jou sahn!

oh my goodness. i'm actually here. in some indonesian "cafe" writing you an email. it's so weird to think that i'm actually in hong kong haha sometimes i feel like i'm just in another state or something because it's pretty westernized, but other times i definitely feel like i'm in china. Some of the buildings where people live are very old. For some reason i thought everything wouldn't look too bad but the insides aren't too shabby. our apartment is really big. i was pretty shocked. supposedly it's one of the bigger ones but i don't know if we have AC so it's always blazing. We're only on the 10th floor. the flight over was pretty long and i didn't sleep much so yesterday when we got here we were complete zombies. it was pretty funny hahaha and since i was the only sister i slept in the mission president's apartment with their family (which happens to be in the hong kong temple). Now it's not everyday that you can say you've slept under a temple :) hahah it was really nice and President and Sister Chan are so great! All the missionaries have amazing cantonese (some of the white ones sound completely native it's crazy!) and it just motivates me to really get the language down. So my Trainer! Her name is Sister Chinison. She's from tahiti and she speaks fluent english, french, and cantonese. she's also chinese and grew up learning all those languages so she was only in the mtc for 3 or 4 weeks. She's really hard working and she will help me a lot i think. I told her that I want her to speak Cantonese with me a lot so that has been helpful. I can't remember what our area is called but we live far from where our proselyting area is. I haven't been to our area, only our apt so i don't know what it's like over but she says there are a lot of trees and mosquitos(no clue how to spell that one). Sweeett. i love trees and mosquits never bite me. It is pretty hot hear. The humidity just makes you drip but it's ok, i really don't mind it. I haven't done a whole lot these first two days....mostly orientation stuff but i did bare my testimony to a taxi driver on our way to the peak (which is sight where you can see over all of hong kong---so beautiful! the ap's took all the new missionaries) but people see our nametags and jolt. at least that's how i feel haha i guess i can say i've never felt so noticed before but it's a good thing. when we were waiting for a taxi to get to the peak, a lady was walking by in another line and i caught her smiling and reading my nametag. it sounded like she was speaking mandarin, but i asked her if she spoke cantonese and she just smiled and didn't respond. so then i yelled to the new mandarin elder so that he could go talk to her. he called out something in mandarin and she responded, but then she turned the corner and our taxi came up. i wanted to talk to her so badly, but she couldn't understand me. there are sooo many people that are ready to hear the gospel and we have to find them. It feels overwhelming sometimes because there are so many people, but as we learn to listen to the spirit, even when chaos is surrounding us, we will be lead to those people. I really feel that my faith will be tried here, especially this first part of my mission. I have so much to do, so much to learn, and so many people to help. and with faith i can do all those things.

tonight we have EEFY which is english especially for youth. we'll play games, teach english, and give a message. it should be way fun! then afterwards we are teaching pang ji muih---she's from mainland china but speaks cantonese. we are teaching her the first second and third lessons and then seeing if she can get baptized on sunday before she leaves back to mainland. my companion says she's ready. they already taught her the commandments too so we are just teaching the lessons in depth for her. i'm excited and hopefully i can do or say something that will help her increase her faith. we are also teaching an 11 year old girl tomorrow. I bet she's adorable and i can't wait! even though i don't know a lot i'm so excited to just dive into all of this. anyway, sorry this letter isn't too grand, i'm sure i will have many more stories and experiences to share next thursday. as for now, i will just press forward! I love you all!!

Kahm Ji Muih

ps Keep me in your prayers. I need a lot of help learning this language.

call tonight

i'll call you tonight! fun fun! ok love you bye!
kahm ji muih

Sister Rachel Kiene did call us from the airport. She is very excited to go to Hong Kong. She, like many who have gone before of her, is concerned she doesn't know enough Cantonese. But she has faith that the Lord will qualify her throught faith and hard work. She was very grateful for her native Hong Kong teacher and will miss her. Also, she will miss being with her missionary district from the MTC. She studied with two elders and had three other elders in her district. She said that they had grown close through their experiences in the MTC and she will miss seeing them everyday. (And beating them in 4 square...ha ha.)

