The Chan Family- A Highlight of our Mission

This week we finished a speaking assignment to speak to each day of the everyday branch. Karen spoke about forgiveness and shared the following story as told by Elder David E. Sorenson about his father.

I grew up in a small farming town where water was the lifeblood of the community. I remember the people of our society constantly watching, worrying, and praying over the rain, irrigation rights, and water in general. Sometimes my children chide me; they say they never knew someone so preoccupied with rain. I tell them I suppose that’s true because where I grew up the rain was more than a preoccupation. It was a matter of survival!

Under the stress and strain of our climate, sometimes people weren’t always at their best. Occasionally, neighbors would squabble over one farmer taking too long a turn from the irrigation ditch. That’s how it started with two men who lived near our mountain pasture, whom I will call Chet and Walt. These two neighbors began to quarrel over water from the irrigation ditch they shared. It was innocent enough at first, but over the years the two men allowed their disagreements to turn into resentment and then arguments—even to the point of threats.

One July morning both men felt they were once again short of water. Each went to the ditch to see what had happened, each in his own mind reckoning the other had stolen his water. They arrived at the headgate at the same time. Angry words were exchanged; a scuffle ensued. Walt was a large man with great strength. Chet was small, wiry, and tenacious. In the heat of the scuffle, the shovels the men were carrying were used as weapons. Walt accidentally struck one of Chet’s eyes with the shovel, leaving him blind in that eye.

Months and years passed, yet Chet could not forget nor forgive. The anger that he felt over losing his eye boiled inside him, and his hatred grew more intense. One day, Chet went to his barn, took down the gun from its rack, got on his horse, and rode down to the headgate of the ditch. He put a dam in the ditch and diverted the water away from Walt’s farm, knowing that Walt would soon come to see what had happened. Then Chet slipped into the brush and waited. When Walt appeared, Chet shot him dead. Then he got on his horse, went back to his home, and called the sheriff to inform him that he had just shot Walt.

My father was asked to be on the jury that tried Chet for murder. Father disqualified himself because he was a longtime friend of both men and their families. Chet was tried and convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison.

After many years, Chet’s wife came to my father and asked if he would sign a petition to the governor, asking for clemency for her husband, whose health was now broken after serving so many years in the state penitentiary. Father signed the petition. A few nights later, two of Walt’s grown sons appeared at our door. They were very angry and upset. They said that because Father had signed the petition, many others had signed. They asked Father to have his name withdrawn from the petition. He said no. He felt that Chet was a broken and sick man. He had suffered these many years in prison for that terrible crime of passion. He wanted to see Chet have a decent funeral and burial beside his family.

Walt’s sons whirled in anger and said, “If he is released from prison, we will see that harm comes to him and his family.”

Chet was eventually released and allowed to come home to die with his family. Fortunately, there was no further violence between the families. My father often lamented how tragic it was that Chet and Walt, these two neighbors and boyhood friends, had fallen captive to their anger and let it destroy their lives. How tragic that the passion of the moment was allowed to escalate out of control—eventually taking the lives of both men—simply because two men could not forgive each other over a few shares of irrigation water. David E. Sorenson (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2003/04/forgiveness-will-change-bitterness-to-love?lang=eng)

I spoke to the principal that you cannot exercise faith contrary to the plan of heaven as taught by the prophet;

“By faith in this atonement or plan of redemption, Abel offered to God a sacrifice that was accepted, which was the firstlings of the flock. Cain offered of the fruit of the ground, and was not accepted, because he could not do it in faith, he could have no faith, or could not exercise faith contrary to the plan of heaven. It must be shedding the blood of the Only Begotten to atone for man; for this was the plan of redemption; and without the shedding of blood was no remission; and as the sacrifice was instituted for a type, by which man was to discern the great Sacrifice which God had prepared; to offer a sacrifice contrary to that, no faith could be exercised, because redemption was not purchased in that way, nor the power of atonement instituted after that order; consequently Cain could have no faith; and whatsoever is not of faith, is sin.” (Smith, Teachings,pp. 58–59.)

The many domestic worker’s in Hong Kong are making great family sacrifices to be here. I believe that they need to find a spiritual answer as to whether the sacrifices they are making are contrary or not to the plan of heaven. I challenged them to meet with their Priesthood Leader and find a way into the Temple and the process of doing so would help them discover for themselves whether their sacrifices were of the nature of Cain or of Able.

We spent Saturday evening in Chai Wan with the Chan family. Grandpa and Grandma Chan are now in their mid-eighties but were easy to recognize after forty years. They were very hospitable and have continued to live in Chai Wan all these years. Their son Gaa Yan or Kevin and his former wife, Anita, joined us at his father’s flat with his two sons, three daughters, their spouses, fiancés, children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren,  and two of his nephews.  As we all gathered at Grandpa’s,  Karen and I had the opportunity to visit and meet each as they arrived. We all walked downstairs and had a wonderful dinner at a fancy Chinese Restaurant where we were seated around a huge round table. Among the eighteen-family seated around the table were three of his grandchildren that attended BYU Idaho, a son-in-law that attended BYU, and a son and son-in-law that are currently serving as Bishops.  There are 5 return missionaries in this family!  The fiancé of his granddaughter who are planning a Temple Wedding in August, a great grandson that is planning his baptism in February and all the rest actively serving and attending church. The only inactive family-member at the table is my friend, Gaa Yan, which we hope to facilitate a change before we come home. I hope that with a little love from an old buddy he will be susceptible to the spirit and find his way back into the lives of his family and the blessings associated therein.

On our way, home last night I could not help but reflect the time when Karen and I first met, and the long talks we had in the front of her house as she shared principles of the Gospel with me. Little did she know or how could she have foreseen that ultimately those same principles with the accompanying blessings would be shared half way around the world in Chinese to Grandpa and Grandma Chan. And now after forty years down to the fourth generation having received all the Saving Ordinances and Covenants of this Dispensation. The Chan’s and Karen are now forever bonded in love.

Lynn with Brother and Sister Chan 44 years after they and their children were baptized.  They were the first family Lynn taught.

Alvin (he is marrying the Chan's granddaughter Rita in August).  Following Chinese tradition,  he being the newest member of the family (adult member),  it is his responsibility to wash each dish, glass, and chopstick with hot water before dinner is served.  The restaurant has all the dishes ready including a little pot of hot water for this purpose.

Highlight of our mission.  Brother and Sister Chan with children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren!  They are such a wonderful family and blessing to the church here in Hong Kong.  After dinner,  the Chan's granddaughter Misty (shown holding her baby),  said to Lynn,  "Elder Beckstead,  thank you for bringing the gospel to my grandparents".

It doesn't get better than this!