Happy Thanksgiving! November 25, 2013

Well this coming week is Thanksgiving, so Happy Thanksgiving! We will be having a Chinese/American Thanksgiving hereon Thursday. Our zone will be meeting up and having it at our chapel in Ho Man Tin. It'll be fun. We have a pretty small zone and so only 16 missionaries will be there. Our companionship is bringing the rice and corn. Yep, wouldn't be meal without the rice.

Well good news! Fiona was baptized yesterday! It was a good ole' event. Her son and daughter came as well are her daughter's husband and their two kids. Also her sister came. It was really neat. and afterward she shared her testimony and expressed her desire to show her family her desire to follow Christ and join His church. It was very powerful. She is a pioneer for her family; setting the way for her children and sister. Hopefully her children will have the desire to attend church and allow the gospel to bless their lives. They will be coming to her confimation on Sunday and that'll be great. They are really great people, but unfortunately like most people in Hong Kong, they are busy. That is a large thing that I have seen occur here in HK, time is small. People have to constantly be working and their time is limited. 

I am very impressed and very grateful for the families (members and not) that put their families first. Sometimes it's not taking off work for something, but it is in sacrificing. When work doesn't allow time off, I have seen people sacrifice sleep and meals so they can spend time with their families. This is really powerful to me as it shows me to place what's important first. There is always time for what is important. This has really helped me reflect and see how I am using my time and what my true commitment to this mission is.

Well this week we had a pretty cool experience. So one night as we were out finding, we were walking over in this area that we've only been to once before. As we were walking down the sidewalk, there was like a groupish of people (got off a bus/out of a store) well as we walked passed them, I noticed last second that a guy looked at my tag (happens all of the time) But as we continued to walk, his face came into my mind again and then I just knew I needed to turn around. I thought "turn around" and then felt like the Holy Spirit gave me a shove in the shoulder. So I turned around. I knew why too, for him. So I turn around and see him down the street like 20 meters away and he was standing there looking at us.

I kind of waved and picked up pace to him and he waved us over. We got up to him and the whole situation was going off I just was like. "hey. how are you? Leih hou ma? What's up?" just like no idea what to say. Then we talked introduced ourselves and chatted with him. He said he had friends who were members that went to BYU and lived other places and always curious about us. So we talked and exchanged numbers. He was heading to Singapore for work that next morning and had things to finish but we will be meeting him this coming week upon return! This experience was really neat. Heavenly Father obviously needed us to talk to him and wouldn't allow us not to.

 Also this was another proof of prayers being answered. The previous night, I prayed to God asking Him to guide me to one person that next day. I fully felt the faith for it and really desired it. President Hawks told us "be careful what you pray for, because you will get it. God will give you what you pray for and desire." So that night, Heavenly Father led me to a man that he prepared for us. He proved to me, He listens to each prayer. He proved once again to me, that this is His and Christ's work. He proved to me, that faith will bring blessings.This was once again a tender mercy of the Lord. Nephi's words sure are true in the end of chapter 1:20about tender mercies. 

I am grateful and thankful to be out here and trying to help others. I am thankful for the testimony of knowing God loves us and that He really does. It always makes things easier and better knowing that. (that is my thanksgiving thankful)

Loves,

Elder Townsend

Special friend and new convert Fiona

Hey You!! November 19, 2013

Well I don't have much to write about this week.

 I saw Jimmy's pictures of his bike wreck, that is NUTS. So wild. Anyways, life is good.

We had temple visit today so that is why I email now. 

This Sunday we will have Fiona's baptism so that is exciting!! She is super cool and awesome. Her boyfriend came in from America and he will be here for it! I think he is the one who introduced her to the gospel. She took lessons in America as well.

