Monday was the bomb. We took some time to do a touristy thing and take a ferry out to Wan Chi, where the massive chapel is for all the international people- the building where they hold church like every day. No joke. The Filipino women only get one day off a week so that's so they can have the sacrament too. Yay. We wandered around looking for a supposed Thai buffet, never did find it. Maybe another week we'll try. We ended up finding some place with Kebabs that tasted more like a burrito than anything but they were still good. Closest thing to Mexican food I've had in a while. I got some good pictures that my mom can put up on my blog if anyone wants to see.
Tuesday we visited a less active member. She made us the most amazing dumplings I've ever eaten. So good. The soup she threw on top of it was like chicken broth with lots of vegetables and green onions- really good. Apparently there were chicken feet in the soup but I didn't know that until after I was totally stuffed. so maybe next week. The sister asked if I was from England because I'm so white... yep, nope. haha. She's feeding us tonight too for the moon festival.
Wednesday- went on another split with Sister Tu-Avao. We're just awesome together. We went to teach a poh poh in Sis T's area and it was the bomb. She literally had no teeth so I couldn't understand a single thing she said (Chinese is hard enough to understand even when they do have teeth....) and she just wanted to talk and talk. Super cute. Then we went finding in Kowloon Tong, which is where the temple is. We taught two street lessons and I think they've started to teach the one lady! woo. had family home evening, where we played Mafia. Except it's hard in Chinese because you don't understand what's going on. A member, Sam (I think he's doing a teaching English internship- his English is way good) helped me. Fun times.
Thursday I experienced my first Hong Kong rainstorm. The thunder seriously was CRAZY loud. The sky suddenly went totally black and lightning was flashing and the thunder wasn't a rumble, it was a cracking whip! It only lasted for an hour or so though, and it was during lunch/study time. So no worries. We taught Janda and she's progressing nicely.
BAHA. Best story EVER. So Thursday night. The sisters I live with serve in another area but somehow met a less active in my area, so they came with us to meet her and they "turned her over" to us. She. Is. A. NUT JOB. really nice. but legitimately crazy. Hahaha I'm totally crying just thinking about it. So we started talking and getting to know her and she told us she had twelve kids- ten in america and two here. Very unusual for Chinese people, but whatev. Then she went to go find a picture, and came back empty-handed, saying her crazy older sister stole it, and that her son made the room too messy to find anything. I don't have time for details, but basically she told us
-she was never born
-she is 500 years old
-she speaks 50+ languages, most of which sounded totally made up (one sounded like the word "diarrhea" with a bad accent)
-she was baptized twice (possible but not likely)
-fought in a war (possible, but also not likely)
-married 6 times by the age of 24
Friday was good. We had zone training. Sis Lubeck called a lady she met on the street who apparently was drunk and started railing on our beliefs... pretty sad.
Saturday. I cracked. We haven't been having ANY success street finding (which is literally all we can do- no doors to knock on) and I was just done. I was frustrated with my companions and just started to cry. I don't remember why I was so upset, only that it seems silly now. I missed home pretty bad and just wanted to curl up and sleep for three days. I'm so exhausted. But then my comp and I talked for like two hours and she helped me get back on my feet.
Then came the miracles. It started when the elders gave me a blessing before church. Thank the heavens for priesthood! I immediately felt more at peace with the work here. Right before the end of relief society we were pulled aside- some girl walked in off the street and said she was looking for a church and wanted to schedule a time for a "tour" and then we could teach her a little bit about what we are. WOW. And then Yeung Jimuih (a recent convert) got a temple recommend and is going to ward temple day on Saturday to do baptisms. She did it all by herself too! SO excited for her. Then. Someone gave us "ice cream mooncakes". if you recall, mooncakes are NASTY (happy moon festival week, by the way. starts today) but someone gave us some that are flavored like ice cream and are probably way expensive. very nice of them. then We went finding after church. It was raining pretty hard, but it was fun. We met a girl named Joey and placed a BoM. then we met a girl who had maybe heard missionary lessons before- had a BoM but hadn't read it. Then we met Ng Siu Je. Whoa. She was a mom with a cute little boy, probably 6 or so. we started talking about the Book of Mormon and gave her a Plan of Salvation pamphlet. Her little boy is obsessed with Americans, so that was funny. And then she asked "Is there some place I can take classes about this stuff?" Um. YES. We'll teach you. For free. Whenever. Wherever. So great. Then walking home we ran into a younger girl who wanted to give our number to her friend who was also looking for a church.
ALSO. SO I said it was raining. Like a lot. like torrential downpour. Yeah, it was "Tropical Cyclone Warning Level 1"!!! Woo. Officially been outside being drenched in a tropical cyclone. It was wimpy though. Haha. We don't have to stay inside till level 8, and it goes 1, 3, 8, 10. So it was pretty pathetic. But way fun.
So miracles are real. D&C 58: 2-4 says after the trials come the blessings. I cannot testify more to that than I can today! It was just amazing. I'm so grateful for this gospel and all that I have.
Love you all! Ngoh ngoi leihdeih!
-Kuk Jimuih
P.S. If you could all take 30 seconds and appreciate your big kitchens, your carpet, and your air conditioning on behalf of those of us without those blessings, we'd appreciate it. Thanks. (: haha just kidding. But really. be grateful for carpet.
P.P.S.I am alive and well! Elder Rasband came today so we moved email time to later...sorry. Temple next week, so p day is Thursday! heads up. House looks awesome. We all commented on the fact that the kitchen is HUGE and how much we really miss carpet...
Mom: Are you adjusting to the potty smell? Yes. The outside doesn't stink as bad anymore. helps that it's rained a few days this week.
Mom: Does living up on the 24th floor make you sick? Nope. I've visited people who live on 30+ floors up, and honestly it isn't bad. the sketchiest elevator I've been on since the beginning of my mission was actually in the MTC...
Jaiden: What is the most exotic food you have eaten this week? Hmm. A member made us some seriously yummy dumplings. Then she threw some sort of chicken (umm maybe) soup broth over it, and I guess there were chicken feet in the soup. Didn't eat one because I didn't realize she didn't give me any. but by the time i knew, I was seriously SO full of dumplings that I just figured I'd have another chance next time.
Tessa wants to know if there's really McDonalds in HK? Yes. Freaking everywhere. Haven't been to one yet, but the elders in our district eat there at least once a week, if not more.
Jaiden: What American food are you missing the most right now? Ice cream. It's SO expensive here. like... $100 for a tiny container. (about $15 american dollars)
Glad things are going well! sorry I have no time this week! hope you enjoy the pictures on drop box! last week we went to Wan Chi for our P-day adventures. took a ferry out there and wandered, ate some.... Indian food? or kebabs? and then otherwise it was awesome. way fun. more to come later!
Pictures:
Uber sketchy "fresh meat" hanging up in Wan Chi. Pretty typical of a Chinese market, but DANG it smells SO bad. so so so bad. We also saw one with an entire cow tail. Like, from where it attaches down to the hair. Just hanging. But people get mad when you take pictures, so we had to be sneaky and just get the sketchy meat instead.
WanChi from a distance! We took a ferry there so that's a picture from the station.
The most INCREDIBLE water dumplings I've ever had in my whole life. I'm learning to make them and will make them when I come home!
The following photos came with ZERO information. Mom had asked for scenery, city and p-day photos. I believe this is what they are but there is no explanation.
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