4/4/10 Email

Dear family, it is so good to hear from you all,

Right now I am in an area called Nantun. We are the only girls in the district so our area is a couple different areas, but I like having a big area. Then, when you contact people they are more likely to be in your area :) I really have no idea about directions but I think it's south of the Mission home, it takes about 30 minutes for us to bike there for zone conferences or companion exchanges. Oh my goodness we had my first companion exchange and it was so fabulous! I was companions with Sister Crane and it was so great, she loves food so much, just like I do so we had lots of fun buying different foods and sharing and she even had me call people on my own. Haha, that's an experience, I've been doing it by myself again this week and wow, I have no idea what people are saying so much of the time. It's kind of hilarious, people hang up on my a lot but it's getting better. I set up a couple appointments by myself :) Hehe, and a funny language story: while I was on companion exchanges we went to this one lady's house and I was telling her that my dad was from hong kong so that was why I looked asian, and then she evidently asked me that since my mom was american, she wondered if I could speak english! I didn't understand her, but my companion helped me out. So, I guess I can say a couple things well enough without people thinking i'm foreign, but once they realize i ting bu dong (hear but don't understand) what they are saying they figure it out :)

I like what you [Dad] said about patience, because yes, we need to actively be doing our part, but the things we need answered will be, in due time. One thing too I noticed was in Preach my gospel, on hope...not just hoping for things but EXPECTing them to come. Expecting myself to be able to understand things in time. It will come, I just need to work hard and exercise patience.

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences in the mission field, I never really knew much about your experiences and have always been curious. Was it hard being a new convert? One thing I've noticed though, is that the new converts may not know much about the gospel but they know the most important things and they know it is true, that's really all you need to know.

Today we went grave sweeping! It was so much fun! sao mu! It was such a great experience and was such a good way for others to see us and see the church serving the community. The graves are so important to chinese people, and it was fun. Not going to lie though, I am so tired, and I think after we finish buying fruit for the week we'll go back home and have a good sleep :)

Love you!

-Sister Ko