I Belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

November 2, 2024

I Belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Dear Elder Yu,

I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I know who I am.
I know God’s plan.
I’ll follow him in faith.
I believe in the Savior, Jesus Christ.
I’ll honor his name.
I’ll do what is right;
I’ll follow his light.
His truth I will proclaim.

This letter comes a week late after I realized that our family has been baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for already 10 years since 26^th October 2024. I saw these photos came into my mailbox as a notification from One Drive for my memories from that day.

It was so co-incident that last week we studied the Book of Mormon 3 Nephi 27 to 4 Nephi about “There Could Not Be a Happier People” when I taught the Primary children that “I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ” and sang the song together and talk about why we are thankful to belong the Savior’s Church.

Reflecting through the years, it has never been easy to be on the path of discipleship. Coming to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wasn’t just about learning new doctrines, such as the premortal life and baptism for the dead; it was a change in culture, lifestyle, and expectations. Resolving those differences was a hard road to walk. Before our family joined the Church, I still remember the churches we used to go to, which in so many ways were quite unlike the ones we know now.

The clergy and choir at church were dressed in robes during worship service—their equivalent of sacrament meeting—ministers delivered sermons and did all of the talking. The churchgoers repeated the Lord's Prayer together and sang hymns that sounded like songs. There was a cross in the choir loft. They used grape juice instead of water for the sacrament, and high school kids attended Sunday School with the adults in a class that talked about current issues in society.

You still remember that I once said to you and Annabelle that, latter-day saints indeed are peculiar people as told by President Gordon B. Hickley because the world customs and social beliefs are so much different.

The world teaches that it is OK to drink alcohol or smoke. Having a boyfriend or girlfriend as a teenager is OK. The world teaches that you could even have sexual relations before marriage as long as you believe you are in love. I never know about having a testimony. The first time I saw a fast and testimony meeting—wow! I could not believe how odd that seemed. No one ever stood to share their beliefs like that in the churches out there.

Annabelle and you considered growing up in the Church, churchy things become pretty normal. You get used to the regularity of the meetings, the building you attend, and the kind of clothes people wear at church. Things like giving talks in sacrament meetings, paying tithing and fast offerings, and fasting once a month are just a part of life. Living the Word of Wisdom, accepting callings to serve, and living the law of chastity are all part of what you learn to do.

However, for converts, it can be a big adjustment trying to take it all in. Certainly, receiving a testimony of gospel principles is the first step toward membership in Christ's Church. Having a testimony, however, does not make the transition to living as a member of the Church any easier.

Fortunately for us, our church members are patient, compassionate, and consistent. They took us to events and invited us to their house for dinner, family home evening, and so on. That made a significant impact not just in my joining the church, but also in my remaining active and finding strength when my testimony wavered. I guess I owe a lot to the sisters in the Relief Society for helping me figure things out.

Here are some of the challenges new converts face. How might our friendship and missionary work help them overcome these challenges?

1. Struggling to understand new doctrine.
2. Choosing different media, music, movies, and books.
3. Understanding scripture language.
4. Coping with lack of acceptance from non-LDS family and friends.
5. Wearing different clothing.
6. Dedicating the time to attend church and seminary.
7. Learning new practices and customs in the worship services.
8. Having to change habits, language, and ways of thinking.
9. Adapting to LDS social culture.
10. Learning the LDS-specific meanings of terms, like gospel, apostasy, and restoration.

Last but not least, share with you, President Gordon B. Hickley’s quote:

“We are a peculiar people. There is a wholesomeness about you that is beautiful and wonderful. We don’t smoke, we don’t drink, we don’t even take tea or coffee. That is strange for a lot of people. We do vicarious work for the dead. We teach that marriage in the house of the Lord is for time and for all eternity, that families can actually be forever. We are a peculiar people, and thank heavens we are. If the world continues to go in the direction it is going, families breaking up, pornography everywhere, drugs and things of that kind, we will become an even more peculiar people. God has blessed us generously and kindly and greatly. How thankful we ought to be” (fireside, Sydney, Australia, 14 May 1997).

