1st Week in Hong Kong

Okay, well this week has obviously been crazy!!  I'm officially in Hong Kong now and I've been here for a of couple days. The plane ride was so long! From the time we left the mtc to the time we got to Hong Kong was about 25 hrs. 25 minutes.  Luckily, on our flight to LAX, we met a member from Hong Kong who was going to Hong Kong. He also spoke English so he showed us the way to get to the international terminal at LAX.  It was definitely a miracle to have found him! He sat next to me on our first flight so that's how we met. The Hong Kong flight was really long and when we were at the airport I talked to a bunch of people. It was soo fun to talk to all these different people and I just felt an overwhelming love for them. I wanted them to have the gospel in their lives soo bad but they weren't interested. On the plane to Hong Kong I sat by this cute little old lady who only spoke Cantonese. Whenever she would get out I'd stand up so she didn't have to squeeze by and she'd say thank you with her Chinese accent! She also taught me a little Cantonese. We got to the mission home which is across from the temple and I love my mission president and his wife! They made us cake and breakfast the next day and also lunch I think. (I don't have my journal because we have to travel to Tseun Wan to do emails)  The next day we met our new companions and mine is awesome! His name is Elder Tong.  He's Chinese born Australian so he's almost a buhndaai (native) speaker. He helps me a lot and he likes working hard and being obedient so I think I got the best trainer! We eat a lot of rice and noodles here.  I think just about everyday but they mix a bunch of different stuff in it so it's still a big variety. The food here is amazing and there is a McDonalds. but it isn't that good. We went there once and the spicy McChicken just wasn't the same...  Oh well, at least the other stuff is good! I'm buying a camera today so next week I'll be able to send pictures. I've taught two lessons here so far. The first one was the day I got here.  I taught with Liu Jeung Louh and we were teaching A-Wing. He is a progressing investigator and is super cool! We taught about faith and faith in Jesus Christ and how that can help us. Then on Friday we taught a girl named Adi. She's 24 and has been taught almost all of the lessons and wants to get baptized but she needs to talk to her family first. She also came to general conference which was awesome!! During the lesson I could barely understand. They talk sooo fast so it's hard to pick up words and stay up to speed with the speaker. But I can definitely see I'm improving a ton every single day!  Tseun Wan mission is known for it's tracting... lots of tracting.  So yes I have gone tracting!  It's really fun, but the people are soo busy that they usually don't stop and just keep walking so you have to walk with them. A lot of people here also thing that we're some kind of cult... that makes it interesting sometimes.  Sometimes when they see us they'll say cheh gaau or just run away and go to the other side of the street. I think that's one of the most different things about here. Before coming here it was hard for me to imagine people actually being afraid of Mormons, but some people truly are! 

Our apartment is pretty nice, it's one of the  roomier ones (from what I've heard) and we have our own washer and dryer.  We live on the 15th floor and have a pretty good view.  Oh and it's soo hot here! It's super humid too -  so I'm basically just always wet.. kinda gross.. but it's normal here. Now it's suit season so we all wear suits from now until next conference so I don't think I'll be planning on bringing this suit home after the mission. I'm trying to think of anything else specific I wanted to tell you but it's hard to remember cause everything just blends together.  The language is really fun. It just gets a little awkward when the lady at the cash register at the grocery store starts asking questions and I have absolutely no idea what she's saying. haha  But other than that it's ok.

I met the bishop and ward mission correlator and they were both waay cool!  Conference was amazing and I watched it twice now (once in mtc once in HK).  All the missionaries watch it in english so yes I understood the one in HK. I also met a bunch of members and they were all soo nice and were like wow your Cantonese is good! Especially after I told them I had only been in Hong Kong for like 4 days. But on the other side of things... When we were tracting, I talked to this old man and when I started talking to him and he just started laughing... that part of the day blew.. After that I was praying like crazy that people would understand and I would understand and I just had to have faith. This isn't my work, this is God's work, and he will spread it in his own time so I didn't need to worry. Right after that we found someone interested and we got their phone number and such and we're teaching some more people this week. So far most people understand my Cantonese or at least can figure out what I'm trying to say.  haha   "Everyday work a little harder, push a little harder, and the blessings you'll see will be unreal"   I know this is the True Gospel.  I know that most people don't see it but if they did it could change their lives. I know that the gift of tongues is real, but it's also in God's own time. Somehow my mouth is always "full."  I know that the people of Hong Kong are a blessed people. There are lot's of people here ready to hear the gospel, we just have to find them. I know God will provide a way for us to follow his commandments. Oh -  one tracting day we weren't finding very many people willing to listen to us and so I prayed that we would find someone and then bam.. person found. I know Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers and if we show him gratitude and give him the credit, our blessings will be that much greater!! I love this work and this Gospel!! 

Love you Guys!!