June 30, 2014 - God Can Change Us If We Are Willing!

Your email has not yet arrived but I will write my part of it, then respond to you if you get it in on time. If not, don't sweat it. Double email next week.  (John told us last week that he would email a few days later this week because of going to the temple, so we missed writing him, but he sounds so good he'll be fine!)

Elder Ferrar and I are living in paradise. I remember Dad asking me how many discussions I taught in one week when we did phone calls. At the time my answer was about 5 or 6, I think. This week we got 9 member present lessons in, as well as several lessons on the street. It has been a really great week. On one day we had 5 lessons planned out and not enough time to eat, though some fell through.

The source of this success, I believe, is 

1) The Lord blessing us, and especially helping Elder Ferrar have a great start to his mission.

2) A really great last couple weeks, which gave us the largest active teaching pool I've had on my mission (about 6 or 7).

3) A new goal by Elder Ferrar and I to schedule people at least 2 days in advance, thus avoiding those awkward moments when you try to find a fellowshipper with 2 hours left. While not the biggest or most important thing I've learned on my mission, I am very grateful that I have learned more about time management and planning. Chapter 8 of Preach my Gospel is one of the hardest chapters to master (though they're all super hard). It is also one of the most valuable.

I have been enjoying being able to help Elder Ferrar. It was a rough week for him, I think. A couple days of finding for hours in the humidity and sun, a couple days of back to back lessons that he can barely understand. But he's a pretty good buy, for a Brit. It is still a bit surreal being in charge of stuff and directing things. Sometimes when we do training, I feel like I'm just talking and I don't know what to teach. But being a trainer has also helped me realize I have learned a lot of stuff. I didn't know how to find, or talk to people, or speak Cantonese, or use scriptures, or plan, etc, when I started. For that matter I didn't know how to cook food. I have found that when we do sih faahns (demonstrations, practices, role plays) I have a lot of good critisism. It's cool.

Our investigator KK reached an awesome milestone today. She's been meeting with us twice a week since Ida was baptized, but she was pretty lazy before. She outright said that that was why she hadn't joined a church yet. She loves staying at home, sleeping in, found a job that doesn't require her to leave a one mile radius of her house. But she wanted to change and has a very humble spirit. We've slowly helped her start reading, and coming to church, but she was always late. Her baptismal date got pushed back a couple times to the 13th of July, and to make that she had to be on time this last Sunday. We met with her after English Class on Saturday, shared about Nephi building a boat, and boosted her faith. I'll admit, I was still scared. But I had faith, and during correlation meeting half an hour before church she walked past the room we were in. Great moment. The coolest thing was that Ida and some other friends invited her to go out to eat on Saturday night and she turned them down because she was determined to get to bed early. God can change us, if we're willing. She is.

I feel great these days, I pray for you guys every night. Please read and pray and have family home evening and go to the temple. There is so much out there for us to grab and enjoy if we'll just "be up and doing" as Moroni says.

I await your email. If not, it's okay. Elder Morrell

Nothing to do, nothing to do... Sometimes life gets a bit dull around here. I have noticed some things about me that have changed dramatically. One is that I used to sleep in a lot at home. You'll recall I never liked that aspect about myself. Obviously any even mildly obedient missionary cannot sleep in more than a couple minutes, but I would run into that a bit. It bugged me. I had already managed to kick the nap taking habit (naps make you more tired, so I try to never sleep aside from night time) and I really wanted to get to exactly obedient on the waking up side of things. SO I did. Now I wake up every morning at 6:55, fold up my blanket (because it's easier than making a bed) and get out of bed. As a result I feel happier, more obedient, and any time that I sit down for more than 5 minutes with nothing to do I begin to dose. Which I refuse to do.

I am excited for having that increased self control and better morning routine. President Hawks at the trainer meeting mentioned that some people think that routine is boring, but that there is power in a strong routine.

If you are still writing, relax, we're leaving. Write me an extra long letter for next time. Love you all!

Elder Morrell

June 23, 2014 - New Epoch - The Not Junior Companion Phase

Ouch. Rebecca's last line really got me in the spiritual kidney. (Rebecca's last line:  P.S. I can’t really imagine you here anymore you’ve been gone so long).Before I write anymore I want you all to know there is a kind of strange guy who keeps muttering to himself and occasionally burping right next to me. Had to be said.

This week was the start of a new epoch (longer than an era, shorter than a period) of my mission; the not junior companion phase. And also the training phase. And the new companion I am training is Elder Ferrar, that's right Ferrar as in Ferrari, but more masculine and human. Elder Ferrar is from Lester England, a little shorter than I am, skinnier than me (after gaining 10 lbs in the MTC) and possessed of a luvly British accent.

