Happy Thanksgiving

Today I spent a lot of time talking to my sister about shoes so I don't have much time to write...haha!  

This week we had our Thanksgiving party as a zone which was super fun!  We had some good fun and good food.  We had a testimony meeting so that we were also "spiritually feasting" as well and the spirit was so strong.

I realised the importance of having good friends and that you can still do fun things with them!  That is such a blessing to find those who have the same goals, standards, values as yourself and be around people who push you to be better to become someone better.  It is also important that we are doing that for others as well!  But I realised especially for me, I need to surround myself with good people and you can still have so much fun with them (something I didn't think was possible)!  So yes, Mormons are not all weird people :)

Also, me and a Filipna sister made the turkey, mashed potatoes, and home made rolls.  Something I probably never want to do again because it was disgusting, but I guess the mission really is preparing me in lots of different ways!  Joking dad don't worry ;)

This week the challenge for our zone to help us talk with everyone was to hand out a Book of Mormon everyday.  At the beginning of the week I was a little bit suspicious because I thought it would be super hard to do, but what I realised is that it is actually a lot easier than I thought.  Maybe that is because the Lord knew I was finally looking so He put people in my path, but it was a miracle!  We gave one out to someone everyday this week and a couple of them seem interested in continuing to meet!

Sunday was a little bit cham just because investigators did not attend church like we thought they would and then they were not keeping their commitments. Last night ended great though because we went out finding and after an hour of NO ONE wanting to talk or have interest or want to take our Book of Mormon and as we were walking home I heard people speaking Mandarin and decided to try and see so I did and they were super nice and friendly.  I hope they will progress into something.  I am also happy because we FINALLY got our Liahonas this month with the conference addresses so I can not wait to read it over and over again!

Well I think that is about it!

Love you all,
Sister Loo 

​​​​​​​​Photo's of Thanksgiving!

The Ups and Downs of Missionary Work...

Well the mission sure is full of ups and downs.  There were (of course) lots of miracles and there were (of course) lots of disappointments as well.

One small thing I learned that I don't know if I have shared, is just that I more fully understand why we love the people on our mission so much, why we so badly want them to keep their commitments and understand their relationship with their Saviour!  The reason is not only because we know they will be blessed for it, but because we are willing and everyday we are making sacrifices for them.  That is the reason why our Saviour loves us so much and that is also the reasons mothers love their kids.  They both sacrifice a ton because they care so much and want the best for these people.

So if you are struggling with someone, not getting along with a sibling.. the easy solution would be to sacrifice something in their behalf!  Serve them and then watch as your love for them grows :)  I hope that makes sense, my english structures are so bad now!

We also had another opportunity to teach visitors this week!  Every time I am taken back by their faith, it is such a great refresher for my own faith and to know that you don't have to have a perfect knowledge to believe.  Hang on to the things you do know!

It was a mom and her 16 year old daughter who came with their friend who has been a member for 10 years (she is also SO amazing and is such an amazing missionary!).  The mom was super unsure and felt nervous in the morning, but after she was baptised she completely changed!  She was so excited, so energetic and had a ton of energy!  I feel truly blessed to be able to participate in their special day, it really is an experience you can not describe!

We also love it because they come down and are willing to keep the commitments, are willing to make the sacrifices necessary to change and have the desire to follow their Saviour.  It is a good change up from what is usually experienced everyday :)

This past week, to get into the Thanksgiving Spirit among people who don't celebrate Thanksgiving we talked about things that we are grateful for in district meeting, starting with our missions!  It motivated me to try saying a prayer in which I only thanked my Heavenly Father.  It really was cool to think of the innumerable things I have been blessed with!  The greatest blessing this thanksgiving is the opportunity I have to represent my Saviour for 18 months and share His gospel with the people of Hong Kong.

Well that is it for the week!  I hope everyone has a wonderful thanksgiving and takes time this week and everyday after that abut the many blessings the Lord has bestowed upon each one of us.  He truly is merciful!

