Monday, August 12, 2013 

MOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hi Mom and Dad :) and others. China is......crazy. really. Like I don't think one thing is the same but the Church. The city is huuuuggggeeee and EVERYTHING is Chinese. Yeah you would have thought that haha. Anyway, I can't understand ANYTHING. Yes it is true what they say "that wasn't the language I learned in the MTC". I was called to bear my testimony in church and boy was that a scary moment. There are actually a lot of members in my ward. I am serving in the Kwun Tong area. It is known as the "miracle area". haha I am going to need a miracle to do this. Anyway, the members are very nice. I am eating cereal for breakfast and a tooonnnnn of rice and noodles for everything else. These people literally SHOVE food into their mouths with their chopsticks and it is crazy how well they use them. And then I am just this little American girl who can't even keep the chopsticks in her hands. Oh, and surprisingly enough, President and Sister Hawks are amazing. They are so supportive and kind. I don't get to talk to them a lot actually. There has been a crazy influx of missionaries. They are going from 80-150 very quickly!!!!!!!! So they don't have much time for us. hmmmm, I am still the shortest person in China. I haven't seen one person shorter than me. Actually, yes, but she was 10. hmmm, what else. Oh, my companion is Sister Lee. She is from Hong Kong and doesn't speak english very well. It is so hard for us to communicate. I don't know what to do about it other than speak Cantonese better. It is rough. And our apartment is the size of the reading room. no joke. And there are 5 of us living in it. It is SOOOOOOO HUMID! I have never been more wet in my entire life. Not even in the shower...or swimming. It is crazy. And oh so hot. I came at the hottest time of the year. There is no use in trying to stay dry. Our apartment also does not have air conditioning so we just have a fan that blows hooooot air. But enough of the not so good things. We have about 10 investigators but about 4 progressing. People don't want to come to church or just feel like it is too much work. Everyone here is Buddist and it is real. I didn't think that people actually practiced Buddism. They do. There are shrines...or I don't know what they are called, but they are EVERYWHERE! I would take a picture but I don't know if that is allowed. Anyway, I don't know exactly what they do but it is so hard to teach them because they don't want anything to do with us. Something weird. Mormon religion in Cantonese sounds a lot like "the devil's door". Yeah. since Mormon is an English translation it sounds devilish. So when people ask about us they hear "devils door". That is so hard because people will be interested and then they ask if we are the "moyimungaau" and then all interest is gone! So sad. Anyway, we did have a miracle this week. One girl, A-Yih, has been investigating the church for over a year. She wanted to be baptized but her dad would not let her. Then this past week her dad signed the papers and so my first Sunday we had a baptism! It was way cool. Of course I couldn't understand anything but I could sure feel the spirit. I have had a very hard time this week adjusting to the time and the culture and the language and my companion. I was really down in the dumps, but when I pray and read my scriptures it gives me hope. It gives me the strength to keep my head high and push on. This is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life and I am sure that it will just get harder, but I will succeed in the Lord. I can and will do everything He needs me to do. I just need to have faith, HOPE, and charity. Forget about myself and go to work. Like Dad told me on the phone. Yes, this work is hard. It is SO hard, but it is a mountain to climb. Climbing the mountain is so hard but it only makes me stronger. When I get to the top of this mountain I will be able to look at the success that the Lord blessed me with. I CAN DO THIS! Sorry this is like a motivational email to myself but I just want you all to remember and have hope. Have hope that what the Lord wants can be accomplished. Have hope to obtain eternal life and FOREVER HAPPINESS! I am so grateful to have my amazing family and their support. I am so grateful to you, Mom and Dad. Without you I couldn't do any of this. Thank you for your strong testimonies and your examples. You give me so much strength to carry on. I love you so so so much. Thank you for the motivation you give me. -LOVE LOVE LOVE XOXOXOXO Sister hamblin