Well on a night, our neighbors moved out of their apartment. So since we were home at 9 (we don't have to be home til 10 if we are teaching a lesson in this mission because we are shifted back a half hour), we were able to help them. It was hilarious, we come, carry out tons of stuff, find out they are moving down the street and have only one little cart, so we carry it down the middle of the street up to their new place. They were super grateful and took us to get dessert the next night. They said, God had to of sent us. I guess they just don't know how us Americans move people out. Especially Mormon ones. haha They were way cool, just a guy and his girlfriend. They are 20's. We laughed and had a good talk. He isn't too interested in religion but thinks you should treat everyone good. He said he will be going to America one day and to new york. Has family there ish. Told me to hit him up later and also after the mission so we can go to a NBA game. haha

Well, a really neat experience. Back in Tai Po i got to serve with an Elder Lam. He is in Australia now (got a pic of him with my friend Elder White from HighSchool!) and anyways, he is a convert and this is his ward. Well this last week, we got to meet up with his mum and dad! We were able to teach lesson and chat for a while. We taught about tuning in to the spirit and allowing to guide their lives. Related it to their son out in the field. They have cheng'd out missionaries every once and a while, but they want to learn the lessons now and we are able to work with them! Such a blessing to help them. It's funny because Elder Lam told me in the past to got teach his parents one day! so pretty awesome. I am mainly excited to teach them so hopefully when they are baptized they can prepare to go to the temple to be sealed together when Elder Lam gets home. That would be the coolest thing to happen. Teaching them is a great opportunity as well, it just feels like a happy loving envirnoment and just is great. 

Well that's all I got for now. Sorry not much more. 

Love you,

Elder Townsendandsfgasgbowe4gt

 zone conference &the canto boys from the MTC and sis moody because she wished she was one

snake soup (this place was on tv)

Hey there! Nov. 11, 2013

I am seriously terrible and knowing what to type as the email title things. I actually thought of one while I was walking here but obviously forgot it. I know pathetic, that is my mind thought as I thought of what to email...

Well this week was fast and hard. But it feels good to know we have a new week coming and a new week to fill with miracles. Sadly, we were unable to meet with our investigators this week.. 

One of them said he was pretty busy so he dropped our appointment. I sure hope nothing is happening to him, he is so awesome. We will have to move his baptismal date back a month or two more now because he still hasn't come to church. So we will continue to pray and allow God to help us know what to do. 

Even though our other investigator, Fiona, couldn't meet this week, all is well! Fiona has her baptismal interview this coming Sunday and will be baptized on the 24th! It is pretty cool. Her boyfriend is coming to Hong Kong to visit so he will be here for her baptism. So cool. 

Alright this week, we had this way awesome family cheng us out and bring investigators. Our companionship wasn't able to schedule either of ours, BUT the sisters brought their investigator who brought her husband and 4 kids! So it was rad. The member family was so awesome, they live at this nice place so they reserved this place where kids can play games and what not (like a little arcade thing that has a play area or like a fancy lil day care place) Then they helped the sisters teach a lesson.

 We helped the husband member set up and get some stuff ready. Basically I made tuna sandwiches with their two little boys 5 and 6 years old. They were hilarious and could speak good english!! #blessings. So we had an entertaining time helping them and then while waiting pretending to use super powers to kill each other. Dang, I miss playing with little kids. Imagination rules. haha 

Well I have to say one more thing, I sure do love how most people here are nice enough to deal with my chinese. It gets me curious how much they can understand. The other night, I was on the phone with a lady interested with english class and as I spoke to her she told me she couldn't understand and it sounded like I was saying weird english things.. haha "i don't understand enlgish..!" haha well I had sister Foong call her and she had a hard time understanding her so it made me feel better. But my language study is getting so much better now. haha motivation from the honest people. 

 

Geez, I am so happy to be a missionary. I am loving the life out here. Being able to see the Lord's hand in everything. Sometimes it's hard to see, but it is always there. Even though we weren't able to have any success this week, blessings came. One of them was our ward correlator giving us people to talk to, another was having the bishop come with us to a less- active members home (our bishop rules, super powerful) and then the last was I just got a text saying we got a member referral. Too rad.

Well that is all I have for this week. 

Soory this doesn't have anything much. Next week will be better. Also I am super scatter brained now.

Loves

Elder Sugar

Waih November 3,2013

Hey there you.

Well this last week went by fast again, so I will try to update you with the stuff that happened!

