Sept 2, 2010

My family,

Thanks for writing. Today I went to the temple and I am quite happy right now. I am so happy for China to be "regularized". I feel like it was my fault somehow. I have some kind of a special love for those people of the mainland although they are quite oblivious at times. I love their humbleness and meek nature. They feel so innocent to me, like little children. I am so happy that I have had the priveledge to be here and serve them.

I feel like my mission is coming to a close and I have not made much of an impact. I can feel the spirit with me and often receive comfort and guidance from my Heavenly Father so I can't say that I am totally unsuccessful. At least I personaly have changed a little. I hope you guys can see that when you see me in a few months or in my letters I guess.

The quest for a family seems within grasp. I just noticed in the record books an investigator family that was pretty good in Kowloon East over in kwun tong that just somehow fell though the cracks. I also heard of a less active who was baptised in 01 and has a wife and child who are very nice people. I feel we have more chance of getting a family if we have more potential families. I wish we could baptise them all though.

Basically I don't know what to say. I watched the documentary "Planet Earth" today before I went to the temple. It is approved by our mission to watch. I highly recommend it. I really like the caves episode so far. It really helped my temple experience, just by helping me ponder upon all the things that God has created that beautify the earth. Some of the caves were gorgeous. I didn't know what to think of the worlds biggest mound of guano though.

As far as ping pong goes, I am pretty sucky. I have not picked up any skills on my mission even though I am in china. I can't play the guitar (let alone ukalele), I can't do a rubix cube, basketball is awful, and I can't do magic. Chopstick skills have gotten considerably better though. and my ability to eat freaken spicy junk from Sichuan has increased too.

I still have around a year left though. I bet I could go back to Macau, Kershisnik is getting kicked out. You should pray for me to go to Macau instead of getting a family. That was the happiest time of my life for sure. They all miss me way bad I hear. They still haven't got that Vietnamese thing going. I really wan't to learn Indonesian.

Anyways, my companion is pretty cool and pretty tall. I keep telling him that I could beat him in a race though. His Mandarin could be better than mine. He knows some good vocabulary. I don't like basketball that much though. He's way good at pingpong.

I really like the gospel. I love feasting on scriptures and I am attempting the scripture mastery scriptures again. Right now I really like section 130; it has three scripture mastery verses in a row. I like the one about obtaining more knowledge and wisdom than others and how you will be ahead of them in the life to come. I probably compare myself with people to often. God has certainly given everyone talents and blessings though.

So I love all of you guys and hope that this letter was okay,

Hua Zhanglao