MACAU 7

we had another miracle baptism!

Our investigator from the Mainland China, Sister Ng (or Wu) said that she didn't feel like she was ready to be baptized on thursday so we cancelled the baptism, but then she came down by herself on Saturday night to attend our meeting on Sunday morning to tell us that she felt as ready as she can be now and that she wanted to be interviewed, and she passed!!!

So some of the members in mainland came down to attend her baptismal meeting that afternoon and it was a very happy afternoon! And they were very excited to see us missionaries, most likely because missionaries aren't allowed in mainland so they rarely see one.

It's been such miraculous move so far, having 3 baptisms in a row, it is such a tender mercy from the Lord and I really know that this is Lord's work and He really is in charge. He brings us His children along to help eachother grow and learn of Him, and then makes up for all our mistakes and shortcomings. Honestly, in all my weaknesses and imperfections, I truly didn't deserve to see so much miracles, but I have learned that it's not being perfect that will bring successes and miracles, but consistantly repenting and continuing to quest after that perfection that brings about this tender mercy of the Lord enabling His work to keep moving forward. I have truly learned so much from being His instrument, watching Him use what He can work with this imperfect "tool" that He has been given. He has made me realize strengths within me that I hadn't known I had, and have fixed and polished here and there in me that is ready to be fixed and improved. One reason how I can know He is still pleased with me despite all my mistakes and failures is because I feel His Spirit still abiding with me and burning within me and guiding me.

One of our new investigators from just a week of two ago, GaYih, now has a baptismal date that she is excitedly progressing towards! She has received witness that God loves her and her simple prayers are being answered, we can feel the Spirit so strong when we teach her and her sharings further witness to us of God's incredible love, and nomatter how small, He cares about every little things that are important to us. He really only wants to make us happy.

Last week I didn't have enough time to share the great miracle of God within myself. He has helped me overcome yet another one of my greatest fear. I received a letter on the Sunday where we had 4 confirmations, in the letter it contained a news that I hadn't expected. It was a huge challenge. But I straight away began my fast, and during that fast, so quickly the Lord was right by my side. and He opened my eyes, vision, helped me to gain greater understanding of His plans for me. And instantly, I don't know how He did it, in a moment of time, all my pains melted away, I don't know what I did or what I said in my prayer, but as I prayed I felt my heart healing, I felt complete peace and confidence in the unknown future. I just couldn't believe how quickly I was able to change and overcome. The Lord had really prepared me for this challenge. Truly, if we build our all on the foundation of Christ, we will not fall. He will keep us standing. I still have no idea what the futures will bring, I only know that the Lord will still be with me by then and all the way through as I let Him, and so, I'm willing to let it all go, truly let it all go, and I have no fear in the uncertain future. And it was still incredible how many people were inspired to send extra support to further let me know that God is aware of my trial. :)

I am almost out of time again, so long until next week! Lots of loves, always, to all my loved ones back home!!

Sister Burningham

 

 P.S.-

Tomorrow my visa expires -- my another 20 days in Macau will be over -- and four of us missionaries would need to get out and come back to see how many more days they are still willing to give us, each time it's pretty suspensful, haha, adds more flavor to already interesting mission in Macau :) It's become my home to me now, I love this area, just as much as I loved Tolo Harbor my last area, if not more. I love the people, and actually, to tell the truth I love Chinese people more than Korean people now :P haha, no, actually that's not true, I just really love people so much right now if I haven't before. :) It just further excites me for the greatest reunion party we will have after we die xD

                                          Sister Ng and the missionaries

Some members from a Branch in Mainland, they were so awesome to come down at the last minute to support her baptism! And powerful testimonies and prayer!

Sister Ng's fellowshipper and friend, also called Sister Ng, but different chinese tone/character :)

MACAU 6

Heavenly Father's love and very personal specific daily designs never ceases to amaze me.

