11th email from Hong Kong

Merry Christmas!

The Mission Christmas social was yesterday, and was pretty darn amazing. We had a talent show and skits from every zone which were so much fun. I myself, with Elders Weagel, Work and Volk (all of whom were in the MTC with me) were the opening act of the show, singing If You Could Hie to Kolob in parts - lots of fun.

The next thing after us was the Kowloon East Zone's skit, which was a hilarious song featuring many missionaries in costume. I mention their skit particularly because the Temple is in their zone, as is the Mission Home - therefore, President and Sister Van Dam were in their skit, she ironing shirts and shining shoes, he dressed as Santa. I'm so glad that my Mission President is such a fun man, willing to mess around like that on stage, doing little dances and such. Elder Ng told me that he feels he wasn't called to the Hong Kong mission so much as he was called to his Mission President. President Van Dam is just amazing - as is Sister Van Dam for that matter.

For example, they bought every missionary a present for Christmas - a T-shirt which reads, in Chinese characters, Wihng Hang Gaa Tihng (I haven't started learning characters yet, so I can't help with those!), or Eternal Family. We all wore our t-shirts for a mission photo. While the focus of the shirt was indeed that our own personal families can be eternal through the Gospel, I can see a second meaning - we as a mission are all one big family, and will always remember the time we spend together now.

Of course, it was wonderful to see many of my MTC district again for the first time since last conference. One of the elders told me that he really missed me and thinks about me often, which hopefully means that I did something right as District Leader and fellow-missionary.

The slideshow was pretty amazing too. A lot of my MTC district seemed to have got up to some interesting things (they didn't forget to turn in their photos!), but I was in it a few times; in a group photo outside the Provo Temple, there was a picture of us on our first night in Hong Kong all asleep (I maintain I was reading a book about Joseph Smith. With my eyes closed. While snoring.), there was the picture of myself with my trainer and his trainer, which I believe you've seen, and there was a picture of me with Elder Ng in Victoria park, which I think I may also have sent you.

Sister Van Dam has an amazing amount of dedication to us, particularly when it comes to food. She always manages to provide huge plates of American food which most Elders miss from home, and myself and the native Hong Kong missionaries find a little weird but also interesting. This lunch time was turkey with mashed potato, some vegetables and bread which I think was actually imported from the states, as it in no way resembles the unique Hong Kong bread (which is incredible), but was far more similar to the bread from the MTC (which was undigestible). Then for desert, she announced that we were going to have something very special - a chocolate bar. Myself and the elder next to me both wondered what was so special about this chocolate bar, until she clarified that by "bar", she meant the table upon which the chocolate had been placed. It was a chocolate fountain, with lots of tasty treats to dip in it, including (yet again) American pretzels, and then various other no doubt cheaper foods like bananas and apple slices.

I'm afraid that I have not read any of the Phillip Pullman books, but I'm sure any fuss is just the same as any other silly parental scare-mongering. I remember that Stuart was obsessed with the fact that Harry Potter was evil because it taught children to call upon evil powers - and yet, it was fine for him to watch the films because he's older and not as easily influenced. Yeah right. I also remember that the same kind of "It's evil and of the devil!" thing even happened to such fads as Pokemon. Supposedly if you play the theme tune for the TV show backwards, and really, really try to listen to hear it, it kind of sounds like "Heil Satan!" Again, yeah right. There are much more dangerous things that children are exposed to every day than books about magic. I'd rather any children of mine read Phillip Pullman than spend 18 hours a week playing Grand Theft Auto or watching Eastenders.

Thank you for thinking to include Cantonese General Conference on the iPod. It's not something I thought I'd need, because I guess I'm still not thinking far enough into the future to imagine I'll actually ever become fluent. There seems to be two kinds of missionaries in the mission - new missionaries who can't speak the language and more experience missionaries who can. I think when you get to a certain age, President Van Dam taps you with a magic wand and suddenly everything makes sense - it's the only explanation. Thankfully, from what I've seen, this point is only 2 or 3 more moves away for me, so I just have to keep slogging in the hopes that I'll be worthy of the wand. Then I can sit back and share General Conference with my companion, so thank you.

One of the things President Van Dam shared with us at the social was the First Presidency Christmas message - does President Hinkley look that frail? At General Conference I thought he looked so strong and full of life.

As far as the phone call goes...I'll look into it. I'm not at the moment sure what time I'll be able to call or anything, and I'm not sure how it works, but I'll find out before next week so I can tell you. I've heard some elders talk about phone cards, so I assume that's the way things normally go; in which case, I guess money for the card would be best. It doesn't seem like it'll be all that expensive anyway.

In the MTC I heard that some mission presidents give the challenge to get married within six-months of returning home from a mission, so as not to get distracted by the things of the world and postpone it. This worried me for a while, but I decided that if my president gave me that challenge, I would take it up, because it must come from a wise purpose. However, President Van Dam seems to have the opposite idea. I've been told that he encourages missionaries to not get married BEFORE having been home for six months, so as to be sure you've found the right person. This I feel is a much wiser plan, so while I will, when I return home, get cracking straight away to find the right girl, you don't have to worry about me rushing off and marrying the first girl I see when I get off the plane - especially as she probably won't me a member.

In fact, Elder Weagel and I have a little bet going in that respect. We're going to race to 100 dates when we get home. Kind of like Bishop Terry's council to me, but in a competition and with a bigger number. The only problem is that, he attending BYU, he'll have somewhat of an advantage, but I do intend to take a trip to Utah not too long after I return home to see all of my mission friends, and to go on a hundred or so dates. Considering the visa waiver is only for 90 days, I'm going to have to have several on the same day to pull it off. Unless of course I decide to attend BYU as a student, in which case everything will be easier, but I will more than likely end up marrying one of the girls I date.

So, give my congratulations to JJ and Becky. And give my love to everyone as we approach the Christmas season. I also got a wonderful card from Primary this week, so thank them all for that. I particularly liked Zach's comments: "dear elder I dont relly want to go on a mission but good luck zach"

Merry Christmas. I love you all.

Elder Matthew Loffhagen