The Work Goes On

We had a great week, except for one particular incident. But, as always, the work goes on.

Unfortunately, we have to pass Rita to the Mandarin Elders. Hopefully she makes some progress. She's great but just stuck on a couple of the commandments.

Brandon is amazing! He is going to be baptized on Saturday! It is so wonderful to have someone so excited and ready to join the Church. We're going to be seeing him tonight, so we'll be able to keep that up. He actually went from smoking a pack of cigarettes a day to quitting cold turkey. It shows what the gospel can do with someone who really has faith in it.

Yuni is ALSO getting baptized on Saturday. We finished up teaching the commandments with her, and we were going to schedule it for next week, but she asked if she could just be baptized on Saturday. So, we had her baptismal interview and it all worked out! It is going to be a blast!
We set quite a few baptism dates! Elder Ng-Woon was gone for a couple of days, so President Clark went with me for our appointment with Ethel. We taught her from lesson three, answered her questions, and committed her to be baptized! It was a little surprising that she accepted! I did not have enough faith, but the Lord does work miracles in the hearts of His children as they search sincerely. We had her over at the Clark's after Church on Sunday and helped resolve her concerns. Unfortunately, she's been anti-ed pretty badly over the past few days, so we're working on picking up on it. It should be good. She's still willing to meet.

Church was great because we had a whole bunch of member referrals and surprise investigators turn up! It is good to have the members helping. That is the ONLY way that the work can truly go forth. It was a nice end to the week.

Rhea is a member's helper who has a sister who is also LDS. We met with her on Monday and had a wonderful lesson with her, where she also accepted a baptism date. It has been a blessing to meet some prepared people. Well be able to make the baptism goal for the mission two months on a row! And in Singapore! Well, no credit to us. Heavenly Father was kind enough to place His prepared children in our path.

On the way to Rhea's appointment, we were talking to people on the MRT. Along the way, I noticed staring at us. She got off at the same stop, so I started talking to her as we were going down the escalator. During that short conversation, she talked about how she really wanted to understand Christianity more. She noted that she was a flight attendant, and would be flying off soon, so I suggested that we meet her when she got back. She gave her contact information, and then asked "Can we meet tomorrow?" Was I shocked! I couldn't find any time in our schedule, so I asked if we could just meet her then, to which she said yes! We pushed our appointment to a later time, then sat down, and taught her the first lesson. She absorbed it, stating that she had been having a hard time the last few days, and she felt that we were an answer to her prayers. We set up a time to meet again the next day after rearranging her schedule.

And then it happened. We met with her and a member at the MRT stop by her house, and found a place nearby to sit down. Had all the niceties, then said a prayer. As we were about to say the prayer, I saw a woman walking by staring at us, thought nothing about it. As we finished the prayer, the same woman came up and grabbed our investigators drink, flinging it to the ground. She walked away. It was a pretty big shock. But then, she came back a few seconds later and started screaming at us to leave, that The Book of Mormon was goodness knows what, that we better not utter the name of Christ, and that we should leave. It scared me, well, all of us really bad. We walked away, with her still screaming that we better not smiling or anything. It was a scary experience. We went up to the food court to continue, though I think it was awhile before we could calm down.

The rest of the lesson went amazing still though. She accepted a baptism date, the rest of what we taught, committed to doing her best to follow the Word of Wisdom, and to read and pray. She'll be in London this weekend, so we got her to commit to meeting with the missionaries there, and set up an appointment for her. She is golden, in every sense of the word.

I was talking to some other people about what had happened later on, and two thoughts occurred to me. One, that the adversary was working very hard to shake Pamela, and two, that the Savior really suffered throughout the whole course of the Atonement. She is a great investigator, and I guess the adversary was doing his best to scare her. It was not a pleasant experience. That woman did not have good in her eyes.

The good that came out from it was the lesson that I learned about the Savior's Atonement. For once, I understood in a sense how it must have felt for Him when He walked down the via dolorosa, along with His trial and the accusations yelled at Him. Those people hated Him, and yet He pressed on. I in no way went through anything close to what He had to, but it was a shocking reminder that the Savior died for me, and He had to suffer in a way that we cannot comprehend. I don't think I can fully express in words how I felt, but I am grateful that I am more mindful of it now.

All is well now. As I said at the beginning, the work goes on, and it will.

-Elder Chua

Just a Good week!

We've had quite an amazing week!

Well, Elder Pulver was transferred to Kuching, so my current companion id Elder Ng-Woon from New Zealand, my first non-American companion. He's way hard working, and also plays the guitar and sings amazingly well. I'll miss Elder Pulver, he was a great Elder.

Elder Ng-Woon and I are now absorbing the teaching responsibilities for the 1st Ward, my old home ward, so that's been both interesting, but also really fun.

