So thank you guys so much for coming out tonight. I was not expecting this many people to come. So I just want to thank you guys so much.
For all your guys prayers and for your support for me through this whole year in school and these mission trips.
I know you guys have helped so much with all of those so I just I'm so thankful for all of you guys and you truly are like all my family and I really love all of you guys so much so thank you for everything I wouldn't be able to be here without you guys.
But also before, like, I think a picture of this whole group because you guys look so good.
So big. Okay.
OK, I love pictures of you and I, so.
So yeah, I am going to share a little bit about my trip to Malaysia and South Korea.
I was gone for 2 months and yeah I learned so much during these 2 months and I just kind of wanted to share with you guys a little bit what the Lord was teaching me through these 2 months and just everything I learned there was so much so the first place I went was Malaysia.
And so here it was my team that I went to in Malaysia. Some of you guys actually got to meet them because they came and we did a babysitting night and yeah it was this team it was such an amazing team they are such encouraging friends all at a may school Really just like build each other up and they're like the iron sharpens Iron type friendship.
So I'm super thankful that I got to go with all these people. And so yeah, this is the team I got to go with all these people.
And so yeah, this is the team I got to go with all these people. And so yeah, this is the team I got to go with, to Malaysia.
And I also got to go between many so I got to actually plan and find Marisa right next to me so that was kind of fun getting to have a little bit of home with me.
So yeah, the trim to Malaysia started off. I was praying that the trip to Malaysia started off.
I was praying that the Lord would, what we use mean and every area of the trip, like I just wanted to be using every every way possible and so the Lord like gave me so many opportunities throughout this whole trip and I wanted to share one of them that actually happened.
Right? As I go onto the plane. So. As I was on the plane.
Hi, how to sit next to someone named Edmond and Evan had the same birthday as me same day like we were the exact same age and so it was really funny that I was sitting right next to him a Yeah, it was it was so funny because We were just talking and I, he was actually praying, but what I didn't know is he was Muslim.
So, for For 6 h, me and Evan actually got to have a conversation about what he believed the one I believed in got a chance to share the gospel with him and he was so interested.
He. Testing me on so much of my Bible knowledge like really question I so many questions he had and so that was the first experience where I was like wow this is what I'm gonna go into.
And then straight when I got to, Malaysia, we met, this guy named Arik, he's from the, the Bill of Queens and actually me and Promise were, and some of the people were just at a store and came up to us and wanted to meet some Americans.
So we actually got to share the gospel to him too and it was basically invited him in and this is the first night we got there so first night was already like so many opportunities, but it kept going.
The next day we actually had the chance. To go to a refugee learning center. And so this place.
It was started by a group of Christians who just wanted a place for the refugees to feel safe so they offered like free classes for the kids.
And so it was a really amazing opportunity to get to do a little Bible lesson with them and extinct songs and do games.
Most of these kids come from, and extinct songs and do games. Most of these kids come from Muslim background and, really bad home. Most of these kids come from Muslim background in really bad home situations.
Most of these kids come from Muslim background and really bad home situation so we even got part of what these Christians do on care is they do house visits with the families and so we were able to even visit some of the families and get to pay with them and yeah just get to hear about their lives and I was it was really eye-opening to just hear like everything that they've been going through in their lives and and
how they still put their hope in Jesus. So super encouraging to see like this was their house. It was It was just round, no furniture, no nothing.
So that was a really. That having the next day that we got to Malaysia.
And then that day, we also went to a place called, and this, 2 caves is a, Thanks.
K is a, Hindu temple and it's a very big tourist attraction, in Malaysia.
A very big tourist attraction, in Malaysia. But going there is very sad for us because this verse I want to read this verse for moments says for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who by their unrighteousness to pass the truth.
For what the, what can be known about God is plain to them because God has shown it to them for his invisible attributes, namely his eternal power, divine nature, has been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world and the things they have in the things they have been made.
So they are without excuse. While learning more God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile and their thinking and their bullish hearts were darkened, claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and keeping things.
So while we were here, this was a really big eye opening experience for me because I saw people. Worshiping idols.
And I, in the states, I guess we don't. See that as often our idols.
I mean It's a problem here. Our idols are just different things. Maybe it's things and there's media and and and people, it could be anything.
That could be your idols here, but for them, it is interesting to see them like really like this video you can see like people just worshiping this idle and And, yeah, like all these animals that they had.
Made and so many people came here just to do that and made me realize like far this worldly living is so broken like they're hit we need a savior we need Jesus and so this was a really eye opening experience for all of us and I'm glad you got to see that the first.
First day in Malaysia. Is they showed us what the world is, what we have in this world.
That honestly gave us a lot of motivation to start sharing the gospel. Everywhere we wanted to find more opportunities to share the gospel.
And so in Malaysia you actually cannot share the gospel to any Muslim or you get thrown in jail.
So we were thinking of different ways we could we could share the gospel. And so one way we did that was even in, so, because we have to take lovers everywhere or like, they called it.
And so we would share the gospel to each other, like, they called it. And so we would share the gospel to each other while the gospel to each other while the.
