Sister Tung
Hello lovelies!! So good to finally here from you... even if it was about the amazing trip :) It sounds like you all had a blast. And what... I didn't know Austin was along for the ride. Way fun! Oh and just to clarify I take pictures of your emails and then read them later so I don't take up email time to read them. Eek I just love you alll! And this work of course. I think good old HF might be sick of hearing me say thanks for letting be a missionary. I love this life so stinking much, the whole thing. Hearing how much fun you had on the trip, the legislature starting, its all so fun. Right?!
So! Wowsah am I on a whole new rollar coaster or what??!! Oh my having a native companion and having Sister Tung pure craziness. She seriously, of all the native sisters in our mission knows the least amount of english and has the most energy. It feels a little like I am serving with a 13 year-old boy. In that she is bouncing off the walls, not a huge fan of the rules and doesn't speak english. The only english she knows is quotes from Sandlot, Prison Break, Shrek, Harry Potter, church movies like Together Forever and she says "sucker" all the time but has no idea what it means and I'm not going to tell her (because its funnier to hear her use it in the most random situations). It's pretty much hilarious. So with that said now I hope you can believe the next part because it is SO true... she is a master teacher. She knows the scriptures better than anyone I have ever met. She is so good at creating personal metaphors with whoever she is teaching. Every lesson is tailored perfectly to the needs of the investigator. It's like she becomes a whole new person when she gets teaching. It's pretty rad to watch. Getting to serve with her- phew- I will never forget her example of pure love of the gospel.
Her conversion story: When she waw 13 her family was contacted by missionaries in a grocery store. The whole family went to English class but no one wanted to listen to the gospel message...except her. She wanted to get baptized but her parents wouldn't give her permission. So she had to wait until she was 18 to get baptized. From the age of 13 to 18 she rode her bike an hour to church and an hour back, often times having to sneak out of her house and tell her parents she was going to a friends house. Her parents don't approve of her serving a mission. When she calls home her mom won't talk to her but her dad will. Neither writes her- onnly her younger sister (she has 3 siblings). She is the only member and her family owns a breakfast place (so not much income but boy can she cook). She saved up money since age 13 to serve a mission. Is your heart bursting yet because this is my companion?! When I think/read about the noble and great ones...that's Sister Tung. In her odd 13 year-old boy personality. I love her.
Man yesterday was a cool day. I taught the first lesson in English to a miracle self-contact named Jessica Le. She is actually Vietnamese from Singapore who speaks perfect English- no Chinese. She is here on business and decided to wanted to go to church to have some alone time with God. She was amazing. After teaching her the first lesson - with my comp testifying in chinese and me translating- her prayer was amazing. One of the purest desires to know whether or not the Book of Mormon was true and whether the church was true. It was amazing. Unfortunately she goes back to Singapore Tuesday but I have her info and will refer her to missionaries in Singapore. I pray the missionaries will find her and help her. It was so neat.
Other than that life is good. Sister Tung cooks Taiwanese breakfaast every morning- potstickers, fried rice (learned how to make it- no worries), egg drop soup, noodles etc. (sorry claudia if you are drooling right now). Alright loves... this life is sooo good! Love you loads.
sister d.