If we are lucky she will call again from San Fransico later tonight, but for now this is the latest news.

Mama Kiene

Hong Kong here I come! (July 19,2011)

(Help I can't get this picture the right direction)
So it has been another crazy week! i feel like I say that ever letter but it's true. We just had a lot of struggles with the sisters in the branch and so I had to help out a lot. I have missed so much class and language study because of problems going on but that is what missionary work is about, helping people come unto christ. I know that my Cantonese isn't as good as it could have been or isn't as good as a lot of other missionaries but I'm learning to not worry about it. I'm doing what I can with the time I have. I think it will come a lot more in hong kong! I'm getting so excited to go! i was freaking out a few weeks ago because all the teachers say they are throwing us to the wolves hahaha but it's better to be prepared for what's coming versus having complete shock when i get there. It feels like i have been here for so long that I'm so ready to go! I just need a change. I love it here though. I love the missionaries in the other district, I love other missionaries going other places. you just meet some incredible people, but it's time to get to hong kong and "trash hong kong" with our spirit. haha a volunteer told our companionship to do that haha he's from hong kong. So funny story, there are a couple of hong kong missionaries here and I talk to them any chance i get! They think i'm crazy i'm sure but it's so funny and fun haha even though we can hardly understand each other because they are learning english and I'm learning cantonese. anyway, wu ji muih is stinking cute! i just want to take her back with me (along with my teacher lauh ji muih) and then the other elders (both elder chan) are really nice. Much quieter and don't know as much english. one Chan Jeung Louh has been a member only a year. So we see the Jeung Louh at the temple during our walk and they say hello ask us how we're doing and ask to take a pic with us (all in cantonese! i understood something!!) and we were all stoked and excited because usually i go up to them but they wanted a picture! this was definitely a step forward. so we all take a pic and while we are taking it i say, "Jisi!" which is cheese in cantonese! hahaha and Chan Jeung Louh (the more outgoing one) was laughing super hard. So the pic that is on my camera is of me laughing at him laughing at me haha then after they were telling us where they were serving, Australia and New York. Everyone was saying how awesome that was and then I said, "Yeah, well it's too bad we're going to the best mission..." and they just sat there probably translating in their head and then they started busting up laughing! haha then the Elder goes,"You so funny!!" hahaha it was hilarious and I just started laughing because i really wasn't trying to be that funny but they think everything i do is funny I guess. Then one of the Elders who's from the new district hardly new anything they were saying expect when they said how is your day? and he flew off the bench screaming, "I know that one!!" hahaha then when they told us they were going to leave he yells to them, "Ngoh ngoi leih!" which means I love you hahaha oh all of us were dying including the Hong Kong Elders.

Things have been going well. I'm really pushing myself this last week and I'm ready to head out. I don't even know what to expect but it will be great. one of the other teachers talked to me for a while after class on saturday and she gave me so much encouragement. She knows the language really well and she said she didn't know nearly half as much as we did before getting to HK. She's a singer too so she was able to relate to me in that sense. I have felt Satan work on me a lot these last few weeks in a lot of different aspects because he doesn't want me to believe in myself, he doesn't want me to do God's work. I have just been praying to have more peace, patience, love, and confidence/faith. I want to have unwavering faith when I search for the souls ready to hear the gospel. Everyone deserves the happiness I have been given and I can't wait to see lives change because of it! Thank you everyone for your letters of encouragement and updates! it's so great hearing from everyone! I said bye to Mike last night but it was a good goodbye! we're both just ready to go out and serve. Sounds like HP was great too. I'll have to watch it in a couple years. Just so everyone knows, the mailroom closes early on Saturday and is not open monday! I leave monday night so any dear elders will need to be sent by friday and other letters will need to get here by friday so that I can get them. or you can just send them to Hong kong. my address should be on the blog. Ok, thanks for everything and I love you all!

