10/26 Of Mission Tour, Miracles and a BIG Typhoon

Zone Conference

member visits

member visits

Mission Tour lunch 

Biking on PDay

Hiking Lion's Rock

Wow!

Where to start? So good! The area is doing great. We got stuck inside for two days because of the typhoon, but that didn't slow us down! Elder R and I have been getting around to so many members homes to visit, share message and continue to stir the pot of missionary enthusiasm. We have been staking around our Member missionary book and it has been seeing great success. Pretty excited. The members are just thriving and doing the work themselves, I feel like many of the members are seeing the work in the youth right now, and because it's not as involved with them, they are more ready and want to put work into their areas of service. V is doing well, still only comes every other week, but we asked him about a baptismal date this week, and I think he is going to take it a little more serious. With the stake wide baptismal goal and date on the 17th we hope to be able to get a few people prepared for it. As well with Elder Wong's counsel from this week, I do believe with all my heart we can double the baptisms. We just have to see the vision and grab it. There is no time to waste. It is the counsel from the servant with the keys. "We do not say How, or What, or Why, we say Why not?" I love those words from President Kimball. It's the time to do more. Hopefully, not just the Zone, but the mission, and the church in Hong Kong will catch the vision. Then next year we can double it again. I heard word of my dad and little brother working with a couple Korean families back home, and the miracles they are seeing, even though they are dedicated Baptist's the miracles of conference softened hearts and they are hearing lessons. The work will go forth, whether or not we are on the ship. 

We saw miracles amidst the typhoon, being able to see F and S twice. The first time being able to see them with the Bishop. F taught the whole Plan of Salvation to Samuel with CL (member) after hearing it once, because of an analogy we taught with. He taught it so well I was so surprised and I think Bishop was too, haha. They are learning so fast. As well, really loved church on Sunday. To the point that they are bringing another friend that wants to come this next week. As well, A-F is coming along, it is really different teaching someone who knows nothing about Christ or God. Coming slow, but he likes it and is willing. With another YM investigator we found, we will probably have 5 YM investigators at church. It is amazing. Hopefully we can prepare a few of them for the Christmas Baptismal service. Keep them active and at church and then ship them off on missions, get them strong to be future pillars in the church here in Hong Kong. 

So all in all, we are loving it here. I love my Cheung Sha Wan family, never want to leave. Developing lifelong friendships. 

As a companionship, things are going well. Really learned a lot serving with Elder R. Our unity is great and teaching is fun. We seek for the Spirit and are always seeking to do better. I sure do love it. I hope we can continue to strive for excellence and push for more. Both in the area and in ourselves. 

I as well hope the Zone can catch Elder Wongs vision from this week. Teach better, find smarter, baptize more.

I loved Mission Tour and learned so much! It got delayed 3 days and we almost didn't have it because of the typhoon, but Elder Wong came back to do it with the last three Zones and to have MLC. Taught so much, and I have never seen someone open up the scriptures like that. Lots of revelation. Time to apply.

Love Elder Sargent

Ever Stalwart 

-- 

Love,

   Elder Sargent

10/16 Sunburned neck and Mexican food in Hong Kong

ward activity

sunburned neck

Mexican dinner with the Y family

Family people!