I am grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ that enabled all these wonderful and beautiful things to happen in my life, most importantly I got to know His restored gospel. I am grateful for my membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is a precious thing to me. It isn’t a simple or ordinary thing; this is the Church and kingdom of God. This is the kingdom of God on earth. I share all these things in the name of our Savior, even Jesus Christ. Amen.

Love,
Mommy

13th Week in the Mission Field

This week had been hard, cause my companion is sick. So it's been really really hard. Nonetheless, we are surviving. So that's a good sign DING✨️

Staying indoor

Ever since Elder Tang got sick, I was bored out of my mind. If it wasn't for extra comp study, reading church resources and practicing my mandarin. I would have went cuckoo for real . Like the struggle is real. We even had a sim card issue which resulted to us having a harder time to do missionary work. Not having  functioning sim card to have Hotspot and watch things, as well as a number to send texts to our friends and members.

We solely relied on messenger to deal with our communication with everyone and it really is hard. So we are adjusting as well as understanding what we can do.

Utilization ☎️

We started to analyze and understand the resources we have to continue the work. And tries our best to use it more fully. Doing things we can control and leaving the uncontrollable factors to Heavenly Father for help. Now it sounds impressive, I know ✨️. But I also realised we could do so much more better than that. So many things we could have done differently. And we are still learning about our new circumstances. It's been rough especially our moral to continue the work.

We managed to go through the day achieving our goals (K.I.) in the week with a so so success and I am really grateful for it.

My District

Well we have made it to the end of this transfer and so there will be people moving out and new ones coming in. ✨️ So we had an amazing last District Council with the OG District. Riverdale District

HAHAHAHHA It's a funny photo. But I love these guys. While I'll still be with some of them. But plenty are moving out. And so I am going to miss them for real. ❤️

Also we had a BLASTT with our P-Day last week just B-ball and enjoying ourselves. 

Moving Onwards the Work of the Lord

As I mentioned beforehand, our moral was really low as we couldn't go out and share the gospel with everyone. But I realized something. You just gotta do it✨️ Just find ways to share the Gospel even when facing hardships. The Lord will guide you and I am grateful for that✨️✨️To which I learned the Savior's love for others can be expressed in many new and different ways.

Tracking 

So going out doors and just meeting with people to talk to them about the gospel. MANN THATS IS INSANELY HARRDD!!! Like people are just soo interesting. And especially socializing, confidence is something I gradually gotten. But talking to them is really hard. Like awkward.... silence.... being blurrrr..... its just so tough. However, I have gotten the opportunity to gradually learn to balance between Getting to Know Youn Question and Deep and Personal Question. And also to express our love to them and letting them know, first of all. We care for you ❤️

That is really really tough for real. Like not easy at all. But I'm learning to adapt, understand and love the people I meet. One contact at a time. And I'd say I am improving. Gradually✨️✨️

One of a member family we met they are awesome. 

Spiritual Thought

Well for this week something that just comes up in my mind was regarding about the topics I have studied in Alma about Ammon and the Lamanites and especially how they lay down their weapons of rebellion. They were blessed by their desire to stay committed in the covenant path and I am eternally grateful for that story. That we all have our own weapons of rebellion. Something that prevents us from coming closer to the Savior. It could be something from the world, our habits, our thoughts or maybe even our desires and mindset. Anything can be a weapon of rebellion.

I learned that as we do our best in humility and desire to come closer to the Savior. Putting whatsoever that's preventing us from accessing the power of the Savior's Atonement more in our lives. He will bless us and guide us to come closer unto Him.

I am so grateful for this week and till next P-Day

That's a member I know from my home branch✨️✨️✨️

12th Week in the Mission Field✨️

Well this week is soo cool, we were able to meet someone new. Teaching people is awesome and we also met with several families too✨️✨️

Also it's gonna be Wint-fall like Fall but it's going to be colder and colder I am grateful for the cold though, it's like soo funn✨️

Multi District Council 

This has been one of the most funnest District Council I have been. We were able to discuss on how we can bring people we teach to come to church and it's soo exciting ✨️✨️

Not only that but we had a wonderful meal with out District in Texas Roadhouse. Not authentic but Texas ground EeeHaa I had my first wonderful Steak, though it tasted weird. Still a wonderful experience ✨️

Best district ever ❤️

Previous P-Day

We had a wonderful game of LASER TAGG I was able to get to know all these missionaries and they are AMAZINGGG!!

