Hey there!
It was so amazing talking to you all! You sound so great! You're all just progressing and moving forward! I'm so impressed with all your lives haha. Enjoy this last week together before school starts! That will be fun. Any fun New Year's plans? Have a glass of martinelli's for me :) I'm excited to finish my quilt with you, mom! that will be fun. And I love that idea of you and Abs hanging out before she takes off. Weird! I just can't wait to come home and see how changed everyone is. I got all teary eyed when I talked to Danny! But I love it. Time keeps ticking.

Well, China was as great as ever this holiday season. Actually, Christmas is super not a big deal here. The malls get decked out, but nobody really does anything or celebrates it.  But we brought the Christmas spirit with us out to the streets!  And it was fun. We would say Merry Christmas to people and ask them if they had any plans for the day. 9 out of 10 would look at us like we were idiots and say faan gung....go to work. or jyu yeh...cook food.  But we would get some of them to crack a smile on the way, so I would call it a success! And we had a Christmas miracle and got a new investigator - so that was exciting!  Got to love finding people to teach :) I told you on the phone a little bit about her...named Fiona. She's a phd studnet at City University studying linguistics. So truth be told, it's kind of been my goal to find a phd student to teach since I got to this area...so I'm super excited. She's awesome. But most of the people we are working with are travelling to mainland for a little while, so we're back to finding. which is still fun.

The other night, probably around 9, we walked back to the church, and this old 96 year man was lying on this couch in the foyer. We walked in and he reaches up his hand to us starts calling, not calling...whispering, "help."  So of course we rush over, and think he's in some serious trouble of some sort. And then he asks us where he can check in. And now I'm just totally confused. He was looking for a hotel and heard that our church building was a hotel (because of the patron housing stuff upstairs). So we're trying to figure the situation out with him, and find him a hotel and a taxi. And the entire time he is trying to defend himself, tryng to give us identification to prove that he isn't a thief or a robber haha. He was so concerned that we knew he was a gentleman haha. And we're speaking the entire time in cantonese, and then at the end, he starts getting really confused and realizes that these two English girls aren't speaking english. But he doesn't believe us, so he starts speaking the only english he knows..."I dont know english" haha. It was hilarious. All the while another new investigator we just found - who only speaks mandarin - is also asking us about our church choir because she wants to play her acordian in a choir...she majors in acordian at university. Is that really an entire major? It was a really confusing night. But pretty fun. The best part was when we help the man outside into the taxi. He has this little shuffle bent over walk...just shuffling each foot a few inches at a time. We finaly make it to this 4 inch step down, which he makes clear to us that it scares him. And then out of nowhere, he becomes super limber and jumps. Noo - jump doesn't do it...he does this full spread leap off the step. Dad's "like a cat" quote came to my mind as he did it. and then he continues his shuffle. I couldn't get over it. It was hilarious.

Sorry, not much news this week. Just lots of finding. It's been fun. I should do better at writing down in my journal the fun stories we have, so when I email about them, they're more interesting. But seriously, I loved hearing you all. Danny, thank you for that Nevada calendar.  It's hanging above my bed. The pictures are beautiful. Lam Jimuih is shocked that I came from such a place haha.

love you all!
hannah

Tender

Hong  Kong

We made this for dinner.

Dudley, Shandy, Tomoko, Takahashi

Takashi, Killpack, Dudley

Hello Family.
What a tender week. I came to the mission home on Wednesday night, late Tuesday for you, to meet the new missionaries and take them finding. When we returned, President Hawks pulled me into his office and talked with me about Nana. He read me your email and talked with me for a few minutes about Nana's background and life and accomplishments and influence. And I am so grateful for the love and kindness he had to take some time out of such a busy shedule that day to pay his own respects to her, and really show such kindness to me. He had Sister Hawks give me a hug, and assured me, especially after hearing about Nana's faith and service in this gospel, that I was serving in a three-some now. Which made me smile. And I believe he's right.
Thank you for those pictures and the program outline. It feels strange. I've felt strange all week. Which makes me admire the faith and courage Nana had the entire time leading up to it.  On Saturday night, as I was laying in bed I kept thinking about Gump. In my mind he was just waking up and getting ready for the events of the day, which was hard for me to think about. But I know we have an incredible family, and I know it's ok. Thank you for sending those pictures. Nana does look beautiful. I have a faint memory of visiting dad's Nana when I was little (at least I'm pretty sure I do). The heritage just keeps going on. Give everyone a hug for me. I miss you all, and I'm looking forward to talking to you.

