May 17, 1991
Today was kind of a weird day. This morning President Bott and the A.P.’s came up for interviews and apartment inspections, so we had to wait all morning for them. After that, we went and saw a lady who is a member. She had not been in America very long at all, but she joined the church when she lived in France. She had such a sting testimony that it is absolutely unreal!
After that, we went to check on some referrals. We ended up going to the optometrist with some of them for an eye exam. It was a riot to translate their eye exams. i still don’t know if any of them ended up with the right glasses or not.
Anyway, we also taught Nopparat a 4th discussion tonight. It went really well. The next discussion is on tithing. I hope and pray that she can commit herself to obeying that law. Everyone else that I have ever taught had been on welfare, so this will really be the first tine that I have ever had to commit someone to the law of tithing. I hope that she can accept it.
I got a letter today that really made me step back and thing. I guess I’m probably still thinking about it.
May 18, 1991
Todnight was really a good Stake Conference. There were talks on every aspect of family life, motherhood, fatherhood, raising kids, and doing temple work. It was really a good conference. I really way able to learn a lot.
The talk on fatherhood was given by So Vang, the second counselor in our branch presidency. It was really a good talk. It there is one thing that 99% of hmong men know how to do, it is to be great fathers.
I got a letter from Kristen today. I realized a lot of the things I have done wrong lately.
She is very seriously considering serving a mission. I think that that would be absolutely fantastic! She would be so much more valuable to me as a mate after having the experiences of a mission. Of course, it would definitely change a great number of our plans. I’m not sure when we would ever see each other or be able to date or anything. All that I know is that if she is willing to dedicate the time to the Lord, she will be greatly blessed. The Lord’s will be done. That I know.
May 19, 1991
Today we taught Nopparat about tithing. She said no problem1 Don't ever let anyone tell you prayer doesn’t work. I was so happy.
I have been fasting today to help Kristin decided wether or not to go on a mission. I guess part of me wants her to go, but deep down I want her to stay. I really want for us to be ready to move on with our life together when I get home. No matter what she does, I’m sure that things would be find. I wish I could make her see how beautiful, talented, exciting, loveable, and wonderful she is. She is the best, and I miss her.
(I put this part in because I think it is a good example to prayer for your wife or the people you are dating to be able to make good decisions. That doesn’t mean they will always choose the right, but it puts your heart in the right place and you also know that you have done everything in your power to help them. I like also how you see dad struggle with His will and God’s will and trying to get them aligned. He does that through prayer and trying to humble himself. I also like how he sees that it is important to make you wife feel like she is an amazing person. I think dad’s relationship with Kristin really prepared him to love me more unconditionally. He decided beforehand that things he would need to do to aid his wife. Kristin was the catalyst for those thoughts, but the desires were planted for his future wife, not just her specifically. I have thought a lot about why Dad needed to date Kristin. I she how much this difficult relationship taught him and how it prepared him and helped him in our relationship. I see how it was an incentive for him to write these things for me and for his kids to read. These are things that Dad needed to teach us. Take his experiences and let them create resolve in your heart :)
May 21, 1991
Today was kind of a weird day. We saw about 1/2 of our investigator families and I feel pretty good about the way things went with all of them. We also met another really good family today that has been taught in the past, but never baptized. They seemed to be really open to the things that we taught them. They really wanted to know about the things that we had to say, so I really feel good about it.
We didn’t seem to have any real success stories from the activities of the day, but I feel like we are finally getting the area into the kind of shape that it should really be in. I certainly hope that things will pick up now.
The other day, the Ap’s told me that some of the baptisms that Elder Baker and I had scheduled in Fresno came through after being postponed slightly. I’m really glad to know that those came through down there. I would really like to know which ones came through and which ones didn’t.
I wonder what Kristin has decided to do about a mission? I sure as heck wish I knew. I wonder where she will go? Maybe she’ll go on a sign-language mission.
May 22, 1991
I finished the Book of Mormon again yesterday. After praying, I received the sweetest, most peaceful confirmation of its truth that I have yet received.
3 Nephi 16:1- There were people, Christ’s people (probably signifying tribes of Israel )that lived in areas that were not near Israel or the Americas. Christ went to those lands to minister to the people. We as missionaries should do the same.
3- The resurrected and glorified Christ obeyed His Father. If someone with so much glory and power obeys His Father, how much more need have we to obey both the commandments of our Father in Heaven and the counsel of our earthly fathers. Being ‘mature adults’ does not relieve us of our obligation to honor our parents. We must live our own lives, but we must always five careful consideration to the words of counsel given us by our parents. The Father desires for all of us to hear His voice and be one fold.
4- These things could have been made manifest to those in Jerusalem, if they had faithfully searched for more knowledge. Christ caused all of these things to be written that the seed of those in Jerusalem might be brought to a knowledge of the truth despite the unbelief of their fathers. The Israelites were literally scattered because of their unbelief.
I have really had a lot of energy today, I think that is because I ate 3 meals yesterday. I think I will keep trying to eat 3 times a day. I got up this morning and actually exercised. It really felt good. It has been a long time since I exercised like that.
Today I received a package in the mail from Mee Xiong down in Visalia. She made me a shirt and a tie and mailed them to me. The shirt is so nice! It is a white Hmong shirt that is embroidered with pan ntaub and had real silver buttons. The tie is all hand embroidered too. It is really nice. I feel bad that I can’t write to her and thank her for it. She also sent me a cassette tape. I really wish that there was something that I could do to help her. She had really got it rough. Oh well maybe someday I can see her and her family again.
Today was kind of a tough day. We did not manage to get a whole lot done. we taught two discussions, but the work here is not going forth the way it should be. I wonder what the Lord would have us do different?
May 23, 1991
3 Nephi 16:5- The tribes of Israel, those who believe the gospel (rom 9:7) will truly be gathered from the 4 quarters of the earth. This is happening right now. Look at the number of people who have literally been gathered to the promised land so they can hear and accept the gospel.
6- This who are not physical descendants of Israel who believe in the Son and the Holy Ghost will also be greatly blessed. The holy Ghost always bears witness of the Father and of the Son.
7- Because of the unfaithfulness of the physical descendants of Israel, the fulness of the gospel will be given to those who are not the physical descendants of Israel. Christ said that this would happen in the latter day, and indeed it has.
8- This who are not descendants of Israel in any way will encounter the judgement and the wrath of God. On this American continent, as well as other continents the Gentiles have scattered the seed of Israel. ( We become descendants of Israel by accepting the gospel- wrath is incurred by not accepting the gospel)
Gentiles- 1. Those who are not physical descendants of Isaac.
2. Those who do not accept the Gospel of Christ, whether they are descended of Isaac or not.
Israel- 1. Those who are physical descendants of Isaac
2. those who believe and accept the fulness of the gospel
May 23, 1991
Yesterday was one of those days that makes me wonder if I can possibly be a missionary for another year, and today makes me wonder why I only have another year left.
We taught Nopparat a 6th discussion today and set everything up for her baptism Saturday. We need to go with her and her husband to get a marriage license tomorrow and then we are set! I am really excited to see her get baptized. There will also be two boys getting baptized Saturday, one of which is 9, so that will also be a convert baptism. Elder Davis and Elder Nielson taught him all of the discussions, so he is ready. This Saturday is just going to be awesome!
We were able to pick up a few new families today also. That always feels good. Besides that, Chen Mona’s wife told us that she awaits to be baptized. That will be good too.
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