So such way awesome news!! Roy, our recent convert in Tai Po, got the Melchezidek Priesthood!! He is an elder now!! So rad. I gave him a call up the other night and he said he is doing awesome and told me about being ordained an elder. He wants to come visit my area and chapel sometime because the church's basketball court is very "leng" or beautiful/good-looking. haha love him. I am just so excited for him progressing in the gospel and being able to receive the blessings that come from the gospel.

Well this week we taught our investigator. He is awesome. We taught him about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the blessings and importance of the Atonement and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. It was a good lesson, since we have him scheduled for baptism we will need to work with him and commit and help him live the Word of Wisdom and other commandments. I believe with his faith, that he will easily be able to quit smoking and drinking for the gospel. His faith is incredible. He just knows, no matter what, Jesus can help him. He wants His help. As we taught the Atonement and repentance through an object lesson, he pointed out the importance of baptism. He pretty much said, if I want to use the Atonement, I better be baptized because I need to use the best and perfect way to get rid of my sins. It was incredible to see his desire. He also talks all the time about going to the Celestial Kingdom. Like he will say "so when I got to Celestial kingdom..." or "in the Celestial kingdom..." I love the desire and faith he has to follow our Savior. One of our biggest concerns right now is trying to help him to get to church. He is a hair cutter and he has his day off on Thursday so we can't get him there. So we are praying on figuring out how to help him go.

Well just another little Tender Mercy of the Lord happened again this week. As we had spent a lot of effort this week on trying to find our less active members, we weren't able to have really any success. It was sad, all we contacted denied us.Saturday night, as I was finishing up calling people who said they would again come to church, they wouldn't pick up or said they were to busy and couldn't come. I was bummed, we were going to have a sunday meeting without anyone with us. so that night I prayed real hard to Heavenly Father to help us out. I asked Him if we could just have one less active member come. That morning as we arrived to church and were waiting on the 1st floor to greet members (our building has 4 floors) I made some calls. and guess what! no one could come. Well as we stood there I was thinking "alright Heavenly Father please, please help us" and then all of a sudden walks a man through the gate and up the steps to the church. He was rocking a nice leather jacket, hat, gold chain cross necklace, and some rocker jeans. Well I went to greet him and he was awesome. He was a less active member who hadn't been to church in over 30 years. and today, he decided to come. He got baptized at 18 and went a couple of years, but then slowly dissappeared and moved away. He came to sacrament and sunday school with us and I think he had a good experience. One of the awesome members who knew him from a long time ago talked with him and got his number. So tonight we will call him up. But I was so happy. 

Heavenly Father is such a loving Father. He answered my little prayer. That's all there is to it. He listened and did work. The best part was He helped out His other son that needed help too. I am so grateful for this work and for the Holy Spirit. Giving us direction and thoughts in our lives that can lead us to the better and eventually home someday. Prayers sure are answered. 

Well that's all I got so..

Loves,

Elder Townsend

Kickin' it in the streets October 27, 2013

Hello.

Well this week has actually gone so fast, I didn't wake up thinking "it's p-day!" I actually woke up thinking, alright today is wednesday and what do we have planned. Didn't realize time would move fast.

Well this last week was good! 

Monday as we were finishing P-Day, we were in an area called Hung Hom. It has the best HK style waffle there. So my companion was getting one and I decided to talk to the shop owner guy next to it. He was selling lots of jade and other rock things. As we were talking, he shared how he learned to make it all and pretty much a little part of his life story. It was awesome he was such a cool guy. As we were talking, I was amazed by his work. I wanted to buy a necklace that is like usually jade and it a ring. Its like the peace ball thing (just look at the picture) but they were pretty expensive. I asked him if he had cheaper and he said (I hate quoting because I don't know how to translate..), hmmm oh wait yes, for you I do. you are my friend. And he grabbed one and he said only 1 dollar! and I refused but he persisted. Finally we settled an agreement on 1 dollar. He said money has not importance he doesn't want it all sitting with him when he is dead. He gave me some kind of one. I didn't feel too bad because it wasn't jade, but I thought it was so cool he gave me one. He is a good friend. We invited him to bring his grandchildren to church or english class so hopefully we will see him one day.