On Thursday we went down to Kowloon Tong bright and early in the morning, lined up with trainers on one side and trainees on the other, and got paired up. Usually President Hawks doesn't know who we'll be with until that day. We ate some breakfast, then had a training session by President Hawks that was really great. We learned a bit about why exact obedience is so important, seeking for correction, and especially how your mission can set a pattern for the rest of your life. I really find that idea very cool, very important. How you live your mission will set a pattern for the rest of your life. If you live your mission trying to get by as far as obedience goes, being sort of hard working, etc, your life will fall into that pattern. I obviously haven't been the best missionary ever, but I am happy to think back on my mission and feel like it is a good pattern for my life. I have been trying to be obedient. I have been improving and growing. I'm not trying to brag about how great I am, because I'm not, but that's the point. You don't have to be great. If your whole life you're an average guy who is trying to be obedient, trying to work a bit harder, you will be fine. You will excel.

After the training we went back to our area, planned, and went finding. To answer Mom's question, his Cantonese is not great (unsurprisingly). Elder Ferrar said his companion in the MTC had better than average Cantonese, which I think made it a little easier for him to not learn a ton. It's not especially bad, but this is a rough language, and new missionaries struggle. I would say when I got here I was able to say a bit more than he could, but there's no way out of the pain at the beginning.

It has been really weird to be in charge all the sudden, especially with a comp that can't understand anything anyone is saying and can barely speak. But I feel pretty well prepared for it, I guess. The hard part really is figuring out how to stretch Elder Ferrar without pushing him too hard and getting him learning fast. I have been making him stop people and teach any parts of lessons that he knows. His Cantonese has already gotten a lot better from the beginning of the week. It is cool to be able to help him. It's also cool to feel like I can give advice to someone new. In the training meeting I was thinking, "What have I learned on my mission that I can tell this new Elder? What has been important to me?" Some of the answers are that even when things are unfair, you just have to work to get what needs to be done done. Don't worry about what your part or your fair share is, just work more. And be a representative of Christ in lessons, outside, in the apartment, and on your own.

Church was great this week. I can understand almost all of what they say, and the teachers usually thank me because I try to participate a lot and make it as good as possible. See above theory.

Mission work wise we are doing pretty great as well. We've got a lot of investigators right now, not all progressing but all with great potential. Pray for KK to make it to church on time. She's going to be baptized in July, it's been amazing to see her learn so much.

Mom,

First things first, next week is temple week, so I will email on July 2. Whew, I thought I'd forget that. You'll be happy to know that I've been eating better and better. These days I make curry, vegetable and chicken soup with rice stuff, someone gave us some Mexican food (!), homemade spaghetti sauce, baked chicken legs, the works. And some fruit and vegetables. I've gotten into the habit of adding onion and peppers into everything, for flavor and nutrition.

I remember you saying you trained your last move. How was your trainee's French? How hard did you push? I've been trying to push Elder Ferrar, I think I need to step it up. I've also been trying to praise him a lot because I think he's pretty nervous to talk to people. I remember I was really bad at contacting people when I got here. He's better than me; he got the girl on the plane next to him to accept an invite to baptism. Seriously. I just worry about his Chinese.

Make sure you keep forcing everyone to go to the temple and read scriptures and stuff. As a missionary I just worry a lot more about these things. I really want Joseph in particular to be more prepared for his mission than I was for mine. Family Home Evening is a good chance to read Preach my Gospel and practice teaching. You don't need to hear this. You already know it.

Stripling warriors were only as good as their moms taught them to be. President Hawks’ biggest Book of Mormon heroes are the mothers of the Ammonites.

Dad,

It's really weird to try to set an example, because I'm not used to thinking of myself as an example or role model, and obviously I'm not perfect at things either. I remember being annoyed at how Elder O'Gara would do some things. I hope I don't have any bad methods that Elder Ferrar doesn't like. We read a really cool thing on Christ-like Leadership in our trainer packets that really inspired me. It talked about how Christ's purpose was not just to get things done but to get leaders growing. I've been thinking about that a bit as I force Elder Ferrar to invite 3 people to be baptized this week. They haven't all accepted, but I think the biggest thing I can do for him is help him see that he can speak. He's pretty down on his Cantonese.

We have some investigator who says her marriage is not happy at all and she would've divorced, but she knows that other Christian churches are against it. Obviously this is an opportunity to help her see how the gospel can help and fix this problem, but I don't have a lot of experience. If you have any ideas I'd love to hear. What can we teach her that will answer this problem?

Joseph,

We were talking last night and I mentioned how my brother is basically already an author and showed them how thick the story outline (which I have yet to be able to read) is. Pretty cool, being related to a famous guy. Your writing is pretty impressive, going off your emails.