I'm sorry, I don't have things to really update on. I'm training Sister Takahashi, she's half Japanese from Australia. Nice girl. I'm Sister Training leader for our Zone now too, which really just means I get to go on exchanges once a week with different sisters and see all the areas, which will be fun. We have good people in this mission.

China is as Chinese as ever now that I have some fresh eyes as part of our companionship. Things don't stick out to me like they used to, so maybe my letters will get more exciting. I'm going to send a few pictures, but I love you. I really love this family. And I'll talk to you this week!

Love Hannah

To Face God Again

Family!!!
hello, hello! Oh I love emailing you! it's such a highlight to see how you are doing. you guys look fantastic. Danny, you are taller than the tree! good thing it's not the "12 foota." Well, good luck with finals. Have fun. Have a happy, festive, spirited, and close knit family-filled Christmas! It sounds wonderful :) What day works best to call? and what time would be good? let me know.
Well, it's been another great week. ummm, wow it went by fast.

We are working with some amazing people. I love them so much. Shandy is 18. She wants to go to nursing school, so she's working 2 jobs right now to save up. Good girl. We caught her right as she was walking in to her apartment and gave her a book of mormon. she agreed to meet us again, and we've been meeting for a few weeks now. She is amazing. Especially keen to the atonement and the idea of repentance. She is thoughtful, and gives profound answers. We taught her about repentance and afterwards asked what she thought about it, she said, "so it's kind of like an opportunity for us to turn toward God. To face God again." I don't know about you, but she's been having struggles with her own idea of needing punishment, so to hear that from her really just impressed me. Because that's one aspect of repentance that has always stood out to me. I heard one of the apostles say that when they visited us in the MTC, so I wrote those words really big in my study Journal. And now this 18 year old girl who had met with us a few times already caught on to that idea that was so profound to me haha. I've just been so impressed and humbled by her. Really sweet girl. I love visiting her. But it's tough, because then for the rest of our day, we usually have a couple of hours of finding, and I have the song "Sandy" from Grease going through my head haha. ..."when hi-ai-gh schoo-oo-l is done...." Haha so I'm working on not making that a habit.

And then Cherry. I've probably already written you a ton about Cherry. I don't remember. If not, then shame on me. Mom, you would just want to give this woman a hug. She is the kindest, most caring person I've met out here. And especially towards me and Sister Killpack, she just cares for us. The other day we visited her, and she saw that Sister Q didn't have any stockings haha. it wasn't that cold, but she was certain Q jimuih needed some tights, so she pulls out of her drawer a pair, and starts helping Q jimuih put them on - haha. it was hilarious, but seriously, so sweet. She really just makes my heart happy. She had some pretty intense adam and eve questions, but we've worked passed them and are moving on to faith-which might be hard for her to accept. She's from mainland and doesn't have any religious background, and she is on and off with what she believes, but she is slowly opening up to it, and feeling things. It's been sweet for me to watch, because really, I care about her so much and I can just picture her family together being strong in this gospel, and it gives me motivation every day to keep going. Love her.

I'll send some pictures next week so you can put faces to names. Because they're amazing! We got another companion this week...Sister De Ocampo from the Philippines. Good girl. Usually Filipino missionaries here aren't cantonese speaking, but she gets to learn and teach in this beautifully obnoxious language. She went to the provo mtc, but because her visa was expiring, she had to leave a week early. So we got to introduce her to the mission this last week! So it was fun being in a 3-some again. And I got a call last night from President Hawks asking me to train this upcoming transfer, so it's possible she'll stay here with me. We'll see. Should be fun.

What else....I got a marriage proposal this week. Figured I should inform my family haha. No, it was a bummer of a situation. Remember Ken, the AP's blind investigator? He's like 60 something. So one day he showed up to English Class with a chocolate bar and a hand written note. Told me to read it later. He's a really good guy, but he's really lonely and sad, and he had a lesson on eternal families. Caught all of us totally off guard. But the elders talked with him, and things are fine. So that's good. I think it was the math and physics conversation we had? I don't know haha.

But things here are great! not that rainy. Lots of walking. I feel for this new missionary. It was a lot of finding and walking, and it's not at all what she was expecting. We just need to get her through this week and she'll be fine. Mom, I'm loving the Christmas countdown. I look forward to it every day. I still can't thank you enough for doing that. And over the past few months of p-day's I've been collecting little gifts to send home. I have one for everybody but dad. I'm having the hardest time. Any ideas of things he like? Something for his office? Really, I'm just getting cheap street market stuff so don't get mad at me for doing this haha. Give me any ideas if you have any!

