Rancid Milk and Mulan's Grandma

Dear Friends and Family:

This week my companion and I started a new habit: taking SWEATY pictures. It's super hot here, and we are constantly biking. Combined with the humidity, whenever we set out for the church to teach a lesson, we're pretty soaking. haha. Here are just two for your viewing pleasure.

This week a lot of things happened:

-I was waiting to cross the street at some busy four-lane traffic kind of street. Some old lady next to me got frustrated that I was waiting for the road to be clear. She grabbed my hand and just kind of pulled me across the street. It reminded me of Mulan's grandma crossing the street--she just closed her eyes and went for it and was A-OKAY. WE also survived no problem. 

-I drank some very rancid Apple Milk and thought I'd die all day. Turns out, I didn't die. So all's well there too.

-It's so hot if you stand still for too long, your face will start dripping.

-I've obtained a significant watch tan.

This week we met with Sassoon again. She's 40, unmarried and feels very alone. Her little sister (20) got a job recently at a bar and has since become an alcoholic. Her mother and grandmother were both very cruel people and recently passed away from drug abuse. She has four cats. She asked us, Where is God? How could all this happen? She says this because at church some people start to cry when telling stories or bearing testimony, but she never cries. She took this to mean that God doesn't talk to her. She wanted to know where he is, and why she can't feel his love like her. YOU DON'T HAVE TO CRY TO FEEL GOD'S LOVE. (Some people at Girl’s Camp also have this problem). He will talk to us all in our own individual ways. He lives and loves us.

Cultural Clue:

So there are many people here from Indonesia. They come over for work. Signing contracts that cause them to live here from 10-20 years at a time. They are mostly women. They leave behind husbands and children to work. They all take care of old people. Every super old person walking down the street WILL HAVE an Indonesian women at their side. These women are usually very unhappy and lonely. They work long hours and really miss their families. I had one women show me pictures of her six-year-old son she hasn't seen or hugged in four years. She was distraught he wouldn't remember her. Some of them don't even speak Chinese so they can't communicate with their bosses. We've recently been meeting with a very sweet Indonesian woman and she will soon be baptized. She's excited! Her boss is a member, and they're also excited! Yay!

Love you all!  

Sister B.