You have always seemed like more of a manager, less of a floor worker. I'd like to ask, have your plans or ideas for future career evolved at all recently? Off of the church advertising theme, there is a real and urgent need for good latter day saint directors and film writers, take my word for it. If you could get into that, it'd fulfill the film idea while also serving the church a bit and staying away from the nasty side of the film industry. The War Chapters could be a pretty epic movie. The director for 17 miracles and Ephraim's Rescue visited us in the MTC. There is a market.

Like I said to mom, I really think about and pray for you a lot to be well prepared for your mission. Go to the temple. Study the scriptures. Magnify your calling right now. You don't realize how valuable it is. Really, you don't. Everything in your life is connected. If you work on your calling more, other aspects will be lifted up. Light in one facet of your life will help purify, sanctify, and uplift other aspects.

David,

TFT 2, now there's an interesting economic system. Forget trading one imaginary share in a company for some symbolic blips in a bank, now we're trading pictures of symbolic blips for other symbolic blips. What progress we've made.

I am glad you enjoyed Youth Conference and EFY. I didn't answer last week, OYA is like EFY but with a lot of outdoorsiness and less awkward teenager stuff. You'd probably love it. Do it if you get a chance. I loved OYA so much.

At English class (which I did a pretty boss job teaching, by the way) last week we had some kid, about 10, who rememided me disturbingly of you in a sort of skinny, twitchy way. Freaky.

JSUTJSUTJSUTJSUT

Rebecca,

I'm sorry, I don't have a picture, and it probably wouldn't look good to see a missionary staring at and photographing a picture of a female skin model. Sacrifice must be made. If you really want to see, put on some green eyeliner, stretch your face a bit and look at the mirror. Seriously, it was you. In the future.

Do you think I'd look good with a mustache? Hmmm....

I love the Book of Mormon. You can open it up to any page and go off on stuff for an hour. Are you reading it with Abby? Did you ever really? Why do you hate me so much? You used to be the one who remembered me...

Abby,

I won't argue on the Institute thing, I'm just happy that you are admitting that swim team is good for you. Maybe what they should do with great grandparents is instead of adding greats just stretch it out like you do with words. She was my mmmmmom. My ddddddddddad was named John Throckmorten. Look him up.

I miss you all, but things are good for now. Probably the calm before the storm. Please be righteous. If you love me go to the temple. Tell Caroline I am planning on writing her today. It's harder than you'd expect.

Elder JoHn MOrrell

June 16, 2014 - Best Week of my Mission

Rushed time frames seem to run in the family. Today I don't have much time at all to email because we are getting treated to a really nice lunch in Mong Kok by Ida Zhao, the recent convert who is awesome. Because of trouble at the email place I have 5 minutes.

It is a pity because this week was probably the best week I've ever had on my mission. We had these ridiculously high goals because we set them back when we were a tri-panionship, then we split and thought we had no chance. But we found 6 new investigators this week and had a ton of people at church. More than I've ever had before. 5 investigators and 3 less active (LA) members. It was the most stressful and rewarding Sunday I've had on my mission. The rest of the week has also really been miraculous, our finding has been really great. We found a new guy named Billy who has a chance, though slim, of being baptized in July. KK is still doing great, the change in her is amazing.

Last big thing. I am going to be training a new missionary next Thursday! He will probably be from England, but there is one new missionary from Hong Kong so we will see. I am nervous, but excited. It'll be pretty cool.

Mom, best part of war chapters is the mothers of the army of Helaman.

Rebecca, she looked like you. Literally. It was freaky.

June 9, 2014 - I Had Grown to Really Care About the Other Investigators!

Okay family, I carved out significantly more time for you this week by sending little puny emails to my friends, because you guys are all worth it. On that note, I am too lazy to ever send my email to any one, and I really hope Matthew and Evan and Spencer and Elizabeth and anyone else are getting this, but I'm sure not going to change.

Super random changes occurred. I am no longer in a tri-panionship. On Thursday, about an hour after a 3 hour long weekly planning session, we got a call from some really confused zone leaders that Elder Lee, from Tung Chung, is going with Elder Yim and we're back to two companioships in Chai Wan. That was pretty weird. Just so you all know, we don't know why. There was no crazy scandal, at least as far as anyone knows, and President Hawks is a little infamous for this. As a side note, this move voided our 3 hours of planning. Yes.

So now Elder Lee is here. He is a super nice guy, really humble and kind and excited in a sort of child like (not childish) way. But he brought a ton of junk with him. A ton. David would be pleased, he found a $200 massive folding chess board that came with really nice 1 1/2 inch tall wooden pieces modeled after ancient Chinese things. Beautiful. But random. And not alone.

