Week of Blessings

Leihdeih Hou!      I hope all of you had a great Thanksgiving and enjoyed the holidays! this past week was crazy but it was a good kid of crazy! There were so many blessings this past week. I don't even know where to begin! We had Thanksgiving dinner as a zone and Sister Leonard and I now know how to cook a full turkey! Haha! It was actually a really good turkey and no one got food poisoning so I would call Thanksgiving a success! Everyone made sides and even the dishes the elders made were super yummy! My contribution was brownies, but I made them Thanksgiving-y by making a turkey out of M&M's (thanks Mom!).         On Sunday, we had the miracle of Laahn Je coming to church! We have been asking her to come for a while now and she finally said okay! She seemed to like it but 3 hours is a long time for her so she got a little sleepy haha! She doesn't understand any gospel terms so I am not sure how much she actually got out of church, but I know she could feel the Spirit :)      I think the highlight of the week was Carson and Winnie got baptized yesterday! Almost all of our ward stayed for their baptism and I was so happy so many people were there and able to support them. Even the stake president and President and Sister Lam came to support them! So the funny background behind this family is that our stake president President Chan was one of the missionaries that originally taught Cat and her family over 20 years ago. Cat went less active but then President Chan heard both of her kids were being baptized so this was a miracle story in his eyes.      It was honestly the most spiritual baptism services I have ever been to! When Carson and Winnie went to go and bear their testimonies, both of them started crying. There was not one dry eye in that room! I was expecting Cat to cry, but I wasn't expecting Carson and Winnie to cry. They really are amazing kids and already have super strong testimonies. I love Carson and Winnie so much and I honestly feel so blessed to have to opportunity to introduce the gospel into their lives! I know this gospel is going to bless them and their family so much! Cat is always telling us that she needs to change herself and be a good example for her kids, but I feel like she has already set a good example for them by introducing them to the church and being so involved. Seeing Cat the way she is now, I never would have thought she was less active, but sometimes the people that go less active and come back to the church have the strongest testimonies.  There's not much to say, but there are a lot of pictures this week! I hope all of you have a great week! I love and miss you all! Scripture of the Week: Mark 12:30-31 We should love all people and show that love towards them constatly. Quote of the Week: Never let a problem to be solved be more important than a person to be loved. Sister Maggie Shiffert 施姊妹  Before...... ......and after! SUCCESS! Thanksgiving brownies!  Zone Thanksgiving selfie! Laahn Je came to church! Carson and Winnie's baptism! Here are some more photos from Thanksgiving! Turkey selfie! ​ The food actually turned out really good! Our little Tin Shui Wai district! Happy Thanksgiving from the sisters! :) And here are some more photos from the baptism! Us with Cat and Carson and Winnie! I love these kids! Look at that vegetable bouquet! Haha! The whole primary! ​

Happy Thanksgiving!

Leideih Hou!

     A few days early but HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE! I am doing good and we are having a Thanksgiving feast on Thursday and Sister Leonard and I are in charge of the turkey but neither of us has ever cooked one before so this should be interesting! Haha! Life is busy but good! Sister Meh and I are doing good and really trying to make some differences in the wards.We met with the YL2 bishop (Bishop Lau) this past week and he was so good! He gave us a lot of people he wanted us to visit, both LA and active families, and everytime we asked if he had anymore he would ask if we had too much already and then give us a few more names haha! We also talked about how we can serve the ward and he said that sometimes they do service but don't invite the missionaries because they feel like that is taking us away from doing our missionary work. We explained that is the absolute opposite of the truth and that the best way to do missionary work is through service. I never realized how many people think that missionary work means the missionaries going out on the streets to find people and that anything else is just keeping us from doing that. Let the missionaries serve you! I promise you we do not think you are bugging us, but it's like Christmas every time we hear about a service opportunity :)

     We have been trying to find time to go and find in Yuen Long 2 area but it's been a little harder this week. It's interesting when we do go finding there though because the people on that side of the road are so different from the ones in Yuen Long 1. I wouldn't think there is a difference, but there is. I have never heard so many people say "mhsai!" (that means no need) as I have in Yuen Long 2. Most of the time people just ignore you in Yuen Long 1 and just walk right past you. Now I understand why the elders were having such a hard time before. We will keep going though! The Lord wouldn't give us something we can't handle and I know He trusts that we can help Yuen Long. It's okay because we are going to visit some YL2 members this week and hopefully build relationships with them so we can get referrals and then street finding will be mhsai :)

     Our investigators in YL1 are doing good! Still working on finding those prepared people in YL2... Carson and Winnie had their baptism interview last Friday so they are getting baptized this Sunday! I am SO excited! I love Carson and Winnie! They are seriously the golden investigators! They read and pray daily and love coming to church. Their mom Cat who just got reactivated will say nightly prayers as a family and the whole Law Family is just amazing! It was funny because when I called our bishop to tell him that Carson and Winnie passed their baptismal interview, he said, "Congratulations! You have been in Yuen Long for a year and now you finally get to have a baptism!" Haha! Sometimes the things you work the hardest for mean the most to you. You just have to keep persevering and know that the Lord will bless you in His time and in His way.

     Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you have a great Thanksgiving and eat lots of turkey! I know I am SO thankful for all of you and for the chance to serve this mission in Hong Kong. The Lord has so many blessings in store for all of you, so don't forget to have that thankful heart and attitude of gratitude! I love all of you!

Scripture of the Week: Doctrine and Covenants 78:19 The Lord blesses those with a thankful heart 100 fold. What are you thankful for?
Quote of the Week: Gratitude is something you have to exercise like a muscle, and you exercise it through service.

