December 9, 2010

Sara and her new companion

Big changes. BIG HUGE MASSIVE changes. I don't even know where I want to begin. So... I knew on thanksgiving day that one of my companionship atleast would be moving to a new area. No worries, I had prepped myself for the possibility of staying and going senior companion over sister c. my brain was aok with that possibility. But i pretty much never expected what happened. so.. . . drumroll please.. I am now companions with Sister L from my mtc group (she moved up into our group because she already spoke some cantonese) and we are opening not one, but 6 areas to sister missionaries. Yes. I am just slightly overwhelmed. But its a really good opportunity to grow and become better. It is going to take a lot of work, but it will be ok. I'll put a picture of the two of us in our new apartment in Mong Kok... which is like pretty well known area for shopping and street vendors etc. It's pretty fun. I like the apartment a lot, even though it is a lot junkier than the luxurious palace of chelsea heights in tuen mun. but it's quite a bit bigger.

anyways, i also am really excited but nervous. I am not exactly sure how taking care of 6 areas is going to work out logistically with six wards and stuff, but its going to be fun. the area in general is called Tolo Harbor and it is on the outskirts of hong kong and borders a lot of mainland. So naturally adventurous sister black is going to have to be a little bit careful of NOT going into the restricted zone on accident.

Tonight we are going to be doing some finding with our mission president and the new sister missionary and the APs, essentially we are going to be doing some caroling around wanchai on hong kong island.

Also, I visited a lessactive last week that my old roommate who also served a mission here had written a postcard for. her name is Y and she's from Tin Shui Wai. anyways it was cool to be able to give that to her, and to know that at one point in time it was my roommate doing the work here and now im doing it.

Um other than that crazy news, I don't really have anything. Im a little under the weather right now, but hope I can get some sleep tonight and hurry up and get over it. I think its kind of a stress-induced sickness because it started after i found out i'd be going senior and opening 6 areas at the same time, so naturally i havent been sleeping so well. My companion is awesome, and since we're pretty much the same age in the mission and had a very similar mtc experience, it will be cool to see what we can get done. She's from New York. She is a really hard worker and just wants to get things done and get them done right, at least that's been my impression of her. It will also be new for me because i've been in tri-panionships pretty much my entire mission except for the first month when I got to Hong Kong, so im not used to having just two people at ALL.

Just a lot of thoughts going through my mind right now. Im in my 4th move here, and have this huge responsibility. it's kind of a lot to think about. Im trying to just stay excited because pretty much tomorrow is when it will REALLY start. We're going to have to get this all figured out. Atleast I have some pretty good map skills (thank you byu geography dept haha) and i don't easily get lost- but i make no promises about not having any getting lost stories next week. which is in fact my birthday too! woop woop! next Pday is going to be fantastic i can just feel it. then its christmas, and awesomeness. i am excited to open the presents you sent me! I was taught well not to open things early because it ruins the surprise but i opened the CDs since i knew what they were anyways ;)

oh and i got attacked by this crazy woman at english class, well not exactly but she was about to leave, and she's crazy-- the elders have her in their phone as "sketchy janette" because she is like super sketch and yeah anyways.. she grabs out her perfume and starts spraying me with it like 5 times, i already can't breathe because she smells so strongly of it, and then like im doused with it. im almost positive it did some lung damage because the next morning i woke up hacking and sneezing still.

other than that, no awesome stories for the week. I hope Tolo harbor just picks up for us but we shall see. I love you all and am so SO SO grateful for all that you do for me. I am so grateful for this gospel and how much it has blessed my life. I am grateful for the security and love I get from my Heavenly Father. He's always there, no matter what! I am so grateful that because of Jesus Christ, my family will be able to be together forever. I love christmas! I love being a missionary! I am so so thankful! Everyone, please remember how much people in this world need love. like... my companion sis c said yesterday, people in this world have a hard enough time on their own, they don't need other people making it harder for them. We need to lift those around us, help them feel the love that God and Jesus Christ have for them.. which is HUGE..... we can't even understand it.

anyways, Im super grateful. Im up for this challenge but really, please keep me in your prayers.

With Love,
Sister Black/ baahk jimuih