Kwun Tong 14

I had the best birthday of my life last week, thank you all so much again, and most of all, thank Heavenly Father so so much.

Ah, SO MUCH has happened since I last wrote, I guess it's like that every week, so sad I never have enough time to write about it all,

Suki, the girl a little older than us that we met in our favorite restaurant in Kwun Tong by eating there--she's a waitress there--has been doing incredibly well! She didn't know ANY English to start with but she has been progressing already in 3 weeks? And she has no background in Christianity but has started praying and has been feeling the peace and happiness and good feeling from it, and has been asking questions that we are actually teaching her the gospel much faster paced than we'd originally thought we would! We last saw her yesterday with Sister Becky Ng, our member friend who has fantastic English, and she prayed with us by the end to find out if God exists and hears her prayers, the Spirit was strong as she prayed, we could feel of God's love. Afterwards she said that she is feeling something very special she hasn't felt before, and stayed kneeling for a while. It was really special to experience that with her,,

As for my Birthday, it became more of a birthday week and it was so Awesome, SO MANY Miracles!!! One of which is still continuing, we are looking forward to its results, I will know by next week so I'll tell you all about it next week, SO EXCITED!!! :') Oh and the members even prepared a surprise lunch for me that day and one sweet recent convert Michelle even cooked Seaweed Soup!! It was really so special, I felt very very loved and thought about, so so grateful that day,,!!

One of the recent converts Carry is doing better than before, we have been quite worried about her lately but as we saw and talked to her last time the spirit guided our conversation, it was so so gooood!! I also was able to draw a picture of Savior for her, hopefully it will continue to help her.

Yesterday's miracle is so incredible, the two mothers that Elder Ho and Bingham and their Summer Missionaries contacted last week brough 6 other mother friends with them to this newly started childrens' English class!! there were so many kids it was quite overwhelming when the two mothers we scheduled to teach English to their kids showed up to church with what it seemed like an army of mothers and kids! And it went smoothly and well, the kids loved the class! We shared about prayer, and they were so good with it! And so now we have established our weekly Childrens' English Class by Study and by Faith! We are excited to see what kinds of fruits would come from all this, we are definitely going to find members to help us in the class as well! So Excited!

Anyways, time is almost over, but I also wanted to add on really quick, Happy Father's Day!!! I can't believe it's already been a year since last Father's Day when I gave my departing mission talk, time really does go by so fast! And I am so happy that my relationships with both my Heavenly Father and Earthly Father has improved since my mission even when I am away from home! I love them both even more now, miss them both very much, but feel like they are near me, Can't wait until Father's Day really comes on Sunday! It will be a Great Day!!! :D And I may also add that I really love and appreciate my companion Sister Cook!

Loves always and forever :D

Sister Burningham

Kwun Tong 13

Wow,, I have received the birthday present on tuesday and just today I watched it,

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!! It meant so much for me to hear all your voices!

I am very blessed to have such thoughtful parents and friends, I would never be able to thank the Lord enough for this huge blessing.

The past week has also been such amazing week full of miracles, including JENNY CAME TO CHURCH!!!!! AND STAYED SMILING THE WHOLE TIME!!! I was SO happy!!! Now we just need to keep this continuing, she pulled out a picture I drew her of her sitting on the lap of Jesus Christ and she keeps it in her wallet and shows it to me everytime she sees it, I know it has been the quest on her part to come to church, we hope to keep her coming!

Also there's one particular miracle that I would like to share, On Tuesday we went on another Consecrated Finding (where we decide on the day and time and place to go finding--China Hong Kong Mission way of doing tracting--in advance in our weekly planning and don't let any other appointments replace it because we dedicated that time to the Lord and the Lord wants us to be out finding during those hours) and we saw a boy about our age who we felt that we should talk to but was hesitant because he Is our age and it might be a little awkward having two sisters contact a guy, but when we started talking to him the first question he asked us was if we were from Utah in English. And it turns out, his name is John Wong, he was born in Hong Kong, grew up in Hawaii and went to BYU Hawaii and has a girlfriend in BYU Provo whose whole family is member of The Church and lives in Hong Kong and she wants to serve a mission, and he is a Seventh Day Advantist who has been through the Marines for 3 years and has so many similar interests and personality as Sister Cook, and knows our District Leader Elder Cuevas from the Marines while serving in Afghanistan!!! He is now traveling the world and Hong Kong is his first stop. And when we bore our testimony the Spirit was very strong, and we bore testimony and shared our process of how we chose to come finding there not knowing exactly why. We exchanged numbers although there's a great chance his dying phone won't survive and at least a good word of "see you again in Provo after mission". And it did not end there, when we told Elder Cuevas about him it was a very special miraculous experience, because Elder Cuevas remembers him and has had a deep conversation about God back in the Marines and John told him that there was a reason why he met him and had the conversation. Elder Cuevas then didn't see him again and he even thought that he had died there. And we prayed together for him and cried, because, we felt an overwhelming feeling of having found our long lost brother. We haven't been able to get a hold of him since, his phone has died, and it doesn't help that he had planned to travel to Taiwan next, um, Today! But we know that that meeting was inspired and arranged by God. We feel so much love for John, he's been on both of our minds since and it is another testament that God is really so aware of us all individually and the fact that He could arrange things so specific as tuesday's meeting and how much us 3 all needed that meeting to turn to our God more, I am just continually overwhelmed by how grateful I am to my God, how much I love Him. This experience also reminded me of Zen Zang, he never replied to my email I sent with President Chan's permission, but I feel the Spirit's comfort that I have done my part that God wanted in their road to find Him. I really hope I can see the fruit of both instances among many in my life time, but I know that I will definitely see it in our glorious family reunion in the Kingdom of God after this life. I am grateful to get at least the glimpse of that eternal fullness of joy, I am so happy with my mission and so grateful. And although I am so happy and blessed, it amazes me how much I am still growing and learning, especially from Sister Cook. She is a truly amazing teacher and I am infinitely blessed to have her as my companion.

