Dear Mom, 

This past week was a good week. I still struggled with the language but I can tell you that I've been improving little by little. On Thursday, we went to the Manhattan temple for Nicole Wu. She is in her  30's, she has been a member for like a really long time I think 10 years and she has never been to the temple before so it was really cool to have an opportunity to be with her to do this. The temple was beyond gorgeous. So noisy and loud outside but quiet and peaceful inside. It was pretty awesome!

On Friday night Sister Johnson and I exchanged companions for the day. So I was able to serve in Little Neck in a driving mission all day Saturday with Sister Harris. Sister Harris taught me a lot. I love her testimony and her desire to serve. I love how she told me about the pray, read, and write method. It's when you pray, read the scriptures, and write your feelings down about the scripture or an answer to your questions. I tried that and it really work and you get more out of it! I really love that area, right next to the ocean, more trees, and people speaking English in different accents.

I met a black 25 year old woman, we had frozen yogurt and talked with her. She was baptized in June and her husband was not a member. The plan was to talk about the priesthood and the lesson went in a different direction to patriarchal blessings because she asked about it. She recently had a miscarriage and she feels like she is going no where and wants to know where the lord wants her to go. We explained to her about  patriarchal blessings. It was funny because I was being guided by the spirit and Sister Harris was an English speaking missionary and we both spoke English. It felt weird to teach in English and I felt tempted so many times to speak Chinese. I also met another lady named Peal who is like in her 60s. She is the only member in her whole entire family, mom, dad, husband, kids, and she still keeps her hands holding on to the iron rod. Her faith is so strong. She was from the Dominican Republican and speaks with a Jamaica accent. When we walked into her place it was like entering a ghetto to a garage and the only light she had was a little lamp and it was cold in there. I felt bad for her. She has such wonderful pictures of family on the wall and she talks a lot about them.

On Saturday, our zone got together to do street sweep and that day was a miracle for Sister Harris and me. The weather was so cold and raining and I had about 100 "free English class/church of Jesus Christ" cards. Well guess what.... Remember how I talked about earlier that I only gave out 3 cards and the next day 7 cards..... We gave out allllllll of them! Had conversation with about 6 people and got one number. It was an amazing day. I couldn't help but smile.

That night Sister Harris and I were to attend a baby shower for a member and for an investigator. It was half English and half Spanish. There was a lot of food so Sister Harris and I ate a lot. I was so grateful because we don't eat much here in the mission. I may have lost some weight, my skirts are becoming a little big now. The only food we eat here is Chinese food mostly noodles, sandwiches, cereal and we walk a lot everyday. I love it still. So while being at the baby shower, a lot of Spanish people talked to me... I received a Spanish Book of Mormon. So looks like I will be learning a little Spanish here on the mission. In our zone we have missionaries learning different languages... For example: the Spanish speaking sisters are now trying to learn Chinese.... The English speaking elders are trying to learn Chinese and Spanish.... So I am willing to learn Spanish. Sister Harris started her mission as English speaking and got put into a Spanish mission... So she is learning Spanish right now.... So language is pretty much awesome here!

The other day when we were doing street sweep a man came up to me and hit on me. I was giving out Free English class cards and this guy came up to me and just stared at me. Then I spoke English and he started talking in English.... He kept looking up and down and up at me. I was so uncomfortable that I motioned for Elder Johnson to come over. They started talking in Chinese and English mix. The guy grabbed my hand and shook it and held it and I had to pull my arm away from him. Turns out that he really really wanted to rob the church. Elder Johnson said he was a creep and kept an eye on him till he was gone.... Awkward.

Elder Johnson called and Sister Johnson was nowhere to be found so I had to answer the phone and we just started talking. Sister Johnson is now giving me a responsibility to call people and talk with them.... Why???? Haha it's getting better though. I am starting to be able to hear on the phone most of the time.

Sister Johnson and I are getting along really good. I really really really love her and could not have asked for a better companion than her. She has been such a good trainer. She can easily make me laugh so don't be too surprised if I return home with abs ;) I love how Sister Johnson is very involved in the work. I love how she always challenges me. For example, if we are teaching a lesson, the challenge was..... I have to talk more.... So if the person is talking and the talking stops..... I look at Sister Johnson and she looks at me and smiles which is a sign that I need to talk more. So I am doing better. On Friday we taught a couple. And I felt the spirit so strongly and I was being guided by it and the lesson went well. I talked more than Sister Johnson so she was happy about it.

Yesterday, Sister Johnson found a book with all of our members in Chinese 2nd Flushing Ward.

The book contains maybe a little over 100. And guess what..... 95% are less active and we never see them in church. We were shocked. Sister Johnson was a little upset about it and it was so funny to watch her do her breathing exercises. 

So guess who is going to Brooklyn today? Me :) We are going to see the Brooklyn Bridge today so I'm really excited!

 

 This is Flushing, New York.  I really love it here!

So I had a dream about papa the other night. It was like we were all saying goodbye to him all over again. Every single member of the family was there. Holyoaks, Penningtons, Stewcox, us, grandma! There was this one moment I remember really well is that he was standing there, grinning his special smile, telling me that he really loves me and was really proud of me and that he has been with me this whole mission. I still wear his key around my neck a lot. I can feel his presence with me on the mission.

Thank you for telling me everything that's been going on! Glad everyone is doing good. Thank you for being such an awesome mama!!! Taking care of and loving all your children to death! Thank you for being such a strong mama holding on to the iron rod and going forward with faith. You have been such an awesome example to everyone around you. Even when you don't think you can make a change and honestly you have made a change in everyone's lives! Sister Price told me that you were the nicest person she has ever met and she loves you! She is now in Taiwan but told me that she really loved St. George! You are blessing my life from afar. I feel really close to you in my heart. I love you mama!

Which reminds me, what is Justin's email address? I've been wanting to talk to him on email. 

I still see weird things everyday here. Not a day goes by that you don't see something abnormal. Like a fire going crazy in the recycle bin which we walked by and thought it was going to explode. It's crazy!

I'll give you the scripture tonight for the plaque.

Love 

Sister Moore

莫姐妹

我爱你

That's right! I'm proud of my character writing ;)