Well hello! You are all such good looking people! I literally cannot wrap my mind around it. It's weird. Congrats on the graduation ceremony. I wasn't expecting to see Tommy and Camilla graduating together! That must have been so fun. I wish I would have done it before I left. It would have been neat to have pictures. I don't think I'll do it after the mission though. It will be several months before I need anybody taking pictures of me haha. It sounds like a fun weekend though!

We had a great week here too. I feel bad. I'm always just telling you all about these random people and their lives that you don't know, and I wonder if it's really the type of letters you want. I could write to you more about spiritual messages or life in Hong Kong, but the people are constantly running through your brain and it's hard not to stay on that subject. So if you have any specific questions you can let me know, and try to jog my brain to talk about other interesting things.

This week we were escorted out of a residential area. It was weird. And residential area isn't the right word haha. It makes it sounds like Silver Oaks, and it's definitely not that. It was a chyun. And if I can try to describe a chyun for you. A chyun is a little colony of those big tall guarded apartment buildings. So 10's of thousands of people literally can live within a block of each other. I've been finding there several times before no problem, but they had an especially grumpy guard this time who very much didn't like us. We hadn't even opened our mouth to anyone (because we were walking up this hill and all the people were at the top), and then out of nowhere, this super skinny short man with huge bottle cap glasses starts running up the hill after us and shouting at us. Cantonese always sounds like people are yelling at you, so I'm used to people talking in a harsh voice, but this guy was shaking his fist at us so we could tell he was actually upset ha. He tried telling us to leave in English. It was such a not funny experience, but I was trying to do everything I could to keep from laughing because I looked at him and he comes up to about my chest, and probably weighs 80 ponds, and he refuses to listen to us speak back in Chinese to him, and is struggling to show authority over us with his broken English. You. leave. no good. So he marches us through the block to the exit that goes to the highway (which was super not useful haha). and then he shews us away haha. We offered him an English class flier. Maybe we'll see hm around. It was a weird feeling though. Lot's of people were watching and staring at us getting kicked out. It made me sad. It also makes me sad because so many people here have such a misconception of our church for whatever reason. Some people are literally scared of us. They think we are a cult and they will curse us all the time. I have countless experiences of teaching someone on the street, and they are interested and willing to learn, and then a stranger will walk up and start anti-ing them. It's the saddest thing. I'm sure that happens everywhere, but I was shocked to see how much anti mormon there is here. Another thing I thought was interesting this week was that literally every kid here learns how to pray here in school. They learn about God. Practically every kid goes to a Christian or Catholic school, and people are surrounded by religion. Specifically in regards to learning about Jesus Christ. There are advertisements and huge campaigns constantly going on. I have been shocked to see how people are literally surrounded by religion and yet, for the most part, have nothing to do with it within themselves. I think back to the States where it is looked down upon to bring religion into the schools in any form, yet people give more place in there heart to the ideas of religion there than they do here where it is literally everywhere you look. Also, it's interesting to then see the huge contrast of mainlanders here who have never been exposed to it, or never seen our missionaries before and how searching they are for it. Interesting. I don't know.

This week we had stake conference which is always so great. Elder Wong presided, and took over the Saturday night session with talking about how we can improve our sacrament meetings. It was really good. At one point he called on President and Sister Hawks to give their input on a certain topic we were discussing. President Hawks can speak Cantonese just fine, so he gives his piece. And then Sister Hawks walks up, and Elder Wong called me up to translate for her. So Scary! It wasn't that big of a deal because it wasn't an entire talk or anything, and it was Saturday night session. But there are many many more experienced missionaries with much better cantonese here than me. But it went alright. It was fun. Except the elders in my district were laughing the whole time I was doing it haha.

Oh last thing. Remember that dance mom I was telling you about? So at first Angel just did the cha cha with those shoes she carries around. But this week we found out much more! You know those Chinese opera singers? Did you ever look those up? They paint their face white and have big black eyebrows and sing really high about Chinese History? Angel is one of those, and she's nine. We listened to a tape of her, but I need to see it in person because I still can't quite fathom how those noises would come out of her tiny self. But she's going to show us next week. Can't wait.

