Elder Ly dropped and busted his new camera!

Hello Everyone! Xin Chao from Vietnam!

I am so sorry it has been a while since I have actually gotten out a good group email! Everything is going great here in Vietnam, and I just got my first transfer call in the Mission! I will actually be staying with my same companion in the same area, but it is actually a huge blessing, because we have an investigator with a baptismal date of April 23, and now I will get to continue to teach her and watch her be baptized, because I will be staying in the same area with the same companion!

I was just up in Hanoi, Vietnam for a Mission Conference with all of the Missionaries, and the Area Presidency, and let me tell you it was so nice to escape the heat in Saigon! Hanoi (North Vietnam) has all four seasons, but Saigon (South Vietnam) only has two seasons. That was really fun though, and we got a picture with our MTC group that was reunited (because we had one elder go up North, while us three came down South). 

We currently have 1 investigator with a baptismal date, 2 progressing investigators, 1 potential investigator, and 1 new investigator, so the work is really moving along and it is wonderful to see!

Hopefully I will have more pictures next week, and some videos of me speaking Vietnamese. I'm getting a new camera today, because the other one broke [yeah...he dropped it, that's why it broke!]

I wish to share one experience in particular that really touched my heart for this week: I am just about finished with my 12 week training period, but I am not quite finished until Thursday when the transfers actually kick into place. So, for training time yesterday, my companion and I watched "The District 2" videos. For those of you who are not familiar with The District videos, they are basically real life videos of Missionaries and their daily lives. They are really great training tools and learning opportunities. "The District 2" follows a Ddstrict of missionaries serving in San Diego, California. One of the sisters in The District (Sister Vogel is her name I believe), lost her brother while she was serving. Of course, she was devastated. but, she knew that the work of the Lord had to continue, and that she needed to continue to be able to function as a missionary. So, she relied completely on Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. She spent much time on her knees in prayer to her Heavenly Father. Later in the video, she talks about how there will always come a point in everyone's life where things will go wrong, and where God and Jesus Christ are the only ones that we have to rely on. She said that it was so important to teach the people in our missions about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, because people needed to know that they could have someone to rely on when all else seemed lost, just like she had to with dealing with the death of her brother. I really take this message to heart, because my mission has been a very tough experience thus far. I have learned more about my weaknesses than my strengths, I struggle to talk to and connect with the Vietnamese people, and my companion and I have had some rough patches. I have also really struggled with homesickness while being out here. But, I take great comfort in the fact that I can rely on the Lord and His grace and mercy. When all else has seemed lost, I  know that I can rely on Him, because He suffered for my sins, and He knows how I feel. I testify that the Lord is our Light. He is our everything, and Christ and our Heavenly Father are the only ones  we may have when things get tough. I testify that as we put the Lord first in our life, and rely on Him through those hard times, that we will truly come to know Him and what He has done for us as children of God! I invite all of you to put the Lord first in your life, and to truly rely on Him, because Christ and Heavenly father are all we have sometimes. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I have some fun pictures that I will hopefully get to send soon of bowling for zone P-Day, a 3-D art museum in Vietnam, Mission Conference in Hanoi, Vietnam, etc. Also, please send me a quick email if you ever get the chance. I'd love to hear from all of you! Don't forget to visit my mission blog at: justinsvietnammission.blogspot.com

I love you all!

Love,

Elder Ly (Anh Ca Dung)

Lovin' Ho Chi Minh City!

​Hello Everyone! Friends and family!

As promised last week, this week's group email will be much better, and much more detailed.

I will start by talking about the area I am in right now. The area I am in covers District 4, District 7, and Nhà Bè of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). My companion( Elder Vinh) and I live in an apartment complex in District 4. It's interesting how Ho Chi Minh City is divided up. It's basically divided up into Districts.

My companion is Elder Le. His Vietnamese name is Anh Ca Vinh. He is full Vietnamese, but is from Roy, Utah. He spoke a little bit of Vietnamese before his Mission, but not much. His Vietnamese is very good though, and he is a wonderful Trainer! 

I only have about two and a half weeks more of training, and then we have transfers! I might be staying with my Trainer, or I might move somewhere else. It's very exciting to not know where I will be going in the next two and a half weeks! Everything is a new adventure!

