Finding, Finding, Finding!

Ok - for the week not a whole lot of crazy stuff.  Adi is still progressing very well. She is totally ready to get baptized but wants to wait for her birthday in February.  Her parents don't fully approve, but if she finds a good job they'll be okay with it. (She’s 24 but still wants her parents approval, which is good because family is hou juhngyiu)  We also had companion splits which was super weird!  I was with an elder from Malaysia. He’s soo funny and super cool so we had a good time and passed out a lot of fliers and gave a lesson to a girl we met on the pier. He stopped her and introduced himself and then I talked a little about the Book of Mormon.  She immediately grabbed the book and started looking at it and she asked if we could go sit down.  We did and basically shared the whole first lesson. She goes to a catholic school and she seems to have a ton of interest!  We have another lesson with her on Wednesday!   That night we also met a 19 year old guy that I think wanted to talk to us cause I’m American, but hey if that stops him that’s okay.  We spoke English because he went to a boarding school in London and we talked about why we missionaries do what we do and he thought that was way cool and he talked about how he'd been looking around for a church so we got his number and are going to call him this week. He leaves for Britain in a week or two so hopefully we'll catch him before that then send his info over.

Yesterday was the first Sunday I went to the actual ward 3 block session because we had general conference then stake conference.  I got a lot of the messages they spoke... well for what I could understand.  They had me go bear my testimony in sacrament since I was new. I was soo nervous but when I got up there it just flew. I was totally calm and I couldn't really think clearly but I didn’t have to - the words just came. It was pretty neat. After church they gave us a ton of food and then we went back, did our studies and then went to a YSA activity. They fed us dinner and then we gave the lesson. The RS president only asked us at church but luckily we had a fair amount of time to prepare.  My trainer had me give most of the lesson for practice so that was really neat.  Because my language isn't perfect or even close, and because of all the tones, everyone had to listen very carefully. haha  You could probably hear a pin drop. Luckily I think they understood the gist of it.  It was really cool!  Anyways, besides that we do a lot of finding. Finding, finding, finding.  Tsuen wan is known for finding, so that's what we've been doing. There is soo much potential here so that's what me and my companion are trying to do. Get the word out to as many people as possible. Bring everyone unto Christ. 

Well I totally failed today.. forgot the camera... again... maybe next time. I promise I took some pictures. I even took a picture of the dragon fruit I ate this morning! 

Til Next Week,

 Love, Elder Zach Cederlof

Diligence is the key!

Well,  this week has been really good!  We taught a couple of lessons and we have one investigator that is totally ready for baptism. We also taught a man named Chiusingsang and he is probably the classiest 65 year old man I’ve ever seen! He said he would meet with us again and he said he is going to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it and he said God better provide. I know God will give him an answer if he truly wants one. I think the hardest thing for me is seeing people that need the gospel (everyone in Hong Kong) and they just won't accept it! It’s definitely tough!  

The language is coming along better each and every day! Diligence is definitely the key - the key to learning a language and preparing for life. Sorry, it's hard to think of what to type because we aren't near our apartment so I don't have my journal. But today we have a meeting in Kowloon Tong (where the mission home and temple are). I'll get to see all the people from the MTC.  If you want to see my area look up on google - Tsuen Wan, and we live a couple of cities over from Tsuen Wan. Nina tower is right in the middle of our area and at night there are lights on it and it's soo amazing!!  I'm starting to get more used to Hong Kong. The food is soo good! But yes I do plan on eating a lot of peanut butter and jam sandwiches cause those are still the best food. My companion is awesome! He teaches me soo much stuff and his language is obviously really good so he's been helping me with my tones and words.

One day this past week we were walking on the pier and I got a prompting to go talk to a lady.  I just asked how she was doing and she said good and she asked what my tag said (she was older so it was harder for her to read).  I told her and she asked where our church was so I gave her a leaflet that has the churches listed on the back. But on the leaflet it also says families can be together forever and she read that and asked me to make sure that that is what it said. I told her that through the gospel we could have eternal families and she started crying and told me about how much she wants to see her mom. She had me sit down next to her on the bench and my companion and I taught her about the gospel, and the Book of Mormon and prayer and how she can know for herself that these things are true. I could definitely tell she could feel the spirit pretty hard core and she continued to tear up. We exchanged numbers and continued on our way. Unfortunately she gave me a wrong number, whether on purpose or accident I’m not sure. But when I called, the lady that answered had no recollection of missionaries or anything. Luckily she has our number so she can call us! Well that's about it for the week! If you have any questions just feel free to ask!  I’m not sure if I can send pictures from the computer I’m on, but I’ll try.

Til, next week!

