Greetings! Boys of BB 43rd Coy.

Once again exams are finished and you guys must have had a hard time but cheer up it’s over now! Can’t wait to see all of you back for parade again.

The next quarter programmes have been out, do check it out. Personally I’m really excited and I’ve to say that it’s gonna get better! We gonna have more fun exciting activities which hope to get all of you engaging into greater commitment in them.

Commitment is something self realized, it can’t be forced upon else you will only do it grugingly and only as instructed. Commitment I feel is firstly, to feel part of the organization. So we celebrate success together and encourage each other during tough times knowing that you are part of it. Secondly, is to get your will in line with the organization’s vision. It takes decision and trust though, that it will turn out to be fruitful if not, “will my effort be wasted?” This leads to the third point, which is to have hope that your efforts can be fruitful, affirmed by your leaders and recognized and known by others. We want to see our efforts producing results isn’t it? Therefore have hope and do it. To sum up, being committed needs you to feel part of it, be in line to the vision and have hope for results.

So far I’ve been quite motivated by the turn out and performance of everyone I believe we are growing and moving somewhere where good leaders and followers are birth forth, establishing team work and spirit. Isn’t it heart warming when everyone come together, work together towards common goals and achieiving them? I truly believe this is only the beginning and all of you can make BB a better UG and place to belong to. There’s gonna be history in the making the next quarter, I’m filled with expectation, I can’t wait. Hope you are too.

With love,
Wei Jian

Dear Boys’ Brigade 43rd company boys,

Writing this when I’m in a queue into my church and pondering on what have happened just now in parade. Deep within my heart I’m so thankful to God for the improvements and growth of the company. By the grace of God the games went on smoothly and all of you participated willingly and with enthusiasm. Don’t know about you but for me I’ve found it to be one of the best parades we had. I’ve truly enjoyed the team spirit, fun and joy even though I’m not involved in the games but being there socking in the atmosphere alone has been great.

What touches me other than the enthusiasm you’ve shown is the ownership of the leaders. Personally I wanna compliment and affirm Kaiyee and Zhongming as they take up the responsibility as squad leaders and lead in the games. I’ve never seen Kaiyee doing such things, I believe he has taken the effort and it was very encouraging. The way he shouted, hahaa and his instructions were clear and precise. He can be a good leader isn’t it? Zhongming has always been exercising his commanding, helping out in gathering everyone and echoing out officers’ instructions. He played a part in getting the company organized. We need such leader isn’t it?

I wanna compliment and appreciate Tzehan for his servant-hood and willingness. Throughout the games I’ve asked him to do alot of things, gather peope, take things and he has never shown unwillingness but serve with pleasure. This is a great attitude of the heart which avails a good leadership characteristic. Continue to be a good example to the rest, jiayou Chairman!

Everyone played a part in a team, imagine a leader without members, how can a team be possible? Everyone has started to learn “follow-ship” and I can see it through the games. It’s a good start, let’s keep on doing it.

What has really overwhelmed me was the smiles on your faces that really encouraged and pleased me, it’s heart warming. Let’s continue to put on this kind of spirit (of enthusiasm), being involved in the activities we have and enjoy through. Nothing is better than making full use of your time, aligning your will with your actions, and enjoying life to the fullest. I believe in any activity there’s an element of meaningfulness if you’d look at it in a different perspective. Let’s have a great journey of life together.

With love,
Weijian

To my dear Boys’ Brigade 43rd boys,

Greeting! Great to be writing to you guys. I’ll be committed to write every week and I pray that you’d be committed to read it weekly as well. What will be in the letters will be my feelings and thoughts about all of you, feedbacks for the week and at times some updates on the direction of the company. It’s gonna be great!

It has been an awesome day we had last Saturday at Christ Church Secondary for our Character Quest 09. At first, I believe many of us have doubts if we will even be able to participate due to the shortage of members in the teams but God is good, all 3 teams of 12 boys made it! Thank God! Hahaa.

I feel that you guys have done well, at least better than the previous time. I see some of you taking up the ownership for the team, like Kaiyee, he even had his calculator out! Keep it up guys!

I’ve also asked a few boys how they felt about the CQ and the feedback wasn’t that good, it was just average and the response from some of you during the prize presentation were, “sucks!” Looking at the whole event, I can say that the activities were simple, they didn’t spend much money on the props and equipments, but creative, making use of what they have. Looking at those not attractive set up of the stations if I were you I’d have felt bored and immediately turned off also but what motivate some of the teams? I believe it’s the goal they have set for themselves and the willingness of heart that encouraged them. The purpose for you there is to participate in the activities, whether you like it or not you’ll still have to go through it, so, why not make full use of the time to achieve something, right?

This leads me to speak to you about willingness. Willingness does not come automatically, it is a decision and doing what you like is only “partial willingness.” You will be placed in circumstances where your willingness is challenged and the attitude of the heart shows. Quoted from ‘Leadership excellence’ by Phil Pringles,

“We are energized when our will is engaged. Fatigue follows the unwilling. We are tired when we’re doing what we don’t want to do. If we’d always rather be elsewhere, we’ll never enjoy where we are right now. If we’d rather be doing something else, we won’t have the energy or focus for what we’re doing right now. Aligning our will and our action is basis to successful living.

The willing heart is

· Impelled rather than compelled. Motivation comes from within rather than from some external pressure outside us. ‘People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing; that’s why we recommend it daily’ (Zig Ziglar)

· Agreeable, not disagreeable. We all think of the ‘other point of view’ in a conversation, but we decide to focus on points of agreement rather than the points we disagree with. How painful is it when you’re trying to hold a pleasant conversation with a disagreeable person? It’s hard work. The willing heart finds ways to agree and flow with people. Beth Laurie says, ‘Agreeing to agree is a key to astonishing teamwork’.

· Executing, not excusing. The willing heart finds reason to do, rather than reasons not to do. People with excuses reveal an unwilling attitude. Billing Sunday defined an excuse as ‘the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie’. The person who is good at excuses is usually not good at anything else.“

No matter how good and interesting the programme may be, if your will is on something else, to you it’ll only be draggy, lousy and not enjoying. Align your will with your action! Imagine how tiring it is to go against the current? Flow with it! It’s easier!

My boys, let us learn to be willing. Love what we do and do what we love. I’m always hopeful and believe we can make a difference. The company will grow and will always be better. It’ll be more enjoying, fun and exciting and of course hard times will be inevitable but as a team we’ll support each other and do it together. Counting on you.

With love and faith,
Weijian