我希望寫下並告訴你們，在這美好的四年內能成為你們的分會會長和主教的感激。在唐人街服務的這四年，我遇到一些我看過最無私奉獻和忠於信仰的人。我花了很 多時間嘗試去認識你們，了解你們的文化、你們生活上的困難、你們內心深處的渴望。無數的小時下，我與你們在辦公室、電話、你們的家中聊天，使我不禁佩服和 愛你們。
當我在二零一零年被召喚做你們的分會會長時，我很緊張，因為我了解到這兩個民族所存在的文化和言語的巨大差異。然而，耶穌基督的福音並不取決於界限，聖靈的語言是通用的。耶穌基督後期聖徒教會不是一個美國人的教會，而是全球性的教會，由創造無數世界的救主所帶領。
在我跟你們一起努力時，我感受到你們對救主的愛，以及遵守衪誡命的決心。你們當中有很多人犧牲極大，來到美國，加入教會。你們很多都需要捨去家人、文化、生活的方式，來迎向救主的招手。我深感敬佩。
在很多方面下，你們都提醒了我，自己的祖先所付出的一切──他們的祖國、財產、人際關係，因而他們和他們的後代能在錫安中被竪立。如果你們希望得到他們所 得到的酬報，你們需要像他們一樣犧牲。你們每個人都要。你們的犧牲已然提升了我們每一個，可是這還未結束。先知約瑟斯密曾教導，一個沒有要求奉獻一切的宗 教，是無法產生足夠的信心讓人回去住在天父身邊。那麼，我們應如何犧牲？繼續勞動，獻上你們的時間、才能和你們的一生去建立衪的教會，遵守誡命。不管過去 是何樣，我們都必須再次承諾去重新我們跟神所立下的聖約，在衪已賜予我們之上，尋覓可改善之路。我確信唐人街支會會隨時間而成長和加強。我期待看見那個進 步，但是這有賴於你們各人聖化自己到神給我們的計劃裡。繳付你們的什一奉獻。遵守智慧語。準備自己接受聖殿的聖約，然後持守到底。
神不在乎你們賺多少錢，在世上有多受歡迎。衪在乎的是你們有沒有遵守洗禮時和在其他教儀上與衪所立下的諾言。如果你們也願意，我答應要保持忠信並持守到底。我愛你們每一人，感謝主在過去的四年間，我有這個榮幸，在你們之間服務。
麥主教上
To the beloved members and missionaries of the Chinatown Ward -
I wanted to write to all of you and tell you how grateful I am that I was able to be your Branch President and Bishop for four wonderful years. In the four years I served in Chinatown, I met some of the most dedicated and wonderful people in the gospel that I've ever seen. I spent many hours trying to get to know you, to understand your culture, your life's challenges and the contents of your hearts. I spent countless hours talking with you in my office and on the phone and in your homes. I grew to admire and love you.
在很多方面下，你們都提醒了我，自己的祖先所付出的一切──他們的祖國、財產、人際關係，因而他們和他們的後代能在錫安中被竪立。如果你們希望得到他們所 得到的酬報，你們需要像他們一樣犧牲。你們每個人都要。你們的犧牲已然提升了我們每一個，可是這還未結束。先知約瑟斯密曾教導，一個沒有要求奉獻一切的宗 教，是無法產生足夠的信心讓人回去住在天父身邊。那麼，我們應如何犧牲？繼續勞動，獻上你們的時間、才能和你們的一生去建立衪的教會，遵守誡命。不管過去 是何樣，我們都必須再次承諾去重新我們跟神所立下的聖約，在衪已賜予我們之上，尋覓可改善之路。我確信唐人街支會會隨時間而成長和加強。我期待看見那個進 步，但是這有賴於你們各人聖化自己到神給我們的計劃裡。繳付你們的什一奉獻。遵守智慧語。準備自己接受聖殿的聖約，然後持守到底。
神不在乎你們賺多少錢，在世上有多受歡迎。衪在乎的是你們有沒有遵守洗禮時和在其他教儀上與衪所立下的諾言。如果你們也願意，我答應要保持忠信並持守到底。我愛你們每一人，感謝主在過去的四年間，我有這個榮幸，在你們之間服務。
麥主教上
To the beloved members and missionaries of the Chinatown Ward -
I wanted to write to all of you and tell you how grateful I am that I was able to be your Branch President and Bishop for four wonderful years. In the four years I served in Chinatown, I met some of the most dedicated and wonderful people in the gospel that I've ever seen. I spent many hours trying to get to know you, to understand your culture, your life's challenges and the contents of your hearts. I spent countless hours talking with you in my office and on the phone and in your homes. I grew to admire and love you.
