LINDA

DECEMBER 3, 2018

Nyob zoo mom and family! I'm glad you guys had a fun time on your cruise! It looked like a really good time! Also, thanks a ton for the Christmas package. It was pretty fun to decorate the apartment, and now it's starting to feel like the holidays! 

This has probably been one of the most busy and crazy weeks of the my mission. Tuesday morning, I got here to Linda, and it was so crazy coming back. Elder Buck didn't get here till like 5, and we had a packed night set up for us. Dinner with La Zaag (love that guy) at 5, Hmong class at 6, quick comp study and then a lesson with Alyssa (who is going to be baptized this Saturday). It was awesome. I love being busy. There's so much good work going on in the English ward here and the Hmong branch. There's like 6 people on date for baptism right now, and 9 nonmembers came to church this last Sunday... and it's not like all the English ward. It was split like half and half.

About 2 weeks ago Grandpa Thao's kid passed away from a heart attack, and so his whole family (which makes up a huge part of the less-actives in the branch) have started coming back, and some of them aren't even members. So basically, this area is super prime for some miracles. Elder Buck is an awesome comp too. His Hmong... needs some work, honestly. It's almost like he just came from the MTC, but his heart and Spirit? 11/10. Example 1, Thursday night was pouring rain, we're driving home and there is this Hispanic lady walking down the street with no umbrella, and so elder buck sees her and we follow her, pull over, and give her Elder Buck's umbrella. He's a solid guy. 

Friday at the Stake Center, there was this way cool nativity thing. They went like all out. Then Saturday was the Marysville ward Christmas party, so we got to meet all the members. Pretty solid ward. Honestly though, I wish we could just do Hmong work. I don't really wanna do English work anymore, but on the bright side, we have a baptism this weekend, and then there's like 2 other people who could easily be baptized soon, so that's pretty cool as well. Probably the biggest miracle since coming back was finding out that Kang (you might not remember her, but she is the most solid member missionary in the branch and I have so much love for her) her husband, Jerry, has never been baptized because his parents and grandpa are all in Shamanism, so he couldn't convert... however, in these past months, his family has all converted to Christianity, so Jerry will be baptized next month. We just have to teach him! Such a miracle! Literally the most powerful lesson on my mission was when Kang testified of how her husband could be baptized and you could just tell how bad she wanted it, and now her prayers are being answered. Amazing. 

In other news.... well, here's a bunch of pics from my family in Oroville. First pic, Suav Nchai Yaj. I love this guy, learned a ton of Hmong from him. He is a less-active in Oroville, and we were helping him and his family start coming back to church and man, he had some crazy stories he would tell us from Laos, especially about all the times he would like see tigers. That was the scariest. 

These are my friends Kathy and Mai. Also people we're working with to help come back to church, and they actually did start coming back!! Kathy is like a superhero basically single mom... Mai is blind, so he can't really do anything. He also helped me learn a ton of Hmong, and he has the best sense of humor of anyone you'll ever meet. 

This is Chue Vang Lor and his wife. They are the most solid members you'll ever meet in the Hmong world. He was a prisoner of war in Laos. His whole family died, but he made it, and even though he's no taller than 5 foot 2, he's a spiritual giant bigger than Goliath... or maybe even 2 Goliaths. 

This is Shue and all his family. I love them a whole lot too. We basically built Shue's new house, but it's not done yet. He's pretty good at tennis too, but I got the slight edge last time, haha. His daughter is the cutest little Hmong girl you'll ever meet. Her name is Duab Ntxoo (it means shadow).

This is my favorite Hmong grandma in Oroville, Suav Tswb! She is the cutest little grandma, so short, but she always called me her son and we called her grandma, and she bought cool necklaces for me and Peem Tsheej at Hmong New Years.

So this guy is Bee. All he does all day long every day is play video games, but i love him so much. He started coming back to church. Not a whole ton of support from people, and we were like his best friends. Good guy. 

These 2 guys are Ncej Zeb (super solid member, love him) and his son in law, who was there for the day. We actually had a super solid conversation with him after church. He's not a member. Hopefully, one day he will be a member though. He's awesome. 

Last but not least, this is the Chue family! I'll send this one where Txuj is running away cuz he was crying and mad, haha, but I love the Chue family so much. President Chue is the branch president, and Sister Chue is the Relief Society president and my mission mom. She helped me so much, like that one time I was throwing up and missed church, and she fed us like so much, and plus right before I left, she started helping me a ton with my Hmong as well. I love them. And there's Hwj Xwm too. He's the 13 year old, and he's awesome. We balled it up at the church with him last preparation day. 

Well, that's my family up in Oroville. I told them all if I don't get back there as a missionary, that I'll come back after the mission. That's the nice thing about serving in Cali, haha. But i just love the Hmong people so much. They're the best.

Anyway, in like 5 minutes were gonna head to bowling alley and bowl 3 games. 

They do a special deal for the missionaries. I'm so excited cuz I love bowling. Honestly, life couldn't get much better at the moment... great companion, great area, tons of work to do. Great things lie ahead! 

Love, Elder Muaj Koob