Jan 8, 09 Elder Cheng

Hello friends and family!

So this week has been the start of the year 2009!!! I actually don't feel anymore different than before. I wish I did. There was nothing big from the turning point of 08 to 09. And we aren't even writing the dates that often to remind me that we're in a new year. I guess I'm looking forward to Chinese New Years which is actually going to be HUGE here in Hong Kong. From what I've heard, people from all over the place come to Hong Kong and tour the streets. I'm looking forward to seeing the dancing lion act! (Hopefully they have it here and not only in America). If you're a native Hong Kong serving a mission in Hong Kong, yo are allowed to go home and eat dinner for this holiday. I still need to ask the mission President if i could do that because i do have family in hong kong, just not immediate family. But we'll see.

So the baptisms this past Sunday were great. Two were baptized and both had amazing experiences at that testimony meeting. One in particular is going through some big trials. He lost his job a couple of days ago, but then just this morning, he called and told us that they hired him back! We saw him a few days ago and we kept on encouraging him to do his best. Amazingly, he had already told himself to be happy regardless of the worldly things around him. My companion and I were super surprised that even after losing his job, he still told himself he would be happy. We then shared Elder Holland's talk with him about angels being around us, and then he took the angels thing very literally and started thinking that everybody in his life is an angel, which made him even more happier. It was actually kind of funny though. But he is a great guy and he has yet to be confirmed and receive the Holy Ghost.

This past Sunday was fast Sunday and the spirit was so strong that i was actually compelled to go up and bear my testimony. Never in my life had I ever volunteered to go up and bear my testimony on fast Sundays. This was an awesome experience. As a missionary, I feel so much more in tune with the spirit and can feel the love that i have for all the people on this world, especially the Hong Kong people.

So this week's message is about setting goals for 2009! One thing that I have learned on this mission is that goal setting is important. We set so many goals as missionaries. We set big goals and small goals to reach those big goals. That can work for your lives as well! set a big goal, say to go on a vacation for summer of 2009, and you set some small goals, say save $X each month to have enough to go, plus how you're going to save money each month. But always remember that when you set goals, you need to continue to remind yourself about the goals. So write them down in a planner and review them often! Goal setting has changed my life, and if i can keep this up after my mission, i have a clear focus as to what i want to do with my life. so set goals, and make a plan to achieve them!

Happy New Year!
Elder Stanley Cheng