From Jon 11/26

Subject: Nyob zoo ntxov mentsis

Surprise!

Since we will be at New Year on Saturday, our writing day was moved up this week.

I got a package today! Wahoo! I also got a card and two or three letters from Elder Erickson at district meeting. Thank you all lots and lots! I loved Kent's letter; very nice to hear from him. Elder Vang isn't really going to have hardly any presents this year because his parents don't really care about Christmas, and his sisters have a really tight budget at this time. I'm really glad I can share most of my Christmas stuff with him. It will mean a lot to him to have something to unwrap. I opened the "Open now" thing from Kent. Ua tsaug os! My very own Bubbley Christmas! The music rules say Christmas music has to be spiritual, so we aren't sure if that means we can only listen to Christmas music that mentions the savior, or if it just means it has to be reverent and not bouncy and Santaful. I called the President, but he was busy. Hopefully he'll call back and let us know. I'm afraid not a single Bubbley song mentions the savior, but they are all reverent and beautiful.

The other Elders are confused slightly about the tree. I assume it either goes on a wall, or perhaps on a bed. They think it may be a rug or a blanket for small children. Either way it's neat. Was it hand-made?

We are very excited about New Year! We have posters and pictures, mountains of pamphlets and cards, and we will have two different TVs playing church movies. We trained the youth of the branch in contacting people and helped them role play. They are going to help get people over to our booth and give pamphlets or pass-along cards to people who are receptive. The Hmong Alliance church just hands fliers to everybody who walks by. We are making sure that we will testify to each person and commit them to some action that will bring them closer to Christ, whether that is to actually read the pamphlet, or to check out the website, or whatever.

I bought a Hmong shirt to go with the pants and sash Mina's mom made for me, and another member's mom is letting us borrow some coin-clothes and silver. I'll send pictures next time.

Elder Lo called to practice Hmong and ask some questions. He is a native, and speaks well, but only about as well as me. He didn't use it much back home, and didn't know how to read Hmong, so he was in the MTC for 6 weeks. He is a great guy! Very nice. He gave me an update on La Crosse. They got a hold of Norm, a guy we got as a referral but could never contact. They fasted and prayed that they would be able to catch him, and it worked. He's getting baptized this week. Becky, whom I began teaching, wants to be baptized too, and will in January after she settles things with her very catholic parents.

Back over here in St. Paul, Ia and Shue turned in their papers for a marriage license, and are setting a date. Once they have a marriage date, we can set a baptismal date. We are way excited. She already knows so much about the church, that when we teach, we present a principle and ask her to explain it, then we expound. She seems to understand it spiritually too, which is very refreshing. Many Hmong people understand it with their brain, but not with their heart, and they don't apply it. Usually these are they who become less-active.

Well, the lakes are starting to freeze, but the Spirit of God, like a fire is burning! Hurrah!

Elder Moua Ying