Oh we had another miracle. We went to go visit a less active member and while we were going up to the door of the place.... it was locked. So as we turned around to leave, a man walked up and opened it. we got in! look Heavenly Father needed us going up there. as we went up to the place, holy cow I felt just like super scared for some reason. Just like super weird. Warm and just heavy footsteps. So I said a little prayer and then just knocked. The door answered and the member had moved to mainland. But his son was there. We had a good chat and gave him a mormon.org card and put him on our email system. He was way cool. Hopefully we can find a time to meet again. Definitely Heavenly Father needed us to talk to him.

Later this week we were able to meet with some more Less Active members. One was this incredible artist guy. He does calligraphy now. His house was filled with artwork of ancient china and was just elegant. so awesome. He said he will write a scripture for us in Chinese calligraphy! He was so awesome.

Also the other day when we were walking home one night, we took a different way. As we were going to cross the street, we heard a man yell elders! This one guy came up to us and asked for english book of mormon! We ran and grabbed one. We found out he was teaching in mainland and came for a new visa. While he has been here, his friend has been reading the Doctrine and Covenants with him because that is where she is. He feels so happy from the scriptures. and really wanted to read the Book of Mormon so while he was in HK he really wanted to see us. and... he did!!Definitely miracles.

alright this key board is sooooo sticky. but I am done.

sorry if  hard to read.

Loves!

Elder Townsend

took elder goronson too the island real quick!

this is my awesome suit passed down from Elder Tyau to Elder Christensen to me!

The hand-me-down suit

Awesome friend Roy!

My friend Mr. Wong

Finding at old  awesome park

Bro. Foo birthday

TST lovin' October 20, 2013

So I am loving my new area it is so great! I still can't believe how big it is! Elder Goronson and I have been heading around and been able to get some solid finding time in! In fact, Heavenly Father has just been blessing us with miracles as we go along! 

Alright want to know a fun fact. Elder Goronson and I were out finding and we stopped to talk to this one guy who was reading some papers and like a magazine the other day. He was kind of in a random spot, not waiting for the bus or anything. Well as we stopped to talk to him he was like looked at us then looked down and reached for his pocket. I was expecting him to pull out his phone and turn off his music to talk to us or something like that. Nope. Instead he pulled out a badge and was like I am a police officer, I am on duty right now. I am busy. We totally talked to an undercover officer maybe. Yeah, cool story.

Anyways, so this week started off awesome. Tuesday night while we were out finding, we were checking out an area and it wasn't the best for finding so we decided to leave. As we were going, I decided we should stop in Hung Hom and check out an area. I wasn't sure if this was me just wanting to see the Island lit up at night or if this was the spirit hinting. So we decided to go. Well while we were walking on the Promanade, right before we left the area we ran into a man. Usually the foreigners won't talk to us here so it was weird to have someone come up to us, but then he introduced himself as Brother Adler from Germany. Then he talked to us for a bit and we came to find out that he has been doing business here in HK for 18 years and he was a great man. He wanted to go look at the light night show they do across the harbour at night with us. We had a little time so we decided to go walk with him, talk and watch the show too. Mainly we just talked. He was sharing some great things with us and it just felt so good to talk to him. He talked a lot about really understanding priorities and the importance of looking to eternity and really signaling in on what life is and the blessings of it. It was amazing what he shared. As we were leaving I asked him "now remind me brother, what was your name again?" he then was like "brother, well actually Elder Adler. I am in the third quorum of the Seventy. So I am a general Authority." It was so cool, we met a General Authority and able to talk with him for a little time! He was inspiring. One of my most favorite parts though, was after chatting with him, I went to shake his hand goodbye and he pulled me in and gave me a hug. I could just feel love in his embrace and just honestly, Christ's love. and that was what I needed to remember, we can all show Christ's love and be able to share it with others. I knew it was definitely God's hand that placed us there. In Chinese we say something like God's will or hand in things.. I don't really know how to translate it, but that was definitely the perfect time for that word! haha

Well after being able to chat with Elder Adler, the days that followed were miracles. It felt as each time Elder Goronson and I went out finding, we were able to stop people and teach them . We were able to pray with them and bear witness that God is their Heavenly Father and that He is wanting to help them. We were also able to share on the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and how it can bless our lives and bring us closer to God by following the words of it. 

