Nov. 4, 2013 - Sorry about no letter last week

你地好嗎? 

So all is well in Hong Kong! the weather is cooling down, think the high today is 85 or something so that is really welcome. Things here are going really well, these last two weeks we have kinda slowed down in the office, so we have had more time to go finding and teaching. Well more finding than anything. Sham Shui Po is an awesome area and has an awesome ward. Missionaries here have been doing great, but since the housing elders before us were so busy doing apartment stuff for all the incoming missionaries, our investigator pool is pretty small. So it has been kind of a challenge to try and build it back up again. Starting almost from scratch can be pretty tough, but I like the hard work. So lots of time on the streets this week and had lots of good experiences.

One problem that seems more prevalent in this area though is anti. We had a few times this week where we would be talking with people and others would come up and tell the person we were "che gaau" or a cult. If I have learned anything this week is that you just got to keep smiling and trying. Thats the key. Since Sham Shui Po is a little more on the beaten path than Butterfly was, I dont get as many people amazed that a white guy speaks chinese. Even the old ladies here dont love me like they did out in Butterfly! Jokes, jokes. Its funny, I feel like I have learned a lot on my mission so far, but some lessons I keep on learning. Attitude and that its something that you control is a lesson I am still learning. 

Cool experiences from the week. We have a brother in the ward who is from Nigeria and he is married to a nice lady from our ward. His name is Michael and he was baptized a few months ago. Micheal is awesome! But the only problem is that he doesn't know chinese, but likes to go to church with his family. His english is good, he just speaks with the thickest African accent. So I got to translate church for him yesterday. humbling would be the word I would use to describe it. That experience was good for me though. I have picked up a lot of Chinese, but I dont think i will ever be able to say that I know Chinese, rather I will always say I am learning chinese. Michael was grateful for the help and it was pretty fun. Translating probably wont be a future career of mine though, thats for sure. haha

Nothing really to report about driving, which I guess is a good thing. I drive a toyota Hiace, which I dont think they even have in the US. If I had to describe it, it is kinda like a creeper van. It doesnt have back windows which stinks because it has huge blind spots and turns like a boat. driving is stressful, not fun. But it is kinda fun getting to drive all around HK. 

Like I said, still learning that you can chose to be happy. It really is a choice. circumstances are only as big a part as you let them be. So chose to live above your circumstances. Be happy. There is always something good about the day and there will always be something you want to do better tomorrow. So do it! Recognize those things. Be a better person, because thats why we are here, to all become better. And I promise you that Christ is the best way you are going to do that.

Love you and have a great week!

我關心你地！加油！

Elder Woodburn 胡基謙長老