And so we would share the gospel to each other while the Hooper driver will be driving to us because we weren't sharing to them. We're just sharing with each other.
So that was one way we got Do that, which is really fun. And so, Let's go.
Yeah, and then that same, that next day we also got a chance to serve a youth rally.
And so many kids we were We didn't actually, we, you're gonna serve with this. They totally put us in. We had no idea what we were gonna do.
So we did all the music, went on the spot, all the games on the sky. We were helping out with breakout sessions with kids and we actually got so this you've got rally was actually the first Brendan Church in Malaysia that we got to be us.
So that was really cool to experience as well. We also got 2. The visit so many churches.
This is one of the churches we visited and it was during Father's Day so we got to do a little song for them and one of the members on my team got to.
To preach and yeah and then after the people wanted to play games with us we paid musical chairs with the old church.
So that was that was really cool too. But yeah, it was really interesting to see just all the churches I visited in Malaysia in Korea.
So hospitable and people are so kind. They, they don't even have that much, but they give you everything.
And so that was super encouraging to see these people believers just take you in and He's so kind to you and so I experienced this everywhere I went.
Here's some more pictures of our team scoring the city. Up in this corner, this is us trying birds saliva.
Little weird. A lot of the we had was interesting, but it was good. It was good. So now I want to talk about.
The IVC of conference that we went to. So if you guys don't know what the IVC conference is it is the international brother conference is it is the international brother conference.
Is it is the international brother conference of missions and so in this conference is it is the International Brother Conference, emissions.
And so in this conference, there was actually 1,100 people there. The, 104 countries and It was, oh, in this, in fact, I wasn't, to be honest.
The people, you just, people from all around the world, everyone who. Like, the same as you and loves the Lord so much and has their own ministries across the world and getting to be in one room together was just in the so encouraging for me.
And so, yeah, the ICM conference was A real big highlight for. It honestly was a.
It was a
It was like a foundation for the whole trip. I learned so much during this one week and I feel like everything I learned, I was able to like put into action eventually.
One of the things about the conference is just, again, just the body of Christ. You get to see the body of Christ, people from everywhere.
Working together too. We were prepping for IVCM, so we were helping out with registration and you just see people from all across the world.
I mean, EG, we're talking barrel violence. I never even knew that was a country.
Pleases in Africa, India, China, both in every country. Then even some of the countries that if I met I didn't even know there were countries.
But you need all these people and you're working together to make this conference happen. It was such a beautiful picture and I really learned to to see like the heart of God and like, you know, he loves all these people around the world.
He's working in everyone's lives as individuals. And that was really cool to just see the unity in this conference.
Yeah, I learned this conference. The topic was a lot of, the body of Christ, it talked about.
Reconciliation and so a lot of churches around you would talk to all these churches and a lot of churches go through like division.
There's a hard times. But the conference was a lot talking about how to. Products of like forgiveness and how when we forgive each other and it's a picture of Jesus and it's a platform for the gospel and so many that was one of the topic.
Another topic was just discipleship and I love learning about the. Just how you can like the learn call us to make disciples of all nations. And you know, sharing the gospel is good and we're called to do that.
But disciples, it's like, you know, sharing the gospel is good and we're called to do that.
But disciples, it's like, you Just like how Jesus like his disciples walked alongside and that's what we should do as a as together, you know, and with other believers.
And so that was really cool to learn and, Another thing we learned was the. How to help the generational So.
How to. They could bridge between the older generation and the younger generation. And that's something that I was really interested in hearing because I feel in many churches there's this disconnect between the older and the other generation and you see a lot of.
Kids end up leaving church. After like high school and it makes me really sad that that's the reality and I've talked to so many people in this conference.
And a lot of their The churches are dying out there and it's a problem that everyone's going through.
And so a big part of the conference is how to stop that. How do we? How do we?
Get kids to still be in church and cause they're the future, you know, if there's no kids, then eventually church will die out.
And so along the strategies of how to, help you and, How to, you know, build relationships with each other like the older people pouring into younger people and how the younger people look up to the older people so many so many of the topics and if you guys are more interested in hearing all these messages they're all online and I would love.
You guys hear they're super, super good. Yeah, also, One interesting thing that happened during this conference is You know, the devil doesn't want a bunch of believers being together in one area.
And so the first night there was a lot of You could get like there everything was going wrong.
The system, the sound system was going on. There's music was going on, but you couldn't even hear any of the speakers.
It was a throw of medicine. So it was interesting like, you know. All these, these problems, like, does they want that happen, but so many people like they actually stopped the conference.
Or like, okay, we need to just pray because this, doesn't want this to happen. And so a lot of people were praying for this conference.
Yeah. Yeah, it was really cool to see the power of God working that because the conference ended up being amazing and honestly.
It was a witness for the people, who were. Serving us in this hotel. So this hotel was all full of Muslim staff.
So they were like doing all the food and everything. They were watching the entire conference and so in my head I was playing this bold confidence that this would be a witness for those people because they're watching this.
People from all the world coming together, raising God and worshiping God and loving each other. It is such a beautiful picture to see.
