Sun 9/27/09

(4 separate short messages)


Re: Elko week update‏

It sounds like Boston was a lot of fun. I've always wanted to go there; it seems like everyone loves it who has been. It was weird to not have an email from daddy telling about some adventure he has had kayaking or motorcycling or in boston... :) I love you!


Move Call!‏

Well, guess what family! My first move call is over. Move call is every six weeks, and it is a fresh start. You move or get a new companion and at very least make new goals for the next 6 week move call. I got a new companion! I am actually very sad that Sister Killpack left, she was great. She just knew everything and everyone in Douliu, and we really lost a lot of knowledge when she left. Hopefully my new senior companion and I will manage. This means that I have to introduce my senior companion to all the members and investigators, know how to get everywhere, know who everyone is and their situation...It's kind of a lot.

My new companion's name is Sister Pickering. She seems very friendly and has good Chinese. Hopefully my Chinese will improve a lot this movecall.

The last few days I've been having conversations with people and then started realizing, hey I am speaking Chinese. It is pretty awesome. I know I've been really blessed in my language. I am hoping I will get native companions in the future so I can really progress.

So the other day my companion and I rode about 50 km; we had appointments all over the countryside. In the morning we rode to Gukung to a ward activity. They have their own version of Barbeque here called Kaurou only they do it in the morning and just cook and eat for about 5 hours... Sister Killpack and I were only allowed to stay 1 hour so we rode our bikes. The park was about 20 minutes farther than we thought it was going to be, and uphill. Then when we were almost there, Sister Killpack told me it is the park where the Elders go Spider hunting. I saw a photo of a previous elder's catch; the spider was probably 2 feet long with it's legs; it was as big as the Elder's chest, no exaggeration. It was so big that when they laminated it, guts came out it's legs. Creepy. I am glad our apartment hasn't had any bug problems. The Elders left it dirty but they made a special effort to kill all the bugs before we moved in. I haven't seen any cockroachs so they must have done pretty well.

Sister Killpack and I were really excited because one day we noticed the trees were yellow and orange. "It's fall!" We exclaimed. Then we looked closer... "Are the yellow ones flowers?" Yes, the trees aren't dieing, they are flowering. But it is autumn colors and reminds us of home, so we loved it.

The weather is cooling off a tiny bit though. It is nice.

Well, today is Preparation day because it's move call so I won't be emailing until the Wednesday after next. Don't worry.

I love you big bunches. I sent off the Christmas box today, it should be there in a month or two. The box has passenger pigeons on it. No one open it until Christmas!

FML



Re: Your BA card‏

Thanks Mother, you are the best. I can't wait to have my new bank card. It is such a relief to know it's on it's way!

-----Original Message-----
From: Donna Johnson risingirl@hotmail.com
To: Cami camilla@myldsmail.net
Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2009 21:43:06 -0700
Subject: Your BA card

I think I know why your ba card got eatten- I found a new ba card for you that you never activated (good through 02/13) and I bet your old one had expired so when you used it it was taken from you. I just went through some of your papers in your room to sort out your banking stuff.

FML :-) Mom



A Message to the Missionaries from the Mission Office:

Elders and Sisters

The previous mission record for baptisms in a move-call was 178 people. This move-call you all shattered that record by baptizing 219 souls. You are amazing missionaries. Keep up the good work.

The Assistants