Love, Share and Invite 

Well currently as we went and do LSI with as much member family as we can. I was able to train my ability to recognize the prompting of the Holy Ghost. But more than that know what to share towards the families we meet. Like it's such an interesting way that the Holy Ghost speaks to me and to each and everyone of us too. The best part is that the Spirit just prompts me with simple thoughts and from there things starts to expand ✨️✨️

I also came to learn something on my mission. "Just do it✨️" And that's how we improve by just doing it. it was so nerve wrecking at first, nonetheless I came to build courage to open my mouth even when I don't have everything I wanted to share in mind. Just do it!

How can I talk to people with more courage?

How can I be an obedient and happy missionary?

How can I know this is the right thing to share?

JUST DO ITT! using your best judgement and trusting in the small and soft thought that pops into your mind. Just trust it and gradually it will be expanded and expounded! It's soo crazy and funny with how it works but I love it

So just do it! Like Top Gun "Don't think, just do" Well with your best judgement to discern if it's from God but other than that yeah JUST DO ITT!!

Understanding

Another lesson that I have recently come across is how every individuals have their own story and hardship they face. So don't judge them. ✨️ Like it's really super hard not to judge people and it's always enlightening and comforting to learn about what others face which gradually develops compassion and empathy. Charity ❤️ true love of Christ and its been super duper hard for me. However I still love everyone like myself.

A wonderful example was when I was teaching Reina, when we asked how her day went. She said it's fine and great. I thought okay that's good, let's start the lesson. My comp Elder Hall (We went on exchanges) ask how so? And immediately Reina listed out a bucket load of the wildest and crazy thing that had happened to her recently and just telling us everything to which it just slapped me. Like how could I be this oblivious to all these. Maybe thats how the Savior does it. Just asking questions to show LOVE and understand everyone. And it's just soo interesting so I am going to work on that a bit more too✨️✨️

Obedience

Recently I have been studying regarding about the Endowment and the first Law of Obedience and just what it meant. While I wasn't able to finish my study, but I came to realise. OBEDIENCE CHANGES YOU✨️ It helps us to become ever more like US or YOU BECOME MORE YOUUU as you keep the commandments and covenants Heavenly Father has given to us. I LOVED IT❤️ The line between a

1. 18 years old acting missionaries

2. ✨️ Concencrated and AMAZING MISSIONARY

3. Clanka missionary

It all depends on our desire and commitment to live and change ourselves to become ever more like the Savior. To desire and want to help others to come unto Christ and even ourselves as well. And it's just ✨️✨️✨️ But hey I can't say much cause I too am balancing myself and doing my best to be ME. There's a lot of journey I have to take but I am starting on it.

So Obedience brings us blessings and allows us to be ever more like us and also it's our own personal journey between us and the Lord. And I just love that idea and it's always a wonderful reminder for each and everyone of us✨️ So keep going guys, find your answer to the question of your soul and it will just keep expanding too!!

Companion

Well Elder Tang indeed is an interesting guy not chesme-ing. But he truly is a wonderful companion. He has his own teaching methods and while when I just arrives to be his new homie, I came to learn how much he could do better and after 5 weeks I am soo proud and comforted with the changes he is able to do!! Like he's back baby! And we are kicking in the work even being able to rekindle the stake that we were covering and it's AMAZINGG✨️✨️

Elder Tang truly is a wonderful companion with a bunch of teaching opportunities for me to gain. And I am so glad and thankful for him FR ❤️  Also I learned how important we are for our comps and it's really interesting✨️✨️ Like the love we share for the work and also to support one another. I'm just saying all comps are my POOKIE✨️ and I love them all, and also you guys too miss ya'll for real

So yeah mi compañero 怎是一个祝福神给了我们 I look forward for how the future is going to be✨️✨️

