大家好！
This week for our preparation/rest day we went up to Big Buddha with the rest of the Elders in the zone. It was in total about a six hour hike (16.6km, altitude 480m), as we decided to take the full hike instead of the bus. Because of it though we are getting back with just a little time left for this weekly email.
This week went by so fast. Just today while calling family for mother's day I realize it has been 11 months in the mission, but it's hardly felt like I've been away for more than half of a year.
With things going on with Zone Conference this week, the whole mission was coming through the office for materials, and it was a big scramble to get people what they needed. However in the middle of it all we were able to teach all of our progressing friends and help our friend Quidde accept a baptismal date during our lesson in the chapel. As well as this we gave an impromptu chapel tour this Sunday while going out to study, and ended up taking the friend all the way South to the Wan Chai chapel where we were able to introduce him to the Elders serving there.
Saturday was especially memorable, with exchanges with Elder Clayton serving in Tsing Yi. It was refreshing to spend a day out of the office; we made an ad, taught several lessons, met such a kind Indonesian cook, and met so many cool members at a ping pong activity that night. Their friend Ta Kie, whom I only remember because it sounds like 'takis' was coming for the first time and it was so fun connecting with him over the sport.
This Wednesday we had Zone Conference, which was based on one of the core principles of any religion, faith. One of the questions that President had actually wanted us to consider during our interviews with him was about this core concept of faith, more specifically "what [you would] be able to do if you had more faith." There was a lot shared about unity and charity, but in my personal studies I ended up finding a profound relationship between faith, humility, and the Holy Spirit.
"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (John 14: 26).
This past Sunday we had one of our friends Tiger who made it to church late so he ended up attending the Olympic ward. That was one of, if not the most chaotic sacrament meeting, with kids laughing and crying during the talks, with one even running a lap up the pew and back. At one point a parent chased up the front benches to catch their child who was would not calm down. However, as the meeting ended and Tiger talked with parents and members, he had nothing but a smile on his face. He also showed up on his own with a suit and black slacks for the first time, and it has been so cool to see him find increased interest in the Gospel.
A similar thing happened when we gave the chapel tour just this past Sunday. Once our friend Jackie entered the chapel for the first time, he simply stated that he felt "a strange peace that he had never felt before."
The Holy Ghost, of whom works in divine unity with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, is what has led me to understand for myself the truthfulness of this gospel, and what it means to be religiously engaged. Faith is the first step, and the Holy Ghost is the promise. Expressed simply by Corinthians 5:7, "(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)"
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).
I pray that if you don't have this testimony that you experiment on the word, to find this peace which can only be brought forth by the Holy Ghost. Meet the missionaries, and if you have, help them teach!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/qkaoEe965etiYQuj7
Stay safe, have a good week, and go to church,
Elder Zhao
趙長老！
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This week for our preparation/rest day we went up to Big Buddha with the rest of the Elders in the zone. It was in total about a six hour hike (16.6km, altitude 480m), as we decided to take the full hike instead of the bus. Because of it though we are getting back with just a little time left for this weekly email.
This week went by so fast. Just today while calling family for mother's day I realize it has been 11 months in the mission, but it's hardly felt like I've been away for more than half of a year.
With things going on with Zone Conference this week, the whole mission was coming through the office for materials, and it was a big scramble to get people what they needed. However in the middle of it all we were able to teach all of our progressing friends and help our friend Quidde accept a baptismal date during our lesson in the chapel. As well as this we gave an impromptu chapel tour this Sunday while going out to study, and ended up taking the friend all the way South to the Wan Chai chapel where we were able to introduce him to the Elders serving there.
Saturday was especially memorable, with exchanges with Elder Clayton serving in Tsing Yi. It was refreshing to spend a day out of the office; we made an ad, taught several lessons, met such a kind Indonesian cook, and met so many cool members at a ping pong activity that night. Their friend Ta Kie, whom I only remember because it sounds like 'takis' was coming for the first time and it was so fun connecting with him over the sport.
This Wednesday we had Zone Conference, which was based on one of the core principles of any religion, faith. One of the questions that President had actually wanted us to consider during our interviews with him was about this core concept of faith, more specifically "what [you would] be able to do if you had more faith." There was a lot shared about unity and charity, but in my personal studies I ended up finding a profound relationship between faith, humility, and the Holy Spirit.
"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (John 14: 26).
This past Sunday we had one of our friends Tiger who made it to church late so he ended up attending the Olympic ward. That was one of, if not the most chaotic sacrament meeting, with kids laughing and crying during the talks, with one even running a lap up the pew and back. At one point a parent chased up the front benches to catch their child who was would not calm down. However, as the meeting ended and Tiger talked with parents and members, he had nothing but a smile on his face. He also showed up on his own with a suit and black slacks for the first time, and it has been so cool to see him find increased interest in the Gospel.
A similar thing happened when we gave the chapel tour just this past Sunday. Once our friend Jackie entered the chapel for the first time, he simply stated that he felt "a strange peace that he had never felt before."
The Holy Ghost, of whom works in divine unity with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, is what has led me to understand for myself the truthfulness of this gospel, and what it means to be religiously engaged. Faith is the first step, and the Holy Ghost is the promise. Expressed simply by Corinthians 5:7, "(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)"
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).
I pray that if you don't have this testimony that you experiment on the word, to find this peace which can only be brought forth by the Holy Ghost. Meet the missionaries, and if you have, help them teach!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/qkaoEe965etiYQuj7
Stay safe, have a good week, and go to church,
Elder Zhao
趙長老！
祈長老！Elder Clayton 
Tiger at Institute!
Elder Halgren! My comp 夏長老
Big Buddha today
At 灣仔教堂 Wan Chai Chapel 
During our weekly family chat, Elder Zhao mentioned that on his PDay he was going to Big Buddha with his district. When Da heard it, he immediately went to the family blog and pulled up photos of when our family visited Big Buddha back in May of 2010. Then Da asked Elder Zhao to re-enact some of the poses our family had, esp FF with her legs on the steps.
