When Is Mother's Day?

Dear Everyone, 

Seriously, no one knows in the whole mission when the big day is. We've asked and asked around and around and no one knows. Like Easter, it's not really a big deal here in Hong Kong I mean Macao. Even with members. So the whole zone would like to know when Mother's Day is. We're pretty sure it's in May? On a ...Sunday? Maybe the second or first Sunday in May?

Do Jeh.

We had a great week of miraculous miracles and weird Macau laid-back-ness AND crazy international emotional rollercoasters.

I'll start with the last thing first: I've been so overwhelmed by the amount of emotion that Fillipinos and Indonesians/the international branch has. I'm realizing how Chinese (ie,  who don't show emotion, uncomfortable describing or expressing feeling.  They are generally really chill,) I've become.  So the first time one sister from Indonesia (Sister Josephine) met me, I stuck out my hand and said (translating every word in my head from Chinese to English), "Hello, I'm Sister Darcey. I'm so happy to meet you," and she gasped and said, "I LOVE YOU!" and threw her arms around my stomach (they're all like 3 feet tall) and wouldn't let go. It was HILARIOUS.

Another sister, a Filipina, Sister Teresa, met me for the first time and asked when I needed to leave Macao. I told her in June, and she started crying. I'm serious. They have such big hearts, it's crazy! Especially since Macau is such a transitive (is that a word?) place with both missionaries and members coming and leaving all the time because of visa issues.  There is at least one baptism each week in the international branch, but it stays about the same size! since members are constantly getting or losing jobs or going home or getting sent home. 

A big problem in missionary work in international is "overstaying" when want-to-be-workers come and overstay their visitor's visa trying to find a job. It's so sad when they call us and ask for help, since when they overstay they become illegal immigrants and can't find a place to sleep. Missionaries, of course, can't do anything about it--but it's horrible to have to step back and not be involved at all in lifting the weary and comforting the comfortless...

The weird Macau laidbackness has been good and... well, weird. Last night we played went badminton finding! It was hilarious. At the beginning I thought it was a pretty girly sport. The raquet's tiny, the ball looks like a snitch, you exert all of like 3 calories for three hours of "exercise"... I also thought I was pretty good, despite it only being my second time playing, until I saw the person I was playing against start playing a real badminton player. It reminded me of when I played raquetball with Brian or wrestled with Dad or tried to beat up on Ian... He totally took it easy on me and I didn't even realize until he started pounding that whifflewhateverit'scalledbirdything into the court floor. It was crazy! BUT I still think it's a girly sport. 

Anyway, we played badminton last night and we're making mochi tonight with the Young Women. We're trying to build up the branch members' fire, faith and willingness to fellowship and friendship new people. Macau actually has plenty of baptisms, apparently, but can't retain them at all. It is the season, so rain has put a damper on finding, but it's actually cleared up everytime we really need to get out and talk to people.

I named my first CHinese person yesterday! I named her Francine (because her name in Chinese begins with F C). Why didn't I name her Funky... I know. It's Ok. I had just met her (she LOOKED funky, too, but I thought, hey, why not open my mouth and then she turned out to be AWESOME) and she's a DRUMMER and a mom of a 30 year old and she's so hilarious and awesome. Anyway. Just one of many miracle contacts that have made Macau so amazing and fun. 

We get to meet SO MANY PEOPLE. We pulled 9 people back to the church on Tuesday--didn't get to sit down and teach any of them (noooo!) but they all were so different and fun to meet. One special one was named S, a 50's something (different for me--usually my "style" is 16 to 20 year olds--not on purpose, that's just usually who talks to me most) beautiful and refined lady who was touched by the kindness of a Christian professor in America to her child at the university a few years ago and has been softening toward the gospel ever since. She even told us, "I can just tell you are good people, talking to you is so comfortable," and "You know, before I used to be so *weirded out* (not a direct translation...) by black name tag wearing missionaries, but lately I've really wanted to talk to you all more and more" and then we talked to her. Opening my mouth has had all kinds of blessings this week. Another woman named Van, a cute 20's who has always wondered about those Christian churches and was so happy to talk to us...

So, I'm recommitting to 100% obedience and I'm super happy to be here. The sisters in Macau are all awesome, especially my companion! Sister Wong and I really get along.

Oh, I can share something Sister Wong and I learned that's neat to end--it's about why the Book of Mormon is called the Book of Mormon.  Actually, you'll have to mostly look it up yourself because I don't have time--but like this: Check out Mormon 1 through Mormon 6. Mormon is -without faith and -without hope. He stands as an "idle witness" of the truth and calls his own labor "in vain" like three times. 

However, this is the same man who wrote the FANTASTIC treatise on faith, hope and charity in Moroni 7-9 and, really despite EVERYTHING and the WORLD falling around him, continues to love the people around him and believes that God will save his people. It's really an amazing paradox, and the beautiful thing is that THIS tragic prophet is the name in which we missionaries take the restored gospel of Jesus Christ to the world.

Love ya'll

Sister D!

P.S.  My name's everywhere! In Indonesian it means something (because it's everywhere in the Restoration pamphlet!) and it's even on the outside of our church (insert church's name in Portuguese here, thanks ma).

I have a feeling my grammar is really off...  Mom, fix it.  Thanks.