I did it, I made it through the week

Hello :)

 

I don't even know where to begin right now.   There are so many things constantly running through my mind and it drives me crazy because no matter what I say I can never say enough that you can really understand everything that is going on... just like any missionary I guess.

 

Yeah, Liverpool is great.  It is so funny, because my mission has changed me so much.  After I got the transfer calls it was like 2 days later that I remembered the Beatles were from Liverpool.  Now when I think of Liverpool I think of Chinese people.  But, yeah, the Beatles are from Liverpool, aren't they?  I did love them once upon a time.

 

Sister Gong is great.  She is really really good.  I honestly didn't know her that well, we mostly served in different parts of the mission, but it has been so great to serve with her.  She is from China, legitimately.  I think she is like the first Chinese sister to serve in the UK or something like that.  She joined the church when she was doing an internship in Washington DC about three years ago, and as such is the only member in her family.  I think the rest of her family doesn't even believe in God, which is very typical of Chinese families.  She is a great missionary and has a lot of things to teach me.

 

Where we are living is a little bit dodgy, to be honest, probably the most dodgy sister area in the mission.  But most of the time we are working at the Uni so it is really safe with like all the students around and everything.  And, of course, President wouldn't send us anywhere were it was *really* unsafe.  There are Elders he can send there ;)

Working with the Chinese people is completely different than working with anyone else... and I guess it is because of their culture.  I've learned a lot about Chinese culture, so I know what it is, but sometimes it is difficult to comprehend.  But we teach different, we find different, we commit different, we do most things quite differently than I have on my mission... Which is really strange- I feel like I'm being retrained at times actually.  There are creating this Chinese packet for the EMM which has like all the tips for working with Chinese people, and they will be giving to every Chinese speaking missionary, and probably me as well.  Sister Gong has a rough draft of it and so we have been studying it so I know what to do, and also how to best help my companion when she comes.  So crazy.

 

For example.  The packet says we should invite them to do things like learn about Western Culture and ask if they'll make Chinese food for us.    We invite them to learn more about church and things because they haven't really had the opportunity to ever go to a church before, and for the most part they are interested to learn, even if they don't have a belief in God.  And because they are so pure in heart they listen and do receive answers to their prayers.

 

I am a bit self conscious about talking about Chinese, because I assume this will go on the blog and Josh will read it, and he knows how to work with Chinese a lot better than me.  But maybe they are different in Liverpool than Australia.

 

Liverpool is a very blessed area.  Going to church yesterday was an entirely different vibe than going to church for the first time in Preston.  People just love the missionaries here, and they were really gutted when the sisters left, and are now so excited to have us back.  They walked in like, 'SISTERS!!!!'  Seriously, most of them did that, though.  And our investigators love us, which is also worrisome for every new missionary in an area.  But they really seem to love us already and so that is really good.

 

I'm good.  Thanks for everything, and I love you SOOOO MUCH! 

 

Loves,

 

Sister Hull

 

PS  BTW... Happy Birthday, Mom.  I remembered day of... I was like, 7 June... my mom's birthday.  I'm grateful you had such a great party :)  Loves.