The One Where Mindy Is Almost Done With Her Mission!!!

Hello!

Our wonderful missionary didn't write an email this week, but I still haven't posted last week's email yet, so there is still going to be a blog post! I have no idea if i'll be posting anymore because Mindy gets home from her mission in 8 DAYS!! We are all so excited to see her again! So this is my goodbye email. Next post will be from our cute missionary herself! :)

Here is Mindy's April 23rd email!


"If you hadn't told me me, I never would have known".

Hello Everyone!
I cannot believe how fast time is flying. It's already been 18 months of "go! go! go! go!" and I'm still loving it. How blessed I am to be able to serve the Lord for almost an extra month more than most sisters get! I was really grateful to be able to go to the temple this last week. I didn't go with specific questions this time but I did study quite a bit before I went this time and I think that truly made a difference. I got some answers to questions that I forgot that I had or noticed things during the session that I didn't notice before. It was enlightening. Not only to my understanding but also to my soul. I'm grateful we have a temple in our mission and that I have been able to partake of that blessing.

Aside form the temple, we were also able to meet with a couple of investigators this week. Our new investigator this week is a man name Marco. I think that I mentioned him last week. He's a members friend that has been coming to English class forever. He seems pretty sincere. He doesn't have very many questions yet and we aren't sure where or how his faith is. We shared about the nature of God, the need for a Savior, and a little bit about the pre-earth life. He didn't pray last week so we're hoping that he does tit this week. We also had the opportunity to meet with Jamie on Sunday. Amy was feeling sick so she didn't come but we had a great lesson with Jamie. We shared about the Plan of Salvation and she seemed to really soak it in. She asked questions when she needed clarification but otherwise she just took it in. At the end of it all she said, "This is really different. Thank you for sharing it with me. If you hadn't shared this, I never would have known!" It was awesome. It's moments like that where I remember why I'm here. If i wasn't here to share this, they would never know. Anyway, Jamie is awesome. She even did the reading assignment that we gave her. SOOO proud of her!

I LOVED Stake Conference yesterday. Those kinds of meetings are so much better when you understand 98% of what is going on. I especially love when the Area 70 made our Stake promise that if they just TRIED to share the gospel with their families, our stake would double in the next 6 months. WHAT? I thought that was powerful. I REALLY hope that our members heard it too. Sister Knapp and I immediately turned to each other with mouths open in awe. We've been pondering ways that we can get members on that ever since. I'm sensing a lot of prayer and fasting coming up in the next few months for the missionaries. I didn't actually understand the Elders name that spoke. I could hear it but it just wasn't computing in my brain. So, hopefully I can figure that one out soon. He's from Thailand if anyone knows. 

I LOVE being a missionary. It's glorious. It's wonderful. It's hard. But it's eternally worth it. YOU all can be missionaries now too. You don't need the badge. If you don't share it, how can they know? Don't be afraid to open your mouth. 

I love you all. 
Have a fantastic week!

Sister Adams

Sister Adams and her district at the temple. TUNG CHUNG DISTRICT!

The One Where Sister Adams Tells Us About Her Music Filled FHE Activity

Hello Hello!

Probably only going to receive one more email from our amazing missionary and then it'll be HER updating her own blog and not me! We are all so excited to see this cutie again!

Here is her April 16th email:

Happy Easter and the Prince of Peace

This weeks was so fun! We did a lot of less-active finding and member visits in the first part of the week and then the week picked right up after that. We got two new investigators this week, Jamie and Amy. We should be getting another one next week! Super good week! God is blessing us and giving us miracles!

We had a primary activity this Friday in the morning and since our investigator, Amy, is ten years old, she was able to go. her big sister, Jamie, brought her. Amy was a little frustrated because our primary is 99% nursery but Jamie helped a lot with keeping Amy happy. We taught them the Restoration and they received it really well. Surprisingly, Amy had the most questions. She would ask questions about what would happen if someone who had the priesthood did bad things with it and similar questions to that. Super good. It's really fun to teach them because they think things through really well and ask a lot of questions but they receive it really well. They weren't able to go to church this week but they seem to have a lot of sincere interest. They came for our activity on Saturday night as well. 