Before I get on that I would like to mention,

JENNY WAS BAPTIZED!!! :D

On Saturday we held a baptismal service because there's a leadership meeting on Sunday after church, and there were 3 people being baptized that day:

Jenny, A-Fai the Cantonese Elders' investigator, and Mok Ye the Mandarin Elders' investigator :) It was such a happy exciting day and lots of people showed up although it was held on Saturday. Afterwards all three bore their testimony, and Jenny shared how grateful and blessed she was that she was found and had the opportunity to learn the Gospel and very respectful sweet humble testimony. Then A-Fai was very nervous about bearing his testimony and didn't know what to say, so Jenny and other members asked him questions to prompt his testimony and it just ended up turning into a testimony meeting basically :) and though I didn't understand very much of Mandarin, when Mok Ye bore his testimony I could still feel the Holy Ghost strongly and knew that he knew this gospel was true.

On Sunday we had 4 people receive their confirmations!! Including our other convert A-Yan who was baptized a week earlier :) :) :)

Both girls are so solid and love the Lord and were excited to finally receive the gift of the Holy Ghost!

And it was so awesome to see them progress since the beginning and watch their faith grow and gain their own testimony.

This past week we also met some awesome new investigators, basically like Jenny where they were willing to just come follow us into the church to hear our lesson and to meet us again, among them are Ga Yih and we were able to see her twice already and she was very purposeful in her agreement to be baptized, she really wants to have the testimony that we and A-Yan (she helped us fellowship :) ) have, and to know the truth and also be baptized, it almost made both of us cry because she was such a miracle find and so golden. Another one, Sylvia, she had to go to work and had just moved from the mainland china few days ago and didn't know her phone number so she said she can meet us after work the same place we met her and follow us to the church. We had lots of experience where even though we receive some-sort-of phone numbers they would "fong" our appointments where they flat out don't show up and ignore the promises, but for some reason we both really believed her, and that night waited for her. But she didn't show, and Sister Wong said we will wait for 10 more minutes and at last as we were about to leave when that 10 minute was almost up, she showed up! She was sorry she was late, and she actually liked our messege and agreed to see us again! So many miracles, but the greatest miracle I have yet shared, and actually I'm out of time, perhaps next week, but really, as Mom shared with me her relief society lesson the past week I am firther convinced of how specific God's designs are, although I had missed that messege across the seas and He has helped me another way, I am still greatful for mom's sharing. The gratest miracle this past week is the miracle within me. God has helped me to overcome another one of my greatest fears of my heart, anyways more next week

loves

leih jimuih

                                          Us and Jenny!

 Jenny and the best youth members ever! They are all converts! From left: David-introduced to the gospel through his friend Ann, Ann-can't concentrate on homework because she wants to read the Book of Mormon so bad, such strong testimony of the Book of Mormon, Jenny-Yay!!, Tiffany-Jenny's first friend in the church, introduced her to love the Book of Mormon and how to apply them daily, Such powerful youth with strong testimony, All three wants to serve a mission :)

                                         There were 3 people being baptized that Saturday :D

 for Jenny's baptism back of Jenny's Journal that Tiffany her fellowshipper bought for her and asked me to draw in them

                                          front

 

MACAU 5

Another miraculous week!

where to start, well, A-Yan's baptism of course!!! :D :D :D :D

She is SO awesome! she is 20 years old and I am looking forward for her to prepare to serve a mission as well, as she has already helped us teach a lesson before being baptized, and even on her baptismal day she helped us go finding and together we found another new investigator and taught her on the street with A-Yan!! She is so incredible and loves the church so much!

Lets see, oh and so Jenny's parents have now given her the permission to be baptized and because there is a leadership meeting in church this sunday they moved the baptism a day early so it's now this Saturday after the "mutual"-missionary Activity we hold every Saturday! She has already agreed to help teach baking for the activity and we will see her get baptized and eat the cookies we made together afterwards, :D

Oh and I did go back to Hong Kong last friday only to turn around and come right back to Macau! 4 of us foreign missionaries have all received 20 more days in Macau, we shall see how much longer after that we are allowed to stay :)

A-Tihng on Sunday was talking to different people and participated in classes very well, and she was smiling a lot and looked much happier. She also sincerely congratulated A-Yan and welcomed her to the Branch. We are seeing so much progress in her, she is opening up more and changing herself to become better and happier. :D

