Chapter 97 - Final Chapter: There and Back again.

Elder Connor R. Duersch(Stan Theman鄧長老) Ministering to Hong Kong 1 by 1! Chapter 97 Season Finale

你好!!!  

My Dear Friends, the time has now arrived. I honest and truly cant believe how fast time has flown here. I really am not sure what to say now, but one thing comes to my mind. I will quote my dear friend Mormon here:

5 Wherefore, I chose these things, to finish my record upon them, which remainder of my record I shall take from the plates of Duersch; and I cannot write the hundredth part of the things of my people.  

or my personal favorite

2 Corinthians 1:

8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life

But in all honesty I have loved my mission. I really can't describe all that has transpired over the coarse of my mission. But I will list some things that I have learned about China and also about Spiritual things.

About Hong Kong

1. People Live Forever out here!
2. Hot water is more healthier than cold because it helps with digestion
3. Yam Cha and Dim sum are amazing!
4. Hong Kong People are taller than me!!!???
5. Chinese New year is the time of year when Hong Kong turns into a barren waste land cause everyone goes to mainland.
6. Travel is so much nicer when you have all your money on a  little card that you can tap on things and it pays for it all.
7. All the food they have here is amazing! 
8. The People here are as interesting as the language they speak
9. There is no Panda Express here
10. The food here is not like Panda Express
11. The culture here is very westernized, but there is still some traditions that live on.
12. When someone fills your cup with water at a yam cha tap two fingers on the table to say thank you.
13. If you are going to pour yourself a cup of water you fill the others cup first then yours last.
14. Saying good morning to the old people makes the hardest days great because of how much they love to say good morning
15. There smallest proselyting area in the world is here. Tin Shui Wai
16. The most densely populated area of Proselyting is in Mong Kok
17. There is a person next to you at all times and all places
18. The people are so supportive of helping you when you are lost
19. People Work for hours and hours on end and they are great at their Jobs
20. Things that are cheap here are expensive in America and the same the other way around

About Spiritual

1. The Book of Mormon truly does Testify of Jesus Christ
2. The church was restored in 1820 because there was no other time that it possibly could have been done
3. The importance of the Family is crucial in this day and age we live in.
4. Jesus truly is the Christ
5. God has a plan for us
6. Success is based on our own conversion in this great gospel
7. Serving others can cure many problems
8. Commandments are here to protect and bless us, not to hinder or annoy us
9. Use the resources that heavenly father has given us to help us and others.
10. The Priesthood truly has been restored on the earth 
11. The power of Priesthood blessings are real
12. President Russell M Nelson is Gods Prophet here on the earth
13. The Gospel of Christ is also throughout the Bible
14. The Plan of Salvation can change lives
15. Patriarchal Blessings are great tools to help us learn who we were, are, and can become
16. When we get a challenge we can ask what is the Lord wanting me to learn from this
17. How can I use what I have learned to help others
18. Family History is truly a great blessing
19. Joseph Smith was a Prophet and truly did see The father and The son
20. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ Live and they love us more than we could possibly imagine

This is just but a few of the things that I have learned out here on my mission. Like Mormon I can not write a hundredth part of my proceedings.I truly have loved my mission and all the great miracles and blessings that I have seen out here.

Just like Bilbo Baggins, I to have missed my arm chair and my garden. I will be coming back someone that is different than before. I have made new friends that I will forever remember. I have come to know the Good and the Bad that comes in life. There is greatness in small things.

I will share a quick analogy with you all and then share my final testimony as a missionary:

There is a metal called Damascus Steel. This is a metal that is the strongest and stays sharp for thousands of years. It is made by a piece of Steel that is folded over and hammered a hundred times and then it is repeated over thousands of times. When it is finally done the blade looks like wood with all the little lines in it. Each line is over hundreds of layers of steel.

Just in our lives the Savior is the Black smith. He is going to fold us over and increase the heat on our lives so that we can become the best sword that will stay sharp for thousands of years. 

I know that the Savior lives and that he is always aware of our lives and our challenges. There is so much that we don't understand at this point in our lives. But one thing I do know, God truly does know and love us. He hears our every prayer and he wants to help us all.

