May 6, 2012
Hey all, I love you all so much,
Thanks for your support and encouraging letters. I just
want to say I love being a missionary and seeing miracles daily. One example
was one day we worked hard all day and didn't see much success and that night
we went to a park and I meet a baby sitter who was Christian babysitting a
Christian family. She had a lot of interest and gave me her and her husband’s
phone numbers then the kids she was babysitting gave me their parents number.
Then when leaving that park I meet a family AI had met before and they set up
for my birthday.
Well I don't have
much time to write but here are letters I already wrote today.
Hey President,
It was fun to see you twice this week. Thanks for all you
do. We are working hard, seeing miracles and having success. This week we were
focusing on baptism, and it felt good. We got a few more dates and helped
investigators remember their goals and what our role as a missionary is. It is
fun to see an area grow. I love Bade/Yinge more and more. The ward is so great,
they are willing to give me the coats off their backs to help me (literally).
We rarely have a lesson in the chapel without a peike, and we get feed quite a
lot. I feel spoiled to be here. Thanks, also
I meet a Sister Chen who was another of my mother’s converts and she
told me to tell you I need to move to Tao 1 next. It is so fun working where my
mom worked before. I am reading the book of Mormon daily to finish by July and
am getting more and more revelation, one time it took the full hour to write
down all the revelation and read the 5 pages I need to read daily to finish by
July. But I feel a little weird because it is not directly for my
investigators, and rarely do I receive any direct revelation for a specific
investigator. Just my understanding of the gospel strengthens and my testimony
is becoming more powerful and I feel like I am becoming a better missionary
over all, so in a way it is for my investigators but not as directly as I would
like. Same with doing a Christ like attribute plan, but I feel like that is
important to. I just was wondering what your input is?
This week’s
highlight was a 16 year old boy that came to church last week and loved it had
us over to his house and we taught the mother and niece and they all became new
investigators. Then he brought his friend to church this week. He and his whole
family are awesome. He and his niece have baptismal dates, and the mom is
supportive. I am so excited for them.
Thanks again,
ELder Sabey
Hey it was so great, I got up early today to email but as
I was reading, happy surprise, I got another email! I am so glad you wrote.
Brittany sounds amazing and I hope to meet her someday. I have been praying for
my three older brothers to find a wife but especially you, because josh is
still way young and Brian has dia. Maybe my prayer was answered.
I loved your
thoughts on the immediacy of god. I believe that when we do what’s right he
immediately blesses us, even if not noticed. I believe that his blessings are
always the best for our individual. He may ask us to go and bath 8 times in a
river before we are cleaned, or put mud on our eyes first, he may first forgive
our sins but through these processes the healing comes. Or if ready, and are
willing to immediately accept and give him all the glory, we can be healed
immediately. I read in Alma 7ish about Alma the younger on a mission and
praying that the lord would "Pour out his spirit" on an evil city.
“Nevertheless" the people rejected him and he had to "wade
through" much sorrow and affliction. and the lord commanded him to go back
and teach. This prophet of god went back quickly, as a humble beggar asking for
a morsel to eat and he meets Amuleck who had the lords spirit poured upon him,
and they get together and in the next chapter it talks about the lords spirit
being "poured out" upon "all the face of the land." I love
how this prophet’s prayer wasn't immediately answered but in the end not only
the city he prayed for but all the land had the lord’s spirit poured upon it.
Alma 6 also talked about how after "wading through" sorrow and
afflictions we can receive exceeding joy. I have a new part in my study journal
called bitter and sweet. It opened my eyes to the atonement.
Christ went through the most bitter things, so he has the
most sweet. I believe the more acquainted we are with him the more we realize
his atonement is not a sad horrible thing that was necessary so that we can be
saved but is truly glad tidings of great joy. I love Christ, and I don't think
he is still morning from the past but has been felled with "joy even as
exquisite as was his pain. He is risen not only from the dead but from the
sorrow. I honestly believe he is the glad tidings of great joy to the world and
through him we can be partakers of the fruit that is most desirable above all
other fruits. I know that our burdens can be lifted for mine have been. He has
undertaken all of our sorrows and pains so he can understand how to succor us
in our infirmities. I believe that is where his joy comes from, he understands
us and can help us/ serve us. He loves us and truth is he that is greatest
among us is our servant. Service brings joy. I love being in the service of the
lord and love you.
