Being Actively Engaged in a Good Cause

Dear Family and Friends,

My new area is awesome, and it is hot.  haha.  We are just starting the hottest months of the year.  June, July, and August in GaoXiong are hot.  haha!  So I better buckle up.  haha! This week was a lot of learning about the area and stuff and meeting everyone here.  It was great though.  My new companion is Elder Davis from Logan Ut.  He is awesome and his Chinese is great. He is a hard worker and a great missionary and example.  It is really fun to serve with him.  He taught me how to play chinese chess...and he is super good.  haha we play everynight before we go to bed!  so far I am 0-4...hahaha!  Last night was closer though. haha! 

The ward in GangShan is awesome!  I love the people here.  There are a lot of Filipino's here in GangShan and Vietnamese.  We have a member here from the Fillo...he is awesome. His name is Jonathan.  He speaks English.  He really can sing.   He is also one of the kindest people I have met.  

So on Wednesday we went to this 88yr old man's home.  He is a member and we go and play ping pong with him every week.  He is amazing... He beat me... it was one of the lowest moments of my life... hahaha!  No missionary has beat him yet.... it was 6-11.  He then beat me again 11-2.  haha When he comes to church he carries his paddle with him in the back of his pants.  hahaha!!!  Its hilarious.  He calls me newcomer. I saw him at church and told him I was going to beat him this week.  hahaha!  

After we visited him we went to visit this older man.  He had a stroke a while ago and isn't in good shape.  However... he is the happiest man alive.  He just makes me so happy. When we left we gave him this huge hug.  He has a Filipino lady that takes care of him.  

We had a lot of lessons this week and have a lot of really cool people that are progressing towards baptism.  We hope to help these people follow through with the commitments they are making.  I read in preach my gospel about when we invite people to keep commitments and they do, we are actually helping them repent.  Repentance takes action.  It is impossible to be passively repenting... The adversary has too much power.  If we are not actively engaged in a good cause over time we will find ourselves under the influence of the adversary.  

I love you guys and am so grateful for the efforts you put forth to do good everyday.  I can tell you that it doesn't go unnoticed.  We are never alone.  We have the best example that ever lived right by our side helping us along the way.  Trust Him.  I love you all so much. 

Elder Redding