2/10/11 Sister Tan's brother and Xia

Dear family,

I am so excited to have Elder Cowser as my companion again. We are going to work very hard and be charismatic and warm and friendly to everyone, even those people who think we are a cult.

So about taking single mothers' money. Right after I wrote you guys I was asked by a member to give all the other missionaries money from her. I totally felt like I was giving pay checks to all the false priests who practice priestcrafts. But, that's Chinese culture to give money away so its not too bad I guess. The worst part was that sister Tan is a single mother of two and gave all ten missionaries money. Anyways, that was pretty much my worst nightmare come true; me giving away a poor lady's money away to missionaries. Talk about grinding upon the faces of the poor. Mortifying experience really.

I feel way better now about the future. I am quite optimistic. I feel like I can make a positive difference in world. I have moved over my funk already in just like two days, in the future I will try to be less negative because you guys could perhaps overreact and assume to worst. Moods like those only last for so long.

So we are actually baptizing Sister Tan's brother in law this Sunday. He came down from Sichuan specifically to get baptised, but it feels a lot better than an ordinary mainland visitor baptism, because we are taking a week to teach him and not five hours. So I like things right now.

I hope that Xia will come down eventually with his wife and daughter so those two can get baptised. I really feel happy about him. I hope you guys can meet him, he said he will come back before I go home. This was the family that I prayed and prayed for. If I pull it off, I will feel complete. I will have done the impossible.

I feel like I already wrote you guys this week so, I won't write much more,

I love you all

Hua Zhanglao