And so big prayer for that week was for those people and I think it was like a unifying aspect for everyone was praying for these people.
And, I think it was like a unifying, aspect where everyone was praying for these people that was locked that were watching us.
So all these things that I learned was healthy for the rest of the trip. And so yeah, here's some of the pictures of the people and then you can see the diversity.
Actually the people. People right here, and apparently I went to their wedding. So I hadn't seen them since then so it was really cool to meet them.
Oh yeah, here's kind of a picture of what it all looks like. This is A video of them all singing in their own language.
Yeah, so that was that was really cool. But yeah, now, so right after this week of the conference being equipped for the mission that we're going to go on and getting to meet all these believers.
We run to a place called Borneo. They had to actually fly there and yeah, we stayed there for 10 days.
Here's a little video all of you and what we did. But you know, we in this camp, I mean in this little village.
There they basically You're an indigenous group. They live in long houses. And.
They used to be head hunters. Back in the day and yeah they have a lot.
Oh, and a mystic background. So like. They used to believe in like, you know, spiritual world and a lot, very similar to like Native American and witch doctors and so that was what they know so a lot of these kids their grandparents grew up with that.
And so. This, village we went there was actually a. Christians who Just one family that was basically, there, to help this community.
So they had one church there and just the long house where everybody lives in it together. And so us Americans, there are 6 of us that went.
Went on this trip and I was not expecting for it to be bigger, we actually had a combined team like other Malaysians.
I didn't know what to expect, but when I got to the airport, I realized, wow, this is all old people.
And like, I just talked, I was like, wow, we're gonna do a with all the older people.
Like I'm saying, we're like this lady right here. She was 78.
And I'm so sorry.
Never mind.
Okay, but anyways, they're older than us, okay? So, the majority of them, we're all, all of them are over 50.
Okay, let me just say that. And so it was so interesting because we had just been learning about you know how to bridge the gap to the older and younger generation.
When doing a mission trip with a bunch of wonderful people and a bunch of young people. And so I'm like, people in a bunch of young people.
And so I was like, how's this gonna work out? I'm just really curious how the whole trip would go out.
But It was amazing. I loved these people. They were so sweet. They're all people from different churches in Malaysia and they all came together.
And I mean, some of these, you know, we're so to be made. You know, they were recording to other people, but they were really pouring into, asking us questions, asking us about our testimonies.
Do we like the best? It was so, asking us about our testimonies. Do we like the bus?
It was so encouraging to see an older generation, doing like the best. It was so encouraging to see an older generation like really pouring into us and this lady named CI.
She was with us young people the entire time she was like, okay, what are we gonna do now?
Do you wanna go on hike? Do you want me this? She was sleeping on the board with us.
She was like This lady was crazy. And I've never been such a crazy way. She's so wonderful.
And this lady, her name is.
. IT. Anyways, both of them had just lost their husbands. And actually this lady, she lost her husband a month before this trip.
And like, it was crazy to see them, these widows, they came on this trip. And they were just so full of love.
So full of joy. So, and so that was a really encouraging thing for me to see that through their trials they're so on fire for God.
And so yeah, this week we did, with the kids, we did a Bible, EBS for the young kids and then we did a, Bible camp for the older kids and before hands we had prepared everything and that was really cool and the older the older people they actually so our ministry that we focus more on the kids but the older people were pouring into the other older people.
So that was really cool to see then like everyone had a job. So again, you see the volume price.
Everyone has their different, jobs, but working together, the one goal. So that will super policy.
I mean, Okay, but Yeah, so here's some more pictures from the cam. We actually did the wordless book bracelet which I'm gonna teach you how to do because we're gonna be doing them on Saturday.
So we did this with the kids, they loved it. And one interesting thing about these kids.
Is that Is that? A lot of them, I mean. This picture first.
A lot of them had a wrong gospel. So a lot of them believe that You know, we did all these camps and they're fun, but if you're not.
Intentional of the people during these trips, then it can be a whole waste, you know. Don't do these camps, but I feel like the most valuable times are when after the activities, when you get to sit down with the K's and just talk to them about their life and see where they're at.
And so a lot of these kids said, they're asked, like, how, how would you tell your friend how to get to heaven?
And a lot of them saying, oh, reminded the gods. And I was like, oh. Good nuts.
They're like, oh, yeah, there's so many gods out there. We chose to believe the Christian God, but you just believe in Aegon, then we could go to heaven.
And so like, but they don't consider themselves Christians, but they have never, a lot of these kids have never even like read their Bible. Like the Sunday service was so shallow when we went there.
It was mostly just worship songs. A very shallow message. And so they have never really.
They hear the gospel, but they never really understood it. And so it was really, put on time to be able to share the gospel.
And I, I was talking to these kids and I would say, you know, so you say you're a Christian, so you believe everything in the Bible and it was like, oh yeah, and I would say, okay, so you believe everything the Bible is true.
I'm like, yeah, yeah. And then I would say, no, the Bible says that there's only one true God.
And there's only one way to get to heaven and that's through Jesus. And the faces on these kids when they realize like they're so confused because they have learned something else.