I thank you all so much for the prayers you have given on my behalf and all the missionaries across the Globe. I love you all so much and I am so grateful for you in my life. I look forward to seeing you soon and share with you this new testimony that I have grown and developed.

Love you all and I will see you soon!

Yours in Fellowship and Love,󾓭🐲🐼✌🍜

鄧 長 老

Elder Connor R.Duersch

Dahng Jeunglouh

Stan Theman  

Chapter 95: You did it!, Elder Allen, Yvette Mourin.

Elder Connor R. Duersch(Stan Theman鄧長老) Ministering to Hong Kong 1 by 1! Chapter 95

你好!!!  

Good morning! How are we all?

This week flew by insanely fast again! One day I wake up and BAM it is p-day already. Crazy! 

There was some super good things this week and I can't wait to tell you all about them! 

I was able to have my last interview with President Phillips this week. The Exit Interview! It was such a touching and amazing experience. We talked lots about what I have learned on my mission, my companions, friends, and then to the part about what is my goals and plans for the future. It was a great experience to have and to have my mission president tell me I did a good job and served a valiant mission! 

Interesting that I had my exit interview and I still have 2 1/2 weeks left. But it was amazing! 

I was also able to go on exchanges this week with Elder Allen and wow what an exchange! We had a meeting with our bishop in Tung Chung and it was so cool. We also had the stake president there as well. Our bishop is so funny! 

Then we went out to meet one of our friends we met a couple weeks ago to play basketball with him again. We taught him about prayer and asked if he thought God was real. He said he believed half. So I told him an analogy. Take your watch apart and put it in a bag. Then shake it and make me a perfect watch again. Can't do it. That is just like our bodies and this world we live on. It is just impossible that we just popped into existence. He liked the analogy and he wanted to learn more. I told him we have evidence of God's existence and asked if he wanted to see it. He said yes and so we told him next time we will show him. 

Later elder Allen wasn't feeling so well and he was sick to his stomach. He laid down on the bathroom floor and tried to throw up but nothing came out. He was laughing though and screaming at his body for being dumb. So funny but sad as well. 

While out finding, Elder Allen and I ran into a member who is from the states that lives in Hong Kong. Her name is Yvette Morin and she is amazing! We talked for a long time and had so many good laughs about life and it was so much fun to talk to a member from the states. She told us she would be moving soon and that she had some food to give away and she wanted us to have it.

 

Later in the week we got a text from her that she wanted us to come and get some food. We'll when we got to her estate and saw the food she had it was 3 Ikea-sized bags full of food!!! This was an amazing blessing from above and we were so grateful for the food she gave us. Absolute blessing. 

We also went to cross roads this week and had the zone there again. I didn't climb under any desks again so that was good. We moved stuff again as usual and it is always so much fun to work with these people. Next week will be my last time there and I am going to be so sad when I have to leave. 

Something super special happened yesterday. Elder Lagaña had to do a Baptismal interview for the sisters in our district and we had to go to Kowloon Tong. While we were there I was able to see the Tai Wo ward! Because the old chapel is going to be rebuilt they have their ward meeting in Kowloon tong and we came right at that time. I was able to say hi to all of my old family and they were so excited to see me! I was so happy to see all of them as well. 

The funny thing that happened was that while Elder Lagaña was in the interview I was outside the door and there were these kids running around and screaming. The was one in a Spider-man costume and it was so funny. One ran into the room that the interview was in and he wanted to read a book. So Elder Lagaña gave him a book and he left. Then the assistants walked over and elder Hughes and Arnold asked where my companion was and then the same little boy tried to go in the room and elder Hughes told him to go to English class. So funny. 

That does it for this week. I am so shocked at how fast time is gone. Only about 2 weeks and I will be back home. But that doesn't mean I will get lazy. I will keep fighting and smiling! 

Success comes from the lord. It is given, not earned! According to his timing, plan, and his unfathomable love for us. 

Have a great week love you all! 

Love ya!

Yours in Fellowship and Love,󾓭🐲🐼✌🍜

鄧 長 老

Elder Connor R.Duersch

Dahng Jeunglouh

Stan Theman