Spiritual Thought

则个星期我们在学则冠以感激。说实在，我看到当我们有一个感激的形态去面对世界。由于我们谦卑的来看我们的困难，机会，祝福和快乐。神会不断的祝福我们。透过这一个感谢的镜片，神感到快乐和安慰因为我们能认出他的帮助在我们的生命中

我知道神很爱他每一个儿女，所以他派了先知，使徒，门徒和传教士来传讲他的福音。I know all this to be true and I say all this in the sacred name of Jesus Christ Amen

Extra photos

Yeapp here's some extra photos and it's funnn. ✨️✨️

10th WEEK in the Mission Field✨️❤️

This week is soo spiritual, as you know it's General Conference. It's just AMAZING to see the joy and peace others can attain as our living prophets, apostles and Church leaders gave talks giving a newer and higher plain of spiritual insights.

Also it's getting colder too well slightly and it's FUNNN☃️

Yeap did some servicing for a Greek Orthodox Church and it was hilarious . We got to eat some Greek food and also tested out our Tetras ability which as the photo it's a masterpiece‍

We were able to learn a bit more regarding their belief and tradition. As well as their art and culture. It was soo funn, though the guy was somewhat interesting. Nonetheless he made the service productive and exciting.

Love, Share and Invite

Well for today I am focusing on how me and my companion can find more people whom are interested in receiving the gospel. And of the way was LSI (Love, Share and Invite) to encourage members to do missionary work as well✨️✨️ However as I studied I came to find the love that the Lord shows to each and everyone of us. I felt really comforted and excited for the challenge to love others as He loves me. And then I came to realise just how much love the Savior has for us all.

In John 15 it talks about the sort of Love the Savior shows

9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you

And that caught me off guard. To be able to understand why I feel so comforted. And so I want to receive that Joy, more than that I want to have that joy and comfort always in my life and even share that joy to everyone as well. I am really grateful for that general conference experience as well that exceeding joy is really something new.

General Conference

One of the Grandest experience I have in my mission and in my life✨️✨️ going to the Saturday Evening Session was just an AMAZING EXPERIENCE! Even though the Prophet wasn't speaking in that session. Nonetheless I know all the speakers are called of God, they are all called and set apart in their callings to represent the Lord. Or in another words, it was still the Best and spiritual experience I ever had and will always cherish. Even though I wished I could be in a session when the prophets speak. I am grateful for the opportunity and the words which were given during that session.

I have also come to find how we can feel home again. Like whenever you go to the temple, have you felt that feeling of home? That longing feeling to be there? Yeah I remembered that's how it felt during the general conference session. Though it's not the same as the feeling in the Celestial Kingdom. Nonetheless it felt a tiny bit like it and even in small amount it brought so much joy to me✨️✨️

Soo much funnn for this general conference watching it on the phone and being in the conference building throughout all the session is Amazing. Just brings soo much joy in my mission. ✨️❤️

Conclusion

Last week has been a blast and it's just exciting. To always see how we can improve even more towards the Savior and His love for each and everyone of us. I am grateful for His love and kindness and mercy in our lives. ✨️✨️ Also the work is well doing alright. Could do better nonetheless I am grateful for the improvement I have gotten.

Also a Spiritual Message

God loves each one of us. In a way that it's unimaginable. He gives us covenants because He wants to trust us. He wants to bless us through the covenants we make and keep with Him. It's a comforting reminder throughout our lives and I am grateful for it. Heavenly Father loves you just as our Savior too. KEEP going guys ya'll can do it. Overcome the world, Let God Prevail and Think CELESTIALL✨️

Receive Divine Help for Life’s Battles

Dear Elder Yu,

My job has been busy and having a project handover deadline and a tight schedule to catch up lately. It was always physically exhausting and drained brain come back home from work. I am really glad that have Annabelle who takes care of the daily house chores and with Ally’s stuffs.

It feels like I have to go through a mini daily battle every day to tackle things that pop up suddenly in the projects, trying to solve them one by one at a time. I feel blessed that I can feel the Lord watching over me every moment of my daily life because I can see how some ad-hoc things in projects turn out to be just fine at the end of the day. And I am grateful for that!

