June 16, 2008

Hello everyone!

Things are great here.

Mostly because of the five investigators we got to church instead of the average none or one!
Those neighbours we were teaching managed to negotiate Sunday mornings off work with their boss, and came with their family!
Also, one man who drives the bus for his old (current) church managed to get a substitute this week!

Also, on Saturday, was Flag Day. The local military camp held a "Day at the Camp" family event to show support for the armed forces. We volunteered for the Red Cross and helped man the booth. We mostly gave out water and Gatorade, but we still got first aid certified for it, and got to see (and get) lots of cool (and free) stuff!

We’ve also been doing a lot of softball because our new investigator loves it and has been coming to the weekly games. (I may have already said this, but) next week, we're playing his old church, so he's excited about that.

Next week, we're going to Comanche again (and we're speaking, since they probably get tired of hearing the same seven people over and over), and the week after, we're giving the 5th Sunday lesson here in Brownwood about better member-missionary work.

-Elder Brandon Wong

May 20, 2008

Hi!
How’s it going?

On Sunday evening, there was a musical fireside at the Stake Center in Abilene, and we got to go to that (Bro. Martinez drove us). It was a series of songs that illustrate the main points of the message of the restoration. It was weird to see the same two elders sing each song, but they were very good.

And since President and Sister Rose were in the area, and since President Rose has to give the missionaries interviews once every transfer, they came to our district meeting yesterday (that's why it wasn't preparation day yesterday). It was my first and last missionary interview with him, since he's leaving in less than six weeks. After the interview, he gave each missionary a blessing. Usually, this is reserved for departing missionaries, but since he's the one who's leaving, he gave everyone one (and probably for every missionary in the mission!)

I got your DearElder.com letter yesterday! It’s great to hear about that family you're helping to teach. (and I did get a letter from Elder Bilodeau just before he left the MTC)

As for things here, they're going well. It’s getting hotter (in the 90-100 range), but that's not too bad, since we have an air-conditioned car, and we usually teach indoors. The bugs are also getting worse, though. I got nine mosquito bites in one evening, and they're still bothering me! I think I'm going to wear long sleeves more often. It’ll slow my tanning, but I'd rather be pale and hot than itchy all the time.

As we were finding the other day, we had one man that really got angry and shouted at us. He threatened to call the cops, and all. The very next district meeting we had, President Rose was there, teaching about opposition. That's not a mere coincidence. He said as missionaries, and as members of the Church, we have opposition: first, for our benefit and so we can progress; second, to show that the Church is true, because Satan would most strongly oppose only his biggest threat; and to stand as a testimony against the oppressor when the time comes.
He also gave us Matthew 5:11-12, and said that after someone rejects us angrily or even physically, we should be happy that we indeed have the truth, and also that we have been deemed worthy to be more strongly tested, and be counted in some way with the prophets of old.

Also, in my readings during whatever free time I have, I've learned that the great apostasy is indeed not a unique event. After the death of the apostles, people started changing the doctrines of the true church, despite having the writings (the Bible). By the time Joseph Smith came, there were different sects, and despite being so different, they unanimously opposed the church that Joseph Smith restored.
In the same way, after the Old Testament prophets (like Malachi), people started changing the doctrines, despite having the law of Moses. By the time Jesus came, there were different sects (Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, etc.), and they had all those little, detailed laws that really had little to do with what the Law of Moses was about. And though they all had different opinions, they all rejected Jesus Christ and His church.
Even today, the only thing that every sect has in common is that we're wrong. We are no more wrong than Jesus Christ is not our Saviour.

Missionary work has probably been the most testimony-building experience I've ever had, and that anyone can have.

Anyways, I hope everything's going well.

I love you all!

-Elder Brandon Wong

June 9, 2008

Hello

How are things going?
Things are great here.

This past Sunday, we were asked to give talks in sacrament meeting in Brownwood so I spoke on humility in learning the Gospel.

On Saturday, we went to a softball practice. I'm going to need a lot of it if I'm ever going to play... and I've been sore all over since. We also practiced some more with Brother Low this morning.

Also that afternoon, we went to the Red Cross and got a quick first aid course (because we're volunteering to man a booth next week), and we got certification, too (and because we're helping out, the course was free). There was a written test, but it wasn't hard at all.