Hurrah for Israel.
Elder Sabey
Thanks for writing me. I was so happy when reading
it. I am stoked for you to be working
in a studio! You talked about how you feel your slowly improving, I feel I can
relate with my Chinese. In my apartment we have an Elder Bowcutt who was in the
MTC with me for a bit, and his Chinese is crazy good, he can read the book of
Mormon in Chinese now. I haven't started studying characters yet. His
vocabulary is still way bigger than mine. The other two in the apartment are
going home soon so obviously their Chinese is great. It has been a little
humbling and hard for me. But Elder Bowcutt also studied Chinese intensely in
high school and is just super smart, and a natural at learning this language. I
know that my Chinese is slowly coming though, and sometimes god gives me a
memory of my Chinese a few transfers ago and I know I have improved. I also
hear that my Chinese is good for the time I have been out, which is always nice
to hear. I feel like that must be kind of like your situation. You are
surrounded by those who have been dancing longer or who are more natural or
something and you feel like you are slowly coming and don't know if you could
ever reach their level. I just want to say you can do it.
I tell many people with pride about you dancing ballroom
in New York.
I loved the rest of your letter. My favorite part was you
talking about your recovery. Recovery is hard but worth it and you could see by
the letter you are reaping the fruits of it already. You are working hard and
are amazing. I don't think I could have done what you did when I was 19. You are truly an amazing person and sister. I
am so glad you wrote, I was worried you disowned me for leaving you for 2
years, but my fear was irrational. I hope you know that although you moved to
New York and left home we would never disown you and will always love you. You
do it sister.
Your loving
Brother
Elder Matthew Sabey
So I guess mother’s day is coming up. I think I will this
call Sunday morning at 6-7ish. I hope that works with you. Sorry for not
discussing it with you before now. If you don't answer I will try and call
Monday morning after emails and you can email me when you want me to call. I
don't want to interrupt a fireside or anything else. If you’re on the computer
now you can email me back quick. I will try to check later today.
Mom your letter was great. I love how sensitive you are
to the spirit and how much you have taught me. I honestly feel that I am so
blessed to be half of you and half of dad. You two are such great examples to
us and the world. People say I look like both of you. It makes me happy.
I love you all with all my heart.
Elder Sabey
May
16, 2012
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
I told you about most of last week but Monday and Tuesday
were also great. On Monday I went on exchanges and got to go back to Tao 2.
While there I had a prayer in my heart that I would see Kang Shi Chang the 16
year old who was golden when I lest but somehow lost interest, and miraculously
God pulled through. On a back street I had never taken before and happened to
take to try and get where we were going faster I ran into him, talked and
shared my testimony with him and set him up. I love him and realize that he has
some hard trials but he even said he was happier when he was meeting with us.
It was a great miracle. Then yesterday was a blast. For breakfast we went to
Dunkin Doughnuts!! MMMMMM doughnuts (got there at 6:30 but it opened at 7 and
the people there let us in anyway and let us buy the doughnuts. It was another
birthday miracle.) Then had specialized training which was on helping others
make and keep commitments. It was so great. One of the interesting stats given
which I don't know if I totally believe is 25 % of what you can learn from a
meeting comes from our preparation, 25% comes from the attending the class and
50% comes from the taking and using what you learned, the application. I had
only kind of prepared for the meeting so I felt a little bad but if I learn 80%
of what I could I think I will still be happy. I got to share my experience from
last month for 3 minutes and it went well. I really love chapter 10 on becoming
a better teacher. I learned a lot. Then I did it, I passed of Phase
2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The test was way easier than I thought it would be. I was so
happy. Then I meet with investigators the rest the day and Huang de kai bought
me subway for dinner. Also my 16 year old investigator that went tracting with
us called me and said happy birthday. It was really special.
Today I get to
start studying all the characters in the book of Mormon. I am excited.
