Joyous and Rich Harvest

Hey there everyone! Thanks for those pictures!! I can't wait to come home and be able to join you in those kind of seafood/ chopstick festivities. I'm stepping outside the world of bagel bites for new years haha. who would have thought?!

I am learning to appreciate your love for schedules and patterns, mom. Slowly. Still learning. But wow, are you brilliant. It takes multiple people beating these concepts into my head until I realize these simple principles you've lived so easily raising me. It's because you make everything look too easy that I don't understand their importance. right? That's my excuse.

Sham Shui Po is doing great. still finding, and teaching and praying and walking. This week was cold! The first time in a long time I was excited to put on extra socks! Loved it.

We eat dinner at the universities a lot, because they're cheap. And the other day on our way out, we taught a girl about the restoration. Great lesson. But then we realized we were in the middle of this baptist university campus....mhdaat?! ya, probably. They really don't like us there. We don't proselyte in any air conditioned areas because those areas are usually inappropriate for us to do that, but she approached us. and she really needed a book of mormon. It was just funny thinking back on it. Shoot, don't think I'm an inconsiderate missionary. We're pretty good at that kind of thing haha. And I already typed the story...!

But thank you so much for sending that about the temple! That's actually why we didn't email until today, because today was our district's temple day. I love the Hong Kong temple. I feel like their is so much heritage connected to it and the history of the people here, and at the same time, so much potential and possibility for what's to come. Every week we see people from all over this side of the world coming to the temple. I love hearing their stories. Last week we met this family from the Philippines. The mom was the Stake Relief Society president, and her 18 and 19 year old daughters were her counsellors. Incredible, huh? This morning when I was prepping I actually read over the dedicatory prayer for the land of China. President McKay ( I think gave it, I can't remember) specifically asked to bless the missionaries with a keen knowledge and understanding of the way these people thought and how to present truth and light in a way that would be appealing to these people of such ancient traditions. Which gave me hope, because that's my biggest struggle here...understanding how these people will understand the gospel.  But it was great. I loved it.

here are the quotes:

President Gordon B. Hinckley made this statement to the Ensign just prior to the dedication of the temple in Hong Kong.  'I almost weep every time I think of having a temple in the great Chinese realm [wherein live one-fourth of the inhabitants of the earth].  It will be a different kind of temple.  I want to say that if I ever felt the inspiration of the Lord in my life, it was on the occasion of going over there to find a place to build a temple."  Ensign, June 1996, pg 47

Excerpt from The China Dedicatory Prayer, by David O. McKay, January 9, 1921, Forbidden City, Peking

"...May the Elders and Sisters whom thou shalt call to this land as missionaries have keen insight into the mental and spiritual state of the Chinese mind.  Give them special power and ability to approach this people in such a manner as will make the proper appeal to them.  We beseech thee, O God, to reveal to thy servants the best methods to adopt, and the best plans to follow in establish thy work among this ancient, tradition-steeped people.  May the work prove joyous, and a rich harvest of honest souls bring that peace the the workers' heart which surpasseth all understanding....Hear us, O kind and Heavenly Father, we implore thee, and open the door for the preaching of thy Gospel from one end of this realm to the other, and may thy servants who declare this message be especially blest and directed by thee...."

Good luck with everything back home. Abbey looks gorgeous, as always. And danny and Jack are awesome. Gai yauh. Alright Jack, Katy Perry just came on here at the apple store. I'm trying to tune it out, but thought I would give you a shout out :) Love you guys!

hannah