WEEK 76

Here is the quote from "Preach My Gospel" that I promised to write you this week. It's found in Chapter 10 "Teaching Skills" on page 182 under the title Teach for Understanding" It's a quote by President John Taylor:
"It is true intelligence for a man to take a subject that is mysterious and great in itself, and to unfold and simplify it so that a child can understand it."

This last week on the mission has been filled with memorable events and experiences for me. On Friday we had our semi-annual Mission Conference. It started at 8:30am with a mission picture in front of the temple. Next we had a devotional meeting where the 13 sculpture exhibit of "The Healing Power of Jesus Christ," now available at our Visitors' Center, was introduced to the whole mission. Since we have 19 Sisters serving at the VC this transfer, 13 of them each shared about a sculpture and the remaining 6 of us did a musical number at the end.

Speaking of music, the highlight of this meeting for me, was really all the beautiful musical numbers. Each song sung that morning were ALL my favorites! I don't know how that happened, but the messages from the music really spoke to me that morning and I will always remember the feeling I had sitting in that chapel. The prelude musical number was a quintet by the Tongan Elders and they sung this song that I don't know the title of but it has these words"He Will Carry the Weight of the World Upon His shoulder." Then after the first speaker they sang again which is also my favorite song "Oh Lord, My Redeemer." Following the next speaker, an Elder sang "This is the Christ" and "He Sent His Son." Oh my goodness by this time I was totally in awe at how many songs were sung that morning and how ALL the songs were my favorite! There is a wise saying: There are no coincidences in life.
After the devotional meeting, we attended a temple session as a whole mission. 180 missionaries! The Celestial room was filled and yet it was just as quiet and peaceful. As I sat praying, after most of the missionaries had left to go eat up at the mission home, I opened up the scriptures to Doctrine and Covenants section 14 and 15. These sections were revelations given to David and John Whitmer who eventually became witnesses for the Book of Mormon. In section 15 are these precious verses that I read and loved:

3. And I will tell you that which no man knoweth save me and thee alone—
4. For many times you have desired of me to know that which would be of the most worth unto you.
5. And now, behold, I say unto you, that the thing which will be of the most worth unto you will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with them in the kingdom of my Father. Amen.

Yesterday Sister Hui, Hsiao, and I had the opportunity to hear Wayne Wong speak at "Why I Believe" Fireside. Sister Hsiao and I are so blessed to know him and to have had the opportunity to teach him the gospel together and to see him get baptized and confirmed (Mar 1, 2008). He received the Aaronic priesthood soon after. About a month later, He entered the Temple to do baptism work.
There is no greater joy than this, to know such choice children of God while on the mission, and to rejoice with them as they join in this journey of learning and growing in the gospel of Jesus Christ, walking on the path that leads back to our Heavenly Father! I will miss Oakland and this mission SO much!

This morning we had "The Breakfast" at Elder and Pedersen's home. It is a breakfast we always have on the last Monday of the transfer to "celebrate" the departure of the VC sisters. This transfer there's 5 of us -Sister Daniels, Qiao, Leung, Greer and me.
Sister Leung, Qiao and I will be going to San Fransisco with the Pedersens on Wednesday to catch our 1:35pm flight. Sister Leung and I will be flying together on a 14 hour flight to Hong Kong. And from Hong Kong I will be on my own to fly to Singapore. Hehe..Sister Leung and I are determined to convert the whole airplane of people flying to Hong Kong with us...after all, it is a 14 hour flight! We've learned on a mission that we can get A LOT done in just 14 hours! ;-)

I am SO excited to see everyone when I get home! I love you and can't wait to be with you again!

I hope there are Chinese sister missionaries in the Singapore mission so I can go on team-ups with them...=)