January 4, 2009‏

Dear Family and Friends,

Nimen Hao! It has been another great week at the MTC. I feel like I have been here forever! The cafeteria food is even starting to taste good!

Mom, I got both packages you sent me, but I did not get my driving record yet. I will keep watching for it. Also, the computers will not let you load pictures, so I am going to have to mail some.

Xin Nian Kuaile! Happy new year! I hope you all have some great resolutions. I don't know if I have "New Years Resolutions" per se, mostly because we set major goals practically every day. I guess my new years resolution would be to be the best missionary that I can! Wow. I have a lot to learn for that one! :)

This week we have had a lot of changes in our district - mostly our laoahimen (teachers) because of the crazy Christmas break we actually had a long term substitute - Han Laoshi. He is in China now, so he can't be our teacher anymore! Also, because of the new semester they shuffle the teachers around that teach in the classroom and do workshops, so we are losing our other laoshi, mi laoshi, as well! A lot of changes are coming up this next week! I am excited though because the two new teachers we are getting are amazing. He laoshi was in the accounting program with me, and Li laoshi is from Taiwan, so she knows a ton! I have been to a lot of workshops with Li Laoshi, and she is an amazing teacher. Once, she told me I said my fourth tones like a man, and I told her that is how Mi Laoshi taught me. She said, "Ah, of course it was Mi Laoshi. Don't worry. I will fix it." I laughed inside.

Along with having new laoshimen, this coming week we also only speak Jongwen in class! No English at all! I am a little scared, but I think it will really help me learn a lot faster.

Gym was cancelled twice this past week, which was a killer! It was really hard not to have that time to unwind, but luckily I have two amazing companions who also like to work out, so we ran up and down our susha stairs during the time we were supposed to go. It really helps me concentrate when I get a little bit of time to get blood flowing again!

Our district leader, Li Zhenglao, is absolutely amazing! He is such a funny guy. He is just a little Chinese boy, but he is awesome. For example, when we pray in class, he is supposed to call on someone to say it. So we all kneel down, and he chooses just by staring at you with his huge Chinese smile on his face and when you look at him, somehow his smile gets even bigger and he starts to nod his head. We have all now adopted the same response - we smile right back, point at our noses and nod. Never a word is spoken, though every time I want to burst out laughing. It is awesome.

During the week we get about an hour and a half to go work at the referral center, calling people who have ordered books or DVD's and making sure they got them. I got a woman on the phone this week who I spoke with for a while and she is going to read part of the Book of Mormon and I get to call her back on Friday to see what she thinks! As Mi Laoshi always says, "She is going to get baptized!" Who knows really, but I am excited to help her come unto Christ. I know the gospel can bless her life, and I am excited I get the opportunity to be a tool in God's hands to bring her this knowledge.

Well, time is short, but I want to take a little bit of time and bear my testimony in Jongwen:

Wo Zhidao Shen ai wo. Shen ai nimen. Wo hen ganji Shen dui women de ai. Wo zhidao Yesu Jidu cigei women jihui huigai. Wo zhidao Yuese Simi Shi Xianzhi de Shen. Ta gei women Moermonjing. Wo ai Moermonjing. Wo Zhidao Ta shi Shen de hui. Kuaile! feng Yesu Jidu de Ming, A'men.

I know god loves me. I know god loves you all. I am very grateful for his love towards us. I know Jesus Christ gave us the opportunity to repent. I know Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. He gave us the Book of Mormon. I love the book of Mormon. I know it is the word of God. Happiness! In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Also, I would like to leave you with a scripture about how I feel about my mission: D&C 31:3.

Wo ai Nimen! I love you all!

Sister Collyer

PS - Jessica will not be in my district, but there is only one Mandarin Zone, so we will do pretty much everything but class together! Wo gaoxing!