Hello Family!
I got my flight plans this week. Yay! Instead of leaving on the 3rd, as I had been told, I'm going on the 1st, this coming Monday. Wohoo! So this time next week I'll be in Hong Kong, after a VERY long flight...
Anyway, my baggage allowance is very comfortable; 50lb per bag. And to go over that will cost $25 per bag, which I can easily manage. If I have to go over, I'll pile everything into one case and just pay the excess charge on the one bag, which is not bad at all. The hard part will be that I can only have a 15lb carry-on, which I will have to negotiate carefully, but I'll be fine.
A good-bye care package would be absolutely wonderful - I may plan on buying everybody something fun that characterizes them from the book store here, but alternatively, I might not. I dunno. I also have no clue what would be a good idea to have - cinnamon buns went over VERY well last time. Individually wrapped stuff would be best, I guess possibly sent tomorrow or on Friday so we will definitely be able to get them. There's only one mail delivery on Saturday, and then we only have Monday, when we leave - but fortunately, we leave the MTC at about 5:30 pm, which will be nice. I'm considering just staying up all night Sunday so as to best be able to combat jet-lag by sleeping on the plane, as we arrive bright and early at 10:00ish am in Hong Kong - but that will mean I can't spread the gospel to whomever is on the flight next to me. But we were told that the last Cantonese district all sat together on the plane, and with 15 of us, if it's anything similar, I may end up with nothing to do but talk with my fellow Elders.
sorry this letter wasn't longer. I promise my next one, from Hong Kong, will be.
Thursday, 27 September 2007
Thursday, 20 September 2007
8th MTC email
Hello family! Or in Cantonese, Leih Hou Gaa Tihng!
Well, the days left are really beginning to tick down. I've got a mere 2 weeks now - and the last 3 days won't count anyway; I'll just be packing and saying goodbye to all the Elders in my District who leave on the 1st October, instead of the 3rd. How kind of them to have me enter the MTC early - and then let me leave late!
I guess I shouldn't complain - did I tell you about my Teacher, Brother Matsumori (aka Chung Sam Hing Daih)? During his stay in the MTC, they had the SARS outbreak in China, so he got the joy of staying in the MTC for an extra two weeks while they checked to see how the situation would develop. So after 14 weeks learning Cantonese, they decided it was too risky, so they sent him to a USA mission instead, speaking English. Then after 6 weeks, he finally got to go to Hong Kong.
Temple Square was absolutely wonderful - I have loads of pictures to show you, which will take a week to get printed, so you'll have to wait. But it simply was amazing. I got to see the Salt Lake Temple (not actually go inside it or go through a session though - no time :( ) and one of Brigham Young's many homes, the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, in which is President Hinkley's home chapel (which he gave the last Stake Conference Address to the UK from!) and the Tabernacle, the Conference Centre, the two Visitors Centres, the white statue of Christ, and a museum full of church artifacts. Too much to really talk about and do justice to - you'll have to wait for the pictures!
So I'm writing this in the morning, but will log off with some of my email time left. So you can write me a reply, and I should be able to respond to it today! Hopefully.
Love you lots and lots and lots,
Elder Loffhagen
Loh Jeung Louh (Jeung Louh means Elder - and Jedi.)
Well, the days left are really beginning to tick down. I've got a mere 2 weeks now - and the last 3 days won't count anyway; I'll just be packing and saying goodbye to all the Elders in my District who leave on the 1st October, instead of the 3rd. How kind of them to have me enter the MTC early - and then let me leave late!
I guess I shouldn't complain - did I tell you about my Teacher, Brother Matsumori (aka Chung Sam Hing Daih)? During his stay in the MTC, they had the SARS outbreak in China, so he got the joy of staying in the MTC for an extra two weeks while they checked to see how the situation would develop. So after 14 weeks learning Cantonese, they decided it was too risky, so they sent him to a USA mission instead, speaking English. Then after 6 weeks, he finally got to go to Hong Kong.
Temple Square was absolutely wonderful - I have loads of pictures to show you, which will take a week to get printed, so you'll have to wait. But it simply was amazing. I got to see the Salt Lake Temple (not actually go inside it or go through a session though - no time :( ) and one of Brigham Young's many homes, the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, in which is President Hinkley's home chapel (which he gave the last Stake Conference Address to the UK from!) and the Tabernacle, the Conference Centre, the two Visitors Centres, the white statue of Christ, and a museum full of church artifacts. Too much to really talk about and do justice to - you'll have to wait for the pictures!
So I'm writing this in the morning, but will log off with some of my email time left. So you can write me a reply, and I should be able to respond to it today! Hopefully.
Love you lots and lots and lots,
Elder Loffhagen
Loh Jeung Louh (Jeung Louh means Elder - and Jedi.)
Wednesday, 12 September 2007
7th MTC email
I seem to make it a habit of planning to respond to your Dear Elders in the email I write on P-Day, rather than in the letter, and then forgetting the letter. So I'm not sure exactly what was said, but I remember that I enjoyed reading it, so that was good.
First things first - yes, I have seen Elder Jones, and yes, he did seem very happy. I was coming out of choir practice to go and grab my Study Journal (or notebook to those not of American persuasion) and he was going in to the hall to get seats for the devotional - smartly, he and some other International Elders were going in early to get good seats; it fills up quickly, and the overflow room is horrible. Seats for members of the choir are assured though, so we were fine. He gave me a big hug, and said hi and everything. I was so thrilled to see him. We want to all go as a group of Reading Stake Missionaries to the Temple for pictures, but as we're all on different timetables and in different buildings, we don't have much time to co-ordinate.