It is so co-incident that I read this article last Sunday which I wanted to write to you but did not manage to. It coincides with the previous week’s Come, Follow Me focus on the Book of Mormon Alma chapter 43 – 52. And I hope this sharing might help you when you go through a little storm in your days trying to be a good missionary of the Lord.

It is natural to wonder why Mormon included the war stories between the Nephites and the Lamanites when he had limited space on the plates. We indeed have our share of wars in the latter days, but Mormon’s remarks are still valuable for more than just explaining the tactics and the tragedy of warfare. His teachings also equip us to fight the war that “we are all enlisted”, which is the battle that we wage every day against the forces of evil. This is a real war, and the result will have an impact on our eternal lives.

Elder Dale G. Renlund shared 3 principles that we able to be like Moroni in battling our adversaries in our daily lives:

1. Understand Our Purpose

We must never lose sight of the larger picture of our divine nature, everlasting destiny, and the evil forces that oppose us. Correctly comprehending Heavenly Father's plan will inspire us to continue battling for our eternal salvation and release from spiritual bonds.

2. Strategize for Success

We can employ the same methods Moroni used to cope with spiritual adversaries. We might begin by realizing what Satan is trying to do in our lives. He tries to derail us from our mission. When confronted with temptation, we must ask ourselves:

• How does this action on my part stack up against the revealed word of God?
• What are the consequences of taking this action?
• Will this action help me fulfill my purpose on earth?

We should also comprehend the consequences of succumbing to even little temptations. As we succumb to temptation, we swallow "poison by degrees" (Alma 47:18), a highly successful method employed by the powers of evil that can result in spiritually disastrous consequences.

I think that is how adversaries always make us feel as if we are not enough, and never enough! Just remember the Savior when this kind of thought comes into your mind.

We can fortify ourselves against Satan's temptations by following the guidance of our latter-day prophet. This helps us maintain an everlasting viewpoint from which to judge our deeds. Strategizing how we will deal with temptations in all aspects of our lives will help us make better decisions at the moment. Preplanned methods and techniques will assist us in avoiding diversions from our everlasting mission.

3. Prepare for Metaphorical Battles

Spiritually, we prepare individually by keeping the commandments of God. We make and keep covenants with God that draw the power of Jesus Christ into our lives. We can better prepare by strengthening our families. We can collectively gain strength and prepare for our spiritual battles as we join in communities of Saints.

I am indeed grateful for your companion by your side to uplift, encourage, share, and guide you along the way. Please tell Elder Fleshman that I am thanking him and grateful for being such a good companion to you!

Like Captain Moroni, we can receive divine help and power from the Lord for the battles we face in life. It is just like what you have been facing as a missionary, and myself as a wife, mother, and employee. Moroni demonstrated concepts that we can use to meet the challenges of our modern existence. As we exercise our faith in the Savior Jesus Christ, He will shower us with His strength.

After reading your email, I just felt as if I needed to tell Elder Stratfold and Elder Paewai about your thoughts on both of them and how grateful you are for them to teach our family the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I am reaching out to both on Messenger. Elder Stratfold was so happy to read my message and he is happy to know that you are already on your mission to serve the Lord. And, here is his message:

“Of course, I remember you and your family! It was the happiest time of my mission. Thank you so much for your message, it has made my week.

I am so happy to hear that Isaac is on His mission, it makes me feel very old as I remember him as a 9-year-old. It was such a pleasure teaching all of you, thank you so much for being so patient and receptive.

My Wife and I now have 3 kids, we had twins born in January last year so life has been very busy. We are planning on coming for the dedication of the Singapore temple and driving from Singapore and then up through Malaysia so we would love to see you all then, that will be a few years away of course.

Give my Love to the rest of the family, especially Isaac as he is serving the Lord, I am so proud of Him, Love you guys How are the rest of the family?”

Lastly, Heavenly Father believes you can be successful. Strive to see the value in yourself as He does! Even though this quote Elder Holland addressed to all the mothers, I want you to know that his counsel applies to you too, “Be peaceful. Believe in God and yourself. You are doing better than you think you are.” Remember your purpose and the value you bring to everyone around you. You can do this!