The activity on Saturday night was a Music Family Home Evening. It was an awesome example of missionaries and the ward mission leader working together to make things happen. I was really happy with the way it turned out. We were able to get 5 investigators there that night and it was really fun! Sister Knapp and I presented the idea to our ward mission leader about a month ago. It was originally supposed to be a bigger deal than an FHE but because of time constraints, our ward mission leader proposed that we make it an FHE. We missionaries were in charge of making pizza, the game, and getting investigators to come. WE had some members and investigators  play hymns and it was super fun. All the members that came that night were raving about it yesterday at church. We also had a member bring a friend named Joyce to the activity. I was really grateful to our ward mission leader for making our idea come to life. It was so good that the Bishop and the ward mission leader have talked about trying to have something similar to that every month. They're really getting more excited about missionary work. Now we just need to get everyone else just as proactive! 

We should be getting a new investigator in the next week. His name is Marco. We taught him on Friday after English class because he had a question about why we were called the "latter-day saints". We took the long route to answering his question by teaching him the Restoration. He seemed to understand what we were saying really well and felt the spirit too. He is not quite certain that God exists and doesn't know much about Jesus Christ, but I think he's going to catch on really fast once the knowledge comes. He seems really sincere in his questions.

I'm really happy with the way that things are going here in Tsing Yi and I hope to be able to keep building before I have to leave it. God gives me miracles every single day and i'm grateful for them.

The message that I want to leave today is actually the video for the new Easter initiative. It's titled Prince of Peace https://www.mormon.org/.  I just want to testify of the peace and light that Christ brings to my life. I cannot even tell you how many times hope in Christ and in the gospel has saved my happiness. I truly KNOW that Christ is the "light and life of the world". He IS the source to all happiness and peace in this world. We live in a hard world where we are attacked on every side BUT there is hope, peace, light, and protection to be found in the gospel. I have literally seen it change lives here in Hong Kong. Light will fill peoples eyes and countenances as they put their trust in Him. He lived for us. He died for us. He lives again so that we can live again and have eternal life and love. We CAN see our lost loved ones again. We CAN find peace and answers NOW. I know this to be true.

I love you all so much. Have a great week! 

Sister Adams

Sister Adams and Sister Knapp. On a hike!

Making pizza for the FHE activity with Amy and Jamie

Cute Easter food for the primary activity. Sister Knapp & Sister Adams helped make it.

The One Where Anything Can Be Made Out Of Bamboo

I only have 2 WEEKS to get all her emails on this blog! AHHHHH!!!

Here is her April 9th email:

General Conference and English Class miracle

Hello Everyone!

I feel like there's a ball of sunshine in my chest and I just can't contain it. THE GOSPEL IS TRUE!!!! Also, I loved General Conference this year. It was exactly the messages I needed to hear. If there is anybody who knows me, you know that the hymn "There is Sunshine in My Soul Today" is one of my FAVORITE hymns and when Elder Holland broke it apart and talked about it, I was feeling some "hallelujahs" and "preach it!"s in my soul. The gospel is good and Jesus Christ is our Savior. He knows the songs that you cannot sing.

This week was a little bit of a struggle to get people to meet with us, so Sister Knapp and I ended up doing some finding. Less-active and street. Honestly not much success there, but then on Friday we had an awesome thing happen. We have this little girl that's been coming to our English class named, Amy. This Friday she decided to bring her older sister, Jamie. We had a chat with them after English class and Jamie expressed a lot of interest and was asking a lot of questions so we decided to invite them to come to General Conference on Sunday. They didn't show up and we were a bit bummed. Then, we got the prompting to call them and ask them to meet with us that night and they agreed! So, we hurried and called a member, then we taught them yesterday night. Jamie is super interested! It turns out that she remembers and member that used to go to her school but graduated about two years ago (this member just returned home from a mission). She remembers him getting awesome grades and her teachers talking about how he's going to serve a mission. She's always wondered about whether his grades and stuff had anything to do with his religion. She has lots of really great questions. I'm excited to see how she progresses. At the end of the lesson we asked her if she had any questions and she said, "I have so many! But i need to think about the things you have taught me already." So, we made an appointment to see her again soon.

I don't know if I have told you all this yet or not but in Hong Kong they can literally build ANYTHING out of bamboo. A couple of weeks ago they started setting up some bamboo in the field next to our building. To mine and Sister Knapp's amazement, they built a Chinese opera house entirely out of bamboo and tin in about 3 weeks. We now get lulled to sleep by the sweet screeches of Chinese opera and off-beat drums. It's pretty hilarious. I'll attach some pictures.