Because of this move we no longer have a ton of investigators. I had grown to really care about the other investigators we had, so that was a bit rough. But this Sunday they all went to church, and one of them got baptized! Frankie, 19, super cool guy, and his mom is now an investigator. KK is still progressing pretty well. It's so cool to see how she has been changing already. She used to be consumingly lazy. Now only mostly lazy.

I want to mention there were several things about indexing in the last Liahona that we got (because we don't get the Ensign here), and I realized that it really is an amazing way to serve and prepare yourself for the temple. Maybe it's just my missionary perspective, but I have started looking at things in terms of whether or not they help you progress spiritually. Things like scripture study, activities, church, indexing, all these things really seem like a sort of fuel that can feed your spiritual fire. I know that if you guys, especially David and Joseph, will put some time into it, (and keep going to the temple) you will get some real satisfaction from it, and you'll look back and be happier.

One last thing, today Elder Barker was trying to find the newest edition of The Right Word in Cantonese, the book you guys sent me. There is a better new edition, and he really wanted it. Over the last few weeks we have been to Kowloon Tong's Festival Walk, Kowloon Bay's Mega Box, Tai Koo's mall trying unsuccessfully to find it. Today we went to SOGO mall in Causeway Bay, Hay Sun(?) don't know English one for that (?) mall in Causeway Bay, before finally finding it in a commercial press shop. Book stores are dangerous to me. Sending this now because I think I have to re-log in.

Dad,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY because I forgot to ever mention it. You are now officially old. I find the connection between you saying coal shoveling and mom saying coal burning interesting.

Your advice on working hard has actually always been super useful to me. I can witness, it is true. Now that we're split up again we'll have some more finding time for a while, which I don't mind too much. Finding can teach you a ton about how people work, or about what the gospel really is. What approaches did you develop for tracting? I'm also curious how good your German got while you were there. Today we saw an ad for some new dryer technology by none other than Siemens, which reminded me. How did that idea you had ever pan out? Or is it still being digested by the science/grant giving digestive system?

Mom,

Happy Birthday! You are still only 30 something, right? It'll be really weird to get home to have the basement different. Even weirder with you guys different. I still have the receipts; I plan on sending them directly back as soon as I send a letter to Caroline. My acne is now much better. Cold showers are pretty comfy right now for most of the time, except for in the morning on Sunday. No workout, so it's a bit chilly. But February was the real test for that. I almost folded. But I endured.

I wanted to mention that Vincent called me randomly. I think he's still struggling a bit but he's okay. Just a lot of family, work, sports pressure on a 17 year old not yet baptized kid. Keep him in your prayers. I do.

Joseph,

I've been trying to get my bicep strength up. I don't remember what my 5k time was, I ran it in sophomore year for Tressler, and I couldn't run the whole thing. I'll be happy to run with you when I get back.

Really, do the indexing thing. It'll be worth it. I saw ads for that movie. Nice to have a brother to keep me informed. I've thought a lot about what movies I'll watch when I get back. Honestly, I'd like to set a prohibitively high standard. I think missions give you the clearest perspective for these things. We'll see.

David,

EFY is pretty cool. I have a lot of scriptures marked from EFY. Just throw yourself into it. It's sort of like a mission in that everything is gospelly.

BYU (David wrote his letter in such a way to highlight these three letters for John to figure out.)

I am afraid that Elder Lee is going to wipe me out in Chess. Where is my classic practice mate? I have finally really mastered getting up in the mornings. 6;55 every morning, fold up my blanket, jump down from the bunk, bathroom, contacts, pray, and write in dream journal because recently I have had some super weird dreams.

Becca,

Don't freak out, but I have seen you in the future. Really. Today at the mall, Hay sun, there was some giant makeup ad of some women wearing a ton of makeup. It was you. Your eyes somehow lost all their greenness, and your face had narrowed out, and you had some weird make up on, but it was totally you. Even Elder Barker looked at it and said, “Whoa it's your sister.” Not kidding.

I love your description of swimming. I'm looking forward to going to the pool with you guys when I get back. I saw Allegiant at a book store today.

Abby,

I bet my dreams have been even weirder than yours. I am glad to hear there are more people moving into our ward. It's a bit small. Swim team is something that is super good for your body and your mind. I really feel that our physical shape and habits affect our spiritual habits, e.g. word of wisdom. By getting in better shape and training yourself to work hard, you will learn a lot of things that will help you for your life. I still am enjoying swim team's benefits. So keep it up, butter cup.

Love you all, family. Sorry no photos, this place won't let me.

Elder Morrell

P.S. How are the war chapters, Mom? Also, do you guys ever read Preach My Gospel? The prophets have told you to. And to report back to me. Elder Ballard...

June 2, 2014 - 17 Lessons Taught this Week!

Sorry, I have failed in that time is very short. This letter will not be as good as the letter it is replying to.

