"IT'S RAAAWW!"

[Title references chef Gordon Ramsay's famed rants.]

大家好！Hello Friends

I think I’ve been out here for about 18 months now, and it just feels . . . weird. A church member told me a while ago that I was entering my prime, and I felt like saying “I think you mean I should still be in training!” I honestly still don’t have a clue what I’m doing most of the time, but that’s okay because God really knows what he is doing, so I hope I can just “Let the Lord prevail,” or as some might say, “Let Him cook.” I also thought that by now the mission would feel easier, aaaaand it doesn’t. BUT I feel like we always become better even if things aren’t easy.

This week was filled with miracles of biblical proportions! Wednesday gave us an exchange, and I went with Elder Wells, and we had some great interactions with people! Elder Wells said it was one of the most spirit-led days he had experienced, which is impressive considering most of the revelation we received stemmed from a complain-fest that happened the night before.

On Saturday we tried to invite everyone to come to church, and it went really well! I also had a cool conversation with a guy named Wulf. He’s a Jewish guy from Israel who was in a wheelchair, but he said he was really trying to learn more about Jesus Christ, and I said “Wait a minute ... I can help with that!” It was nice to give him a copy of the Book of Mormon and see how happy he was! I haven't seen that a lot before.

I also ate jellyfish last Monday. It was somewhere in between crunchy and chewy. Definitely would try again though.

If anyone wants to read some great stories read Helaman 7-11. I think Nephi has got to be one of my new favorite people in all of scripture. It’s amazing how he can display so much love and righteousness and sass all at the same time (Helaman 9:27). I’d invite you to check it out next time you get bored reading the “dead see scroll” on your favorite social media.

Stay Warm Everyone! Love you all!

Elder Baer 熊长老

照片：

https://photos.app.goo.gl/yBaTy1Mc3BcoogrG6

my best parking job yet

Calgary actually has cool interior design (I don't always step inside for a bathroom break, but when I do...")

super good food from the Huang family! They're the coolest people ever

Biblical flood

 

 

 

 

 

Story time!

17 February 2025

大家好！Hello Friends

Story time!

One of the most surprising lessons I've experienced happened on Wednesday evening. We were surprised to see someone unexpected on our phone screen, and it turns out that during the 10 minutes prior, I wasn’t texting the person I thought I was. I was surprised again when in the middle of testifying of God’s blessings in my life, the woman we were teaching blurted out, “That's great…but you don't look all that happy about it."

And that really got me thinking. A lot of times I approach people here saying that I am “sharing a message of joy and happiness” in their area, but there are some days when I really don’t feel it as much. But I think the gospel of Jesus Christ offers something else constant and deep:

Love

It's real cheeky of me to write about that this week, I know. But after all is said and done, after the box of chocolates is mostly empty and your stomach ache has passed, the pure love of Christ is really one of the biggest blessings that we can receive! The Love of God can bring joy, and it is what will endure all hardships. I can't confidently say I've felt joy every day in this mission, but make no mistake, I really have felt God's love every day out here. Your Heavenly Father loves you so much! If you're not sure, then ask Him! He won't hesitate to show His love for you, I can promise you that.

A story by Elder Baer. You're welcome!

Other miracles from this week include:

• I found my winter coat! I had lost it at the church a week prior, and then some members helped me find it!

• Our friend prayed about her daughter obtaining a student permit, and she got a response back that said she was definitely eligible! She said she was so grateful for prayer.

• “This Little Light of Mine” is included in the Hymnbook! Truly, the restoration continues!

Stay Warm Everyone! Love you all!!

Elder Baer 熊长老

照片：
https://photos.app.goo.gl/yBaTy1Mc3BcoogrG6

First time having Chick-fil, Eh in Canada

Met a friend at the grocery store

Cool rainbow ring around the sun…perks of sub-arctic temperatures  

[technical term: sun dog (or parhelion)]

Snorkling in the Nile, 3 square meals a day. . .

 [Title references this scene from Veggie Tales' "Josh and the Big Wall."]

10 February 2025

 大家好！Hello Friends

I don't think anything went according to plan this week. It was Epic!
We woke up to a few surprises several days this week including, but not limited to
- Sudden schedule of interviews with the mission president
- Someone trying to meet us online to join our English class at 8:30
… that's actually about it, I suppose it is pretty limited. Weird that our schedule changed 2 days in a row before we even got to planning.

I'm continually impressed with God's mercy and miraculous work, even when His children don't see it! Here's the story: We got a call from some sister missionaries expressing that they needed to do a pass off lesson with us. All of us met with a lady named Xiuyan for the very first time. Xiuyan had been going to a Chinese Baptist church for a long time, but she has experienced some family troubles and was looking for guidance, so she actually walked in to a chapel in Calgary and said she felt overwhelmed by peace. There also JUST HAPPENED to be a Mandarin Book of Mormon in the foyer that she took with her! Our pass-off lesson happened 6 days after that on Saturday, and she seemed eager to make a goal for baptism! …and then she texted the Sisters the next day and said she "researched” the Book of Mormon and said she should stick to reading the Bible and go back to the Baptist church. *yet another facepalm* The good news is that if God is able to pull miracles like that, He won't stop anytime soon. I now have a lot more sympathy for Moses and the Israelites who were very quick to forget God and very quick to remember Egypt.

We also got to help push some cars up a freeway exit! It was a fun time. Calgary's negligence regarding road conditions makes for great service opportunities!

After 19 years of my life I finally understood the first sentence of Ether 12:27 "And if men come unto me, I will show unto them their weakness." That is to say the more we follow God the more pain we may experience from our imperfections. This is especially evident in the exchange between Jesus Christ and the "rich young ruler." We may experience more pain as we see how slowly our weaknesses become strong, but the process is real and it does happen! If you feel crippled by many weaknesses, don't stress! Ask God to help you strengthen one of them this week (I'm focusing on being more clean and organized with my belongings). If you don't know where to start, ask God! Like the young ruler he will show you your weakness, but he will also help in healing.