Love,
Kahm Ji Muih

hou faai

So the weeks are just starting to blur together. I have a hard time figure out what actually happened this week and everything. But I know I've been learning a lot personally. I have been learning and relearning so many valuable principles but what I lack at times is REALLY applying them. I know I must have faith, but what do I REALLY need to do to exercise it as best as I can? My district is getting ready to head out soon. TWO weeks?! So crazy. We are trying to speak even more Cantonese but sometimes it's hard especially because of our callings and many missionaries that need help. but we're trying. Today is my Cantonese day and I haven't spoken English yet. you can ask Mike haha I helped him in the laundry room just an hour ago. but I could only speak Cantonese. So funny haha he's doing ok, I think the sickness is wearing on him a bit so just keep praying for him. FAMILY---Thank you so much for the packages and letters this week! Besides Kait helping with the packages, I only got things from you and it made the week so much better! Lisa did send music which was so nice too! We have an entire closet devoted to food because we get so much. One of my roommate’s grandmas sent all of Costco over! It's so funny. Anyway, we are trying to share it as best as we can and then eat the rest :) hahaha This week I focused a lot on studying the resurrection because I gave the lesson in district meeting and my love for the Savior and his atonement has grown so much. I feel often times we look over the resurrection when talking about the atonement, but without it there would be no purpose for Christ's suffering. (John 11:25-26) It's so simple, follow and believe in Christ and we will receive the greatest gift, eternal life. Like I've said before, I wish I could just put my feelings in a box and send it home for you to feel as well, because it's hard to describe everything and when you experience so much every day you forget all that you want to write about. But just know that I'm doing well. It's been challenging in several ways and it's just going to get harder once I'm in Hong Kong, but I know that the joy and happiness I feel will help me overcome the challenges. I LOVE my teacher Lauh Ji Muih. She's so precious and patient and we laugh SO much together. I wish I could take her with me. She's a native and she makes me love the people so much more. I met two missionaries from Hong Kong and I always talk to them. The elder doesn't speak very good English and he doesn't understand my Cantonese very well either (fabulous). But the sister and I communicate really well! She's so stinking cute! I always feel comfortable talking to her and hopefully they will prep me for Hong Kong a little bit so I won't be AS shocked once I'm there :). I'm no where near what I thought I would be language wise and preparation wise but I know that it will come. Once again, thank you for everything! Gaa yauh!

Kahm Ji Muih

ps Mom--I will send stuff home next Tuesday. my comp in Hong Kong, Sis Bishop says to try to not have a lot of stuff so I'm trying to simplify but I'll just specify what I want to stay home and what can be sent to Hong Kong. Sorry I didn't get the clothes till after you had left for home. Anyway, thanks a bunch! Oh and the other district hears about you sending stuff to missionaries so they may want a little treat. But there are 10 elders so I don't know. And an elder, Elder Todd who's going to Thailand does too but he's just crazy so don't worry about him. ha-ha anyway, thanks again for everything! Talk to you soon.