As for missionary work, we've been visiting less-actives, and former investigators. Because we've moved from "quantity" to "quality", we might have to do a lot of finding for the next few weeks.

Other than all this, not much is happening. Compared to what I did at home, though, it's still a lot. ;)

The church is true.
I love you all.

- Elder Brandon Wong

P.S.: a lot more end-of-the-world talk around here. See if you can get a year's supply of food started!
P.P.S.: on 06/06 of this year, I finished my 66th day. Isn’t that weird?
Also, my 74th day out is when Elder Jenkins has 74 days left!

June 2, 2008 - Day 62

Hi everyone!

I'm staying in Brownwood with Elder Jenkins for another six weeks, just as he predicted. I'm glad; I'm just getting used to things, and I really like the people here.

Just the other day, our neighbour (who moved in a couple weeks ago) started chatting with us as we were coming home. He said he recently became dissatisfied with his current church, and that he and his wife were looking for something new. We’ve since started teaching them, and they're really great. Not only are they really friendly, but they don't have any prejudices of our church, so they're very willing to hear more and to come visit! He once read from the Book of Mormon as a teenager, before his dad burned it; and he hasn't had any contact with the church since then. With all the work we've been doing around town, it never occurred to us to just try with our own literal neighbour.

As for serving in Utah, I met one missionary at the MTC who was going to serve in the Utah Provo Mission! So he didn't have to go far when he finished his training. That reminds me; I also got to meet the missionaries going to Montreal! I only spoke with them for a minute or two, but I told them where I'm from, and spoke a little French with them.

This past Sunday, after testimony meeting, the Sunday School president came up to us and asked if we were willing to teach right then and there (since the teacher was missing today). it was the very last minute, but we agreed and taught a hastily-put-together lesson to the adults. That’s why it's always good to know your scripture stories well.

Working here is still great but different. I think we're shifting from quantity to quality, in terms of who we're teaching. Unfortunately, it also means we have less people to visit, and more time on our hands. That means more finding. (and it's pushing 100 degrees around here! and it's not dry like in the rest of west Texas)

As we go finding, some people simply say no, but we also get some pretty funny excuses as to why people won't let us in.
"I was just sleeping ... ... oh, and... I have a baby - I'm babysitting"
"sorry, I-- no hablo ingles"
"no" "yes" "no" "yes" "no" "yes" "no!" "yes!" ... ... "no" "yes"
"I like my beer, and I like my pot!"
But the most interesting one is when we ask, "What if God told you to change churches - would you?" and they, sometimes just to get rid of us, and sometimes because they don't really know what they're saying, answer "no".
Lots of people claim to be Christian, yet when asked if they would listen to God when He spoke to them, they say they wouldn't. Are they clinging to the church of God, or of a man? That’s why I like Moroni's promise:

Moroni 10:3-5 reads “Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.”

Because we don't have to trust our local preacher, or any other man. we can go straight to the source. it also shows where our doctrines come from. Revelations, not only interpretations or derivations or interpolations, show us what the scriptures mean and what truth is. This is what makes our church the "only true and living church on the face of the earth".

Anyways, I'll talk to you all later!

Love you!

-Elder Brandon Wong

May 27th, 2008

Hi everyone!

Happy Memorial Day! I'm not 100% sure what it is, and no one around seems to know either, but what it means is that I have to send letters today instead of yesterday.

Alma's gone. :( She went to visit family in Houston, and she'll be away for at least two months. It also means that we have to do our own laundry; but she gave us her house keys and said we can use her machines. She took her leaving us rather hard. Transfers are coming up on June 1st, and we might have to leave and we won't see her again.

Transfers are every six weeks. On June 1st, we get a call from the zone leaders, and they tell us if we're leaving. If we are, then the next day or the day after, we hop on the bus with our bags, and we only find out where we're going when we get there, and someone there tells us that we have to get off!
However, Elder Jenkins suspects neither of us will be transferred this time. That’s probably a good thing, because I'm just barely getting used to things, and the people here are really great.

a perfect example of that is when we went to the Richmonds for supper. They live out of town, so they came to our place and drove us to their home. Then they gave us my first real Texan steak! Oh, and it was good. They also own a flock of chickens, so they gave us eggs.

And if that wasn't enough, Elder Jenkins bought a brisket for $10, and marinade it for three days before cooking it for the weekly district meeting. we had it for lunch today along with scalloped potatoes and the peach cobbler Elder Duffy made, and I'm about ready to burst.