Love,

Mommy

Grateful for Gaining Strength from Your Testimony

Dear Elder Yu,

I do not know how to describe to you the joy I felt when I read your email. You have learned and gained so much knowledge that the Lord wants you to know during your first living endowment! I love how you came to understand the simple truths and the knowledge of how much Heavenly Father loves His children.

I could not comprehend the things that I learned in my endowment during our 1^st temple trip at Cebu Philippines Temple. It took me some time, even my second trip to the temple – Hong Kong Temple, only to realize the love of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ for me and my small family.

This brings my memories back then to our family Hong Kong temple trip in 2019. During our family temple trip: Annabelle and you went missing in the busy streets of Hong Kong; your Daddy lost his job; your Daddy’s car broke down on the highway on his way back to Kulai after he came back from temple, and many more.

I realized that Heavenly Father blessed us with so much more after the Hong Kong temple trip. Annabelle and you gained your testimonies: both of you know that Heavenly Father hears and answers your prayers; You all have the testimony of the Holy Ghost that guided you to find your way back to the group safely and went back to the temple patron house.

I knew that it was not a coincidence that your Daddy lost his job while we were in Hong Kong. I know that Heavenly Father wants him to come back, He wants him to stay nearer to us, closer to the family, rather than having a woman outside in JB.

Everything happened for my sake and our family's good. I am so touched that I know that all these happened because Heavenly Father knows that I am trying my best to be faithful, striving to keep my covenant with Him. I can feel Heavenly Father’s love for me and my family.

I love how you mentioned that you can feel the Lord’s presence standing beside you while you are in the Celestial Room, checking on you how’s life being on earth? Is life treating you well and did you have fun? You are so hilarious on this!

My first thought was that it was not fun at all! Maybe it is because I have been too hard on myself facing all these challenges and feeling alone. Too many frustrations, upsets, and disappointments blurred my mind and hardened my heart to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit!

Your first invitation to me to write and share with you has somehow lessened the burden on my shoulders as if the Savior is yoking with me together. I can feel as if I am gaining the strength I need, the Holy Spirit flooded me with the memories and the testimonies that I had to me, the comforting words from Annabelle whenever I was feeling down. I know that the Lord is working on me through Elder Yu and Annabelle.

Like you said, “He will never abandon us but rather wants to help us. And we can get a of His divine help and guidance, when we do our very best, to obey our covenants with Him. Unless Heavenly Father breaks the promise, we are always in a covenant with Him. No matter what.”

I love your parable about an orange. It reminds me of “becoming”. The gospel of Jesus Christ is about the continuous active process of becoming. This is something that I learned in this week’s Come, Follow Me when reading Alma Chapters 36 – 38. It was the counsel that Alma the Younger gave to both his sons, Helaman and Siblon. Alma testifies to Helaman of his conversion after seeing an angel of God. Alma is the perfect example of “a becoming”. We might not as Alma as a singular event, but rather every small and simple means that makes up the process of becoming. It is ok if we are not perfect, but we are striving. That is the idea of becoming.

I feel as if everything is so coinciding when receiving your email and it is healing to write my thoughts and shares with you. I gained so many insights from you, Elder Yu, and my beloved daughter Annabelle Yu. Both of you indeed strengthened me and gave me the courage and strength I needed to go through the path before me.

Seeing you standing in front of the temple, made me want to go back to the temple and feel His presence. I know that Heavenly Father wants me to return to the temple because there is something He wants to reveal to me. It is stated in my patriarchal blessings that I will receive revelations about my personal lives, I will receive revelations of the lives of my family and I will receive revelations from Heavenly Father that His love for me is pure and exquisite.

Frankly, I have a feeling, and not sure if this time, the relationship between your Daddy and I could work or fix back anymore. But I just got calm and assured feelings in my heart that everything would work out for good for me. So, please do not worry and I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are watching over us!

Love,

Mommy

P.S. About the temple work, let me sort my family tree out then will give you the information. I actually have a name, my great grandfather but I only have his surname, I do not have his first name, as I have tried to search for some time. However, the FamilySearch system showed that his name is ready for temple ordinances even only has a surname. I wish I could have his first name and I know how to address him… if not, I can only call him 陈先生 or 陈太公 …hmmm…

Grateful for Your Questions

Dear Elder Yu,

Time flies, and this is your third week in the MTC. I hope you are well adjusting to your new life in Utah. We could see your bright smile and joy for the past 2 weeks when you video-called us during your P-Day! We love our missionary son so much!

