Following Elder Ballard's Counsel

Sister Ellsworth and I are very happy to report that we have seen bounteous amounts of miracles this last week. The Lord is definitely guiding this work. I am so grateful to be here!

Our investigators are doing really well. Many of them are still going back to the mainland, but I hope and believe that when they return home they will be ready to learn more.

Sister Ellsworth and I have made it a goal to follow the guidance Elder Ballard gave to us back in March when he came. He counseled us to speak to ten people every day (outside of normal teaching and finding time...so like while traveling or eating or whatever), to teach a full lesson every day (to an investigator but if not possible than to a member), and to ask for referrals from everyone. So far, it has worked extremely well! We had many miracle lessons and met many wonderful people this week and I truly believe that the Lord has blessed us because of our effort to do what we have been counseled to do. Here's just one example from this week:

Yesterday, we had no scheduled lessons. We decided that our goal at church would be to schedule a member to visit that evening. We were unsuccessful. We returned home a bit disappointed because we really wanted to teach a full lesson and do as Elder Ballard taught. Then, while eating lunch we got a call from a senior missionary couple inviting us over to their home so that we could help them teach a family that lives in the same apartment complex as them. Sister Ellsworth and I were so excited! Heavenly Father had answered our prayers and prepared a way for us to do what we desired to do. Also, after that lesson we were in the elevator with a woman and her daughter. We spoke to them as we went down the elevator and walked outside. Right as we walked outside a huge downpour came out of nowhere and so the four of us had to sprint to cover. And then we had a really nice opportunity to talk more with them and get their contact info while we waited for the rain to pass.

Speaking of church .... church yesterday was awesome:

1) Sister Ellsworth spoke in sacrament meeting. It was her first talk and she did so good!!

2) We taught relief society! It was fun! We taught about charity.

3) And this was crazy: The second speaker in sacrament meeting (after Sister Ellsworth) was one of our YSA members. He started by telling the story of how he joined the church a few years ago and then talked about the blessings he has received since then. At one point he started talking about how his girlfriend was one of those blessings - and then he left the pulpit (I thought he like wanted to read a scripture or something but had forgotten his scriptures and was going to get them....), walks to the back of the chapel, kneels down and PROPOSES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In the middle of his talk!!!!!!!!! And then he ran back up to the pulpit and said "feng Yesu Jidu de ming, amen" (in the name of Jesus Christ amen).

I love Hong Kong!!!  

This is our MTC Branch President's wife - she was in Hong Kong on business.  So cool!

The food is deeeelicious!!!!

I Love the Temple

I love the temple! It is the happiest place on Earth and I am so grateful that we had the opportunity to go today! We actually had the super cool opportunity the other day to meet the team of architects and stuff who are building the Paris France temple! SO cool! 

Every day on a mission is the best. I am so grateful to be out here in Hong Kong serving the Lord. Things have been a bit hard recently because all of our investigators have gone home to Mainland (summer time), but we have continued to see the Lord blessing us. 

Wednesday evening after English class we were talking with some of our investigators when a little boy came over and started talking to us too. Our investigator, April, was like "where is your mom?" and this little boy was from Mainland and he said that his parents were "in the Temple doing ordinances." And then April turned to me and was like "Temple? Ordinances? What??" and so I quickly explained that the temple is across the street and it is a special place that we go to perform sacred ordinances. She was like "Show me!" and then she grabbed my hand and dragged me outside. We showed her the temple across the street and explained a bit about the blessings we can receive from it (including an eternal family). She was like "When can i go?" We said that only worthy baptized members are allowed to go in. She said "When can I be baptized?" we said "August?" and she said "Yes. My family needs this." So cool! We hope and pray that April will remember her desire to have an eternal and sealed family and that she will be able to attain these wonderful blessings! 

Sister Ellsworth and I have continued to work with our less active members. We hope that we can help them remember their faith and the joy that they feel in the gospel.  Love you all!!!!!

Temple Day with my missionary district

Monkey Business

He was screeching at me!!!

This week was another fun week. It was a bit disappointing as more of our investigators left for the mainland, but Sister Ellsworth and I are keeping the faith and have continued to see that the Lord is blessing us in doing His work.

This week was actually one of the more interesting weeks....

Our water bottle!!!

Monday: we went to monkey mountain! It was soooo fun but also a bit scary. All I wanted was to get a picture with a monkey, but every time I got close to one it would screech at me and start jumping at me...it was so scary! One of my roommates got a picture of a monkey yelling at me and me being really scared. Another one even came up to her and stole her water bottle out of her bag!!!! So scary!

Tuesday: A really awesome district meeting and a fun day of finding in Tseng Kwan O.

Monkey Mommy!

Wednesday: We went Less Active finding with cookies! We decided to go to Kwai Chung and we found that there was a bus that went right from our apartment to that area (about 30 min ride). BUT, when we were on the bus for whatever reason it skipped our stop and then the next stop wasn't for another like 40 minutes and it was wayyy out of our area and up north in the New Territories! So, after like a two hour detour we were finally able to make it to visit a less active member. Turns out that we arrived at the perfect time - I guess the Lord just wanted us to come at the right time and so he sent us all the way to the New Territories!

Thursday: As we were heading out the door for the day I was spraying myself with bug spray (mosquitoes here are the worst!!!) and then I accidentally shot a ton straight into my eyes!! It burned so bad!!! Luckily, I have Sister Ellsworth who helped me to wash them out nicely.

Friday: The big typhoon that had everyone scared ... never came! Haha it was so lame!

Saturday: We had some good lessons. Yay!

Sunday: We had six less active members at church again!!! We are so happy for them! Coming to church really does help them soooo much!

Basically missionary work is the best! Sometimes it is really fun and other times it is pretty hard, but the Lord is always blessing us!

Answered Prayers

This week was awesome! Sister Ellsworth and I have been struggling a bit with having people come to church with us. And church is so important because it really brings people to know Christ. Unfortunately, it seems that all our investigators are going back to mainland and so we haven't had many opportunities to bring people to church. So, we set a goal this week that every day in all of our prayers (companionship and individual) we would pray for people to come to church. Heavenly Father totally answered our prayer! He both answered in the way we expected and a way we didn't expect. Here's how:

• Some Senior missionaries met a woman on the bus, Kimmy, and got her contact info and gave it to us. She came with us to church and loved it! She met so many members and was able to learn a lot.
  
• Four less active members that we have been meeting with and working with came to church this week!
  
• We have been really trying to meet with some of our more "lost" less active members. There are two in particular that have not been to church in a year or more that Sister Ellsworth and I have been focusing on (I'm not sure why...I think the Spirit was telling us that they were ready to come back. When I saw their records we just really felt like we needed to find them. It has been so frustrating that we have not been able to contact them). And then, they both came to church yesterday!! What a miracle. One of them even sat down right next to us in Sacrament meeting. I was like "Sister Ellsworth!!! That's her!! We've been looking for her!!"

Many other wonderful things happened this week. Sister Ellsworth and I were truly blessed and I am so grateful! Miracles are happening all the time!

Found a burger place ... mmmmmmm!