Nihao!

Mon, Oct 15, 2012 at 5:17 AM

It was a very Asiatique Week!

This week contained one experience which I am never going to forget and which I'd like to share a little bit with you... the baptism and confirmation of Ling Liu!

I have never known someone who was more prepared, ready and EXCITED to be baptized.  Before we were to baptize her this weekend, we had to teach her quite a few commandments.  We were worried that, without any religious or Christian background, she wouldn't understand or accept some of these commandments.  We expressed to her that we really wanted her to understand and be completely committed to living all of these commandments before she got baptized, even if it meant pushing back the date of her baptism.  She completely rejected the idea of waiting and with each commandment that we taught her, she immediately embraced them, even sometimes before she understood the importance of them.  It was kind of funny actually.  When we taught her the Law of the Fast, she started explaining to us exactly what her fast sunday schedule would be like and how she was going to begin and break her fast.  She had no problems with any of the commandments and is already living ALL of them.  She was already living most of them before, just without the knowledge that she was doing so.

The Baptism of Ling!

Her baptism was really a special occasion.  My companion had the honor of performing the ordonance (haha, she left it up to God to choose... we played a little Chinese game that is pretty much equivelant to flipping a coin).  When she bore her testimony after the baptism, she talked about how she nervous about going into the water, because she's afraid of it and can't swim.  But when she entered into the warm font, those feelings immediately left her and she felt the Spirit.  She said that she felt very clean and was very excited about starting her new life as a disciple of Christ.  It was really touching.  She is very sincere, very honest and very in tune with the Spirit already.  And she's a great story teller.  I had the opportunity of confirming her a member of the church and giving her the gift of the Holy Ghost.  She was very, very excited for this gift and for the blessings that it brings.  She is going to be using it.  She left today for Shanghai, and we won't be able to see her for a good month, but we'll be in contact with her over the phone and we're going to start teaching her again, as a new convert, upon her return. ( hopefully I am still here... transfers are this next week!)

Giant French Apples that Taste Like OREGON! (Vauvenargues)

In other news, with our Asian amis, we had a great lesson with our friend Leon.  We taught him the Plan of Salvation!  He ate it up.  He is still reflecting on whether or not to be baptized at THIS moment in time.  He knows it's all true, but he doesn't know if he wants to make such a big committment until he's solid and knows he can endure to the end.   We love his sincere desire, his willingness to change, his humility and his sense of humor.  In the closing prayer he said, "Thank you for Kunzler and Tulley who teach me your plan of rescuing."

I want to tell you about Suyan and Sally and Pierre, but I'm out of time!  Keep them in your prayers!

Thank you for your prayers.... they make all the difference in the world.  I love you, my family and friends and wish you a happy and joy-filled week!  Happy harvest season! Go to a pumpkin patch and do the corn maze for me.

L'amour,

Elder Kunzler

The Distance (atop Saint Victoirre)