CRAZY WEEK

So, it's been a crazy week but a good one! It has been fun seeing Elder Kiene (or Kahm Jeung Louh hahaha) and our schedules are actually pretty opposite but we have gym right after eachother and we always seem to find eachother at things. On Sat we had a special 4th fireside and it was so cool! then afterwards we got icecream and watched the stadium of fire fireworks! mike found me when we were getting ice cream and we all ran to find a nice spot to watch together! saturday was a great day. I was SYLing a lot and we taught well and then I got t spend the evening watching fireworks with my bro and fellow missionaries! Earlier in the week it was a bit crazy. We have been trying to help the new district really understand the importance of using time (especially personal study time) well and really understanding their purpose as a missionary. not just the purpose that's stated in PMG, but something even on a more personal level for that individual. I think it will take time for them but hopefully what we shared with them will encourage them to seek that and find the motivation to be better. I have been learning a lot about patience and love too. I feel that as I continue to pray for it, God gives me more opportunities to use that patience. Funny how that works hahaha, usually we think that we'll just be given this power to be able to handle situations but God wants to stretch us and push us so he'll give us the experience and let us choose to act in whatever way we want. It's good though. It's helping me learn to just accept and love people for who they are. You can't change anyone but yourself. YOu can influence, but that's a bit different. I feel that as I learn to love people for them, my perspective continues to increase. I'll just say, prayer is my best friend out here. It's crazy how often we pray but it's really neat too. We, as a district, decided to tell eachother a weakness we have or something that we are trying to work on and ask to prayer for eachother. I think it has really helped us bond as we understand that each of us has a specific need and can only receive help through God. Something that I really noticed this week is my increased love for the book of mormon. I just love personal study time and i feel like there is never enough time because i'm just thriving on everything that i'm reading. i feel like my focus is so much stronger than ever before and i'm constantly tieing things together from all that i learn. the scriptures are amazing! I know that as we really feast on the words we will continue to be nourished spiritually. I'm reading in Alma right now about the anti-nephi-lehi's and how they barried their weapons of rebellion and war. First, I thought of how each of us have our own weapons of rebellion and it will take a lot of sacrifice, but when we commit to barrying them, we will find so much more joy and see miracles happen in our lives. Then i continued to read about how the lamanites came to fight and they said they wouldn't break that commitment with God so they didn't fight back. Many were killed, HOWEVER because of their example, some of the lamanites were converted to the gospel. It's crazy because we would think, why would God let those men die in the first place? Well I know that God has a specific plan for everyone. God knows what needs to be done in order for his children to accept the gospel and strive to return back to them. That was just a neat example to me of how keeping our covenants and commitments can not only help us individually but others as well. Well I gotta run! But I love you all! Mike told me about the cupcake story with TY! so cute! tell me more fun stories like that! send pics and everything too! you are all wonderful and it was pretty cool that we were watching the same fireworks on saturday ;) hahaha ok well travel safely, thanks for the updates and keep pressing forward with FAITH! Oh and I can read a couple of scriptures written in characters! oh yeah baby! ok, peace and blessings!

Kahm Ji Muih

Wow what a week!