This last Sunday, we went out to Comanche, and we gave talks. I spoke about the Great Apostasy and Elder Jenkins spoke about the Restoration. They had 11 people not including us this time, so it's an improvement. Despite this, there's talk of closing the branch, so they're focusing on missionary work and perhaps reactivation.

We’ve been doing a bit of that ourselves. One of our investigators has been taught everything, but still isn't progressing. Then we mentioned the branch's weekly Thursday-evening softball game, and she jumped on the idea. The Brownwood branch plays softball every week against one of the other churches in the city. I think it's some sort of league. And, because she (an investigator) is going every week, we get to go too (and maybe even the occasional practice!) so not only does she get to bond with the branch but it's also one less night out drinking and something fun we get to do.

The other week, we had a day with not much to do, so we decided to make it a whole day of finding. So from ten in the morning until supper, we knocked doors trying to find someone who's interested. We didn't find that many, but we got three media referrals later on. It’s been pretty humid lately. It was a good experience, but we wouldn't really want to do that again.

Every letter, I always talk about how I always hear or read something that strengthens my testimony. Let me tell you about something else I'm always hearing about lately: the end of the world. Never in my whole life have I met so many people so unanimously pessimistic about the fate of their lives. Whether rich or poor, member or non-member, young or old; it always starts off with the gas prices. It’s just about at $4.00 a gallon now, and there's talk of going up to $5, $7, or even one mention of $10. Then, they move on to how these prices are killing them, and they can't afford anything anymore. Then, it goes into how food prices are increasing, and there are food shortages here and there, and soon there won't be enough to go around, and it won't matter because no one will be able to afford it, and we're all going to die of starvation because of no food, and it'll be at home because we'll have no gas to get anywhere. There’s probably a lot of truth in all of it (by the way, how's the family food storage coming along?), but I've never seen so many different, unrelated people talk about the exact same thing in the exact same tone.

By the way, Paraguay!?!? That’s cool! I'll have to write him...
and Ogden, too? Is that true?

Anyways, things are great.
Except... could you send some Lipton's soup packs? They sell them in boxes of twos here, and they taste different. ;) So does the chocolate milk syrup I bought. Well, I guess I could live with that. :P Don't bother. In any case, you should probably wait to send anything the slow way until after transfers, just in case I am transferred, in which case anything will take at least two weeks to get to me via the forwarding service. I'll tell you the p-day after June 1st.

Anyways, I love you!
Hope you're doing well.

-Elder Brandon Wong

Elder Wong wrote a note to everybody May 20, 2008

Thanks for your letters! I haven't been ignoring you in not responding directly; I just don't have enough time to address everyone individually - which is probably why they recommend we only email family, and write only regular letters to everyone else...
I'll do my best to answer your questions.
In any case, the best place to know what's going on with me is the blog (which was Sister Kaufman's idea - thanks!), asking my family, and the pictures - once I send them home.

Much love,

-Elder Wong

Letter written May 12, 2008

Greetings from the only place in the mission that's green, yet ironically called Brownwood! (and it's the 41st day!)

We were finding the other day, and we met this lady who was playing with her daughter in her front yard. When we came up, she went inside to get her husband, who told her to be on the lookout for "people like us". We thought that he just wanted to speak with us to argue, but he just let us in, and we taught the first lesson. It was great!

It’s kinda hard covering three counties - knowing that while you're trying to work with people in this tiny town, there are lots more (who are your responsibility) who don't get anything.

That’s also why it's really important for the members to do missionary work. Elder Bednar said that members are full-time finders, while missionaries are full-time teachers.
When we're out finding, we're searching for a needle in a haystack, one door at a time - that's at least one minute or two between doors. But if members bring us a small handful of potentials, getting a needle is a lot easier.

This morning, I started reading “Jesus the Christ” (written by James E. Talmage) and it's pretty good so far. I've always thought that it's possible to write so much on something with so little material, but this is proof of that - and it's engaging, too.

In the meantime, find people for the elders to teach, and encourage others to do the same. In the month or so since I've been here, we've only found one person through knocking who might be interested.

Everyday I'm learning more and more that say nothing but that the Church is true. It is.

I love you all!

Talk again soon.

-Elder Brandon Wong