Time is up and I got to go, but I love you all so very much, thank you so much for the birthday wishes again, the mission is also making sure it's not forgotten as well haha :)

Loves always

Sister Burningham!

Kwun Tong 12

Temple day today!! :D :D :D

and learned A LOT although I was really tired and was afraid I would doze off, but I didn't! Because I prayed that God would keep me up so I can learn and get answers to my questions, hehe

And I further realized that temple work and mission work are really alike, Though we are serving these people on the other side that needs the gospel, we still learn a lot through the ordinances we do for them, and as we serve the people in this world that need the gospel we also learn many many things, so awesome.

Andyways this week was miraculous one too! finding awesome investigators, especailly with Sister Cook's amazing music talent! Lily is Sister Sam, a recent convert's non-member daughter who is learning not only guitar from Sister Cook but also wants to learn more about the gospel!

We have also found 5 new potential investigators from just eating at a same restaurant twice in 24 hours, and one of them, Michelle, came and toured the church and participated in our English class last night! On Monday we had our consecrated finding time, which means that we schedule that time to go finding in advance and don't let anything come in the way and treat it like a sacred appointment that it is, and we found an elderly lady in need, Chan siu je, who we were able to invite to our ward's Family Home Evening and then taught about the prayer, and had her prayer answered by that night, it's actually a pretty long story but don't have that much time to tell all the details. Ah! can't believe all that has happened just last week, looking at my planner it surprises me how much has actually been done and happened, so incredible! Despite the crazy last minute interview invitation by our mission president for our whole zone on tuesday, where we had to use at least 2 hours of travel and some more waiting time but we are still able to accomplish so much!

Also I am learning so much more about working with the spirit, I really can see it more in this move because sister cook and i both often don't know what we are doing but things always work out so smoothly for the best and we definitely know we are being led by the spirit because we both are very well aware of eachothers' weaknesses. We are receiving revelations constantly for this area, the work is going so great and we are just over joyed witnessing miracles after miracles we fall into our bed with big smile-lies every night. So happy right now, God is so merciful and graceful to us!

Got to go now

but loves always and remember you are in my prayers!

Sister Burningham

Sister Wan our Thai less-active sister I talked about in my first week in Kwun Tong, we have been visiting her almost everyweek, and she has improved so much! she dilligently attends church when she doesn't have to work on sundays now, and prays everyday and is smiling more!

Today for P-day after the temple we went with the missionaries from different zones to eat together in a buffet, before that we went to the pier and admired the view of the hong kong city. And Sister Cook and I accomplished a nice companionship picture--which happens to be rare for some reason--yay!

     The view of the pier 1

    The view of the pier 2

 
     Re-union with Sister Farr! I have missed her very much!

At the Buffet with some missionaries! The far left is Sister Chan, she is from Tai Wo Ward, my first area, and her mother is called my Hong Kong mother who calls me "nice pig", which is why she became my hong kong mother because my real mother calls me pig, hence we are sisters, we already felt like we already knew eachother before we came to this world when we first met so, we love eachother lots though we never served or lived together in same area! I love her and her family lots. Next to me is Sister Cook, and some elders :)

Kwun Tong 11 - Month 11

Wow, lots have happened,

May 12 was my 10 year batism Anniversary,

20th was our 6 year family sealing anniversary,

Lots of birthdays happened,

and on 22nd was my 11 Month Mark

AND on the same day,

Elder Oaks from the 12 Apostles visited Hong Kong!

We lined up to take a picture with him and shook hands with him and had him speak to us missionaries, it was an overwhelming experience,,

I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M SERVING IN HONG KONG AS A MISSIONARY AND HAVE SHAKEN ELDER OAK'S HAND!!!

Just had one of those wake up moments to how many blessings I am being poured down with,

I don't have much time right now to email, but we have been blessed with SO many SO MANY miracles and blessings lately, like, EVERYDAY, we almost expect them to happen,

just a quick update, Mary and Grace BOTH came to church and stayed longer than they meant to because they enjoyed it that much, We found so many new investigators lately miraculously, God is so merciful we are so overwhelmed and humbled, because we don't really know what we are doing, and we are pretty silly and dumb, but God really takes care of all our mistakes and we are being blessed with miracles left and right, and he also helps us know how to deal with all these miracles as well so that we don't mess up what He has set up.

So grateful, extremely grateful. I can never express it enough.

Got to go!

