thank you! that made me really happy to hear from everyone. It's really funny to hear how Ryan is reacting to MTC life. I have to tell you guys though, it's hard in the MTC. people who grow up in utah (which is like 90% of the MTC) get like two letters a day from their families. Its crazy. I remember that my companions that and at least 1 package every week. So even though I didn't complain as much as Ryan, it was still hard. Being in the MTC is a weird time and you really need lots of support. It's even harder in the mission field, the truth is you guys do need to write as often as possible (and write me too!) , because if you feel like your family doesn't support you, it makes everything that much harder, But I know you area all doing your best and he also needs to chill out and be grateful for what he has. I've been waiting for Ryan to start to see how he would react for a while, And I think it's funny he's getting so touchy about it because I remember feeling down around the time of my birthday and he wrote me this preachy letter that said i need to be grateful and stop complaining. It's ok, the mission will humble him. I promise. haha. :)

I sent him a package last pday though, with a picture of our family and a missionary planner that i decorate for chirstmas, along with two talks that really helped me in the MTC. I think it will be a good chirstmas present, It should probably get there before the 25th, but mail out of Macau is really slow because it's such a small country. I remember the package you guys sent for christmas and how much it meant to me, hopefully that help ryan feel better.

Mom, I have been taking about 30 minutes every pday to write a little bit of my essays for BYU, The mission president did the interview over the phone last night so i should have the application in before Christmas Sounds like you're doing good with your nursing stuff. I'm proud of you. Like I told you in my email last week, I lost my scriptures in a taxi. I fasted and prayed but still haven't found them and it's been almost 3 weeks, If you could just put about 100 dollars in my account i'll buy a new pair at the DBC next time I go to hong kong. I'm really sad cuz i've had those scriptures all growing up, but I've been wanting to buy a smaller pair anyway for a while. I would also like you to get back on top of updating my blog please, lots of people have no idea what's going on and I have no idea how to communicate with them. So that would be great if you could just start putting my emails up again for me. It's something I want to be able to look at when I go home as well.

Dad, I miss you too, I was wondering how your health is. Is the kind of diabetes you have really hard? do you have to monitor everything you eat like hannah? take care of yourself, you've been in my prayers. I'd be happy with working for you again, just maybe on something a little more difficult than scooping ice cream. I was planning on seeing if there were any Chinese resteraunts that would hire me to do a hostess or something for a few months. :) My mandarin is getting pretty good :)

Mitchell, Justy, Emma: I've been missing you guys a lot lately! My companion has never had a real Christmas in her life. In china they don't really do anything because most of the people don't believe in Jesus Christ. But we're going to have a little Christmas this year in our apartment. I am going to buy her a present today and we'll decorate tonight and drink hot chocolate, it get's pretty cold and rainy here but I think it will still be fun. Our mission has a Christmas eve party in hong kong on the 24th, I'll be singing at it! I'm helping all the missionaries that want to sing in the choir practice their parts on the piano every week, because we can't practice with the rest of the missionaries, they live really far away. Anyway, be good! Santa is coming!

So I have some pretty big news for everyone. Apparently the church is changing how they do mission transfers, with the amount of new missionaries coming in next year (all the 18 and 19 year olds) the transfer period will be 9 weeks instead of 6. this will go into effect the same month that I finish my mission, next april. Why is this important? It means that I will be coming home two weeks earlier than originally planned. My new end date is the 5th of April. I will be home for general conference in America. and I will have two weeks longer to be with you all before I go to school again. But this means that my mission is cut short. When sister Hintze and I found out we were pretty mad. But it quickly dissipated because we realized that the reason for this change is because the gospel is starting to spread in bigger ways than it ever has before. And then I got swallowed up in the joy of knowing that the second coming of our savior is closer than we think. There is a group of 15 coming in when I die, and even more after that! our mission is going to be huge and mainland china is going to open. And I am on the brink of it all. How lucky am I to see that? I wish I could extend another year, I have full confidence this mission will be the gateway into china, and in the future 90% of the worlds missionary force will be sent there, to teach these people that I love, who have never heard of the savior. It's an amazing thought.

Last week sister chan and I found 11 new investigators. Our numbers are really awesome and we're working really well together. I love my companion! Shes the most adorable little chinese woman in the world :) One cool miracle is a boy that we found, wilson (14) who we turned over the the elders is getting baptized. and in the last week he's brought a total of 12 friends to church! That kid has public appeal! He told all his little friends to give us their numbers and to come to church every week! What a blessing! He's got a testimony of the savior and now of the restored gospel. We found him on the street, because we listened to the spirit and talked to everyone. (Normally I don't go for 14 year old boys...) haha, that sounded sketchy. Anyway. It was cool. And Ha jeh chenged us out to a buffet! And she is golden too! I hope I can stay in Macau for christmas, moves is already next week! I don't have much time left and everytime I think about it I want to throw up. :(

But I'm working hard, I love my mission, and I have no regrets. I'm really happy and I feel like I make other people happy too. Sister Lau (mom, you talked with her on facebook) came to visit Macau this week. She's from my baby area and it was like seeing family! Even though I served there a year ago they still remember me! I made a difference!! :) This is a great feeling. She will undoubtedly post pictures on facebook. She wants me to live with her daughter at BYU next year. I'm up for that :)

I love you all!

Sister Gou