That’s it from the last two days.
Here is my letter
to the president
Hey President,
It's been a great week in Bade. Having 2 baptisms and
still hitting most our goals. I am
loving it here. I am excited for our baptisms this week to. I loved the training we received and hope
that I will be able to apply it well to my missionary work. I did a little last
night when following up with investigators and helping them recognizes their
feelings as they prayed and read. I hadn't done that much before and I think it
really makes a difference. All of them had good feeling attached to these
habits. I told them these feelings were from god. It was so great to help them
realize god is answering thier prayers.
This last week I
have been working on the ABCs and hope that I can get to the point where I can
always have the ABC attitude with everyone I meet.
You told me to
call you when I finished phase 2, because I committed to finish it by May 16,
but I passed it off yesterday at the meeting and Elder Workman announced it was
my birthday and that I had passed it off. I assume you were there and herd so I
didn't call, but just in case I thought I would let you know, I passed it. I am
so glad to have it done, I have been getting up at 5:30 these last two weeks to
study and it paid off. Thanks for committing me to that date.
Thanks for
everything.
Any advice or
suggestions you have for me?
Thanks again
Elder Sabey
PS ABC attitude for commitments is love boldness and
confidence (Yeah love- a- wo ai ni)
Well love you all
Elder Sabey
Spiritual thought
Pray pray pray.
June
10, 2012
Hey loved ones,
This week was amazing, Brother Lin passed his Baptismal
interview and will be baptized on Saturday. I am so excited for him! He is a
humble man, whose entire family lives in California and he supports them from
Taiwan. He has no car, or motorcycle, he lives a super cheap life so that his
family in California can live a good life. One member from his family comes and
visits him each year because he can only afford one at a time, but he loves
them. And miracle 1, his daughter is coming this week and will be here for his
baptism. How amazing and great is that. I love what god does for us. Then this
week I had the privilege of helping others receive an answer to their prayers.
The first was an Elder Herrin who I went on exchanges with and he had been
suffering from anxiety and depression, and while with me he had an anxiety
attack and asked to go home because he's depressed and I said ok. At his home
he told me what's been going, how at first his eyes had a problem with focusing
and then that lead to his mind having a problem etc. And this week was the
worst and that was the first time he felt he had to go home. He said how every
morning he gets an attack and fears the morning. So I told him a little about
Rachel and mom and their experiences and what helped them, then I asked about
how he has been taking care of his body and if he has been taking vitamins and
he hadn't. I told him to, and he did. I also told him some methods to fight it
and whatever came to mind. We talked a while and then went to our next meeting.
The next day he felt better, like there was some change in him and he felt
normal again. It was an amazing change and it lasted all the rest the exchange.
He crying told me thanks and that I was "an angle sent from god to answer
his prayers." I was humbled to have been able to help him.
The other person I
helped was our investigator Zheng Dixiong who is so good. MY companion had
given him Ether 12 to read and he loved vs 27 the if men come unto me I will
show unto them their weaknesses. Then we started talking about a testimony and
the spirit and he said he still hasn't felt he completely got his answer, but
felt he was close. My companion asked when he felt the spirit and he said
prayer and I asked if he knew what the spirit was testifying of or what he was
praying for and he said he had been praying and asking why he was born
different then other people, like his arm was wounded in birth so he couldn't
do many things that others can do. I asked if he thought god was answering him
through the scripture in Ether and he looked shocked and said yes. He said the
then felt that through my mouth god helped him realize the answer to his
prayer, and he had the feeling confirmed. WE shared with him how we know the
book of Mormon is true and how he does to and how this knowledge also tells us
that Joseph Smith was a prophet and out church is true and Christ is our
savior. He was so happy, and in his closing prayer thanked god for the
revelation and testimony he had received. It was so special. I love my life
right now, I am happier than ever before. During all these experiences I have
felt the spirit strongly and testify I know that without the spirit I wouldn't
have been able to be an effective tool in god’s hands to answer these prayers.
God will answer every prayer though, I have been praying to recognize the
spirit and I think through these experiences I am getting my own answer to my
prayer. I love it, I love how god works through the lest of these and by small
an simple means to bring about the kingdom of god. Hurrah for Israel!
