A long week, but not much happened - 21st email from Macau

Dear Mum and Dad,

Leeds is fine. Don't worry; I feel the Lord's hands in things.

It's been a long, busy week. I'm sad to say that my journal writing has gone downhill recently because I've been using every available second to cram Chinese characters inside my head. They don't seem to all fit in there together though, so a lot keep leaking out of my ears while I'm asleep. On Saturday I have my final pass-off. I need to know 3,000 characters - which is too bad because I only know about 2,500 now and can bluff through another couple of hundred - but there are still a lot left to learn. It's frustrating, then, that the other Elders in the flat have chosen to play Risk, which gives me the difficult decision - play a huge, fun game of Risk (I currently hold South American and have a decent sized army while everyone else is struggling for control of a continent) or learn characters all day, which actually helps me in real life but is a lot less fun. Maybe I'll just kill myself out of the game to give myself a chance to learn.

I already did part one of the language legend pass off. Conveniently, the only language legend still serving his mission, Elder Carter, is here in Macau. So I'm doing the pass off with him. I had to translate a President Monson talk from English to Chinese and back again - we watched the conference talk on the TV and I translated as best I could at real time. The English to Chinese was pretty easy, but going back again was tough. There were long periods of silence as I tried to figure out what on earth President Monson's translater was saying. But Elder Carter was willing to pass me, so I got that bit out of the way. Now all that's left is those 3,000 characters - but I really need to study today. But I also want to play Risk. Unfortunate.

Anyway, C B, one of our investigators, is getting baptized this Sunday. Elder Jackson is pretty excited because it's his first baptism. Personally, I'm happy but not too bothered. Is that wrong? I'm kind of taking all of these wonderful Macau baptisms for granted. I remember the fight and struggle that it was to get Kelvin, our first recent convert, in the water. Now everyone just seems to be walking into the font, irrespective of anything we do. Which is nice. But I'm not going to be in Macau forever, as President Van Dam reminded me of last week. We had our interviews with him, and he pointed out that my six months is coming to a close soon. I was concerned because I like it here in Macau, but I didn't want to influence his decision in any way, because I want to go wherever the Lord sends me. So at that time I chose not to mention that I can extend for another six months - I'm pretty certain he's aware of that anyway. I've heard other missionaries say that leaving Macau was harder than leaving their family at the start of their mission. We'll have to wait and see if this is true for me.

I don't really know what else to say. This week has been long but not much has happened.

I know you only just sent me a package, but I have another request - a DearElder.com $15 package with some delicious cookies in. The cookies that come in those boxes are absolutely amazing.

Sorry, that's all I really have for this week. I have a request that you stop killing or maiming rodents while I'm away from home - please wait until I can enjoy it with you all first.

Anyway, I love you all lots. Talk to you next week.

Love,

Elder Loffhagen