Nice to hear you all back together again. Some things from this week (which was lovely).

The weather is hot, but I kind of like it. Yes, we sweat a ridiculous amount, and yes I fear that my clothes will mold, but it is really pretty, nice and sunny. I like experiencing some real weather too.

We taught a total of 17 lessons this week, half with members. Very great. We had a zone conference this week. It is difficult to describe how much respect there is towards President Hawks. The whole mission really just respects him, no other way to say it. He is a really funny guy, says a lot of jokes, but he's also very exacting. Very punctual. Every missionary shows up at least 20 minutes early to zone conference so that we can be 5 minutes early to his request to be 15 minutes early.

I cooked a lot of really good food this week. I think that I am finally starting to understand a bit more of the fundamentals of cooking, so that now I can actually take all raw ingredients and make homemade spaghetti (really, tomato paste for the sauce, onions, ground pork) today I bought a ton of ingredients at this sort of sketchy but really local and cheap market called Kai Po, then went to the street markets and haggled for mushrooms. I feel so cool.

Having 3 people together is really tricky in some ways. Finding is weird, and we have to be really careful to not dominate in lessons (I particularly need to do that). But it's fun. Elder Yim is a really cool guy.

I wanted to mention my scripture marking. It has gone through stages. Before mission: very sporadic, rare, usually badly done, highlighters that bled through a lot, etc. First part of mission, using actual markers, but way too excessive. Not a lot of meaning, just marking. Now, pretty darn good. Nowadays I use pen more often because I am really analyzing things a lot. I feel like recently I've gained much deeper understanding of a lot of principles. Hard to explain, they're more personal understanding. I think that you can compare it to some sort of large puzzle with a ton of wooden blocks that need to slot together in certain ways to be solved but get stuck all the time. Sometimes you just need time to shake it up. Ex. in Zone Conference we were talking about planning, and I randomly understood covenants more.

Dad,

The Apple store is playing “More than a Feeling” right now. Rough.

I think that is a very good way to look at things. I'll have to discuss that with Elder Barker. He and I really like talking through these things. I have a question for you and mom. Elder Barker and I were talking about this today, but Elder Tong's original return date was Dec 26, which got switched to Dec. 23 for obvious reasons. Do you think if you could choose, you would stay an extra 2 days and miss Christmas, or go home on the 23rd? Grammar is poor, I know, but I'm curious. I would like to think that I would become so =devoted I would stay, but Mom'd kill me.

Abby,

I have a ton of dreams these days, but in all of them I am a missionary and sometimes I just do calls in my sleep. Pretty weird. I know what you mean about being scared. Too much too fast. Don't worry, when I get back we'll talk a lot. But for now just keep writing those emails.

Rebecca,

Congrats, Genesis has some important stuff in it. Take my advice and be ready to skip stuff in Leviticus, Numbers, etc. Honestly, the Book of Mormon will be the most rewarding thing you ever read. Or the Pearl of Great Price. That's got some weird stuff in it. :) You haven't seen the shirts I’m talking about. They are silk, traditional, super cool.

NO time.

David, you’r e cool, play Civ 5.

Joseph, I too have been working out a bit recently, as in more than before. I'm trying to bulk up my arms a bit because I look all small and puny. I'm also really curious how far I could run; I think 5k's would be okay now. We'll see later. Whenever I see movies I think of you critiquing them.

Mom, I love you the most (obviously) but I really have no time. Showers are essential. I feel like a pig if I go to bed without showering. I think that the best parts of the war chapters are the parts by Helaman. There is a lot to be learned about faith, hope, planning, and obedience in them. I love the war chapters one because they're interesting and two because they talk a lot about goals and planning, useful stuff.

May 26, 2014 - Mission Leadership & Overwhelmed with Investigators

Mom & Dad,

Well, my confidence in my Father has been crushed. (Glen told John that although he was Zone Leader for 11 months, he was not assistant to the president like John thought he was.) 

Excerpt from Glen's letter to John:

Having told that whole story, I think I should also repeat something that Pres. Klein told us several times, which is that callings are not a sign of the Lord's favor. They are just opportunities to serve. These things depend so much on circumstance and the needs of the mission at any point in time. The important thing is just to magnify your calling, whatever it is at any time.

Not really. I think that I have thought a lot about the idea of mission leadership as well. Obviously, I've always been a prideful person. Luckily, I had that figured out before I went to the MTC so I didn't have to suddenly realize my faults, and I already knew that I would have to work on that through my mission. When Elder Ah Mu became district leader in the MTC instead of me, I had to remind myself of the fact that not only was I not better than him, being district leader didn't indicate that either. I have written in my notebook what I learned from each companion so far, and Elder O'Gara and Elder Ah Mu both were all about being humble, realizing that I am not infallible, and moving on. So I really think that I've progressed in that regard a lot.

