It's Super Effective!

 [Title refers to this Pokemon meme.]

大家好！Hey Everyone!

What a fantastic week this has been! It’s really amazing to have some incredible weeks like this in the mission, especially in contrast to the kind of weeks I was having about 6 months ago! I’m so grateful for these experiences that the Lord is giving me, both bitter and sweet.

Quick update on the usual friends:

• We’ve been sending various resources to Michael over text, which has been going fairly well. Before we met with him on Sunday we texted him some small passages about the principle of tithing, and he was really anxious about it, due to a ton of financial stress he’s under. We were nervous going into our lesson with him on Sunday, but to our great surprise he showed up in a white shirt and tie and told us that he had no clue how God would take care of him and his family, but that he’s committing to pay tithing regardless!! We’re super excited for his baptism next week!
• Sam wasn’t able to make it to church, but we met with him on Saturday and explained some other tough commandments including the Word of Wisdom, and he also surprised us by telling us that he was “eager to follow” God’s commandments!! We’re so lucky to see his faith in action!

We got to participate in a funny youth activity, a Pokémon Go competition. As one might expect, it was mostly all youth from the Mandarin ward with about 5 kids from other wards. We got to wander around University campus a bit, say hello to some FSY counselors, and got a few cards to take home. I’d say it was a pretty good “finding” activity for the missionaries.

While reading in the Book of Mormon this week I stumbled into an odd symbol. During a great war between tribes, the Nephite tribe was trying to find a way to retrieve some prisoners. The method they chose was having a Lamanite dissenter bring wine to the overzealous enemy guards who, perhaps as planned, fell right asleep after a good bacchanal. This let the prisoners escape easily, and the city was then taken back by the Nephites without any injury on either side. What I noticed during this read was how the wine was the essential element that saved the Nephites in bondage. Like these Nephites, we also are saved by the wine so to speak. The emblems of the sacrament are a continued tradition of the bread and wine that, as Christ has said, represents His body and blood. And so it is His wine that saves us from bondage; it is his blood that redeems us from the bonds of death and sin and lets us return home to the family of God.

It’s getting hotter for most of us around the globe, so be sure to stay hydrated! Keep soaking up the words of the Living Water as well! That is by far the most refreshing water when the heat comes.

Love you all! 爱你们！

-熊长老


照片

Poke-and-mon

Today's bbq and view

Impromptu karaoke by the Ukranian Elders