1 May 2016

Hey everyone,

This next week is Gawai! I guess it is pretty much like Christmas again for Malaysians or something. I'm not really sure. I guess I'll find out though. We had a party for it at the church earlier this week so go look at some of those pictures! 

Something I thought about this week was about commandments. We should graciously accept when God gives us commandments.
For example, the Word of Wisdom, which contains, for this example, not drinking alcohol. So yes of course before people drank alcohol. The awesome thing about having there be a commandment is a few things, first, this means that God loves us and wants us to be happy and sometimes we may ask ourselves, "how do I become happy?", well look at Gods' commandments and that will give you a pretty good idea of that.
Second, because it's a commandment, that means that there is always a way to come to obey that commandment. Like 1 Nephi 3:7, the classic
"I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they mayaccomplish the thing which he commandeth them."

So what this means, God isn't going to say don't drink alcohol if there is no way some people can overcome an addiction to alcohol, since it is now a commandment, that means that there are the resources, physically and most importantly, spiritually, to overcome this. There IS a way. There IS a way to experience the happiness that comes from this! That's just way awesome. 

Third, you can know that through obedience to this, you are PROMISED BLESSINGS. Before, yeah God may have blessed you for not drinking but now there is a promise that you WILL be blessed by obedience to this. That's why there are commandments like that. That's why God gave us prophets to reveal more commandments to us in these last and evil days. It is all for our happiness, do not forget that. The Gospel in it's fullness is with out a doubt upon the Earth and it is SO COOL. 

Don't forget that it is so cool. Learn more about this stuff because I know that there is HUGE happiness that comes. I'm not promising that trials won't come, but like what I have said to some people, the Restored Gospel allows us to have everything necessary to deal with the tahi of the world, and be happy while we do it. It is just so cool so continue to learn about the teachings of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is full and I know that. 

SO glad to be here. I'm coming up on a year in the another month. This has been the fastest year of my life. 

I love you all. 

Love,

Matthew

23 May 2016

SOOOOO this was an interesting week.

To start off, a few weeks ago we met a cool couple. The husband, a man from Hamburg Germany and the wife an Iban (who had lived in Germany for many years after they got married). So I gave them a call to see if they would still be interested in meeting with us and they agreed. So we go there and what the heck do you know. They have two Chihuahuas. I about died. I was so happy. One of them was way sweet and just came up and cuddled with me and I almost cried. The other one was still really cute. He would try to bite me. Like chase me to bite me. LIke, if i walked within 2 feet of him he would start coming after me. But still cute. We ate dinner with them and it was really good. They said "we figured you are sick of eating chicken rice every day so we prepared the furthest thing from it." And oh my goodness. It was so good. SO good. At the end, we were talking about bratwurst and sauerkraut and then next thing you know there's sauerkraut on the table. Like. Where the heck do you find sauerkraut here.. Oh man that was the greatest tasting thing I have ever had in my entire life. I miss that kind of food so much. Anyway, we shared with them about the gospel and we will be going back this next week! So we will see how this goes. 

Another thing that happened that was quite annoying was while I was riding my bike the other day, my seat post suddenly snapped off. One second I was riding my bike, the next thing I knew, my butt hit the back tire and I bounced up and was standing on the ground. the post itself didn't break actually, but the frame part broke off with it. There's a picture on dropbox. So I had to go get that all welded and stuff so that was really not fun. It's funny though because my trainer had the SAME exact thing happen to him while I was with him. Father like son you know.

One thing I read about this past week was really just awesome. This was from when Joseph Smith was in Liberty Jail and suffering and at the same time the Saints were suffering a ton too. He pleas with the Lord and the words spoken have really helped me in my struggles. I am so thankful for what is said here. D+C 122:7-9

7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.

 8 The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?

 9 Therefore, hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee; for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.

So awesome. The power of God is something that is more accessible than we think. Don't forget that. There is so much help that God is just trying to give us. Try to open your eyes (spiritually) to see that.

Love,

Elder Hanks

16 March 2016
Week of the 10 month mark

What the heck. This has been wayyyyyy too fast. 

One thing I have been doing this week is thinking a lot about how to help people feel the spirit of God more. I remember one thing my momma always told me, that is, singing. She believes I have been blessed with a gift and yeah I'm for sure not the best singer but man i love singing. I'm not the best teacher either but man do I love singing with people. And while I'm riding my bike. And everything else. Anyway, I know those folks back home are starting to finish up their school year and just have been thinking a lot about all of my past experiences and I would like to thank those people that have helped me develop my gifts through out all the years (namely all of my coaches and teachers at Fort Collins High School, Boltz Middle School, Linton Elementary, and Harmony Pre-School (even though I don't remember pretty much anything about that place) and also just pretty much everybody who I have ever come in contact with in my life. You have molded me into who I am today and flip, it's just awesome and I love you all.) 

Anyway, I have some pictures to show a few things we did this week. I'm sorry for how lazy I am to write about my week. I just get to email time and forget what happened so yeah. One thing I read about this week is in Moroni 10:32
32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

"ye can in nowise deny the power of God" I have seen many things and I am not perfect but there is power that can't be explained. Thinking about the very existence of your conscience is a task that can't truly be explained. I know that we are children to a Father in Heaven and that knowledge, as you receive it and not doubt, can become one of the biggest sources of happiness in your life. That is what I know. So yeah, I love you guys, 

peace,
Elder Hanks

9 May 2016

Hello folks,

This week was way sweet! To start off, some way cool things that happened, one of the little boys we were working with got baptized! He

loves to do karate with me. He asked me to baptize him and that was a really special. Along with him, a woman who I met while serving in Matang ( two areas ago) got baptized on the same night too and she asked me to baptize her too. So that was really a cool experience. I could really see the power behind this special ordinance as I had to opportunity to do this. They were so happy too and I could just feel light from them after they were baptized. That is truly an amazing thing.

Anyway. Another super awesome thing that happened this week was skype with my family. That was the best. I love them. Happy momma's day mom. 

I always forget what I want to write about when I get the chance to email. I guess I will just say that trying to serve Heavenly Father in fulfilling his plan to bring glory and eternal life and happiness to His children is the greatest work that is the most rewarding in every way. You can take part of this work anywhere and you will never feel happier as you do your best to be the tool in God's hand that he designed you to be. I'm not quite there yet but I can see that great blessings come from those who do so. It takes sacrifice but there is nothing more rewarding. I love this Church and know that it is the Church of God. If there ever was a miracle wrought among the Earth, that miracle is this church and the mercy of God to give us a greater knowledge of Him. It's just really cool is what I am trying to say. Do your best to study and learn about this because oh man, There is joy beyond that found on earth that can be found in the fullness of the Church of Jesus Christ. God has a plan to save us and we can be so happy as we discover His love. I am so thankful for that. I know this Church is undoubtedly the Church of Jesus Christ that has been restored in these last days. I love it. I love all of you guys too! There's just a few pictures up today! Hope you have a good week. 

Love,

Matthew