Tuesday, July 28, 2015

100%

Dear family and friends,

Korey is baptised! I have been blessed to have a baptism my very last week here in Canada! So sweet. 

My full time service as a missionary means a lot to me. As this calling is coming to a close I can say that I have been transformed by the experiences. 

I learned the principle of becoming. I know that my heart can become more and more pure as I think good thoughts, say good words and do good deeds. My body is a history of what I've eaten and my heart and soul is a history of what I have done. I know that this positive ability to change comes from the Grace of the Father and the Son. So many times when I notice the weaknesses and sins of myself I think about the Perfect Father and His Love, how He is slow to anger and quick to forgive, and how He sent His Son. I am grateful for the strength and forgiveness I have received. 

One of the miracles I have seen is that I have been able to see at least one baptism, or fruit, in all 7 areas that I have served in. I know that miracles follow faith in Jesus Christ. I am blessed to be able to be a leader this way. Leading from the font. I have also learned to be a good follower and a good leader.

I have served faithfully. I have obeyed the rules, been forgiven of my wrong doings and I have learned to strive for excellence, for average is the enemy of excellence. I have learned to love freely and learned to uplift all. I have gained friendships here that I will never forget. I have learned the doctrines and know them by heart. I have become the master of my mind. I love my family much more than before. I know that the plan of salvation is real. There are no goodbyes in the gospel. 

My journal will be one of my most cherished things. I know that I can look to it and gain strength and comfort and it makes me smile. 

My heart is as calm as a mirrored lake. I am not nervous about going home. I have planned and I have received the knowledge that my mission is still the same and I can still be doing good constantly to keep a good history, a good heart. I know that my Father is pleased with the things that I have been able to accomplish here together with Him.

I know that there is so much more God has prepared for me. I know that I will look back and know that the mission is only the MTC for the rest of my life. That is what my mission means to me. 

Love, 
Elder Ernest Tin Yeung Lee



Monday, July 20, 2015

July 20, 2015 Week 99!

Dear family and friends,

This past week was good! Korey is planning to be baptized on the 26th of July so I will go out with a baptism! I am really excited for him. He is such a cool guy.

There's nothing else too exciting for me to share.... I'll see you in Hong Kong!

Love,
Elder Lee

Monday, July 13, 2015

July 13, 2015

Dear family and friends,

This week has been good! We are seeing miracles happen. Last Monday we saw the suicidal less-active member again. We stopped the car to talk to him. 2 nights in a row! It can't be a coincidence... Well we have been meeting up with him since then and he introduced his friend to us. Him and his friends had no money and were just street bums fro a week. We played soccer with them and definitely see the blessings of living the word of wisdom because they can't run much at all. 

We went on an exchange with the assistant to the president on Friday. It was a good day to work close to the temple.

The mission is coming to an end so fast! I feel ready for the life after the mission but also not excited to leave Canada. It's a weird feeling. Anyway, I will finish strong.

Elder Lee

Monday, July 6, 2015

July 6, 2015

Dear family and friends,

This week was really good! Our area is improving bit by bit. We have cool new people learning about the gospel. 

One of the highlights of the week is mission leadership council and another one is the zone council.
Elder Forsyth and I were pondering how to instruct and motivate the missionaries in the zone. We received many good ideas through revelation. We had an idea to keep themselves accountable to the goals we set together. We asked them to scatter around the chapel and kneel in prayer with their companion. Then discuss how many baptism could be happen this month and write it on a piece of paper. We totalled them up to 26 baptisms. It is a wonderful goal and EVERYONE is bought in! So we will see how it goes. 

Another experience we had was that we were driving and Elder Forsyth saw our less active member on the street. We parked the car and caught him and taught him a lesson. He expressed he has had suicidal thoughts and we are God's help for him that he needed. The Spirit taught us what to say to comfort him and he is feeling better now. 

Love,
Elder Lee

My experience is featured on the mission weekly email!

July 6, 2015        
    
Dear Sisters and Elders,          
We were blessed to see four baptisms this weekend.  Each is a beloved son or daughter of our Heavenly Father having a divine nature and destiny.  May we strive to truly help them to continue the path to the temple to obtain the covenants and ordinances available only there. 
As we continue to grow in our understanding of how we can help in the whole work of salvation, we will see twenty baptisms each week.  It is coming.  We love and have faith in you.
From Alma 17:
11 And the Lord said unto them also: Go forth among the Lamanites, thy brethren, and
establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show
forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto 
the salvation of many souls.

