Arthur Hsieh first came to MBCLA in April,
1984 when his father told him, "You've been so blessed
in your life; you need to go to church and thank God."
He surrendered his life to the Lord in the summer of
'84, after graduating from South Pasadena High School,
and was baptized that fall.
He began working with MBCLA's youth in 1985 while in
his first year in college and hasn't stopped since.
Of the various ministries he's involved in, Total Devotion
is his top priority. As TD's lead Bible teacher, his
desire is to teach the Bible to TD'ers in a deep manner
in hopes of building a God-saturated conscience and
worldview within them.
Arthur is a Certified Financial Planner TM by vocation.
He delights in being married to Sandra, and loves being
a dad to Nathaniel, Randall, Daniel, and Angela.
Sandra Hsieh has been working with the high
schoolers at MBCLA ever since she started coming in
1983. At the end of her junior year at South Pasadena
High School, the Lord started to open her eyes to her
total depravity and His even more sufficient grace.
The scenario and life stages have changed but the process
and revelation that He started in 1975 has not.
Her current stage in life is comprised of being a wife
and mother. She serves, supervises and desires to train
her 4 children, Nathaniel, Randall, Daniel, and Angela
according to the Word.
Frank started coming to MBCLA as a sophomore
in high school. As a student in Total Devotion, he came
to know Christ during a summer retreat and has been
seeking to make God the first priority in his life ever
since.
Because of the growth and blessings he experienced
through TD, Frank decided to serve as a counselor during
his senior year at UCLA. Currently, he works in Irvine
as a financial planner and is married to his college
sweetheart, Kathy and dad to Ryan.
Kathy came to know Christ during the summer before her sophomore year
of high school. In 1992, she visited MBCLA and decided to stay. A
year later, she felt called to serve as a counselor in TD and has been
serving ever since.
While Kathy was a counselor in TD, she attended UCLA, where she
majored in Psychology. She continued her studies at UCLA in the
Teacher Education Program. In 2001, she completed the program with a
her teaching credential and Masters degree in Education. The following
year, she got engaged and married to Frank.
Kathy was an elementary school teacher for 5 years before becoming pregnant and deciding to be a stay-at-home mom. She misses teaching,
but wouldn't trade her time with her son, Ryan, for anything.
Throughout the years, Kathy continued to serve in TD because of her
love for the high schoolers. She is constantly blessed by her time
with the youth and looks forward to what God will teach her through
serving in TD.
Grace has been helping out with TD for awhile now and is looking forward to what this next year
will bring. She decided to help out with TD because
the teaching she received at TD became a strong foundation
that God used to anchor her faith. Grace really enjoys hanging out
with the high schoolers and wants to be involved in
their lives as they wrestle and grow in their faith.
Grace graduated from USC pharmacy school and is now a part-time pharmacist and a full-time mom. She loves taking care of her husband, her daughter and her home.
Jon first started going to MBCLA as a freshman
in high school. He remembers the good times of fellowship
he experienced in Total Devotion and is now serving
as a counselor because he wants to be a part of the
work that God is doing in the high schoolers of MBCLA.
He attended UCLA for his undergraduate studies and
went on to graduate from USC law school - the best of
both worlds. Currently, Jon works as an attorney. He loves being married to his wife, Grace and being a father to his daughter, Elizabeth.
Mike grew up at MBCLA and came to know the
Lord in 6th grade after a Sunday school class in 1995.
Ever since that day, Mike's life has been different
and God has been teaching him what it means to know
Christ and make Him known. Mike began serving as a counselor
in TD during his sophomore year at USC. He took a year
hiatus after college to go to grad school in Berkeley
and go on missions to East Asia but is now back at TD
and excited to have the opportunity to grow and challenge
the youth in their faith.
Although many people think that Mike is a tree-hugger, he is actually an environmental engineer by trade and now works for an engineering firm down in Santa Ana. Some of Mike's favorite things include playing guitar, reading, board games, and boba green milk tea. He also enjoys playing sports, cooking and a good beat.
Kathy started going to MBCLA in 4th grade and received Christ as her personal Lord and Savior in one of the Sunday school classes. However, she did not experience how real and how powerful the love of God was until her junior year at a youth retreat. Since then, God has abundantly proven His goodness, faithfulness, and sovereignty to Kathy by using Total Devotion, especially the Biblically-sound teachings, the investments made in her life by spiritually-mature counselors, and true fellowship, to grow her in increasing knowledge and love for Christ.
Total Devotion has become like a family to her, and so after high school she stayed as an intern for 2 years and is now serving as counselor, hoping to learn more and to commend to the high schoolers her God and His power to save.
Kathy is also currently studying physiological sciences at UCLA and is exploring the field of physical therapy for kids. She enjoys playing tennis, making cards, reading, hiking, and vacationing with family.
Robert started attending MBCLA as a 6th grader and he was blown away by the God-centeredness of the people and of the lessons. He realized his need for Christ and accepted Him as his Lord and Savior in the 7th grade. As a freshman in high school, he was exposed to the catalyst that would spark extensive change in his life: Total Devotion. He was challenged to give up more and more of his life to God and to know God deeply through His Word. Robert loved TD so much that he decided to stick around in order to invest in the lives of the TDers. Having been blessed so abundantly by God through the people in TD, what else could he do?