Anyway, Mother's day is coming up! I get to call you! When would be good? And I picked a different scripture if it isn't too late. If it is, than no problem. But I decided that I like Moroni 10:5-7 pretty good too. Oh, and I got my release date. which was super weird. Did they email it to you too?! I guess it's October 23rd so ya....so you know.

Alright, well I love you. Thanks for that letter. It was super interesting. If you have any other ideas or thoughts for me after the mission, I would love to hear about them. I'm pretty clueless right now. Except I'll have to take the GRE for sure. That was stupid. I should have taken that before I left. Anyway. Talk to you later! Literally talk to you soon! Can't wait!

Love Hannah

The Happiest Message

Hello! Well - you all look so beautiful! It's so great to hear from you! Wow, congrats to Camilla & Tommy. They've graduated! I love hearing about your lives. I am constantly so impressed. Tell Gump I say hello. I think about him often.

Well this week was full of all sorts of very lovely people. I'll start with Lai Yee. Lai Yee, I'm pretty sure, is in her late 90's. Rumor is that she is 98, but I can't get her to tell me. She always gives me this mischievous smile whenever I talk to her about anything that could hint at her age haha. but she goes to every English Class offered by missionaries. She isn't a member, but has known missionaries for 10+ years. She wears this cute little hat everywhere she goes and walks around with her umbrella. She reminds me a lot of Kermit the frog with her mannerisms and hand movements. She doesn't like playing the games at English class, so she always excuses herself to the "bathroom," and then never comes back for the last 10 minutes of class. Which doesn't matter, but once I caught her, and made her laugh about it, and we've been good friends ever since. So she's my English class partner. Last week the word parachute came up, and she claimed to have done that parachute thing over the ocean in Thailand. I'm not sure if I've writtten to you about Lai Yee before or not, but she tells us these very extravagant stories about her life (i.e. She was born in Jerusalem, she is the oldest of 10 siblings, she studied microbiology and is really into diving haha). So when she goes off into some of her stories, it's always hard to sift through what is actually true. Every conversation with her is a 2 truths and a lie game. And it's always accompanied by that smile of hers that just keeps you on your toes. She is the cutest, and we've been good friends the last few months of Wednesday night English class in Kowloon Tong. So this last week when I was trying to sift through her stories, she insisted on showing me proof. She had a picture. So she invited us to her house on our pday to spend some time with her and have lunch. So that's what we did today, and it was so much fun. I'll send you a picture next week. We went through her old picture clutters, and it was amazing to see how old those pictures were, of all her deceased family up in China together. Turns out she really did have 10 siblings. She wasn't born in Jerusalem. But she has travelled to just about every country I could name off. We saw pictures of her at the pyramids, and up at Mt Everest, and St. Basil's cathedral, and yes, her parachute in Thailand. Coolest woman I have ever met. So it has been a privilege to come to be friends with. Love her.

Cool experience on the MTR this week. We were out running during morning exercise to the ocean. And right near the point we were coming back, I stepped on one of those grid things in the street for drainage. The slits in it aren't super wide and we walk over them all the time, but my foot just lined up perfectly that my ankle gave way and I rolled in pretty good. That same left one I hurt a while back playing volleyball. But I could walk back to the apartment & it wasn't as bad as it should have been for sure, which was a blessing. It hurts a bit, but I can walk fine. But on the MTR on the way home, this woman was sitting near where we were standing and my swollen ankle caught her eye, because my companion was pocking at it with her foot. This woman was old and talked really loud, and she called me over and stood up to give me her seat, but we assured her I was just fine. But she refused to sit down and pushes me into the seat and starts pulling out all this Chinese medicine oils and stuff. She takes off my gross crocs and just starts drenching my feet in this stuff on this moving train haha. All the people near us are just chuckling at the scene, because it was quite loud haha. But then it starts smelling bad, and then starts burning even worse haha. It was super hot haha. But I just felt so grateful to her. She had her little trolley thing she pulled around with her, and she had bandages all over her arms and hands. And she wasn't very young, but she is on her knees attending to my feet in this crowd of people. I could hardly understand a thing she said, but she was so kind. So kind. I felt so loved by a complete stranger. I love these people.