Stay Warm Everyone! Love you all!
Elder Baer 熊长老

照片：
https://photos.app.goo.gl/yBaTy1Mgc3BcoogrG6
Freeway line up

Old bummy mall, poor finding, 10/10 view tho

Celestial(?) Tiwi   [Editor confusion: isn't 3 green lights a perfect driving day? how is 3 red lights celestial?]

Good Hair day *brought to you by Dapper Dan*

Snake in the Eagles Shadow

[Title refers to this old Jackie Chan movie.]

3 February 2025

 大家好！Hello Friends!

新年快乐！恭喜发财！How has the Year of the Snake treated everyone? We woke up this morning to a nice -26°C/-15°F, so we definitely know more what it's like to be cold blooded. Hope everyone's temperatures are warmer, but let me know if you reach a new high score!

Some of our friends seemed really agitated in our meetings with them, which was strange and difficult. After reading Joseph Smith's account of his vision, Cancan erupted into saying she didn't care about the visions or what scriptures were true since all of the religions are similar anyway…, and then Wong Lei brought up a question about who picks the Prophet, which was really a way to express that he now thinks the Church is evil because we believe in living prophets. We did meet with a couple other friends that are doing alright!

Our Chinese New Year party was on Saturday! The turnout was really good this year and they had a live Kung Fu demonstration! We also saw a friend named Yan show up! We met him on Wednesday at while handing out fliers, and we got to talk to him for a few minutes after he asked why we don't drink coffee. He was thrilled to hear we had a New Year activity.

I had a kind of epiphany phrase come to mind this week during my personal study, and I'm sure it's come from some other podcast or talk, but I was thinking about the application of the atonement, and realized, “applying Christ's Atonement in our lives allows us to practice ‘At-one-ment’ with other people.”
Think about some ways you can be better “At one” with other people or with God this week! The unity made possible by Jesus Christ can truly bring lasting joy!

Stay warm everyone! Love you all!
Elder Baer 熊长老

照片：
https://photos.app.goo.gl/yBaTy1Mc3BcoogrG6

New years set up

Rice balls, (made by Elder Tang)

"Tricky like that, Jesus"

[Title references this strange sermon from Hunt for the Wilderpeople.]

27 January, 2025

 大家好！Hello Friends!

There's always more than one way to look at a situation or an experience. Some ways are better than others. Here’s an example of a poor way that I’ve been viewing this week:

• I was told by a friend that if our goal was to help them be baptized, then we are wasting our time.
• I got chewed out for every mistake and character flaw I've had in the last six weeks.
• I prayed and fasted for Wong Lei to be baptized, and in return received a sudden response that under no circumstance would he be baptized this month.
• I completely botched an attempt to teach the restoration of the gospel to a new friend.

But there's always a better way to see things, which I'm working on doing:

• Some lessons brought an opportunity to put faith in God’s ability to change people’s hearts. We saw a glimpse of this as our friend came to church on Sunday and then told us with a kind of dazed look, “I need to think about a lot of things; I no longer know what religions are true or not.”
• I learned how my happiness really does depend on my focus, no matter what the circumstances are or what has been said.
• Agency is key in God’s work, and we pray more to align our will with God’s instead of just the things we want.
• I learned the importance of teaching simply, something that I can practice now that I understand it.

I think this is part of what our Prophet meant by his phrase “Think Celestial.” As we have a higher perspective on our lives, we will notice many beautiful things that we wouldn’t notice otherwise. We can have the perspective that enables us to “make those doors easier to get through” that may stump us in our path. If you have a chance, review the words of the Prophet, and find an issue that you could “Think Celestial” about.

Stay warm everyone! Love you all!
Elder Baer 熊长老

照片：
https://photos.app.goo.gl/yBaTy1Mc3BcoogrG6

Found a cool conference center after taking the wrong train

LIGHT! (more evidence of God’s love)

What a Coinci-dance!

[Title references this video.]

20 January 2024

 大家好！Hello Friends!

I’m gonna be a little bold and straight up for a minute. Do you want to see power beyond all earthly comprehension? Serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I gained a testimony this week of the reality that God is in relentless pursuit of his children. We met with our friend Jing two weeks ago, and he was in awe of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Then he stopped communicating with us, and we were worrying. On Tuesday another companionship in our district met him downtown and told him about the opposition to the church that he’d discovered. Jing said that interaction was directed by God. We later heard from the one member he knew that he met Jing on Saturday!

Our other friends are doing well! We had a few people come to church for the first time! One lady said she had actually been to church once near BYU Hawaii several years ago, and another guy said he had attended a hike with the ward a year and a half ago!

Everyone go read the Sacrament entry on the church’s “Topics and Questions”! I looked at this yesterday and I was impacted by the clarity with which this article explained the ordinance of the sacrament, what it means, and why it is important. The ideas of preparing for the sacrament especially left an impression on me. I don’t know if I’ve ever thought about what I should do to prepare for the sacrament, I’ve just showed up to church and been there. I’ve tried to focus my thoughts on the Savior, but I can see that good preparation will help that go even smoother.

Also, please pray for Wong Lei! He’s on date for baptism this Sunday, and his life has been CRAZY! We’re really hoping he can meet with us this week to prepare things in time for his baptism.

Stay warm everyone! Love you all!
Elder Baer 熊长老

照片：
https://photos.app.goo.gl/yBaTy1Mc3BcoogrG6

Super good sunset!

The Zone Leaders helping us start our car on Sunday

Me trying to learn Chinese characters since trying to speak it isn’t discouraging enough ;P