Leih Hou!! Oh my gosh it has been one crazy week! I don't even know where to begin. Well first of all, i have missed a lot of class because of the singing practices and then the performances! It was an incredible experience but definitely a sacrifice. The first performance was for President Monson, Erying, Utchdorf, and then all 9 apostles were there except I think Elder Packer, Cook, and Oaks. The room was full of mission presidents and general authorities and i saw julie b beck on the first row and President Samualson and all these people. We were in the small little chapel rooms and stood directly infront of the apostles and prophet on the stand. Like 5 feet away! There are about 38 of us and we all scrunched in a tight pile so the camera is a close up on us the whole time. I was able to hold my emotions in while we sang precious savior dear redeemer but then right after the loud powerful part where we split into six parts i lost it completely. But i couldn't wipe my tears or anything and i couldn't sing really until the last amen. i just sat there with tears streaming down my face but i just couldn't hold the emotions in. my body was shaking and the spirit had filled the entire room. They funny thing is we didn't even sing it that well. we sang it MUCH better times before. But just because the spirit was so strong, it was so special. As I walked out I looked at the first presidency and Pres. Erying and Utchdorf were just looking over smiling. Then Elder Holland with tears in his eyes gave us the silent applause. We performed the next few days for when Pres Utchdorf spoke and there were 7 apostles there and when Edler Hollan spoke and I think there were about 8 there for that. Then Friday night I was able to attend a special fireside with all the mission presidents and any other missionaries that could make it in. Elder Bednar spoke to us about being Preach My Gospel missionaries. It was really great! Edler Nelson, Ballard, Oaks, Anderson, Holland, and Scott were there. Oh I also saw Elder Anderson in the halls a couple of times when we were in the building that we sing in. Everytime he was with his wife and he'd say hi to me and walk by. On Sunday afternoon we were supposed to sing one last time for the special Mission pres. sacrament where pres Erying spoke at. Before we went in we were in our room practicing. Our director came in and right behind him walked in Elder Bednar and his wife! haha so cool! So we all walked over and talked to him. He told us how grateful they all were for our talents and that we performed in a humble way. He told a funny story about how pres hinckely started a meeting early and the director wasn't there yet so Elder Ballard announced Elder Bednar would direct the music. Before they started he went up and said, "I'm going to wave my arm down like this and that's when you come in" so he did it and immediately sat down. Hahaha he said the one time his wife tried to teach his kids and him how to lead at FHE (using straws as the little wands) he turned it into a spit waud fight! hahaha kind of sounds like something dad would do :) haha just kidding but i thought that was so funny! Then he asked us where we were serving! I got to tell him I was going to Hong kong. He asked if I was speaking mandirine or cantonese and I told him Cantonese. Then he said he was there four weeks ago (which we were all totally bummed about cause were barely missed him!) and that I would need to fix anything that he may have messed up hahaa oh I just love the apostles personalities! So back to our performing. To make a long story short they forgot to announce us so we didn't get to sing. They let us watch the talk next door where our practice room was and once the meeting ended we decided to all circle up and sing Joseph Smith's first prayer, which was what we were supposed to perform, acapella. We began to sing with doors open and slowly mission presidents and wives started peeping their heads in and started coming in to listen. We never sounded so good and the spirit there was undescribable. We were all just crying and I know that the mission presidents could feel everything we felt. Then Our director came and apologized and then we asked if we could sing Precious Savior once last time. We sang it and had any couples that were listen on the outside to come in. The mission presidents were all in tears and one wife was even singing with us. It was such a special moment and I just know that those mission presidents have a big responsibility but are so willing to serve.

So guess what I got to do after that?! Well since the mission presidents were in the building where we usually have sacrament, we had combined sacrament meetings and our was with 15 branches. Guess who was the lucky missionary that got chosen out of all the missionaries to speak....yep, me. hahaha so mike and i both got to speak on sunday! My talk was on faith and I think it went ok. It didn't go exactly how I was planning but I hope that the spirit taught them something. I was surpised with how many people thanked me for it. I think it's partly because they're missionaries and pretty much obligated to be nice :) haha but some were very genuine and I really appreciated it. Ok as for my companions, I have two, Sister kelly from north ogden and sister burningham from salt lake. Sister burningham is korean! she knows Kade lyman from school too. She's quiet but really sweet and sister kelly is really spunky and sweet too haha they've been fun to have around!! Sorry this is so random i'm just trying to get my thoughts out quick! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE! And I'm soo excited to see you tomorrow! Everyone knows that you're coming and if any Cebuano speaking Elders attack you or anything (because they're hosting and know that you are coming) don't be alarmed. hahaha Oh and krystal, I am rocking the four-square. Actually, all the Elders think I'm evil because i have no mercy. I think they just notice things when a sister does it because if elders get them out they don't care. Anyway, it's hilarious and I'm pretty much obsessed. who would have thought?! haha ok well I have to go! But I love you all! Thanks for the package mom! it was a life saver! have fun in utah!

