12.3.12

You know, I really like roller coasters. They are fast and fun and spin you this way and that. But in the end you end up at the same place you started, just happier due to the thrill of the ride. Though physically in the same place, you have progressed in a mental/emotional way.

Now, that is way more thought than I ever intended to put into roller coasters; really I just like them because they go fast, but it is all true nonetheless. This last week was a bit of a roller coaster, but in the end we were left better off than we were before.

We were able to do some great service this week with the Chinese elders helping the food bank give out food to elderly people (mostly Chinese and some Vietnamese). It was lots of fun and will help again this week. After the good experience of doing that, we sought out more opportunities to serve the Viet community. We met varied results at different places, but hopefully some of them will turn into opportunities. Also, our free English and Citizenship classes are growing in numbers. We decided to advertise in a viet newspaper and we have seen steady growth since then. We're in the newspaper, we're famous! Oddly enough, its our viet personalities that are famous. Its pretty strange seeing your name in the paper when its not really your name.

We had a miracle happen this weekend. As we were planning, I had the impression to try by a certain less active member that has been so for about 8 years. He is pretty unpredictable and pretty far away so we put him as a backup plan. Well the Lord certainly wanted us there. Every other plan we had fell through. We made the journey. When we got there he was home and we just talked to him for a while (we hadnt seen him for about 5 or 6 months). We shared a short message that we had been sharing with most people for Thanksgiving. The Spirit was there and we extended a direct commitment to come to church following recent training we had received about extending commitments. He stopped and thought about it for quite a while. While he was thinking many outside distractions came but he stayed with it and eventually said Yes. Long story short, he came, love it, committed to come again next week and set up an appointment to meet with us again. The Lord blesses us when we do what He asks the way He asks us to do it.

Make it a great week!
Love
Elder Phong Manhardt