And so being able to share like the gospel with them, and getting to clear it up like what is actually the gospel, what is true, was such a cool experience and people see these kids, they were just crowding around.
They all wanted, they all wanted to hear and some of them after they came up with their Bibles to me and they're like, can you teach us how to read our Bible?
Like just special moments like that and they just like. So attention they wanted to learn so much and I've never had like is there just really they're asking me these questions.
Like, hey, I want to learn. I want to know. So that was such a cool experience to just see that.
And yeah, so. Another story I can share is these little boys. These little boys, they did not have.
A mom. For it done. We're Good, I took care of them. There was 3 boys.
And every day you would see them just wandering around in the streets. They had no teeth, by the way.
All their teeth were rotten. The place they lived they had the same shirt every They were just in these clothes that were just not clean and and they The grandma is so like, so sick.
And so she can't take care of him. So these kids are just wandering this reason. People in the meaning take care of them.
It was, it was so sad to see, again, like these people taking care of these kids. And, we really, we really love these kids.
And, we really, we really love these kids a lot when we were there and tried to be with them as much as possible.
They're trying to be with them as much as possible. They didn't want to like those, of us when we were in there and tried to be with them as much as possible.
They didn't want to like go us when we left it. Actually, when we left this fourth village, the kids were just crying and crying.
Because they didn't want us to leave. And I mean, my heart the whole time I was like all these kids need someone to walk alongside them.
They need they need that disciples should they heard the gospel but now they need someone to walk alongside them.
So that was it was really hard to leave. But it, it was a very. Experience and But on this trip, I'm not gonna lie.
There were some really hard parts of the trip. Part of it has to do with the food. It was.
This picture can see. This is this is what we eat every day is wild board. And rice that had like baby fish in it and just honestly, I don't even know what it was.
You can see this. I really don't know what it was, but it was every meal back.
And so. It was hard. But I feel like the world doesn't that. I mean.
If they need it, I mean, but like this was our shower. It's just a black room with a bucket of water.
It's just a black room with a bucket of water. We slept on the floors every day and even like we're helping some of the.
Oh. Hello, one thing. One thing, the one protected us the school trip because In this village, Dingy, was going around.
I don't know if you guys know what Danny Beaver is, but it's really serious virus that he is stunned by this mosquito.
Hello, we're in the hospital in the week before we got there. 3 people had died and They had bogged the place twice while we were there.
And that was a little scary because it was going everywhere. Like as we left, there are people who are not thinking, they were rushed to the hospital.
So the ward really protected us on this on this trip and Even like this pool over here, they were helping one of the ladies with her with her work and this was a poisonous River, this is called the Rocky and so all of us who touch the water, not just rash us, didn't know.
So just like in all the bugs, there was a lot of hard things. But it was such a cool experience.
And I really do believe like board is just protecting us that full time and even like all our fears like he calm because I mean even there like I told you is a very they're battling between like what they Now, believe in the Christians, but, their background, just that spiritual side.
So there's a lot of spiritual warmth there, a lot of spiritual attacks that we saw. That were really kind of scary to see at first, but then you realize that like Jesus is stronger than all this, all the evil courses and all these people would talk about the fear that they had seen like spirits everywhere.
But the good thing is that these people would just they said all we have to do is pray sing worship songs and they go away and so you see like they they believe God and they know God is more powerful than all the things in the world.
And so on your, I can see these different special attacks on people and I've never seen that before because that apparently, in the East, the devil works a lot in.
That way with these different spiritual attacks but in the West where we live we don't as often see that.
So yeah, that was really interesting to see as a whole team for us. Here's another picture of what the, the way back.
We got lost. And so we, we hitchhike to someone on the road which It's interesting, but yeah, anyways, that whole, that was such a, experience for me.
I learned. So much. About, you know. Serving the Lord in difficult places.
And I mean, there's harder places out there, but you see like the need for the gospel is everywhere.
But you see like the need for the gospel is everywhere. People need to hear it.
There's not a need for the gospel is everywhere. People need to hear it.
There's not a lot of people that are willing to go out there those places. So, I just saw like the need, more people who are willing to go out.
And so yeah, very, very amazing. We. And then that week after I actually got the chance to be, for the week.
And so, That's the time with Marissa and their family, which is such a beautiful time.
Such an amazing time. I loved it. And so one of the things, you know, I learned in the IVC conference was discipleship.
So I really thought this is an opportunity, you know, I learned in the ICC conference was discipleship.
So I really thought this is an opportunity, you know, to practice with discipleship. So I really thought this is an opportunity, you know, to practice discipleship.
And so, you know, even though I said for the full week was very fun And yeah, it's just a really encouraging time to be together and get to have a little bit of phone right where I was and so yeah during that week I got to meet so many people from the different churches and.
Yeah, I get to. To even speak up, share my testimony with the youth group. And so that, yeah, that was all.
Really, really cool. To get to do and so Yeah, that kinda was my trip from Malaysia.
It was really busy and I mean I could share with you so many stories but I don't know how much I don't have enough time.
And also there's Korea I have to get you to so So yeah, the relationship was I learned so much.