Alright, last but definitely not least. Jiu Jimuih was baptized this Sunday. Jiu jimuih is a special woman and part of a special family. Back in December when everything was going on with Nana, this family was seeing a similar thing. The grandpa pretty suddenly started being treating for cancer, and then passed away in January. They were both taking the lessons before he passed away, and we were doing everything we could to help them be baptized before the expected happened, but he passed away before they received the ordinance. We tried to be especially sensitive to the situation and to their needs. And we slowly starting visiting Jiu Jimuih again, mostly just to talk. It is tender to talk to her about the temple blessings and sealing power, and she is working towards that day. Very incredible woman. I felt so privileged to even watch her start learning about these blessings and feeling the comfort that comes.

I need to go, but I love you all so much. And I miss you. You mean everything to me, and I was reminded of that as we continued to teach this family, because it's so rare to teach families here. But it's the happiest message we could give.

Love you guys.
Hannah

Run - every day, every day, every day

Hello!
Wasn't conference soooo good?! I loved it. Sad I wont get to read the talks for a while. We'll get the liahona probably at the end of May. so long! But hey, I got a really nice package in the mail this week. Please give Rene a big thank you for me. I'll write him a thank you letter too. He has a kind heart.


Business first: Haven't tried the card yet, but I will this week. I'm sorry. I dont know what to say to the ward. Just about missionary work? I'll think as I type. I'm sorry. I couldn't think of what scripture I wanted. I'm trying to narrow it down. If you need one today, go for 1 John 3:1-3. but if not, I'll look some more. It was a busy week, and I didn't get things done that I needed to. I'll do better this week. I'm sorry. It must be so frustrating being a missionary mom and trying to get stuff done! I wish I could say sorry a few more times, but that might be overkill haha.


But guess what! This week I got to drive in a car!!! so fun! so weird! It was terrifying!!! I dont think I will drive when I come home. I will walk. everywhere. This week we also met an interesting new friend. The zone leaders passed her over to us. Apparently she wanted to go out drinking with them. Usually if men ask us out or invite us to go out drinking with them, we dont usually try to teach them haha. They go under the sketch category. But perhaps we judge to quickly. nah, probably not. Anyway, the elders scheduled her for us. She was super. Green eyeshadow up past her eyebrows, a huge bejeweled cross about the size of a small cat hug from her neck, and every finger had at least 2 rings on it. huge rings. I'm not sure if her fingers could bend. She had it going on. We showed her the church, and sat down to explain our purpose. She actually already believes in Jesus Christ and would like to find a church. It was a pretty decent lesson, but pretty distracted. the funniest part, though, was as we ended her lesson, she pulled out of her suitcase (everyone pulls around suitcases around here) a huge bag full of her bejeweled plastic rings and colorful make up. She said she could make us turn beautiful and we can all go out and work on our dating game together. Back each other up. Bless her heart. She was probably in her 40's and quite overweight. clearly quite alone. But the best part is that I know that wherever we're starting from, the gospel of Jesus Christ can lift us and change us. So we'll see what Cindy is really looking for behind her literal mask of make up and jewels. Because I'm quite certain she's looking for more than just going out drinking at night, although that is perhaps what it started with. We'll see. If there is anything that I learn while I'm out here is that the gospel changes and softens and transforms and magnifies. And it is a blessing to be a witness of someone's very own and personal life transforming. Always in the Lords time, but it isn't necessarily a long process either.


