I TOTALLY CALLED IT! MY BROTHER IS GOING TO RUSSIA! When I found out I flipped out and jumped up and down in this little Indonesian shop that I email in every week. And I told the mandarin elders sitting behind me, and I told the shop owners, and after email time i'm going to tell everyone in the mission. haha. I knew it was possible you'd get your call early. It only took a week for mine to come in.

I can't believe it. Actually I can. It's crazy, we'll be on the same side of the world but in completely different places. I don't think you can get much different than Hong Kong and Russia. I know Heavenly Father knows where we are needed, and he knows how different we are as siblings. THATS SO COOL!!! When I think of Russia, I think of trains, snow, radiation, fish, and....scary bearded men wearing racoon hats. :) Ryan will fit right in! I would like to know more about the mission. include anything you can. Get on the visa application ASAP. you'll be in the MTC for 12 weeks, but I know some people that got delayed because it takes a really long time to get visas from Russia.

I don't know if i'll have time to reply to everyone's email this week, so i'll just include it all here. I also got to see Maddie's ultrasound. I can't believe that baby is so big! It's adorable! I'm sure it will come out healthy and happy and I'm happy to see its little arms and feet. So cute.

How was fourth of July? did anyone get hurt? I want to see some pictures I didn't get a video, so i'd love to see one of Ryan opening his call if you get the chance.

I just am so elated right now, I don't even want to talk about this week in Hong Kong, because all my thoughts are on you guys right now. I'm so excited for Ryan! I will write you a letter today about all my feelings. haha. but we did have some ridiculously cool miracles this week in Hong Kong that I feel like I should share.

So, we are teaching twins! Annie and Lucy. I started teaching them when my summer missionary was here, and saw them about 3 times, and they've come to church twice, and they ARE SO PREPARED. Last week we taught them about the restoration and invited them to be baptized, and they asked if they could get baptized this coming Sunday, because they love the feeling they have when they come to church and they want to follow Jesus Christ's example. I looked at my companion and I said, well, we've got a lot to teach you first. For example (they both had lemon tea in front of them, that they had brought with them and were drinking) we have a commandment called the word of wisdom, and we can't drink tea. Before I finished my sentence, or said anything more about the commandment, they both said "OK, what tea's are ok to drink?" we told them, and they said "I don't like flower tea, but I'll just drink soda!" And then they asked me if we could throw away the tea right then. And I was like "YES!" It was so awesome. They both will be baptized on the 29th. :)

Suki also is progressing, and she is planning on getting baptized on the 5th of August. She still hasn't figured out the boyfriend problem, but she wants to move out, and right now it's just a logistic's problem. I am so proud of her. She has come so far.

We are having so many miracles latley that I don't have time to say them all. We have 3 new investigators who are really promising. Nichole, A-yi, and Janice, who all love to sing and play the guitar, and they have come to church every day. Janice especially is really cool because her entire family wants to go to church with her. We are seeing them tomorrow.

SPEAKING OF ENTIRE FAMILIES. Did I tell you guys about Suzanna, (pink hair, actually, she died it again, now it's purple) who lives in the same chyuhn as us? She invited us over to big family dinner at her brothers house last Sunday and we went. It reminded me a lot of Cook Hoff Truett dinners. :) there were at least 25 people there, all related, so many kids, so happy, and every sunday they get together and just chill and eat, because they think family is that important. We are now teaching them the gospel, and we hope that they can understand and accept the blessings it can offer them. It's a little overwhelming, but I'm loving teaching these larger groups of people. The gospel is designed for families, and I'm so grateful to have this opportunity to share it.

Kids english class is kicking butt. We had 18 kids last week. None of the other missionaries in my zone are really good at working with children, so I plan and teach the class. It's also overwhelming sometimes, but I'm happy to do it. Especially happy when one of my students came up and told me that she remembered to pray every day this week. So amazing. I will attach pictures.

Anyway, I love you all so much. We are such a lucky family to have two missionaries out at the same time. This month on the 26h is my halfway mark on my mission. I am halfway done already. See? that wasn't so bad. It was really fast. I actually think it was too fast, and I'm nowhere near ready to come home. A little advice to my little brother. Don't stress out about the language. It will come. It will come when the Lord wants it to come for you, and you will have the gift of tongues. I believe in that gift, because there is no way I can speak fluent Cantonese by myself. It's straight up from heavenly father. You will be the same way. Spend this time before the MTC not worrying about the language, but spend it building yourself up spiritually. Study Preach my Gospel and study the Book of Mormon. It's the best way to prepare yourself for the challenges ahead. And I promise, there will be challenges, but the rewards are greater than you could ever imagine. Also remember to write in your Journal what you learned. Do that so you can share it with others, and also to look back on the progress you've made. You will be such an amazing solider in the army of the lord to fight for the salvation of these souls. I love you.

I love you all!! Keep praying! Have faith! Trust in heavenly father.

Sister Cook