The Vietnamese language is a very hard language, because there are six tones. So, you can't just learn a new vocabulary word, and then start using it. You also have to know what "tone" it has. For example, the Vietnamese word "ma" with your voice going up in intonation means "mother." If you say it with your voice going down in intonation, it means "ghost." I have a really funny story to tell that goes with this. One of the Sisters in my MTC group is in Cambodia Vietnamese speaking. In her group email, she said that they had a branch missionary meeting, and she was taking the lead about talking about people in her and her companion's area. She meant to say "Less-Active," as in less active member, but said it with the wrong tone, and ended up saying "poop" instead. Man tonal languages are the best LOL! My Vietnamese has been going okay. My companion speaks really good Vietnamese, and is always correcting me, so my pronunciation has improved a lot! I can have simple conversations with people, teach a few simple Gospel Doctrines, and Testify. I have actually made it a goal on my Mission to bear my Testimony in Vietnamese every fast Sunday, and so far I have hit that goal with three Testimonies in Church!

Overall, Vietnam is such a beautiful country, the people are amazing, and the food here is amazing. We get to pass by the Saigon River all the time, and there was even a cruise ship on the River for a period of time (like a real cruise ship!). The people here work so hard, and they get so excited when they find out that you can even speak a little bit of their language. The food here is so flavorful and amazing! They use a lot of fish sauce here in their food, but surprisingly it doesn't taste super fishy!

Above all, some of the most incredible experiences thus far on my Mission, have been being able to meet my Vietnamese family for the first time! I just had dinner with my grandma's sister on Thursday, and it was amazing!

Testimony Time: (Carrying on the tradition!)

This last Sunday was fast and testimony Sunday, and one of the Senior Missionaries got up and bore her Testimony. She talked about how the Savior is always with us, "on our right hand and on our left." This statement just hit me, because to be honest these past nine weeks in Vietnam have been very tough. The language is really hard, it's tough to connect with the people, and I get homesick a lot. But, I take great comfort in the fact that the Savior is always with me to guide me and to lead me. The Savior knows us personally, and he knows our trials, because he suffered for all of our sins on the Cross. I would like to invite all of you to always remember that the Savior is with you through all that you do. You do not have to walk alone in this life, because there is always someone that understands and there is always someone who is there for you. I want to testify that our Savior knows each and everyone of us, and that he loves us more than we can even imagine, And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

It's not over yet! Now for pictures and a video of me bearing my Testimony in Vietnamese!

Attachments area

 A Vietnamese dessert with fruit and ice cream (Kem)

 A photo with family right in Vietnam!

Where we go to send emails.

 Another photo of the internet place.

And one more of the internet place. A lot of people go there to play games.

 A famous Vietnamese drink with a combination of soy milk and soda. So refreshing!

Famous Vietnamese market.

2 months in Vietnam already! February 28, 2017

Hello Everyone!

This will be a short group email, but still wanted to get something in! With my companion, Elder Vinh, we are currently experiencing the most success we have ever had while being on the Mission. We currently have four investigators, and hopefully some potential investigators on the way! This is a lot for Vietnam! The free english class that we teach is also doing very well, and we now have over 20 students in the beginning english class that we teach. That doesn't even include students in the Intermediate class! I will be meeting with my grandma's side of the family for dinner next week, so more to come on that soon hopefully!

Testimony Time: 

My 8 weeks so far in Vietnam have not been easy to be honest, and I have struggled a lot. I have seen many imperfections in myself, and it has made me feel very down on myself at times. But, my Mission President, President Hassell, has always told us that love drives this Mission. When we truly forget ourselves and focus on loving the people, that is when the Lord is able to take care of our imperfections and make it work. I have a strong Testimony that when we truly focus on others rather than ourselves, that the Lord in turn is able to bless us greatly.

I love you all so much, and I promise that next week's group email will be a lot longer and a lot more detailed than this!

Love,

Elder Ly (Anh Ca Dung)

More Pics! FEB 19, 2017

More Pictures:

1.people sleep and nap in these all the time.

2.funny picture of a dog we saw

3.from our beginning english class

4.more family pictures (from my grandma's side this time)

5.more family pictures

Ostrich and Alligator Meat! FEB 19, 2017

Hello Everyone!

So before I start off with anything else in this group email, you must hear this first! I ate Ostrich and Alligator this week! Man what a meal that was!

Anyway, everything is going well over here in Vietnam! We currently have one new investigator, and hopefully another new investigator by next week! My Vietnamese is getting better as I speak more and more with the natives. I have chosen to speak the Southern dialect of the Vietnamese language, and will be speaking it my entire Mission, and even when I go up North to Hanoi. Apparently, even people up North who speak the Northern dialect, prefer that you speak the Southern dialect with them, because it is easier to understand. I will be having transfers (new companion) in about 5 weeks! I have already gotten to meet my grandma's side of the family, as well as my grandpa's side! The food here is amazing, and I don't normally eat strange meat like what I listed above.

