Wooo, dim a?
What a great week. I don't have a ton of time today, but I'll get out
the best things I can.
Last week we achieved all of our weekly goals, and surpassed one of
them. Elder Ng and I are working hard. I'm loving every minute of it
here.
AWESOME Story this week. Last night I had a very interesting
experience. Earlier in the week I was on a split with my companion
from the MTC, so we could basically only speak English to people. When
we were in the MTR (Metro train) I noticed a man was listening to our
conversation. So I began talking to him and it turned out his english
was near perfect. He never gave us his number, but we gave him our
number and a Restoration pamphlet and invited him to read and then
call us if he had any questions about our message. Mind you, people in
Hong Kong almost NEVER call you back. This man did.
He had the other Elder's number, so he met up with them last night.
Last night all of our scheduled meetings fell through, but I got a
text from that Elder saying the guy wanted to see me. I remember
thinking, "Is it even worth it to take the bus over there just to see
this guy?" Yet, Elder Ng and I decided to go anyway. When we got
there, the man we met in the MTR started talking to us and the other
Elders left to a meeting. We didn't plan on sharing a message with him
because we knew that he had just heard one from the companionship
before us, but as we sat with him and he was asking questions and
stating his opinions, we ended up having a lesson with him anyway.
This man is a teacher of law. He is
incredibly intelligent. He said, "I'm going to be honest with you guys
-- I don't think authenticity or proper authority or any of the
history behind the gospel matters at all. If there is anything I've
learned, everybody has truth and has the ability to learn and come to
God in their own individual way by developing a personal relationship
with Him." We shared some things about our opinions on these subjects
and our reasoning for going to church, but it became clear to me very
quickly that I didn't have the ability to outsmart this man. If there
is anything I've learned about having conversations with my brother
Brian about law and the contradictory nature of literally everything,
it's that unless I go to law school I'm going to get owned by every
one who has- in practically every subject.
It was then I had an incredibly strong impression that to continue
talking about this would profit us nothing, and that I was to simply
state who I was, why I was here, and to bear my testimony. So I said
something to the effect of, "You know, we could sit here and talk
about all these things, and you'd probably outsmart me in everything
because it's pretty obvious that you're at least 5 times more
intelligent than I am." (laughs) "I'm also grateful for you're
honesty. I wish more people were as honest as you. There is one thing
I know. I am a representative of Jesus Christ, and I was sent here to
share this message with you. You are a beloved child of our Heavenly
Father, and He loves you very much. I promise you that it was no
accident that you called us back, and just as you've developed your
relationship with God and followed His guidance in the past, he has
led you here tonight because He has more truth he wants to give you."
In the moment it was much more eloquent and better said, and as I said
it I felt enveloped by the Spirit, as if I wasn't even the one
speaking anymore. As soon as I finished speaking, the man began to
weep, and he buried his face in his hands. When he regained control,
he looked at me and said, "Maybe you're right. I guess I have some
homework to do."
Everyone, I know that this is the work of God, and that He leads His
servants to be in the right place at the right time, to give His
prepared children the opportunity to come closer to Him. I am not a
teacher. I am a tool through which the Lord teaches. I know that God
lives, and it is for experiences like these that I've come to serve
Him full-time in Hong Kong. I've come to learn a simple lesson. He's
here. He watches over us. And He loves us, no matter what.
Have a wonderful week!
Love, Elder Hazen
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