From Jon 2/28/09

Subject: Txhua yam tseem mus zoo

Nyob zoo nej!

Well, things continue to go well here, but gadZOOKS this transfer went fast!

We had a great lesson with Misty and Cindy yesterday, and Cindy's aunt, Yer, was there too. Yer is a year younger than Cindy, and she was investigating in Brooklyn Park until recently when her dad said he didn't want missionaries over at his house to teach anymore. She still wants to learn, so she has started traveling down to Minneapolis with Cindy when she has lessons. Cindy also lives in Brooklyn Park---in the same house in fact. Misty is so ready. She is solid. The day before yesterday we taught Misty the 10 commandments, and yesterday before we arrived for the appointment, Misty had already taught Cindy and Yer the 10 commandments because she was so excited about it.

From what I hear about Tiara, she is exactly like Tou Choua's 2-years-old sister, Ka Mo Lee. I have no idea how to spell her name or if it's even Hmong, but it's pronounced "Kuh-Molly". She also goes by "Molly". She also talks up a storm, and is very intelligent. She is very observant, and very curious, and asks a lot of questions. Her Hmong is supurb, and very clear for a tyke of only two years. After we arrived for one of our lessons with her family last week, we settled down on the couch, and Elder Cutshall removed his coat, but I kept mine on for a while. Molly pointed at me with a concerned expression and said in Hmong, "Where is he going? Why has he put his coat on, but the other one hasn't?" She had many other adorable questions throughout the lesson, and as we were about to leave, she got Elder Cutshall's bike helmet and put it on him, and started to buckle it, saying, "Kuv mam kho rau koj!", or "I'll fix it for you." She then realized that I didn't have a helmet (it was locked with my bike), and, once again concerned, asked in Hmong, "Why don't you have a hat like his? You'll be cold!"

Neng Thao came to church last week! The devil better get some salt, 'cuz heck is freezing over. Neng has been inactive since the invention of stew. He is famous among the missionaries for feigning injury and claiming "Kuv mus tsis taus kev!", or "I cannot walk!", only to be sighted walking just fine when he thought no one was looking. He claims now that he knows the way to church, he will come every week with Mai Lee and Zoua. He even payed his tithing. We hope his repentance is sincere, since there is reason to suspect that the main reason he wants to come now is because the branch president told him he could use the meetinghouse for his wedding at no charge...if he were an active member and got his records moved from the second branch to ours.

Well, love you all, keep being who you are, and doing what you do.

-Elder Moua Ying