Robert is currently studying English at the Master's College. He and his roommate, Justin Chang, are waiting for more people from MBCLA to join them at TMC. Some of his favorite things are God, the Bible, his family, Christian brothers and sisters (many of his closest friends are also serving at TD), good conversations, good books, tennis, and anything that has to do with the Church. After college, Lord willing, he will study to become a pastor with missions in mind.
Eunice was invited to MBCLA for the first time the summer before her junior year to serve at a Joni and Friends family retreat. A couple weeks before the trip, her friend encouraged her to check out the youth group as well. After the first summer session, she was blown away. Through the Biblical teaching and the Christian fellowship, God touched her heart. Here, God found Eunice and revealed Himself to her as the one Person who truly knows her, loves her, and is worthy of all her worship. She has not left since that summer. She is thankful to give back to the Lord what He has abundantly given to her by serving at TD.
Now, Eunice is a third year student at UCLA, studying English. Although the secular environment at UCLA poses a real threat to her walk with Christ, God has been faithfully helping her to know, more clearly and personally, that His truth stands on its own. His truth does not change, even after a UCLA professor does all that he/she can to debunk Christianity.
During her free time, Eunice likes to read books, make cards, go on a run, play frisbee, spend time with family and friends, and contemplate the deep riches of wisdom found in Christ.
Peter moved to Southern California from Houston, Texas five years ago and began attending MBCLA where many of his relatives also serve and attend regularly. Making such a big move in the middle of high school tested his faith and challenged him to put his whole trust in the Lord no matter where he is. The teaching and guiding of the counselors at Total Devotion served as an important step in shaping his spiritual walk and his attitude. After being so blessed by God through three years of TD, he is excited to be used by God to bless and encourage the TDers in return as the counselors have done for him.
He dreams of becoming a professional pilot in the future and is currently in his third year at UC Riverside studying Business and Accounting, two unrelated subjects but interesting nonetheless. He enjoys spending quality time with God, his family, and Christian brothers and sisters, hiking to the “C” in Riverside, bowling, and taking flying lessons at El Monte Airport on the weekends.
Jenny is a home-grown MBCLA kid, born and raised in this church family. However, it wasn't until her senior year of high school that the rich, biblical truths that she had known in her head began making their way down to her heart. After struggling with her faith that year, the Lord opened her eyes to the truth and beauty of the Gospel, and through her college years, He continued to challenge her to truly live for Him and not for herself. She is humbled and thankful to be back in TD, and is excited to serve the TDers and to grow alongside them in knowing and loving God more.
Jenny just graduated from UCLA as a psychology major and plans to be a pediatric occupational therapist. She hopes to start OT school soon, but in the meantime, she works with children with disabilities in Pasadena, and enjoys playing piano, biking at the beach, cooking for her family, and discovering new hole-in-the-wall places to eat.
Francis first attended MBCLA as a child with his parents and has been coming ever since. One night during his sophomore year of high school, not knowing who he was or where he was going, his mother convinced him to go to Total Devotion. It was there that he discovered that God was not only relevant on Sundays. He learned the value and purpose of community and that honoring God involved all of life guided by the God's word. Throughout the last several years Francis has enjoyed visiting TD on occasion. Now he is glad to have an opportunity to participate in a ministry that was so crucial in laying out the groundwork of his life.
A relatively recent grad, Francis does not have a clear career path yet but hopes that he will be on his way in the near future. Besides good company, he enjoys volleyball and hopes to coach in the future. Francis is also working on his bowling game and is growing to be a more avid reader. Having studied philosophy, he has issues finding employment but he loves to think and reason with others and appreciates stimulating conversation whether serious or lighthearted.
Ian visited MBCLA for the first time as a seventh grader in 2001 with his mother, and two sisters. He knew very little about the fellowship groups at MBCLA. By God’s grace, he was invited to TD’s Sports Night where he met Uncle Arthur Hsieh and began to be part of Total Devotion. During Ian’s senior year at Alhambra High, he faced countless challenges, struggles at home, and inner battles. However, God was faithful- he never abandoned him. He answered his questions and brought him back with a greater commitment and passion. Ian would never forget the conviction he once had, and the unfailing love God has shown through that experience. In response to what the Lord has done in his life through TD, he is currently serving his first year as an intern.
Ian is a third year at the Art Institute of California as a web and interactive media design major. During his leisure time, he enjoys playing basketball, staying fit, messing with Photoshop, rooting for the Los Angeles Clippers (not the Lakers!), and ultimately deepening his relationship with the Lord.
Victor grew up at MBCLA and is currently
living in Chicago with his wife, Alexis.
Contrary to what his brother might
believe, Victor is quite adept at putting together things
that require putting together.
During the day Victor is a visual designer and likes
to make things pretty. At night, Victor tries to sleep so that
he will have energy for the next day.