You asked what I want you to pray for me about, I think I
would love you to pray for 2 things, my Chinese and my ability to recognize the
spirits promptings.
I also wanted to tell you about my investigators, we have
a ton of great ones now.
1-Lin dx- see above
2- Zheng dx- and nice, fat, friendly humble seeker of
truth who is a high school security guard, we meet it the security room where
we can see all the cameras live footage. He loves the gospel and heavenly
father. Golden
3- Li tongxue- A golden college student who is humble, he
lives with his grandma and grandpa, and found out this year he has an older
brother and is friends with him on face book but doesn't know what to say to
him. He rarely talks with his mom and didn't even mention his dad. He loves the
idea of prophets, loves church and loves us.
4- Huang JM- another golden investigator, who you got it,
is humble. Her 1.5 year old daughter has a weak foot and can't walk. Also
probably some mental problems because she can't talk, and looks special. She
has tattoos, and had a hard past, you can see scars on her wrist from cutting.
My heart goes out to her. At first she
just wanted to see if church could heal her daughter but now she is excited for
baptism and has a small testimony. When she realized she would be busy on her
baptismal date she said she asked to move it forward.
5- Yu Jiating- A mother who self-contacted me this week
and asked if we could help her son who has ADHD and I made sure she was
thinking religious help and she was! She then set up for the next Tuesday to
have us over for dinner, but on Saturday night she called to see if they could
come to church. It was so cool. They came and liked it. Her older sister is a
member.
We have many more
but those are the golden ones. I hope to stay for next transfer and see them
get baptized.
I love you all,
Elder Sabey
Ideas on unity- Always the "At one"ment. The
first vision was where the knowledge that they are 2 separate beings but the
scripture say they are one, and in the vision Heavenly Father says "this
is my beloved son" not a distant relationship, they are one in purpose and
work. 4th Nephi is always great. No -ites among them, On a mission if you and
your companion are unified you get work done, if not you don't. It's true. The
restoration in the Book of Mormon often refers to the body and the spirit
becoming one. We need to serve god with all our might mind soul heart strength
not just our mind, or strength. There must be unity with yourself before you
can have unity with god and others. See the war chapters in alma where any
rebellion from within must first be crushed before the outside can be protected
and how the rebellion from within (Gaddianton robbers) is the true reason for
the destruction of the Nephites. I think that’s said in the last chapter of
Alma. Those are some of my thoughts and they are scattered. Sorry
June 17, 2012
Hey family friends loved ones,
LIN DIXIONG GOT BAPTIZED AND CONFIRMED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am so happy right now. The baptism went well and I got
to share how he was Christ like and was willing to sacrifice himself for the
good of his family, it was a big spiritual experience and it went smoothly.
There was a cool little miracle to, the drain wasn't plugging well and was
electric so was making an annoying loud rumble as we were filling up the font
but about half way through it went silent and worked. I know God wanted him to
get baptized, even though his daughter wasn't there, she comes tomorrow.
It has been a
crazy week. On Tuesday morning president called and said we were having an
emergency transfer because the elder with depression was sent home and my
companion went zone leader and I got moved to Xin Dian and joined the two
elders there, which is fun but my area is suffering now. So it's good and bad
but mostly crazy. My companions are crazy the work for covering two areas is
crazy. But life is good still and I am still doing the work. This week I should
be getting a new Taiwanese member as a companion for a short term, called a
duanchuan. So that will be crazy, but
great.
Here’s the letter
to my president (goes home beginning of July)
This week has been fun but hard for me and my
investigators. We got to Ankang only two times this week and only for lessons
which went well, but no finding time, and that makes me feel like the area is
tuibuing. On Saturday I had 3 investigators committed to church and for various
reasons none came. I am nervous and excited for my duanchuan. BUT one of our investigators
got baptized this week!!!! It was so great, and he was so prepared. We had a
large number of people in attendance and he felt loved. I got to do that prayer
meeting we role played and I believe it really helped. I am excited for him and his family.
