Hello Everyone, family and friends! Xin Chao Gia Dinh va Ban Be!
I have some exciting news......We got our transfer calls on Saturday night, and I will be getting a new companion! His name is Elder Hung. He was actually born here in Vietnam in Mi Tho (probably spelled that wrong). It is a town that is a little further south than Saigon. He was adopted when he was 1 year old, and has grown up with an American family in Colorado Springs. He has served up in Hanoi for seven months, and we will be together starting tomorrow!
This week has been a little bit of a slow one. We haven't had many lessons or appointments, which means a lot of contacting! Contacting can be very difficult, but it can also be pretty fun as well. When we contact, we have some church cards, and we basically go out and get to know people better, and share the message of the church with them. This week we really focused on contacting in the "Hems." The "Hems" are these really narrow streets away from the noise of the street, where all of the houses tend to be. When you are in these Hems, you actually feel like you are in Vietnam, rather than in the very modern city. In the "Hems" people often sells things, hang around their houses, and even do Vietnamese karaoke! (that is quite a sight). The "Hems" are great places to contact because things are more calm and you really get away from the hustle and bustle of busy streets. It was definitely a major blessing for me to have so much time to contact this week because it was a great opportunity for me to practice my Vietnamese, as well as my people skills. Let me tell you that sometimes it takes quite a bit of courage to just go up and start talking to someone in a language other than your native tongue, plus sharing about the church, but it can be so fun as well! Last night I had a wonderful experience contacting. I went on splits with another Elder in our apartment, and we started contacting in those "Hems." We weren't having much success, so we went to a park called Cong Vien Khanh Hoi (Cong Vien is "park" in Vietnamese). It was amazing because it was almost like the Lord had just lined people up for us to talk to. Almost every bench we walked by, we ended up talking to someone. I don't think even 5 minutes went by when we weren't talking with someone. We met this really cool guy named Anh Son who spoke every good English. He said he liked us and could tell that we had a good heart.
Testimony Time:
We had Breakfast this morning with the senior missionary couple in our branch who work here for LDS Charities (Elder and Sister MacDonald). At the end of breakfast, we shared with them about the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and how wonderful the Atonement is because it gives us the opportunity to change and to become better. They shared about how they had seen the Atonement in the work they do here in Vietnam. One of the services they provide are wheelchairs from the LDS Charities organization. They shared about the joy that comes from seeing the change in these people and themselves when they give service. As great as this was, one thing in particular really stuck out to me. Elder MacDonald was talking about how some of these people would carry their family members who couldn't walk (this was before they received the wheelchair), and just how much charity that these people had for their family members. Charity is truly the "pure love of Christ." We were able to relate it to how the Atonement of Jesus Christ truly is the greatest act of Charity for God's children. I am so thankful and grateful for Christ's charity for God's children through His Atoning sacrifice. I want to follow the example of the Savior, and always have charity "the pure love of Christ" in my heart, for others. I testify that the Savior's grace is sufficient for all of us, because of the charity that he has! I want to invite you all to read Mornoni 7, and to really ponder and pray about how you can have more Charity. Remember that without charity we are nothing! I love you all!
Picture Time!
1. Let's just say I got a little distracted with something cute while we were contacting....probably one of the cutest dogs I've ever seen...looks a lot like Kizzy, except Brown LOL!
2. Last picture with Elder Vinh and me as companions with our progressing investigators, Anh Ha and Chi Tu and their kids, Moon and Bee.
3. Last picture with Elder Vinh and me, and our Investigator who is so close to being baptized, Em Doan.
4. Last picture with Elder Vinh and me, and the recent convert we are teaching who will hopefully serve a mission soon, Anh Hieu.
5. Getting ready for English Class with the District!
