This week was one of the best weeks ever because we got to go to the temple!!! We get to go once every few months which is more than a lot of other people, but still just never feels like enough for me! It is such a special experience to be able to go to such a sacred place and to just feel… at peace. All cares, all worries, even all of the silly little things just seem to fade away. Don’t forget to set aside time to go to the temple! I know that it is a place of learning where we can receive answers to our questions.

Chinese New Year is approaching quickly (January 28th) which is a fun and exciting time, but also means that everyone is really busy. It is tradition to clean your house before the new year in preparation for all of the family and friends that you have over in the following days. But while everyone is really busy this time of year, it’s also a really good excuse to get to talk to people! When the conversation gets awkward or they don’t really want to keep listening to you, just shout “Happy new year!” and run away.

So while everyone here pretty much speaks Cantonese, there are still a lot of people who speak Mandarin which makes it difficult sometimes. Now you may be thinking, “but they’re both Chinese, right? Isn’t it pretty easy to understand one if you know the other?” Well, not really. It may as well be Greek for all that I am able to understand! While we were finding at the park the other day we stopped and talked to this one guy who was sitting on a bench, but it turns out that he didn’t know any Cantonese, just Mandarin since he was from mainland. Sister Percival and I went through a lot of hand motions and guessing games to try to figure out what he was saying and I just kept saying “Jesus Christ!” and “missionaries!” over and over in Mandarin because those are the only two things that I know how to say which in hind sight probably didn’t really help a whole lot hahah! But much to our amazement we did actually get his phone number which is a testament that the Lord is helping us! And he did at least seem a a little interested in what we were doing, well at least from what I could tell! We’ll turn him over to the Mandarin missionaries to teach.

Another funny experience this week also happened while finding. I started talking to this little old popo who was walking next to me. She got wide-eyed, looked up at me and grabbed my hand, and then squealed at how happy she was that I could speak Chinese. I walked with her for a minute and started talking about the church, but before I new what was happening she let go of my hand, turned a corner towards an alley and hopped onto a random escalator out of nowhere, so I didn’t even have time to wish her a happy new year! Haha, I love these people so much!

We actually had the opportunity to teach a few new potential investigators this week, and one even came to church after we had just met and taught him the day before! He also doesn’t live in our area so we will teach him a few more times to get him solid, but then we’ll have to turn him over to the other missionaries. It’s sad to see investigators go, but I am happy just as long as they continue to hear about the gospel!

We found a family that wanted to learn English, so we went over to their house and taught them for a little bit, and then shared a message with them. The mom seemed so interested and was also so nice. We can’t wait to go back there this week and teach them some more! We were teaching English to her three little sons and she just kept asking us question after question about what it is that we do–and I was so happy to be able to answer her and bear testimony! I just love every opportunity that I have to share about the gospel and help people come unto Christ! Whether it’s in a lesson or just sitting next to someone on the street, every time I share with them about these cherished truths, it gives me another opportunity to realize them again for myself. I just wish that they could understand how much this all means to me and that they could just know how much their Heavenly Father loves them!

Happy Chinese New Year!!! Do something fun, eat lots of rice!

Love,
Sister Crockett

18 Dorset Crescent
Kowloon Tong, Kowloon
Hong Kong

Pictures:
1) our district at the temple!!!
2) found a phone booth!
3) those delicious sesame dumpling things- I made some the other day!
4) Sorry, but I always have to send a picture BECAUSE I LOVE THIS PLACE SO MUCH!!!