I got to Hong Kong and President and Sister Hawks picked us up. We drove to the mission home (they drive on the opposite side of the road here), and it was dark by the time we got to HK. We drove over bridge after bridge, but HUGE bridges that are all light up along the cables that hold them up. A lot of the drive there was water all around, and on the other side of the water just endless sky scrapers. President Hawks would point at them and say, "See that building? People." Again and again and again. So. Many. People. We go to the mission home right across the street from the temple ate some dessert, and pretty much went to bed. I think I'm finally adjusting to the sleeping schedule, but I definitely have been having some jet lag problems. Almost the whole last week I go to bed EXHAUSTED and then wake up before we have to get up at 7 and am just wide awake! But, it's getting better.
The day day we just had a lot of training about finances and travel stuff. We went to this government office and got our Hong Kong ID cards. We also went finding and contacting for the first time that day. Finding is what scares me the very most. I just have to walk up to random Chinese people and try to get them to stop, but when they do stop, and they start responding to me, I have NO idea what they're saying. Luckily my companion helps me a lot. I'm still just not super comfortable talking to everyone everywhere, but I'll get better!
Anyways, the next day we got our trainers. My trainer is named Sister Heaton, or Hahng Jimuih. Our area is called Tseung Kwano (pronounced Jurng Gwano). It is a wealthier part of Hong Kong, and definitely in the city. Our ward is SO nice and totally on fire about missionary work. Yesterday at church was just totally exhausting. Like Hahng Jimuih said, "There is no rest for missionaries on the Sabbath." We have to wait for the translation of General Conference, so it isn't until this next weekend. So, it was fast Sunday again. We got up, got ready, went straight to the church (our apartment is outside our area), and starting finding while waiting for our investigator, named Endless (I'm so excited for 16 months of weird English names). No one wanted to talk to us. Then our investigator was late, and we missed sacrament! But we got there in time for me to bear my testimony because the bishop requested it. Instead of saying, "Hi, I'm Bou Jimuih, and I'm a new missionary<" I said "Hi, I'm Bou Jimuih, and I'm God's missionary." Haha, I mean it kind of works....but it's a little weird. Oh tones...I have a long way to go. Anyways, It was exhausting trying to understand everyone and everything through sacrament, Sunday school, and relief society, and then correlation meeting at the end. It is everyday. At the end of each night I feel like my brain is going to explode....but it's okay, I know I need to get through this painful part, in order to get to the satisfaction of being able to speak and understand.
Yesterday we also taught this old man in his apartment. He just giggles at everything we say, and has a really bad memory. He doesn't have any kind of beliefs and had never prayed before, so we helped him say his very first prayer! But, his memory is so bad, we probably won't continue to teach him. WE know Heavenly Father isn't going to hold him accountable for anything when all he does is giggle and say, I can't remember!
Hong Kong is a lot more tropical than I thought it would be. One side of the street is sky scrapers, and the other side is straight up jungle. It's very dark green, with bright pink and orange flowers here and there. There are lots of butterflies too. And other bugs...and mosquitoes :( There are also areas with lots of cliffs and steep slopes along the side of the road amongst the jungle. And some days it is SOOO HUMID. I have never ever felt air that felt so much like...water. It starts to rain, and it's almost hard to tell, because it is just as wet as the air is.
Along with the funny English names people choose for themselves (oh, we also have an investigator named Fornia, like California without the "Cali") people have hilarious shirts. Yesterday this kid's shirt just said "Black grape cake." Haha, I love it.
I haven't really eaten anything too weird yet. Everything is actually pretty similar to what we have as Chinese food in the U.S. just better and not as deep fried. Everything so far has been alright, I haven't really fallen in love with it, but I have a LOT more to try.
Sorry this is just all over the place! SO much has happened I just don't know what to say and what not to say. Make sure people email me if they want to get this email! I don't know what Autumn, Haylee, Jaxon, Cayson, or Jazmin's is. So give em to me and I'll send this to them too!
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