5/23 Consider me the most blessed

Touring Central last week

Cool frog. There were hundreds of them at the park where we did comp study waiting for a lesson

Well how to describe this week and my feelings. No time whatsoever. I think I did language study 2.5 times, companion 4 or 5 times. Just had so much come up, Zone Leader responsibilities, members needing help, or other such things. I just feel so blessed. On the language basis, having had the situations I have had, with kind of really just having to learn on my own on transfer two, then step training transfer 3, as well as district leader, to now, I just glory in my God who has enabled me to communicate with these people. My language isn't that great, but that I can do what I can do is just a testament that God is watching out over His missionaries and this work will progress, no matter how slow of learners his tools are. Elder Da and I have come to the conclusion that we are the most blessed missionaries in the world. We have loved serving together so far and hope to continue to serve together, and love the close relationship we have with the ward. I love it. As well, we have really felt blessed this week as things have continued to explode. Although we have had extremely limited time, and we lost several investigators (turnovers and lost contact with them traveling or new phones), all those that we still have are progressing so well, and all came to church! We have felt like we have worked so hard these past months, maintained the faith and the attitude of joy, with the mindset that the Lord will work it out. We have been praying so hard for our area, to have a baptism, to get the ward excited about the work again, to grow. With the addition of the Ting family, an absolutely golden couple, we as an area are looking at pressing forward with faith for 5 baptisms this upcoming month of June. Brother P's baptism will have to be bumped back a week at the request of Bishop K, so that will put P P, the sisters investigator S, and Brother Ch at the beginning of the month, then followed by the T family and C H at the end. Elder Da and I are just praying hard and moving forward. They will do it and we are excited for a great month. :) Oh, as well, we met a great members husband on Friday. We took our Elders Quorum President and it was great. The wife admits he is golden and prepared, pretty much a member already, but she won't push or encourage him at all. He is 30+ and a banker in Central. Great guy, born in England actually, so his English is almost perfect, just an English accent. ;) 

As a companionship, we are working hard, always striving to be better. Right now we are just living on air with the opportunities we are having even though sometimes we feel like we could do better. Working on improving our calls as well as our teaching capabilities. Elder Da's jaw is great. No problems, just on PT now. 

Alma 26, that's the chapter that I seem to have been able to study for several days for an hour and just keep getting revelation poured out upon me. Glory in our God for what He has given us. That is what gratitude is, it leads us to be happy, brothers and sisters, have we not reason to rejoice?

Well I am headed fishing. First time ripping lips for a while so we will see how it goes. Elder M and Elder C go to America soon, Elder C to Eugene, Oregon and Elder M home to Arizona. Going to miss them both. Elder M is an outdoors guy so we figured we would go do what we do best. Elder Da said he will cook them up. 

You can take the Elder out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the Elder. YEEE YEEE.

Love,

Elder Sargent

5/16 Two NEW Stakes!

Time flies. It was another great week! Absolutely loved it. It was a surprisingly interesting week, I feel like Satan has his hand in the work to slow it down. We had several lessons not show up, P P had some major problems and wouldn't see us, A-Y got a new phone and we don't have his new number…..it has been a rough one, but we kept a smile the whole time and things are working out! We met P P's whole family on Sunday night and taught a lesson.  We went through the baptismal questions and both parents really had something to say about the word of wisdom, especially tea. So that made for an interesting portion of the lesson. The new investigator Brother C is doing great. He has attended church 3 weeks in a row. We still haven't settled into meeting and teaching, but he has asked about baptism several times and even with the members. We are eating dinner with him and a member family tonight, should happen then. Things are going great. We have met several of the male teenage youth, particularly two who are less-active or semi-active. Both have a ton of questions and really need help, it was kind of heart breaking to see how bad they are struggling and what lapses in faith they have had, but we are working through it with them. Both will do missions, I can see it!! They are on the return. 

In other news, at the regional conference they announced the stake split! We will be going from 4 cantonese stakes in HK to 6!!!! Adding the Lion's Rock Stake, and then Kowloon East and West. The work is hastening, looking forward to having a smaller zone. Sorry it's short today, I find there is 0 time in the day.

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Love,

   Elder Sargent

5/9 Explosion...enjoyably crazy!

Baptism for one of my best friends of 7 months, from Tung Chung

Last District meeting KC

Surgery went well for Elder Da - Hospital was in a beautiful location

Bro Y passed away

What a week! So much happened. I thoroughly enjoyed MLC, learned so much, as well, can't wait to take it back and implement it into the Zone. I don't know how this week was so... enjoyably crazy! I look back and just see the Lord's hand supporting me every day. Giving me energy to continue, to overcome all the stress, to stay happy. With all the meetings, Elder Daplin's surgery, and trying to maintain our area with its needs, I can't believe it worked out. I loved every minute of it. It was a tough week teaching, not knowing about Saturday or Sunday, and then all the time in between, but we were still able to accomplish some stuff.

