"I've Heard It Before

The miracles that we've been taught to expect are now beginning to roll in.

 

One of the amazing things about Hung Shui Kiu is that it is right in the heart of the New Territories, and the huge chapel that has just been built there is a beacon to everything around it. We learned recently that this chapel has been in construction for 10-13 years, and people have known about it for a long time. For whatever reason, it's construction process was drawn out for a very long time. Needless to say, people know about the Mormon chapel. President Hawks has increased the New Territories Zone by two companionships, and this new chapel has finally opened. Why did the church invest so much money in a chapel right in the middle of the New Territories, and why is our mission president concentrating his forces here? Because miracles are going to happen. Hung Shui Kiu, it's time to explode.

 

There is a huge main road that runs through the New Territories, and the chapel happens to be built alongside it. So Elder Farnsworth and I have spent some time walking up and down it asking people if they've seen the new chapel and if they'd like a tour. As we were walking down the road last week, I saw a guy passing us on his bike so I thought I'd have a whirl and yelling and waving him down. It was a miracle in and of itself that he stopped his bike and said, "what?" We shared with him a minute message about the purpose of life and then invited him to our next English Class. He gave us his number, and then showed up. Shortly after we visited him in his home to teach him the Restoration, and he accepted a baptismal date without question. He is 22 years old, and his name is Soso. He's from mainland. The following English Class we had two men who called us and referred themselves to come learn english, and afterwards we gave them a tour of the chapel, and Soso tagged along. As Elder Farnsworth was explaining something about the Atonement, Soso edged closer to me and said, "Hey I have good news, my boss said I now have all Sundays off work. I don't even know why, I didn't even ask him. I can come to church." I started getting all excited with him, but I was quickly shut down by a glare from my companion, who couldn't fathom why I'd be making a fuss while he was trying to have a spiritual experience sharing our most sacred doctrine. My bad.

After that, we sat down with the men and taught them seperately a short lesson about prayer. Soso sat with me, and much to my surprise hestarted answering the man's questions, explaining clearly and correctly that prayer is a way that we communicate with God, and that He answers us through our feelings, helping us to know what choices we should make. I sat there a little awestruck that our new investigator was now helping us fellowship and doing it right, when he has absolutely no Christian background and has only heard one lesson.

Encouraged, we rescheduled him to teach him the Plan of Salvation. It was the first time I've taught the Plan of Salvation in months because we've been spending so much time starting people off with the Restoration. Needless to say, my mind spaced out for most of the lesson, and for a long time I felt like I'd forgotten all the principles we were supposed to teach. Thanks to my companion and the member who was there to help us, it ended alright. At the end of the lesson, I felt like I needed to ask Soso if he believed what we had taught. He indicated that he did. I asked, "Why do you believe it?" He thought for a moment and then responded, "Because when I pray I can feel that it's all true.... and also, when you guys started teaching me the Plan of Salvation, I could have sworn I'd heard it before. I know for a fact that nobody has ever taught it to me, but I know I've heard it before." We sat there in silence and the Spirit seemed to thicken the air about us, and I felt for a moment that I'd burst with joy. I then said to him, "You have heard it before, in the pre-earth life. The Spirit just confirmed that to you, and your spirit recognized it."

 

That's our miracle story of the week, and please know that there have been many more. We currently have 4 investigators with baptismal dates, two of whom I'm positive will make them. Elder Farnsworth and I have labored diligently here in Hung Shui Kiu, and we have searched for those prepared souls even when we would have prefered to go home. We have prayed for miracles, we have promised the members they'd see miracles, and we have begun to see miracles. God has prepared us all to fulfil a magnificent purpose and calling in our lives, and if we are humble and willing enough, our spirits will recognize that plan. We must always remember that we have heard it before. God is telling us every day. Eternity hangs in the balance. This is the work of the Lord.

 

Love, Elder Hazen

 

P.S. To top it all off, I got to sing in Sacrament meeting this week. It may be your cliche arrangement of "I Know That My Redeemer Lives," but it may not be sung in your cliche language. May it uplift your spirits.