Love,
Kahm Ji Muih

Still flyin solo

So I'm still a solo....literally SOLO sister right now. No companion so I've been going on splits with my cebuano roommies Sis. Apina and Sis. Shaw and also some sisters in the branch. Besides that I'm just stickin with my jeung louh (elders). They've been doing a good job taking care of me. Ok so this last week has been pretty good! I feel the Cantonese coming slowly. My comp send me a quick letter from Hong Kong and says all the missionaries out there have great Cantonese...that just motivates me to push myself that much harder. It's tough but when I look back from day 1, I've definitely improved. It's just hard speaking tones when one, I'm nervous, and two, I'm emotional. Yes...I cried in our lesson again on Saturday haha our investigator Caleb is actually from Hong Kong and he's 18. (the real caleb is going to turn his papers in soon!) But he's very patient with us and I appreciate his service. It helps so much listening to an actual native. MY teacher Lauh Ji Muih (sister lau) is the sweetest thing on earth and comes from Hong Kong. She was only able to teach us Saturdays until just over a week ago and it has been such a blessing having her. We have so much fun and I always seem to do something retarded to make her laugh. She taught us "He sent his son"....well the first verse that is, in Cantonese and reading characters! haha it's hard but characters are really cool! Anyway, we finished up and prayed, and the missionaries were on a water break and i was kneeling on the ground still because we kneel when we pray. Anyway, Lauh Ji Muih came back in and I was starring at the characters (probably looking like this little primary child) and she just smiled, patted my head and said, "oh Kahm Ji muih" hahaha she seriously is so cute. And she has spunk too! So, our teaching is still not exactly where we would want it, but we are trying our best to teach with the spirit. I think the Cantonese (especially grammar) is what is holding us back so much. But we contacted Tommy (another cantonese teacher who is chinese) and taught him a mini lesson and tried to set up an appointment to meet with him again. Suprisingly, we understood a lot about what he was saying! They only problem was trying to respond to it. We just need to practice and practice. We are doing a much better job SYLing (speak your language) and hopefully we can progress quicker. So I don't think I mentioned this last week but I applied to be in this mini choir and I got in! I didn't really know what it was for but come to find out that we are singing for the New Mission President Seminar and have mandatory practices every morning at 7-8 and if we missed any we were out. That goes into some of my class time but they said it took presidence over any other MTC activity. They promised us we would be blessed for our willingness to sacrifice time. We have 5 pieces we are singing and they have to be memorized. So I have had to spend time with that and then trying to stay ontop of everything else has been a little crazy! Anyway, we sing on Thurs, Fri, Sat, and twice on Sun and it's all during my class haha but it's ok because it is going to be an AMAZING experience. Why, you might ask? Well Thursday we sing Precious Savior, Dear Redeemer for President Monson, Friday we sing Come Thou Fount for Pres. Uchtdorf, Saturday we sing I'm trying to be like Jesus for President Packer, Sunday morning we sing This is The Christ for Elder Holland, and Sunday afternoon we sing Joseph Smith's first Vision for Pres Eyring. They said the First Presidency and 10 apostles are coming! I honestly can't believe I've been given such an amazing opportunity to sing for the prophet and apostles. However, I'm going to need a lot of prayers. I get emotional even in the rehearsals and I want to be able to really sing for them. Anyway, that's my exciting news! Then I got called on Sunday to be the coordinating sister for the branch so i had a lot of training meetings and we have two meetings with the new missionaries that come in on wed and thurs (12 cantonese and 12 english!) which happen to be during class as well! I guess I'll need to just really take advantage of any time I have to study!! It will be good though and I know everything will work out. Well, things are going well. Once again, thank you for letters and prayers. I can't believe Mike will be here in almost a week!! He's going to love it. It's going to be amazing! And I'm pretty sure the temple closes from july 4-26 for cleaning so Mike, take advantage of the temple before you leave! Well I'm excited to meet the new missionaries and hopefully I will be able to help them as much as sister bishop helped me! Well I love you all! Do good! Oh one more thing, we listen to the spoken word every sunday and the last song they song was, "I got the whole world in my hands!" I nearly died! Luckily the sister next to me has seen rocketman and we just laughed about it! haha so awesome.


Love,
Kahm Ji Muih