Happy Chinese New Year!! :) 
We almost forgot about the day, but the members were so nice and made it hard to forget. A lot of people gave us red envelope, I refused two of them before the zone leaders said we can take them. Aaron and Jade was going to invite us over for dinner Saturday night, but we had another dinner appointment. We ate sunday lunch at another member's house, had dumplings and lots of good stuff. Quite content. It feels more like new year here.
It's halfway through mission day this Saturday. Feel like it's going through really fast. Not much happened this week that's unusual, except it's Chinese New Year. Because of that, most of the people are busy and we've had a less busy week than usual. Next week should pick it up though.
Had exchanges this week. I got to teach Cantonese-speaking people all by myself, cuz the sister trainer doesn't speak Chinese. It was a little creepy, but I got by alright. I mean, she understood me, I half understood her, and we had laughs and read scriptures and talked and everything. So, not too bad. Cantonese people have different accents too, so some times it's hard to understand them.
We had zone conference this week, so there was about 80 missionaries all gathered together to learn. We got to know a lot of cool things. It was almost completely focused on finding people to teach, focusing on members. Because the increase of missionaries, the church is really asking members to step up their missionary work and to prepare and bring their friends to meet with missionaries, so we got trained on how to invite members to do this. President Meredith said there is about 200 missionaries who will be temporarily placed in and around our mission while waiting for their visas in a few weeks (our mission only has about 200 missionaries). The church bought two large apartment complexes in Provo near the MTC because the MTC doesn't fit all the missioanries any more. The Tuesday devotionals we usually have in the MTC gym is now moved to the Marriot Center at BYU, which is where basketball games happen, cuz it's so much larger. We were so awed that the work is moving forward so fast. At stake conference last week they said the number of missionaries have doubled, so amazing.
We are getting another Chinese speaking sister in the mission. She is Amercian, we think, cuz of her name, but then she could be like me, have an American last name but do know how to speak Chinese. Don't know if she'll come to San Francisco Chinese or Oakland Chinese, but it's cool :)
President told us one thing, we build the house of success by laying a foundation of testimony and faith, and the pillars of obedience, attitude, work, and knowledge/skills. One thing that president said really stood out. He said (president Hinckley said too) that a successful missionary smiles, smiles, and smiles. :) Trying to be more happy, at least let others see it. As they say, if you aren't happy, why would they listen to something you say will make you happy?
Also, he said, the Lord has spent so long preparing for his children to receive the gospel, if we don't show Him that we are good missionaries, why would he trust his children to us? Wow. So cool. We are all really stepping up and do more.
Also this week, read a talk by President Ezra Taft Benson, it's called Beware of Pride. It was such a powerful talk. should read it when you get a chance. It just hits you on the head that there is so much we can all improve on.
Anyway, quite a spiritual week, so awesome :)
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