LAST ONE!

Well, this will be my last email to you guys. Sorry, I know I haven't emailed as much as I should lately. It's hard to remember what's going on and when it happened and whether or not I already told you, but to be honest it's kinda hard to explain. I can't speak well, let alone type what is going on, haha. But wanted to show my appreciation and the support everyone has given through emails, packages, letters, and prayers. It still hasn't really hit me yet, but I'm sure it will eventually. I also want to say sorry in advance for my crappy English when I get home. I've been reading the dictionary lately to get it back up to par, but it's pretty bad. I thought that my English getting worse was a result of my Chinese getting better, but they both kinda suck, hahaha.

This last week was really good, we worked hard and were able to see some cool things come out of it. Just wanted to let everyone know I love them and am excited to see you all. Hope a bunch of people can make it to the airport so I can see you, but if not, no big deal, I'll see you eventually. Hong Kong was way different in some aspects and what I expected in others, but the surprises outweigh what I expected by a ton. The mission in general is not what I thought it was. I learned a lot. Mostly the hard way because I'm pretty prideful, haha. I feel like I just got here in some ways, but at the same time, America, home and family and friends just seem like some dream, like I've always been here, doing what I'm doing. It will be weird going back. I know it will be a hard adjustment. I've gotten used to everything about China. I can't imagine being in any different kind of environment, let alone the white people. I'm terrified of white people, haha. But I'm sure it will be fine. Thanks for everything, love you all. Add oil! Just keep swimming, never quit, until we meet again. 

Love,
Elder Mak

SLEEP... AN EXTRA HALF HOUR... IS WHAT I WANTED TO CELEBRATE MY TWO YEAR MARK IN THE MISSION!

April 12, 2015

Castle Peak Bay Hike

Hey, so this week was good. We were able to see conference which was awesome. Last week Elder Merrell asked what I wanted for my two year mark as a missionary. I didn't have to think about it very long, we ended up going to sleep a half hour early, hahaha! Last p-day we hiked Castle Peak which was awesome, suppper pretty. Well, this week has been pretty much the same other than that! Please continue to pray for Blair. She's doing really well, but still has some hurdles to overcome before she can confidently set a baptismal date. I love you guys!

Elder Mak

DINNER (SOOOOO GOOOOD) AND FAMILY MISSION PLAN

March 30, 2015

We went over to this family's house for dinner and to make a family mission plan with them. Her food is SOOOOO GOOOOOD, but anyway they took a picture and emailed it to me, so I'm forward it to you, haha. Love ya!

ELDER BALLARD CAME TO SEE US :)

March 19, 2015

So, we were able to meet with Elder Ballard, and he taught us some cool stuff a couple weeks ago. Here is the article.

https://www.lds.org/church/news/elder-ballard-reports-rich-harvest-underway-in-asia?lang=eng

And I'm totally in this picture! (Can you find me???)

https://www.lds.org/church/news/elder-ballard-reports-rich-harvest-underway-in-asia/gallery?lang=eng#2

elder ballard 

HIKING

We went on a hike the other day, and our high priest group leader sent this to me!

TAUGHT ONE OF THE BEST LESSONS OF MY MISSION, GOT INTO A HOUSE WITH A FAMILY & GOT TO MEET ELDER BALLARD

March 1, 2015

Hey, so this week was good. It was transfers, and I surprisingly got a new companion, but I'm stoked cuz he's a boss. Elder Merrel is his name. Kind of new, been in for about 6 months. I picked him up from the airport, haha. But super cool awesome missionary. He can also dunk which is sick. Especially at like 5' 9ish. Super athletic. We've seen some miracles this week. Got a call from a former potential investigator who wanted to meet out of no where, and we taught one of the best lessons of my mission! She's so golden. Also, got into a house of a family! So, hopefully something comes from that. Elder Ballard was super cool. Got to hear him speak twice and meet him which was cool. So, lots of cool stuff happening! Love you guys! Keep it up! Add oil!

麥長老

ELDER BALLARD COMING, DEEP CLEANING APARTMENTS & NEW INVESTIGATOR

Hey! So, I don't know if I told you guys yet, but Elder Ballard is coming to Hong Kong next week, so we will be able to meet him and get taught by him on Wednesday or Thursday. That will be cool. It's funny because he's coming exactly 1 year after Elder Holland came back in 2014. We are pretty blessed because all the general authorities come through Hong Kong to get into Asia, so we get to see them. This week was good. We had a little bit of a rough start because everyone was celebrating New Years, so no one was free to meet with us. Every year in the second day of the New Years we do a deep clean of the apartments, so that was good. It takes all day, but it's fun and different, and there aren't very many people willing to talk on that day anyway. It's kind of like Christmas day in the states. 

The other Hung Shui Kiu elder's investigator, Tyler, finally got baptized on Sunday which was suppper cool. He has been really ready for a long time now, but he has had ridiculous family opposition, but he decided finally that his parents weren't going to change any time soon, so he just got baptized without them knowing. He's in the early 20's, so it's not like it was against the law or anything. President Hawks came all the way up to see the baptism, it was really cool. Also, the other newest recent convert, Ken, in our ward (he was baptized a week before I got to Hung Shui Kiu), introduced his girlfriend to the church, and she got baptized like a week or two ago as well, which was cool. She lives in Castle Peak Bay Ward. She also got a ton of anti from her mom and sister, but she's toughing it out. 

We were struggling to find a new investigator these past weeks until yesterday after church. We went out in the rain to find and ran into this young man named David. He's pretty cool. We taught him a lesson on the street, committed him to a baptismal date and rescheduled him! So that was awesome. I really hope he shows up. Sometimes people will listen and act interested and then never answer their phone or meet again, but he seemed pretty genuine. I've only given a baptismal date out on the street a few times, and it was cool that he accepted. Anyways, things are still going along. There is always opposition. We also ran into a guy the other day who kept telling us that our Bishop had 40 wives because he read it on the internet. Another time we were talking to a nice kid when some other guys, who he didn't even know freaked out when they saw us, grabbed him and told him that we were a cult from the devil. It gets absolutely ridiculously frustrating at times the ignorant, literal hatred I've felt from people who are "Christians". A lot of the times the Buddhist and Baai sahn people are nicer, but sometimes they will make fun of Christ, too. We will knock on doors and people will answer and not know who we are and be really nice until they realize that we are Christian missionaries and then say, "Go away Jesus, never come back!" Super sad. But, there are diamonds in the rough. It just takes a lot to get to them before their friends do. A missionary said, speaking of the "golden investigator", true gold will withstand the refiners fire. 

Keep up the good work guys, I love ya. Never quit, just keep swimming.

Love,

Elder Mak