March 3 2011

Well this week is bringing a lot of changes! but first: This past week sister L and I have been working pretty hard trying to find new investigators to teach because all of our investigators are pretty much in 2 areas of our 6: Sheung Shui and Tai Po. In a mission where getting 2-3 new investigators per week is what our mission president would like us to achieve, we generally have about 2? Well.. this past week we had 5 and it was absolutely wonderful. we were able to reschedule, finally, some people we've seen before, we were able to start teaching the cuuuutest 7 year old girl ever, J, who her and her mom have been coming to church for 3 years already but the mom's husband doesnt want her (the mom) to get baptized so she isn't but still wants her daughter to. Anyways, it was really awesome to start teaching her. She's super smart and pretty much could teach us everything but whatever ha.
Then we have also continued going on splits this week a lot. Its nice because then we can cover more area and talk to more people, etc. It also gives members more opportunities to help out with missionary work, especially because most of the ppl we are going on splits with are either recently returned missionaries, Young Women, or Young adults who are preparing for missions. This one girl, E, is amazing... she like wants to contact longer and longer like, we needed to head back to meet up with sister L and shes like... wellllll can we just talk to a few more people? Man I hope she comes to hong kong on her mission because she'd be great since a lot of the time we are contacting for hours and hours per day.

Yesterday was probably the most miraculous day... After our lunch appointment with L (a less active who has to work on sundays) we headed to Ma On Shan a bit early to maybe do some calls before our lesson at 330 with a potential new investigator, Mr. Y. Ok... well we get to church and the Mandarin elders are outside, and as soon as we walk up to the door, the mandarins stop these two men probably in their 50s-70s (i cant tell here, seriously) who had interest to learn about our church. we gave them a tour, taught them, and rescheduled them for saturday! Then our Mr Y arrived and we had planned to do a "turn over" lesson with the Sha Tin elders because he lives in that area and as sisters we teach females and the elders teach male investigators. Its basically so we can make sure there are never any problems in the mission with finding fellowshippers and stuff so people can always be taught (but i personally think its also because the hong kong girls love elders and we need to make sure their interest is in the gospel not in the elders, and vice versa). Im actually really grateful anyways because it makes things easier in general for everyone. EXCEPT we didnt know Mr. Y's wife also had interest and he was going to bring her, so we didn't need to turn them over. Either way, i dont care as long as they get a chance to hear about the gospel. So-- another miracle is that had we not turned them over, we would have already had 4 new investigators... in one day. yes life is good in the china hong kong mission.

So for the bigger news, on monday night we found out that sister L and I will be splitting, and I was completely and totally spot on on everything that would change, except i had no idea they'd move the Tsim Sha Tsui sisters out of our apartment. Sister L will have my old companion sister C (the one from tahiti) and my new companion is from Macau. Her name is sister La and she seems really really nice. I haven't been around her too much, but I have good expectations of the next few weeks. We don't know how temporary this will be to be split, because on sunday president attended Tai Wo ward where I was at, and he told me IF we were to split it would be temporary. Anyways.. its awesome to have more sisters in the Tolo Harbor area, but... the tough part- I am going to be working in Sha Tin, Tai Wai, and Ma On Shan. And the other thing is.. . .. we essentially have ZERO investigators in those areas right now (like earlier i said they're all in the sheung shui and tai po areas). Anyways, these next few weeks, we get to start from zero again. But thats ok, with hard work, obedience, and faith we'll be able to get this area going. Also I'm pretty sad because one of my favorite investigators, V, lives in tai po. actually she's probably the funnest/funniest person ive taught on my mission. I just feel like really good friends with her, but now i have to leave. She has a baptismal date on the 3rd of april though, so maybe if they put tolo harbor back together into one companionship at the end of this move i can be there for it! it'd be a miracle!!! no but really v is the bomb. yesterday we taught her about the word of wisdom, which generally goes over really really well here until you mention that Tea is mhdak (not ok) and theyre like ITS SO HEALTHY YOU CRAZY. but v was just like, yeah... i agree with all that stuff. and she's starting to live it this week. Seriously she's so awesome pretty much a member already just needs to get to church. :) Ps I also promised her that if my family comes to Hong Kong to pick me up we'll take her to dinner. yeah because she's that awesome i want you all to meet her.

Another interesting tidbit- so the mission president's home ward is Sha tin, and his daughter recently got home from her mission. Well we found out on sunday that she's pretty much got nothing going on because shes waiting to go back to school at BYU hawaii... sooo.. yesterday I went on splits with her. She's totally awesome its just so interesting like.. hanging out with the mission president's daughter. I donno, hope my example's alright! haha.

So todays plans are: move new companions into the apartment, and then we're going to Korean BBQ because this elder from Taiwan has to go home because the military might need him or something, so he has to stay in Taiwan serving his mission just in case htey need him. Sad!! he's like one of the most awesome mandarin elders too. Ah well, sometimes things in life dont turn out as we expect.

Ok interesting insight from my studies this week: I finished the book of mormon for the 2nd time on my mission and have decided to read it through one more time before i go home next october but this time much more thoroughly. I got a hardcover copy of the BOM and im making notes and writing in stuff as I go. So pretty much first nephi 1 and 2 are so full of stuff!!! Missionary application: Thinking about the How To Begin Teaching points from PMG, if you read the first 3 verses, nephi like does some of the stuff. anyways its kind of cool. And i was thinking about lehi from a missionary standpoint as well.. so he's already like serving and stuff, and then he gets his call to step up and do something a little different: aka leave jerusalem and go to a new area. It is as he is serving and doing what he needs to do that he recieves this and then chapter 2 v 2-4 as soon as the lord calls him, he is obedient. he leaves it all behind, because im sure thoughtout his life hes had experiences that have lead him to trust the lord. When we learn to trust him, and we continue to follow his guidance, seriously... we may have problems but we know we're doing the right thing. I just love the scriptures!! so many awesome examples. sorry this is kind of all over the place but maybe i can write my thougths out better next week... . because as of now i have 30 sec left. ok love you all!! theres a lady waitihng,. bye!

sis black