Well thanks for everything you do and your example
Elder
Spiritual thought
for the week, In the first vision there were 2 personages but one pillar of
light. God and Christ’s light/truth is the same. They are completely unified.
Well I love you all,
Elder Sabey
PS tell the ward youth thanks for the letters.
PPS How's Parm? I
love that woman.
PPPS Tell cubby to write me
June 25, 2012
Hey everyone, I love you so much!!!!!
I am so happy to be able to write you and read what’s
been going on back in Colorado. I am so happy that Ben and Gabby are back!
I" love them so much, and often think of them and the good times we had
with them. I am sorry to hear about Elaina and will be praying for her daily. I
am so glad that mom is a person who is so strong that so many people will trust
and rely on her in their times of needs, I often just want to give you a big
hug. Thanks for all the questions. This week was crazy stressful fun and great.
Elder Shamo was a fun companion who is a little nerdy but has a big heart and
is so innocent. His Chinese wasn't that good so I pretty much was a one man
team but I am so glad to always have him and his faith around me, we saw many
miracles this week. He found a new investigator even. At first he would not go
out and contact people by himself but by the end he would. He looked up to me
and I felt like I didn't fail his expectations and helped him become a better
missionary I hope. I love him and his childlike demeanor. He has committed to
email me, I can't believe that god keeps allowing me to meet so many people god
has touched through mom. Today Wendi took us to a sushi place to eat, raw fish
is way better than cooked fish!
To answer the rest of your questions.
Yes I felt it. Yes we worked with our investigators a
lot. I am nervous and excited for a new mission president.
How are you doing with everything? How is your clothing holding up? Do you need anything?
I am doing great and am excited for my new Taiwanese
companion an Elder Lin. He was in myu district before. He's great and my
Chinese will improve!!! MY clothing isn't doing as great, but it's holding in
there, I am learning sewing out of necessity now but it's fine don't send me
any thing. As the Beatles stated, All I need is love.
Spiritual thought- We are all children of god. Remember
that.
I love you all
Elder Sabey
PS How is Elaina? How is Justin?
What's new with Rachel?
July 9, 2012
Trying to figure out how to send pictures,
Any way I wanted to share another spiritual thought,
I love in Moroni 10 how it talks about God gives us gifts
for the benefit of man, I just love it. And how Mormon says to his son we may
defeat the father of all evil. We are all in an epic battle with Satan and
sometimes you see others who have amazing gifts and are jealous. I know we all
love Lord of the Rings, and Lord of the Rings would be lame without the 9
heroes, but would also be lame without the 9000 others who fought with them.
Also imagine the joy they must have to have seen Aragorn fighting along their
side. I think I am more like one of the 90000 who may not be remembered in the
history books but am fighting on the right side and truly do make the story
epic. I hope that I can see with spiritual eyes and be joyful not jealous when
I see others with more spiritual gifts then me because they are on the same
side, there is no competition between them and us, only between us and Satan,
and we all have more spiritual gifts then he does. We truly can defeat the
father of all evil. I am so glad to be fighting along your side and am so glad
you are my family, you are my heroes.
Love you
Elder Sabey
President,
Thanks for coming out and getting to know us. I am so
glad to be working under you. I am loving the work here in AnKang and have no
problem with my companion, and am loving being with him. I am starting to find
some LA's now because you told us we were going to focus on them and getting
referrals from them, and promised miracles. I have already seen some, I have 2
set ups this next week with 2 LA's that I have never meet before. Last night I
just went to the LA section of the phone and randomly called 2 and they both
set up. I have seen many miracles recently, 2 weeks ago all of our progressing
investigators had some major obstacles, Huang Jeimei is living with a
boyfriend, Li Dixiong had to work on Sundays, Zheng Dixiong's family was
opposed to him joinging our church, and Qi Jiemei was only meeting with us
because she wanted to help her son. But now Huang Jiemei has talked to her
boyfriend and he said they could get married, Li Dixiong felt too busy and quit
his work(before we even taught him to keep the Sabbath Day Holy) and can come
to Church, Zheng Dixiongs mother had a miraculous change of heart and is fine
with him coming to church, and Qi Jiemei said that she was interested in the
church herself and we could teach her even if her son was not interested, and
here I am standing in awe at the work. God is doing the work and I just get to
witness it.