However, every time moves come around I still have a desire to be made trainer or district leader just to show that I am better than the other missionaries who don't. But at this point, I'm so consciously aware of this fault that it's not so much me wanting it as it is some whiny junior companion who I just yell at and ignore. I was discussing this with Elder Barker, I think (personally, and I know this is ironic) that I am a pretty decent missionary. Not that I am amazing at the missionary skill set but that I am pretty obedient and hard working. So I think that I could be a mission leader, but I don't think I will very long or very much because God knows that I already have to struggle to suppress pride. If I was made assistant, for example, I don't think I really could avoid bragging about it at least to myself. SO, though I would enjoy it, I don't expect to serve a ton of leadership positions. But as Dad said, the point of leadership positions is just to serve others. You can do that with or without the title, if you really have the desire.

Ida's friend KK is a woman. She is interesting, because she is really lazy. I didn't teach her this Sunday (splits) but Elder Barker said they had an awesome lesson about baptism and priesthood authority. I wonder, because you two's missions were more traditionally Christian and religious, if you guys had this problem; we have a ton of people on the street, or in real lessons, who really don't get why there would be one true church. They just think if it follows the Bible it's good, or if it points you towards being good it's good, or if you believe in a God he exists, or if you get free food at church it's a true church. Hong Kong is not so much un-Christian in the sense of not having Christians, because there are a ton of schools or chapels and lots of people who 'believe Jesus', as it is un-Christian because the average understanding or devotion or real application of Christianity within those churches is very, very low. KK is kind of like that, but she'll get it. Our religion values truth, knowledge, and understanding. I like that.

I've been thinking a lot about being apt to teach recently. Dad mentioned it before, and I've been trying to find chances to develop that quality or understand it more. I think that Ammon and Aaron are great examples. Right now my practice method is to try to not only talk to people on trains, but teach them. It's interesting. Right after I set that goal, I ran into some weird guy who said he went to a Jesuit college but who was a bit confused (see above) and I found myself pulling out scriptures and reading on the train ride home.

Also been learning a lot about how we are made clean through the atonement. I read some talk called Coming unto Christ (I think) by President Eyring back when he was in the Presiding Bishopric. It talks about how by repenting and then inviting the spirit into our lives we can know that we are being healed. It really hit me very strongly. I have always loved Mosiah 3:19: For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.  Especially since starting my mission. I also think that there is much to be learned about the meaning of repentance from Alma 24. Consider.

I will send the rest of my email to Joseph and tell him to send it to you guys. Love you a ton. The more I'm on my mission the more I love the work, but I also love my family more, so it's tricky.

Dear Siblings,

As always I am amused by you guys. All so weird, all so typical and easily recognizable. One week you guys should just not sign the letters. I have no doubt I would know who is who.

Life rolls on, but slowly and ponderously now because there are 3 of me. That is right, I am now 3 people at once. And one of me is a native. Pretty weird. There are some interesting challenges to being in a tri-panionship. People run away from us on the street. I don't blame them; we look like some confused multi-racial government hit squad. And if we aren't careful we find ourselves surrounding people when we talk to them, which surprisingly is not counted as a sign of our genuine and loving interest so much as it is viewed as us preventing them from running away. Weird.

Also, I have a tendency to speak a bit much in lessons, so I have had to be really really careful because with 3 people there is not a lot of space for extra talking. Got to give the spirit time to speak, right? But I am loving it. I have a really good chance right now to learn Cantonese. We have the week split up into 4 days of only Cantonese speaking, 3 days of only English, because Elder Yim needs to learn English. I should say, my Cantonese is obviously not perfect, nor do I think it is much better than the average missionary, but at 7 1/2 months in I can speak pretty darn well. Earlier I had problems understanding people but I am better now. Recently I've had a lot of people compliment my Chinese. So I beat myself at night to keep humble.

Our investigators are doing well, but it's a bit tough because of how we got our 3rd companion. He came from Chai Wan as well. There used to be 2 companionships here, but Elder Wu (the brutal missionary) finished and went home to Tsim Shui Wai, which left us 3 with all of the investigators. So we have actually been a bit overwhelmed, need to get to know so many people, etc. Our weekly planning, which is how we plan for the investigators (see PMG chap. 8) took 4 1/2 hours. That was painful. Really look it up in PMG. I know we have one. Sometimes I'm nervous you don't do these things.

On the first day with Elder Yim, after emailing, we went to a Bishop over in TST (place in Hong Kong) who stabbed him with needles and rubbed weird substances on him with the purpose of somehow making his ankle better. Pretty hilarious. Really really hilarious. And apparently very painful. "Owww, OWWW, it is really hurt! This is my first experience! hou tung ahh!" Elder Yim. The last part is Chinese. It means ouch.

