July 24, 2016

Weekly Update: Miracles (Yeah I say miracles a lot they just happen..)

Hey all! How has your week been? I hope it's been wonderful and you took some time to build a closer relationship to your Savior. This has been an awesome experience over here, so I'll just dive right in (As I always seem to do.)

Anyways, so this week we had a few awesome things happen. First, we have decided we are going to continue translating Mormon Messages, and that it would fall under my jurisdiction. So I am now in charge of translating Mormon Messages and sending them to the area office for checking. That's so cool! I'm so excited and looking forward to taking care of these things. Luckily I have my companion to help with the characters. :P

Our investigators have been progressing well, we actually talked to Brother Ng about wearing the appropriate shirts to church and he just straight up testified of what we were saying and committed himself to it. It was truly amazing. We taught A Ling and she has so many questions. She's been trying to understand the need for a prophet, and how the prophet can really help us. But she's willing to ask and to listen, so I have no doubts for her future. She is definitely meant to enter the church at this time.

We had an awesome lesson with Rainbow in which she felt the spirit, I know that she will be able to progress and grow quickly. Some people are just prepared.

As far as new investigators, we have Nadeem. Nadeem actually just walked up and knocked on the office door, asking us how to join and how to come to our church. He is blind and his ancestry is Pakistan, he has grown up in Hong Kong, so his Cantonese is really good, and I'm super happy about it.

Today, actually, is not P Day. Woah! But we were asked to email today. We are going to the Temple on Wednesday! Super excited, of course.

Hope everyone is doing well, and I hope to see you soon! See ya next time!

--Elder Chance Farr

Funny stories:

So this week all of my work has been piling up super hard, because we just added about 10 more responsibilities to my list, although Pres. Lam knows I'm so busy and that I'm stressed, so he told me to "Maahn Maahn Haahng". Whatever that means. JK, it means to walk slowly. So I have been moving super fast, trying to keep from falling short. But I took the Lord out of it. Whoops, that was stupid. Anyway, I've realized this week that if you plead with the Lord to help you he will, he'll take care of you every time.

The Assistants, Elder Chan and I got into a rubber band fight, I came out with one lash, Elder Wooley and Elder Hui with two, and Elder Chan with 6 and a welt. Yeah, it was fun XD

I told him he must have been sneaky to have gotten away with only one lash, he said this:

Yeah, well President Lam has taught us that, "If you want to beat the devil you must be as wise and cunning as a serpent." Which is in the scriptures. That was him giving us permission to be sneaky :)

So we have been trying to pretend things are slang when they're really not, so we taught Elder Chan that "Reaction" means "Good Looking Guy." So we have been calling everyone in the temple apartment a reaction. It's super hilarious. He also learned "Bladder" but he keeps saying Brother because his accent's not amazing XD He kept going "BROTHER" and I'd be like, "BLADDER!!" He'd be like "BROOOTHHHEEEERRR" and I'd be like "BLADDERRRR! HERE STICK YOUR TONGUE OUT" and he's like "BLAAATHER." Yeah, that's fun.

I scream for....

July 17, 2016

Miracles in HK

Hey everyone! I guess it's that time again where I write another email. :P Man the time flies so fast. I guess I do have a lot to say this week, so let's get into it.

So first we can talk about Brother Ng, who is on track for baptism. We taught him last week about the word of wisdom, and he told us that he loved to drink tea. As we conversed with him, he told us that he was willing to give it up. The Elucidation that followed from the spirit helped him to realize that it was so powerful that he testified of the truthfulness of the word of wisdom and then committed to living it. We visited with him and he hasn't drank a drop of tea. He simply replaced it with Chrysanthemum, a flower tea that is ok to drink. He is now on the path for baptism. He is truly a strong follower of Christ.

Next we have A Ling, who was coming to English class for a while before suddenly asking a member of ours about what to wear, and then coming to church all dressed up. This has never happened before in my life. She's learning and really enjoys the doctrines of eternal family and now also is willing to be baptized. 

And last but not least we have Rainbow. Rainbow is a referral from a member who we just recently met, and were able to teach yesterday. It was amazing, and she felt the spirit nearly to tears as we fervently testified of the first vision. This was one of the best lessons I feel I've ever experienced and truly the Lord has helped us weak things to help these people to the knowledge of the truth. Man it was powerful.

There are so many miracles happening out here and I'm so grateful and blessed to have these spiritually uplifting experiences!! Man it's been awesome!

Apart from all of the crazy and noise, in reality the most important thing is truly the Gospel. Remember to keep it in the center of your hearts. (Also I recommend reading Elder Uchtdorf's talk one more time. "He will place you on His Shoulders and Carry you Home."

--Elder Chance Farr

July 11, 2016

Hey Everyone!! #The 4th (Last week)

Hey everyone, so we have had an awesome time here in Sham Shui Po! I suppose we can get into it! :)

So first on Monday we had a lot of experience after we were done emailing, and we first went over to a nice place called Dan Ryan's for eating. (Is it just me, or can he not speak English normally??) We had a recent convert there with us, and I really like this guy. His name is Jason, and he's really awesome. He's such a nice guy and he acts just like we were missionaries with hugs and stuff. Really good man who was really just looking for some friends when he started meeting with the missionaries but now has so much more. He's so proud of his membership and he's such a good fellow-shipper. We also played board games which was lovely, and then we also made pies. This week has been super crazy, we've been searching out a new apartment in Wan Chai, so we have been all the way down there a few times. We have looked at so many apartments I can't even keep my thoughts about them straight. We also have been fixing up apartments, doorknobs, hinges, anything. So by the time I come home I really will be able to fix anything. It's interesting how I always thought my computer skills wouldn't come in handy here. So often I had a lot of times now that it's just come in handy. It's amazing how the Lord really qualifies those who he calls. I still feel unqualified but I will continue to work. Good luck in all your endeavors my friends, and as always, Ga yauh (Add oil!)

