I sent Hannah some old pics of her, Camilla, & Tommy in the dry hot heat of Southern Utah - Motivation that there were dry, shin-sweat free days in her future. Haha - sounds like she needs a little rest and recovery when she gets home. (I won't start counting yet - but before Halloween!)

Wow! I look beautiful in these pictures! mom, I do not look like this anymore. I am giving you a heads up so you will recognize me haha. but that's ok. please look for things to help me grow hair when I come home :) it's nice to have hair.

And I know this will sound so cheesy, but you look beautiful in that picture collage thing abbey sent. Sorry. I don't mean to just talk about appearances. But you look great! Just have patience with me when I come home. I literally feel a little unworthy to walk around with our family. Which sounds so pathetic, and I don't mean it to be dramatic. just an observation :) Jack will kick me into gear. It's funny, because when I get into the shower, I don't feel bad about my body. It seems pretty similar to how it used to be. But clothes ruin me. Maybe it's just missionary clothes getting old. that's probably it. and the rice cheeks never help. We will not eat rice in Nevada. it's not necessary :) we will eat boiled salad :)

Sorry, too much information. I just don't have much to say today! We have temple day today, so p-day was pushed back a couple days. So I'm thinking back on the last 2 weeks and it's too much to remember. We're teaching a professional yo-yo-er. He's awesome! He's halfway through the Book of Mormon, and it's only been 2 weeks. Isn't that awesome!? He gave me and Sister Robinson really nice yo-yo's and taught us a few tricks. We're working on it...get some respect?! but they're metal, so when they hit our hands, it kills. He'll come to church though will a briefcase full of yo-yo's and it will distract the entire ward, so the first hour (R.S, Elders....) is always delayed in starting because all the teachers or leaders will be yo-yoing. so we're working on improving that ha. It's fun to see the well aged relief society presented yo-yoing around the church though. It's actually really amusing ha.

What else. Nikki! he's a less active. Has very little recollection of his baptism. It's surprising how many less actives we'll find have no idea what baptism is, and don't remember doing anything like that. We're making sure that doesn't happen anymore. Anyway, hard life kind of guy. He was involved in the black market stuff for a long time, but just changed jobs. Not sure what, but hopefully something better. A truck driver of some sort. Very shaky when he talks. Probably a mixture of all the drugs he's had in his body over the years, and all the hard things he's experienced. Lots of friends have died in the last few years. Just a hard life. I called him up, with no information attached to his name, and he agreed to meet. So we met him with some leaders from our ward, and he remembers learning about Jesus, and remembers his life was happier. He says he has the book of mormon in his room, and he reads it every once in a while and it makes him feel safe and peace, so he likes it. This was the best part ...we asked if he prayed much lately... He asked what prayer was, and then we explained it. He said no. but then he said that when he gets really mad and is about to hit someone, he says a few words and says "amen" and it makes him not want to hit them anymore ha. He really has a great heart. And he believes Christ can make his life better. So he quit his job and came to church on Sunday. He was 2 hours and 45 minutes late haha. but he came!!! it was awesome. And he brought a friend. And he really wants his friend to learn about Christ. They've had tough lives, but they really have good desires and good hearts. Don't worry, we're safe :)

I have to go, but I love you!
Have a great week!
Hannah

The Courage to Keep What We Have

Hello family! Well, I am working on sending you some pictures. It's been a great week. I forgot how awesome summers here are. They are so great. just so great. And hot. and fun. and I just love them. Hong Kong is not that big, but it's fun how different the areas are. Kwun tong was mostly characterized by colorful and traditional, and blood, and sweaty people without a lot of clothes. Sham Shui Po was busy and fast and malls and university and foreigners. And air conditioning. That was nice, excpet I was there for the winter ha. And Butterfly. Butterfly is tiny. and slow. but it's great. The best way I can describe butterfly are by these two men I met. We call them suk-suks. (like soak-soaks) But they were working suk-suks. The streets have lots of open shops...just kind of like sheds with walls in between them, but no front wall. It's just open. And inside was this kitchen. And these two (of course shirtless) old men were in there long white aprons, each stirring a huge pot of something over a big burner. Their long wooden stirring stick/pole things were going in unison, and they were just swaying back in forth together. I saw them from a distance and thought it was pretty cute, but as we got closer, I can here the song "You've got a friend in me" ha. They obviously had no idea what the song was about, but they were just loving life. So that's what I feel like Butterfly is like. Good people. not a lot of urgency or need for anything. Whenever we talk about purpose or desires they just give the answer,"well it's just the way it is". But the people here are good. It's going to be a fun summer.

