Ups and Downs...

Ups and Downs!!!

This week was full of ups and downs, like every week.

For starters, this week I went on an exchange with sister Colombel who has only been out on the mission for 1 month.  We had a recent convert to visit as well as a lesson with a new investigator.  We were both super nervous as we know our language skills are not the best with being so knew.

BUT, miracles happened!  I was able to understand everything they were saying!  Kiko, who is the recent convert is going through a pretty tough time with getting custody of her daughter as her and her ex husband are not on good terms.  She had a lot of questions about why Heavenly Father was not letting her see her daughter every day as she felt this was a righteous and reasonable desire.

The spirit was so strong as we bore testimony of Heavenly Fathers perfect timing and the importance of challenges; me and Kiko were in tears.  No matter the language barrier, the spirit is the teacher.  After all I am only the vessel that can take it UNTO her heart, but the spirit takes it INTO her heart.

We had a lot of time to go finding this week as well, but finding is gradually growing on me.  Yesterday we had a goal to find 2 full lessons.  We prayed where to go, then prayed again once we got to the place we felt to decide where to go in that city.  Then we prayed again to know who to talk too.

I wish I could say from the get go we found those two lessons right off the bat, but the Lord does not work this way.  When we had an hour left we found our two lessons in the most random places.  One of them was on the side of a freeway type place where cars were passing by and super loud.  That was a miracle in of itself that she was willing to stop and listen even with all that noise.

Two things I learned from this finding time.  First, we need to have faith that Heavenly Father will give us those two lessons.  Second, (because we taught two lessons and 2 other lessons but they didn't want to give us their numbers) its the Lords time.  Just because we are prepared to preach and bear testimony to them doesn't mean they are ready or prepared to accept it.  

I am truly just a tool in the Lords hand.  As long as I am giving my best and opening my mouth miracles happen.  Often times right before I am ready to give up, but every time I am reminded about how much the Lord is aware of Sister Leong and I.  This is His work and I am so grateful to be a part of it!

To end on a lighter note, some funny quotes from this week:

Sister Leong: "The way you speak, act and move sometimes reminds me of black people."

Sister Woo (From Korea):  "I don't have tights!  I am going to freeze to die!"

Lastly, here is a list of things you will get caner from according to the HK natives:

• Drinking cold water
• Having cereal with milk in a bowl
• Cooking in a pan that has those burnt marks in it 

Better watch out this week :)

Wo ai nimen!

Sister Loo

First Full Week in My New Area

This week I am starting to get a hold on this new area and new investigators.  It is still so frustrating because people here work and work and work.  It seems like everyone we want to meet can never meet with us because they are so busy.  Good reminder to us all that while working is important, we can't forget about spiritually "working".  It takes work to maintain and grow our testimonies of the Savior and faith in him.

Every Saturday we teach a kids English class as a service opportunity.  On Thursday we went out English class finding which is basically just giving out a flier to every kid you can see haha.  Now about 75% of these end up in the trash, but that is okay because on Saturday we had 23 kids come to English class with their parents!  The room was packed full.  Afterwards we met with a mandarin mom and her daughter and they have a lot of potential!  She was so happy and excited to accept our invitation to pray together and thinks it will really help her current situation!

Yesterday I was reminded about the importance of a positive, looking at the glass half full attitude.  We were out finding and were having no success.  No one was really listening to us and would walk away as soon as we approached them.  Now the miracle is that as soon as we finished the time we allotted to finding it started to rain.  This probably doesn't seem like that big of a miracle, but here in China when the rain comes out the Asians go and hide.  So we would not have been able to talk to anyone, but we at least had the opportunity to try and bear quick testimony to them that hopefully they will remember later on.

I also got to attend Cantonese branch here as a lot of Mandarin speakers can speak back and it is much more fangbian to go to Cantonese branch then travel all the way to Wan Chai.  Well I had no idea what was being said and then your normal missionary tiredness so I could not keep my eyes open for the life of me.  Mid song I was comparing the Mandarin words with the Cantonese and I fell asleep haha.  Oh gotta love the mission!

Some funny quotes from the Asians this week.  

*Talking about going to Disneyland and Ocean park*

"Wow yeah that would be awesome like killing one bird with two stones"

*Sister Leong sprays perfume and has a pancake in her hand*

Me: "Wow what's that smell, it smells so good!"