The Devotional itself was given by Richard G Hinkley, a member of the 1st Quorum of the Seventy, and his father is a man we all know well - Doug Boyle! Only kidding! Yes, Elder Hinkley spent a lot of time talking about his father, the Prophet. I've spoken more about what he said in my letter to you this week; just know that it involved an X-Box.
His wife gave a wonderful talk about singing hymns, and Elder Hinkley backed it up by telling us all about one time when he and his father were on a visit in South Africa, and President Hinkley got up early and was singing to himself - first off an actual hymn, but then a song about a girl! The point was, we remember what we sing, so even though President Hinkley had learnt this song in High School, he could still remember it!
So I now have my first name - I think I say this in my letter I wrote, so I'll just tell you what it is and you'll have to wait to know what it means. My name is Loh (last names first in Chinese) Yiuh Lohk. Try and guess what it means!
Anyway, a card appeared in our little mailbox a few days ago with my name on it - it's a Golden Ticket! Well, actually, more of a green ticket. It's a ticket for a tour of Temple Square, which I get to go on this coming Friday, and am very much looking forward to. Expect lots and lots of really cool pictures! :D
So have you guessed what my name means? I'm not going to make you wait really really long to know - it means glorious and lighthearted - it kinda translates to "Dazzling Wit!"
Well, I'll go for now - I may write more later, but I can't guarantee it!
First things first - yes, I have seen Elder Jones, and yes, he did seem very happy. I was coming out of choir practice to go and grab my Study Journal (or notebook to those not of American persuasion) and he was going in to the hall to get seats for the devotional - smartly, he and some other International Elders were going in early to get good seats; it fills up quickly, and the overflow room is horrible. Seats for members of the choir are assured though, so we were fine. He gave me a big hug, and said hi and everything. I was so thrilled to see him. We want to all go as a group of Reading Stake Missionaries to the Temple for pictures, but as we're all on different timetables and in different buildings, we don't have much time to co-ordinate.
The Devotional itself was given by Richard G Hinkley, a member of the 1st Quorum of the Seventy, and his father is a man we all know well - Doug Boyle! Only kidding! Yes, Elder Hinkley spent a lot of time talking about his father, the Prophet. I've spoken more about what he said in my letter to you this week; just know that it involved an X-Box.
His wife gave a wonderful talk about singing hymns, and Elder Hinkley backed it up by telling us all about one time when he and his father were on a visit in South Africa, and President Hinkley got up early and was singing to himself - first off an actual hymn, but then a song about a girl! The point was, we remember what we sing, so even though President Hinkley had learnt this song in High School, he could still remember it!
So I now have my first name - I think I say this in my letter I wrote, so I'll just tell you what it is and you'll have to wait to know what it means. My name is Loh (last names first in Chinese) Yiuh Lohk. Try and guess what it means!
Anyway, a card appeared in our little mailbox a few days ago with my name on it - it's a Golden Ticket! Well, actually, more of a green ticket. It's a ticket for a tour of Temple Square, which I get to go on this coming Friday, and am very much looking forward to. Expect lots and lots of really cool pictures! :D
So have you guessed what my name means? I'm not going to make you wait really really long to know - it means glorious and lighthearted - it kinda translates to "Dazzling Wit!"
Well, I'll go for now - I may write more later, but I can't guarantee it!
Thursday, 6 September 2007
6th MTC email
Alright, all my other emails are written, so I have just enough time to send you a longer one. Hopefully.
Half an Hour never seems long enough.
Life is good here at the MTC. I just got back from the Temple, which was wonderful, and I've now got about 40 minutes until lunch, after which I'll be back to learning.
One of our Louh Si (teachers), Gam Ji Muih (Sister Kim) has had to leave us this week, because of the new school year at BYU, so we have a new Louh Si, Chung Sam Hing Daih (Brother Matsumori). He's of Japanese descent, Utah birth and Hong Kong mission, so he's got an interesting cross of cultures within him. He gave me some great leadership advice this past week too - pick something to lead the district towards. He told me to find a scripture and to have it as out theme - "I'm considering the scripture in James about visiting the sick and the afflicted and keeping yourself unspotted from the world. I think one thing we need to work on as a district is being focused and leaving the world behind - tell me what you think of it!
Ngoh Jidou Ye Su Gei Duk tuhng maih TinFuh haih weutjeuhk ge, tuhng maih Ngoh Ngoi Keuih Deih. Ngoh Dou Ngoh Leih Deih.
That says, I know that Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father are living and I love them. I also love you.
Half an Hour never seems long enough.
Life is good here at the MTC. I just got back from the Temple, which was wonderful, and I've now got about 40 minutes until lunch, after which I'll be back to learning.
One of our Louh Si (teachers), Gam Ji Muih (Sister Kim) has had to leave us this week, because of the new school year at BYU, so we have a new Louh Si, Chung Sam Hing Daih (Brother Matsumori). He's of Japanese descent, Utah birth and Hong Kong mission, so he's got an interesting cross of cultures within him. He gave me some great leadership advice this past week too - pick something to lead the district towards. He told me to find a scripture and to have it as out theme - "I'm considering the scripture in James about visiting the sick and the afflicted and keeping yourself unspotted from the world. I think one thing we need to work on as a district is being focused and leaving the world behind - tell me what you think of it!
Ngoh Jidou Ye Su Gei Duk tuhng maih TinFuh haih weutjeuhk ge, tuhng maih Ngoh Ngoi Keuih Deih. Ngoh Dou Ngoh Leih Deih.
That says, I know that Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father are living and I love them. I also love you.
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