And yeah, another thing about Malaysia, just, you know, those people in, Borneo, like they had nothing, but they gave everything. Like these people were so hospitable.
So that, it was so cool to see that. But yeah, now to Korea.
I not gonna lie. I was a little exhausted after going hard for like 4 weeks and now going to Korea.
But, the Lord. So, how gave, give me strength, but it was, it was a lot.
So went to Korea and everyone was full force ready to start going. So, here's a little video of I can talk through it a little bit.
You're songs, but yeah, so while we were in Korea, we visited so many churches.
This was with another MAYS team. So another total different. And so yeah, we did a I link, English cam.
So here, I look, you were actually teaching English, also using these bracelets. So yeah, team week the first week was a lot of like team bonding.
I'm seeing Churchill learning the history of Korea and actually you didn't know that Korea is the second most sending country for missionaries.
So US is the first, but Korea is the second. It is. To, set missionaries.
Oh yeah, we also got to But yeah, so it was really cool because throughout this trip we got to meet different missionaries and in Korea there was a ton of street evangelists too.
I see them all on the streets. And so yeah, getting with them, getting to be at all these different churches and, meeting the believers.
And yeah, it was a really special time. And yeah, that second week we got to, Do host the camp at this school, this Christian school, and so yeah, if you guys didn't know my major is ESL.
And so, yeah, if you guys didn't know my major is ESL, so teaching English as a second language.
So teaching English as a second language. So this is very fun experience for me to get a second language.
So this is a very fun experience for me to get to practice being a teacher. So in my classroom I had like 30.
2020 students. And got to, teach English and we did, bunch of activities with the kids and, did cultural exchanges that they would teach us.
Caribbean gains and we teach them American games and sing songs in English and yeah, got to even share my testimony with all of them.
And so yeah, it was a really, really cool week to just, be with these kids and, to them and the Korean culture is so, to them and, the Korean culture is so, there's such respectful people, they're super, super respectful.
And they just. Yeah, they love to learn. Love, love to learn. In fact, these kids are in school from like 7 a. M.
All the way to late at night they study so so late so they were really I'm excited to that and some of these pictures you see is we actually did a book but washing at the end where we washed our student speed.
So we had different We each had a little group the whole week. And yeah, we were learning about.
Should pause that. About know how Jesus washed this, and how to serve people.
And so we did that with our students and these kids, they would just say they were so touched by this by this action some of them were like teacher please don't touch by by this action. Some of them are like teacher please don't.
Just, but someone that we're just in crying, crying because they were just so, so shocked that we would, you would do something like this.
And it was such a special moment because after the kids, they asked like, okay, wash your feet too.
And so it was a very, very touching experience. And a lot of the kids. And after like amount of notes, all of us got on our team about just thinking so much becoming like, I want to, I want to.
Closer in my relationship with Jesus. I thank you for sharing it just like all these notes from these kids.
And so it was really just a full experience just to be there with them and get to. Provide this can then all the mass to come back next year and you know it's so hard leaving these people you meet them do you love them and you have to leave them.
So that was to come back next year and you know, it's so hard leaving these people.
You meet them, you love them and then you have to leave them. So that was it was hard to do that but the third week we actually went to a full Korean camp.
And so there was 300. Koreans at this camp. And the thing that happened was, so there's 12 of us Americans, but that week everybody got sick.
Everyone was dropping like flies. Like everyone on my team. And so there was about 4 of us Americans that were not sick.
And I was one of them that didn't get sick. But like my teacher, she was in the hospital with an IV.
All like my friends like were in they could not even get up they had such a bad blue and so and like I had drinking out of their hubs and everything and I never got sick.
So, and that was another way we're down was like really protecting me in that moment, but I really believe that he had opened the doors for.
That specific week. It was a interesting experience to be like. The only one that doesn't really, you know what I mean?
So all of them speak Korean and you're like the only one that doesn't really expect. You know what I mean?
So all them speak Korean and you're like the only person that speaks and no one's talking to like no one knows how to talk to you because they don't know English and Such a different culture and.
Yeah, it, it was. A hard experience but it was really humbling experience too because I really realized like what it's like for someone even to come here to America.
Someone who's never, never doesn't know the language to come here and how scared they must feel.
So It was it was a good eye experience and one of the things that the word taught me was really to just trust him a lot.
And so last minute while I was there they asked me to share my my testimony with all the students and I was super nervous.
It was 300 people and like. I was not prepared, I didn't know what I was gonna say, and I knew that if I was going to share my testimony, I was going to talk about what it looks like to surrender your life to Jesus.
Because I felt like that's what I've been hearing from some of the kids like struggles.
And so I really want to talk what it looks like to to surrender your life to Jesus and so I remember them asking me and and being so scared, literally shaking and I was just. And so I remember them asking me and being so scared, literally shaking.
And I was just praying I was like, okay, I'm about to talk about surrendering my life to Jesus.
I need to surrender my fears right now. It's Lord. So just praying and praying that God would just give me.
The strength and like ability to speak because I'm not a good public speaker. I really don't like speaking.
And so Like, I remember walking up there and like praying, playing, playing that, would help me.