Sister Leong: "Pancakes..?"

Gotta love being with asians whose English is not the greatest, which makes my blonde moments not as bad :)

Wo ai nimen!

Sister Loo

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Buddhist temple!
So pretty, but not as pretty as our temples haha
(My goal is to take a picture with a Monk but I am not quite sure if that is allowed) 

Happy Valentines Day!

New Area...

Well it has been an exciting week!  I was sad to see my trainer move and also sad that I got transferred.  I really felt like I was just getting the hang of things and had only been in the area for 2 months!

So to explain a little bit, I am now companions with Sister Leong.  She is a visa waiter and will serve in Spain (she actually has her visa and leaves sometime in mid-march so we will only be companions for about 6 weeks).  She is absolutely amazing, very humble, very sincere and has not even gone into the MTC yet!  We both have only been out in the field for about 3 months so we are really new and she has only been in the Kowloon Bay area for 3 weeks.  Because it was Chinese New Year and all Mandarin speakers go back to Mainland she has not met a lot of the investigators and potentials in this area.

So...this week has been a bit stressful as we are both trying to figure out how, who, when, to schedule people.  We both are having to get out of the trainee mindset and into pulling an equal share.

Well, the first day I come into the apartment I got really stressed.  I didn't realize it, but I am definitely my dads daughter.  Things were a mess, very cluttered, unorganized and dirty and I had a minor panic attack.  The next morning instead of exercise I told my companion "I am sorry, but I have to clean".  All my apartments mates are getting used to me and making sure they don't leave messes.

As for mission work I felt like it was my first day all over again.  New area, new investigators, new companion BUT I found myself on my knees and an overwhelming feeling of comfort came over me and I knew that the Lord was aware of me and that He will help me as I am on His errand!  My companion really helps me to open my mouth and I have seen miracles because of it.  I notice that when I follow that commandment of opening my mouth and really talking with everyone even if it is not gospel related, I am able to understand them a lot more!

Another miracle is that while we were out finding I stopped this lady and we taught her and got her number.  We found out that she lives on the opposite side of the park, but decided that day to take a walk!  Heavenly Father literally puts people in our paths!  Even if she doesn't become an investigator, for some reason she needed to hear us and talk to us.  I am truly just a tool in the Lords hand!

I am excited to see what the Lord has in store for me in this new area!

Thank you again for all the love and support you send my way, it is felt and I am so grateful for all your prayers!  Wo ai nine :)

Sister Loo

Last lunch with sister Kino before she headed home!

Toast with ice cream yum!

Zhao Jiemei!

Last lesson with Huang Jiemei

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​New Companions and apartment mates! 

Sister Leong's face is probably my favorite thing in this picture.

There is a transfer a brewing...

So all of our investigators are still in Mainland, as a result, not much to report on progress of our missionary work.

We did have the oppurtunity to visit a single mother whose daughter is 10 and has Leukima. What was amazing and touching to me was how happy they were.  They dont have much at all, but they are happy and content with what they do have.

We talked about her favorite scripture, which is actually a whole book (1 Nephi).  She talked about how Nephi's situation and trials give her strength in her own.  What a great example of liking the scriptures into our lives.  There is so much we can learn from them and they are so applicapble and were written for our time! 

On a side note I had pigs feet at her house and it was actually pretty good.  All these foods I wouldn't even try when I was home.  :)

Other than that, we had zone conference where we learned the missionary schedule has changed.  We now plan in the mornings and have an hour and a half to prepare for bed.  There is other stuff, but as missionaries this was the biggest and our favorite change.  I am sure you can look up what the changes are, but the new schedules basically allow us to have more freedom and agency and become personally motivated, along with allowing us to spend more time outside instead of inside studying!

In the missionary broadcast, which I think everyone can learn from as it is all about sharing the gospel, president Oaks said something really surprising that I loved.  How can we as missionaries (or members) continue to progress? By partaking of the sacrament.  A surprising answer that we were all surprised to hear.  But, I think for all of us it is important to think about why he would suggest this as the best way to improve ourself!

Well I hope everyone had a great week!

Wo ai nimen,

Sister Loo

Oh p.s I am getting transferred and will have a new area and companion to talk about next week haha :)

The "picnic" we had in out apartment

Yang Feng Jiemei