Sunday, September 30, 2012

OCTOBER 1, 2012  (just a little more)


It was great to return to our assignment on Friday and be greeted by “our missionaries” with comments of how much they missed us, and one of the Chinese members surprised Sharla with a birthday cake.  They were especially glad to see her, since a couple of the missionaries needed mending done.  The word is getting out that she is handy with a needle and thread.  We finished up the week with a baptism at Fairfield Chapel on Friday night and a train and tram ride home.  The walk to the train station from the chapel, (maybe ½ mile or so) is not well lit, and there were three people coming towards us. They stopped and sort of waited by a tree in the parkway as we approached.  We were sure we were about to be mugged, and Sharla  thought, oh no, this is the end of my I pad.  It turned out to be a missionary companionship and an investigator headed to the chapel for “Friday Night Sports Night, ” and they were going to scare us, which they did a little. We got home just fine.
Saturday evening was “Moon Festival” at the Branch, one of three major Chinese celebrations that occurs each year.  It was a full out feast of sorts, attended by 80 or 90 people or maybe more. We are beginning to learn that the old rule of hot food hot and cold food cold has never been explored by the Chinese. So right now it is sort of all food cold. I guess in the summer, depending on the temperature, it will be all food hot. Oh well, they still know how to have a good time and they are not shy about eating anything you can think of and a few things you would never think of, or eat.
We miss lots of things, especially our family and friends.  Sharla explained to Sister Lifferth, who after being here more than two years is still homesick, that she is homesick, but not miserable.  I’m used to having her cry when she sees a baby in a stroller or pulls up photos on the I Pad to share with someone.  I was thinking this morning as I was getting ready for church that if I were home, I would not have to leave the house one hour before starting time to be there on time; nor would I have to carry a briefcase filled with 50# of food to serve.   Love and kisses and hugs to all of you.  Max and Sharla



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