Tseun Wan and Kwai Chung 10

A news through a phone call on Saturday morning: Our companionship will no longer be serving in Tseun Wan Ward. We were given six weeks to gradually turn over any work we have been doing in Tseun Wan over to the Tseun Wan elders. It was expected in a way because we had the Sisters Meeting a while ago where we discussed about the possibilities of sister missonaries to start serving in just one Ward. Because often, sister missionaries serve in more than two wards.

This week Vina brought a friend who wanted to learn Korean, we have seen her a few times already and she offered the prayer in Korean-Chinese as well! She also prayed on her own but is unsure if it's working or not, just that she's learning Korean pretty fast. She then even agreed to come to church on sunday even though it didn't involve Korean and she usually gets too shy and nervous around many many people she doesn't know. But suddenly just before Sunday she told Vina that her mom doesn't want her to learn Korean and that she wouldn't come to church. We don't know what happened, Vina thinks she might have went online and read some false things about our church. We will continue to follow up for more details.

On Friday Sister Tse from Tseun Wan Ward invited us over for FHE dinner with her 2 non-member friends. The friends are sisters and the older one, A-Fung just had her husband pass away about a month ago. The Spirit was very powerful as Sister Tse openly bore her thoughts, feelings, love, and testimony about A-Fung, how special she is and how much she believes that they knew each other from the Pre-Earth life and how she is ready now. We shared on the Plan of Salvation, which seemed a bit of too much information at once for her, especially with all the kids round about. But as we explained about Prayer very simply it seemed to have more meaning for her and more motivation to try it out. We will be visiting her to teach her daughter English, and to teach her more about the message of the Family Home Evening.

In the Ward Thanksgiving Party on Saturday (we had two going on in the same building, both Kwai Chung and Tseun Wan, we just kept going back and forth between the two) and at Church on Sunday, we also met some potential investigators brought by the members. We hope to be able to schedule them soon.

We are also preparing Yuen Ying and Kaka to be interviewed on Saturday!!  They are very excited! Kaka even shared excitedly about her dream that she had that really meant a lot to her and helped her to feel that God is hearing her prayers and she knows the Book of Mormon is true!

Thanksgiving Day was very very good. I think it was my most meaningful thanksgiving season of my life. Satan is working hard on me to be discouraged and distracted lately, but I have set a goal to think of at least 20 grateful things to count each time, or until I forget about being tempted by him. And it has been so amazing. Then that counting blessings session would normally begin and end with a hymn in my mind and thoughts towards my Savior. This is a habit I want to possess all my life. And I hope to continue to improve. With all the reminders lately about how little time I have left in Hong Kong, and feeling how much I never want to leave this place and how much I don't want to go back home and fear of returning to my old life, I was just so grateful for our Father's eternal perfect Plan of Happiness and His companionship of the Holy Ghost to comfort and guide and instruct me. I have also been reading bits and bits out of Jesus the Christ about how He lived His last moments before His crucifixion, and it has helped me very much. I am so grateful for our Savior and His everlasting, perfect, strengthening example.

I hope to endure to the end in love as He did. Knowing that broken heart is just part of the process and required sacrifice of becoming more like Him.

Loves to everyone as always,

Sister lee

Tseun Wan and Kwai Chung 9

Hello everyone~!!

The Lord is doing His wonders, and I am fastening my seatbelt.

During our Consecrated finding we contacted a very sweet girl on the street named Tong Yan, and she loves Korea and their music band and was excited about learning Korean for free. Then on Saturday she brought 2 of her friends, Cammy and Fanny, with her and we made cookies and shared a message on conversion. They were touched and even shared that they felt so "loyal to the time"? meaning, they utilized the time so well, and felt so productive/accomplished in that short time with us. Cammy was willing to give the closing prayer, and it was just so great!!

We also did some Former Investigator finding, meaning we called through many former investigators, and met the most sentimental(?), most spunky, out going 60+ year old grandma! Her name is A-Ying! She also have tried praying probably for the first time with us! We are focusing on helping her find Heavenly Father through prayer, and reading out of the Book of Mormon together each time we meet. She doesn't really know how to read, so we are teaching her through the Book of Mormon, the same way I'm learning ^_^

Yuen Ying and Kaka's mother has decided that she doensn't want to be baptized after all, because she won't be able to start keeping the Sabbath Day or even to come to church before Christmas, but perhaps she'll progress slowly and be baptized at a later date. But, she is still going to let Yuen Ying and KaKa be baptized!!! They have set their date as December 9th.

On Sunday they had the Primary program in the Sacrament meeting and the Spirit was so powerful as these children sang the most basic, simple, plain truths of the gospel and their straight forward dedication and commitment to live it. The message of how true this gospel was just pounding and overwhelming the whole chapel the whole hour. It is just so plain and obvious why the Savior teaches us to be like a little child.

I'm striving to develope the faith like these children, hope everyone also strives to become more like a child each day with me as well!