Excerpt from Grandpa Carmack's letter to John:

Dear John,

Memorial Day weekend and we just had a delicious rib dinner together with your two brothers and two sisters. With the ribs we had tater tots, green beans, and for dessert strawberry shortcake. Joseph had five ribs, Grandmother had four, Becca one, and Abbie 2 ½. Your Dad is 50 years old today! What do you think of that? I had my 83rd birthday on 10 May. I ran 4 miles that morning without any pain so I have no complaints.

I remember touring the Hong Kong Mission about 1993 or 1994. Your Grandmother Carmack taught them about how to work with people of differing social styles. There were four main styles—analytical, driver, amiable, and expressive. Drivers are people that like to be in charge and be the decision makers. You give them choices because they want to choose for themselves. Analyticals like to know all the reasons and like to have all the reasons for the thing you are teaching because they are thinkers. Amiables need reassurance so you let them know that you understand how they feel and reassure them that they are okay. Expressives like to see the thing you are teaching in color. They like excitement. You let them know, for example, how they will be involved and how great it is going to be. People are not usually just one social style. they may be an analytical driver or a driver analytical depending on which style is dominant. You can tell rather quickly what the style is and adjust your teaching style to be effective. Many people in Hong Kong will be analytical or amiable, but you never know until you observe them. Be ready to adjust your style according to the person or persons you are teaching. With an analytical get into the scriptures in a deeper way. With a driver be ready to let them lead out as much as possible. I could give you examples of each from my experience. Your father is an analytical. Your mother is more amiable, but also fairly analytical.

It isn’t the number of baptisms that make you successful. You will plant lots of seeds and sometimes you will gather fruit that others have planted. I just wrote a chapter in the new book I am writing about two missionaries that worked hard but never baptized anyone on an island in North Carolina. They planted many seeds, even healed a 12 year old girl. After they left the new elders baptized some of their friends and after them a third set of elders baptized more. The girl they healed had a great family and eventually they all joined the Church. She grew up and became a great member whose son became the bishop of the ward that grew up on the island where they planted so many seeds. He then became the stake president of the stake that was eventually organized. He wrote a book about the experiences of those first two missionaries called Harkers Island. We visited the island and met many of the descendants of those people. Jesus said in the 4th chapter of John that some sow and some reap and some don’t see any fruit for their labors, but others come along and harvest. Jesus understood missionary work because he was basically a missionary. You have the power to make friends and do great things. The Hong Kong missionaries we met loved their missions and loved the language. You will be the same. We think about you and pray for you every day and we are proud that you are in our beloved Hong Kong. Love, Grandpa Carmack

(Back to John)

Grandma/Grandpa, (Parents out of town, so grandparents watching the kids)

I don't think that my Dad could run 4 miles right now, and for that matter I don't know how well I would do. Be careful, when you tell me things like this, I brag about them to other missionaries for weeks. Also, the description of food is very painful for me to hear. Though, I have been having some really good self-cooked stuff lately. When I came on my mission I didn't know how to cook diddly squat. But this morning we went to the wet market and I bought a ton of chicken that will soon become really tasty sweet ‘n sour chicken. I feel better about that skill. 

Something that just occurred to me is that Jesus Himself was more of a planter than a reaper, at least in terms of his missionary work. By the end of his ministry there were a lot of people excited about him and a decent number of followers, but not really that many. It was his apostles who reaped the massive harvest that he planted and watered with his blood, excuse the metaphor.

Becca,

I would love to go to the pool. It gets really wet and sticky here. I take 2 showers a day if I can manage it, both cold. Pool would be too nice.

Remember, if you cut off those last weeks of school it would just move the worthless weeks farther forward. My theory is that no one wants to do anything right before they leave, and the school knows that if they don't leave enough useless time at the end, they'll lose useful time. Plus, those are the funnest weeks.

David,

You think you have it bad. I've probably swam more laps of kick drill than you have total. But I won't lie, I like kick drill. You dry off (David told John the reason he doesn't like to swim is because you have to get wet.) but it takes a long time. You know how your skin becomes wrinkled if it's wet too long? That happens regularly because if I wash my hands the space between my fingers won't dry. Just want to make sure, you are bringing Jerry to the last week of school, right?

Joseph,

Nice letter. Sorry, low time. Rapid response.

Honestly, if it came down to it, Rome or Athens? Or would you really rock the boat and choose Prague? These are the questions.

Aren't there some sort of contract things that say if you use those free versions you can't do any commercial things? And could you send me the logos? Make one for me? That'd be cool. Either Chinese or like an old German style coat of arms. (Joseph has been working on making logos for online contests with his Adobe Photoshop monthly subscription. He’s hoping to make enough money to pay for the subscription.)

