Happy July Fourth!!! We didn't see any fireworks during the whole weekend but we did hear them all day Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Appleton has their firework display on the 3rd each year, while Neenah and Oshkosh have their fireworks on the fourth. So between the three cities the people here have lots of opportunity to watch some dazzling display of fireworks. Our week was great, I went on exchanges with the Zone Leaders on Tuesday and Wednesday, and then on Saturday I went on exchanges with the Hmong Elders. We also had a great week because we had many appointments with Investigators and Less-Actives. We were busy, and happy, and fed too.

I'll start off with this. I now have a Hmong name. In each Ward where there are Hmong people, it is customary for each missionary that comes and goes to receive a Hmong name. The requirements are that you are named by a Woman who is above a certain age. One of the Hmong Elders introduced me to a Hmong woman and told her in Hmong that I needed to be named. She named me: Blong Vang. Blong is my first name and it means: The Leaf. Supposedly this is considered a good strong first name. Vang is my last name and it places me in the tribe of Vang. Vang is the most common last name for the Hmong people here in Wisconsin. So there yah go, Blong Vang.

On Friday morning we helped a member at his farm that he co-operates. We helped him throw bread into the back of his truck and then rode the truck about 20 minutes outside of town. We were working with the pigs. It was really smelly, poop and pee everywhere. We moved some feed around, picked up trash, and did a whole lot of other stuff. We spent about 1 hour at the farm. Mostly we helped the member prepare for the new set of 25 pigs that arrive today at the farm. It was fun and we did some heavy lifting. When we got back into town he bought us cinnamon rolls, and he also gave us 50lbs of bread. This is the same member that did this last time (about two weeks ago).

The exciting thing that happened this week was our new investigator T___. We met him last Sunday while he was sitting in his driveway. He called out to us and so we went over and started talking to him. He offered us water and let us into his home. We had our first appointment with him on Wednesday of this past week. Everything went amazing. He was asking so many questions and he asked us what he would have to do to be baptized. We talked about it and then we invited him to be baptized on August 16th. On multiple occasions he has shared with us how he feels when we are with him and it’s amazing to hear how powerfully the spirit has touched his heart. We have had a lesson with T___ every single day of the week from Wednesday too today. He fed us last Saturday, and he is feeding us tonight!!! On Thursday we had a church tour with T____ and he absolutely loved it. His wife told us on Friday that when T___ came home after the church tour the day before, that he was beaming with happiness. She said it was the happiest she had ever seen her husband. She is completely supportive of T___ and his decision to be baptized. As for right now she has asked that we not teach her but T___ and us both feel that she just needs a little more time to warm up to us and that we will soon begin teaching her in a month or two. When we give T___ a reading assignment or a pamphlet to read, he reads it the day we give it to him, and he re-reads it right before we come over. T____ is so amazing, he has lots of questions and every time we mention the word baptism he always replies "August 16th!!!" I wish you could meet him; he is going to be a great convert and a wonderful addition to the Appleton first ward. T___ even came to church with us on Sunday wearing a full suit. He was looking so fresh!!!

Scripture for the week: Alma 17: 9-10

 9 And it came to pass that they journeyed many days in the wilderness, and they fasted much and prayed much that the Lord would grant unto them a portion of his Spirit to go with them, and abide with them, that they might be an instrument in the hands of God to bring, if it were possible, their brethren, the Lamanites, to the knowledge of the truth, to the knowledge of the baseness of the traditions of their fathers, which were not correct.

 10 And it came to pass that the Lord did visit them with his Spirit, and said unto them: Be comforted. And they were comforted.

Thank you all so much, the work has picked up a lot here in Appleton and we are keeping busy!

Love,

Blong Vang

 

The Awesome Appleton District!

Service at the Pig Farm.

The Three Little Pigs - but no wolf!

Have you seen my bathtub anywhere????