March 4, 2013

Haha so to start my letter let me tell you this last week has been like my week as Job... It stunk ha. Last Thursday I had this weird scab thing on my ear, spread to my hand (turned to blister like things) then spread on to my lips... I have no idea what it is (still don't). I got some "medication." -- We send pictures to a dermatologist in SLC and then I got a prescription.  Then to make it better, my bed bugs came back Tuesday... It got soooo bad I had to sleep on the couch. Next day, Wednesday I killed them (cooked the bed with an iron),  they came back Friday and I got owned again... THEN to top it off I lost my Joseph Smith ring I've had since we went to the Sacred Garden and I can't find it  anywhere... Oh wait that's not the best part WE HAD ZERO SUCCESS this week... we met only crazy people... When I mean crazy I seriously mean not all there... I would like to share a story of my find... This was Thursday (last week) we were in Victoria Park (where we go finding most often) ....

Well Sister Wong "dies" this Thursday (She goes home), we have move calls this Tuesday and today is P-DAY yaya! Well things have been interesting... My Chinese isn't that hot but my investigators are doing great! I joked with Melody, Kiko (investigator) and Amy (LA we brought back who is friends with Melody and Kiko now) about me leaving this Thursday and they got mad and said, "That's not funny to joke about!" Haha it's going to be sad if I do leave this area but I think I have one more move here. This next move is a short move preparing for the new 9 week moves starting in April. So this next move is 4 weeks long but we will see what will happen. I could be totally wrong. 

My understanding is okay not great. Speaking is a lot better than my listening and no I don't have any trouble with English. This mission is really international, I use a lot of English. It's kind of like a Latino being called to Texas English speaking. He will probably use more English but there will be A LOT of opportunities to use Spanish. I have talked in my sleep in Cantonese (and randomly in Mandarin). I also can text in Chinese, read a bit in Chinese  and I know roughly around 250 characters (that is nothing you need AT LEAST 3000 to read the Book of Mormon fluently). Honestly I'm mad with learning Cantonese because its not easy and I think I would do A LOT better with Mandarin because Cantonese speaks one language and read differently. Mandarin you read and speak the same so you can learn characters and you can learn the language. I learn SOOO much easier with the pictures (just to let you know I learned 50 characters on a 40 minute train ride today). Ugh I don't know it's whatever. I have success but my Chinese is bleehhh.

Right now in my scripture study I am just getting into the war chapters in Alma, I think I am starting 51 tomorrow not sure exactly but always a good read. Learn a lot about being humble, preparation, and trusting in Heavenly Father. (Sounds like a mission) Really have to apply these chapters and see what they can be read as not just the story.

Investigators are still doing well. Still teaching Kiko, Anson, Mr. Shum, Mr. Wong, and Steven (our main investigators). Kiko has decided she wants to get baptized May 12th; which is sad but she is really confident about that being her day because she prayed about March 24th and said she didn't get feeling about it. She is really progressing a lot and honestly that is due to her own desire and such a good support from Melody.

I feel pretty bad about how lazy I was before my mission with missionary work because I could name a couple of friends I should have brought to church and I could have helped fellowship with the missionaries more. Honestly, I would invite you to see how you can help the missionaries and follow through with it. I HATE FINDING AND CONTACTING but NO ONE ever gives us referrals so all I can do is find.... If someone gives the missionaries a referral (like Kiko) the missionaries treat them like gold. I don't know just try to help the missionaries more then just making the food.

On Thursday I visited these "little piggies," Scarlett and Sara, they are absolutely my favorite thing about my mission! E. Krainock, Me, Sister Wong and Sister Law went to their house for dinner and after dinner I let them play with my camera which really turned into "ATTACK ELDER ARRINGTON AND TAKE A TON CRAZY PHOTOS"

Me about to get punched in the face by Scarlett (Sara is taking the picture; they took turns attacking me and the other one was taking pictures)

Sara hitting me in the face with a pillow (Scarlett taking the picture)

Not a very good picture but one of my favorites! Scarlett jumped on me and she was just being a crazy little 8 year old haha

Can you see the patients haha

Then Scarlett jumped behind me and started playing with my face/hair which led to the next picture

 Everyone was laughing at the face I made... She was like pulling back my eyelids and the twins lost it haha

                                                                    She was a little monkey! 

Today for p-day we hiked a huge mountain it took all day and we spent a lot of time up there exploring random things... We found newts, abandoned homes, and a lot of other weird stuff... However I am out of time to email you all those pictures so I will end with this one of us missionaries! YUH HIKES!