​Hey Mum and Dad!


I've been waiting for Mama pugs to text you back cuz Sis Pugs said she'd do something like that haha Well, have loads of fun eating together and meeting their family(: They are great people cuz their daughter has that fraction of that greatness. And that fraction of greatness is immense. Like how can someone be that nice, genuine, and funny? You'll love them <3 

i dread the day when Pugs and I part. And it's right before Christmas! BAH! At least, we have BYU and family friendships(:

This past week was great. We met with Flora. She is so prepared to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ and just GREAT! We planned to teach her the Lord's law of health - the Word of Wisdom. She brought up the WoW before we even started the lesson, we thought 'oh no, she's going to have loads of probs with this.' We started with the Book of Mormon first. She believes it's truly from God. She feels loads of peace and comfort when she reads and believes it's true. That's great! When particular verses stick out to her, she WeChats them. She posts them on social media. She posted 2nd Nephi 9:51'Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness.' So she's already doing missionary work! And then she told us, 'I told my mum a few days ago, I had my last coffee. And it tasted so bad.' Cuz she's going on a no-sugar diet, so her last coffee was a bad experience, which is great! So she heard about the WoW before she met us that day and decided to keep it! Flora is a miracle.

Lesley is staying in England, she's found a job is Oxford! She's been struggling over finding a job here in England. She's been praying loads. And she even decided to fast, and when she did a few days later the Oxford offer came! She fasted on her own, and her faith has brought her a job! It's so amazing to see the growth of recent Converts to the Lord's true church!

We met a Chinese family on the street and met them yesterday in their home...the mum is a bendiren 本地人 (native Chinese) - only speaks Chinese. She's got 3 kids ages 10, 8 &5. They speak Chinenglish, more Chinese than English. Meeting this family is the closest experience I can get to the Taiwan missionaries. Mum (ayi 亞姨 Aunty) is from Fu Jian 福建 in China. But her accent was Hong Kongese. So as she spoke I had to mentally translate to Hk to me own accent, to english haha Their family is very nice and polite. I tried to be as traditional as I could get. I brought over gifts for the kids - Chocolate Belgium Wafers and a kid Book of Mormon Stories book, and a regular BoM for mum. I accepted eating a dried olive, but I didn't know it was an olive at the time. We shared something that was pleasant, the hope of Christ. Ayi was really open minded to our message. I've never taught a family before, so I was a lil shaken on what to do next. But we prayed with them, kneeling prayer - the first one I've done in someone's home. While talking to Ayi, I could understand about 75% of what she said. i was a lil scared to speak too much Chinese, I didn't want to say the wrong things or, by accident, rude things.

Oh and they live really close to the chapel! We taught the Gospel Principles class in Sunday School this week. We based it on President Dieter F. Uchtdorf's October General Conference talk 'it works wonderfully' Talked about how hearing, trust, love, and action is necessary to build our faith in Jesus Christ. We had almost all recent converts there at church. But it was great, we invited them to share their testimonies about the topics we shared. And, mate oh mate, their faith and testimonies are loads stronger than I thought. When Lesley shared her exps, it was perfect. the only thoughts I had whilst she was speaking were 'She'd be a perfect missionary.'

But First Chinese family and Church was the highlight of this week! And pugs and I are doing great as comps. The 'honeymoon' phases will be forever haha

Love,
Sis Chee

​we do have a tea appt on thanksgiving day. We already have Christmas lunch and tea appts set up...We shall see if I stay here to indulge haha Most likely Pugs and I will split.

Not much happened this week.  But Dean! Wow, what a man. He's so proactive, all on his own too. He's already been to the temple to help the ancestors. He's started to pass the sacrament at church. This past Saturday he went to a service activity with the Elders and our local church ward's mission leader. And we even saw him at Institute class on the Thursdaynight. WE had ward council meeting and we just looked in to see if we recognised anyone. We see a Chinese lad, check again and it's DEAN! We haven't even invited him to Institute! He went on his own!(: He's just a great miracle, and a great example of how to build faith in Jesus Christ!


