Lee is a little angel!

Today was so great, Dad! I love these kids! There's this one, Lee. I've told you about him. I was helping my roommate, Lauren, with her lesson and he was in there. She did a marble chute and needed help controlling the kids once they started rolling the different balls down the ramp. When it wasn't Lee's turn he was either sitting in my lap (if the spot wasn't taken) or had his arm around my shoulders with his cheek pressed up against mine. It made my heart pitter patter! He's going to make my heart break when I have to leave him. Dad, he's such a little angel! His smile just makes my feel goods soar! There's something about this little boy. The other kids are great, don't get me wrong, but he loves me, dad. It's a good thing that none of theses kids are mine because then I couldn't have a favorite, but I totally do and he's it. Once the other kids saw what he was doing, they all started climbing all over me. Mia was in my lap, Lee pressed up against my cheek, and Newman was trying to squeeze a place to lay his head. Milo couldn't care less what the other kids were doing. He was having fun spinning on the floor. But Brock, when he wasn't entertained by the chute, was all over me too. It made me feel so good.

My kids are pretty good too. I just love Lee. But my kids are super smart. Today they were pretty much yelling at me trying to make sure they were heard saying what they needed to say so they could get a token. We made finger puppets today. Not the best lesson, but it still went well. In the picture, from left to right, is Dallin, Doug, Kara, Riley, Ashley, and Patch. Everyone is named after a friend but Patch. No other name would work for him. He's too cool for any other name. Dallin and Doug are the stinkers, but they're so smart! Ashley is good, but I think she has a speech problem. Kara has her days where she smart and then her days where she's a stinker. Patch is way smart and way helpful. Now that they've gotten used to my routine of doing things I really enj

oy teaching. Once Jeshua left after taking the pictures, Dallin got out of his seat to lock the door, and then he ran straight back to his seat with me having to ask him. They pretty much rock.

I hope you come and see me teach sometimes. I really enjoy, and it really does remind me of when I would help you with your primary class. I'm sure you're being there is why all of the classes are really good for me (except the all boy one- as much as I owe you for calming them down, some boys are just big stinkers and won't listen. Don't take it personally). I love you, Dad. I'm really having the time of my life here :)

China. What a short name for such a huge country!

Hey, Dad! Favor! Remember how when I had papers to write for classes I'd always give them to you to read? To have another person tell me what can be made better? So, even though I'm not in school right now, I have to ask that favor of you. Sister Lewis, the branch Relief Society President, asked me to write a "get to know you" article for the newsletter. Her requirements were that I talk about my experience here in China so far, and that I include my testimony of my Savior. This is what I sent her. I hope it's okay, Dad. Let me know.

"China. What a short name for such a huge country jam-packed with adventure. I've only been here for a month and I feel as though I have so many tales to tell. My name is KC Christoffersen. I am from Taylorsville, Utah. I've gone to two years of college--one at Utah State University and one at Dixie State College. For a twenty-year-old I've experienced a lot. Growing up, we traveled a lot as a family. I got to see a lot of the U.S. Our little family of five was pretty tightly knit. Because of this, it was really hard losing my dad this past December in a car accident. But I've felt him near while I've been here.

"We left Utah August 17th and spent two days in Hong Kong. I was able to go with a group of some of the teachers to the temple to do baptisms. I cannot tell you how grateful I am that the gospel remains the same half way around the world from my home. It's a glorious thing when I don't have to worry about shopping for a new church with every move. We've been in Fuqing since the 20th. I never knew how diverse the world could be! There are so many new and different things I've already experienced and I'm not even half way through my stay here.

"Everything I've experienced has made me a much more grateful person. A few years ago in a Family Home Evening, my dad challenged us to have at least one prayer a week where we just gave thanks. I've tried to do that ever since. To always have my 'thank you's' out weigh my 'bless me's'. So, I've always considered myself fairly grateful, but my eyes have truly been opened to the tender mercies the Lord has given me in my life. Things like a hot shower, a soft bed, food I'm used to, family close by. As much as this has made me more grateful, it's also humbled me. I've learned to live without a hot shower or a soft bed because it's what I've been dealt.

"A month before my dad passed away, he had my mom put a quote on our fridge--'No misfortune is so bad that whining about it won't make it worse.' I love my dad, and I miss him. I decided that while I'm in China I would keep a blog to easily communicate with people back home and let them know what's going on. I write it to my dad. Telling him everything that's going on gives me a different perspective of the day than if I were to just relay events. He taught the Sunbeams, and the kids I teach are 4-5, so just a little older. There was one time when I was playing with the kids and I gave them a high five like my dad would give me when I was little. He'd hold my hand still at the wrist while he slapped my palm with his other hand several times, very fast. When I caught myself doing that, I just grinned.