Sister Maggie Shiffert
施姊妹

We are singing "All Creatures of Our God and King" for President and Sister Lam at our Thanksgiving this week and our district is going to do sign language for the second verse. This member Sister Kwong helped teach us the sign language for it and gave all of us sign language names. Mine is Sister Small Eyes haha!

The elders' investigator Alan got baptized yesterday! Sister Luk and I originally found him on the street a couple months ago and now he's baptized!

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Busy As A Bee

Leihdeih Hou!

     There's not mush to report on this week, but things are going pretty good in Yuen Long! We are definitely staying busy trying to serve in two giant areas, but the Lord wouldn't give us something we can't handle! Yuen Long 1 has a few solid investigators and less actives that we teach so now Sister Meh and I are going to start working on building up Yuen Long 2. I still have no idea where anything is in YL2, and those of you who know me know that I am directionally challenged, so we are going to have some exploring adventures next week trying to find our way around YL2 area haha! Hopefully we will still find prepared people along the way! The members in YL2 are super amazing so I am really excited to start working with them and getting to know them better. Sister Meh and I are excited and hopeful for this next transfer. Sister Meh is an amazing missionary and we are both going to keep being diligent and obedient so we can earn the Lord's blessings and miracles in helping others come unto Him.

     Alice is doing good! She is still keeping the Word of Wisdom and hasn't had any green tea. she still looks good for being baptized on Christmas. Carson and Winnie are still super awesome kids and they have their baptismal interview on Friday. If they pass, they will be baptized on the 27th! And also some super good news. Their mom Cat got reactivated yesterday! She is now the secretary for the Relief Society so that is really good! Cat really is amazing :) Laahn Je is still progressing every time we see her. She has one of the strongest desires to learn about this gospel which is really good. She is old and doesn't remember a lot so we teach the same lessons like 5 times, but she is one of my favorites :) 

     Super short this week, but hopefully next week will be a little longer. I love all of you! I hope things are going well for you! And if not, the solutions are only one prayer away! 

Scripture of the Week: Doctrine and Covenants 58:3-4 We probably can't see it, but after the trials come the many blessings and miracles 

Quote of the Week: Trust that God can see what we cannot (Dieter F. Uchtdorf）

Sister Maggie Shiffert

Welcome to the Tin Shui Was district! 

The cake says "We are very happy to serve in Yuen Long 2 Ward!"

Never thought I would make a cake with icing in Hong Kong! If you want icing in Hong Kong, you have to make it yourself. Turns out all you need is powdered sugar, butter, and milk!

We went hiking in Yuen Long today with some deaf members from Yuen Long 1 ward. Working on those sign language skills!

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What's New in Yuen Long 2?

Leihdeih Hou!

     So there have been some crazy things happening lately because of transfers so here are the updates! I am now serving with Sister Meh and she was actually in my MTC group. And the fun part is now we are serving both Yuen Long 1 and Yuen Long 2 areas! So basically all of Yuen Long haha! It's a gigantic area, but we're ready for the challenge! It used to be elders and sisters in YL1 and only elders in YL2, but now there are only one set of elders and one set of sisters for both areas. So we are going to have some fun exploring a new area this transfer! I always said that I wanted to open up Yuen Long 2 for sisters, but now that dream has come true! And I'm super excited! I'm ready to start making some miracles happen in Yuen Long with Sister Meh! She is such an awesome missionary and really cares about this work. We both have the feeling that there are a ton of prepared people out there and we are ready to do what it takes to find them. I feel like Yuen Long is ready to be harvested this transfer and I'm excited for what the Lord has in store for us! It will be craziness serving both areas, but we are ready for the challenges and blessings that lay ahead!

     Our investigators are doing pretty good. Laahn Je is slowly starting to remember more and more. We are working on getting her to church right now because she is a little nervous about seeing Yip Ji Muih from YL2 and still thinks that she can't come because Yip Ji Muih told her that she doesn't know how to read Chinese. We have tried to explain to her that she will go to YL1 ward so she won't see Yip Ji Muih and that it doesn't matter if she can't read Chinese. She told us again that she wants to take things slow and will call us when she is ready to come to church. So we will keep working with her. Alice is also doing really good! She really has progressed so much over the past few months and she thinks so too. She is starting to see the difference this gospel is making in her life. Alice has not had any green tea which is seriously a miracle and she is still building her testimony.

     Carson and Winnie are doing really good! They have heard lessons 1-4 and seem super committed to this gospel. We gave them pamphlets to read, and while we were talking with their mom Cat, they read all the pamphlets and started looking up the scripture references in them. They are so prepared! I have never seen kids (either here or in America) so eager to learn. They love to read and learn new things so they are accepting these lessons really well. Their mom Cat is also really good! I think she wants to hear the lessons as much as, if not more than, her kids do! She is very committed in coming back to church and raising her family in the gospel. She wants to change herself and become a better mom to her kids. The husband is not a member but he isn't opposed to Carson and Winnie coming to church with Cat and taking lessons. We'll make a goal to start working with him next and hopefully we can have that whole family active in the church. I don't know what we did to deserve to teach this amazing family but they are seriously a blessing!

     So that's what's new with me lately! I hope all of you have a great week this week! Keep being amazing and follow the Savior's example :)

Scripture of the Week: Doctrine and Covenants 25:13 No matter what, always lift up your heart and rejoice!

Quote of the Week: The key ot spiritual survival is JOY. "I have learned to suffer with joy" (Russell M. Nelson)

Sister Maggie Shiffert

施姊妹 

Everyday is stripes day!

And this is what moves calls looked like!

One last district photo (including the YL1 elders' investigator Alan)

Sister Meh! Let the adventures begin!
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