Sad I haven't received an e-mail yet. 

In any case, this week has been great. Learning Canto is very, very difficult, but it's also fun, and I can't believe how much we've learned so far. I feel confident that I can teach a lesson-very very basic mind you-without using the books very much. The grammar is extremely difficult, but that will come in time.

We now have THREE investigators! I think our teachers are trying to kill us. Of course, the investigators are our teachers, but, still difficult. Mostly because we have to focus on their individual needs, so we can't just focus on one thing, but rather, have to change how we're doing things each time we go to teach.

The food is going to kill us all for sure, and I greatly miss having food that actually gives you some nutrients. But, it's survivable. It's been a little difficult, though, because I feel like there are a lot of things, a lot of rules, that just don't fit with the goal of teaching us to be missionaries. I realize that they have to cater to the least among us, but then, it's just like "no child left behind," those of us who are ready and willing are being held back. But it is the Lord's time, so I'm forcing myself to worry less and work more. 

Thank you for sending my shoes, and the paper jerky ;) And the money. It is very much appreciated. It's been funny picking the mail up each day. Elder Shipp gets a letter every day, and a package every other day. And one of the sister's gets at least two letters everyday. I had no idea the impact that would have on the other missionaries, though. Every time I hand out the mail, you can see how much it hurts the others to not receive letters or packages. I kind of feel bad for them. Especially my companion, Elder Beresford. He's only received one letter since arriving here, but I suppose it's hard being that his family is in England. 

Anyways, the church is true and my faith is strong. Sorry there are no pictures, but I still have no idea how to upload them, and nobody is smart enough to just explain it. So I'll have to go talk to the IT Department or something.

Talk to you later.

Da Smoe 

10-19-14

Hello peoples,

So, this is a little late because the time I typed it all before it didn't send it because the internet went out and the draft wouldn't save. But, got it anyways, so, here goes.

The MTC is pretty awesome. There's a lot of really good things about it, and I love that we get to learn all the time. We, that is, District 30 C, have learned so much in the last six days, both about the Gospel and Cantonese. Honestly, from speaking with other language speakers and the older Cantos, I feel that we've learned more, and faster, than just about any other group. We can already pray and bear our testimonies without the book, and they aren't just short memorized one liners. Hopefully we'll learn all of the greetings and such soon, so that our meetings with Yihp Jimuih, our "investigator," won't be so awkward.

Speaking of Yihp, we just met with her for the third time and...yah, it was pretty crazy. I felt we did good in answering her questions, until she asked one that I just couldn't understand. I tried so hard, and thought she kept asking what God's name was, but that wasn't it, of course, so after a while I managed to discern that she was asking what God's commandments are. It was pretty dang hard to answer because the book we use doesn't have any answer for that. Then we made the mistake of opening a Cantonese hymn book and reading "I Stand All Amazed" as out testimonies. She asked us to sing it. After half a verse, she said "Mh hou!" which is "not good" and laughed and said we should just pray. Other than that, though, it went well. 

So, being District leader has been fun. I get to organize meetings and such, which I'm good at. We'll set some District goals soon, but I have no fear that it will be easy to complete them together, as we all get along. And I continue to realize that, even though my calling is simple and not really that "important," it is of the most importance to the other eleven people in the District. A District Leader can help their District do good and be good. A dedicated District Leader will help their District to go above and beyond. That's what I want to do, so, we'll see. 

Us four Elders that stay in the same room are easily the most obnoxious on the campus. Others will be goofy and crazy, but we definitely take the cake with our wild singing and screaming, trying to hit our heads against the lights, animal noise making and movie quoting. We find it a bit hard to sit still for a long time and to get to bed on time, but we do the work, and I feel that's what's important. I know we need to follow every rule here at the MTC, being that exact obedience brings miracles, but I don't feel like we've done anything bad or wrong. I really do know that God is allowing us the blessings we earn, not because we're the most exact or the most humble, but because we're the most dedicated to the work. I know that just about every other missionary here is a good person and has a testimony and will be a good missionary, but, to be honest, we twelve who are going to Hong Kong are something special. We really do have the power to change the world.

And that's what we'll do.

15 hours. That's how much time I have left to live my adolescent life. Then I get tossed out on the curb of real life, and manhood. At least, hopefully.

Everyone says their mission was the best two years of their life. I hope it will be that for me, but beyond that, I hope it will continue on even after my two years is done and I take the tag off. At this point I have high hopes and dreams, but all of that can change in a matter of moments. 

What I do know for certain, though, is that I have been given a specific list of things to do, rules to follow, and that by doing them, I will be successful, even if success comes in little more than a one man band conversion, wrapped in a paper bag. Who knows, though? There could be big things in store for me way over yonder on the other side of the world. That is, if my plane doesn't crash somewhere in the Atlantic. But I don't have to worry about that for nine weeks, so I best just do that, and not worry.

And with that short message, I'll close out this short letter to no one but myself, and leave it up to my mom to keep the page up to date. We'll see ;)