Oh also, I've been starting to learn characters. I'm up to 100, it is quite fun
我是神的仔

See you next week!

--Elder Chance Farr

I gained 20 lbs in Ma On Shan (and now I'm trying to lose some), every time I had people our family picture in the barn, they're like, "Man you were so good looking in this picture!" Yeah. XD So funny!

We made the pie and it was amazing!! Oh my goodness it was seriously the bomb.com. Everyone enjoyed it and we have been eating it like non stop. It made so much so fast! It was so much pie.

Day-to-day life as an office elder:
We wake up, do studies and then come to the office, where we do office work for however long we need. Mostly we just try to schedule lessons during meals and then meet with the people. We still want to have a proselyting spirit, but we don't do it nearly as often as we used to because we have so many things that we need to do. Mostly I've been trying to just keep up on all of this stuff, Sister Lam loves to give new projects ;) It all varies so much, it just depends on how we schedule. In the office, what we do is completely up to us, and therefore, we have to be maximizing efficiency. Always moving, always pushing. I'm getting super used to being extremely efficient, so I'm hoping this will continue in my life.

So I haven't eaten too weird, but I did make myself fish balls (octopus and cuttlefish) Yeah, that was delicious. They are not like meatballs :P It's something I've learned to cook here. We also ate Mao Pu Dao Fu again. It has this taste that reminds me of home from like forever, it's got this Gu Jin Pepper sauce. When I smell it, it reminds me of Christmas in like 2011 and playing Maplestory. I do not know why.

We have been playing a lot of basketball for workouts in the mornings, and it's been a lot of fun. Elder Hui is really good, and he's one who does not like compliments. He's so funny. His companion and I have been constantly calling him #theHui and saying things like, "140 pounds of perfection" and stuff. Seriously great.

We've taught 12 people between the 2 companionships in this ward. Man, we have been working so hard and it really pays off, even though both the companionships here have office responsibilities (the APs and us).

Here are this week's pictures. I'm about to tell Elder Farr that the only pictures I want of food is if the food is on his face, so I can get more pictures of the kid and less of the food!

He gave no explanation for these, but I'm pretty sure they're from lunch on July 4th :)

July 4, 2016

Hey Everyone!! #CrazyTransfers

So because I was transferred like 2 weeks ago I wasn't transferred this week :) No need to worry at all. This has been such an awesome opportunity to serve in the office, and have a lot of missionaries that I truly really do admire. They're so powerful and strong missionaries and I'm glad to be able to serve with them, and hope to add something to their awesome power. ;)

So let's get started!

So Monday we just kinda worked in the office to prepare for the new missionaries coming in. Yep, super boring.

Tuesday we finalized their packets and taught a few less active lessons, and that's when I got my license. We had the last district meeting with Sister Dolben and Sister Shee, so they've left, and then we taught Kenneth. Kenneth actually has my same sing and my same name in the middle, which is super interesting. He's a nice dude. We then bought 13 sandwiches for the lunch the next day and Subway told us they'd have them ready. Wednesday we went and picked it up and oriented those elders and sisters about our mission. Then we taught Ngh SS, he's doing well but we found out he still drinks tea so he'll change pretty soon we think. He told us he'd be completely off it by next week, so I'm counting on it. His baptismal date will be pushed back to August. No problem :):) He has a testimony. Then on Thursday we went to lunch with Yoshi again, which was delicious as always! We sent off those missionaries and I gave my trainer Elder Merrell a huge hug, he's super awesome. Man that guy's gonna marry fast :) jkjkjk. It's been quite an adventure so far. I am so grateful for the ability to visit with him. We had to pick up about 35 sandwiches over the course of this week and I ate 3 6 inches. :):)

We went for another apartment as well (He and Elder Chan help do repairs on missionary apartments... I think that's what he's referring to here!), I'm so happy and excited to continue to serve here!

Remember that if you're not sharing your testimony you're losing it!

See you all next week.

--Elder Farr

I sent Oreo pie crust, sweetened condensed milk and Oreo pudding to Elder Farr in his birthday package ages ago so he could make Oreo Cream Pie... he said this:

We are finally making the pies today... We are celebrating the 4th of July by going to an American restaurant to eat some steaks. Then we will come home and make pie, eat pie and play board games! ^.^

Wonderful food, like Pig's feet, shrimp eggs, and Dung Gwa. It's like a melon but I don't know if it has an English translation.

This must be their district, he didn't specify in the email.

The sleepover in the main room of the temple because Elder Ng was leaving and we had 8 people for one night, so to keep us all in the same room we just built a fort of mattresses. Yeah, we are cool like that.

My selfie with Elder Ng, because he's the coolest dude ever.

Some members gave me a little Zoro action figure.

I found the Liahona in the temple. Yeah, it's the real Liahona. :) jkjk!