We also had a formal investigator call this past week to tell us some unhappy news, and no matter what we shared (testimony, scripture, Jesus Christ, personal experiences,etc.) she seemed determined to keep her decision that would mean seriously breaking a commanment, she only wanted to convince us that she is an exception and wanted us to agree with her and console her. But finally, it happened that we ended up having the elders with us in her home to help her clean and move some heavy things, but she had already finished cleaning everything by the time we got there as scheduled, so we ended up teaching her together. And when things were again not helping her to repent and turn towards Christ, Elder Yeung our zone leader who was with us spoke in a way best described by the scripture in Doctrine and Covenants section 121 verse 43, he reproved her with the Holy Ghost. As he spoke so boldly and strict, so powerfully, the Holy Ghost was felt so strongly in the room, no one in the room could deny what was being felt, I think even the baby within her because she all of sudden held onto her stomach as the Holy Ghost witnessed unto all of us powerfully about Elder Yeung's sharp reproval. Afterwards, our investigator's attitude changed, she sincerely wanted to know how she can really trust God as she tries out keeping the commandments first, she really wanted to know if there really was hope for her, she has promised to personally kneel down and pray to know God's will and let us know this coming week what her decision afterwards will be. And then two days later she came to A-Yan's baptismal service, she has never been to a church service before and she really loved the hymns and held onto the book very earnestly. She realized through A-Yan's testimony afterwards that church people don't have perfect lives, they have tragedy happen to them too, but can still be happy because they have God with them and the family they find in the church of God. She left that meeting with much hope for her circumstance. It was truly a miracle. I had prayed for her a lot the past week. I also received a priestood blessing the past week which told me that my mother's earnest prayers are protecting me and that there are angels round about me, I asked the Lord to please send some of those angels to protect this investigator and her baby with-in her at this crucial time, and I know that my prayers just as every one's, were heard.

It truly humbles me to serve a mission. We missionaries truly are still immature 19 to twenty-something year old kids, and that this really is God's work, not ours, I cannot help these people with their challenges and tragedies, only the Lord can. All that I can do is to do my best to be a worthy clean receptor of the Holy Ghost that God, through me, can freely accomplish His will. I am but a pen in His hands, i need to be ready and worthy so as God picks me up to use, there's ink ready to be spilled. And I am so grateful for the worthy priesthood holders, God's authority on earth. I am so grateful for the Lord's mercy. Despite all my imperfections still finds me useful to accomplish His designs. All these miracles are happening before my eyes and I know that it's all the Lord's doing, and I am just grateful to have been there to witness and recognize and give thanks to Him for the opportunity. I have done truly no special thing to deserve so much blessings, privileges and opportunities as He is constantly giving me. I am so grateful, despite all my pride, lack of faith, weakness, and sins, the Lord loves me so much and is willing to keep working on me, to change me, to help me become better, even to become as He is.

I hope that I will never forget His mercy and remember of my own nothingness.

with Love, always,

Leih Jimuih

                                           A-Yan's Baptism

                                          with elders

                                          A-Yan and Sister Wong, and Jenny's fingers :)

MACAU 4

On Saturday my visa in Macau expires and will be kicked out, ha, only to come back and ask for more days! We will see how much longer I will be allowed to stay. :)

I had originally been very nervous and didn't want to come to Macau very much, but once being called there I knew that's where Heavenly Father wanted me to be and so far I have really felt his power in arranging everything.

The less-active member here named A-Tihng has been baptized two years prior, and due to her bad family situation she is very hard to be sociable to and it had been difficult for previous missionaries to help her progress. But once meeting me and finding out that I am Korean, she was very excited to tell me all the Korean things she loves, and has been very active (perhaps too active) in calling us missionaries lately whereas before she never called them. At first we thought maybe she has some mental problems, it was a struggle to teach her, but we are finding that she just needs to learn how to be sociable. I am especially noticing my past self in her, having no friends with family problems and not knowing how to interact with people, etc. and I realized that the thing that has changed me to be who I am today was the Book of Mormon and so I made my best effort to help her be more interested to read the book. It is very hard because often she doesn't hear what we say in the lesson and goes off telling us something so off topic, but we have hope because by being straight forward and loving, she has actually been progressing--coming to church each week and participating in the classes, also meeting new people, calling us not too much but simply calling us once a day now to tell us thank you and how happier she feels, sharing with us that she knows she has problems and has the desire to repent and change and become better person, being more diligent in her school work (she is 22 still trying to finish highschool level), she has actually been answering the questions ON-topic during our lessons which means she now is listening to the words we say, she knows the Book of Mormon and church will bless her. So we have high hopes for her, especially me, because I know that God has made me all that I am today, and if He can change me and find use in me now doing His work, He can also make that happen for everyone as long as we let Him and feast upon His words.

