Elder Kaden Rees

This week was good. It has been raining a lot recently which has been fun. Next week our friend Cao LongHua will be baptized! He is obeying all the commandments but we still need to help him in regards to understanding of the Restoration. Transfers are this week, but I will probably stay in Hacienda Heights. I hope y'all have a good week! Scripture of the week: Alma 1:26 And when the priests left their  a labor  to impart the word of God unto the people, the people also left their labors to hear the word of God. And when the priest had imparted unto them the word of God they all returned again diligently unto their labors; and the priest, not esteeming himself above his hearers, for the preacher was no better than the hearer, neither was the teacher any better than the learner; and thus they were all equal, and they did all labor, every man  b according  to his strength.

The weeks out here just keep getting faster and faster. I honestly can't tell the difference between weeks at this point. Some Highlights of the week: - Cao accepted to be baptized on the 28th of January - knocked a lot of doors - The ward has been starting late so now the missionaries start sacrament meeting by singing in front of the congregation in hopes it will quiet them down. Scripture of the Week: 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  a patient  in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good  b examples  unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls. I have been thinking a lot about the potential that we have as sons and daughters of God. Sometimes I think we focus so much on how we compare to the world when God has a greater desire for us that is beyond the world. John 16:33  "These things I have...

This past week Elder Allen and I went on three exchanges so we weren't in our area for a whole lot of time. The weather has been getting colder out here and I think my time in California has weakened me to the cold. The best thing from this past week was that yesterday our friend Mimi Jiang was baptized! She is about 65 years old and is from China but was actually born in North Korea. She is quite wealthy but has struggled with depression. The gospel brought peace into her life that money could not. Scripture of the Week: 2 Nephi 31:10 And he said unto the children of men:  a Follow  thou me. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we  b follow  Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father? If we really love God the best way to demonstrate that love is to keep his commandments. He blesses us that as we follow him we will find more peace and true joy in our lives. I know that this is true! Have a good week! -Elder Rees