September 16

Hello Again!

This week was so fun! We had quite a few appointments, and S is getting ready to be baptized in a week and a half! It is really exciting because I met her when she had no interest in the church, and seeing her change and start reading the book of mormon and praying and seeing that little bit of change is really cool. She is so much fun too, like HILARIOUS. But sometimes it's not so great because we get really distracted when we have lessons.

This past week went by so fast I can't really remember all that we've done, but we've had a couple of doctor's appointments for my companions, and a lot of work. Yesterday we went to Crossroads to do service again and were working on making this dirt pathway that tomorrow microsoft is coming in to finish or something. But we were essentialy moving dirt and packing it down to make this path. I wore bug spray, but my two-calf grand-total count is 89 bug bites. 89. EIGHTY-NINE. I didn't really even notice them that badly until I woke up in the middle of the night scratching my leg and as I felt it, the whole thing was pretty much swollen. I was up for an hour or so icing my leg and trying to get it so I could sleep, but it really took a lot out of me to lose that sleep. The interesting thing is, the right leg has about 20, and the left leg has the rest.

Then this morning we had to get up early to go play soccer against the Kowloon Zone of missionaries. New Territories was totally dominating (we have 2 college soccer players in our zone), and then the school where we were playing had recess or something, and so the high school boys challenged the missionaries to play them instead of kicking us off their court (which was so nice). I played terribly (which I would like to blame on 1. little sleep, 2. poisoned legs, or 3. not eating breakfast this morning, but any excuse no matter how valid, weakens the character... so scratch that) but had a lot of fun. It was nice to see other missionaries who we haven't seen in a while. Sister C came back from Macau and Elder d, d, k, and wwere also there. I really like seeing other missionaries because in the New Territories there aren't very many and we don't see each other a whole bunch.

The word on the street is that there are still no philippina sisters coming in, and all the philippina sisters that are here are going home within the next 6 months, so there is still the hope that I will get to do international work. And sister c told me there is a brazilian woman in macau who saw pictures of me and heard i know a little bit of portuguese and is now praying that I'll come to macau! hahaha! I hope I get to serve there!

The weather has been a little hotter and a little less humid lately I think. It's been nice, but I am really looking forward to some typhoons which they say come in september usually, but we'll see.

Today I had a really nice moment of thinking "hey i really do like it here!" and that was nice. I've been okay with living here and stuff, mostly like, loving the missionary work and the people but not appreciating the place so much. So when it felt like, comfortable when we were walking up to the soccer field (court? its concrete i donno what to call it) it was so nice. The language is still a beast and I still think I'm ok never speaking it again after my mission (they don't use cantonese in a lot of schools anymore, just mandarin and english I've heard from some Hong Kong people, i dont know if i mentioned that before) but I like it in some ways, I guess. It is really direct and you can just say what you need to say without worrying SO much about talking around subjects like you do in english. YEah but cantonese= definitely not easy.

Soo now we're sitting in a library in Kowloon and are planning on going to lunch with sister e's mtc district because they are hitting their 1 year in HK mark! I am really excited because well.. mostly because im super hungry right now. but also sister c and sister L from my mtc group will be there.

OH! another thing I loved about hk.. yesterday after crossroads we went to mcdonalds for dinner. It was delicious by the way.. haha! the mcdonalds is right on the water by this really nice hotel and a harbor with a bunch of yachts and stuff. And it was just really peaceful and quiet and the sun was starting to go down, and you could see lantau island across the way, and just sitting there was just so peaceful. Living in a city is fun but its just ALWAYS going. And I am one that likes to get away and just have peace and quiet! And i also thought of the mexico trip my mtc district plans to take the summer after the elders get home, which will be really nice. And I have now lived in hong kong for over 2 months, and am still going going going. I plan to push through till the end, even though it is pretty tough sometimes. But the work I am doing is really the most important thing I could be doing now, and even when i think about oh after my mission i'll do this and this and this and i'll be able to do this and th is and this, I still wouldn't change what I am doing now for anything. Every day brings with it so many blessings and so much happiness! Every day I meet people who don't want to talk to me, and then some people who do. Every day is tough, Every day I'm tired, but every day is a blessing... which is something I don't think i understood before. Every day we are given we need to use to make us better, to help others become better, and to make people happy! yeah! because that's what jesus did! he brought people happiness that lasted, not just momentarily, not just a facade of happiness, but real deep lasting happiness! that's what i want, that's what I'm working towards, and that's why I'm a missionary, to help other people have that too :)

ok so i think that is all for this week, I can't really think of anything else. The food is still good, the river on the way to the church still reeks, my apartment is still hot, my bed still hard, but my smile is still here and I'm so happy to have this chance to serve!
Thank you for the letters and support! I'm trying to write back but since time is so short, it may take a few weeks.

Sister Black ... Baahk Jimuih