Our Week Oct 16, 2023

October 15, 2023

Hello everyone,

Our week has been filled with lots of service for the Lord. On Sunday we did quarterly training with the Ho Chi Minh district and the week before in Hanoi District. We did training with President Vuong and two district Family History consultants. It was centered on one of the Area Presidencies goals which is for everyone who is worthy to take a name to the temple with a story. The consultants did a great job teaching the importance of family history and how to create a family search account then add names, reserve ordinances and add memories. The Mission presidency reviewed how we are doing on our goals, how leaders can support members to prepare and go to the temple and that each Branch should create a temple and family history plan. It was a good meeting and I think people understood the power of having a recommend even if we don’t have a temple close by, how focusing on the temple will help us act in higher and holier ways.

We flew back from Ho Chi Minh late and arrived home close to 1 am. The next morning we were back at the airport greeting 3 new missionaries who arrived from America after almost 37 hours of traveling! They are going to be awesome. One of them is a relative of mine, He is the grandson of my second cousin, Elder Vincent. We love the faith and enthusiasm of our new arrivals. We pray they will adapt and learn more of the language each day.

We visited a district council and enjoyed watching the missionaries train and teach each other how to be better. We also attended English club. This is where the missionaries teach some vocabulary words., some grammar, and give everyone the opportunity to practice those principles in conversations with a variety of people in the room. At the end they announce there will be a spiritual thought and they can choose to stay if they would like. Lately we have been encouraging them to have more doctrinal based spiritual thoughts. They did a great job that night. It’s a good way to do a service and to find people interested in learning more.
We also had health council, transfers, mission presidency meeting, various meetings with the area office, meetings with the Church District leaders, meetings with the CC (government representative arm of the church), and our weekly devotional. Dealing with housing problems and health problems. Tuesday through Saturday we gather on zoom for mission prayer and a thought. We love seeing them each morning and we love having them learn the patterns to pray together as a family. The time in-between meetings is filled with administrative things and problem solving. That is a very typical week.
Miracle: Today was a day full of MIRACLES!!!!! (October 8) last night at dinner we saw a cute family. We decided to talk to them like sister Hughes invited. They said they live by the elders and always see them biking and we asked if we could share more about what we are doing here in Vietnam. The dad said he is always working so he doesn't have time. We said that's too bad and asked if he works Sunday mornings, he said no!

His family came to church. And they brought their cousins! It was amazing. Then an YSA member leaned over and said she was fasting for more families to come to church like the Hughes encouraged. I know God is happy with our efforts. He hears our prayers. Sister Nghi and Campbell
Vietnam watches General Conference 3 weeks after it is live. They wait for the final translation after the talks were given. Sometimes speakers alter their talks a bit and need a final translation. So happy conference weekend to us! We really enjoyed conference. There were so many good talks but we love President Nelson’s “Think Celestial” talk. It matches up well with our “Think Big” focus. I loved Elder Bednar thanking the members for what they do, Elder Christofferson reminding us the reasons for gathering Zion and one of those reasons is to build temples. Vietnam would love a temple someday. President Oaks' talk was wonderful on judgement and that we will be judged and sent to the kingdom where we will be comfortable. Of course we loved Elder Rasband’s talk about the need for more senior missionaries and the joy they will feel. We have desperately needed senior missionaries. They could help us with tasks that would free us up to be with missionaries and members, they could strengthen and mentor branch members who have never had a calling before, have never seen what a Primary or Youth program is or what a branch presidency should do. We need them badly. We have had listed on the senior missionary website “critical need” for over 3 years: 7 Member Leader support couples and 1 office couple. We physically cannot do all that needs to be done to help each branch. We hope seniors answer the call. They would bless us and many other missions around the world.

Speaking of Elder Rasband, he is coming on Wednesday to Vietnam! We are so excited. We know he has been preparing to talk to us and will inspire and guide us. We are so blessed he is coming. One of the blessings is that he asked that we fly up all of the missionaries who are serving in the south to Hanoi for a missionary meeting. This will be the first and only time our whole mission will be together physically in the same place. There is strength and power in gathering and I know we will feel that on Wednesday. Later that day he will have a meeting for the members in Vietnam. Some members will be there in person and some will join over zoom. We look forward to both of these meetings. God is truly aware of the one. In a country where there are about 1,400 members He is sending one of His apostles. What a marvelous gift to the country of Vietnam.