We also had a proposal to extend to the Ward Council on how to improve missionary opportunities in the area. Pugs is a mastermind. Absolutely brilliant and used member missionary work initiatives from her home church ward in the past. Called Operation Silent Night. It's basically using the Christmas Church video 'A Saviour is Born' and pray for missionary opportunities, carry a 'A Saviour is Born' pass-along card and host a Family Home Evening: Silent Night to discuss the meaning of Christmas with a friend or family member. And then give them the best gift ever, The Book of Mormon. So that was a great idea to jump start member missionary work.

ah and it snowed at 4.30 and then melted. But outside of city centre there is still ice-y snow. it was frigid 3/4 degrees C (37-39° F)! Way colder than last winter.

We also went to a giant mall...the food court was the best. They had Five Guys Burgers and Fries and £8 burger! mad prices, right mad they were! we still bought one haha had to try something american. And there was a Mexican restaurant...I wanted to try but couldn't trust it with a name like El Mexicana!

Hope you stay warm in the wintry days! 

Love,
Sis Chee

​Dear Mum and Dad!
 
It's been a long week mostly cuz Pugs and I have troubles...jokes! We've done loads better this week. Our companionship has improved(: WE thought we would get separated last transfer and it'd be a nice clean cut to end the companionship. Cuz we were at the high of our friendship. But I was just thinking what things make a good relationship, I thought up 3 things. Honesty, communication, and sacrifice. So that's what I decided to work on this week, and also at Zone Conference we learn loads about Language and Charity. So I've been trying to incorporate those things. It's great being on a mission, such a great environment to develop character and attributes of Jesus Christ(:
 
Other things that happened this week was a Companion Exchange with Sis Schmidt and Dexter. Sis Schmidt is the Sister Training Leader and she went with pugs and worked in our Area. I went with Sis Dexter. Team Chexter! This was the first time I worked in an English Area...I've never talked to so many english people in me life! It started out with some unsuccessful knocking on doors. But we had a lesson with a potential church investigator who was so accepting of what we had to share, great lesson. She ran a day-care so the children there who were like 4 or 5 sat in. I gave them me Ipad to draw to keep them entertained. 
 
After we did some tram contacting because it was soooo sooo cold! Freezing! We did 1.5 hr of it. Had some great conversations. At the end of the night we decided to stay on the tram and contact people on the way home. Except we were trying to get some potential church investigators and their phone numbers so we missed our stop! Bahaha Sis Dexter did a gazelle leap to catch the tram doors before they closed...so close, so far. The others sisters, Pugs and Schmidt, were laughing at us from the other side of the doors hahaha. It was a good adventure, but we got some phone numbers out of it! So it was a success, even tho we missed our stop(:
 
Hao had is xili 洗禮 baptism interview! We went over the xili questions with him. He's a guy. So when we went over the Abortion question. He stares at us in a bit of confusion. we wonder if he understands... Then looks down at his tummy then back up at us with a 'What?' face. And we all start laughing, so it's all good hahaha
 
Hans also surprised us by coming to church...he said he was scared. He said he'd come for an hour because he had loads to do. But after sacrament meeting. He was contemplating staying for the next 2 hours, but someone invited him to take the bus home together. But Hans had that content smile on his face thru whole sacrament! We even had a lesson with him and brought Leo, a returned missionary. We went over what he felt at Church. He said, 'It felt so pure. There's such a great atmosphere. It's like a whole new world. Completely different from the outside world.' He said the perfect things!  The Spirit changes hearts! He was much more open to hear our message after the experience of Church. 
 
This has been a great week! I hope we can continue to have this success and Pugs and I can continue to improve our friendship(:


Love,
Sis Chee

Hi again, MUM and DAD! JJ and DiDi!

I am being dogdey and emailing yous cuz, might as well, I am almost done with the mish...JK! I endure to the end. We had Zone Conference yesterday and Mission President Pilkington allowed us to email him and our parents on what we learned and want to apply in our lifes-so hold me accountable for this(:


First things first, Happy Remembrance Day! WE had a 2 min silent at 11 o' clock. It was actually during a lesson with our investigator Zoe. And in mid lesson we stood up and stood silent in remembrance of those who sacrificed their lives since WWI. 

