Hello everyone!!
It was a really crazy week of transfers. It was really fun to see all the missionaries coming through here, pairing up with a new companion or trainer, and leave. I always love picking up the new missionaries, they have such great hope and excitement for the work! If only we all kept that energy for the whole two years, there would be much more success. Elder Sy and I had a great day of transfers, it was a particularly large transfer, easily the biggest one I have been involved in, and we ended up having to drive around some luggage and missionaries, and each of our destinations was on a different corner of Hong Kong, from Tsuen Wan, to Causeway Bay, to Yuen Long, to Tseung Kwan O. It was a great time to see all of this beautiful place that we serve, and on the way home my heart was full of gratitude and love for the people and missionaries that we serve. It is a privilege to be here.
Elder Sy and I will continue to assist President Lam, but we have both moved back into covering Kowloon Mandarin! I have learned so much from Sham Shui Po ward, I am so grateful for the many wonderful experiences I had there, as well as for the challenges and humbling experiences. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to learn Cantonese, a special blessing to me and my family back home. I love them and will continue to keep a close eye on them and the investigators as they progress towards baptism!
My first Sunday back in the Mandarin branch was like de ja vu, it has changed a lot! It has only been 4-5 months, but the branch has grown, many La's have returned, young men serving missions, 3 investigators were baptized, new ones are coming, and the Spirit is in the meeting. It was a sweet reunion with members and recent converts. I love this branch! I can see the Lord preparing the future of mandarin work. Soon we will be opening new mandarin branches around Hong Kong! It is exciting to be working and laying the foundation for these new branches, they will start very very small, but I know the Lord is sending prepared people at this time for His work here. I can really really see his hand in the work in this branch, the changes and progress are amazing. The work is not slow!
I got to teach some old friends from before, one of which, Chen Guo Wu, is really progressing! Last I taught him he had just quit smoking, now he is working on drinking, and then he will be ready! He has great faith, and is very open to the Spirit. We had a powerful lesson with him, I really love the guy. I hope he makes his date in December. Our other investigator from before, Chen Hong Tu (the guy in the wheelchair) is also getting ready for his baptism in November 27th. We have really been putting our faith and heart into the work together and I know we are being blessed and used by him.
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| Daniel (Chen Hong Tu) |
We had a lesson the other night with a really energetic guy from Taiwan, he talks a ton and likes to go off on tangents about Donald Trump, HIllary Clinton, Schooling, and Oprah haha the lesson was pretty scattered, but all of a sudden it came to a head when he started talking about how unhappy it is to be in Hong Kong, the stress of the work schedule, the hours, competition, and how you can't be yourself at work, you have to be fake and cold to others. Then he said, I'm not even happy, I have so much money, but I'm not even happy, I don't even know who I am, I don't ever feel at peace. We shared the verse from John 14:27 -" Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid"- and then we bore testimony of the peace of the gospel, something I have been feeling a lot lately. It was very quiet, then he looked at us and said - you really believe this. When he said that the Spirit came in to me so strongly, I do believe this! It is not just something we say just to say it or because we are told to say, it's something we love, live, and we really really believe! It is such a wonderful thing, to believe. It is so much easier, so much less work to just doubt and disbelieve, yet infinitely more rewarding and fulfilling to live a believing life. Believing has led me to work, to pray, to trust, to change, and to become. I wish everyone could believe a little more, believe in God, believe in the promises from him and his servants. Believing leads to so much good. It is a joy to believe.
I love Hong Kong, I am excited to be back in Vic 3, the Lord has a lot of work for the mandarin missionaries in these upcoming months!
Elder Woolley
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| Driving through Kwun Tong |
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| The Wan Chai track - missing the glory days, lol! |
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