Love Elder Cederlof

1st Week in Hong Kong

Okay, well this week has obviously been crazy!!  I'm officially in Hong Kong now and I've been here for a of couple days. The plane ride was so long! From the time we left the mtc to the time we got to Hong Kong was about 25 hrs. 25 minutes.  Luckily, on our flight to LAX, we met a member from Hong Kong who was going to Hong Kong. He also spoke English so he showed us the way to get to the international terminal at LAX.  It was definitely a miracle to have found him! He sat next to me on our first flight so that's how we met. The Hong Kong flight was really long and when we were at the airport I talked to a bunch of people. It was soo fun to talk to all these different people and I just felt an overwhelming love for them. I wanted them to have the gospel in their lives soo bad but they weren't interested. On the plane to Hong Kong I sat by this cute little old lady who only spoke Cantonese. Whenever she would get out I'd stand up so she didn't have to squeeze by and she'd say thank you with her Chinese accent! She also taught me a little Cantonese. We got to the mission home which is across from the temple and I love my mission president and his wife! They made us cake and breakfast the next day and also lunch I think. (I don't have my journal because we have to travel to Tseun Wan to do emails)  The next day we met our new companions and mine is awesome! His name is Elder Tong.  He's Chinese born Australian so he's almost a buhndaai (native) speaker. He helps me a lot and he likes working hard and being obedient so I think I got the best trainer! We eat a lot of rice and noodles here.  I think just about everyday but they mix a bunch of different stuff in it so it's still a big variety. The food here is amazing and there is a McDonalds. but it isn't that good. We went there once and the spicy McChicken just wasn't the same...  Oh well, at least the other stuff is good! I'm buying a camera today so next week I'll be able to send pictures. I've taught two lessons here so far. The first one was the day I got here.  I taught with Liu Jeung Louh and we were teaching A-Wing. He is a progressing investigator and is super cool! We taught about faith and faith in Jesus Christ and how that can help us. Then on Friday we taught a girl named Adi. She's 24 and has been taught almost all of the lessons and wants to get baptized but she needs to talk to her family first. She also came to general conference which was awesome!! During the lesson I could barely understand. They talk sooo fast so it's hard to pick up words and stay up to speed with the speaker. But I can definitely see I'm improving a ton every single day!  Tseun Wan mission is known for it's tracting... lots of tracting.  So yes I have gone tracting!  It's really fun, but the people are soo busy that they usually don't stop and just keep walking so you have to walk with them. A lot of people here also thing that we're some kind of cult... that makes it interesting sometimes.  Sometimes when they see us they'll say cheh gaau or just run away and go to the other side of the street. I think that's one of the most different things about here. Before coming here it was hard for me to imagine people actually being afraid of Mormons, but some people truly are! 

Our apartment is pretty nice, it's one of the  roomier ones (from what I've heard) and we have our own washer and dryer.  We live on the 15th floor and have a pretty good view.  Oh and it's soo hot here! It's super humid too -  so I'm basically just always wet.. kinda gross.. but it's normal here. Now it's suit season so we all wear suits from now until next conference so I don't think I'll be planning on bringing this suit home after the mission. I'm trying to think of anything else specific I wanted to tell you but it's hard to remember cause everything just blends together.  The language is really fun. It just gets a little awkward when the lady at the cash register at the grocery store starts asking questions and I have absolutely no idea what she's saying. haha  But other than that it's ok.

I met the bishop and ward mission correlator and they were both waay cool!  Conference was amazing and I watched it twice now (once in mtc once in HK).  All the missionaries watch it in english so yes I understood the one in HK. I also met a bunch of members and they were all soo nice and were like wow your Cantonese is good! Especially after I told them I had only been in Hong Kong for like 4 days. But on the other side of things... When we were tracting, I talked to this old man and when I started talking to him and he just started laughing... that part of the day blew.. After that I was praying like crazy that people would understand and I would understand and I just had to have faith. This isn't my work, this is God's work, and he will spread it in his own time so I didn't need to worry. Right after that we found someone interested and we got their phone number and such and we're teaching some more people this week. So far most people understand my Cantonese or at least can figure out what I'm trying to say.  haha   "Everyday work a little harder, push a little harder, and the blessings you'll see will be unreal"   I know this is the True Gospel.  I know that most people don't see it but if they did it could change their lives. I know that the gift of tongues is real, but it's also in God's own time. Somehow my mouth is always "full."  I know that the people of Hong Kong are a blessed people. There are lot's of people here ready to hear the gospel, we just have to find them. I know God will provide a way for us to follow his commandments. Oh -  one tracting day we weren't finding very many people willing to listen to us and so I prayed that we would find someone and then bam.. person found. I know Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers and if we show him gratitude and give him the credit, our blessings will be that much greater!! I love this work and this Gospel!! 

Love you Guys!!

Hong Kong!

Dear Sister Cederlof:

I wanted you to know that Elder Cederlof has arrived safely in Hong
Kong.   He is well and anxious to go to work. We're grateful for the opportunity
we'll have to serve with him, he is delightful.

Thank you for your faith and prayers in his behalf.
Love,
Sister Julie Hawks

And He is Off!!!!!

Zachary is officially on his way to Hong Kong!  He called at 6:50 this morning from the Salt Lake Airport to talk to Landon and Melissa for quite awhile and then called later on from Los Angeles.  He sounded wonderful and is very excited to finally be on his way!  He was traveling with 11 other missionaries and they met a gentleman from Hong Kong in the Salt Lake Airport that was very instrumental in making sure that they could navigate the Los Angeles Airport.  He said he didn't know if they would have made it in time without him!  How wonderful to know that the Lord is watching over His servants!  Scott & I only got to talk to Zach for a minute because his time ran out, but once again a tender mercy was experienced when I picked up the mail and there was a sweet letter from him.  The timing could not have been better!  We are so excited for Zach to begin his adventure on the other side of the world.  We are so appreciative of his willingness and excitement to serve the Lord!  Our love and prayers are with you Elder Cederlof!