Been a fun week!! This week has been great and have seen so many miracles. Our Young Men's crew of investigators is doing well, progress is coming. Haven't been able to get any of them but one into real progression mode, but after a really humble prayer this week, came up with we need more spiritual lessons with them to help them really feel it. Feel it in their heart, and not just knowledge in their head. It will be a little more difficult, but we can do it. V is also doing great! He is pretty close with J at church and we are going to try to get them to branch out a little bit more. Progressing well. We had our big ward activity on Monday, huge success, and then this weekend had a fun activity with our YM, where we had 3 of our own investigators there. Felt like it was pretty good to show them we are bringing the people to. Two way effort to bring people into the church. That night was so cool! Everyone was denying coming to church, kind of bummed, then lead to a prayer. Afterwards felt prompted to call two formers, the one turned out really good, but not much out of it, the second, is a mother of 2 young boys. Her sister is a member in the Tsim Sha Tsui ward named V.  They came for a while at the beginning of the year, but had some problems and it was too hard, so they stopped. Well, felt like I should ask V to invite her sister to church, then V called back and asked who should call, then she decided she would, then she called back 10 minutes later that they were coming and would be there the next day!! I was so excited. God hears prayers, and answers them. Listen to the small promptings. S showed up the next morning with such a big change. The boys are capable of going to class by themselves now, she now has a car (a tesla I might add) and just so prepared. The ward enveloped them and a member (Sister Y) scheduled them to make Mexican food at her house with us this weekend. Great miracles all over. The area is coming. I never want to leave here. I love this ward.
Exchanges with Elder G this week were fun, good to be with my "Pops." I look like some kind of lizard with all the skin peeling off my neck from the sun.  Got a cool referral from Sister T from HW!  Mission tour this week with Elder Wong! Me and Elder P will get to meet him 4 on 1 for a half hour Friday. Pretty excited.The church is true, does everyone know it? If not, ask now.  Don't kill all the big deer, I don't want to have to put them to shame next year.

I love my mission so much!!! Best time of my life.

-- 

Love,

   Elder Sargent

10/10 Take and Apply

We are getting back in the saddle! It's been a little slow these past few weeks, but we are getting ourselves off the ground and back into the saddle. Picked up a couple new investigators this past week and hope to continue to work with the several member referral investigators we have right now. We are on a really good level with the ward, and Elder R is really getting to know them better which is good, it has been pretty slow that way. I think things are going in a good direction and we just need to keep pushing it along. Still a lot of work with the young men. We love that and all of them are catching the vision. The YM President is working with them and planning even more activities and the Bishop as well even told us he was considering another calling with the YM. We have discussed and really, for the most part, all the active people in our ward were baptized in their youth up to 25 years old. Lots of potential there. So we are excited working there, as well will pick up a few new LA members to work with here soon. 

Today we went on our ward travel to Kam Tin, very good opportunity to work with the members, and even though I got absolutely fried, we were able to walk (or crawl) away with success. It was a good time for the CSW team. 

The Zone is coming along! Pretty bummed, but it will work out. Trying to cram and get this ZTM ready for tomorrow, with all of the great things said in Conference I don't know what more we could add. It's just time to put our shoulder to the plow, with more force than ever. Forget it all and go to work. Like the time my dad and I rode into Wyoming at 1 in the morning by just the light of the moon on horse back. Nose down, focus on what matters and let everything else go, to be worried about when it's light. 

Myself doing beyond well with the recent General Conference, learned so much, wish I could just memorize it all and apply. So much about missionary work and even a lot about the missionary lessons.

Lots coming and miracles to come.

I am fried. haha

-- 

Love,

   Elder Sargent

10/3 Mission Calls!

Where to start? Well things are chugging along. We are still working a lot with the young men, and a couple of their friends. Seeing good progress and improvement. Lots of good potential, the only hard part has been scheduling them. Tends to be pretty hit and miss. There are some other good people coming, the Hwa family came yesterday, and we had no idea they arrived! They even went to Primary, the ward just took care of them. So that was a miracle and definitely something to be grateful for out here. As well Brother W was there, and we were able to schedule him for this weekend! Seeing some more good ground.
Had a good exchange with Elder W this week. Thoroughly enjoyed it. I went to their area, and Elder G went to mine. We had some good discussion time, and teaching time, I learned a lot. I came away with the fact that I need to minister more to not only the Zone, but to my companion and those around me. I love people, taking that passion and lifting more. That's the idea.

Fun note, N from Tung Chung almost has his papers in, and we had three calls in our ward this week! (Hawaii, Australia, and D Y got called to England!).

It's been a good week. More than excited for conference this weekend, pretty jealous of everyone who has already seen it. I hear the cold is coming in, everyone start chopping the wood and get ready!! Winter fires are the best!

Oh ya and super fun Birthday this week. I don't feel much older.. I don't think time has effect anymore... Love you all!!

-- 

Love,

   Elder Sargent