Another Week in HK

Hello Again! This week was a bunch of fun! My new companionship with Sister Eand Sister L is just fantastic. It doesn't feel like we're quite as busy because there were the summer missionaries and we were constantly going on splits and essentially working double time. The weather has been really hot, sticky and nasty but it makes it better because with more opposition, there is greater reward right? Something like that.

This week I've had a lot of noteworthy-ish experiences:

1. For the first time I overheard two women talking about me while I was standing right by them. Then I looked at them and was like (in chinese) hey! How are you two doing today? where are you headed? and they were pretty much flabbergasted.

2. This old inactive man we taught (because he has health problems can't make it to church), JB, is awesome. He can hardly hear and is probably 90 years old, and speaks this weird cantonese/mandarin/other chinese dialect mesh. Anyways we went to sing for him because he loves it, and we read some scriptures. So first he's reading the one I asked him to read out loud, all nice and stuff, then he keeps reading, and keeps reading, and then instead of jumping down to the next part, he crosses the page to the left and starts reading a completely different scripture. I'm pretty sure it went from like oh happy blessings nice, to like REPENT blablabla. Completely didnt make sense, but doesn't really matter in the end.

3. Sister L was saying stuff at our apartment and laughing, just being silly, and our somewhat serious summer missionary, sister La, just up and yelled "you take drug!" I donno it was really funny at the time.

4. Today we went on an adventure, since it is Pday. Well first was non adventure: we had a summer missionary ending testimony meeting. It wen't a little long but it was good. Then we headed to Wan Chai (sp?) via TST and took the star ferry across to the HK island. It was so pretty!! We saw the handprints of like all the famous chinese actors/actresses and stuff i dont remember what it is called. but I took a picture with jackie chan's handprints so thats kind of cool. So we headed over to the island, bought some burgers, ate at the wanchai building, which is the most expensive building the church owns in the entire world because of how AWESOME it is and the property value on the island.

But the adventurous part was afterwards. we went down to the convention center to just explore, and ended up meeting this crazy long haired fu-manchu bearded man by the water who helped us take pictures of our district. he kept on saying to us "you will not surrender! You are on commission!" like in this army voice. pretty sure most of his english he learned from video games or something. SO funny.

After we made it to the convention center, we went up just wandering around taking the escalators and looking out the windows at the water. then we all of the sudden are like.. we proooobbbably shouldnt be here, because all of these people were setting up displays and stuff. Come to find out there was going to be a wedding show or convention or something and that we actually weren't supposed to be there. We hurried down some other escalators and walked down a couple that didnt work, to find red ropes blocking off the bottoms of the escalators. So in front of the security guards, about 10 missionaries hopped this red off-limits rope. yay for accidents and adventures!

5. I reached my first language pass-off today. I am officially proficient in my teaching skills/language skills for the message of the restoration.

6. yesterday we went to do service at crossroads. We were supposed to get the "Aids X-perience" and stuff, but there ended up being too much stuff for us to do, but next time we get to go! You should look it up online it sounds pretty cool, and I can't wait to get to do it.

7. Also at crossroads- our job. there were 3 american sister missionaries (strongish) 2 chinese summer sister missionaries (weak) 1 american elder missionary (Strong) 1 half-english/half-chinese elder missionary (strongish) and 1 chinese elder summer missionary (strongiiishshhh) so basically you may be wondering why I am describing our strength capabilities. Well, we were put on the task to move 10 washers and dryers from one building on the second floor, over a building, and up to the second floor. Have you ever moved a heavy duty washer or dryer? pray that you never have to, especially in HK summer weather. I am SOSOSOSOSO sore. It was funny though mostly because we ended up super sweaty and covered in lint.

8. We are planning a day-hike with our zone for next Pday. I am super excited!!

9. Our investigators are doing well. I don't know if I told you about C or D, but they are cousins from mainland who now live in our area. (18, and 17 yrs old) and they are my favorites. This last week they decided that they want to prepare for baptism. It is interesting in China too, because people seem to have no problem with the Joseph Smith story, like seeing God and Jesus and the fact that angels can speak to us etc. I just feel like other places people wouldn't accept that as readily as they do here.

10. Also this week was like the festival of the ghosts or something like that. Our friend I was telling me that they believe the gates of hell open and ghosts come out and no one wants to come out at night during those days or something. so... a lot of people missed their appointments at the church during the beginning of this week.

11. I am sad to have the summer missionaries gone in some ways, but mostly I am glad because it was a lot of time spent helping them understand how to do missionary work. I mean, we get 2.5 months of training before we head out here. So they are lucky they have the language already, but the missionary part is hard. I think of myself back home, it would be, and is still hard to express the things I know in words. Even typing, where i have more time to think of what I am going to say, it isn't easy.

12. I met a man on the hingtit on tuesday who was an athiest studying philosophy, and he pretty much spoke perfect english and essentially started attacking religion. It is interesting, because he think he knows god doesnt exist when he told me he has never even tried praying because he already knows God doesn't exist. It made me really sad because the way things are in his mind "you could get the same answer to your prayer if you were praying to a glass of milk" I know that he is wrong. I am grateful for this experience because it has taught me the importance of acting WITH faith. even if he tried praying to God, and didn't want nor expect an answer- so essentially if he was insincere, he wouldn't be able to recieve. So prayer is important, but praying with the hope and the faith that God hears you and will answer your prayers is even more important.

13. This week I got some awesome letters! So I was really happy. Thanks for writing me!

14. I also learned a bit more how important humility is. I think the reason there is any anger, any hatred, pretty much anything bad is because people are too proud- either thinking too much about themselves, or they are offended easily, or they misunderstand things. its like... love is super important, but being able to be humble is so interconnected with that! If you are humble, and aren't selfishly thinking about yourself, you will be focused outward and on the needs of those around you. You will be able to love. anyways. i love you all! :)

So another amazing week in Hong Kong. Hot, sweaty, spiritual, hard work, fun, smiles, etc. etc. etc. . . I love my mission. I love you all!

Sister Black/Baahk jimuih

oh ps. so the pingyam way to spell my last name is baahk, but the british pingyam way (the way that they would write it here if it was romanized) is Pak. I learned that when we were looking at the famous ppl stars today and there was someone with the last name Pak and it was my character. Cool huh! Pak. i like it.