Thanks for your work,
Elder Sabey
July 17, 2012
Hey all,
I love you so
much, I always look forward to reading your letters, sorry forgot to warn you
this week is temple week so P-day is Wednesday. I am so glad you asked a lot of
questions I will try to answer them.
How are you feeling about your companion? Is he helping with your Chinese? Tell us about your investigators, the
branch? What has your favorite p-day
been? Have you been caught in any rain
storms? Do you eat differently with a
native companion than you did other companions?
I love my companion. He is so fun to hang out with and
his sense of humor is good. I only get a little frustrated when he doesn't
proactively go and contact but waits for people to come near him. But our
relationship is great and obviously his Chinese is helping. I believe mostly
with the accent and grammar, oh and vocabulary and anything else there is to do
with Chinese. So I am happy about that. I love it. My investigators are good,
next week's Saturday Li Dixiong will get baptized as long as he passes off this
Saturdays baptismal interview. He is such a great kid and friend. Husng Jiemei
hasn't answered our calls for 2 weeks now so that's sad. But we have a new
golden investigator who is awesome, named Chen Guolong he is so humble and has
prayed daily since we invited him to and it has changed his life. When we gave
him his The Book of Mormon he asked "Have I reached that level yet?"
We assured him he could read it and He said "I will do my best to take the
book and read the whole thing by reading it daily," This was before we
even invited him to read it.
We also have some other great potentials or new
investigators and I am excited. The branch is great and loves us missionaries,
which is nice. My favorite P-day maybe was hiking a mountain which was super
steep and sketchy and visiting Chiang Kia Sheks grave and memorial all in the
same day. I always get caught in rainstorms the biggest one I was riding
through a flood. That was cool. NO I eat about the same.
And: Are you losing weight? Do you feel healthy? I feel
pretty darn healthy and am not sure about the weight part but it seems about
the same.
And: how are you? I am Great. I love this area and my
investigators and companion and branch, so I should be doing great.
Anyways here’s my letter to pres.
Hey President,
Thanks again for all the trust and love. I think that’s a
good attribute. God loves us and trusts
us enough to be representatives of Jesus Christ in Taiwan. So thanks for the
trust it means a lot.
This week was great. We saw some pretty big miracles, one
day was so full of miracles I was baffled. In my prayer that night I just said
"How great thou art." These miracles included talking with someone
who hasn't answered our phone calls for 2 weeks, finding some prepared souls
setting 4 new baptismal dates and receiving revelation during personal study.
We have one
investigator that will probably be baptized next week. We met with him this week and ate dinner
together and shared the apostasy and restoration again, because he often goes
to other church’s activities and has many Christian friends that may not love
our church so much. He really understood it this time and I felt a spiritual
confirmation that he is now ready to be baptized. I love him and am excited for
his life now. He hasn't been dealt the best hand of cards; he lived with his
grandparents since he was a toddler because his parents abandoned him. He
recently found out that he has an older brother and doesn't really know what to
do about it. He rarely contacts his parents (one of them monthly, one
yearly). I am confused which is which,
but when asked this week if he had money would he be willing to help them, he
whole heartedly said yes. I love him and his charity and am excited for him and
his new family in the church.
Thanks\Elder Sabey
Spiritual thought: I read Alma the Younger’s " Oh
that I were an Angel” for district prep, and I just realized he had the
experience he wanted to give to others, an angel calling him to repentance with
the voice of thunder. But he said he sinned in the wish, and I thought why? And
realized he wanted there to be "no sorrow" in all the earth (Satan’s
plan) but by confessing he was immediately repenting and we see that his wish
still came true. Missionaries are called
to be living angels, and Alma goes and calls people to repentance and brings
many unto Christ. So God really does grant unto men according to their desires.
As a song you all know, thanks to Rach, says "Be careful what you wish for
‘cause you just might get it all" SO I am wishing to baptize all of
Taiwan...
Well love you all.
No comments:
Post a Comment