I met a dance mom this week. And I learned that dance moms are the same just about all over the world. Her daughter's name is Angel and she is the center of her mom's heart. And she should be. She's 9, and she came to English class with us and her mom. She carries her sequined cha cha dance shoes everywhere she goes in a nice box with a ribbon handle, and her mom carries her phone to show people pictures of her daughter's competitions and costumes. We asked if we could visit them in their home to help her with any other English questions she might have and share a message about our church, and they agreed. It's incredibly rare to visit people at there homes. We found their room, and she let us in and made us flower tea. The room was complete concrete, decorated with drawings Angel would make in her free time. Just Angel and her mom lived there, and they had a bunkbed in the corner. I was impressed with how humblly they lived - outside on the street you would never have guessed that's where they came from. Her mom was kind, and really every thought and action and hope was all directed to her daughter succeeding in life. And Angel is such a sweet girl. completely respectful of her mom, quiet, and did everything she knew to do to make her mom happy and her mom's efforts worthwhile. They agreed to listen to our messages and we'll start teaching them this week. But they are a sweet family for me to get to know. and it make me so happy to know that the gospel will bring comfort and meaning to their lives. I love them very much.


We had the most amazing lesson yesterday. She was mandarin, and we weren't able to get the mandarin sisters there, so we had planned to show her around the church and some how to begin teaching to help her understand our purpose and expectations a bit. But she had incredible questions, and everything she asked just kept pulling to the restoration. So we of course taught her. I've met a lot of people who have interest in learning more about our beliefs and I've met even more people willing to hear our beliefs, but she has given me a clear vision of what someone thirsting after the truth looks like. She was begging for answers to her questions, any sort of answer to satisfy what she hadn't found yet. As we continued to teach her and help her understand that "incredible" feeling thar she was experiencing was the spirit, she described the feeling as gratitude. "Like a great feeling that is too much for you to take in...like when you are so grateful for things that you don't deserve. That's what it feels like." It was an interesting explanation to me of what the Spirit can feel like, but as she described it, it fit perfectly the feelings the spirit gives me. To me, it was a profound answer and taught me a lot. The spirit helps us understand truth, and as we more fully understand truth of any kind, it all points to the great love that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have for us. As soon as we start understanding that at any level, I think the greatest feeling that would accompany it is Gratitude.

I felt that this weekend as we listened to the prophets, and I'm determined to not walk, but run everyday, everyday, everyday. I was reminded about my purpose even outside and beyond the mission, and I am so glad I have this time to develop patterns and priorities. So I am committing to do more. I know I can. I am grateful to be part of our family. I was reminded of you all constantly as they talked about the sanctity of our families. I love you guys. And I look forward to seeing you again. and I am grateful for what you teach me.


Now for the ward. This mission has been the most meaningful and enlightening opportunity for me to come to understand a little more than I did before the things that matter most. Our relationships and bonds with each other and with our Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ are of eternal importance. I had a testimony of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ before this mission, and I couldn't express the gratitude I have to you, the ward and leaders and teachers, for help in guiding me to that testimony. We all have personal experiences and opportunities to find what we individually know to be true, but the work of God is more than just a personal testimony. And it will continue to move forward.

ok, I'm not going to finish that mom. That's bad. but I'm out of time. will you just write something for me? I dont now really what I should say. I've been trying to look at grad programs and it's stressing me out. any ideas?
I love you. I hope you have a good week.


Love hannah

Seeking to Improve

Hey everyone!
Happy Easter! How was General Conference?! I cant wait to see it! How's Tommy?! I'm so excited to hear about his awesome life! How's Camilla feeling? I've been praying for her. Lots coming up for her. Abbey, you're right! That picture does look so much like what I looked like a few years ago haha. I'm trying to maintain it, but not having much success haha. I hope Danny and Jack are doing good. I love those boys.

Well, it's been a great week! We had a picnic at a park last p-day and sat IN GRASS! it was amazing! very pokey, but still....loved it. And I ate a subway sandwhich. It was a good day. It's been getting suuuuper hot and humid suuuuuper fast. I got a little burnt while finding this weekend. but nothing bad. You wont be able to tell in the pictures I send you. the flash was on in some of them, and it makes me look a like a ghost. mhganyiu la! not important!