"Elder Holland gave a talk about angels and how those closest to us beyond the veil choose to be around those they love the most. I've felt him around me so much. What a blessing the gospel is!! I know that it is through the atonement of Christ that I will be able to see my dad again. The gospel is also the cause for all of my joy. It is my anchor in the storm. My rock that I have built my life on."

Dad, I got to tuck in my kiddies tonight. They were so precious. We walked into the Kindergarten area and went into their room. The kids were watching some cheesy Asian movie. Like Power Rangers, Asian style. It was quite hilarious. As soon as Lauren, Tina and I walked in they all said hello to us. Lee came running toward me and sat on my lap the whole time we were in the common room watching the movie. He loved talking to me. Even with the language barrier, it was so great! He would look up at me and smile and point to the TV. My favorite- I started tickling his neck with my hair and when I stopped he grabbed my hair and started shaking it until I tickled him again. Cutest thing ever. It was then time for the kids to put their chairs away and get ready for bed. Incidentally, I saw a few little boys pee-pees because the door to the bathroom was open and they just stand above a trough. As soon as the little boys were done doing their business, I poked my head in and saw Lee at the sink. As soon as he saw me he put his cup away and ran to me and held my hand and took me to his wooden plank for a bed. I've been told that these are the rich kids. That the parents of these children spend a lot of money to send them away to school. While they sleep, they remain in the clothes they wore during the day. I wonder what it's like for the poor kids then. Once Lee laid down, I laid next to him. These kids are so cute, Dad! They love unconditionally. Most of the time they don't even know what I'm saying. They may not know anything I'm saying and just repeat things because they've caught on to the fact that they're rewarded for speaking English. But, Dad, Lee made my day. I was having a few rough moments today, and just having Lee sitting on my lap and showing me some genuine affection really lifted my spirits. They're so close to the Spirit and such innocent little souls, and so tender. One of the boys, Newman (named for the Seinfeld character), was crying. Just whimpering. It was so hard to watch. Lauren sat next to him to get him to calm down. It broke our hearts. Kara was sweet. She had her hair down when it's usually back. She's the prettiest little girl. I want to bring her and Lee back so bad! They make my heart happy. All of them remind me of teaching primary with you. Trying to keep their focus. Entertaining them. And falling in love with them. It's such a blessing to be around little kids. Your kids miss you, Dad. I don't think I told you, but I'm sure you saw it. Your kids made a book for you nine months ago saying how much they miss you. They loved you as their teacher. You brought the good snacks. You always had the good snacks around the house.

Well, I'm off to bed myself. Goodnight, Dad. Sleep tight. Don't let the bed bugs bite.

Wait!!! Will you tuck me in, Dad? I miss you.

Shanghai

DAD DAD DAD!!! Shanghai (pronounced Shung- high) was so super fun!! We left immediately after teaching on Friday for the bus station. Before the bus got there we had time to get some dinner so we went to our favorite hole in the wall for some noodles and dumplings. Once on the bus, I was reminded of how gross the sleeper buses are. This one was a lot louder too. And bouncy. It was interesting. We then reached a stop and the lady on the bus started yelling at us to get off. Apparently we had reached our destination already. Finding our way to the hostel wasn't too bad. In Shanghai they have this calling service to help you communicate with the taxi driver, and that first driver told the next two where to go. The Shanghai Blue Mountain Youth Hostel was right across from metro line 4 and in a really central part of the city. It was a pretty nice hostel too. We checked in at 7ish and put our stuff in the rooms that were ready and had breakfast there at the hostel- a fried egg, two pieces of toast, some ham, a banana and an orange drink. It was such a luxury!

A group of 8 of us then went to the Shanghai Wild Life park. It was so frustrating at first because it took us so long to get there! I really thought the taxi driver was taking advantage of us. The ride cost 130 yuan (about $20), which is really expensive over here. But once there, I didn't care. We were at the wild life park!! I was so excited! Tickets for the park were 100 yuan. This was definitely a more expensive day, but so worth it. Once in the park, we stopped at the pigeon pavilion and if I just held out my arm three pigeons would land on it. It was pretty cool. But not as cool as the rest of the day.

Right after that, I got to take a ride on a camel. He wasn't stinky at all. It was fun riding him too because the hump was floppy and he swayed more than a horse does. Plus it's cool to say that I've ridden a camel. But not nearly as cool as saying a got lifted up by an elephants trunk!! DAD! Elephants are hairy! Did you know that?! I did not. It was so fun to be picked up by the trunk. We stayed there with the elephant for a while. Her name was Mary. She liked something about my shirt or something on my backpack because she kept reaching her trunk out towards me. It was hilarious. It resulted in elephant snot getting on my shirt, but I couldn't care less. In fact, now I can say that that's the shirt that got snotted on by an elephant. My cool ranking just went up a few points because of the snot.