When I was called to be your Branch President in early 2010, I was
quite nervous because I knew that there was a large cultural and
language gap between our two nationalities. But the gospel of Jesus
Christ is not determined by boundaries - and the language of the Holy
Ghost is universal. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is
not an American church - it is a global church and it is led by the
Savior, who has created worlds without number.
I felt of your love of the Savior, and your commitment to keep his commandments as I labored with you. So many of you have made tremendous sacrifices to be here in the United States and to join the church. Many of you had to forsake your families, your culture, and your way of life to follow the beckoning of the Savior. I admire that. In many ways, you remind me of my own ancestors that gave everything - their homelands, their possessions and associations - so that they and their posterity could be raised in Zion. If you want the rewards they have earned, you must sacrifice as they did. All of us must. Your sacrifice has lifted all of us, but it is not over. The prophet Joseph Smith taught that a religion that did not require the sacrifice of all things would not have the power to produce the faith necessary to return to live with our Heavenly Father. So how do we sacrifice? Continue to work and commit your time and talents and your whole lives to build his church and keep His commandments. No matter what the past has been, we must all recommit ourselves to renewing our covenants with God and finding a way to improve upon what he has already blessed us with. I have every confidence that the Chinatown Ward will continue to grew and strengthen over time. I look forward to watching that growth - but that growth will require you all to consecrate yourselves to god's plan for you. Pay your tithing. Keep the Word of Wisdom. Get yourself ready for temple covenants, and then endure to the end.
God cares very little about how much money you make, or how popular you are with the world. He cares very much about whether or not you are keeping the promises that you've made to him in baptism and other ordinances. I promise to remain faithful and endure to the end if you will. I love all of you and thank the lord I had the privilege of serving among you for these past 4 years.
Bishop McConkie
I felt of your love of the Savior, and your commitment to keep his commandments as I labored with you. So many of you have made tremendous sacrifices to be here in the United States and to join the church. Many of you had to forsake your families, your culture, and your way of life to follow the beckoning of the Savior. I admire that. In many ways, you remind me of my own ancestors that gave everything - their homelands, their possessions and associations - so that they and their posterity could be raised in Zion. If you want the rewards they have earned, you must sacrifice as they did. All of us must. Your sacrifice has lifted all of us, but it is not over. The prophet Joseph Smith taught that a religion that did not require the sacrifice of all things would not have the power to produce the faith necessary to return to live with our Heavenly Father. So how do we sacrifice? Continue to work and commit your time and talents and your whole lives to build his church and keep His commandments. No matter what the past has been, we must all recommit ourselves to renewing our covenants with God and finding a way to improve upon what he has already blessed us with. I have every confidence that the Chinatown Ward will continue to grew and strengthen over time. I look forward to watching that growth - but that growth will require you all to consecrate yourselves to god's plan for you. Pay your tithing. Keep the Word of Wisdom. Get yourself ready for temple covenants, and then endure to the end.
God cares very little about how much money you make, or how popular you are with the world. He cares very much about whether or not you are keeping the promises that you've made to him in baptism and other ordinances. I promise to remain faithful and endure to the end if you will. I love all of you and thank the lord I had the privilege of serving among you for these past 4 years.
Bishop McConkie
No comments:
Post a Comment