Two Weeks Already?

So it's crazy because I can't believe I've been here for two weeks. But at the same time I feel like I've been here FOREVER. hahaha So mom to answer a few of your questions, yes my district is 5 elders and me. Elder Farnsworth from texas, Elder Parkin from SLC, Elder Sutherland from Mapleton, Elder Broderick from Ogden area, and Elder Wu from New Zealand. I have learned so much already just from this last week and hopefully I can fit it all in here before my time is up! First of all, I love my district. Everyone is SO different and there are times I definitely get frustrated, but in the end I've started developing a love for them. It's like we've become family. we're opening up more and more and learning from each other constantly. My "companions", or elders that I teach with are Elder Farnsworth and Parkin. I'm sooooo grateful I am teaching with them. I just feel like we're always on the same page and much more focused. It's crazy when I think they are just 19 year-old boys because they teach me stuff all the time. And I'm so grateful that I feel like I can ask them for help and they don't judge me and I can help them at the same time. We had Elder Richard Hinckley, son of President Hinckley come speak to us last tuesday and it was so great. He just focused on us forgetting ourselves and working. At times it's hard because everything here is so repetitive and draining but I'm really trying to learn to forget myself and give myself fully to the Lord and his work. There is so much that I have to learn and I cant even begin to explain it, but if I'm to teach the Chinese people the gospel, I'm going to have to work extra hard. But I know that if I do this, no matter what the Lord always provides. I just need to keep having faith that I can do it!

I feel that my teaching is getting better. I'm getting used to teaching fake investigators and constantly trying to be myself when I teach them. I think that is so important! I know I have to be myself if I'm going to touch anyone's heart. So as you all know, I'm definitely a crier sometimes. I think you'd be impressed with how much I've not cried. But my district has seen it when we have district testimony meetings or when others share something really special. Sometimes I feel a little dumb because I'm the only girl and it's such a girl thing to do, but they are all so nice about it. On Friday nights we're supposed to have a workshop for like an hour and a half but it says on the schedule that workshop doesn't start until Aug 1st. So our district and the other cantonese district (sis bishop, elder blake, elder cuevas, and elder roper) decided we would do a sharing stories/testimonies bonding thing during that period. So we first told embarrassing stories and I told a few good ones that got people laughing...i mean what can i say? my life is full of that kind of stuff! but after that we went around talking about what we were grateful for that week or what miracles we saw. Everyone just opened up! we have so many amazing people here and they have so many awesome stories. A mom with cancer, one who fought in Afganistan and had two close friends killed before they were able to serve, another who's brother died before he could serve, another who is a convert and the only member in his family, others who are just struggling with personal things like understand their purpose and it was just so awesome that everyone could share such personal things and notice what miracles they see as being a missionary. We are all so grateful to be here. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I can't stop thinking of how blessed I feel that I am someone who gets to experience it! My companion and I are getting along great! It's nice that we're in diff. districts because we can talk about what's on our minds and get an outsider's opinion. But we're always lifting each other up and encouraging each other. It's just really cool how we can be so open and trusting of each other too.

So I don't have much time but I wanted to share a few hilarious experiences. So Saturday is TRC day and we have to do a task which is like contacting an investigator in Cantonese for about 10 min and then we teach for 35 min in english. So last week there was only 1 volunteer so a teacher called a bunch of people and we had ALL OF CHINA there volunteering! ok maybe not all of china but about 20 volunteers for 4 companionships! hahaha so in our room there were 5 others! there was this old man that kept going off on stuff and the others wouldn't say anything so i was the only one tryin to respond in anyway i could. later i found out he was asking if i drank beer and i was happily responding that i did! hahahah what a stinker! so funny things like that happen all the time here. we've had so many great times but the language is still very difficult. it will come though. I just need to study harder and keep praciticing. Well my times about up but I just want to say that I love you all and i'm grateful for those who have written me! But i also know that I am in the right place and doing the right things. They're only helping me become the better person i need to be. Thanks again! i love you!

Kahm Ji Muih (sister Kiene)