Ni hao!
This week was pretty rough far as proselyting goes. Me and the other leaders left Saipan at 4am (so at the airport at 2am) on Wednesday morning, then had Zone Conference with Guam most of the day on Wednesday, then MLC for 12 hours on Thursday, then back to Saipan eary Friday morning. Caught up on some sleep then got to see my investigators again finally. Missed them! I guess a bunch of the kids were asking where I was. So cute ^^
But Guam was super good!! Elder Gei of the Seventy was there: He is the Area President for Asia North Missions. It was really cool to see how God is guiding the work is this part of the world. We got to work with him personally and learn how to be better missionaries. He really emphasized the importance of asking inspired questions. We did a couple roleplays with him. Sister Jones did one like he was an investigator. She did a good job, but this investigator was rough (based on a real person). From what we understood, she was a devout Orthodox Christian that did a lot of good. She didn't see why she'd have to change churches when her whole life she'd spent dedicated to following Jesus Christ, and raising her children to do the same. We did the typical, well this is the Priesthood/you need to recieve the Holy Ghost/what is baptism to you routes... But none seemed to work. So then Elder Gei paused the roleplay, and gave us a little more information about his friend. Her husband had recently left her for another woman, and soon after she was diagnosed with an untreatable disease that would kill her slowly and painfully. She was left wondering if God hated her-if He had abandoned her. Then Elder Gei talked to us about the importance of asking our investigators questions, and trying to understand what their real question was. She didn't need to know about the Priesthood right then. She needed to know that God did love her. She needed to know about the Plan of Salvation. But how would we have known that if we just tried to throw what we knew about her? It made me think about how often I do that in lessons. Do I just go through the motions, teaching the lessons. Or do I remember to teach the people, and really listen to them. It was very powerful counsel. I learned a lot and hope and pray I can remember the Spirit I felt and the inspirations I received as I review my notes. Sometimes I wish I could relive moments like those. Hey JD, can you get a hold of a pensive for me? Thanks.
MLC was also really good. We didn't intend to be in the meeting for 12 hours, but President is doing this really cool thing. He is letting us come together and counsel about how we can do better and ways we can help our islands. It's been really neat, and helps us bring together all that "scattered revelation" God gives us.
Something Elder Gay and President Poston really stressed in MLC was the need for us to work with the potential Melchezidek Priesthood holders and their families. The First Presidency is stressing this too. There are so many blessings God wants to give His children, but those blessings can only be received through the temple. On the islands, especially like Pohnpei and Chuuk, the women and children are active, but their husbands are not. The blessings of eternal families can only be received through temple ordinances, and keeping your covenants after you have gone through. Basically, a question he asked stood out to me, that I wanted to pass on to you all to ponder: Are you unlocking those blessings for your family?
Ok last thing before I go. Saipan has been having some bad luck with cars recently. The Kagman Elders and Dandan Sisters cars broke down. Then we were taking Dandan home after sports night on Friday, and smoke started coming out the vents. So I pulled over and the Elders came and picked us up. Luckily Kagman fixed their car... but we are down to 3 cars. And the Assistants are here. So it'll be a walking area for China for a bit! It's ok, gotta walk all this extra food off from the holidays somehow ;)
Yesterday there was a fireside and we watched the Christmas Broadcast. It was super good! I loved President Uchtdorf's talk especially. Afterwards I was talking to Brother Benson, and he was talking about the importance of understanding, especially when it comes to cultural differences. Don't have time to go into it, but it is SO important to understand peoples culture and why they do what they do. So many problems from miscommunication and judgment and lots of other things can be avoided if you just take the time to understand.
This weekend is Zone Conference. It'll be good to see President and Sister Poston again so soon!
I hope you all have a super great week! Love you all! Bu jian bu san!