Love you all so much

Love my Lord so so much,

always,

Sister Burningham

Kwun Tong 10

Many mixed feelings right now, but I am mostly very very happy.

Sister Cook reminds me lots of my BYU family so it has been especially fun lately.

Miracle story from yesterday: A lady named Mary whom neither of us knew who she was or where she got our number, just randomly called for information on our English class. I was happy to let her know and we chatted for a while to arrange it all for her. Then on the end note she mentions, "You guys are the Mormon church right? Is it possible for me to maybe get a copy of that Mormon Book? I want to understand more about it" And we ended up scheduling to see her in the afternoon that day. And so she comes to our church, with a younger Friend! Who also really want to learn about our church and asked So many questions! We ended up teaching them both! And both are interested to learn, to really sincerely pray to find out if the Book of Mormon is true or not, if Joseph Smith really saw the Vision! We were both very awed and didn't know what to say afterwards, just very very very happy. Our finding lately hasn't been that of an obviouse success, and our beloved Amber from the week before was prevented by her family to ever see us again, we keep in touch through text but all three of us are sad that she won't be able to keep progressing and coming unto Christ through baptism. But God has been very merciful for us in our best efforts, He is really trying our faith, and it has been a short but great period of growth for us both. We realized that because Kwun Tong has been known as the "promised land" by missionaries because of their many frequent baptisms, the ward was actually very weak and couldn't even support or keep the recent converts without constant effort of the missionaries. We realized that the Ward needs strengthening from the missionaries so that they are themselves converted and can have the power and inspiration they need to fellowship and start reaching out sharing the gospel with their friends. We decided to put most of our efforts and time into strengthening the members although it will not count towards any outward results on our key indicators. But we decided to trust that as we exercise our faith to do what we believed was the will of the Lord, He would also bless us with needed miracles to keep His work moving forward. And He really did. He gave us two ready investigators just yesterday to start teaching, and He also has given us lots of help from other missionaries. Anyways, I am just constantly overwhelmed by the grace and mercy of the Lord, and it really keeps me going and happy and grateful. And I am falling in love more and more each day of really giving my all to serve Hong Kong, to draw these precious children of God unto Christ, to forget myself and the world I used to know and just lose myself in serving, I know I am in the Lord's care and direction. I know He will take care of all the rest. And I am striving each day to live up to all that I testify, and rely on the Atonement of my Savior for all that I fall short in. I am constantly grateful, God is truly Great.

Loves Always to you all,

Sister Burningham

                                            the beautiful view from Sister Pang's home again :)

 

                                          with my new companion Sister Cook

got unintentionally advanturous (we went finding and didn't have enough time to return to our normal traveling route) took a ferry instead of bus to travel to our zone meeting, And! DIDN'T Get LOST :D

 

                                          view from the ferry

Kwun Tong 9, New Beginning

We had some dramatic changes the past week, I won't go into details, but right now I have a new companion Sister Cook, who just got torn away from her beloved first area Yun Long, where she has served for the past 3 and 1/2-ish transfer/move. She is absolutely amazing, although she had to leave her beloved baby area in such a short notice she is so strong, so willing to give her all into her new area Kwun Tong, and although I am a senior companion she has already taught me so much, she is incredibly humble and dedicated, passionate missionary.

 

So much has happened the past week, but I want to mention just one recent miracle, on our first day together we went finding, we haven't gone finding on our own in a while, and we prayed about where to go, felt to go to this place with a pretty sweet name: Crocodile Hill. There we found our new investigator and felt to share the Plan of Salvation with her and asked if she would be willing to be baptized if she comes to know the truth of all these things, she said yes. We had just met her on her way home from school and just sat down and had this lesson out in that park and she scheduled to see us the next day (yesterday). She came to our appointment and we walked to the church together and watched the Restoration(20min) movie together and shared the message of the restored gospel, she told us she doesn't know why but she believes that Joseph Smith really had the Vision and that our messeges are true. We asked her what feelings she felt, she said comfortable feeling. We asked if she ever felt it before, she said no. We explained to her that what she was feeling was that indiscribable feeling of the Holy Ghost and that as we turn and draw closer back to our Heavenly Father we feel this special feeling. Then we invited her to pick a baptismal goal. She prayed with us to pick a date then she paused and said she wants to do the Lord's will and said that she will prepare herself to be baptized on June 17. After the prayer she explained to us that at home and at school people has been telling her all the bad rumours about the church and would not believe her feelings and what she has learned, so she asked if it is a wrong thing to do if she did not tell those people about her choices. We discussed about Joseph Smith and what he had to go through after having his Vision, and told her that it was her choice to share or not, but that it didn't matter what other people say because this is her own testimony. So we were so, very overwhelmed with joy the past two days together with all the miracles left and right, we still have many things we need to do better and repent and improve on, but God is so merciful to us right now showing us miracles after miracles and I'm so excited to continue to witness how full of miracles this coming move/transfer wil continue to be!! I am incredibly happy and so blessed right now!!

I Love you all so much,

always trust in God,

Got to go now

see you :)

Sister Lee

Kwun Tong 8

Hello everyone!

P-day changed to Friday again this week,

I don't know if I ever mentioned this yet but mission has really been different than what I had expected or dreamed about,

but of course, everything will give me experience and will be for my good because it is all arranged by God and He knows what is best for me.