I also was able to learn of the true power of fasting this week. I know that through our sacrifice, God will help us. After I fasted this week, after that God supplied. He helped me just be able to understand when others spoke to me and helped me share my feelings. We also were able to commit our investigator to baptism! He is awesome, we will have to work with him and help him get ready for baptism. also need to get him coming to church! 

All in all this week went super fast, but was jam packed of the tender mercies of God. 

Like one of my most favorite little mercies is a man named Jack Swagger. well I don't know if that is his last name, but it should be. As we were walking around last monday night, I was like seriously? what am i doing here! this is so hard and blah blah blah.. you know thinking of myself. But then all of a sudden i hear, "now what are you doing out here in these neck of the woods?" my first thought was, woh haven't heard that in awhile and then I see this guy with a basketball, thug look and big ole smile. Came to find out he was born and raised in the "beautiful, blessed, glorious state of Florida." Jack was hilarious he shared of how he is sharing of Jesus, and how He has blessed him. Then, since he was in a rush to play ball, said to us, "you keep up that work. You keep your heads up and walk with strength, walk with Jesus! Bring as many souls to Him as you can! God bless you!" that was when I was like, yep, i am doing this. And all my lame attitude was gone and the worked started. Thank you Jake.

Seriously this reminded me of the importance of just keeping that attitude of faith and just remembering that hey it doesn't matter, we got good things to come. Smile and do work. 

Well I don't know what else to say.

sooooo

love you.

loves

Elder Townsend

1. me and the cat. This is the Wong's family cat named Blessing

2. Happy Birthday to you know, us. Thanks to Brother Foo.

3. Hitting up Dim Sum with Hank, A-Po, and Jarvan.

City Life October 13, 2013

Well it's official. I am now in my second area!! I am pretty excited! It'll be really good, filled with new adventures and miracles... I hope! So I just got transferred to an area called TST. Tsim Sha Tsui (honestly, i dont know how it is spelled yet...) But this area is HUGE! It includes so much area, like tons of places. In fact, I have only seen a wee bit of it so far. 

But what is it? The city!!! Yep, I am in the city now! It's wild. Super busy. Tons of people. Awesome. We live in Mong Kok (which is our area) and we live over the famous Lady Street. Basically one of those cheap fake stuff places that attracts everyone. But I am loving it out here, it is really awesome. I have been only able to meet a few ward members so far and they are awesome, super nice. My new companion is Elder Goronson. He got here last move and has really good chinese so far. He also has a huge desire to learn it which is super good for me because that'll help me have a better desire! haha Elder Goronson is really cool and I am really looking forward to this move, I think it will go really well.

Well this weekend was conference weekend for us out here in the land of Hong Kong. Man, I wish we could watch it like twice in a  row. I feel like so sad when it is over because it was so good hearing the words of the prophets. Oh and it kind of was hard for me to understand all of the conference because some people spoke english too fast.. haha as in, I am super used to slow english now and when some people spoke it was a little fast. I really liked what they shared though. 

I liked the HUGE focus on missionary work and also the amount of using the Atonement. One thing that really stuck out to me was when President Monson shared that there is light and there is sorrow. But through the best and the worst, He is always there. I love how Christ is always there for us, through it all. I know that is true because I truly have felt that. I also liked the focus on families and also less active member work. As we were at a members home last night, we shared a message on happiness. We watched a video on Mormon Messages called Our Fun Family Vacation. After watching this we talked a lot on families and where we find happiness. One thing that the members shared is through the gospel and their family they have found happiness. That the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation brings them happiness. It is true that through God we will find happiness and that through our family we find it as well. I am so thankful that I am able to have an awesome family and I have been able to learn a lot and learn love. 

Alright, I only had 30 minutes today at the library (and the computer wouldn't turn on for 10 of that!) so I am out of time now. Sorry it is short. I am doing good. Life is good. This mission is good stuff. I have all limbs and every thing. Hopefully I get hit by a car. That'd be cool. obviously with no damage to me.

Loves

Elder Townsend