But Zone Conference was so so GOOD! President Pilkington and the Assistants to the Pres put in so much work in to this. They give their all, and by all, I mean ALL. Such sacrifice and love(: ZC are a great time for learning and improving. And I'm currently working on how to develop me self to be more Christlike and a better missionary and how I can be more proactive to do so. I'm wondering how I can be a more humble person and I learned loads from Prophet Ezra Taft Benson's 1989 talk 'Beware of Pride'. And in ZC I learn loads on how I can be more charitable and loving, which is of course, linked to humility. It's all connected! (as President Pilkington would say)

President Pilington said, 'It never hurts to be kind,' oh how true that rings. Being charitable is so opposite from the natural man. And so opposite of me, I am never one to express my love. While discussing charity, love, and language, I realised how much I need to improve (a tad overwhelming of the already-ginormous list of things to improve). All the weakness I need to strengthen. The loooong way I need to go to overcome my natural self and become more like Jesus Christ. The things discussed at Zone Conference are my deepest weaknesses. As I reflected over me mission life and me life before the mission, I noticed that these are the things that I should've changed to have a happier life. These are the things I was missing in me life. And the things I needed to change are simply said yet hard to change. A few things that I want to work on are not making any assumptions, taking a moment to think about the situation and what is happening, asking questions without judgement or in a 'human' way.  But basically just being a master of me thoughts and controlling them. Assumptions lead to false ideas, or even being critical. I want to think good thoughts of others, even when they might be mean or wrong. I can still find the good in others. I want to improve my relationship with those around me, especially those hard to love. 

The way I am going to do this is to train myself and PRACTISE PRACTISE PRACTISE. Practise makes perfect! When a bad thought comes rolling by I need control me thoughts and to stop those bad thoughts from trespassing by following the simple steps of repentance - A, B, C, D, and E. (Acknowledge, Be sorry, Confess, Don't do it again, and Enjoy happiness) In this process it's important to make restitution, and to vocally say the good I see this the person. This is a key thing I struggle with. I often let me mind go on about how this person is wrong or annoying, and then those thoughts are negative, which affect the words and speech that come from me mouth. Chain reaction to a nuclear bomb! No bueno. So I need to stop the thought immediately and then say the good I see directed at the person I had bad thoughts of.

Ultimately, I think the key to overcoming this is always looking outward and continually to lift others up even higher than me self(: I know that this will help, I've done it before but never for too long-a week or two maybe and then I was back to my natural self. And I've been so much happier, it's a night and day difference. I know with diligent practise, this will become a habit and I can then make progress to becoming more like Jesus Christ. To finding who I want to be. Zone Conference was very humbling, yet lifting(:

So hopefully, yous will be able to see this change in me  when I arrive home.

Love you mucho! Thanks for putting up with cray cray hyper Aria(:

Love,
Sis Chee

Oh and also watch this short video...you'll find it on Youtube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLq_Vp5z9D4. Shows loads about Charity and a good example of it. We watched it in Zone Conference and took it frame by frame and analysed it. What the Father did compared to the Angry Lady. How the Father taught his Daughter. How to be more Christlike.

​Oh-lo Mum and Dad!


Wow, so this past week was less successful than our previous weeks...so sad. But we still had some great things, great miracles amongst all the bad(: There's always good in a bad day(:

We got 7 new investigators in 7 days, so the Zone Leaders now have to make us yummy food. They initiated the bet, to get 6 new investigators in 7 days. Pugs and I even beat it! One of those investigators is a miracle, we initially contacted her in the 'summer' (there is no summer in England). She wasn't so interested, but thought religion is nice. Then since now, her life has been completely out of control. She's got a full time job, on her final year of psychology, and a close friend recently died...there's just too much pressure, stress, emotion happening in her life. We rang her Halloween night, since we had to be in at 6pm, set up an appt and she flogged. Had Weekly planning, pugs had the impression to ring her, we got a hold of her and she was sorry she missed the appt but set a new one(: She was 40 mins late, but there's opposition in all things.