He really personalized this short mission experience for each missionaries for our specific needs and duty.

Mission has been challenging and becoming more challenging as I am out longer, but I am also realizing that the Lord has really strengthened me, prepared me, taught and raised me up for these challenges that I am able to endure them patiently and actively, and it draws me evermore closer to the Lord and strengthens my trust and faith in Him.

I would not be being honest if I said that I don't struggle. But I found that I can still move forward no matter what. It is because of the Grace of the Lord prepared by the Atonement of our Savior. I am understanding ever more about love. and all the things the Savior and the prophets spoke about love sinks even deeper in my heart.

I am learning to trust in the Lord that my best really is enough and I am striving to develope more self-esteem and confidence in the Lord, doing my best to trust that my best effort is acceptable to Him and that He is pleased by my hard works no matter how imperfect. I am learning more about feeling successful by the Spirit not by any other measure, I am applying more of President Monson's quote: "Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved". I am finding more and more things to constantly repent about and can feel my conscience becoming clear before the Lord. "Seeing is half the battle" I know what I need to fix and work on and change in myself, and I know I can change because God is with me every step of the way.

Today was our temple day!

I have really been craving for it since I went to Macau, and it was so good to return home! Temple is where I can feel that I am home, and can find rest. Last Friday we had the opportunity to participate in the baptism part of the temple with Cassandra our recent convert, and few other recent converts! Cassandra is really improving and growing in the gospel. Though she is forgetful and doesn't know or understand much, she is able to withstand all the anti-pressure from school and other places in her life simply because she knows this church is true. She is awesome! I also had the opportunity to be on splits and teach Jenny on Tuesday, she hasn't been to church since her baptism and has told me on Saturday that church on Sunday was the most annoying part about all the church activities and that she didn't want to go, so I had been extra concerned as to how in the world to help her. But I bought her a Childrens' Book of Mormon Story, and she started reading it right away in front of me and started to comment on the stories and things and have impressed me that she really wants to see Jesus Christ like the prophets have. So I asked her "you REALLY want to see Jesus Christ don't you?" and she said "of course" so I told her I will teach her how to see Him, while IN THIS LIFE. :) We turned to Doctrine and Covenants 93:1 and read the pre-requisites to "see my face and know that I am". And I asked her if she really wanted to see His face and if she knew now what to do. And she said she really does and answered me those things in the scripture, and I asked "how do You need to keep the commandments?" and she told me she needed to come to church and keep the Sabbath Day. I asked if she would and she said yes. ,,,,,,!! So I am looking very much forward to this Sunday!!!! I really hope this pure desire to see Christ will really help her keep all the commandments and to grow in the gospel! She is young and has good questions, she has so much potential, and she just needs to come to church and be nurished by the good word of God and renew her baptismal covenants to grow in the right ways. So I am very thankful that the Holy Ghost has guided me to that scripture that I read such a long time ago. Still praying and fasting for Jenny!

There are lots of things happening that I don't understand and causes me to question my worthiness as a missionary, but then as I look back on my week--like during emailing time--I realize I am still being led and guided by the Spirit and I know He is what we need to do this work worthily. And I know that these things are only helping me, leading me to the Promised land. As described in Ether 6:5-12, These winds that God has arranged are to help us get to the promised land, it will not cease until we get there, and many times we will be buried in the depths of the sea, but the Lord will hear our cries and deliver us, and we will praise Him always, and as long as we rely on the Lord no monsters of the seas will brake us, and we will have the Light of the Lord continually, and WE WILL GET THERE, the promised land! :)

Let us all strive to have joy in this journey :)

Add Oil everyone!

Sincerely with loves always,

Sister Burningham

Kwun Tong 7, Month 10

Just realized I have just past my 10th month mark in my mission last week, Where did month 9 go??? It's all going by way too fast.

Last week was so special, well, I guess every week I realize that my past week has been very special; I am grateful for e-mail times not only because I get to communicate with my family, but also because I get to reflect back my week and realize how wonderous and miraculous it had been, and how much I have learned and grown in such a short time.

I can't believe all the things that has happened the past week, it all seems so long ago, yet I feel like P-day was just 2-3 days ago and it's already here.

Last Friday-Sunday was a very overwhelming period for many of us in our areas. One of the sisters living with us in our apartment, her relative has passed away very suddenly who was very personal to her and was one of the hopes and blessings she prayed for as she went on her mission. There were also other many very crisis moments that happened all at once for so many people around us, even for me as well. And the most miraculous, unifying part of it all was that we all overcame each of our crisis through the same power: the Atonement. I would not be able to fully describe how amazing, how incredible, I can't describe what we all experienced, only that it was so very special, we are really trusting in the Lord, and we can feel His strength, and, ah, it's SO incredible, we are changing, we are becoming ever more humble, ever more meek and broken hearted, and the Lord is able to purify us and help us become more like Him.

