First, binggan and binglang are VERY different. When speaking, do not confuse them. Binggan means cracker. Binglang is a nut that they chew here. It's filled with opium and fiber glass so that when you chew it your mouth gets cut up and you immediately get high. It's super addicting and so many people chew it. It's really nasty. People chewing it always have bloody mouths and red teeth. They spit all over the ground so there are blood stains on the road. It really is so sad. I want to cry everytime I see someone chewing binglang. However, chewing binggan is quite good.
I went to the zoo last Monday with my companion, some other missionaries, and some members/investigators. As it turns out 16 year old girls love hearing me make Monkey noises (:
Also, busses are crazy here. You really have to watch out for them.
Whenever I stop by someone on my bike and start talking to them, they always laugh at me. I don't know what is so funny about a white girl speaking broken Chinese. I just laugh too.
Okay time for the food parade. You will not believe what they make me eat out here. First of all, I do NOT like tofu. Not one bit. It really is a NASTY NASTY consistency. It takes everything I have to force it down in members homes. I also tried dried durian the other day. I don't know what the non dried stuff tastes like, but it's not so bad dried. And everyone wants me to eat stinky tofu. I'll cry. So much for not eating the two things I'd been warned about!
On Friday we went to do temple tours and before we started, we got lunch. I ordered a curry and there were these huge maroon brick-like things. I asked if it was tofu. Sister Daye said, "Oh, it's something like that!." After I ate it, she told me I had cuagulated duck blood! WHY WHY WHY?! So nasty. It tasted like metallic rubber.
On Saturday night we went to dinner at a nonmembers home. The mom is very buddhist, but that is beside the point. THEY MADE ME EAT A PIGFOOT! There was skin on it and everything! And it was still on the bone. The bottom of the bone was all black because it was the toe and had walked around in a lot of mud. Does that even make sense?! It was so grody! It took a lot to get down. Just thinking about it makes me want to hurl. I would suggest it for everyone (:
Yesterday we went to a member's home for lunch. I had cow stomach. It's actually not that bad. It tastes like the rest of the cow. The only weird thing is knowing the name.
I did discover that I love quail eggs though. The yoke is really good.
Also shark. That's also not too bad (in meatball form). In fact, it was really good.
You may be wondering why I'm eating so much. Well because it's Chinese New Year (Guo Nian) and that's what they do out here. I AM SO FAT RIGHT NOW AND SO FULL! In the last few days we had dinner at a member's home on Thursday. Lunch at a members home on Saturday. Dinner at a members home on Saturday. Dinner also at a nonmembers home on Saturday. Lunch at a members on Sunday. Dinner at a member's on Sunday. The rest of this week looks about the same. They feed you a TON! If you bowl gets empty they give you more rice. Then after we all finish that they give you soup (that usually has weird chewy things in it). Then they give you fruit. I always have room for fruit, but the rest of the time I just want to die. I AM SO FULL, BUT THEY JUST KEEP GIVING ME MORE! I'm still full from the first meal! They also send you home with bags and bags of food.
I taught some kids in a part-member family how to play moose moose. They love it! I think I'll teach it to more people. (:
The other day an elevator closed on my head. They really don't watch out for you here. It kinda hurt, but I'm better now (:
I know how to say one thing in Taiwanese. "Kan bo dei." It basically means I'm going to stick a blanket on you and beat you up. I wouldn't suggest saying it.
The trash works really funny out here. They just drive around playing fur elise and some other song I don't know. People chase after them with their trash, through it in and go home. It's a cute little system!
Twice last week we had to bike to Tuchung. I don't know how far it is but it takes 40 minutes up and down hills. IT IS A BEAST!
Needless to say, I'm super super worn out and I will be taking a nap today.
Okay spiritual stuff then pictures.
We have an investigator (A), whose friend has started meeting with us (B). This Saturday we went to dinner at A's mom's house. Her mom is VERY buddhist, but was still so excited to have us in her home. She said we were the first foreigners that have ever been in her home. A had separated food out for us before it had been BaiBai'd because she wasn't sure what our rules were. That was sweet of her. At the beginning of the meal they joined with us in a blessing over the food. It was cool. We ate some WEIRD things at dinner; A's mom was an amazing host. The conversation was good and uplifting and I know that we brought the spirit into their home. After dinner, A told us that her sister C wants to start meeting with us! We asked to share a message. A's mom didn't want to be part of it, but we did talk to A and C. I feel very confident that their mom will open up someday. Beside being buddhist, she is the perfect Mormon mom/housewife. She is such a darling lady and I absolutely adore her. Sister Daye and I feel so blessed to have experienced that. Also I feel honored that I could bear the name of Christ on my tag being the first foreigners in this home. Because of that fact, I really didn't feel so foreign. I know that the Lord knows them. It was a cool experience.
Last Monday we had another cool experience. We were English boarding (which is my favorite part of my week because we talk to so many people). First, we taught a 5 minute first lesson to a boy who showed interest in coming to English class. He's not super open now, but I could feel the spirit and I know he will open up to the gospel in the future. Next we ran into two girls who LOVE white girls. It was kind of hilarious, but they said they'd definitely come to English class. I believe they will. Maybe their reason isn't correct yet, but hey whatever gets them to our class where we can help them have a spiritual experience is great! It was amazing that despite their obvious problem with the word of wisdom, I could still see how important they are to Heavenly Father. Another thing from that night is that we ran into a woman. I asked her if she was waiting for a friend and we just started talking. She asked why we were there and I started to share bits of the gospel. She has never had any contact with Christ, she said. We just started to teach her. I think our message astounded her. The more and more we talked, the more and more interested she became. We exchanged information and she said we would definitely be in touch after the New Year. I'm so excited!
I loved doing temple tours this past Friday! We got to teach a less active that the elders found on the street. It was really cool to see him grow. We also taught a member from our ward. She was in a car accident before she joined the church and is not completely there, but we were finally able to take the concept of prayer and really help her understand the gratitude part in a concrete way. It was cool. I also had prayed that day to teach someone who speaks English. I wanted to be completely involved in a lesson instead of hindered by my language. PRAYERS ARE ANSWERED! We taught two American Born Chinese. We taught them in Chinglish. The lesson went well. The spirit was very strong. By the end of the lesson, they were both really willing to take a Book of Mormon. The girl gave us a referral for a friend. She also told us that the more she hears, the more she is interested. She came into the lesson hoping to learn more Chinese, and she left with interest in the church. It was a really cool experience to see someone change so much in just an hour.
Okay that's basically it.
Well actually there is so much more!
I love you all so much!
The church is true (:
I love you again!
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