Elder Ryan Woolley in Hong Kong!: Conference

Hello!

For starters, General Conference was excellent! I went in with a few questions spanning lots of different topics, and came out with many answers and comforts. I will send more about that in the weeks to come. I am so grateful for the prophet, what a wonderful man he is. I truly admire his life of being on the Lord's errand, it's something I want very badly to do as well! Is is amazing how their their words really do answer millions of questions around the world rising from all sorts of different cultures, situations, and lifestyles. It is the universal gospel of God for all His children! We recently had an unpleasant administrative problem that came up and I received particularly clear guidance and comfort regarding it, for which I am grateful.

I also absolutely love the church's Easter movement the Prince of Peace. I can't think of a more fitting movement for today's worlds especially in the insanely busy and materialistic society on Hong Kong Island. I can't tell you all how many people I have met and talked to that have no peace in their lives, and are searching for something that they expected to find in their position, influence, and wealth. I would encourage everyone to take a few minutes to check out the videos from the church, they are really amazing! - https://www.mormon.org

I had a great birthday last monday, my companion made sure to tell all the members it was my birthday the week before at church, so lots of members wished me a happy birthday, bought me cake, and made it one of the most memorable and happy birthdays of my life! It was really nice to feel the love and appreciation from the people that we have been serving! We had a funny experience that night, a really wonderful family that we ran into in the MTR invited us over for dinner, the mom is from Venezuela so my companion connected with her in Spanish and she invited us over! They are an incredibly nice family, they had us over and fed us a great dinner and even sang happy birthday and gave us little cupcakes. Amazingly friendly! I can't imagine myself doing the same thing if I was in there shoes, inviting over two random church missionaries for dinner that I didn't know at all. But they are a great family with good gospel potential. It was funny the way they greeted us was with a little cheek kiss thing which of course the Chinese never do, so it totally threw me off when after I shook her hand she leaned forward and was like are you gonna kiss me? Haha I don't know if it is because I am used to just speaking Chinese when visiting with people and eating together, but I have never struggled so hard to have a nice conversation in english before like I did that night. But oh well! They were a great family. Hopefully we can share some gospel principles with them i =n the future!

I was so happy to hear also that my buddy Chen Guo Wu's (from Kowloon) wife got baptized this last weekend too! She has been visiting Hong Kong for the last month and met with the missionaries, then joined her husband in this church! It is so wonderful seeing them come together, I am so happy for them! I am so happy to see the blessing from heaven poor out on them and into their lives!

The first week of meetings for the Wan Chai and Kowloon branch are comping up this Sunday, I am excited for them, and can't wait to see how they start off! We had a wonderful mainland visitor show up in Wan Chai for baptism this week (normally they are in Kowloon Tong) and it was a great blessing to be able to meet her so suddenly. Our Branch President came to help her out as well, I think it was a great Spiritual start for all of us and this new branch. She is a great woman, and again, as I always am when we meet these people, I was humbled by her sincerity, determination, and depth of testimony and desire. If all the members in the world were like the mainland visitors, General Conference talks would have much different topics and reminders.

I love the talks on the Holy Ghost, charity, seeing others through God's eyes and treating them so. Such great reminders of what is most important, which really is the small things, and sincerely seeking the Spirit on our path to become like the Savior Jesus Christ.

My timing with emails was a little weird this week so I have to be short, but expect more next week!