Perhaps you have already begun to suspect that something out of the ordinary is going on over here, since I did not write until a couple days after I said I would. How true it is. This is probably the least expected move call I have yet received: same area, same companion. Yes, Sister Angulo and I are together in Yongkang for another six weeks and excited about it (the last bit is especially good news). I'll spare you all the reasons why, in retrospect, this is not as surprising as it might have been. The MTC aside, I have not been with a companion for more than six weeks yet; many missionaries never do have a companion for more than one transfer. There are a lot of fun things about switching up companions, getting to know a new place or a new person, learning new ways of doing things, etc. This week I'm finding out that there are also many good things about getting to stay in the same place with the same person. We're both familiar with the place and the people, so we don't spend time on introductions, plus we can share the planning burden more evenly from the beginning. That we have a good relationship is obviously helpful. I'm really glad that I can be with Sister Angulo for so long, because I suppose that we'll be friends for a long, long time after the mission; it's a real blessing to have so much time to get to know her, learn together, and have spiritual experiences together. Actually, so far I see myself being friends with all my companions after the mission; that's what I would like, anyway.
Maybe it's because of the chilly weather (I'd say it's about like an Iowa October these days), but it seems like even more people than usual are commenting on how "xing ku" we are. "Xing ku" is difficult for me to translate. As best I can understand and can explain, it means hard-working, but can also sort of imply that you are working at a very difficult or unpleasant task (e.g. "Wow, you bike around outside in the cold all day? That's pretty xing ku."). Anyway, people regularly tell us that we're xing ku, and we always tell them that we're not really. For example, there was some sort of cable or TV person at our apartment complex a couple weeks ago, and he asked us if we had a TV. We said no, because we can't watch TV anyway. He seemed impressed and apalled at the same time. Whoa, so xing ku. How in the world do you pass the time? What, you do missionary work all day every day? Very very xing ku. I think I've realized that I'm really glad we only have part of one day every week (Wednesday from 10:30am-6:00pm) to do things like write letters, go play, etc. I'm sure if more time were available, it would get used, but that's not what I came here for. When I had my unopened mission call letter in my hand, I couldn't have cared less if I went to a midwestern state close to home or the coldest part of Siberia, I was really just excited to be getting my call to know where the Lord wanted me to go. So really, the recreational/tourist opportunities, even the cultural learning had nothing to do with my original arrangments to come on a mission. They are nice little extras, but really, I'm glad that pretty much all I do is bike around all day having lessons, finding people, and talking to everyone I can about the gospel, because that's what I came for. Not xing ku in the unpleasant way. Very xing fu (joyful).
