Dec 19, 1990
Today’s Reading: Mathew 3:2, Mormon 9:28-
Matthew 3:2- Prophets throughout all of the ages have taught the principles of repentance. We must repent. The kingdom of heaven is at hand. We must turn away from our sins and forsake them so that we can truly be numbered among the members of Christ’s kingdom.
Mormon 9;28- We must be wise while on this earth we must not ask to be able to fulfill our lustful desires. Instead we must ask that we not five into temptation. We must ask to become better servants to God.
Verse 29: Before we can receive the ordinances of baptism or the sacrament, we should be certain that we have repented completely. As far as that foes, we should be sure that we have repented completely every moment of our entire lives. If we will do theism we will live with God for eternity.
Verse 30: Moroni wrote directly to those of us living in this day and are. Because of that, Moroni’s words are nearly as valuable to us as those of our living prophet.
Verse 31: We should not be critical of those who have gone before us. Instead, we should be thankful that we know their mistakes, so that we will not make them. This applies to out parents, relatives, and friends as well as to the people in Book of Mormon times.
Today was kind of a good day. It was really kind of nice to just be able to relax for a while. we went to the mall and wandered around for a while. I really hate shopping. I think the only time I enjoy shopping is when I take Kristin, and we just have a chance to be together. I also wrote some letters today as well as making a tape for Kristin. I really enjoy making tapes for her. It makes me feel good about the things I tell her. It also makes me feel closer to her. I hope that she likes to listen to them as much as I like to make them.
Tonight, we went over to the Johnson’s house for dinner. They are a couple of the stake missionaries assigned to work with the hmong people. When dinner was over, we couldn’t find anyone who wanted to see us about anything. For some reason, it is really hard to se Hmong people in Visalia after about 7:00. They just seem to want to get their kids to bed. i need to figure our some way to use the evening hours more effectively.
In the mail today, I got Christmas cards from Grandpa and grandma Hansen, Kristin’s Grandma Thomson, and from Kristin’s sited Nicky. For my “7th day of Christmas,” I got a bag of bubble gum, a boo-pop, and a Kit Kat.
Dec 20, 1990
Today’s Reading: Matthew 3:8, Mormon 9:32-
Matthew 3:8- If we truly want our Heavenly Father to accept our repentance, we must work towards it. We must do good works. We must do the things that the Lord has asked us. When we do this, we show the Lord that we truly desire to do the Lord’s work.
Mormon 9:32- This verse shows that the language of the people had changed. At the time Joseph Smith, Jr. Translated the Book of Mormon, I highly doubt that he would have known anything about the evolution of languages. If all that was involved in the gospel was logic, this verse alone would prove that the Book of Mormon is true. Fortunately, the gospel is based on more than logic.
Verse 33: Before my mission, I could never understand how they could write the Hebrew language by using Egyptian characters. now I understand because there are 3 ways to write the Hmong language. It can be written in hmong, Romanization, and Laotian. It is interesting to me how Moroni was so concerned with the imperfections of the work- almost as if even the faith if even Moroni was weak at times.
Today was cold. My parents still have not sent my coat. I really don’t think a coat could keep me warm inside. It’s just so cold. This is the coldest it’s been for a long, long, long time. It was so warm at Thanksgiving that I thought it would never get cold. I wonder what I did to make it get so, so old inside. I hate when it’s cold.
Dec 21, 1990
Today’s Reading: Matthew 3:38 (JST)
Mormon 9:34-
Joseph Smith Translation Matthew 3:38- This scripture goes along very well with the things that I learned the other day in reading Mormon 9:29. When a person truly repaints, they will desire to be baptized. It is impossible to truly repent without understanding the necessity of the ordinance of baptism. It this is understood, it must also be completed for true repentance to take place.
Mormon 9:34- Moroni knew that the people who would receive the Book of Mormon would be unable to speak the language in which the book was originally written.
Verse 35: The reason that all of the prophets worked so hard to bring forth the Book of Mormon is the same reason that I should work hard as a missionary. If I do not do all that is in my power to bring people to the truth, their sins will be upon my head.
