Finally in Vietnam!!!!

Saigon Zone

March 27, 2017 

WOW WOW WOW! There is so much to say I don't even know where to begin or how to say it.

K....

So...prepare for a novel. Feel free to skim and skip whatever because I'm basically going to throw up words in this email.

After MANY hours on the plane I arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam. Then we went to the mission home, were able to freshen up a little bit, then I had my interview with the mission President where he told me that I was going to Ho Chi Minh and would get on ANOTHER flight in two hours. It was a crazy day. SO. MUCH. FLYING. So much lugging around so much luggage.

So I guess first I'll describe a little bit of Ho Chi Minh and life here as it has been for this week. It's hot and humid if you were wondering. But not unbearable yet. I've just learned to embrace the sweat. Because there is so much sweat, especially after bike riding. It's so so green here. We live on the 16th floor of a really nice apartment with the prettiest view of the city. There are four sisters serving in Ho Chi Minh and we all live together.  I like the view of the city and the quaint little shops and the green trees surrounding everything. Sometimes I just stare out of my window.








































Now. Let me describe the THRILL to you of bike riding. Except I don't even know if I have words. Driving here is like a free-for-all. There are buses and some cars but most everyone has motorbikes and they just go for it. The lines are suggestions. And we just bike with them. You are constantly weaving in and out of people trying to get where you need to go. It is a literal thrill I tell you. I love just being able to go where you want when you want besides the few times you have to stop for lights. I wish I could describe it to you better but you should just come here and see for yourselves. The traffic is always SO crazy. There are so many people!!! Also, I've seen someone carrying a birdcage on their motorbike and someone had a whole refrigerator on the back of their bike on day.

My companion!! Her name is Chi Thuy Anh! She is from Vietnam so her Vietnamese is hoan hao (perfect) she is trying to learn English so we are teaching each other! It's definitely interesting because sometimes we don't understand each other but we are making it work! She is really the sweetest person ever though and can cook which is a real good thing. Also there is probably a foot difference in height between us. She couldn't stop calling me tall the whole first day we met :)






Vietnamese. Oh Vietnamese. My Vietnamese is quite horrific. I literally don't know what anyone is saying. A lot of people here really want to learn English though so many of them have spoken English to me but man. I still sometimes don't recognize when people are asking me where I am from or what my name is. I had no clue what anyone was saying to me at church and no one really knows what I am trying to say to them. But I honestly have faith that it will come. I'm learning to just laugh at myself and just embrace how I really am "that stupid American" in every way. On my flight to Ho Chi Minh there were a lot of old men laughing at me as I tried to shove my suitcase into the overhead and I do and average of 38281929 stupid things a day.

 Also an old man in the elevator asked me where I was from and I said America then he looked repulsed at me and then said Donald Trump as he left the elevator. I forgot Donald was our President. RIP America.

The people here are so nice and welcoming and forgiving of my terrible Vietnamese. I'm definitely not quite accustomed to everything here, but I think over time I will really come to love it. I found a new fruit I like and we always get fresh smoothies as a very important side note that I'm sure no one cared about. But fresh smoothies make my day. So I care very muchly. Mango and Coconut are my flavors if you were wondering. WOW. Do you want me to keep talking about that? Cuz I can. Okay...I'll stop.

I did have my first lesson and didn't understand anything and the investigator had some confusions about the Book of Mormon and the Bible from what I could tell. All I said that whole lesson was "I know the Book of Mormon has helped me and that it will help you too." A simple testimony is all I have right now but I know that if I am offering all that I have that is enough for the Lord. Also, we contacted someone in a bookstore on Saturday and he came to church on Sunday! We have a lesson with him on Wednesday. I still don't know much about this whole missionary work thing but I know the Lord cares about the people of Vietnam so so much!! Also we bike 45 minutes to church and we cross this REALLY long bridge that makes your muscles burn. My companion started laughing in bed Saturday night as she thought about me trying to go over it for the first time on Sunday.

WOW. That was for you mom. Thank you for your prayers. I know that this is hard. Amen. JK JK. It really is so good and so joyful and so confusing and so beautiful and so wow I just keep talking.

With so much yeu thuong it's crazy,

Chi Chau