August 25, 2013

Hello my wonderful family and homiez!

This week was so incredible. We saw so so many miracles. THE RONG FAMILY CAME TO CHURCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEAHHHHHHHHHH! They are going to make their baptismal date in the end of September! I know it. Pray for them. So they can quit their problems with the Word of Wisdom. We are going over tonight to make a plan with them so they can quit. I love this family so much. They are so good. So ready for the Gospel to bless their lives!

Our other new investigator Wu Zheng Wei also came to Church with us. In the morning before Church we went to his house, woke him up, and rode bikes with him to Church. It was awesome. And he loved Church! Let me tell you how we met him and what happened when we first met him.

Friday night we had planned to go over to Rong Family's house. But the Dad had to work overtime. So we just had time to find. But, two weeks ago we met Wu Zheng Wei's little brother on the street and had a lesson with him. We set up a time but I knew he wasn't going to come, so I asked him for his address. Which was full on inspiration from the Spirit because I never ask people for their addresses right off the bat. So his little brother never came when we set up with him, so we went to his house and we ended up meeting his mom. Who is a total sweetheart and is from Indonesia. I love Indonesian people with my whole heart. They are the nicest, happiest people. His mom is a very shy, quiet woman. But super nice. So, after Rong family said they can't meet with us I had to idea to go visit Sophia(Wu Zheng Wei's mom). We go to his house, knock on his door and he comes out. At this time we had never seen him before. We start chatting with him and we end up having a lesson with him right there. While talking with him, I asked him if his dad lives there as well. He told us his dad passed away two years ago. We taught him how to pray and about Heavenly Father. As I was teaching him how we have a loving Father in Heaven, I felt the Spirit very strong. I felt the love that Heavenly Father has for this kid. As I was telling him about Heavenly Father's love for him he started to cry. The Spirit was so strong. I have never had such a special first meeting. I know God has prepared him and his family to receive the Gospel. They need our help. I am so grateful the Spirit led us to this beautiful family.

I love this work with my whole heart. Transfers are this next week. I really really don't want to move. I love Yuli. But, If I do move, I know it is what needs to happen. This is the Lord's work. He is leading it. 

I love you all! 

Love, Elder Relyea

August 18, 2013

Hello my beautiful family!

This past week was so good! This last week on Tuesday we had a mission wide fast. The fast was for missionary work. That we can see more baptisms and more new investigators. My companion and I forgot to start our fast after dinner, so we started at about 9 at night. So the next day we literally ate nothing. I've never done this kind of fast before... But it was awesome. We forgot ourselves and went to work. That night we found 3 new investigators and taught 5 lessons. It was amazing. It was just like Alma and his brethren when they are preaching to the Zoramites. The Lord gave us strength! It strengthened my testimony of this work and the power of prayer and fasting. I'm sorry, I have no time to write more. We are going to Taidong today! I'm STOKED! Going home. :)

I love you all! And I love this work!

Love, Elder Relyea

August 11, 2013

YOOOO!

This past week was great. Saw tons of Chee-G's! Aka miracles. By the time Saturday came around we still hadn't found any new investies.... So, on Saturday we decided to bike to Zhuole and find the guys we found a couple weeks ago. We bike all the way there, get to their house and they aren't home... But as we are leaving their house this guy on a scoot pulls up. We are getting our bikes ready to leave to go eat lunch, but we decided to go talk to the guy who just pulled up. So, we go make friends with him. He is actually the little brother of one of the guys we met a few weeks ago! Nice. We were able to share with him about the Book of Mormon, prayer, and Tianfu(Heavenly Father)! He is already Christian so it was like a refresher. At the end of the lesson we invited him to pray. He said a great prayer. After he said he hadn't prayed in about 5 years. Miracle number one. Miracle number two: We made lunches to eat there because there is literally no place to buy food there. Haha. After we ate we were planning where we were going to go first when this guy comes flying down road we were on. I yell to him, "Can I give you something?!" He turns around and we start talking to him. He is a college student who lives pretty high in the mountains. He told us he is Catholic. We introduce the Book of Mormon and tell him how when we read the Bible and the Book of Mormon together we can more clearly understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He was all for it. He was chewing bettle nut. This plant that they chew here that is red and nasty. It is like chewing tobacco? I'm guessing. Everyone loves it here. He started chewing it in elementary school. So crazy. But this kid was so good. We are going back to Zhuole this week to find our friends we found last week! The Lord is preparing these people!

We had such a sweet experience with the Rong family this week. I already wrote President about it. I'ma copy and paste.
This past week we saw a huge miracle with them though. We have been meaning to teach them the Word of Wisdom for a couple weeks now and every time we go to visit them either the whole family isn't there or something has come up. But this past week we were able to share with them the Word of Wisdom. It was the most special time I have shared the Word of Wisdom on my mission. They are Aborigine, so the dad pretty much does it all. Smokes, drinks, chews binlang, ect... So, sharing this commandment with them was a big deal. We went into the lesson knowing we needed to rely on the Spirit to help us know what to say to help them understand this commandment. As we went in there with humble hearts, open to the Spirit, the entire Rong family committed to living the Word of Wisdom. As we were teaching and testifying I felt the Spirit so strong. I could feel the Spirit testify through me, promising them blessings. That as the whole family keeps this commandment they will be blessed with more unity, harmony, and love in the home. It was a really cool experience. I know Heavenly Father helped them prepare to hear the Word of Wisdom. And we had been praying like crazy that Rong Dixiong's heart would be willing to accept. And he was. That is a testimony to me of the power of prayer. Heavenly Father hears our prayers. And I know He is preparing these people!

Yeah, so miracles left and right! This past week was really good. I love missionary work. I still can't belive how fast time is flying. I feel like yesterday I was writing e-mails. It is nuts. Last P-day we went to this music store to get two guitars fixed. One is the Sisters and one is a guitar that Elder Graves gave to me. Fo free! Niiiiice! We get to this music store and in the back I see some drums... I was a little hesitant to ask the boss if I could play them. But then I asked and he totally let me. It was awesome. So much fun. THEN, we found this less active Brother Huang. And across from his house is this house shack thing and inside it also has a drum set. When we were talking to Brother Huang I asked him whos drums they were. He said they are his. But no one ever plays them. They just sit there. I asked him if we could come play them today. He agreed. We're going over today. :) Super Stoked.

Alright, I love you all. The Church is true. God loves all of us. He is watching over us every single day! We can talk to him whenever we want. I know when we do He is a happy man. Have the best week ever!

Love,

Elder Relyea

August 4 2013

Hello beautiful people!

This past week was so great! It is so fetching hot here. I'm literally sweating all the time. I'm sweating right now. But it is all good. I enjoy the heat. I'd rather be scorching hot than freezing cold. So it is nice.

We surfed like crazy this past week! We painted a sister's entire house! Which sounds like a lot, but her house is tiny. It only took a few hours. She was so grateful for our service. She is a sweetheart, widow who is about 75. Yang Mama. She is great. And we got to pull a Sister Shi's weeds. It was awesome. I got to cut down two trees with a small axe thing and cut these plants with giant leaves on them. It was awesome. Got rid of a ton of stress. Haha. I love surfing with my whole heart.

This work is so great! I love it so much. Getting home at night and being so tired, it is a good feeling. I love YULI! The work is moving forward here! I love you all!

Love, 

Elder Relyea