The World will never be able to understand, how those who apply the Atonement of our Savior daily can do what they do, how we can still laugh and look out for someone else in their crisis while in the midst of our own, and how we are able to invite the Spirit to let it lift the burdens of our friends whether they be members or investigators or whoever they may be, how we can remember someone else's needs and include them in our prayer of faith, how we can list lists of blessings after blessings and really sincerely thank God for everything--even our painful moments we are experiencing, how we are able to just continue to do our best efforts in the Lord's work, how we can just let go of others' offences and mistakes, how we can just forgive and accept, to move on and trust and obey, how we can look at some one in the eye and tell them "I know God, my Father in Heaven loves me, and I know He loves you". God is so merciful, so patient, so kind, so loving. I am grateful that such a perfect, all mighty and all loving, glorious being is our Father up above. We really can trust Him, because He really does have all the best in mind for us. Mission has really been different than what I had expected. The Lord is ever so mindful of us each. He uses specific people, blessings, trials, and opportunities tailored and personified specifically for each of us to help us grow and learn and become more like Him. And as we realize we really are His baby, ever in need to rely and trust in Him, as we humble ourselves like so and accept our brothers and sisters who are also given weaknesses as we have been, we are letting the Lord change us into who we were made to become. And the price for all that mercy and privilege has already been paid through the Atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I am thankful for all the prayers and fasting and other supports on my behalf,

so grateful for this privilege to serve a mission even though I have so many weaknesses, the Lord truly qualifies those He calls, He makes sure He fixes them up :) And Loves us so SO much.

I am so grateful to be alive

to have all these experiences in this mortal life, to know my Savior and can feel of the power of the Atonement,

His Grace, I will eternally be grateful for, it is my source of survival,

I am super grateful I had already chosen my Savior even before this life to receive this body of flesh and bone :')

And as always, I love you,

and what more, our Best Friend, Jesus Christ loves you, Perfectly.

S2, Leih Ji muih

Zone Activity today, we went to Tai Po!! My baby area!! I have missed it so much! Felt so good to visit it again :') 

Kwun Tong 6

This past week was unique,

we went on a zone find and during the find they exchanged the companions and I got to be companions with Sister Cheung (we were in the same zone & apartment my first area and recently she was moved into this zone --but different apt.--so we are reunited in the same zone! :D) And we found a new investigator together who was willing to pray and hear our lesson on the street, her name is Skye, and she loves art as well :D she asked good questions and though it is Sister Cheung's area so I won't see her in their next appointment, I am really excited for her to come closer to the Savior, and she expressed that she wants to :)

And on Monday I helped Phoebe with her English homework and she thanked me saying she was able to get it done much faster than she would have if she struggled on it by herself, so since she has been to busy to read the Book of Mormon, I congratulated her for this extra time that she has just discovered to actually read the Book of Mormon now! And she really did read! I was SO happy! Because of the way she grew up she was convinced that there cannot be God and was hesitant to try having faith and gain answers to her prayers, so we came to a conclusion that the only way she can overcome those doubts and be convinced to try it out is through the Book of Mormon, and she is a reader herself as well. So we are slowly trying to help her find her faith. Her younger brother on the other hand is preparing himself to be baptized on the 29th! We hope the changes he will go through through the gospel will also help Phoebe develope the seed of faith to plant.

On Saturday we visited our less-active recent convert Jenny and that day we also met her older sister Ada as well! Ada is a former investigator who skipped on her appointments with past missionaries and this rare opportunity we were able to share the messege with her with her siblings--Jenny and her very active older brother/Ada's younger brother Marcle. And Jenny offered the closing prayer where she expressed her hopes that her sister Ada and her parents would also come to believe in God someday and it was so beautiful. Since Jenny's learning the gospel, the relationship with her and Ada were improved, and we could see that her prayer drew them even more closer, we also could see that Jenny actually deep within really did love the gospel and realized that we just needed to encourage her to wake up on sundays so that she can come to church, so her sister and her parents can also see her love for the gospel in action. I have made an agreement that she may sit next to me and watch me draw her some pictures during church, which she seemed to be excited for.

This week we also had 24 hour exchange in our zone, and I had the opportunity to be companions with Sister Kelly again from the MTC!!! and we didn't realize how much we had really missed being companions until that day, we had such an amazing unity and were able to experience the application of basically everything we learned in the MTC and Preach My Gospel! We could see that the same time we have been apart that we learned so much ourselves and it just came back together so smoothly and really helped us to feel the potential of well unified companionship applying the new principles introduced in the MTC. And we were very happy and it really helped us to know that we really have grown and learned more than we thought we did since coming to Hong Kong.

I am truly learning so much, more than I have enough space or time to record it, let alone email it, time is running out, but I just want to share I am so happy to have this privilege to be used as the Lord's instrument in His work. Really overwhelmed by His grace and mercy :')

Loves always

Sister Burningham

Kwun Tong 5

Last week was Hong Kong's General Conference!! And I am glowing and floating and giddy with such a feast for my soul! And as usual it answered my questions! I am so grateful that we can have such a meeting and gathering with the Saints all over the world and be strengthened together.

Anyways, I am becoming closer to our recent converts and less-actives and our investigators. I am getting to know them more and we are becoming better friends, I just need to help this relationship to slowly be passed onto the Savior, so that He can be their Constant best friend, like He has been for me with all the changes I've gone through :)

It will take some time as I help them gain more out of the Book of Mormon, but I know it can happen, because it already has in my past areas, and it's what we have been called by God to do.