Lately me and my companion, Gou Kiuh Jimuih, have been making a real effort to visit certain people in our ward. We love our ward. The Sham Shui Po ward is special and it is the mission home and temple presidency ward as well. So I get to meet amazing people. And when people visit the temple from wherever they're visiting from, they stay in patron housing which is in our church building on the top floor. So it's been incredible to meet so many people with such different backgrounds. They sacrifice a lot to come to the temple. We get to see all sorts of beautiful but very simple humble weddings here. Beautiful Indian or indonesian brides. Malaysia. and you'll take a picture of their special day together on their camera phone for them. in the parking lot of the church, trying to fit the temple into the background. I love these people. I love all people. The idea that we're children of God has become much more meaningful to me after meeting these people with such great purpose. completely grateful for the opportunites God gives them.

But we serve in this ward with 2 sets of Elders because we serve with the Assistants, and with the Office Elders. two struggles there. Not the elders haha! But the AP's are incredible missionaries who have been out pretty long, so their langauge is awesome. And the Office Elders are Bundei's (Natives). And I'm the only one in our district who isn't asian of some sort. Long story short, they have super fluent cantonese. So the sisters here have always seemed to struggle with gaining huge trust with the ward, just because if I had a family member or friend I wanted to introduce to the missionaries, I'ld probably want the AP's or someone who knows the language to teach them too! Can't blame them. and it works out because the Office elders and AP's dont have much time to go finding, so it's good for them to visit ward members and have that relationship there. BUT, Sister Takahashi and I have been making huge progress. and it's been a lot of fun. Especially since Elder Ballard told us we needed to teach a full lesson every day. That means once or twice or three times a week we need to visit a member and teach them. And they love it because they get to pretend to be an investigator and throw some really tough questions at us. I think they secretly love to torture us haha. but it's fun. This week we visited the leung family. I'm getting really good at eating sea food, by the way. with chopsticks. who knew. But she made some prawns, and we had to eat them whole...which was crunchy and actually super difficult. anything you couldn't get down, you spit onto the table. please take note of the chicken claw in the bowl. You would love the food here. Eating is essentially a hobby. a really fun hobby everyone does all the time. And then we visited Jennifer and her mom. Which was a little scary in all honesty. I got an entire fish to myself. but they're good. Our ward has incredible people, but there are some misfits that we thought perhaps missionaries don't visit very often - if not ever. So we're trying to visit them and share a message. And it turns out a lot of them have some solid referrals for other areas, so that was exciting.

I got a picture of Stanley and Theresa for you - our neighbors that I've mentioned before. I love them. Sorry, a little mission inappropriate with him touching my shoulder, but it was the only one we could get!

I'm not sure what to send to bishop - I'll work on that. I did a zone training this week on this idea of faith, and it helped me. I just pondered on how, as a missionary, we are constantly evaluating, improving, striving to change and be better. I admire, especially the missioanries I serve with, always have this striving and improving attitude. We are trying our best and want to give the Lord the best. But it still feels like goals aren't accomplished and dates aren't met and miracles are postponed. And to be honest, it's exhausting. How many times do we honestly give our best at something and then have to ask the automatic question..ok, how can I improve. and then graciously be told things you did that weren't that great haha. I appreciate it because of course I want this work to suceed, but it's not that fun haha. But I think it applies to any person who is honestly seeking the Savior and living the gospel. And few times do I think other people sometimes imply the need for our personal improvement more than we do ourselves. I read a title in this months liahona titled it isn't a sin to be weak. And I thought back to the talk I gave before I left. I read the story about Christ healing the father's son, who pled with the Savior to "help thou my unbelief." Sure that applies to faith, but I think it can apply to a lot of other shortcomings. And the thing that brought at least myself this peace of mind is what I thought a lot about this easter season. "He is not here, but he is risen." I sincerely believe that. Christ lives and He is here. He is with us, and he will always help our unbelief, as long as we first prove to the faith or the strengths we already possess. So that's what I think. But I guess that is in response to your own desire to keep improving, keep striving, I guess I'm trying to be hopefull with the idea that Christ is truly with us, and is our biggest fan. I love you.

love hannah