Hong Kong: LESS TIME AHEAD OF ME THAN BEHIND ME NOW

June 14, 2016

Family,

Crazy fast week as always. Little scary that I have less time ahead of me than behind me now.

They decided to reorganize the leadership in the mission so that it fits with the new stakes. This will make it easier for the leaders of the mission.

We were able to meet with Zou Jm again, which was great. She has been sick recently. We read the Book of Mormon with her since she hasn't had much change to read it the past little while. She is always so nice to us. Gave us a bunch of Zhongzi, (sticky rice wrapped up in banana leaves and then steamed). Last week was the Dragon Boat Festival, so everyone eats and gives away these Zhongzi aparently. We have a ton in our fridge right now.

Wang le (王欒, pronounced like a child saying wrong but can't pronounce the r, and then somebody saying uuuhhh with an l in front) is doing good. He has been in Shen Zhen a lot, but we met with him before we went to a ward barbeque together and he wants to get baptized as soon as possible. June 26. That is as soon as we can do because we still have a decent amount of stuff he needs to be taught. We are excited for him.

Not much on anybody else.

Great english class this week. We had 26 students come. All within the age group of 6-12. It was so big. The members are so important. They helped us by putting up fliers and sign up sheets, a member helped us rent out a convient place and so on to help us have the class. We have been blessed with great members here in Hong Kong.

Been pretty busy this past week with a few new english classes to figure out and a mandarin activtity to organize and some other suprise things that have come up the past few days.

One of the blessings of being very busy and pressed for time, all the time, is it focuses your priorities on what is the most important thing to do. I think sometimes our Heavenly Father gives us way more things to do than we can ever get done on purpose. It helps us to rely on Him, be diligent, and consider what our priorities are.

One scripture that I have loved recently is found in 1 Corinthians 13. I don't remember the verse number, but it is the one that says something like: When I was a child, I spake as a child, I thought as a child, I understood as a child. But when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Sometimes I speak as a child (only concerned about what I want) and think as a child (selfish interests and focused in). But I hope I can more and more learn to become a man. To put away those childish things. To remember that the most important person in the world today is not me. To remember to forget myself and go to work. To focus out and ask God who needs me, who I can help and who I can serve and uplift.

Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Josh Stratford (施長老)