And as I got on that stage, I remember just feeling, need sense of peace. Like I've never felt like that before.
And that moment might be. I like, I just gave the words to say and honestly I really feel like they weren't even my words like I didn't.
I started a lot of my words and so Like, God just helped me save what he wanted. What he wanted these kids to hear.
And so, Yeah, just talking about what it looks like to surrender and like it's not.
One day you're like just changes on that. It's like a daily surrender. And so like a lot of these kids that grew up in Christian homes and they go through all the motions of church and then you know there's the enemy, the enemy is around and He uses everything he can to make you.
Not feel like you need. So maybe that's the distractions of the world. Maybe that's like your friends, maybe that's spirits, any, you can use anything in your life to distract you from, God.
And so I talked about like in my own experience, what it was what it was like to have all these distractions and like not have a close relationship with Jesus.
And how destructive it was just a light build of anxiety and just Very just a sad life.
And you know, you still going to church and everything, but you're still going through this this battle because you haven't surrendered every area if you're linked to Jesus.
So I kind of like, you know, produce the render, like to Jesus, everything like that sometimes that means like you have to say by some of those friends that are you know, like to Jesus, everything like that sometimes that means like you have to save by some of those friends that are, you know, not good influences too.
Maybe you have to say goodbye to some, I don't know what you have to say, but surrendering looks like.
Just lay it on his feet and turning from all these sense that are holding you back from a relationship with Jesus because when you turn from all those sins and say, Jesus, you're all I want, you're like, changes like for me, my life changed when I did that.
And even though I grew up in a Christian home, I feel like my walk but Jesus didn't start until I learned how to surrender every minutes of daily surrender.
And like, I just want these kids like Jesus is like my best friend. And like, I just want these kids like Jesus is like my best friend.
Like you go to church and you hear about Jesus is like my best friend. It's like you go to church and you hear about Jesus, but it's like my best friend.
It's like you go to church and you hear about Jesus, but it's there's a difference between hearing about Jesus and really knowing Because if I have like, for example, Lexi, this is Lexi.
She's my friend from New Zealand. I have a close relationship with Lexi. I don't know.
And I can tell you so much about her and what she's doing in line and you can be like, wow, he's such a good person.
But you don't have that same relationship as I do. And it's the same thing with Jesus.
If you don't know, Jesus, you don't have that relationship, you're not spending time with him or like even talking to him, you're not gonna know that closeness.
You're not gonna appreciate him the same way as You're not gonna, yeah, you're not gonna be able to appreciate him if you just knew him as.
As someone who did. You hear about him at church. So it was really encouraging these kids know. Have that relationship, Jesus, because it's the best thing I won't ever have to like my life right now, it's more meaningful, more impactful.
Like it is the best like to live even through all the the struggles that you go through living your life but Jesus is number one is seriously the best thing in life.
And like I just have seen how whether it has worked in my life. Through the years even when I wasn't walking with him he was he's always faithful even by word and so I That's something that's always just been on my heart.
And that's how came in my high school years and. Something that I want kids to know.
Like, cause it's, it's a struggle being someone who's grown up in a church and you feel like you know everything but you are still missing that one aspect.
You don't. No one is like to have him as your best friend. And so, that was a really cool time to encourage these kids and I feel like that really, most like my past experiences and all the hard things that I've been through for that really, most like my past experiences and all the hard things that I've been through for that moment to like share with these kids and all the hard things that I've been through for that moment
to share with these kids. And, yeah, just getting those chances to share, with all those people.
I've been through for that moment to share with these kids and, yeah, just getting those chances to share, with all but yeah, so.
Yeah, where we did that camp. And the fourth week we got to spend time and post families and get to.
Yeah, make more people, get to hear their stories and, Yeah, just so, many people and actually this last week was.
Because we met this we were at this one church and this church was so encouraging to me because they were such a thriving church and this church was so encouraging to me because they were such a thriving church.
They had They're knowing so much and they have so many young people involved. And it's because they do ministry in their church like they're every Saturday, every Saturday they have an outreach program where they have kids from the neighborhood come in, they can do basketball, they can have activities like people's.
I like their light. All the church kids, their friends. Oh, they're poor friends. And so like they spent time throughout the week, they're eating meals together, they're eating meals together, they have a huge collage ministry too. They have a huge college ministry too.
And so Yeah, it was. Learning cool to see this church because they had just kept building churches once they had a certain size they start a new church.
And so you see this little church that started people being so active in it and how it just keeps spreading, spreading and spreading.
And so that was super encouraging for me to see young people serving and and older people serving and I feel like I really saw like that.
Like the older people according to young people, the younger people serving and like just all this amazing thing to see in Korea.
There wasn't really, church to be at. So. Another, yeah, that was.
That was about the 4 weeks, briefly. So here's some, yeah, fourth pictures. That's when I was sharing.
This is all the kids. And I actually, at a, I got to teach. I had a year where I was teaching one of those students and this was actually my student from, this past year that have been teaching.
So it was cool. I got to meet him. Yeah, spend time with all these kids and even.
This is a really cool experience of this. To this, her name is Rua. She's actually my teacher's daughter.