Honestly, it's hard fro me to pick just one conference talk that I loved more than the others. A really prevalent theme that stuck out for me was on focusing on the good, the hope, and the Light of the World in the "mists of darkness". When we focus on light instead of dark, our lives get brighter, better, and more full of hope. This world is still good. Especially for those that remember who they are (children of God) and remember who can help them out of any sticky spot that they have gotten themselves into (Jesus can help you!). 

I love you all and I hope you have a light filled week! 

Love, Sister Adams 

Bamboo Opera House

View from Sister Adams' house window

The One Where Sister Mindy Makes A Lot Of Banana Bread

Hello! Hello!
I only have 3 more weeks to get caught up on these emails! 3 WEEKS!!!!! :)

Here is Mindy's April 2nd email:


Banana Bread, Women's Conference and April Fools

Hello Everybody!

Did you have a great Conference weekend? I haven't watched it yet, just the general women's session, but i'm super excited to watch it this weekend and hear what God has to tell me from the mouths of His living prophet and apostles. I'm missing my family's Conference Sunday nacho tradition but Sister Knapp and I have been making a lot of banana bread recently so it's making up for it. (sort of...)

I'm super excited for General Conference this weekend! I really enjoyed watching the Women's conference yesterday because it was pretty consistent with what I've been studying recently in personal study. I don't know why but I've been studying the temple a lot recently and the covenants that we make there. It's been fascinating to realize how everything in the gospel fits together and really is "one eternal round". Everything is one in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and it's been really fun to learn that. I'm excited to see where more study will take me. I love President Erying's talk, especially the part where he goes to pick up his son in frustration and the spirit whispers to him, "be careful, you are holding a great man" and President Eyring was reminded to look at his son through God's eyes. This is something that I pray for often. The ability to see others through God's eyes. To see their potential rather than their mistakes and faults. 

We weren't able to meet with very many investigators this week but we finally got Miki to come back to church! She hasn't been to church since she was baptized and I just about screamed of excitement when I saw her walking up to the chapel yesterday morning. It was good to have her there. Sister Knapp and I also had the opportunity to take Holden to Tsim Sha Tsui to see the "Light the World" art exhibit that our church put on down there. It was actually a pretty spiritual environment and we were able to bear testimony and share the gospel in a casual way. They had one painting of Lehi's vision and quite a few of the temple to we were able to share a lot about those things. We also had a member there with us, which was super helpful!

Sister Knapp and I have also started visiting more members and less-actives in their homes. When we met with the Bishop last week he gave us some names of people he needed us to visit and uplift. Sister Knapp and I also asked him for some information on some less-actives and we were able to get the names of some less-active young women. Sister Knapp and I made some banana bread (inspiration from Sister Curtis) and we've been visiting them. It turned out really good. We didn't try to force ourselves in, we just introduced ourselves and gave them the banana bread and asked when they would be free to see us again. We're taking it one step at a time and trying to become their friends and have them trust us first. They seemed really happy to see us though. 

I'm really enjoying my time here ins Tsing Yi. I know that this church is true. I had a funny story from April Fools that I was going to share (the elders that we serve with tried to prank us but we found out and ended up pranking them hardcore instead) but i'm out of time. I love you all so much! 

Have a great week! 

Sister Adams

The One Where Sister Adams Talks About Her Newest Convert

hello readers!
thank you for reading her emails, i love Mindy's need to share her experiences and testimony with anyone who is willing to read.

I've got two emails for you today because one is itty bitty.

Here is her March 19th email:

Short one!

Sorry, this one is going to be short because we're off to play and the time snuck up on me!

I received my last transfer call this morning and I will be staying in Tsing Yi with Sister Knapp as my companion. I have the wonderful privilege of going to Junior companion before I fade out and get forced into the real world again.

We still have lots of plans for Tsing Yi and I'm really excited to be able to keep running around with Sister Knapp. God's hand is in the work and He's super into details so we're excited for all the surprise that come our way.

Thank you for being patient with me as I struggle to write these emails. I know that Jesus Christ lives and I know that Hong Kong is a special place. God loves His children all around the world but I love watching Him strive to bless these people. 

Have a fantastic week!