 

Pictures this week are Korean food! well, I have desperately been missing Korean food more than I ever have in my entire life this past week, and I attempt to cook something somewhat close to it, but my beloved companion had her birthday past week and a member took us out for dinner and since my companion also loves Korean food, we went to a korean "fast food" booth and had some! hehe <3 it's SO much better than my attempted cooking in the limited time we have as missionaries :)

 

Short and sweet this week, hope to write more next week!

Loves to you all

from Hong Kong :) :) :)

Sister Burningham

Kwun Tong 4

Sunday last week was so awesome, Kobe the elders' investigator was baptized and bore strong testimony, he's so great, loves the gospel so much, so happy to see him so excited to keep growing and improving. Last Sunday was also a special My Conversion Story Fireside with Songs of the Heart Choir for Easter season for the whole Hong Kong. It was held in Kowloon City and we all traveled there and got there early to look around the temple together, Kobe was so excited. It was his first time in Kowloon and he even gets to see the House of the Lord. It phases me everytime how the temple stands in the midst of busy Hong Kong streets and despite how noisy the street is with cars and buses once we enter in the temple grounds, it is actually quiet and so peaceful within--and we haven't even actually entered into the actual temple itself! It truly is the House of the Lord where it points us to look to God.

The Choir program was great and powerful, I just wished we could have had our investigators to come but they all thought it was too far and too late in the evening, because the fireside is for everyone and anyone and the spirit is so strong, and the recent converts of the missionaries ending their missions share their conversion stories and why they believe. So good.

It was a bit funny, a bit of a culture shock to be at the fireside because basically everyone in Hong Kong was there, including the members and missionaries in my first area, I must have been away quite a while it was quite overwhelming to see them all again,

time is running short already, (yay send picture days), I love you all so much as always, thank you for your support and prayers.

Leih Jimuih

The recent converts of Kwun Tong Ward: (from left) Kobe (baptized that day), Elder Ho, Earnest, Elder Farnsworth, Cassandra (baptized a week before), Michelle, Sister Wan, Carry, me

 

With Sister Chang, her last Sunday as missionary in Hong Kong, I heard about her since the MTC and met her my first day in Hong Kong and really was a great example to me, I will miss her and her smiles so much!! 

Harbor side of my area, from our beloved Thailand sister, Sister Pang's balcony, she treats us for dinner basically every Thursday and we eat in her balcony with this beautiful harbor sceneary :)

 

Kwun Tong 3

Thank you everyone for your support and prayers, I definitely feel them and it helps me, who has many weaknesses, do wonders. It's truly wonderful being on a mission to humbly serve and do our utmost best, and to see the Lord stretch forth His hands to accomplish miracles and teach us all. I am constantly honored and privileged to be serving on this full time mission. Truly an opportunity that I would forever be grateful for.

I forgot, last Thursday was March 22, which means that I have been serving my mission for 9 months, my half mark point. It was a bit unsettling at first because it has really gone by so fast, I have already went through half of this special time, and the desire and hopes to use this sacred time to its fullest further sinks in my heart. And I feel the Lord trusting me with more opportunities and challenges to step up, learn, and to grow, and   these strengths I feel that isn't my own continues to grown and strengthen within me, I can really feel this mission purify me. I am overcome with this waterfall-like mercy pouring down from the Lord. I have felt myself let go little by little daily, the pride that I have yet let go of. And I can't help but to feel that the Lord is continuously preparing me for both the near future and the far future. The Lord is really making something out of me, and I can only trust in Him.

I don't think I have written about Pandora (or Tihng Tihng) yet, she is our recent convert Cindy's older sister and LOVES Korea and really wants to learn Korean. She has turned down Cindy's invitations to learn the gospel but then all of a sudden she wanted to schedule the missionaries to learn Korean when I moved here. We explained to her that we couldn't just teach her Korean only because that isn't why we volunteer to go on this mission for the Lord, so we came to an agreement of 15 min Gospel and 30 min Korean lessons. The first time she came though, Cindy really wanted to watch the Restoration movie with her sister, so we did, and it prompted Tihng Tihng with many quesetions, so we taught her the message of how Restoration came about and why it is important, and upon seeing the Book of Mormon she eagerly said she will read it and find out if this is really all true. In closing prayer, her first time praying, she expressed how she hoped to understand and learn more about this gospel of Jesus Christ, and no mention of Korean! And then we ran out of time so that meeting turned out to be 45 min gospel lesson and 5-10 min Korean. It was a miracle! And then she is continuing to investigate, and expresses she feels better after praying and she likes seeing the missionaries and as Cindy expressed, the two sisters' relationship has improved since Cindy's conversion to the gospel and Tihng Tihng seem to recognize that as well. I am very excited for her to feel more of the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We also started teaching Phoebe, a street contact from the Elders, I am amazed as I teach her because she has grown up in the Mainland and the influences she had as she grew up convinced her to believe that there is no God. yet, she keeps coming back to learn the gospel, and asks great questions. Last time we got to the point where she recognized that she need to really try this out because she doesn't have a definite testimony that there isn't a God, and because finding out if there really is a God will give her more hope in her life. She is very smart and really easily understands the word of the messege, we are working on trying to help her feel it by trying to help her to pray with real intent.

