Spiritual patterns set us up for a life of success. One thing I've really been thinking about is how much my mission will direct my future and the course in life. I already knew and believed that how we live our mission is how we live our lives, but I wanted to break it down even more. How does each individual day, each choice, in all aspects of missionary work, affect our futures? In my studies, I found a greater understanding and appreciation for the Plan of Salvation. This knowledge has brought me an even deeper trust and hope that God really does have a plan for me. His plan is personalized to every single one of us.

This past week was a great example of this. We were on the streets quite a bit and found one investigator. We were looking for miracles but they just didn't seem to come. Then out of nowhere the sisters gave us a number for a young man; we called and scheduled him for the next day. Then while we were doing daily planning the Mandarin Elders came in and said that they had a family to turn over to us! A lot of times I feel like I look too much into expecting miracles coming directly from our searching. For example, finding "golden" investigators on the street, or walking down a street and having the feeling to knock on the "red door" that leads to a full family. But a lot of times, miracles don't come that way. As we commit to this work, be obedient, do what we can; the Lord will do the rest. With this past week, it was through other people that the Lord showed us His hand.
 
Love you!
Love, Elder Zach Cederlof

Zach & Elder Black with the Tsang Family
(Ward Mission Leader - Castle Peak Bay Ward)
 

Pictures from Monkey Mountain

I am so grateful to be companions with Elder Tseng. A little more background on him, he is from Philadelphia!! he has been out in the mission for 4 months so I’m step training again! It’s super fun! His parents are Chinese but they speak English so elder Tseng didn't know any Cantonese before coming! He is awesome! I am continuing to grow closer and closer with Sheung Shui ward as well! I feel that the atmosphere of this ward and my personality really click. One thing I am really trying to focus on this move with Elder Tseng is to help him  progress as fast as possible. As companions I feel that we are both helping each other learn and grow. It's interesting because at first it seems as though our personalities are super different but they are actually pretty similar in a lot of different aspects. I feel that our weaknesses and strengths are opposite of each other. For example, if one area is my weakness, that same area is one of Elder Tseng's strengths. It's super cool because that way we can improve more and more.

I have been pondering more and more about obedience and I asked myself those questions asked at zone conference. I feel that I have been trying to be exactly obedient but I need to step it up even more. I'm really trying to make sure I do all that I can so that our companionship, ward, district, zone, stake and mission can continue to grow. It's definitely tough sometime with all the different challenges faced but as for me, learning and pondering more about the Plan of Salvation has really been the key. Elder Dube talked about it very well in his conference talk in October 2013. The past is to be learned from. We need to take the embers from the past but not the ashes! Look forward and Be Believing!
 
Til Next week,
 Love, Elder Cederlof

Sheung Shui!

 

This week has definitely been an interesting one, to say the least. It was hard for me to leave Castle Peak Bay Ward. They really are just like family to me. Leaving Tsuen Wan and Sha Tin were also very hard, and after having gotten to know several of the Sheung Shui members already, I know that they will also become family to me! What I have learned is that leaving an area isn't an end. I still have a good relationship with all the members of previous areas that I’ve served in, but now I have the opportunity to meet even more people. I like meeting new people and making new friends so I am excited and grateful to be here. A goal I have set is to learn all of the members names as fast as possible. Knowing their names is really important and it definitely helps in building a good strong relationship. I got a good opportunity to meet with the bishop and ward mission leader this week on Sunday. The members here are also awesome! Lot's of families! It is fun to see the different feelings you get in each ward. Sheung Shui has a very funny, vibrant feeling to it. 

I'm looking forward to working in this area, and supporting the Sheung Shui Ward in achieving not only their goals, but God's goals for this ward.

Til Next Week,
Elder Cederlof

We have continued to see some huge miracles. On the street we had a lot of time to talk to people about their culture and learn about Chinese New Year’s. The biggest miracle was that Tyler (hsk ward) finally got baptized! Elder Black and I found him back when we were serving in Tuen Mun. Fortunately, living with the Hsk elders, we could continuously get updates on how he was doing! Throughout all the problems and trials he has had to go through in order to be baptized he has finally made it! He put his trust in the Lord's promise as contained in 1 Nephi 3, and received the answers he needed. The next big miracle is with Kelvin. He has committed to quit smoking! It's definitely going to be a challenge for him but he can do it! We set a plan with him a couple weeks ago, but he still has been struggling, so we went over with him what worked and what didn't and we came to realize very quickly that when he actually did what the Lord, through us, invited him to do-read the scriptures/pray when he had the feeling to smoke- he didn't smoke. However, he didn't do that every time, therefore hasn't quit smoking. We talked about the reasons behind the things we were sharing and he committed to pray and/or read when he feels like he needs to smoke. A-yung was confirmed this past Sunday! So awesome! The correlation throughout the leaders is impressive! Before, she and Nicole were confirmed; they already had home and visiting teachers! Bro. Tsang is playing a huge role in pushing this work forward! So grateful for him! The past week's "deep clean" definitely brought an inviting spirit! It seriously was a good feeling to clean the entire apartment from the ceiling down. When thinking back about the things I've learned about cleanliness and the fact that the home can be as sacred as the temple, but it needs to be as CLEAN as the temple as well. I've set some goals for my home now, as well as future home, to be able to maintain that level of cleanliness in order to have my home feel as sacred as the temple. Tung Family, the family that came to the church by themselves, seemed to have vanished. We called and texted them to no response, until Sunday! Bro. Tung texted us back and said he had some medical issues so he won't be able to meet for a couple weeks. Not being able to meet for a couple weeks is the bad news, but the good news is that they still have strong desire to learn more about these things! It is all in God's hands. His timing is perfect! Til Next Week, Love, Elder Zachary Cederlof

 

 

This week we have continued to see big miracles! The first one is with Sister Chan (RC)'s husband. He originally was pretty against anything about the church. We have fasted and been praying that he will change and able to accept the gospel. We have now started seeing the results of those prayers and fasting. He isn't quite there yet, but he has been changing.  He now supports Sister Chan even more in going to church. It definitely is a process but I know the Lord will continue to answer our prayers one step at a time! Throughout helping their family I have really come to understand more about my purpose in Hong Kong. I feel that I have found one of the reasons why I was sent to Hong Kong. I'm bringing back my lost family to God's Kingdom! It is such a privilege!

 
 A-yung was able to be baptized this past week! Her journey to baptism has been incredible! She first met the missionaries 6 months ago, and the effort she has put in to be able to get baptized last week is awesome!! She has gone through so much but has relied on the Lord and thus able to progress to baptism! It is awesome to see how much she has changed throughout this process, especially since we set this baptismal date. Her heart truly has changed. She has the desire to do good and shows it through her actions.

This week leading up to Nicole's confirmation has been crazy for Nicole! She is facing some pretty hard anti from her sister. We tried at least make contact with her every single day! Despite the trials she has been facing, she has put her trust in the Lord. We shared a lesson with her about Amulon persecuting Alma at that time, how they relied on the Lord. She really took the lesson to heart and later that day sent us a text telling us how grateful she was to hear the gospel and how it applies to her situation. She is such an awesome example of putting her Trust in God!!

 Til next week,
 Love, Elder Cederlof