Let us Go Forth and Establish His Word, being Patient in Long- Suffering and Afflictions so we can be Good Examples. Then we can become an Instrument in His Hands to Bring Salvation To Many Souls. 

From our missionaries:    
God Knows You:
A lady was walking on another street. She is struggling a bit in life and she remembered how she had met missionaries in Calgary and in Paris and how they helped her gain spiritual strength. She turned the corner and looked... There we are, walking towards her. We sat down and taught her a lesson. "Do you know what that means?" "No." "It means God knows you." She definitely felt the Spirit that day.....You know what that means? It means God knows me, too!

Training Cycle Topics for May     
1.          Revelation through Prayer (PMG ch 4; ch 6)
2.          We Invite, They Commit, We Follow Up (PMG ch 1;  ch 3 lesson 1; ch 11)
3.          Missionary handbook pages 43-60

    
CHECK YOUR PROGRESS (please reply in your letter):              
1 = Never;  2 = Sometimes;  3 =  Often;  4 = Almost Always;  5 = Always
My companion and I completed putting the ward /branch vision and goals (mission plan), leadership list and current membership list in the CTM Essential Items binder”


Things to Consider:  
1.       Dear fellow missionaries, the CTM now has a once-a-month, once a  transfer standard of excellence.  The new standard is that each companionship baptizes at least one person in their area each transfer.  As we do this, we will see 1000 baptisms each year.  Think and pray about it.  This is why we came here to serve as missionaries.
2.       Keeping your covenants is essential to being a consecrated missionary. 
3.       FYI: we cannot teach inside the temple in the waiting area next to the recommend desk without the specific approval of the temple presidency.  We can teach outside the temple on the temple grounds and I strongly suggest that we do so.  We can show them them where the recommend desk is and the waiting area but we may do no teaching inside the temple.
4.       Mission prayer at 10pm on Saturday is a wonderful way to bless our mission.  Please continue this wonderful tradition.
5.       Remember that you are always a representative of the Lord.  Conduct yourself as if the Lord Himself were walking with you.  Keep your language elevated and refined so the Spirit can be strong in you.  
6.       Another word for "HELP" is "MINISTER". 

BAPTISMS July 5
Roxanne   (Fjeldsted/Mukund)
 Chris Clendenning (Lasley/Wehi/Oviatt) 
Kevin Su (Cheng/Holt/Carrol)
Annesia Persaud (Gunnell/Gibb)


STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE:  These percentages reflect PEOPLE, not numbers   
13% (14/106 Companionships) All Standards of Excellence (People advancing on each step of the escalator to baptism)
37% (39/106 Companionships) Baptismal Dates (People who have chosen their baptism and confirmation dates)
31% (33/106 Companionships) Sacrament Meeting (People who attended sacrament meeting)
45% (48/106 Companionships) Member Present Lessons (People taught with member friend present)
31% (33/106 Companionships) Progressing Investigators (People taught 2+ lessons and kept commitments)
69% (73/106 Companionships) New Investigators (People received lesson and have return appointment)

ACHIEVED ALL STANDARDS WITH A BAPTISM
Elders Wehi, Lasley and Oviatt in Don Mills South
Elders Gunnell and Gibb in Don Valley West
Elders Cheng, Holt, and Carroll in Bayview East 


ACHIEVED ALL STANDARDS WITHOUT A BAPTISM
Elders Turner and Cassens in Kitchener 2nd
Sisters Penrod and Liao in Kitchener Mandarin
Sisters Poettcker and Price in Cambridge 2nd 
Sisters Chelson and Bell in St. Catherines 
Elders Mangakahia and Sherman in Niagara YSA 
Elders Johnson and Mukund in Heartlake 
Elders Taumoepenu and Chee in Sudbury Uptown
Elders Crutchfield and Frame in Toronto YSA North
Sisters Yeap and Bott in Toronto South
Sisters Raymant and Lindquist in Don Mills East 
Elders Pumford and Meise in Trenton


So----- Let us Go Forth and Establish His Word, being Patient in Long- Suffering and Afflictions so we can be Good Examples. Then we can become an Instrument in His Hands to Bring Salvation To Many Souls.

Remember: A baptism and confirmation in every area each transfer.  Let's press forward, saints!
      
You are in our thoughts and prayers,        
President and Sister Clayton