I have quite a story to tell from meeting my grandfather's side of the family! We met with some of my Aunts from my grandfather's side, and one of my Aunts has had experience with the Church! She had lived in Australia for a year for job training for her work. She was looking for a church to go to, and the only one close by (across from her house I believe) was The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! She attended the church for a year, and loved it! She even helped out the Missionaries in their lessons, because there used to be a Vietnamese speaking Mission in Australia! But, when she returned to Vietnam after her year was up, she stopped investigating and participating in Church. Now, we are working on possibly seeing if we can spark her interest again in the church, and she actually knows one of the Elders here, because of a friend that she has in Utah! I never even knew that any of my Vietnamese family had any experience with the church, except for my dad! This is very exciting! I also gave all of my Aunts on my grandfather's side, contact of the Missionaries! This is so exciting! Who would have known!

Testimony Time:

This next coming week will not be an easy one, because I will be taking the lead with answering the phone, teaching all of the Gospel Principles in the lessons, and finding addresses on the map. My trainer is having me take lead in all things, so that I can really grow more and improve my Vietnamese as well. I am very nervous, because I rely on my trainer for a lot of things. But, I know that I need to look to the Lord as my light. I need to rely on the Lord for all things, even though it feels scary at first. We all must "walk by faith rather than by sight." As we do this and look to the Lord is our light, he will take care of our imperfections, and he will make us qualified for the challenges we must overcome. And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Love,

Elder Ly (Anh Ca Dung)

Can't forget pictures!:

1.Family in Vietnam!

2.We found some puppies!

3.some of the ostrich and alligator meat

4.another family photo in Vietnam!

Justin is speaking Vietnamese!

Hello Family and Friends!

I hope that everyone is doing well! Please email me personally if you haven't gotten the chance to do so yet, and I will get back to you as soon as possible! 

The Mission here in Vietnam is going pretty well thus far! We are in an interesting situation though. We just lost two investigators, but we are hopefully going to be gaining two new investigators. We had an investigator named Anh Chuong. He was progressing very well at first, and we had a baptismal date of yesterday for him. But, something happened, and we weren't able to contact him for just about an entire month! We cam to find out through another member, that his parents didn't want him learning about the church or going to anymore church activities. So, he has decided to just stick with his religion and to stop learning about the Gospel. We will continue to pray for him, and hope that he will have the desire to re-learn about the Gospel one day. We also had another investigator named Em Ngan. She was a golden investigator who kept our commitments, and even accepted the invitation to be baptized during the first lesson we had with her. Unfortunately, she is moving to Singapore on Monday for school and work for at least a year. she has received an answer though that the church is true, and she is willing to continue learning about the Gospel in English over in Singapore, instead of Vietnamese. We are currently working on getting in contact with the Mission President in her area. We will hopefully be gaining a new investigator today, Em Doan. So that's just a little background information on what's going on in our area.

Vietnam is so beautiful! We get to bike across the Saigon River almost everyday, and it is magnificent! Most people ride bikes and motorcycles here, but there are still cars as well. Most of the time when you see a car though, it is used for taxi purposes. The food here is amazing as well! They use fish sauce in a lot of food, but it still tastes great! Biking here is so much fun, and such a great exercise! We have a 35 minute bike ride to the church, so anytime we have district meeting, English class, church, English meeting, etc., that's the bike ride we take! It's a great cardio workout!

Please enjoy the video of my Testimony in Vietnamese!​ (note from Juliann...the video was too long to upload...dang it!)

February 2017: Vietnam has beautiful beaches, too!

Hello Everybody!

Sorry it's been a while since I sent a group email! Things have been crazy busy with the Lunar New Year holiday, and what not! This will be a quick email, but at least it's something for the week.

The Missionary work here is very different, but at the moment we have to investigators, and one potential investigator. My language is getting better and better as I talk to the natives. The Food is delicious! One of my favorite dishes is called Bum Cha. It's a noodle dish that originated from Hanoi. Biking here is so much fun as well! The Roads are crazy, but I love it!

Please enjoy pictures, and I promise next week's group email will be much better than this one!

Love,

Elder Ly (Anh Ca Dung)​​

Mission Contact information

Phone number:

+84 4 6282 3065

Email address

2052393@ldschurch.org

Mailing address:     

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Tầng 19,  Keangnam Landmark 72,

Lô E6, Phạm Hùng, Phường Mễ Trì, Quận Nam Từ Liêm, 

Hà Nội, Việt Nam