NEVER REJECT A CHARITABLE IMPULSE

March 12, 2017

Family,

Thanks for all your help with the March Madness!

It is such a blessing to serve here in the Hong Kong China Mission. I am a very lucky and spoiled missionary. We had the opportunity to teach some mainlanders that were here in Hong Kong for a few days with their member friends. So prepared. These Mainlanders are absolutely incredible! As we shared scriptures answering her questions, she was visibly touched. She has great faith and bore her testimony many times to us throughout the morning. I am sure she will be baptized soon in China.  As we were preparing to teach her and another friend the message of the Restoration we were discussing and I mentioned to Elder Lau that after we shared Joseph's experience of the first vision, we would pause and not say anything until the investigator spoke or 30 sec had gone by. After sharing the experience in the lesson we paused and were still for probably almost 30 sec and then the investigator spoke and shared a wonderful experience and testimony and made some connections that might have been missed had we rushed ahead. I had prayed that morning that I might be able to follow the prompting of the spirit and act on those. I am coming to realize that if we are worthy and doing what we should, are thoughts will more and more be the direction of the spirit like was the case today. We probably don't even realize it most of the time.

Sometimes it is nice to get some follow-up. It helps you see the hand of the Lord in your life and answers to prayers. I was blessed to hear some follow-up this week. During the lesson with the mainlander, the member mentioned about some of the scriptures I had shared and she said basically (rough translation), "Really awesome. The scriptures you share with me, hit home and are what I need to hear and learn." Then as we were headed to lunch with them, her fellowshiper said to me, "You do a great job teaching from the scriptures and listening. You were inspired to share what you shared." That is a cool blessing to hear somebody else tell you that you are being a instrument in the hand of the Lord. That is one of my greatest desires and answers to prayers.

In a meeting last week President Lam made a comment that I love. A lot of missionaries are struggling to find people to teach and he said that we should first talk to the people we know or should know to find people to teach. I think that is good council. Too often we missionaries are too separated from the members and spend way too much time doing a less effective method for finding people to teach which is on the street. We are visiting and calling more members. It is a little tricky because there is 6 companionships in the Branch and everybody I have called has said, Actually, another companionship visited me last week or another companionship is already coming to visit this week. I don't want to overload the members.  Sometimes members see the missionaries are calling and know that the missionaries are going to ask them to help them do something. Even if we don't visit them, which we still will try and do, calling and expressing thanks I think is also a great way to build relationships. We are also starting up again writing thank you notes for the members.

I love the thought to never reject a charitable impulse. I just had a thought pop into my head of some follow-up that I needed to do and went and did and got a nice thank you. I felt the spirit strongly as the words of hymn #223 and #29 came into my mind. 

Another tender mercy this week: In comp study we role played giving a talk and not breaking eye contact. Elder Lau and I took turns at the pulpit in the chapel practicing a short message.  We have never done this before. Anyway later that day, Elder Ashton called Elder Lau and asked if he could help give a talk at the baptismal service that night. 

The highlight this week was Livia's confirmation in Sacrament meeting yesterday. Really powerful. She is an incredible member.

Elder Stratford

Had a meeting with all the mandarin missionaries a few weeks ago. Good group.