Verse 36: The prophets who wrote the Book of Mormon truly desired for their brethren, the Lamenites, to truly be restored to the truth. We should all pray many times a day for all of the unknowing to be restored to the truth.
Verse 37: All blessings that we receive including answering of our prayers, come to us only through faith on the name of Jesus christ, OUR Lord and Savior.
I feel so much better tonight than I did this morning that it is just absolutely incredible. We had a zone Christmas party tonight. We all went to an old-folks home to sing Christmas Carols. It really felt good to see some of those old ladies eyes light up. While we were there, the funniest thing in the world happened. Elder Ochsenbein answered Elder Millers call for a new song by singing the first line of “Grandma Got Runover by a Raindeer.” Elder Jensen elbowed him quickly and shut him up, but I thought I would die before I got out of there. That is by far the hardest I have laughed on my entire mission.
Today we taught a discussion to Me Xiong and her family. It was both a really good and a really bad discussion. The food part was that me’s husband, Jar was really interested in what we were saying and was very friendly to us. The problem was that when they all prayed to see if they should be baptized, they decide they still needed to think about it. Ouch! Well, maybe they’ll decide to be baptized soon.
Me gave me two money purses today for my Hmong costume. She would not take any money for it. I wish that they would quit giving me stuff. Those purses are worth about $50 a piece. I wish they would not be so giving. I’ll have to do something nice for her.
Dec 22, 1990
Today’s Reading: Matthew 9:13, 3 Nephi 14:1-
Matthew 9;13- This scripture holds an extreme amount of meaning in my life. Christ did not come into the world to save only those who were all ready near perfection. Christ came to save all of us, specially those that were far from perfection.
3 Nephi 14:1- Christ had just finished instructing His chosen servants. After words, He turned to the multitude. today, Christ ofter speaks to certain portions of the church at one time through the mouth of His prophet. Christ then gives some very critical counsel. “Judge Not.” We have been told repeatedly that we are not to ever judge others. I guess I’d better set that as a goal and get to work on that.
Verse 2: I will be judged according to the standards that I set for others. I really need to quit setting such high expect ions for others. i really feel a need to learn not to judge others on my mission so that I can honestly teach this principle to my family.
Verse 3: One should never judge others by standards that he can not meet. Since no on had been perfect at living the laws of the gospel, no one has the right to judge anyone. The only one who had earned this right through perfection is Jesus Christ.
Today was not the most productive day of my entire mission by a long way. We wet to a few parties and made some contacts, but other than that, we didn’t get a whole lot done. the people that we saw today all “have a church already.” How can I make them understand? There had got to be a way!
At one of the parties today, we met a man from Laos who came here just for 2 weeks to visit. He is a teach in Laos who speaks English very well. He would like to have me write to him in Laos. I told him that I would.
Having a car has, got to be the greatest blessing in the world. it is so cold out that I can’t believe it. Of course, it makes sense that the first winter I spend in CA would be the coldest winter in 20 years! What a rip off!
Last night I listened to the tape that my family sent. Hearing my mom’s voice broke my heart. I really miss her. Everyone seems to be doing well. Dad said he had talked to Kristin on the phone and that she was doing really well.
Dec 23, 1990
Some notes on today’s reading:
Mathew 11:20- IF we receive a witness of the truth, but we receive it not we receive it not, we too will be upbraided and rebuked. The way that we testify to our reception of the truth is through our works, including repentance. If repentance is not followed by other food works, we will surely be upbraided at the last day.
3 Nephi 13:4- The meaning of this vera is significantly different that that of the previous verse. Not only must we not judge others, but before we can help others to overcome a particular downfall, we must overcome it ourselves. This does not mean that we must be perfect in order to help others, only that if we have a drinking problem, we should not, try to teach others how to stop drinking. The blind should not teach the blind to see.
Verse 5: After we learn to see, we are far better able to help others to see. Not only have we been down the path of struggle to learn to see, but we also know what blessings come from sight. We ARE to help one another, but we ARE NOT to act as helpers when we are the ones that need help.
