Especially when I'm tired and its hotter than any weather I have ever been in before. By the way, I know I said this last week and everything but it really is getting hot. It was way hotter this last week than the one before. But I will openly admit that I like it in some twisted way. I think the challenge makes me want to do it even more.
Well Happy Birthday America! The 4th of July is one of my favoirte Holidays and being in Taiwan I guess I can say that the Patriotic American feel was not the easiest to maintain this year. I had completely forgotten that is was the 4th of July until I was on the phone with another missionary and he reminded me to sing the Star Spangled Banner before I went to bed. Well I tried to force my companion to sing it with me and he refused. I don't blame him. I wouldn't do it either if I was Taiwanese. But of course I persisted and told him that he had to do it! He told me that if he sang the song with me he would not go out for Preperation day and that he would stay inside all day and sleep. I guess it didn't take me very long to decide ...So I tried to sing it as proudly as I could by myself. Yah. GO AMERICA!
Well the Investigators are all doing well. The Woo Family is really coming along. It looks like they are going to make there date for the end of July. I don't think I have really told you all about them yet. But they consist of a single mom and her 14 year old son. Basically her son is a little Hoodlem and was getting himself in a lot trouble with friends and school etc. She had no idea how to help him or what she needed to do. But she had a member friend that offered for the missionaries to come over and teach her about the Gospel. Luckily the misisonaries that got the call were us. So for the last 3 weeks we have been meeting with them and the 14 year old (Ji Qing) has changed so much. We can just feel it when we are around him. He loves when we come over and we have gotten to be really close with him so its really good when we need to give advice because he will actually listen.
Its amazing what the influence of the gospel really has on families. Even just talking about the Savior brings light and will influence them positively. Elder Anderson talked about it in the Last General Conference. Which kinda leaves me with what I especially want to talk about this week. "The Family." I am so proud that every time I bare my testimony on the streets to someone about how this gospel blesses the family, that I really know without a doubt that I have experienced it and I have one of my own. I am so thankful that I have faithful parents that have stuck so close to the gospel and have guided their children in that direction our whole
lives. It has made an influence and I can promise with all that I have that it has because I have seen so many unbelievably broken families on my mission. Most of them were torn by inner pride, and a pure lack of love for the members within.
The Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ alows us to know who we are and God's "TRUE" purpose for the family. That is us being together forever. Through the Gospel he has also given us a way to better our relationships in this life. That is purely through Jesus Christ and his example. I truly know with all my heart that this is the answer for all families.
Two weeks ago we were in a lesson with a family that turned into something that I have never seen on my mission. The mother of the family started crying and got out the divorce papers for her husband to sign right in front of us and the kids. It was terrible. But it made me so grateful for the family I have at home. No, my Family is not perfect. But we have the gospel of Jesus Christ which can make us perfect. I love my family so much and I am so thankful for all of them. I am always going to try to remember that this life is such a short time. But we are not just developing relationships for right now. They are for eternity.
The scipture I want to give this week is actually (The Family Proclamation to the World.) I hope everyone gets a chance to read it. Much love!
We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.
All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.
In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshipped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.
The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.
We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.
Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.
The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.
We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.
We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.
Elder Wei
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