We met up with a "new" investigator, Brandon from Korea. He was learning from the missionaries, but moved here, so the Elders there told him to look us up. We've met with him three times now, and he is set to be baptized next Saturday! Brandon's English teacher happens to be a member in one of the wards I'm serving in, so that will be a great help.

Jen is doing great! She said that she would continue to read from the Book of Mormon, and that she would pray about it. She wants her daughter in the Philippines to learn too! Along with that, she also invited a friend, so we had a new investigator from that!

Ethel has met with us twice now! It's good! She came to Church once a few months ago with her member friend, but we're now making progress!

Another of our investigators that was progressing has had a little bit of a setback, because of problems with the Sabbath day and the law of chastity. Unfortunately, the investigator feels that she is somewhat obliged to her partner because they have been together for eight years, and that they will get married, maybe. She said that her boyfriend said that they would get married if she got pregnant, which shocked us, so the member who was with us tried to help out with explaining the virtue that has to be protected, and how she can't let herself be taken advantage of. It's disgusting to see how the world has casualized sexual relations outside the bonds of marriage, and how to often, people fall into that trap of carnal security, especially when they do not know how to get out with it. She also has problems with not shopping on Sunday. It's weird that she's perfectly fine with tithing and fasting though. I guess we each have our weaknesses, but through the Lord we can become strong (Ether 12:27).

Cisca had some of her concerns resolved, and we reset her baptism date: good.

On Saturday, we had the evening session of Stake Conference, where I was asked to bear my testimony/give a talk on how serving a mission has blessed my family and my own life. As I was reflecting upon it, it was good to see the blessings come from a mission, and the things that I have learned, but also how fallible I am at time. I practiced my talk with Elder Pulver a few times, but of course it came of rather different when I was on the stand, because I don't write out my talks anymore, but just have a few points written down (I like having a bit more of that confidence now). My parents were there, (which is always a treat). It was good to be able to bear my testimony of missionary work and of the gospel to them also. As I talked about the Atonement, I learned some things about the Atonement, and understood more about it than ever before. The Spirit teaches. It was a marvelous experience.

The rest of Saturday Conference was wonderful. There were talks on relationships between family members, on how we can all listen more than ever to the counsel of the living prophets and apostles. President Lai gave a wonderful talk on how that will bless us, how reading conference talks and applying them will bless us. All too often, people just pick what they like, but I am learning day by day that we have to listen to EVERYTHING they say. President and Sister Clark were also inspiring on single and couple missionaries. Stake Conference on Sunday was great. It was a multi-stake satellite broadcast, and we had some great talks on forgiveness, virtue, endurance, faithfulness, being member-missionaries, and finding hope in the future, and in the Savior. Sister Dalton especially talked about our Stake President, about his willingness to obey the commandments of the Lord. Conferences are always so good.

Well, we'll see what this week brings. Take care.

Letters please! Encouragement! There's been a seven week dearth!

Love you all!

-Elder Chua

"Christ is the Reason"

General Conference was amazing. Sister Anderson called to remind/let us know that we could have a question to take to the Lord, to have it answered in General Conference. At first, it didn't seem that there was anything particularly special. But, soon, there was talk after talk that gave me wonderful counsel and direction that I can now ponder and apply in my life, and especially in my missionary work. More than that, though, was the face that a question that had been nagging at me at the back of my mind was answered, and really brought peace to me, to know that Heavenly Father was mindful of that concern even when I didn't bring it up. I now know more than ever that Heavenly Father has his restored Church on this Earth today, that the fullness of doctrine has been restored. It is a comfort to have that knowledge.

Two investigators who I want to highlight this week are Rita and Thiam Heng.

Rita has been continuing to learn, and has been progressing well. She asks really introspective questions, and those that a true investigator asks, one who really wants to understand the restored gospel, and the plan that Heavenly Father has for us. She has a cheerful countenance, and came for a couple of Conference sessions, so that was great!

Thiam Heng brought a friend named Fuji to our appointment. We went over to President O'Grady's (1st counselor in the Stake Presidency) home since he works at the school that Thiam Heng attends. We taught them the message of the Restoration of the Gospel, which was a wonderful experience with the Spirit. They committed to praying and reading to know if what we taught was true, and had a good dinner after that. Aside from the food though, it was good to have two people who were really pondering on the things that we taught them.

We're meeting with a couple of new investigators this evening, one of them a friend from high school so that will be interesting. Her boyfriend is on a mission, so we're helping her to learn more. The other appointment is also with a girl whose boyfriend is on a mission. Both in Australia. It'll be good.

District Meeting was titled "Christ is the Reason." It was good to be able to focus on the Savior and remember that we are doing what we are doing only because of Him.