The area is great and exploding! Chris introduced us to his girlfriend on Thursday, they came to church and are both doing super well (the sisters took her from Sunday), our new couple that some members in Stanley sent, Amy and others. The Lord has really answered so many of our prayers. I am really trying to change my view of some of the things I do, relative to an Elder Bednar talk on the Atonement. Not asking for more investigators to have progress, but to have the ability to help the ones we have now progress, or have the discernment to know which members are prepared to do the work. They are doing so well. 

Elder Da is doing well, back on the mend, really wants to get eating rice and other stuff again, really doesn't want to eat soft stuff, so that's been tough, but we are all glad to have him back. He is feeling great. Elder K (the new Zone Leader) is doing well, he feels extremely stressed, it is a center of what he talks about at night haha we have some fun conversations. Things are coming. 

One of the biggest miracles, my best friend A P from Tung Chung was baptized yesterday! I have been praying for that day for 7 months. I can't believe it. I love them so much. That family means so much to me. I hope and can't wait to see the day that they are ALL sealed in the temple. I firmly believe it will happen.

I loved seeing my family today! TO everyone that reads this, my Mom is the best mom out there. She loves and supports me and all of us. She defines mind, might, heart, and strength to the work. I love my beautiful mother so much. I hope to find one like her one day (but for now... heart locked ;)) She has a love for us as her family as close to the Savior's love as love can get. Selfless and determined, a spirit that desires others needs before her own. I love you mom!

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Love,

   Elder Sargent

5/2 Prepare now for that day

What a week! With us moving to the Mong Kok apartment (we are both staying! 6 months together and I will hit my year mark with him!), and all the miracles we have seen, it has been a busy week. We as a companionship are well, quickly getting adjusted to the new place, health is well, we are sad we had to leave two of our best friends back in Kwai Fong, but are excited to get to know these Elders better. Elder Da talks to Elder H all day in Cebuano, and I think he enjoys being able to do that. As well, the new apartment was quite dirty, but Elder S (new trainee from SLC) and Elder Da took care of that real quick. We love the new place!

We as well have been praying for referrals and new investigators for two weeks now, and they all decided to show up in one week! The week before Elder Da's surgery. One the more special experiences teaching Bro. Y and preparing for his baptism.  Then had a couple walk in that have friends from Stanley who gave them a Book of Mormon and told them how to go to church come on Sunday, had so many great questions and participated, (Mr. C didn't even have a problem with being baptized again, having been previously Catholic). They are very prepared and will be back next week. As well several new turnovers pending and our investigators have as well been doing amazing. The Lord hears our prayers. We repented for not desiring enough, and covenanted we would do all we could to see more of His children to the waters of baptism and He heard our pleas. Brother P as well is looking good for his baptismal date this month. 

 The Zone as a whole is well, everyone got transferred smoothly, and we as zone leadership have got everything planned and ready to go. 

My thoughts on the week: You may be wondering who Brother Y is, his wife is a stalwart member in our ward and his son is a member in Tuen Mun. He has always been against the church and criticized his family for it, and doesn't believe in God. Last week he entered the hospital sick, and found out he had cancer. Soon, as well, found out he has a very short amount of time left on this earth. In his perilous circumstance, he was humbled and the Holy Ghost was finally able to enter his heart, as he let it, to confirm the truths his wife and son had been trying to teach him for years. He is a changed man. He now loves us missionaries and we have had the opportunity to teach him all the lessons in a period of a few days. Now this week, we will have to transfer his poor, broken body, to a font to perform the ordinance that he yearns and asks for all day. All he talks about when we visit is his eternal family. All of it relates to his eternal family. Being baptized like his grandchildren and living with them and his parents and his wife. Everything we taught, in his mind related to HIS eternal family, whether he is baptized here or there it doesn't matter, but he gets his wish. I compared the two people now that I know that have had cancer in their last moments. One, his dying wish, to live with his family, life full of regrets and he rests in uncomfort, not knowing how it will work out. He can't eat, drink or hardly talk. He is making it pretty last minute. The other, similar, but not the same. Physical body, broken, frail, and destroyed by the effects of the mortal earth and the situations we must work through, but spiritually prepared and ready. Prepared and understanding to her situation. She knew she had done it all. It was her time. Brothers and sisters. Prepare for that day. Let us not have regrets when we see the Father, kneel at the Sons knees and beg for forgiveness. 

I love this work and am looking forward to a very exciting week with MLC, Elder D's surgery, Stake correlation, Brother Y's baptism and much much more! 

Love, Elder Sargent