Don't play with fire/Ice Skating with Asians

This was a great week. We had the opportunity to see many wonderful things happen here in AnKang. I just feel like I have been so blessed to be here in this area. We've had many focuses recently but we have really started to focus on using the members. This week it really paid off. We have a young man who is 16 that is just fired up about missionary work. His name is B-- and he really wants to bring the gospel to his friends. We've been playing basketball every saturday morning with them and have found this to be a great guanxi activity. They have become comfortable around us. This week B-- invited two of them to church with us and they both came! They both thought it was boring but they said it was a good place. The sisters will start meeting with one of them and we will continue to meet with the other. 

This work isn't just about those people that are not members of the church. It is also about saving the souls of the members. There is an 18 year old kid (who happens to be B--'s older brother) who is struggling right now. He is a really good kid and I can tell he wants to do good things but is in a rut as far as his testimony goes. He doesn't really thinks he wants to go on a mission. His mother has so much faith. We have been doing FHE with them every Sunday night in order to try to help him. This week we shared a message about why we decided to come on missions. I believe that a lot of the time people think missionaries have been these perfect people there whole life and never had doubts. Which is 100% not true. We both shared some of the difficulties we faced as we decided to come on missions. I can't help but feel this kids pain. I really relate with his situation and REALLY want to stop him from making the huge mistake of deciding not to go. We talked about prayer and how it can help us receive answers from God. I felt the Spirit and got semi-emotional as I talked about receiving my answer if I should come on a mission. We invited his whole family to pray everyday in order to receive comfort from God and receive an answer to his question. He said that he was willing. Pray for him. 

I went on exchanges this week with Elder Robinson. Such a great missionary. Really just loves the people and wants to help others. He goes home in 3 weeks. Some of the things I learned from him were:

-When you start having your focus be the number that's when you start failing.

-If you work hard, love, and obey you WILL see baptisms.

-Christ is Mercy.

-The purpose of service is helping people and planting seeds about the church and gospel.

-Just work and love.

We have so many progressing investigators and many more who are so great. We will continue to meet with them all and work hard to help them make that first step towards baptism. No effort is wasted. If one person receives the gospel because of the work you do it is all worth it in the end! "...And if ye shall bring one soul unto me how great will be your joy with him in the kingdom of my father."

The key to having the Spirit with you is controlling your thoughts, where my eyes wander, and obedience.

My companion is awesome. We have already seen so much success together and have/will never have any problems. God definitely knows my personality and wants me to be happy. He is a great example of just loving the people and really helping people know that God loves them. I really want to become more like him. 

Well I have a ton more to say and if I think of anything in the next half hour I'll send a separate email. But, I want ya'll to know I miss you all and love ya like crazy. This experience is hard but so rewarding. The mission is cool. It is living the law of consecration for 2 years. Cool to think about eh? You get to put your own personal needs on hold and only think about others. Huge blessing. 

Until next time. Stay strong, don't play with fire(I burned myself this week) and think of ways you can serve others.

Love,

Elder Meeks