Alright, I love you all. Drive safe up to Canada. Thank you for sharing Nana's testimony with me. I love that she shared so much about the Book of Mormon. What a powerful book. We've been scrutinized for it a lot this past week out on the street, so this really gave me extra strength to keep sharing it. I love Nana. What a beautiful example for us, and unifying power for everyone. Please give her and Gump a hug for me. And dad. I love you dad. I'm grateful you could give her a blessing. What an incredible gift. Please take care of each other. I love you

Love Hannah


ps:  Really - and drive safe up to Canada.

Week 33

Sorry to change the time on you. How fun! What a nice looking car. And cute friend camilla! He looks familiar....but I say that about everyone. And it's probably just because I walked by a lot of people at byu on my way to class, not because I actually knew them or talked to them or anything. But good luck with finals to everyone! Abbey is gorgeous. tell danny I dont have his email address, so he should send me an email so I can write him and comment on his funny volleyball man picture. It's the frozen tundra version of castaway! Oh you guys look so great! I miss you! What a fun holiday season! We started singing christmas hymns for comp study haha....really breaking out the festivities :) But I've been loving my package mom :) I love it. Sister Killpack and I couldn't make the cookies and caramel last until christmas, it was so good! So thank you. I'm working on a package for you guys...it's way cheaper sending things back to the states, so dont worry. but I need to make it down to mong kok one more time to grab one more thing.
It's been a fun week! We've done so much finding it makes me dizzy to thing about. But we've met some awesome people, and had some funny interactions. still only understand about half of what they say sometimes, but I think that's pretty normal. They talk really fast haha.
And yes! we can call home sometime around Christmas time. President Hawks is amazing, and trusts us with our decisions. So you tell me when a good time to call is. We can skype or call, but we just need to figure it all out, and can't bother members or investigators. I know of a Philippino  little place with computers with cameras on them, that we could try to skype.  But I dont know how reliable to the internet is, and I think buying a phone card might be best. But let me know when works well for you.
Alright, I love you guys! Stay warm! Good luck with everything!
Love hannah

Different, But Just as Good

What sweet pictures. Thank you so much for sending them to me. Nana looks like an angel. I love you all. It feels like spending time up there with the family feels close to heaven. Thank you for sharing that with me. I love Nana and Gump.  Sorry, my report to my president it longer than usual, so my letter wont be great.

But how great you were able to have thanksgiving with Camilla and Tommy in Provo. Ya, Magelby's! haha probably better company this time around ;) sorry haha. And you got tickets to the game!? How fun! and Kiss camera! I love it!! haha those look like awesome seats, too. How fun! And I cant thank you enough for the package mom. I absolutely looove it. It's more than enough. Best Christmas ever. Seriously. I opened some rolo's today, and I dont think I've ever been so excited to eat some rolos. And my companion and I have finished all the cookies. They were delicious! I couldn't believe how well they traveled! it was perfect. Thank you so much. I miss you all!

For thanksgiving, President Hawks gave us 3 hours to eat lunch together as a zone. It was so nice. I made stuffing (sort of) and mashed potatoes. very garlicy mashed potatoes :) and honestly, I dont think I've ever eaten the stuffing at thanksgiving, so I wasn't sure exactly how to make it, but I ripped apart bread and celery and cooked it with chicken broth, and it turned out ok haha. They finished it, so it must not have been too bad. or we have hungry missionaries and they'll eat anything. probably the second. but it was fun. And I dont think I have ever seen a turkey sucked so dry in my life! Once all the meat was off (or so I thought) then they start hacking the bones up and the literally, people had turkey carcass on their plates sucking off every ounce of meat haha. Between the chinese missionaries combined with Sister Tu'avao (my tongan friend), the there was nothing left of that poor bird. But it was delicious! and super fun.

It's been a good week. We've been doing lots of finding and are working with some great people. And today for P-day we decided to find a hike. And I've been keeping my eye out for trails or back pathways all the time, but this one was awesome! I love it. Reminded me a little of mine and danny's hike up, what's the name of that mountain pass by fallen leaf lake? The really big one haha. Oh I cant remember it (Mt. Tallac), but it was windy and rainy and freezing! Today wasn't as freezing or windy, but it was super rainy and pretty windy. But so fun! I finally got to hike around these beautiful mountains of China. Is was incredible! But also gave me appreciation for what we have back home. Different, but just as good.
I'll try to send some pictures. But I love you guys!
Happy December 1st!
Love Hannah