We truly do testify of Christ. (http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,90-1-10-1,00.html)

-Elder Chua

The Divine Companionship

This week has been relatively normal. Relative because the last few weeks have been crazy, as you can pretty much tell.

We had quite a few appointments cancelled this week, so that was a bummer, but we still met with a few people and had some very spiritual appointments.

Samantha is the less-active who we're still meeting up with. She's doing pretty alright. Still struggling to read the Book of Mormon every day, but she did come to Church on Sunday! When we met with her last week, we read a couple of chapters, and answered a few of her questions. She's a happy girl. As we were leaving the appointment, I thought of the scripture in Doctrine 7 Covenants 18: 15-16, about the joy in bringing souls to the Lord. Besides baptizing people, there is much joy in bringing lost sheep back to the fold, people who have known the truth but who have lost their way for awhile. The sweet joy in seeing them make their journey back is exciting, seeing that flame rekindled is such a wonderful feeling.

On Friday, we had an appointment with Jen, our wonderful Filipina investigator. Unfortunately, our member who was supposed to meet us at the MRT wasn't there. Waited for him, but ended up having to go because we were already late. We weren't sure what bus to take, so we hopped on one that seemed to be going in the right direction. That was a mistake. We got completely lost. We then got in a cab, but the cab driver didn't know where to go either! Ended up just getting out and called to apologize. Thankfully, she was good about it.

Went over the Brother and Sister How's place with Bishop after that. Had a good Family Home Evening with them. They asked some great questions about families. Bishop Choo was great at answering their questions.

Yuni and Cisca are progressing well. Andrew, the guy we taught a week ago is doing amazing! He'll get baptized, but unfortunately, we have to pass him to the Filipino Elders. Oh well, it'll still be wonderful to us when he gets baptized.

Joanne dropped us. Still too attached to her boyfriend, and not to God.

Church was great! Some members brought friends, and some of our investigators came. Not the turnout we wanted, but still not too bad.

Went to the hospital to visit a member in the ICU who is fighting cancer. It was a sobering moment as we stood there and just watched the machine help her breathe. Life is so fragile, the body is so amazing, but also so susceptible. Her family was there, and it was good to be able to talk to them. We got to talking with her non-member daughter, chatted with her, and gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon. She was really thinking as we taught her a little about it, about the plan for the eternities. It's good to know that Heavenly Father has a plan for us.

District training was "The Spirit is the Key." The only way to really teach that is really to read through what Preach My Gospel says about it, so we did just that. We then listened to an amazing talk by Elder Holland entitled The Divine Companionship. It was an amazing lesson on how the Spirit works, how we are to use it. He said, ""The Godhead will bear testimony of you and your companion — frail, little uncelestial souls that you are — when you have earnestly tried to become part of the Divine Order. You have prayed and studied and fasted appropriately, and have always exerted great faith. You have been obedient to the commandments, to the rules of the mission, and to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. You have kept yourself morally clean in thought, in word, in deed, and have helped your companion do the same. You have tried to develop Christlike attributes, have worked diligent hours and have tried to be a witness of God 'at all times and in all things and in all places' (Mosiah 18:9). "If you try to live this way — try with all the best that is within you — the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost above you will smile and say, 'It is enough. We will let these missionaries and their investigators feel a portion of the power of heaven. We will let them feel the touch of our unity and our divinity. …"

I know that it is the Holy Ghost that teaches, it has to b Heavenly Father lesson, not ours. It is such a marvelous gift, that of the Holy Ghost.

Finally, we've met with a new investigator named Irish a couple of times. We contacted her while we were going to the How's. She's been rather scantily –clad these past couple of times, so we taught her about modesty last night.

Funny story. We met up with Irish at the Orchard MRT. When we saw her, we weren't sure what to do, because she was wearing a see-through blouse and really short shorts. Elder Pulver refused ton walk by her and talk to her (I think he was freaked out). While we were walking to Macdonald's to have our appointment, we walked past a store where she motioned for me to look and said "nice lingerie." I think Elder Pulver walked even further behind. Awkward. It got even more weird when she tried to sit by us and, well, touch us. The lesson was ok.

But....

The thing with Irish is that she seems to be rather insecure, but she shows it by trying to be as physically attractive as possible. We taught her about the plan of salvation on Sunday, emphasizing the point that she is a daughter of God. I think that as she comes to know who she is as a child of God, that she will change. We were rather apprehensive as we started teaching her (some comments and moves that she had made). But, as we taught her, it was apparent that she really did have a desire to know. She asked some great questions about the plan. When we called to confirm last night's appointment, she was so excited; she was confused as to why there were so many churches, so we taught her that. She's coming to watch General Conference this Sunday!

I love the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the mighty change of heart that it brings to the children of God.

-Elder Chua