Love,
Sister Loo

Visitors!!!  Sorry one of them is blurry.. don't let elders take pictures haha

Missions and Baptisms

黄姐妹 was baptised yesterday!  It was an awesome service and she was super happy especially once she came up out of the water and that was really cool for me to see!  Her daughter was there and had a fever and cold but was such a trooper through the whole thing.  Usually 黄姐妹 would leave if Julia was feeling sick so it was a miracle she stayed!  黄姐妹 is an amazing mom and I am excited and hopeful that this gospel will really bless them as they strive to be faithful!

It was interesting because we visited a family in our branch this week and they really testified how the gospel principles and applying them into their everyday lives, especially with parenting is the best parenting book they could ever have.  It is really true, we have been given the guidelines, the syllabus, the map, whatever you want to call it to succeed and have a happy life!

This week as a zone we had a bit of a challenge and it was simply to hand out a family proclamation everyday!  It was amazing to me how many people were so willing to accept it without hesitation, that is not exactly common when you try to give out fliers!  I realised how willing and open people are to talking about their families because that is what makes them happy.  And who wouldn't want to accept a pamphlet talking about how to have an even better relationship with your spouse and children or have a sure way to bring happiness and peace into the walls of your home!  I would challenge everyone to look at it and find something they can better apply into their own families.  

Well unfortunately that was all the excitement of the week!

爱你们
卢姐妹
The MTR train to Disneyland (no we went to a place next to disneyland because we can't afford it haah)
黄姐妹的洗礼会！
Sister Lorie was also baptised yesterday!
Sister Arago birthday!!!  And the cake I quickly made for her!

Administering to Others...

One thing I have struggled with since my call to be a Sister Training Leader is how much time is needed to do things like talk trees or zone leadership meetings.  I have learned that this is a different part of missionary work (administering to the sisters) but is very important.

I recently read Alma15:16&18 which says,"And it came to pass that Alma and Amulek, Amulek having forsaken all his gold, and silver, and his precious things, which were in the land of Ammonihah, for the word of God, he being rejected by those who were once his friends and also by his father and his kindred; Now as I said, Alma having seen all these things, therefore he took Amulek and came over to the land of Zarahemla, and took him to his own house, and did administer unto him in his tribulations, and strengthened him in the Lord."

It is amazing how much this scripture relates to me.  Alma shows the importance of the one and strengthening the one so that they can then go and strengthen others.  It is true that if our testimony as missionaries is not being strengthened how are we supposed to strengthen those around us?  And that is a huge part of my calling as STL :)

This week we had the amazing opportunity to have mission tour with Elder Evans.  There were a lot of miracles in the timing of when he came to talk with us.  As a mission we are striving to have 242 baptisms by the end of the year.. right now we are just over 150 and still have 88 to go.

Well we discussed that, 242 was just a goal and that there was no plans or actions! During the mission tour he helped us realise a better way of finding and that is talking with everyone and asking referrals 100%. Because this is a better way of finding and many people just in 5 hours saw miracles from following his advice we decided to set a new goal of 560 (that is 2 new investigators per companionship per week) new investigators for this month.

To put that in perspective, every month we roughly get 120 new investigators as a mission.  Our plan of action? Talk with EVERYONE and ask referrals 100% (With that being said does anyone have any body I can teach in Hong Kong haha ).  We are all pumped and know the Lord will bless us as we are willing and have the faith and desire to reach this goal!

As we have applied this into our own companionship there has been 2 big miracles!  On Friday, we were coming back from a teaching appointment and I heard a family speaking mandarin.  As we got on the MTR I kept telling myself I needed to open my mouth and talk to them.  When I got the courage to do and as we started talking about the gospel he mentioned multiple times that he had a lot of interest!

We also were able to meet a walk in who wants to go to BYU because they have a great accounting program so she wanted to know about the religion that is "tied" to the school!  Anyways, she came with her mom who originally said she was just accompanying her, but as we taught the restoration you could see her mothers eyes just open up and she was REALLY engaged, asking amazing questions and everything!

So once again, set your mind to something, do it wholeheartedly and the Lord will shower blessings upon you!

Sorry, my English is so bad now.  I hope you can understand me.

我希望你们会有很好的星期！

爱你们

卢姐妹

Matching for Halloween!  What are we?  Probably nuns..?

When the smoke detector goes off in your house

and President tells you to wait outside for 10 minutes just in case! 

10,000 Buddha!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​