- Elder Baird's #BLESSED Mission: WEEK 33 RICHMOND: ☢️💣💥

Well...

The era has come to an end...

Rip Chinese Zone

It was a wild ride. It was good while it lasted. But the best things don't last forever ehh. Well, unless it's eternal salvation and exaltation. But that's besides the point.

So, if you wanna hear the tragic tale, (but also a pretty amazing and blessed and miracle filled week!) Pov, it's like that one episode in Ninjago where Zane sacrifices his life for the greater good, and 7-year-old me is caught with a tear sliding down his cheek, type episode.

It is Wednesday my dudes. Today was so cool, during DC we were doing an object lesson in the gym, when one of the office missionaries pulls up with these two Chinese ladies behind her. Apparently they saw one of our English class flyers and just pulled up to the church. We started talking to them, and they just ended up lore dropping and told us everything. They've both come from insanely difficult backgrounds, and have got to be two of the most humble people I've ever met. It was such a cool miracle.

On a side note, it's kind of cool to see the power and authority of a missionary calling. Because people automatically trust us when they first meet us. And it might be like this for some of ya'll, but for me, people will just open up. Like it's the first time meeting this random person (a child of God, thank you) and just tell us their whole life story. I sometimes feel like a therapist. But it's just really cool, because we can always relate it back to Jesus Christ.

Alright, back to the fun. After DC, we had a lesson with Li, and it was just so goated as always. I love this man. His baptism is set for the 26th of April, so I'm praying that everything goes great the next few days in order to get him in the water. Bros change is so tangible and it's so epic. Finished the night with 范弟兄, and taught him priesthood and temple. So we finna get both those things soon. Litty!

Thursday was a day of just 好巧啊! But I just call it miracles. Alyoisious is back!!!! Let's gooooo! He's a guy we met with first day of transfer, but then he had to leave for a few weeks, but he's back and ready to receive the gospel. He's super old, so it's a little slow, but we had an amazing lesson with him. Had an amazing lesson with Judy, and she really wants the gospel and to be baptized, so it's pretty amazing. Then, some unplanned things happened, which led us to getting on a bus in the afternoon, to go to the mall. And on the bus, Huang Qing Fa pulls up! Like bro, why aren't you on the island. It was sooo cool though. He's here for the next week, and instantly invited us to lunch. Later that day we ran into one of our friends, David, who is super hard to meet with cus he's always working. But God put us in the right place to see him. Also randomly bumped into a couple other friends. Super 巧

Friday, we ran up the pickleball finding method. And ohh it's been too long. But we cooked up and met a lot of cool people. Went to lunch with Huang Qing Fa which was super insanely delicious. But luckily only 10% the price of the last meal. He's literally an angel. My King Fr! Then one of our members took us out to dinner because one of the sisters goes home next week. Blessed Up!

Quick little side quest though. We leave the restaurant around 8:40. Cus the bus was supposed to arrive at 8:50. Reminder that curfew is 9, extra late curfew is 9:30. The bus was late. Ohh shoot. Then it comes we get on, five minutes later my companion looks at me and goes, we need to get off. I'm like op, ok. So we do. And bro books it to McDonalds. Full on sprints. Bro was about to pee his pants. We get out of McDonalds, and realize the next bus wouldn't come until super late. So to keep it short, we walk home, and end up getting home super late so fun :)

Saturday stared with an early morning lesson with James. Pretty epic. Went to lunch with a member and Huang Qing Fa for round two. This time the member made dumplings and they were sooooo goatedly delicious. Had another amazing lesson with Li. Then had an amazing lesson with Anne. Then had pickleball game night. It was fun, but holy, kids are insane sometimes.

Sunday. Rip Elder Barnes. Woke up. Took the sacrament to Chen 妈妈. Then bro goes, alright we need to go home. Apparently bro was super 病. So 可惜. So we missed church, and most of the day. I got to catch up on studies though which was nice. Got out for a little bit in the evening.

Then it happened

After our mission wide Sunday Zoom meetings, we get a message from President on our Chinese Zone group chat. "Please get on the Call again"

My heart sinks.

We hop on, Pres hits us with a whole shpeel. And drops the bomb... No more Chinese zone.

Devastation.

How tragic.

Monday morning, transfer boards drop. And the nightmare is made manifest. No zone. But it's chilly though, cus I'm staying in Richmond and killing Elder Barnes! So blessed up transfer for real. Ban Ban was still super pooped so we spent the morning indoors. Made it to the church for some planning. Helped a member jump a car. Shoutout to my goated father who taught me all the useful stuff of life. And had a member meal. So lit, so fun, so blessed.

Then today. The final Hurrah! last Chinese zone p-day. It was super fun. Played pickleball, secret hitler, and lots of games. My goats, my day ones. The end was pretty bitter sweet. But no fear, here am I! I'm called here to rebuild this thing. To pull the family back together.

Super good week though, I'm hyped for this transfer. Will be an epic one!

Quick lil drop though

I listened to two talks. "Be ye therefore perfect-eventually" and "Perfection Pending"

In these talks they talk about possibly the hardest commandment given from Jesus Christ. Be ye therefore Perfect. Well flip, I think we all fail that one.

But let's read something

Mathew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect.

Cool cool

Now let's read this

3 Nephi 12:48 Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in Heaven is perfect.

Notice a difference?

When Jesus was still on this earth with a mortal body, He commands us the be perfect, even as our Father in Heaven is perfect.

But, once He had a perfect resurrected body, and went and visited the Nephites, He says, be perfect, even as 'I', and your Father in Heaven who is perfect.

That's interesting that Jesus wasn't "perfect" while during His mortal ministry.

So, why does this commandment seem so hard?

Because people take it as the literal meaning Perfect, meaning living a sinless life. But that's not the case.

When I read it in Chinese, the word is 完全 instead of perfect. The word 完全 means "complete".

The commandment isn't to live a perfect, flawless, and sinless life. It was never meant to be. He commands us to be complete. Which means doing our best here on earth, and being complete through Christ and Heavenly Father. And that doesn't come until after death.

I just thought it was pretty cool. This is a life of progression. To learn, grow, and be "perfected" in and through Christ because He is risen and provided the atonement.

And I'm pretty grateful for it.