Monday, April 28, 2014

Come, Come, Ye Saints

Well, my friends, this week has been a good one. We got to go do some contacting in a rarely-visited place known as Tabuan Jaya, and have gotten 8 new names and numbers from our efforts. Hopefully those will result in new investigators this upcoming week.
Quick Spiritual Thought: The Lord really does expect us to do our best and leave the rest up to Him. We have to do EVERYTHING we can, and then pray that it is an acceptable offering to the Lord. Through the enabling power of His Atonement, I testify that we can truly do anything. The Lord is marvelous. Yesterday in Church one of our relief society sisters said something that I really liked (pardon me for not putting tone marks on here, I'm too lazy): "Tianfu de quanbing duome lihai!" In English (roughly): How awesome is Heavenly Father's authority! And how true that statement is! I know that He lives and longs for us to have a relationship with Him, one that will outlast this mortal sphere and that will extend into the eternities. I'm so grateful for the sealing power of the Priesthood, and for the eternal nature of the family. I know that this Church is true, and I know that the Lord is at our head.
In conclusion, I've been a little bad about sending out pics to errbody, so I'm trying to repent. Here are some that will hopefully brighten your day :)

[The pictures Elder Sam tried to send would not upload.  He's going to try again next week.  Sorry:) ]

Monday, April 21, 2014

"Happy [Easter], Harry!"--Hermione Granger

Fun fact: Hermione actually said "Happy Christmas, Harry!", but since right now isn't quite that time of year I had to revise the statement :) But, you could say that this is THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR, since without Easter, we wouldn't have Christmas. Boom. :)
This past week has been awesome. I've had a chance to really reflect on the power of the Savior in our lives. For instance: This past weekend we had the chance to set up another one of the family history booths. It was in a much slower mall than last time's experience, but that's okay. We were able to have our booth there for two days; on the morning of the second day, during my Personal Study, I had a chance to reflect on the Atonement as I finished reading the Gospel of John. I then took a moment to look at one of my little photo albums (I've got three or four of them) that contained pictures of my family in it. 
The Atonement is that enabling power that binds families together for time and for all eternity. The sacrifice of our Savior is the salvation for siblings, spouses, parents, children, ancestors, and descendants. Easter is a time for remembering these things. Over here in Kuching, people seem to be more focused on celebrating Good Friday--they'll go to church for the one and only time of the year, maybe drink some communion wine, sing a few hymns in Latin, and then go along their merry way. One of the senior sisters here mentioned something that really brought to my mind the place that Good Friday has in our beliefs and where emphasis truly should be placed. She said something to the effect of: "Mormons do celebrate Good Friday. We celebrate it every Sunday when we partake of the Sacrament."
How true that is! Easter, my friends, is a time to keep in remembrance the sacred sacrifice of the Son of God. But Easter is also a time of holy rejoicing, of celestial joy, of comfort and peace. At Easter our focus should be less on the cross and more on the empty tomb; less on the garments that were gambled for, and more on the clean white clothes neatly folded within Joseph of Arimathea's sepulcher. HE LIVES, and while He lives, we can do nothing but sing and shout with the armies of heaven! HE LIVES, and because He lives, we can be with our loved ones, our family members, our departed kindred, for the eternities. HE LIVES, and since He lives, we can be cleansed from any weakness or wickedness that besets us. HE LIVES! It surely is the most joyous of messages in this world; the good news, the glad tidings of great joy, the grand amen to all of His marvelous works of creation. 
I took one of my little photo albums with me to the booth this past weekend. When they asked why family history was important, and why should we be doing it, I told them: "Hold on one second--here's my family history. Take a look and see." As they flipped through the pictures and commented on how pretty my sisters are, I couldn't help but feel that the Spirit was softening their hearts in some degree. Everything we talk and teach and preach about can be referred back to Christ, especially our families. Because of Him, I can live with my family forever. Because of Him, I'm not lost in a state of despair. Because of Him, I can see and be with my brother again--and that, my friends, will be the sweetest gift that He can give me. God so loved the world that He sent His Only Begotten Son, and because of that, we never have to walk alone. We never have to be afraid. As we like to say in Chinese: Buyao pa, zhiyao xin :)
Hope that you've all had a tremendous Easter!
Yours,
Elder Mitchell :)

Monday, April 14, 2014

Short, Sweet, and To The Point

Yo yo yo! What's up, my peoples? :)
I don't have much to report on this week, since I'm going to be giving you a commitment at the end of this here thought. This past weekend we got CONFERENCE here in Kuching! It was a joy and an opportunity to be able to watch it :) I loved every minute of it! The Lord seems to be conveying a sense of urgency in this Conference. The work is hastening, brothers and sisters--the time for members and missionaries to work together is NOW. The time to dissolve fears and pride and hatred and anger and doubts is NOW. The time to aid the Lord in whichever part of the vineyard you may be in is NOW. The time is NOW. (Or, as we like to say here in Malaysia and Singapore, the time is NOW lah!). The Lord empowers those who put their trust in Him. The Lord gives strength to the weak. The Lord lifts up the weary. The Lord binds up the brokenhearted. In the words of one of my all-time favorite verses of scripture, "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."
I realize that many, if not ALL, of you have probably had the opportunity to watch Conference last week, but I encourage you to review and, if necessary, re-watch it again in the upcoming days. The messages contained within reveal to us the Lord's will for His Church today, and His will for all of us as individuals.
I love you all, and hope that He will continue to guide and bless you :)
Sincerely,
Elder Mitchell

Monday, April 7, 2014

Hello Errbody

Another week, another destiny! This past week has seen some pretty great things--potential investigators, new investigators, Zone Conference in Singapore, the whole shabang! It's been an awesome adventure :)
At Zone Conference I decided to try taking notes a little differently than I have before. I've been studying the topic of humility, and that was the theme of the notes. I learned a lot about humility, and also a lot about being just a good missionary in general. 
I've had the chance to kind of sit back and reflect on my mission experience this past week. I'm so grateful for the chance to be a missionary. To share the Gospel with people all day errday--and it's not just something that missionaries do. Any and everyone can. The Gospel is one of good news. It's meant to be shared. It's meant to be given to the world.
That's about all for this week, folks. Love ya lots--Keep on keepin' on :)
Mosiah 7:33 lah!
Sincerely,
Mai Zhanglao/ 麦长老