Loves and thanks to you all,

Sister Burningham

 

Happy Thanks Giving Day soon!!!!!

HUGE NEWS!!

After a very long talk, Kay Kay Leung (Yuen Ying and Kaka's mother--I'm spelling Gaga's name with the "K" now, because she hates people making the joke out of her name with another famous person with the "same" name, so to her request it will be spelled with "K" now) returned home saying she will think about this baptism. Then came the reply, Yuen Ying, Kaka, AND Mrs. Leung will be baptized TOGETHER! On Christmas! So this is good, it's really good that she has this desire, now we need to help her act on her desire to be baptized to make some big changes in her life so she can be ready for this baptism.

We also visited some part-member-families, where the Dad isn't the member, so we may end up turning over the dad to the elders to teach.

We finally met up with our referral Nike [Nai kee] Chan, who also brought her relative A-Yi! And after getting to know each other and chatting and making cookie/brownie, A-Yi wanted to know how to pray. Though she never believed in Jesus Christ, she wants to try it out! AND! It turns out she also lives in TSUEN WAN!!! where we basically have no investigators so far!!! SO Excited!!! We are praying for Father's mercy to help A-Yi feel the power of prayer! 

Wow, Sister Chan is such a gift from heaven. She really loves me like a real sister. It seemed to be very noticeable because people comment on how much we are like blood-related sisters together.

I am finding my heart healing like none other, it has been so incredible time together. I'm just so grateful that she is my companion for my last move, it has been such a support, I know we can accomplish so much here together planting seed and perhaps also sowing!!

Prayers and Loves to everyone home!!! Time is flying by so fast, don't let a moment pass you by without having had come at least a step closer to the Lord!

Loves always,

Sister Burningham!

It was Elder Oberg's birthday and some of the youth wanted to do a surprise party for him, and here is the result!

From the Left: E. Oberg, Johnny, me, Sister Chan, Camera-Shy Dave (also the one who planned all the surprise and prepared the cake) hidden behind the table, E. Lau, Vina

     From the Left: me, S. Chan, Vina, E. Oberg, Johnny

This was from last P-day when we cooked and ate together with Vina, and she also brought delicious cream           dessert :q mmm~        From left: Sister Chan, Vina, me

Tseun Wan and Kwai Chung 7

Hello everyone!

Sadly last week, Yuen Ying and Ga ga's mother did not give them a baptismal permission. And lately her marriage situation has been worsening. But we were able to schedule her Tuesday to visit her with the Young Women President, so we are praying and fasting towards this appointment.

Changes changes,

Sister Jamison has been moved to Aberdeen.

And so I am now companions with

SISTER CHAN!!!!!

She is from Tai Wo Ward, the very first place I served in, and just got moved out of Macau area, Sister Farr and I back than helped her less-active mother and sister, and were so close to them, Sister Chan, the mother, even "adopted" me, and she became my Hong Kong mother, and calls me her "nice pig"! Just like my real mom who also calls me her pig xD And ever since we first met in Hong Kong we had a special connection, and felt like we knew each other and were very close friends from pre-earth life, and were always just happy to see each other though we have never served in same district nor zone. And now we are companions!! Who knew!!! she will be finishing her mission a move after me, so no one guessed that two missionaries that "old" would be put together! xD

Sister Chan is such an inspiration, most happiest missionary I know, and it is rubbing on me a lot :) :) wow, it has been such a power lately. I actually did hope that I could end my mission with having served with another native missionary before I finish. The Lord knew my heart, so well.

After Sister Kiene left, Sister Wong (my companion back when I served in Macau) also moved into our apartment as well!!! I am surrounded by Tai Wo people, Hong Kong people whom I love so so much, so it has been an incredible blessing.

Anyways, last week with Sister Chan we saw Li Yin Ni, less active member in Tseun Wan. She is developing more desire for change lately, and wants to increase her faith. Sister Chan has also been a great help and encouragement for her, it was a perfect timing! The Tseun Wan Ward finally gave us some names of people we could visit, (after having visited people on our own and having been told that it is unnecessary to visit those people). So we hope to find more success within those names! The elders had baptismal service last Wednesday where Yuen Ying and Gaga also came, and their mom was unable to make it again.. Gaga has a desire to teach the gospel more effectively to her younger brother Hong Hong, which have been rather touching, because their relationship wasn't the best. She also shared her desire that one of the reasons she wants to be baptized is because she does regret many things from the past and would love this chance to start over. We were so glad to hear that!

Everything is going well, and I am doing all I can for these beloved 2 areas!

But loves and prayers to all of you back home as always,

and I will write again next week!

Sister burningham :)

Last week, for Sister Kiene's last P-day, our zone went to this Star pier? Basically Hong Kong version of Hollywood, where there are hand prints of all these chinese stars on the ground, etc.

                          

      Jackie Chan hand print

                      Bruce Lee Statue

Every Wednesday we have service activity where we clean up the trash in the pier. This was my last district before all the change