Conference & low ponytails

The ocean's not too big! I feel your prayers and support every day, so thank you. I miss you lots and think about you even more. And I know! The rain storms! I should do a better job at predicting them. The umbrella is just too much added weight haha. Or I'm too lazy. But the sky will look clear and blue, and then out of nowhere it just starts pounding haha. It was fun the first couple times, but now it's just annoying haha :)  The days are flying and running together, but then when I step out, it feels like every week is really like 3 weeks haha. But then it's another email time, and I feel like nothing has changed since last time. It was Lam Jimuih's birthday this week, so that was fun. Birthday's are hard on a mission, but we had a really good day, and celebrated when we could. And then I went on exchanges to Aberdeen, which was fun. But every time I leave Kwun Tong, I am so grateful that this is my area. It's a special place. The people are unique, and I love the places. We've walked around just about every road and path that is in our area, so we know it pretty well. Several times. So, I'd say very well - haha. Oh, I tried to go vegetarian this week and failed. Like within the first day, I failed (McDonalds is what keeps us alive). But after the ward barbeque last week (seriously, so much meat), we went to a korean barbeque with the office elders and the Sham shui po sisters last pday. which equals another overloaded day of meat. So I ate an unusual amount of cucumbers and peppers and carrots. So that was nice. It's hard to eat vegetables here because people here don't eat raw vegetables. They cook everything. People don't trust any food from mainland so they always boil all their food. So Lam Jimuih doesn't let me eat like a salad for example haha. So I eat boiled salad essentially haha. I'll make a salad and then boil it. and then eat it...with chopsticks. and sometimes Lam Jimuih will put oyster sauce on it. And we always eat everything with a bowl of rice. But my chopstick skills are improving, so thats a plus.

And conference was amazing, ya?! Loved it. I didn't bring my notes with me to email, but I love Elder Christofferson's talk. It reminded me alot of the people I'm working with, so I'm excited to study that out a bit more.  And I also really loved Elder Holland's talk. And that Jorg guy? I forgot his name. And I dont know where he's from. But I like how straightfoward he was. And I always love what Elder Eyring has to say.  What I probably got most out of conference was the idea that we are our own agents, and some of the most important use of our agency are sometimes decisions that aren't measurable. I think a lot of agency is used depending on what we put our efforts into, and where our priorities are focused. If we have a desire to be submissive to the will of Heavenly Father, what actions can we do to help us seek out his will, or at least be in a state where we can be prompted to act in a way to follow his will. I think it comes down to those underlying, consistant efforts to deliberately turn back to and remember Heavenly Father. And for me that's a hard thing. Because it's a lot easier to sit back and let the day happen, and be a participant. It's a lot easier to do what I'm supposed to and to be doing just fine and good. But when we step up and put our personal action and our personal effort into the motions we go through, I think there's an important idea there for spiritual growth and receptability to the spirit. I dont know, those are some thoughts I had on conference. It made me want to take more personal repsonsibility and give more personal effort to the small actions I do throughout the day. Which is the goal of a lifetime. But I might as well start chipping away at it. because I think it's only through those small efforts that we'll see change. I think it's a hard characteristic to be able to be patient enough and disciplined enough to have that long term subtle grind and improvement.

This makes absolutley no sense. I still need to write it all out in my journal and figure out what I really think about it all. But you're my parents, so you can probably figure out what I'm trying to think haha. I'm feeling more like the girl I was when I was younger. maybe it's because I wear alot of low middle part ponytails again like I used to haha. but still, I'm grateful for you guys. I miss you alot. I should go, but I 'll talk to you next week! Thanks for the pictures. You all look so great. Nice work Jack :) And how cool thar Abbey is homecoming candidate! You get to wear another tux, Dad! haha. I can't believe she's a senior. Feels like that was just me and you, and I cant wait to see the pictures next week! Good luck! you're beautiful!

Love you!
Hannah