Week 6: The Trash Talk Goes Crazy

Léih deih hóu!!

Cantonese has had some pretty legendary moments this week not gonna lie, we've gotten a lot of entertainment. 
1. On Monday night we started learning about food in Hong Kong and OH MAN am I excited!! It all looked so good. But we also learned how to say McDonalds in Cantonese, our teacher (who's a native from Macau) goes "Does anyone have a guess about what the word for McDonalds is?" and it goes quiet for a sec and then my comp with a straight face and in the most racist Chinese voice I have ever heard goes " Mac DOWN alds" and our teacher just goes "YES YES, THAT'S IT!!!" Somehow he was spot on and the actual way to say it in Cantonese literally sounds like you're doing a racist impression. So that was wild.
2. We found out how to say I'm pregnant in class the other day because an Elder in my district accidentally said that while giving a spiritual thought
3. Elder Clayton and I had another helping others appointment with the one and only James, and usually he's not very talkative in our appointments but this week he wouldn't stop talking, we got in there and started teaching our lesson and he interrupts us and starts trash talking me in Cantonese saying he thinks he's taller than me, and I was like there's no way, so I said we should check and measure, so we both stand up and turns out he's like half an inch taller than me. Dang. And then later in the appointment he interrupts again and asks if learning Cantonese is hard, and we were like yeah, and then he goes "Why is it hard, I know Mandarin, Cantonese and English." So I started dying laughing cause I was like, dude what is happening.
So yeah, lots of laughing uncontrollably in class and in appointments.

I had a really cool experience yesterday while studying in the Book of Mormon. This week there's been a bit of contention in my district due to some differing opinions, and I was trying to figure out how I could help resolve some of the conflict. While I was reading in the Book of Mormon yesterday it felt like every single page I read had specific advice for me, it was incredible. I had so many insights into what I can do to help and it really felt like the Spirit was guiding my thoughts and helping me. It was a really powerful experience and strengthened my testimony of the Book of Mormon so much!

On Saturday my district had some kitchen duty which I was reluctant to do, not because I didn't want to serve, but because serving what the MTC cafeteria calls food goes against my moral values. Fortunately they actually had some good food that day and I felt okay about serving it. I also met a ton of really fun people while serving and it was a really good time!

Spiritual thought:
In our Sacrament meeting this week the district that is leaving this week performed a musical number and did the FSY medley, but they had all of us join in with them for the last part, and it was amazing the Spirit was so strong there! I had a thought while we were singing that it's so incredible that all these missionaries are here with different personalities, interests, and backgrounds, but that we're all united by our love of God and desire to serve and spread the joy of the gospel.

Hope you're all having the best time, love you all!
- Elder Blankenbiller

Pictures: 
1. Whoever made this pancake is a LEGEND
2. Elevator standoff
3. Kitchen duty
4. BYU YSA Ward reunion pic





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