I went on a companion exchange as we went finding on the street for the other district, and it was one of the rougher finding where we couldn't find anyone interested. As I felt a bit down and entered the subway, I knew that I needed to just overcome it and continue to find. And so when I looked around, in front of me I saw a man who wore a cross around his neck, and saw that he was looking at us missionaries. I asked him if he has seen us before, he said no. I explained to him who we were and he said as he pointed to his necklace that he is also Christian. I asked Him why he believes in Christ, he said certain events in his life led him to Christ. I asked him which church he attends, if he attends it every sunday and why that particular church. He regularly attends a church below his apartment because it is most closest to him. So I gave him a Restoration pamphlet, our church addresses and a Book of Mormon with explanations and he graciously accepted them. And I was overcome with gratitude, the Lord has placed someone who would accept our invitation, and really, this one event/encounter outweighs all the previous disappointments. And I had to repent, because I had forgotten to ask for his contact information,,, but I know that the Lord will consecrate my efforts as I repent of my shortcomings and mistakes and will continue to lead those prepared souls to Him, and will help me as a missionary to learn and grow to do better next time. I am continually grateful for the Savior's Atonement that offers that opportunity for me to repent.

Time is up and I need to go,

but I love you all so much, thank you so much for everything

the Lord has really given me precious, wonderful, Christ-like friends within my family and even so many outside of my family

Loves Always,

 

Sister Burningham

Leih Jimuih

Kwun Tong 2

Where to start?

Continuation of last week's thoughts, I have been thinking about how perhaps, the reason that although God is almighty and He can do anything but would call us imperfect servants to "assist" Him in His work is not only to teach and train us and everything but to also help us meet these our brothers and sisters again that we loved so much to come to love them again by serving them, so that we would excercise our faith for them by praying and fasting and working for them to open the windows of heaven to bring to pass the miracles Heavenly Father is so waiting to pour down upon us. This work of the Lord, I am learning, really is played in big part by faith. Which without hope and charity is also vain. It is through it that the work of the Lord started, it is through it that we came to earth, it is through it that it moves forward and will continue to move forward. And most importantly what do we have faith in? It is only by having faith in our Savior Jesus Christ and His Atonement that all these things are broght to pass. He really is center of everything in God's Plan.

Anyways, last week has also been full of God's mercy and teachings for me, as He sees me overcome and grow from one challenge, He sees that I am ready to start working on another weakness and lets me know it's time to start working on it, and I have accepted that Heavenly Father really wants to use all the opportunity of the Mission to fix me up for the future, for which I am grateful that He is. Ever since getting the conference issue of Ensign/Liahona, I have been back reading and being reminded again and again of Elder Henry B. Eyring's talk in the October 2011 Priesthood Session of the General Conference, "Preparation in the Priesthood: 'I Need Your Help'". I think I admit it is my favorite, :) It really helps me to keep moving forward with trust in the Lord, not knowing what exactly He is preparing me for, but knowing that if I let Him I will be able to accomplish all that He has sent me on earth to accomplish and grow the way I need to.

Yesterday was a 24 hour companion exchange and I had the opportunity to be companions with Sister Nelson and serve in her area of Tseung Kwan O, and had the most honorable privilege to teach Annessa. I have met her before when Sister Nelson and I went on splits street finding, she is an investigator and LOVES Korea, and she is a very admired popular person "so cool" as the ward YW leader would describe her, and she's also "crazy" and silly--in a good way :), it was incredible meeting her because it's so apparent she loves God more than anything. She confidently told us as I and YW president was getting to know her more, about a lot of things about herself including her "dream man" lol, which some parts were not inline with the standard of the church, and she was determined and confident that it would not change. However, we had prepared to teach the Word of Wisdom, and when we did, she right away, though disappointed, changed, and wrote down all the points of the Word of Wisdom and committed to live it and just ate the lesson up! She then saw a picture of Jesus and was so happy and put it right in the front cover of ther school daily planner. She really really loves the gospel, and really doesn't care about what other people may think, being only 16 years old she's very incredible example. And she will be getting baptized in 2 weeks and is reverently excited for it. So honored to have met her.

There's more I want to share but time is up, so will have to wait until next week,

Loves to you all as always,

Leih Ji muih :) :)

Kwun Tong 1

So I am in Kwun Tong now and this past week has already been lots of learning and growing experiences for me, I have already seen some miracles, and it hits me again that I will always never have enough time to write home about it all.

I am serving in this area where Sister Kiene last served, she's the one that went to Macau in my stead, and she's the one that I first met in MTC in our older district :) I am honored and a bit overwhelmed to be filling her shoes here, but I have really felt the Lord's strength the past week. I am also very blessed to be serving with Sister Wan, she is almost done with her mission and only has less than 1 and 1/2 moves(transfers) left, so I may be her last companion and she has lots of experience and learnings to teach me, and I have already learned a lot from her so far.