So she was like attached to me the entire Tiger trip. Like she was following me everywhere and she's actually in the same age as all the girls at church.
But she, it was so cool to see her heart for Jesus. She was always excited. She's like, that's your word, we're gonna share. How we're gonna encourage these people?
She's like, hey, do you want to do like a city right now? Like, what for pushing every.
It was so full to see this girl like just so on fire for the Lord and she just like she wanted to stick close and She knew that I would do it with her.
So that was a really cool opportunity even to serve like on my own. Team and so I'm really thankful that Roa and, and so yeah, all these different experiences in Malaysia and in Korea.
Really taught me. A couple of things. First of all, like, like I told you, the body price, how important it is that we work together.
We all need each other. We all have different talents. We all have different gifts that the Lord has given us.
But like together, we can do so much. And so I just seen this everywhere with so eye-opening.
Just to. Yeah, to be together as teams, even though like this Korea team, it was the people on that team were not.
People I would normally hang out with. In fact, it was a very difficult team at first to be on.
I really doubted a lot of how we were. Work together but the learn does differently because it ended up being amazing.
I saw the beauty and difference of people. And so that was a cool lesson just to see how.
The body price works together and, and just the love that believers have for each other is so strong.
It's like the strongest love out there. And so seeing that all of the world, very encouraging for me.
And also to say the biggest thing that was in my heart this entire trim. Was this this bird in my heart like, hey, I'm seeing all the need up here, we're serving.
Like all these people and it's really cool that I love doing this but my My heart was always back here.
Like I was always thinking about you guys and our church and I was like, man, you know. Right, yes, there's, there's so much need out here, but there's lead here too, like the mission view is literally right here like It's in our backyard.
And so if anything, this whole trip encouraged me more to be like, this old trip encouraged me more to be like more active here because this is the people I'm, encourage, me more to be like more active here because this is the people I'm with.
These are the people I see every day. And so, yeah, it's fun going, these are the people I see every day.
And so, yeah, it's fun going on mission trip. It's so eye opening, but really the place where you're at is like, is so important.
And so I feel being intentional with people and not just intentional need but intentional your relationship with the Lord because of your intentional with your relationship with the Lord then you can be intentional with people too.
And so yeah, it just encouraged me. So much to come back here and. Honestly, that's a big reason why I thought this.
Urge to not go back to school. Just take a part time. I'm still in school by the way.
I'm doing some classes, but I've already had a desire to stay here, being being with you guys and and How about the youth group and just be more, present in people's lives here because I think it's, super valuable and I mean it's really encouraging for me that all you guys are here right now like I'm actually shocked that this many people came out and It's super encouraging for
me. So I hope it's also encouraging for you guys to see that all of us are here like this is so fun we should do this more often to like be together and I'm spend time together.
I feel like these past 3 weeks we've just been eating meals together all the past 3 weeks we've just been eating meals together all the time and hanging out and multiple times during the weekend.
I feel like that's what we used to be for like COVID and everything. But these should be just that hung out all the time.
Like I remember my church friends were the only friends I had. And my church friends were the only friends I have.
So I think that would be really cool to have that again. Take place for the church, these kids are the next generation.
We need to support it to them because, you know, I don't want our church to die out.
That's the last thing I want is for our church to die out. So. That like this weekend we're gonna be doing this outreach events.
Stewing the gospel bracelets. At Toast and we have another in a couple of weeks.
We're also gonna do another, outreach about the neighborhood because guys our church is in the middle of a neighborhood and I don't feel like any of the people in our neighborhood.
Even know us. So I think it's really important for us to be made known to the people in in our community and even Like a chance to get to say hi to them, you know, so I think that's in the plans to do that sometime.
So we all need each other and so I'm so thankful for all of you guys are to serve the Lord and sacrifice your time and and just be so excited to to be in like involved in church and I remember coming back and Serena was telling me so many things about BBS and how amazing it was and how she really felt like this.
You would in our church and however was working together. She said it was literally the best VPS she's ever been to and that it really like encouraged her a lot so it was so cool to see that like the Lord was already working here and like that was my desired like the HOPE, and I'm saying, oh, I wonder how churches I want, I'm gonna come back here and I wanna like
start being more intentional people, but it was already happening. And so it's just how the world is working in all of our lives at the same time.
So I think to keep it up. And I just want to end with this verse. And so let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together as it is the habit of some by encouraging one another and all the bar as you see the day drawing here and I just want to say I the word is coming back soon and we need to live like he's coming back.
I think this versus been very, to me because I you and more and more strongly like we like our world is being prepared like it's ready for the Lord to come back so many things are happening.
If you look around, there's so many things happening. If you look around, there's so many, so many things happening.
And I think being around going around the world showing me like this. So many terrible things going on.
But yeah, Jesus is coming back soon and I think we need to not. I feel like I always live my life like, oh, you know, I don't know Jesus to come back until I'm married.
I have have kids and then you come back like I have all these plans but now it's like We can't live so much for the future when we don't have the future on this.
We have each day to day so we need to be living big linkages each day to day living like he's coming back.
