HK Conference

The conference on Sunday was absolutely incredible. Bear with me while I share a few of the thoughts that were spoken.

President Barrett, the new Hong Kong District President, spoke about the importance of temple marriage. He reminded us that everything we do in the church is a means to the end of being sealed as an eternal family. He further explained to the HK members, "there is nothing worth gaining in Hong Kong if it means being apart from your spouse". I appreciated his advice in efforts toward keeping a temple marriage worthy of the blessings and powers for which it is intended.

President Perkins of the HK Area Presidency directed his talk toward young single adults and centered it around the principle that we should never forgo spiritual blessings in exchange for physical blessings. He introduced some ideas about characteristics of Nephi's wife that he concluded from 1 Nephi 7...very cool.

Sister Perkins gave an incredible talk on being willing to submit to the Lord's will in whatever He requests of us. She is an amazing scriptorian and truly inspired me to aspire to a higher level of scriptural understanding.

We had the pleasure of hearing from sweet Sister Oaks. She talked about how she remained single until her 50s but explained, "it wasn't a lonely time, because Jesus Christ was my best friend". What a beautiful testimony. We are so blessed to have an understanding of the divinity of Jesus Christ, but furthermore we are blessed to have the ability to develop a relationship with Him; to come to know Him, who He is, and how to be like Him.

Lastly, Elder Oaks shared an amazing message. He reminded the congregation that he was there to speak general principles, but that it is an individual responsibility to learn and apply what is needed in our given circumstance. I am always grateful for this reminder and encouragement to rely on the Holy Ghost to gain spiritual experiences and understanding. Elder Oaks directed a strong message to the Filipina sisters of the ward. Many families in Hong Kong "employ" women from the Philippines as "helper" to care for their children, clean the house, provide transportation, cook their meals, pretty much to do everything for them and the living conditions provided them are usually less than ideal. Several of the women who fill these positions have left behind families in the Philippines, whether by their own choice or by the encouragement or force of their families, husbands, etc. They have an incredible sisterhood within the church, but are sort of living in a false reality away from their husbands and children. Elder Oaks gave a powerful message urging these sisters to flee from their positions of servitude. He counseled, "Set goals and take charge of your life; only you can decide where your life will go." It was heart wrenching to watch these dear sisters as they were admonished to change their life so drastically, entering into an unknown and uncomfortable furture, but I have faith that they will be blessed in following the direction of Elder Oaks. So often we are encouraged to take action that is out of our comfort zone, walk a few steps in the dark, before we understand the significance of what our Father in Heaven has in store for us. I believe it is through practicing our agency and experiencing the peace of obedience that we come to trust our Heavenly Father and our Savior; it is through learning of them that we understand their only wish for us is success and happiness. Elder Oaks went on to discuss two components necessary to enjoy the blessings of the gospel, holy habits and righteous routines. Holy habits are the same for every latter0day saint and help us to keep the companionship of the Holy Spirit, such as personal prayer, reading the scriptures, partaking of the sacrament, and avoiding anything that would drive away the spiritual of the Lord. Righteous Routines however, are individual protections from temptation. I appreciated his thoughts on discovering what our personal vulnerabilities are in order to construct routines that will help keep us on the path. What an incredible blessing and opportunity it was to hear the words of one of the Lord's servants.