Speaking of Mammoths

This week has been great! Last week Sister Ellsworth and I were struggling a bit to get lessons, but we really tried to maintain our faith and a positive attitude. And then this last week we were blessed with so many wonderful opportunities. Sometimes the Lord wants to test our faith, but as long as we persevere and do what he has asked us to do, it will always work out.

Some of the highlights of this week include having some really great finding experiences. Unfortunately, many of the people we met we will not be able to continue teaching. This actually seems to happen a lot. Either they are from Mainland, some other country, or speak Cantonese. But, I am still grateful for the opportunity to teach those people. I think one of the biggest things that I have learned is that at any moment we can make a big impact in someone's life. Maybe they won't choose to accept the gospel right now, but we are still stepping stones on their road to conversion.

We are currently teaching one of our YSA member's parents. They are living with her now for a bit and she has told them all about the blessings of having an eternal family. And they want it! Sister Ellsworth and I are so happy to be able to help this family work towards that goal. We often tell people (because it's true) that the greatest blessing the gospel has given me is my family. And I really miss them but I'm happy to leave them if it means that I can go help other people have this blessing.

Here are some random/funny things about missionary life:

Our apartment is 90 degrees....so HOT!  And it is so humid that if you open something crunchy like a bag of chips it goes soft within 10 minutes.

We found mold in between the wallpaper and our wall in our bedroom ... right next to my bed! So for the last few nights we took our mattress pads out and slept on the tile of our kitchen/living room area and our offices. It's like a sleepover!

Last week at the branch dragon boat festival everyone in our branch brought their old stuff and we had like an auction ... but everything was free ... and guess what I got ... a MAMMOTH!!!! (Dad - she loves wooly mammoths!)

 

 

 

 

 

Oh and I chopped my hair more....

So yeah, life is great! Missionary work is the best!

Stepping Stones

This week was another week that went by super fast. Though, every week is like that. The temperature is getting hotter and hotter. We are pretty much always sweaty, but oh well. We are happy doing the Lord's work and that's all that matters.

Once again, many of our lessons were cancelled for the week so we found ourselves out in the sun and finding. Though, we were able to meet lots of really great people.

Saturday evening we had our branch Dragon Boat Festival party. It was great! So much yummy food and fun branch bonding. I really really like Chinese food.

Church yesterday was great! And then last night we had a great lesson with some investigators (a mother and her son). They are so awesome. They have so many sincere questions and you can tell that they really are trying to find out the truth. We are happy to be the ones who get to share it with them.

I had a super cool experience Tuesday morning while I was eating breakfast. Our phone rang and Sister Ellsworth answered it and then said "Sister Sharp it's for you." So I answered. On the other end was a woman in India who Sister Law and I had met like three months ago at the Wan Chai Chapel. We had introduced her to the church a bit and then also given her a Book of Mormon. Then the next day or whatever she went back home to India. Anyways, she called me and was like "Sister Sharp! Do you remember me? I read that book you gave me. It was amazing. And then I felt like I really needed to call you and so then I dug through my stuff until I found your phone number" (I guess it was on a pamphlet or something we had given her). And then we just talked for a sec. I got her contact info and told her that we would send missionaries to come visit her in India. How cool is that? We never realize the influence that we have on people. Sometimes we are just stepping stones on their way to conversion!

I caught a butterfly!

Sister Sharp, Law, Ellsworth

Hot in Hong Kong

Wow - Hong Kong is super hot! Everyone keeps saying that it is only June and this is "comfortable". I think when it becomes August I will melt!!!

We spent several hours out in the sun on Friday working at the Wan Chai chapel Welcome Center. We were baking. But, our time out there was super successful! We met one man from Beijing. He was super nice and we were able to give him a tour of the chapel. He told us that he was interested in having a church to go to when he was in Hong Kong (he occasionally comes here for work or whatever). So, of course we invited him to come on Sunday. And then guess what! HE came!!! He loved it!

This week we were fang-ed a lot (meaning lessons were cancelled/people didn't show up) which was a bit of a bummer. But, on the bright side we also had many unexpected miracles. On Wednesday we went to dinner with a member and she brought her friend that was suuuper interested in the gospel. Also, the food was delicious! 

And, the lessons that we were able to have this week all went really well. We had one last night that afterwards Sister Ellsworth and I were just like "Wow, the spirit was so strong there! That was awesome!" I really think that we said what the Lord needed us to say to help those people we were teaching.

Yup, I am confident that the Lord is completely guiding us in doing His work!

Another Lovely Week

It has been another lovely week in Hong Kong. We had some really yummy food this week. I really love Chinese food. We had one investigator make homemade dumplings for us. I also had pig's feet for like the bazillionth time. It's pretty good. Also, Sister Ellsworth and I splurged a bit (like 80 HKD) to buy some Mexican burritos!

Nothing super special or exciting happened. But, just day-to-day missionary work is a really joyful thing. Our lessons went well and our finding did too. We were able to meet some really cool people this week. Unfortunately, we didn't meet very many Mandarin speakers, but that's ok - I'm happy to meet everyone.

We had one lesson with an adorable couple from Colombia. They were on vacation for their anniversary and ended up in Hong Kong by accident because their visas for mainland were having some issues. We were able to teach them about the Book of Mormon and also give them a copy in Spanish. They were soooo grateful. The Book of Mormon is awesome and I feel like they really understood the importance and specialness of it. It was a really great experience. The Book of Mormon is true and I am really grateful for it in my life and for the opportunity I have to share it with others. It is such a privilege!

A Family

We had another really great week this week! Sister Ellsworth and I are doing awesome. One of the best things that happened this week was that we were able to teach a family! Which is basically every missionary's dream.  So, on Monday afternoon we got a call from a former investigator that neither of us had met before. She invited us to come visit her. and so, on Tuesday we did. Her sight isn't too great and so she wanted us to help her read the Book of Mormon. At the end she told us to come back on Sunday. And so, we did. This time her husband and son were both home. We sat down to read with her and also suggested she invite her husband and son to join us. They did! And so then the five of us were able to read together. All during this time her husband had lots of questions about the gospel, especially about the Restoration. So we taught him a brief overview about the Restoration and told him that we could explain it more next time. They eagerly invited us over for next week! We are really excited!

Nothing super exciting happened this week. We are just so happy as missionaries and so grateful for the daily blessings that the Lord has given us.

I promise to send pictures next week!!!!!!