MACAU IS ROCKING! AND KOWLOON

January 15, 2017

Family,

Mom - I love teaching old men. They are great. A lot of them are really humble and willing to change habits, which is incredible considering how long they have been doing the same thing for so long. We are meeting with one this afternoon. I'll try to remember to take a picture. His name is LiJiu. Only concern left with him is Church and Word of Wisdom.

Met with a new friend this week who is very prepared. He has great questions about the Plan of Salvation and is sensitive to the spirit. His name is Patrick. He works here as a repair man. He is very humbleHe has a baptismal date for Feb 12. 

Met with a few other former investigators last week. I'll let you know more in the future if they become progressing.

One of the sisters we taught in Macau is still progressing and repenting and ready to be baptized on the 29th.

I found out recently as well that a sister we met with once in Macau and were good friends with from English Class now has a baptismal date for next month.

I also found out that some random guy I met on the bus soon before I left Macau now has a baptismal date as well. Macau is rocking! and Kowloon!

We have a great Branch President who is a returned missionary. I am excited to work with him to help the ward progress. We had an idea as we were thinking of how to best help the Branch progress. Most of the Mandarin missionaries in the mission (except New T's, Macau, and Tolo Harbour) attend Vic 3. There are usually 4-5 companionships at Sacrament every week. We probably will have each companionship focus on helping strengthen and reactivate 1 group, whether that be RS, EQ, YW, YM, YSA. We'll see what happens. This is obviously something that the Branch President will decide. Just an idea we had.

I am blessed to serve with Elder Woolley. He loves the Lord and the people we teach. Plus he is a triple threat, Mandarin, Cantonese and English.

As I was preparing for Sacrament, the thought I had that I could improve on this week was expressing gratitude. Both to my Heavenly Father and to those around me.

Treasuring Up is one of my goals for this year and as a part of that I have been writing down on a sticky note what I learn from personal study that day, sticking it in my planner and thinking about it throughout the remainder of the day. I think it helps me treasure up.

We also get to go to the temple this Thursday. I can't wait. I love the temple.

Elder Stratford

pic with Elder Sy friday night before he left home Saturday morning.


dinner with recent convert


dinner with member


far left is Sister Marissa and her husband Jeff. The middle man is Jomar. He is Jeff's brother who I met and started teaching while I was in Macau. He came here to find work to help his family in the Philippines. He got baptized 8 days ago.