And Red Clay on Top

Date: Thursday, February 04, 2010 3:53:27 AM
Subject:

Dear Family,

I really will send you all letters soon. I write you a letter every P-day, and then put it on my desk to go into an envelope. Friday come, Saturday comes, I think "I still have time". Sunday I have forgotten about it. Monday yi yang (the same). And then it's Tuesday and I think, "Well, it's almost P-day again anyway. I'll just wait and send them together."
So now you know.

Since becoming Elder Gunderson's companion I feel rather undiligent. He is a really good guy, and a good missionary, but neither of us are too motivated to go out onto the street and search. I admit, I am already very discouraged about there actually being any speak mandarin, prepared to hear the gospel type people (Chinese grammar) walking around in Hong Kong. Prepared people come from other sources. Like, other missionaries or members. I'd much rather busily go around teaching people and try to be better at finding in between appointments. But my new area doesn't have too many investigators. We need to get more, but don't know any way other that finding. Sometimes I feel like being diligent is just working working working. But lately I am wondering if working working working ineffectively is really what God wants from us. I think if it's the only way, then we need to get over our laziness and get out into hot, humid Hong Kong in our suits and do it. But maybe we should try some new things. If we could find a better way, God would be more pleased I think. We talk about it a lot. So I guess we are diligent. Diligently searching for a better way to search. But if we already have the best way then I guess there's nothing we can do but to do it. I'm just rambling.

We saw a giant Rat last night. Don't worry, I took a picture so that one day you can all see it. It was about as big as my foot. Scurrying around under the empty tables of the closed fishmarket near our house. That place stinks so bad. We also saw an old man there barefoot.

We taught a man from Mainland the other day. He still smokes and drinks and gambles, but his wife is a member so he wants to join. He asked crazy questions about like, the third of the host of heaven and stuff. For some reason Elder Gunderson brought up outer darkness. I think it was a mistake.

We also taught a woman and her son two days later. They were ready to receive baptism this time. Then the next day we went so Elder Gunderson could give a baptismal interview to another person. Five people from Mainland total have received baptism in the last week. So cool.

I got a strange Chinese New years treat the other day. Like, sesame seeds on a ball with... something inside. And red clay on top. Way weird.

Love you all! This mission is going way too fast. No way will I be able to overcome all my defects in the next year and a half.

-Noah