Priesthood blessings are more important than we give them credit for. I haven't given an English blessing yet, though I have given many Chinese ones. It's rough. 

 I am afraid every time I cook that I'll be sick. That would be really rough as a missionary. Especially with our horrible bathroom.

Yes, but is Samara Russia ready for her? (Reference to Caroline leaving on her mission.)

You torture me. I will not watch it. Hopefully no ads here. I saw a ton for Transcendant.

I have been thinking about the advantages and disadvantages of leaving for a mission early or late. Obviously, the only thing that really matters is what prayer tells you, but leaving late has some advantages like us being in college together (that'd be extremely weird but cool) going to mission prep class, learning how to live on your own, etc. But the disadvantages are that on my mission I have learned a ton of skills that I know will make my college time more valuable. You decide. But remember that either decision is good as long as you go and you're ready.

Abby,

I can always count on you to tell me exactly what happens on vacations and inform me of what parts were good and what were bad. I have had several dreams about how since I left, but for some reason I'm always a missionary in them. I don't think I ever dream of me not being a missionary. I hope you don't forget to tell me that dream. I love you Abby. I'm guessing you have lost the piece of belt that I gave you.

Big question, would you and Becca prefer a jade bracelet or a silk Chinese dress things? Something else entirely? And what do the rest of you want?

Tell Joseph to send this to Mom and Dad, and tell them to send their letter to you. There is an epistle of Paul where he basically says the same thing at the end, but I can't remember which one it is.

Love you all more than a random stranger would, which is saying a lot because you are all very good looking.

May 22, 2014 - Temple Day & Another Companion

Well I guess the rest of my family just doesn't love me that much. Honestly, I don't have much time at all because I spent a while writing to Vincent, the kid in Tai Wai. I think right about the time that Mom was saying she thought of him he started having some trouble. He really just feels like even though he's been doing these things he is still having big trials, so he dropped off for a while. I just read his email, sent one back about Mormon and Moroni's example. Pray for him. A lot of people in Hong Kong really have tough lives, and it can be rough for them when everyone is anti-ing them and it doesn't seem like they have any help. But I know that the gospel will really help them. We have an investigator right now, KK, who was Ida's referral. KK is really interesting, because our first meeting with her she just said "I am really lazy!" and she really is. She prefers to never have to leave the 1/2 mile area around her house. But thanks to us daily contacting her, and some really amazing work by the Relief Society, she has started reading the Book of Mormon. It's still early days, but we've already seen her change a lot. The gospel really can lead us to improve every aspect of our lives.

We've been teaching a guy who really doesn't get the whole idea of what is a sin, what is righteous, what is a commandment, he tends to think that there must be a big book written out of all the commandments and that at church you just memorize it line by line. Teaching him has really helped me learn and understand more fully how important the example of Jesus Christ is to us. I realized that part of why we read scriptures is because we need to gradually come to understand what Jesus would do in order to be righteous. I realized how nice it is to know, like you were saying what is right, because this guy doesn't really get it yet. And he is super hard to keep focused in lessons and tends to find a bunch of bizarre loopholes for object lessons.

That was part of Dad's email.

I just went to the temple, and something weird happened. When we left we had another companion! He is named Elder Yim, and as you may be able to read, he does not speak amazing English. But his Russian is great! Not really, that was for Caroline, he is a native. I am really excited, because I for one really like SYL practice. This is also going to teach me how to be more restrained, because with 3 people together you have to make sure the spirit can really guide the lesson. Speak little. More speed less haste.

Love you all a lot. I'll be emailing again on Monday, but for now I really love you all. We had an elder in our apartment who finished today (hence Elder Yim) and it made me a little trunkie, a little homesick for you all. Movies, games, they can all wait. But I love you guys. I am so happy about David, Brandon, and Whitney going to the temple during the California weekend. People always talk about how missions bless you. You guys going to the temple is a blessing to me. Please go every day,

You know what's creepy, right when Joseph and Rebecca were sick I was feeling a little sick. Not throwing up but my stomach hurt for about a day. WE HAVE A BOND.

Work with the Triads goes on. Dad would be so proud.

Dad,

Hopefully the ISMRM session will be in Hong Kong next year and I can sneak in on P-Day. My companion will probably be bored but I won't, and hopefully I'll be senior by then. I'm assuming you will read the full family email, but I have a native (or bun day) companion now, and my Chinese is about to improve a lot. So pray for that to go well.

I'm sure I am pretty idealizing when I think of you and mom, but you don't really send me any stories about you messing up so all I have to go off is like 11 months of being Zone Leader and then going assistant to president. SO if you want me to be realistic send me the dirt. Or don't, that probably won’t be as helpful to me.