Also this past week we met with Esther a member in Macau 1st Branch, and it is also very inspiring because I actually knew her before my mission. I met her when I went to an activity one Sunday evening provided by these two brothers in our Singles Ward at BYU and she was from Macau and was surprised I knew where that was, and I was excited to tell her I just got my mission call to Hong Kong and she taught me one of my first few words of Cantonese I learned: Thank you and God :)

She felt it was very special that we met again, she remembered me and I also remembered her, and we were able to share some messages to strengthen her as well. She was very supportive of us missionaries and was very giving. We missionaries also learned much from her.

I have also realized that my first 6 months of mission, especially while I served in my first area, has really prepared me to be Sister Wong's companion. Because I already knew her and her family and her home ward in Hong Kong, and we realized that we had lots of experiences that were similar and strengthening to us as we shared them. I am also very blessed to be working with such incredible convert youths of the branch, one of them that Sister Bingham has taught when she herself was in Macau. We have A-Yan's baptism coming this Sunday, and we are so excited!! Jenny's baptism is the next Sunday but we are praying because her parents were pretty hesitant on giving her permission to be baptized, but strangely they wake her up every Sunday and send her off to church (because waking up is Jenny's weakness-like me, haha) :) We also found some more new investigators through many small and big miracles, one of them being Alice who is excited to learn more and find out for herself, we are very excited to introduce her to A-Yan because they are around the same age :)

Work in Macau is going well, it's different, teaching me different things and making me work hard in different focus than in Hong Kong but going well. I am happy and well.

Got to go now, but I love you as always, you are still in my prayers,

Sister Burningham

MACAU 3

Not much time today but just want to more boldly testify that the Book of Mormon is SO important, and more important that we study it daily, its power and influence is incomprehendable, and I know more than anything that it is true and the people in it definitely existed. They are my best friend, I can truly feel each of their utmost passion in the Lord's work doing their best to persuade at least one more person to come unto Christ, their testimonies are my treasure and their personal experiences with the Lord is my strength. They watched some of their family member, brothers, sisters, beloved friends, neighbors perish in unbelief, struggle in life unwilling to accept Jesus Christ, and in their pain watching those people they cried unto the Lord, and I know that the Book of Mormon is the fruit of each of their faith, I know that the Book of Mormon and all the souls it has, does, and will yet save is the answer to all their faithful prayers, And I know that God is really showing His infinite love and marvelous powers through this book. I know that the Book of Mormon is the answer, it was provided by the Lord and came forth by His power and continues to touch souls by that same power. It is no ordinary book, and definitely cannot be taken for granted. As those prophets pleads, we must feast upon it, and feel of their sacrifices, love of God, all their powerful faith, their wisdom, testimony, experiences, it has all been prepared for us specifically in our day. This is what I really want to share with everyone, God, through the Book of Mormon has really made me all I am today, I used to be nothing, such hopeless child, but now I am something: I am a missionary, I am a Disciple of Jesus Christ, all because of the study of and the applying of the principles found in the Book of Mormon. It has really brought me to my Lord. I can't stress it enough, how much Jesus Christ, my God, His gospel, His words, His love, His everything, means to me. I hope that everyone can also find out their true potential and are growing more into becoming that potential, is my brief message.

Love, Sister Burningham

P.S.

Pictures:

Today for P-day we went to the beach and played Volleyball and Ultimate Freezbee and I am tired-OUT >_<;;

But I got to take some pictures to send home while we relaxed afterwards, I was also able to sketch some drawings there,

so I am sending picture of my companionship, my zone, and a fun sign I saw at a restaurant, and really pretty umbrellas in the ceiling of an exhibit :)

Hope to send more next week!