First of all, I want to thank you for sending that letter from Anthony Pham. Reading that brought back memories of our discussion and about the feelings of the Holy Ghost that were there with us as we talked about our Savior. Thank you Thank you. I know without a doubt that he is going to join the church, he just needs alittle time and more support. I really hope he has a chance to come and visit you guys because it will benefit him so much. He was the sweetest guy I have ever met. If you would join with me in praying for him and his wife and son that would be awesome. It was such a sacred experience for me.
Our plane experienced alot of difficulty flying into Hong Kong. If I remember right the fog around the airport was so thick that when the pilot tried to land, he couldn't see where he was going. It was kind of scary at first because we were literally in mid decent when all of the sudden the pilot full throttled us upward again. I was sitting next to Elder Smith who had never ridden on the plane and was super scared. Anthony told me he has never had that happen to him on a plane, but we made it alive by the grace of God:) I remember thinking about Elder Hale's experience with a plane ride, where his wing took fire and started to crash land and the women next to him began to scream for her life, but he was calm as could be because he was ready to meet his Maker once again. I thought about that while in the plane and thought how important it is to be worthy and ready all the time. Life is so fragil. Thank you again for sending that letter, I will cherish it deeply. Will you save it for me so I can read it again when I come home?
The number one question that I have all week is what kind of box creation was Hayley for Halloween?!? I am dying to know! How was your guy's Halloween? We had an amazing time here in Sakon Nakhon. I'll include pictures, but just know that my branch president is the one in the lighter yellow shirt with his face painted haha. I love him to death. I really am getting to like this area more and more each day. The members are sweet and we find people interested each day. Also thank you for putting Bro. Wally and Sister Macpherson's name in the temple. We had an opportunity to meet with her last Saturday as she was having the Kimo therapy. It broke my heart right in half. We had to wear those masks to cover our face, I think they are called surgical masks. I just cried and cried when we talked with her. She is such a sweet lady FULL of faith. We read in D&C 121 7-8 about how this affliction will be but a small moment and if she will endure it well, Heavenly Father will bless her on high. We just cried and cried together. I don't understand why this is happening to her, and if I could, I would switch her spots in a heart beat so she didn't have to suffer like that. But I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us and I will kling to that belief forever.
Also this week for the first time in my mission did I really feel the true sadness for people who reject this great message. We go inviting everyday and go to neighborhoods and talk with everyone we can. But most people simply laugh in our faces when we tell them that Jesus Christ is their Savior and Redeemer. I remember talking to a lady who rudely told us that we needed to leave. She wanted nothing to do with our religion or with Jesus Christ. We also talked with two girls who just laughed and made fun of us as we told them about baptism and Jesus Christ. Tears came to my eyes as I walked away beaten and battered by their words. It makes me so sad to see these people reject the message so sweet. They don't know what they are missing out on. It's not something simple or small. It's eternal life! Why they don't understand, why they have such hard hearts, I will never know. But one thing I do know is that I will stand up for Jesus Christ and his Church until my dying breath. He's real, I know it. We went to visit an Less Active man in our city who had been a missionary in England 10 years back. But since then he has lost his faith and it has been replaced by a hard heart. We told him that Heavenly Father still loved him and will never give up on him, and I know he felt the spirit, but after he just discounted it. He doesn't want anything to do with it anymore. He has since broken those sacred covenants and tried to convince me that Joseph Smith couldn't really have seen God and Jesus Christ. He told me I am living a "dream" right now. He told me I am brainwashed and that life can and will never be as beautiful as the gospel portrays it. I remember praying to Heavenly Father after he told me those things and saying, "Heavenly Father, he might not think you are real, but I know you are." He was just down right rude to us, and my first thought was that I will never come back here and talk with him again. But I soon felt that Heavenly Father won't give up on him and neither should I. The Lord has told us that we need to go back again. Pray for us that the Spirit will be able to soften this man's heart. He still has time to change.
Anyways, thank you so much for your emails and updates. I will be praying for dad and his meetings coming up. I have fasted and will continue to pray for your health, Mom. It sounds like those pills are sent from God. I love you all!
Love you to the moon and back,
Elder Tanner
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