Sister Adams

A Groupie with their super cute recent convert, Yunice!!

Here is Sister Adams' March 26th email:

The best part of the summer is the sunshine

Hello Everybody!

Is everyone as excited about summer and spring as I am?! I love how much light there is. The sun is up earlier here and goes to bed later so I get to enjoy the sunshine longer (even thought it's been a little rainy and cold the last few days). I love the sunshine!

This week was a good one! We got to visit with a member named Kathy and she had two dogs. One of the Elders that we were with is terrified of dogs so it made for an interesting dinner experience. I, on the other hand, love dogs so i was happy to try to take the dogs attention off of him! ;) I love being able to visit my members and get to know them better. You members actually help us missionaries a lot. When we get the chance to sit down and spend time with her, it helps us better know what our focus should be in messages that we share, what we pray for, what activities to plan, etc. We just enjoy being a part of your lives. The saddest thing that I can think of is pouring my soul into an area and not having any relationships left behind when I leave that area. It's literally one of my biggest fears as a missionary. So, let us love you!!

On another note, Yunice is doing great! We are actually teaching her younger twin sister, Yvette, more now and she has a baptismal date for April 29th! i'm really hoping it all goes well! We've been really blessed here in Tsing Yi this year. Heavenly Father has made it so that we've had a baptism every month thus far and so we missionaries are praying for miracles and working our butts off to keep the streak alive. God is good and He's blessing us with miracles every day. 

My spiritual though today is an old quote that I found in my scriptures. It's by Sister Julie B. Beck from general conference 2010. It reads, "The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life." I just want to testify that that is true. Yunice received the gift of the Holy Ghost yesterday and one thing that Sister Knapp and I emphasize over and over again with her is how she needs to learn how the Holy Ghost speaks to HER. Everyone needs to do the same. It's crucial for our salvation. WE need to know how to follow the guidance that God gives us.

i love you all. Have a great week!

Sister Adams

The One Where Sister Adams Tells Us About Her Love For The Commandments

hello everyone!

Now that it's finally April, i'm posting Mindy's March emails! LOL!

here is her March 6th email

"When you're the teacher but you're being taught..."

Hello Everybody! Happy March!

Today was a week of learning for me. We taught Yunice the rest of the commandments (she has incredible faith!) and all the while that we are preparing to teach her these commandments, I am the one that is being taught. And it was awesome!

One thing that you should know about Hong Kongers (or at the majority of the ones that I have run into) is that they don't think very far into the future. If you ask them what their goals are in life they'll say things like, "get rich." or  "I want to pass the DSE (which is like Hong Kong's ACT)." When we missionaries give spiritual thoughts about food storage or emergency preparedness they are always amazed that we think like this! They think it's a great idea, but unnecessary for them. I don't ask them if they've thought about life after death because they probably haven't and don't think it's necessary. It blows my mind a little bit, but then I think about it and I realize that sometimes (more often than I'd like to admit). I forget to think of the future too.

I love the reminder that we get in Alma 34:22 "For behold, this life is the time to prepare to meet God, yea, behold the day of this life is the day for man to perform their labors." In the grand scheme of forever, this life (about 90 years give or take) is actually NOT that long. So, we don't actually have any time to waste when it comes to performing the labors we need to perform and preparing the way that we need to perform. This is why having an "eternal perspective" is important. 

As Sister Knapp and I prepared to teach and taught Yunice the commandments, I was constantly filled with a sense of gratitude and love for my Heavenly Father for giving us the commandments that He gave us. Those commandments are the things that are going to prepare us to meet God. Mosiah 2:22 reads,"...all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments.. and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and proper you. How cool is that?! ALL we have to do is keep His commandments and we make it back to live with Him and get tons of blessings now and in heaven later. We really get the best end of this deal!

Let's take the Word of Wisdom for example. God has commanded us through a living prophet to eat more fruit, eat more vegetables, drink water, exercise, and avoid eating too much meat. He has also commanded us to avoid drinking tea, coffee, alcohol, doing drugs, and smoking cigarettes. Why would an all-powerful being care about what we eat or drink?! Why would he give us so many "rules" for our bodies? It's because He loves us a lot!