We had a great kid get baptized yesterday. His name is A-Sam, and he is awesome. He's 15. We have a good group of Young Men here in the ward. They don't have a Young Men's president though, which is challenging. And no elders in our area makes it challenging too.  But Sister Robinson and I have earned some respect from them through our basketball skills ha. We went out to a park and had a breakfast/basketball/lesson at the church the other day. Me and Sister Robinson guarded each other so it would be ok, but we sure showed those 15 year olds! haha. just kidding. Actually, it was super fun. And we got some street credit from the summer break teenagers haha. I always wanted to do basketball finding....?  those kids have been a great support for A-Sam. He's been investigating for about a year and a half now, but his mom hasn't been too keen on the church. But miracles can happen. His friend was ordained a priest in church, and then baptized him after church. But the best part was his testimony afterwards. He has prayed and felt things that only he could know. He's a pretty shy kid, not always wanting to express his feelings, so it was neat to see him really open up to the ward and share a 10 minute plus testimony on things he knew for himself.

The youth here are incredible. I am so impressed with them. Another Young man, named Ka jeung, is having some troubles at school. For youth conference, the Church sent out a letter to excuse the youth from summer camps or tutoring sessions so they can attend the conference. Ka Jeung goes to a Christian school, and his headmaster received the letter and called him in to his office. He pulled up all sorts of anti information from online and just hammered this poor kid on what a heresy he has been tricked into. He asked Ka Jeung to bring his Book of Mormon with him to school this next week so they can continue their interview. He came to church pretty nervous about it. He is a convert of about 2 years. But at Sam's baptism he also stood up and shared his testimony about why he was baptized and especially why he knows the Book of Mormon is true. I learned a great lesson of the importance of personal experiences and searching. We need to find our own answers because we will be tested and tried, and I am sure there will come times that we have nothing but our personal experiences and memories of knowing what is true to hold on to. But also the importance of strengthening and encouraging and sharing and standing by those who are on the same path as us, to give enough courage to keep what we have. They are incredible kids, and they don't have to stand alone. We're the dorky sister missionaries who play basketball with them and probably add to the embarrassment haha, but it's been fun to see their faith grow this last while through such hard things. So we're praying and fasting with Ka Jeung this week to make this situation into an opportunity to grow and share was he believes. Good kids.

Another picture I am sending is Uncle Fai. He is the coolest. Only he could wear leather pants to church in the middle of the summer. And he wears this aweome jockey looking cap. he just makes me smile. We had dinner at his house. He wasn't willing to turn the tv off for dinner, but he did for the message ha. Dont worry, I dont go all out and watch tv on this mission.


Perhaps this is inappropriate, if it is you can edit it out. But Chinese people are very blunt and say things that aren't always super correct. and I feel like it might be rubbing off on me. I am sorry if it is. I cant tell you how many times we've heard how fat we are ha. And it's true..compared to the girls here, everyone is. But we were teaching uncle fai about scriptures. We're trying to get him reading. He loves to have very deep and complex discussions on God or anything really, so we're trying to channel it. So we came up with a scripture study class we're going to have once a week, and invite investigators and recent converts or la's or really anybody who could come in the wards that meet in our building. uncle fai doesn't have a calling or anything yet, so we were trying to give him a little bit of responsibility to maybe lead this next class discussion on faith, Alma 32. He thought it was great. But said we can't do it at the church. It's too maahfaahn. there isn't a word for it. It means what it sounds. inconvenient, hassle,...etc. He thinks it's a far better idea for us to have it at his house. So we can eat food ha. we were trying to explain that a lot of people were going to be involved, and the church was best. But then he starts going off about how we are haak yahn. black people. we were't sure what he was going at, since clearly we are white. so we were confused and tried to move on. But then he goes on "I am from hong kong. This is my country. I am the master. When I go to america you can be the master, and I will be the haak yahn. But it's just the way things go. You are guests in my country and I am the master. So I can give you food and offer my house for this class. When I go to america, you give me food. That's how things go. But now I am the master and you are haak yahn. By the way, my house can only fit four people." Ha. I'm not sure what he really understands about slave history, but I just about died. We did everything we could to try to get it at the church, but he is set on his house. And our  class will now just be us and uncle fai and his wife haha. So we need to think of another name for the class, and invite him again. Sorry, it was funnier in my mind as it happened. He spoke all in Chinese until he used the word master. Maybe that was why it was so funny. Everything becomes 10 times funier when people try to drop english words into their converstaions. We showed Sister Jiu a restoration pamphlet, which has a picture of Jesus Christ holdiing a sheep. The lesson went great, but at the end, she decided to start practicing her english and in the middle of the hospital just looks at this pamphlet and starts saying, "I am a sheep. I am a sheep" over and over. It was too funny and sweet and made me laugh. Sometimes I just need to remove myself from what's going on.

