jesus even though she still only knows a little. Then she shared how she loves that she can pray when she does wrong and able to receive frogivness for her sins. She is awesome. And she said the day she wants to and will get baptized is the Feb 22nd! So next month! I will admit I didn't even realize until that night that she had set the date for my birthday, It wasn't until I was writing it down I was like hey! look at that! haha She doesn't know it's my birthday either so Imma keep it on the down low and it'll be an awesome little birthday miracle. :)

welll I am tired of typing. 

Loves,

Elder Townsend

Hello! Jan.9, 2013

Well this week was pretty cool!

So this week I went on exchanges with Elder Staheli! It was a good ole' time. He is a killer missionary and taught me some good things. We spent a lot of the time on the streets contacting people and we had some good success. His finding style kind of reminds me of my trainers Elder Goodrich. Just get right in front of them and have your hand out and just be super happy and loving! 

The best part of our time is that we taught a family on the street!!!! This was the first family lesson that I have ever had on the street. Our mission, and President Hawks really pushes for it, main focus is families. That is our priority. So as we have tried to talk to them, it's come out unsuccessful. But miracles are happening! This family was awesome, a mother that just had twins too! So we talked with them and had a good time, it was funny, we originally contacted the mother with the kids. As we talked to her, she said something about her husband being "over there" and he should come over and hold a kid. but he saw us, so he just played on his smart phone. So we would occasionally eye over at him and once we saw him look so we waved at him and then he had to come over! haha he was nice. We were able to talk them as a family and it felt great. They go to another church and at the end, liked the message, but said they are too busy.. But it's alright, I think they'll eventually come around! :) They actually live in Elder Staheli's area so he will keep in contact!

Well this week we taught A-Ming and it was great! So as we taught him, I brought up the tree of life vision in 1 Nephi 8 again and asked him about it. He really wants to hold to the iron rod. So I gave him the little iron rod like that I had that says hold to the rod on it! He liked it and put it on his keys. 

I asked him about smoking and about how it doesn't really allow us to fully hold on. (we gave him a priesthood blessing a few weeks before) Well this week when we asked him about it he said he quit! 100% quit!!! so awesome. Why? He said that God told him in his heart to quit! That he didn't want him to smoke. then after he said that he put his hands together, kind of bowed his head,and said in his English "Thank you Jesus!" Thank you!" I loved it. He has so much faith towards Jesus Christ it just builds me up! He always refers to Christ as Lord Jesus. I love how A-Ming fully allows his faith in Christ to guide him. We are going to be able to start meeting him at night now so we will finally be able to have a member come with us and fellowship for him. Help him see how he can even rely more on Christ and come to church. He is too afraid to quit his job because he needs money and can't not get it.

 I believe through his faith, that if he would come to church and sacrifice work on sunday, he would see miracles and Heavenly Father would help him. But that sure takes a lot of faith. To hear of people dropping their jobs for church amazes me. It sure does take incredible faith I believe. But I love how every time they bear testimony,they never regret it. They always are thankful for that experience. So amazing.

Well that's all I got this week.

Oh I guess a funny thing. How did my sacrament meeting go this Sunday? Well it consisted of it being conducted Cantonese and then speakers in Cantonese, Mandarin, and English. Yep we get diverse.

Loves,

Elder Townsend

1. The metal door on the far right is the door to muh place.

2. some dancers.