Things happened between your dad and me since you left for Utah for your mission. I know I shouldn’t tell you all these things and burden you with all these things. It should have been resolved between myself and your dad, but it was so hard...

Your Dad kept emphasizing, that Alvin and Yi Peng can't be husband and wife any longer. He wants to be just a friend, not a couple in a relationship. Last Sunday, I saw his video posted on his TikTok account, he was having breakfast with a girl whom he called his lover in the video. I was very upset and called him immediately. I asked him why he treated me like this. I stopped the call, and your dad texted me a long message later in the evening. I did not talk to your dad since last Sunday as he only called Annabelle. I do not know how am I going to live through the past week.

Until last week after your P-Day call, and I asked you about the conversation you talked about, you posted questions to me, which reminds me that I should put my focus on Jesus Christ instead of dwelling on the sadness, frustrations, disappointments, and anger, which I cannot control. I felt something in my mind and heart as your questions directed my attention back to the Savior.

You asked me: “What made you want to be baptized and enter the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? And what was/is your testimony when you entered that covenant with the Lord? Cause making that decision is a very hard yet sacred choice that you have made. So I wanted to understand why you choose to follow the Lord ever since that moment when the missionary invited you to be baptized.”

Well, to answer your first question, “What made you want to be baptized and enter the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?”

I think I shared this a long time ago. time ago with you and Annabelle, that I always believed and knew that, there is a Creator even when I was much younger as a primary child. I am grateful that I have a mother who gave me no restrictions when I wanted to seek learning, even a long-distance correspondence of religion studies to learn about Buddhism and God.

I think the main reason why I want to be baptized and enter the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is because I prayed to Heavenly Father in Jesus’s name to seek His help to gather our family as a whole again after your Daddy and Mummy went through our first divorce. I promised Jesus Christ that I would someday go into His Church as a family and in my heart, I was wondering which church I should go to. When our family walked into the baptism fond, I knew that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church on earth and led by the Savior because of the little promise I made at that moment, only Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and myself know about it. And He made it happen, bringing a broken family back together again!

“What was/is your testimony when you entered that covenant with the Lord?”

When I entered the covenant with the Lord, I think I had the testimony that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me and my family so much, that He sent His only Begotten Son Jesus Christ to die and live again for me; I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. I know that family can be together for all time and eternity; I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are always with me because I can see Their hands in every single aspect of my life, from helping me to get our current home, how the Lord paved the path in front of me after divorce, reunite with your Daddy, registered of marriage again, and how the Lord directs our family towards His Church. All these are the testimonies that I had. All these small pieces and bits strengthen me to keep the Word of Wisdom, the Law of Tithing, and make myself worthy to enter my baptismal covenant with the Lord. I further walked into the temple and made temple covenants with the Lord, even though I only went to the temple twice.

Writing here, I find that it is funny, as I will still be able to write all these things calmly because I thought it was supposed to be the opposite. Anyway, it is a healing that I can change my focus to the more important matters now. I am grateful to the Lord for getting me to where I am now. The Holy Ghost has brought back my sacred spiritual memories reminding me to remember the Savior. I am thankful to Elder Yu, for posting these questions to me because I know you are guided and instructed by the Lord.

I am grateful to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, who gave me the precious opportunity to become a mother to His divine son and daughter, Issac and Annabelle. After you go on with your mission, Annabelle helps a lot in the home. She takes care of her Mummy like her big brother. I feel blessed that I have 2 not so little guardian angels anymore to teach, share, encourage, uplift, love, and care for me! I love both of you so much!

Elder Yu, I hope I can learn and grow spiritually together with you over the coming 2 years. So, please do not worry about what happened in the home and focus on your two years to serve the Lord—"invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.”

Love,

Mommy

Image via https://latterdaysaintmag.com/hand-in-hand-with-angels/#google_vignette