I love this mission. Alright. I need to send some pictures. I love you! Have a good week!
Hannah

New Mission President - Same Principles

Hello Family!
You look so great! The campfire looks fun! Camilla, you're awesome. Marshall's cute. since when did your friends have facial hair? just kidding. since when did MY friends have facial hair? haha. I guess its been awhile. The pictures are nice. My family is starting to feel more like a computer than people. A white screen with black words on it ha. I know you are people, but it's fun to zoom up at your pictures and get a close and personal shot. You become people again :) We have an awesome family, and I am so excited to see you again and be a part of your campfires. And then I'll leave again haha. Missions are too dramatic. Once you hit 18 or 19, you'll be out of the house anyway. whether you're in Hong Kong or New York or Idaho, it's not that much of a difference, right? At least from an objective standpoint of being gone haha. So you might as well do what is important to you. I'm glad that this has become so important to me.

No, I don't mean to make missions sound unimportant. It's the most important thing I've ever done. I know I still have a lot of other important things to do, but I am so grateful to be here. It's like a really well kept secret in the church. I had no idea the amount of heart these missions require, or the amount of change that happens. No idea. Maybe because it's so personal and exact for what we need individually. Heavenly Father sure knows us.

This week has in all honesty felt so long. Really really long ha. We had MLC on wednesday and met the new mission president. He's amazing, and he'll be an incredible president. and then we had zone training on friday, and then had another two hour meeting with the mission president on saturday, and then we dropped off our summer missionaries this morning. I'm really excited to go home and clean our apartment. And I'm excited to get to serve with Sister Robinson. Our syuke's were awesome and worked hard, but the work was different. Ya! We miss President & Sister Hawks Really, I was so bummed. That word describes feelings really well sometimes. Just bummed. They put in everything to this mission, and then they just quietly pack up and leave in a taxi. It just hurt my heart. But that's the beauty of the Lords work, I guess. We're literally His servants, and it's a pleasure to give what we can. But with that said, President Lam is going to be amazing. He is very warm, and humble and open. He and His wife have experiences that will add so much to the way we do this work. Very logical and thoughtful. It will be very different. President Hawks ran this mission hard and ran it well. He worked before in knowing how to make companies run effectively and efficiently, and his choices were very direct and thought out. His presence almost just demanded you to be concise and complete. He would listen to everything and anything you had to say, but you wouldn't ever want to say more than needed. And you could feel their love for you in how hard they worked and how much respect and trust they gave us. President Hawks had several themes that guided him, and would have several themes that would influence the mission. Obedience. Act. Don't be acted upon. And how the patterns we learn here aren't just for the mission, they are to influence our lives. His ending testimony would always be, "I love the Lord, I love Sister Hawks, and I love the book of Mormon. Be obedient." Something to that effect.

But this week I learned the importance and reality of priesthood keys. The administration is very different, but it feels absolutely natural and right. President Lam will stand up at the front of the room and will talk for a couple hours, kind of rambles without much direction. But I will learn so much and pick up important things every time he talks. He strives very much to follow the spirit. And what was neat was that in his discussions, he has hit every time on Obedience, Act, don't be acted upon, and this is for more than just your mission. But the sweetest part for me was at MLC, his closing testimony was, "I love my God, I love my wife, I am grateful for the Book of Mormon. Be obedient." Something like that. It was just neat, and calmed my feelings a bit about the Hawks being gone. So we're doing everything we can to support President Lam and Sister Lam in every way possible. We really are so excited to work with them. It's going to be a fun couple months.