Our bodies and our spirits are connected. When our bodies are healthy, our spirits are healthier too. So, let's say that someone at the age of 50 or even 30 decides not to worry about taking care of their body anymore. They've lived the Word of Wisdom their whole lives but "i'm old now. I shouldn't have to work so hard." What happens? they've lost their eternal perspective. Heavenly Father could need you to serve on earth for 50 more years! WE decide on how hard and physically exhausting those years will be for us! I am so grateful that Heavenly Father gave us the Word of Wisdom because through this commandment, I know better how to take care of myself and other around me. I've learned how important my health is to my spiritual growth and hopefully God will be able to use my talents and gifts for as as he needs me to be here on this world. 

We have incredible opportunities to help build up God's kingdom, to be His hands while lifting up those around us. I know that Heavenly Father gas us commandments because he loves us and wants to best for us. D&C 33:17 says, "Wherefore, be faithful, praying always, having your lamps trimmed and burning, and oil with you, that you may be ready at the coming of the Bridegroom (meaning Christ)." I really hope and pray that we can all remember to have an "eternal perspective". "Remember who you are and where you came from!" Christ is coming soon and I know that through being prepared and living the commandments, we will be prepared to better serve Him and we'll be a blessing and a help to others along the road. 

I love you all so much!

Have a fantastic week!

Sister Adams

Sister Knapp & Sister Adams wen to the Peak!

Sister Mindy Mint on her first ferry.

The One Where Sister Mindy Tells Us About God's Hand In Her Life

Hello!

I promise to have all her emails on her blog BEFORE she gets home. Might be the DAY before, but it'll be before she's back home :P

here is Sister Adams' February 26th email :)


I'm going to teach you the meaning of "Fong Fei Gei"

Hello Everybody!

How was your week? Mine was cold but still wonderful!

We had a crazy week this week! At the beginning of the week we had about 5-7 lessons planned (which is lower than normal but still pretty average) but by the end of the week we only had taught 2 lessons and turned over another of our mandarin investigators to the mandarin Elders. That means that Sister Knapp and I spent a lot of time making calls, street finding, and less-active finding. The greatest part in all of this is that although we had a ton of people cancel or just not show up for lessons, I could still see God's hand guiding this work.

Let's take Sunday for instance. We were supposed to have two investigators come to church and then we were going to teach on of them and her sister right after church, but neither of them showed up. This was actually a blessing in disguise because we had the monthly ward birthday party after church that day and there was only one room in the whole chapel that would usually be available for lessons after church and that room was now occupied by the birthday party. The birthday party was a blessing as well because it gives us missionaries the opportunity to better know our members. After the birthday party, Sister Knapp and I returned home. We'd been home for all of 5 minutes when we received a phone call from our Ward Mission Leader telling us that there is a man looking for us whose last name was Lam. We'd totally met a man with the last name of Lam on the street on Saturday and had invited him to church! He was 4 hours late but he was there nonetheless! So we rushed over to the church. When we got to the church, our Ward Mission Leader told us that the man had left but said that he would be back in a little while. So we waited for him. 

Mr. Lam never returned that day but while at the church we had a mini meeting with our Relief Society president, gave a chapel tour to a surprise walk in that lives in our area, and I got to see an old mission friend. God's hand is in the work. It's small details but He's there. I will never understand why we missionaries have to face so much rejection BUT I love it anyway because it makes things sweeter when miracles happen. Sister Knapp and I love serving in Tsing Yi and we also love the fact that we know our area SO MUCH better because we had to learn it to go finding. 

I also found this in the October 2016 edition of General Conference. It's from Elder Carl B. Cook's talk "Serve." He says, "As we serve, we draw closer to God, we come to know Him in way that we otherwise might not. Our faith in Him increases. Our problems are put into perspective. Life becomes more satisfying. Our love for others increases, as well as our desire to serve. Through this blessed process, we become more like God and we are better prepared to return to Him." I LOVED this. Because i've been trying for months to figure out how to perfectly describe what a blessing service is and how it refines us and changes us. THIS is what service does. It helps turn us into something celestial. It makes us into what we really are and helps us stay better in tune with Heavenly Father because it helps our thoughts become more like His and we truly are better prepared to return to Him.

I hope you all know how much God loves you and how much i love you! I also hope that you have a fantastic week and that you find some opportunities to serve someone this week! 

Love you all!

Sister Adams
P.S. Fong fei gei means, to not show up or to stand someone up.