Verse 6: Holy things are not to be entrusted to the wicked. The wicked will pervert the holy things and try to shake your faith through the use of those perversions.
Church was very definitely depressing today. No one but about 8 kids showed up. All of the Hmong adults were either in Fresno or the y were preparing to of to Fresno. Next week probably won’t be a whole lot better, but after that we should be able to beth things going again.
This evening I read President Benson’s book entitled “missionaries to meet our message.” That is truly an excellent book. It gave me a lot of ideas about how to proselyte more effectively. I am really excited to get our and try them. One thing that I truly need to work on is learning to pray more effectively. I really don’t pray very well yet. I wish that I could learn to pray in the same way that Kristin does. Sometimes I wonder if I’ll every catch up to her or not.
We tried again today to commit Nyias Vum Muas and his wife Ntzhais Yaj for baptism. We taught them a third discussion. The spirit there was really strong, but they said that they just couldn’t going our church. That really hurt.
We also went and taught Jar Xiong and his wife Mis a first discussion. Mis was so happy the her husband had finally decided to learn that she came over and sat by him while he learned.
Dec 24, 1990
Matthew 12:41- Those who master principles while on this earth will also be those who are qualified to judge whether or not others have mastered the same principles. The only way to master principles of the gospel is through constant effort and repentance.
3 Nephi 14:7- Cross Reference to D&C 4, James 1:5, and Matthew 7:7- The Lord has prepared a very simple way for us to find and use the truth. He had simply asked that we seek the truth and ask Him to reveal the trusty unto us. We exemplify our faith through prayer and study. The Lord rewards that faith through granting us further light and knowledge.
Verse 8: Everyone that asks of God in faith, believing that he will be answered, will be answered. The only thing that will separate the elect from the nonelect is simply the willingness of the individual to accept the answer that is given through the power of the Holy Ghost. I pray that I all always have the strength to accept the answers granted unto me.
Verse 9, 10, & 11 go together very well and the point is very clear. Our Father in Heaven will reward us for the searching and questioning that we do. The Sheppard will never lead us astray. I hope and pray that I can always remain in tune (after I get there) to the promptings of the Spirit.
Well, today we went down to Tulare. We taught a couple of discussions and they went pretty well. I am really tired today.
It certainly does not seem like Christmas Eve at all today. We went to the Bishop’s house for dinner tonight. His wife is Japanese, so we had a Japanese dinner. After dinner we watched the movie INNER SPACE OH! During dinner, one of his outside water pipes broke because it was so cold and the water in it had frozen I was sure glad for all of the chances I had to do plumbing with my dad because I got a chance tonight.
Today was kind of a weird day because it was supposed to be P-day, but we decided to work anyway.
I am so grateful for my Savior. I am so grateful for the sacrifice that He made for me. There are no words that can properly express my gratitude, so I will close in hopes that I can live worthy to return to Him presence and the presence of my Heavenly Father.
Dec 25, 1990
3 Nephi 14-
Verse 12- Because of the fact that the Father gives unto us everything that we ask of Him, we must do unto others as we would have them do unto us. This is the law that will get us to the point that we can truly have charity. Through service to others, we can truly gain love for others. The only way for us to love one another is to continue to serve one another. When WE quit serving, it becomes far harder to feel love either towards or from one another.
Verse 13- It is very easy to do what the rest of the world does. There are lots of ways to get to hell. We must always be watchful not to get on one of those paths. It is interesting that the path leads “do destruction.” Doing wicked does not often cause immediate and total destruction, but rather it leads- bit by bit to destruction.
Verse 14- Few FIND the way to eternal life. WE must continually search to continue to find the path to eternal life. OUR goal must always be eternal life.
Well, my first Christmas away from home was definitely different than most. I got to talk to my family today. They are all doing really well too. It was good to talk with them.
We went to a Hmong party today and basically rested all day long. I really needed a day to rest up. It was sure good to talk to everyone today!
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