So...craziness. The LAST thing I expected to ever happen to me happened a couple of days ago. In fact, I've never even thought of this happening quite literally. I am now training to be an office elder. Yes. The "supplies manager and referral secretary". A big title meaning I do simple tasks that I don't know how to do. ;) Work with computers, buying supplies, referrals being sent to other mission, and driving around Hong Kong doing tasks with my companion who is the housing coordinator. Yes. I said driving. In that case, could you send me my driver's license as soon as possible? I need to apply for a Hong Kong driver's license. Being an office elder also includes living in one of the apartments in the temple right next to the temple president's apartment and the mission president's apartment. Cool, huh? :)
The zone that I was in was great! It was going very strong! There should be quite a few baptisms this month in the New Territories stake! Soo exciting to see the New Territories grow so fast within only a few months.
We haven't had our Christmas program just yet. We'll be having it on Christmas Eve (for the mission) and for the Open House at the new chapel in the New Territories on Christmas. My friend Elder Hazen (from Temecula whom my great friend Lexie Andersen knows!) and I are singing The First Noel together. He's probably one of the best musicians I've ever met. It's SUCH a great opportunity to be able to sing with him.
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From another email:
That's so exciting to hear about the travel approval!! I'll definitely talk to my mission president to see if you all might be able to visit. If he says that it's alright, it might have to be just for one hour, but I'm not too sure.
As for Christmas, we won't be able to Skype. I'm sorry :\ BUT we still get to talk on the phone! We're allowed to talk on the 25th orthe 26th of December (our time). Do you know what the time difference is? What time would be best for you all to call?? Also you don't need to worry about getting a phone card, I can easily get a phone card for really cheap over here. That's so exciting that everyone will be able to be together!!! :D
I'm definitely happy and healthy. I love the work! Being in the office is great. My new companion is a native and this next move is his last move, so there's quite a bit to be learned. I'm so excited to learn so much from him.
I love being on a mission. I've been learning a lot. One thing that I've been thinking a lot about is something that I've been lacking and it's a part of a Christ-like attribute- humility. One of the things that causes one to become humble is to have the ability to be taught- again a quality of which I want, yet need to work hard for. As we allow ourselves to learn from those around us, we are able to become the kind of people that we want to be and more importantly we can become the kind of people that our Heavenly Father wants us to be. As said by my mission president the first step to be inspiring is to be willing to be inspired. There are so many times when I look back and think, "Man, that would have been such a great opportunity to learn from that person." But thank goodness there is repentance so that we all can strive to be "reborn" every week as we partake of the sacrament.
This time of year is such a special time. It is when the entire world brightens and remembers the birth of our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus the Christ. However, it is not the only time to remember His birth, nor is it the only time to live this "Spirit of Christmas". Christ's entire life-from the beginning to the end- was all done with sacrifice. Despite being the literal Son of God He was born in a manger-the most humble circumstance there can be to be born in to. He lived the Father's will perfectly sacrificing His "reputation" and the natural man within, humbly following the Father's will. Instead of laying back and living the "easy life" and following the commandments that He wanted to, He sacrificed that "easy life" and lived in the service of our God- His literal Father. After the sacrifice He made throughout His life, He then performed the most important sacrifice-the atoning sacrifice to save all from sin and death. As missionaries, we invite all to come unto Christ, to have faith in Him and His atoning sacrifice, to repent, to be baptized, to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and to endure to the end and continue to strive to serve God throughout our lives. I know that as we sacrifice our personal "natural man" and strive to constantly live our lives in harmony with the "Spirit of Christmas" and always remember the humble birth of the Savior, we will be blessed. I challenge us all to do this.
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