4/21/11 Rence, Erwin, Julian and James

Dear Family,

So many people wrote to me this week that I have hardly anytime to write at all. I don't type fast and I read even slower than I type somehow, and I also have to spend time deciding what to write.

There aren't any cute babies running around doing disgusting things so I think painting a picture of my surroundings would be boring to you guys.

Rence got baptized last Sunday by her husband Erwin. I got to conduct the baptismal service which made me way nervous for some reason. Everybody laughed at me when I was telling them not to take photos and to silence their cell phones. It was so spiritual though. I cried when she bore her testimony, it was so powerful and her two little boys were running around like little hooligans. It turns out she had been investigating for four years! I had no idea. Anyways I don't feel like it counts too much as a "family baptised". It made me feel so good that I got to give the final last bit of support when she decided to get baptised. She was way ready, Im not judging but in someways I feel she is a little more prepared than her husband who is already a member. I mean he had to wait four years to get the Aaronic Priesthood for goodness sakes! It meant a whole lot to her for her husband to baptise her. A highlight of my mission!

Anyways, we have a Mandarin dude name Julian who is so powerful and handsome. All of our branch missionaries seem to be Mandarin college girls so he'll be running the show pretty soon. I hope he can be a branch missionary after he's baptised. He reads the Book of Mormon every day like twice, the part we assign him and the part that he's in by reading straight through. I like him.

Last p-day we went to a really good Italian restruant for its all you can eat lunch special and contacted our waiter James who is from Xi An, the place were the Terracotta Warriors are from. He met with us last Sunday and brought his girlfriend I guess. She's way interested - he's not so much. But they both with probably continue to meet with us. I think the restruant was so delicious. I want to go again. I will eat like a million calzones and have James grate the entire block of parmesan on top of them. It was totally legit italian too except for the Mandarin waiter.

I am loving my mission although I kinda wish I went to
Lithuania mandarin/russian speaking [like his sister did]. The gospel ought to be taught in communist languages because the law of consecration is just communism with God involved. But I am technically not allowed to write political things in my letters home to you guys.

I hope that I can avoid being trunky, I am pretty sure you guys will only get like seven more emails from me....
But I'm not counting down till I go home, Im counting down until I am kicked out by the Macau Government, I have 29 days to do all the damage I can. I am planning for three more baptisms by May 19th.

I am so jealous that all my older siblings have babies though. I don't even have one. Filipino and Chinese babies are way cute too. I can't wait to come home and be "Uncle Stevo". I hope I can learn Spanish one of these days so I can chit chat with Levi and Ezra [Laura and Job are teaching their children Spanish first].

Stop going on any more vacations before I get home okay? or at least stop telling me about them.

I love you all,

Hua Zhanglao