Had the most spirit driven lesson in me entire mission. I was a lil scare of what to say cuz she studies Pysch like Gabrielle. But she throughout the lesson was explaining that she knows why she feels in a rut, but can't use pysch to get her out of the rut and decided to give religion a try. She continually brought up how she felt and how we and our eyes 'show so much kindness and love. I feel so calm' (the light of Christ, has never been witnessed to me before til Evelyn!) We didn't get to teach her much but we taught the important things. That God is our Heavenly Father and loves us very much and that she can feel more of this feeling in her life if she followed Jesus Christ's example. She even said, 'This makes sense,' when we talked about the Godhead, she's heard of the godhead before but other religions couldn't explain it to her understanding. The Holy Spirit truly teaches, I am just lucky the Lord trusted me and gave me His Spirit in order to know what to say and when to say it.

Pugs and I were also amazed at Hedwig's continual progression. She got stuck in the Book of Mormon's Isaiah chapters, funny you sent me this email all about it, and decided to read about the Gospel Principles book. She read til Chapter 7. She was blown away that we have a Heavenly Mother. She entirely grateful that God is perfect and in control of everything. The faith and knowledge she has in Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father are amazing. She's a very expressive person so to see it on her face is a very happy moment for me. It adds to me that God is truly perfect and loves us, and will help us understand and help us in our challenges in life. I can't wait to see the great things Hedwig will do in the future with her life in the Church.

Amongst all the shuffling of our teaching pool, we found 2 diamonds! Hao and DERON! Hao, really wants to be baptised on the 20th and have the holy Ghost in his life. His prayers are so cute. He believes in Jesus Christ, now we shall see the action behind the belief! but he's so determined! 


And DERON! His progression comes outta no where. Who is this new Deron and what have you done with the old?! it's okay tho, we like the new Deron(: He's very committed to find out if God is there and will put his trust in Him. He's even set a habit for himself, to read 1 page of the Book of Mormon daily and to pray about it. He's slowly seeing how the Gospel of Jesus Christ is changing his life. his English has improved, he's happier, more talkative. He's preparing for baptism as well. in his prayer he said, 'Please help me know if the Book of Mormon is true and to trust in you.' He has so much heart and sincerity in his prayers. The difference is literally night and day. He's progressing and the Holy Spirit is able to teach much better than us and me horrible Chinese haha

Great week, tho our number don't reflect it! ;p

But Mum and Dad, how do yous keep your relationship to continue to progress? I am currently working on me humility, I am such a pride child! 

But Loves you,
Sis Chee

​I need a recipe for pumpkin cookies, pumpkin bread, and pumpkin smoothie (like the one at water polo booth at Pumpkin Festival)! I am on withdrawals of pumpkin! Thanks!


Halloween week was great! Lesley got baptised! Sis Pugs and I had to fill the baptismal font...that was stressful and Lesley got baptised in warm water. WE had church members there and had loads of Young Single Adults there as well as support. Lesley felt so touched, she never before has had an activity all just for her, and have so many people there to support her. She says that she feels like she was in the womb and reborn into a new family! She's never been an emotional person, but she felt it so strongly after her baptism when Bishop was speaking to her. She has such a great desire to deepen her understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and wants to broaden her knowledge(: She also doesn't care of what others say cuz of her experience and what she know to be true. She's had a few friends act badly toward the fact she was getting baptised or learning about Mormons. She completely solid and relies on her own knowledge and experience rather than on others. I am so so happy I got to teach her, so so so happy that Sis Wu and Flammia (who initially found her) introduced the Church to her and a year later we ran into her. She is a person the Lord definitely prepared! CAn't wait for her next step in the Church(:

For Family Home Evening we talked about Elder Richard J. Maynes' recent general conference talk 'The Joy of living a Christ-Centered Life'. The one that talked about pottery. And after that we carved pumpkins and how we need to carve ourselves into the people we want to become(: Dean and Micheal carved some great pumpkins! Their 1st Halloween and carved Pumpkin, so cute! 

And for Halloween day we got to be home at 6pm, but time was mostly used to plan and ring potential church investigators to set up appts and find new investigators. We made a bet with the Zone Leaders that we'd get 6 new investigators in a week. So far we have 3, and 3 more to go. Whoever loses has to make dessert for the district. But this is great motivation to help us continue progressing the area!(: 

Oh and we ate pumpkin pie that the other sisters got from a church member(:

But I am LOADS happy to be staying with Pugs(: We can continue being the A-team and continue our friendship and just continue to enjoy the mission together!

Love yous!

Sis Chee