We were not sure what to do for our p-day adventure this week, but to make sure our young missionaries wanted to come, we offered them Thanh Chuong's Viet Palace (see November 17, 2024). This place is just so amazing that we wanted to make sure our junior associates had the chance to see it, so we (easily) talked them into it. And to hear their exclamations of delight was all we needed to know that it was well worth it.
As a brief reminder: "A Vietnamese artist named Thanh Chuong built a 2.5-acre open-air complex that was originally intended as a personal sanctuary. As an artist, he created a museum of priceless cultural relics in a natural environment similar to the life and culture of the people thousands of years ago."
I loved showing what we had found to the young missionaries and to hear the awe in their voices as they continued to remind each other that "we get to LIVE in Vietnam!" I can't have a blog without at least SOME pictures, but I'll do my best to make sure they're not repeated here. At least you'll know that the young people are different!
Tuesday night is becoming a very fun night, which is what it's supposed to be! This has become designated at Game Night, and it is hoped that this will draw a lot of young adults to the church building to play games and get to know each other. Last week we had the biggest turnout of the 3 weeks we've done this, and we have high hopes to keep increasing our attendance.
Wednesday was a free day, so Allen and I visited the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology because it's closed on Mondays, so we can't go for a p-day. This museum displays all kinds of information and items from Vietnam's history and her ethnic cultures. It was very interesting to see all the displays, and then to go outside where there were recreations or renovations of ethnic homes built in various regions by the people who lived there.
A huge drum carved from a single tree.
Thursday begins to get busy, as usual, with the first English activity of the week.
Friday was Family Home Evening at 7:00 pm, and Allen and I told the Bible stories from Daniel in the Old Testament about how Daniel and his friends obeyed God's commandments, even while in captivity in Babylon, and were blessed for it, including: Daniel and the Lion's Den and the Fiery Furnace. It's very interesting that the Vietnamese people as a whole know very little about the Bible and its stories. Even one of our native sister missionaries hadn't heard the stories, although she had seen a picture of the Fiery Furnace and wondered what it was about. It's really fun to be able to tell them these stories and what they teach us about obeying God in spite of opposition.
Our big event was on Saturday! After music class and English, we had another baptism! And Allen was asked to perform the baptism, which was very meaningful and sweet.
He was able to read the prayer in Vietnamese and did a great job!
And today, Sunday, we had a very sweet sacrament meeting: our newest member received the gift of the Holy Ghost, we witnessed a sweet young woman be set apart from our Branch to serve a mission in Birmingham, England, and we heard the departing testimony of one of our own sister missionaries whose mission ends tomorrow. We celebrated with our district missionaries at dinner at our apartment in the evening; it's always a bit sad to see the relationships that have formed over the past 6 weeks as transfers happen like they will on Tuesday. Happily, the other 3 missionaries will still be with us in Hai Ba Trung Branch and we will welcome a different sister. And the process will begin again for the next 6 weeks.
Life as a missionary has its challenges, but it definitely has its blessings, too. It's been a challenge for me this week to miss my family, but I trust in God's promised blessings for our family if we serve. And we find joy in seeing the Vietnamese people hear the gospel and find joy in living it.
May we all find joy this week! It's there; we just have to open our eyes to see it!
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