There is an investigator named A-Ling, who is a mother of a cute little 2ish year old daughter. She has been really progressing and is really a miracle. Even this past 2 times I have seen her she is still changing and drawing closer unto the Lord. She loves to read the Book of Mormon, she reads it in every spare time she can find in her busy schedule as a mother of a toddler. The truth is, she didn't used to, but she has gained her testimony of it recently. And then the first time I saw her we extended to her a baptismal goal/date, but she was hesitant and told us of needing her mother's approval first. But the second time we saw her (by then we had prayed to find another date together for her, but when we got the answer, we found that it was the exact date as the one Sister Wan had prayed with Sister Kiene and had received) we gave her the baptismal challenge again, and she opened up to us and told us that before she had actually been resisting baptism, she didn't want to be baptized for many reasons, but now she understands more and actually wants to be baptized and wants to prepare for it. it was so incredible!! made us SO happy! :D

We also visited a less-active member who is also called Sister Wan, she is from Thailand and she only herself is in Hong Kong working, rest of family is back in Thailand, and when she heard my story she said I was lucky and blessed. But we helped her see that the miracles I have had isn't because I was lucky or that I was any special from her, it was because my mother in America who had joined the church first has prayed and fasted and kept diligently going to church and to study the scriptures and keep the commandments for at least more than a whole year, and then has this great miracle come to pass that my brother and I had the opportunity to visit her and to have the chance to learn the gospel ourselves and then choose to stay miraculously.

And as I told her all this it really hit me, that I really owe it all to my mother's dilligence and persistant prayers. I owe it all to her that I had the opportunity to become who I am today and to have experienced and grown the way I did. The reason why out of all these people who are still suffering in this world I have had this tremendous blessing of having had the chance to receive and accept the gospel and be rescued by my Savior is because of my mother's unyielding faith. And Sister Wan shared Ether 12:12 and told the Less-Active Sister Wan that if she really desires such blessings as well, she must do her part to excercise her faith by praying daily, reading the scriptures daily, come to church weekly first, by enduring to the end would she receive these blessings like our family was so blessed to receive. All because of one mother's faith. So I really want to thank you mom, I don't know if I ever fully realized the infinite impact of your faith, I realize i can't and never will be able to thank you enough, I am eternally indebted to you of all my ignorance and ingratitude. I am so thankful, I can never fully express how grateful I am for you. Because of your faith, our family is being tremendously blessed daily and will eternally,, I'm so honored and privileged to be your daughter, to have chosen to come to this life through you. I am so grateful that our family is sealed for eternity, that I will always be your daughter. Thank you so much. I love you so much.

Out of time, and got to go, but really really thank you, so so much

 

loves always,

Leih Ji muih

 

P.S. I realized that my name tag basically has both of my parents' last names, Burningham and Lee :) And I am very proud to represent both, with the name of Savior whom I also represent, which is such a privilege and honor.

LAST WEEK in MACAU

So, last friday 3 of us 4 foreign missionaries only received 10 more days, (the other one got 20! he's the lucky one, no, God knows better ;) )
And so before that ten days were up President Chan decided to move us on our P-day, So today I Am Back in Hong Kong! And it has been a long day packing at last minute, traveling and everything, so I am emailing this late.
But anyways, past week we were able to contact some former investigators and they were willing to be taught, because before they hadn't had time because they were too busy, so hopefully they will realize this time that it is worth making time for.
I am most sad to leave Ga Yih but she has promised to see me again at least in Celestial Kingdom (If I can't make enough money to find ways to come back to macau myself to see her again in this life)! :D She is very excited for her baptism and wants to work hard and learn more, she always reads the chapters of  Book Of Mormon we give her even though she doesn't understand most of what she reads, she just knows it will help her some how, and last time she was so excited because she actually understood the chapter and excitedly told us what she learned. I am so grateful to the Lord for this opportunity to have met her, and though I will not be there for her baptism I am very happy for her.

A-Tihng is fully activated now and she tried not to show that she was sad I was leaving but the night before leaving she called and told me that she's actually very sad, and wanted to make sure there are ways to keep in touch after mission, which I assured her and she will also do her best to become better person through the Gospel of Jesus Christ because she doesn't want to let me down and let the Lord down, so happy to have heard that. She has really become humbled since I met her and have been gaining more testimony through actually doing what we invited her to do. I am incredibly grateful to the Lord for giving me this experience to strengthen my beloved sister.

Macau will always be a very special place and experience for me, in such a short time I have seen so many miracles and have grown a lot and learned so much and having to leave this beloved place has been very hard, not knowing if I would see these people again in this life, but I know I will if it is the will of the Lord, and I also know that I will definitely see these loved ones again at least after this life--one of the best gifts that come from this Gospel of Jesus Christ, God is so merciful.

Now I am moved to Kwun Tong with Sister Wan who is also a native. In our district there are 2 missionaries who are also from Tai Wo Ward: Wilma's older brother Elder Ho, and Sister Hsiene. So funny to be following these Tai Wo members around throughout my mission :) I have been told many times in Tai Wo that Wilma and I look alike & Elder Ho also thinkso so he's really nice and almost looks after me it seems haha. God has really placed loving and family-like people in my mission to take care of me, and it really humbles me because I thought I came out to serve the Lord but He is still continuing to serve me. I know I still have so much to learn and grow just as these people I am "serving" do.

loves always,

Sister Burningham
                                          A-Tihng

                                       
                                          Ga Yih