Tomorrow or today honestly because if you knew that Jesus was coming back in 2 weeks like how would you live your life differently I know like that's something I was thinking about a lot these weeks.
The customers like, how would I live that like different thing? Would I live that like differently? Would I live differently?
When I live differently or would it be the same? So that's something that's like, how would I live that like differently? Would I live differently or would it be the same?
So that's something that this And so yeah, that's a little bit about my. Thank you so much for coming out.
And actually, I guess one last thing I was going to show you how to use these bracelets.
So I'm sure some of you know how to use these. But yeah, it starts off with.
This is how I was share with someone. So I'm gonna pretend you are the person I'm sharing it with.
I would say, okay, so I about, I'm going to tell you a story. I'm using this bracelet.
This story is actually about you. And so it starts off in the beginning. So, Created all the things in the world.
He made plants, trees and everything. You look around. He made everything and I don't think he made was good.
But the most important thing he made was you and me. That's his master. He's you are his masterpiece, his most prized possession.
And he loves him very, very much. And so I love you so much. That he actually has a desire for all.
All it is people to be in. And this is what yellow means. Yellow stands for heaven.
God wants all people to go to heaven and the Bible says. This is eternal life that you may know, God, the only truth is that you may know him the only true God in Jesus Christ in your sense.
So he, God loves, that loves you so much and he, God loves, that loves you so much and he wants you to But there is this problem and this is what this next color is.
The spy color represents SIN and SIN separates us from God. The Bible says for all have send and fall short of the glory of God.
And so everyone in this world has this issue of sin and Since separates us from the bully God, God can't have any sin.
And so because we have said we can't have that relationship with God. And the, she says the wages of sin is death.
And if you don't know what the wages, the wage is something you learn. So basically what it's saying is what you've earned for your SIN is death, which is complete separation from God.
And that's a very, very scary thing to think about. So that's the reality that all humans have to base that we are separating God because of our sin.
But the good news, this is not this end of the story. The good news is this red colored.
This red color represents what God did for us and and God loved you so much that he actually came down on this earth as a man.
He let the perfect light. He went through all the same struggles we went through, but the only difference is he never sent.
He never sent and he actually died on the cross spear since Jesus died on the cross fear since. So that you don't have to Hey, the punishment of sin.
And so Jesus died of the processor sends in. Not only did he die, but he actually defeated death because he rose again on the third day.
And so, the Bible says, God demonstrates his own love for us and that while we were still sinners, remember this black a lot of your soul centers, Christ.
So this is the good news that God gives a chance to all people to believe in Him. So there's now this white color this represents.
Well, we have to do next. Now, you can know that Jesus died on the cross since, but there's a difference between knowing and truly believing in him.
And so this way, PLAY represents believing in Jesus as your Savior because if someone gives you a gift, what are you gonna do with that kid?
Are you gonna open it or are you gonna put it on the shelf? You're gonna open it.
And so that's what you have to do. You have to believe in GC. You have to put your trust in Jesus that he actually did die on the cost reasons and paid for the punishment of, you know, penalty of send you pay for your sense on that process.
So when you believe in Jesus as your Savior that he died on the cross or since it rose again you have that access to go to heaven you have you are 100% guaranteed to go to heaven one day and so that's the good news and that's what changed my mind and that's the story that you have a chance to even get a chance to believe too.
And so this next color is green. It stands for growth. And so now when you believe in Jesus as your Savior, because of what he
Yeah, you like Jesus. And so this is how do we how do we know Jesus more? Well, you know, Jesus, more, well, we know, Jesus more, we can come more like him by reading his word.
Is this, how do we, how do we, know, Jesus more, we can come more like him by reading his word.
This is the Bible and you can read the Bible and know what Jesus is more and have a relationship with.
And you can become your best friend having that relationship with him is the best thing I will ever have and you can pray to him too and be in fellowship with believers and this is what this room one is because when you become a believer in Jesus is so important to start growing in a relationship with Jesus.
So, sometimes I'll even say, you know, there's an example of me and you were going in relationship with Jesus.
And so, sometimes I'll even say, you know, there's an example of me and and so, sometimes I'll even say, you know, there's an example of me and you were on going across the street and a car was about to kick, but right before it hits me, you jumped in front of me and you took the hit and die.
Now having a real Sarah just died for me. I'm just gonna live my life like nothing happened.
No, I would like, wow, Sarah, I mean, I want to live my life for her now.
It's the same thing with Jesus. It's Jesus, and now you want out of the overflow of what he did for you, the love of the overflow of what he did for you, the love he did for you, now you want to, love him as well.
So this is How I the gospel bracelet and there's different ways there's different verses but the main colors are heaven.
I loves you since since I'm brace you. Red is Jesus dialing across your sins. White is believe.
And cheese as your savior in green is grow in a relationship with him. So this is how one strategy we can do on Saturday when we share with a bunch of kids.
And so yeah, that's what I did these 2 months and that is that was really good and I'm really excited to see what he does in all of your lives and all of our lives.
And so I guess it's a encouragement for all of us to continue the long fate leaving him because he's He's what what this board looking for him so Thank you.