I better go, but I love you guys. You sound great. I'm excited already to email you in a week!
Love Hannah

ps: photos of Noel's & Joshua's Wedding (so strange to see her with make-up on!)

Thinking about this right now...

Hello!
You all look so great! Thank you for the pictures! I love pictures. Well, Butterfly is beautiful. and incredibly small. Like 1/10th the size of my last area. if that. and it's not like my last area was that big either haha. Tommy covers the entire tundra on his mission, and I cover a few blocks -haha. rough life. So we walk around and literally everyone here knows who we are and thinks they know what we have to say. If they give us a chance to speak. It's been fun to clear some things up. They get really surprised, and little by little they'll start questioning their sources. which is great. Because we all know God is the best source of truth. Right? right :) It's a fun area, and I love the ocean. Did I tell you that last time? Ocean and mountains. It's so beautiful.

Well, this week we had our lovely Syuke chyungaausihs. Our summer misisonaries. And mine is awesome. Chin Lam, actually from my old ward. She would go out finding with us all the time back in Sham Shui Po, so I felt for her a bit because it feels kind of like it's the routine Sunday afternoon chamjauing/finding session. But we've had fun. And it's been a blessing to our area. We taught a lot, and found several new people to reschedule us! Exciting times. Sister Robinson is a ball of energy. She has a lot of stuffed animals, that we had to convince her she can't bring finding - ha. And she doesn't stop talking. ever. which is actually really good, because our language is getting awesome. kind of haha. not really, but it's improving a ton. at least our understanding. blessings all around! They're good girls. I'm impressed they're willing to go through this for 2 weeks. It shows the gospel is true, because in all honesty, it can be pretty tough at times, and they know that, but they end up being glad that they did that and see it as a positive experience. It's interesting to see what testimonies can get us to do. More than we can ourselves, that's for sure.

So I remembered the thing I was going to write about Tommy living in New York a few weeks ago. It really doesn't have much correlation other than what my impressions of New York are from watching those New York tv shows. We went to Central to pick up some medication for my companion a few weeks ago. Central is on Hong Kong island, and is just surrounded by business buildings. Reminds me of what New York would be like. Lots of forgeiners, so that was fun. so many cool accents, and everyone is BEAUTIFUL. and loaded. We walk out of the MTR and in front of me is this white girl who is stick thin and wearing a tiny dress and super high heels with this clothes hanging rod thing over her shoulder walking up the stairs. we were pretty sure she was a model. it was awesome. and then you get on to the streets, and you literally just breathe in money. The air is perfume. I just wanted to walk around there all day and soak it into my skin. All these prada and gucci and other stores I should know what they are, but they're all in french or italian or other pretty languages. and their air conditioning and perfume were just leaking out onto the streets. It was the most worldy heaven I could imagine. It was just neat. and we bought mrs. fields cookies. way too expensive, but we were feeling upper class ha. And we rode the worlds longest escalator. It was a pday, dont worry. We didn't ride the entire thing...I hear it takes a couple hours. but we rode it for a while.

Ok, I want to tell you about a new investigator we met this week. Her name is Sister Jiu.

She is from mainland, and works as a nurse here in Hong Kong. She had an accident at her work in January, I'm not entirely sure what happened, but something to her right pinky. It ended up causing all sorts of problems to her neck and right shoulder. Dad, you'll understand it better than me. And I could have understood the accident part wrong, but the doctor started talking about her C4/5, C5/6, and C6/7.  Her right side of her body goes numb and cold a lot, and she met with the doctor to see what to do, and they scheduled her for surgery next april. And in the meantime, she's taking care of her grandparents, and pretty out of work, and she's been feeling pretty done with her life. Just kind of sick of everything being so hard. I'm never really sure, in all honesty, how to teach people with physical problems about the Gospel. I know miracles happen and faith is a real principle and power, but I don't want that to be their source of faith, the hope that they'll be completely healed in a year. I feel like I've had to teach a lot of people hoping for these physical miracles in their bodies, and I still haven't figured it out. But we did share about the atonement and about eternal hope, and meaning to our lives. She came to church and said she felt so strong that she was meant to be there. She's accepted a baptismal date. Anyway, interesting situation that I'm thinking about right now. 

I need to go, but I love you all. I'll send pictures next week when I can figure out these new computers. and I'll write Jack. Sorry, bud. :) Love you!

Hannah