FIRST LESSON IN ENGLISH

10/11/15

Family,

Nice work Sadie. That's sweet.  

Doing well.  Conference was great.  I wish I could read the talks again. I'll have to wait for the Ensign.  

Good week.  I taught my first lesson in English this week which was amazing.  We taught Jonas, a less active in the 2nd branch.  It was probably the most powerful and spirit filled lesson I've been in since the start of my mission.  He told us his conversion story and shared his powerful testimony. It's amazing being able to understand and be able to share your feelings without being focused on the language.  He is going to prepare to receive the Priesthood.  I had the opportunity to lead a lesson with Tang Yang this week because my comp has been sick, so he just sat out.  It was pretty hard teaching without my comp, since I have nobody to fall back on when I don't undersand, but Parker (fellowshipper) and I were able to teach and testify and Tang Yang was able to understand.  He is amazing.  He knows a lot about the gospel and has a powerful spirit about him.  We just need to help him come to church, and he commited to come to Conference. So hopefully he came.  I don't know since I now am in New Territories.  

So I am now serving in New Territories area, it is the North West part, out in the outskirts of the mission again. It is very different from Macau. A lot more rural and no Casinos left and right.  I left a pretty sweet apartment with 3 Elders to now a smaller apartment with 8 Elder's.  A lot more crowded, and there are only 6 beds, so I get the couch. and the windowsill for my study area, but it good.  I get a good view. and there is warm water in the showers and the filter works better and the ironing board works.  They have a sweet chapel here. three actually.  Our area is about 2 and a half times bigger than Macau.   

Quick thought.  I loved what Elder Lawrence said in conference that our direction not our speed is important. It is easy to focus on the speed and sometimes when we do, it is easy to lose direction. It's similar to Elder Eyring's message this month, it is a marathon not a sprint. We need to remember to stay grounded and focused on the most important things and make sure we are heading in the right direction.  We can better do this through our perspective.  As we have an eternal perspective and strive to see things from God's eyes, we can better know what we can focus on and what we need to do to move in the right direction. The only way we lose is by not continuing and giving up

.I'll share more thoughts in the next weeks. out of time.

I know the gospel is true and we are led by living prophets. I know the Savior's grace is real and sufficient to cover us and transform us however long that transformation process takes.

Thank you for your examples and prayers.

Elder Stratford

Sister Sanderson and Sister Siu, the sister training leaders

Elder Holbrook shining our shoes.  He does this for us every district meeting.  He's amazing.

Elder Lai and I. He is the zone leader with my comp.

Elder Ma and I Friday morning. day I left.  He has been sick the past few days.

My new study area. I am in a tri companionship.

My new companions. Elder Darrington and Elder Liew (zone leader). Although he just got called today to become an assistant. So he is leaving Thursday. We'll see what happens because Elder Darrington came in with me to the mission.

My comps

Little more tight in this apartment.