Elder Hagedorn: Week 6

Nimen da ja hao! (thanks for the email correcting my chinese mom... but really)

This last week has been pretty good! I've started to SYL a lot (which is speak your language, it just means speak your language all the time) so now pretty much all of my conversations with my district and stuff are in Chinese. It's pretty awesome.

Also I'm so excited for Christmas! I believe we get Christmas off, we still have devotionals and possibly a movie and stuff but no actual class time! Whoo! Christmas break is one day! And also I think a general authority comes to talk to us which will be awesome. I'm getting closer and closer to my departure date and I'm so excited! also Sean is coming soon and I'm super excited to see him too! We'll be in the same zone and building and have the same schedule and everything so I'll be able to see him a lot and show him the ropes of the MTC (and also all of the secret passages... ha no just kidding I wish).

I've taught a lot of people I know during TRC! We have TRC on Saturday mornings, and it's just when we teach volunteers who know Chinese for about 20 minutes. I've taught Chad and his family and Bj's brother and mom. It's been cool to see them and be able to speak a little bit of Chinese to them. I've also been able to see Elder Crowley and Elder Sumner a good amount, at one point we were all here at the same time and got a few pictures together! It was awesome. Elder Crowley left to Florida yesterday morning and on Sunday night, I was able to say goodbye. He's going to be awesome.

Man it just feels good to be out here! I think I've slowly come to really enjoy it, even the hard days. 2 Corinthians 12:10 and 1 Nephi 20:10 are kind of my attitude. I really like those scriptures. Oh and thank you all for your support, I feel so loved. Just yesterday I received 5 letters/packages! I truly am surrounded by some amazing people and I'm thankful to all of you for helping me along the way and inspiring me.

I'm happy here and I'm so glad to have this opportunity. Whoever is reading this and thinking about going on a mission, you should go. It's only been 6 weeks and I feel I've grown and learned a lot already. I love you all, very much. Love,

Elder Hagedorn

PIcture Time:

The brotherhood (almost) reunited!

Caroline made me an awesome Christmas tree and ornaments too! Loooooooovve heeeerr

On our temple walk we found a big snowball, like for snowmen. Elder Collard (in picture) picked it up and threw it on the ground. We were not, however, aware of a security guard just around the corner and so he chewed Elder Collard out (he was kind of mean but it's ok) and so this is Elder Collard's shame after. I think I captured it well.