After the elephant was the baby goats. They were so cute. Brand new, too. Lauren, my roommate, caught the cutest one. It was black with a white dot on it's head. She let me hold it.

If you thought I'd done a lot by now, you might be correct. But none of it amounted to what happened the second half of the day. I held a baby tiger. A one month old tiger. Yeah, I held it. In my arms. Pretty much the coolest thing ever!! It was so adorable. I was the first one to hold it and by the third person, it was whining, so a few of us got to feed it too. Ah! So cool!

The lemurs were next. We walked through this dome and didn't see much until one of the last turns. I was eating an apple and there was a lemur on a tree and I lured it close to me with the apple core. Maybe not the smartest thing, but I still have nine fingers. Wait. . . Ten. I have ten. But it was so much fun that when we saw an apple core in the garbage can outside, Jeshua picked it out and broke it so we could go back.

Well, we hadn't eaten since 8 and it was now 2:30. We were famished! And guess what was for lunch?! A teriyaki burger from Carl's Jr.!! Talk about a little piece of heaven. Oh! And I can't forget the chili cheese fries and the Coldstone!!! It was much needed and as good, if not better, than any other meal I have had so far in my life.

Despite how achey my feet were, I pushed to stay out, so five of us walked around People's Square and Nanjing Road. This city really comes to life at night. We were taken to a little shop with a back room where we bought some DVDs. We did a lot of wandering after that. It was cool just to see all the people and all the lights. We didn't return to the hostel until 9:30 or so and we were pooped. But what a fabulous day!!

Sunday. I love Sundays! Lately, they've been hard because we've had to do church over a teleconference in our supply room where it doesn't really feel like church, but we actually got to sit among a congregation today! Remember the DeVris? Of course you do. I got a hold of Tonya last night and she gave me directions. I love the Shanghai metro. It's so nice and convenient- cheap, clean, easy to understand. So we just took the metro there and we even beat them there. It was fast and testimony meeting and I bore my testimony about how if it weren't for the gospel to keep me grounded here, I wouldn't be able to be doing as well as I'm doing. The gospel gives me so much strength when every thing else has changed. The Lord is the one constant in my life. He is the only person I can rely on. It is through him and him alone that I am happy. Even though I'm in a place where things are so different and I have 'less' than I do back home, I'm still so blessed. I have my health and my family and the knowledge that I can be with them forever. Sunday School and Relief Society were equally good. We got three dinner invites. The Devris offered, of course, so we went there.

THAT was the best meal I've had in my life. It was like an early Thanksgiving. Roast, crock pot veggies, creamed veggies, mashed potatoes, croissants, brownies, ice cream and some chinese cookies that were really good. I have not come away from a meal feeling so full for a while. And Cameron was nervous there wasn't going to be enough food to go around for the seven of us and the nine of them, but there were even some leftovers! Loaves of bread and fishes. That's all I have to say. It was pretty much a miracle. They were so nice. So hospitable. They talked to us for a while. We were there for a couple hours. They gave us the in's too. Told us where to shop and a few other places to visit. We stopped by the underground shopping at the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum metro stop. Jackpot!! I got a 32 centimeter strand of pink pearls; a pretty, gold chinese dress; a green, chinese robe; an outfit for Grace; and some cool chopsticks. What a day.

Our last day in Shanghai was filled with more shopping. The Yu Garden was first. It as beautiful! I'm so glad we got to go to that part of town. The architecture of the buildings was the traditional Chinese and it was all so beautiful!!! It was a land-mine of beautiful art work, buildings and merchandise. I got seven more strands of pearls here. It was so much fun bargaining. Last night the girls kept asking me to get them things for a certain price because they thought I was so good at it. I was pretty good. After a while of watching me, they got a hang of it, so they didn't need me as much today. I also got some beautiful bracelets, gorgeous earrings, a silk fan, and some KFC for lunch. Living the high life.

After lunch, Tina and I were just wandering when we happened upon a pond in the middle of the shopping and there was a guy selling baby turtles that you were supposed to through into the pond. We assumed it was some sort of good look thing. Tina is in love with turtles, so she really enjoyed looking in the pond at all the baby turtles. We then left for the underground shopping again. I got a fabulous hat, a very pretty skirt and a floral scarf. They all pretty much combine to make the cutest outfit. I know you don't care, but I really like it. At this point my feet were about to fall off! Especially with my whole foot tendonitis thing. So as soon as Emily, Katrina and I got back to the hostel, we went next door and got an hour long foot massage for 30 yuan! Which is about $5. I could stand again! It was so fabulous. Once the rest of the group caught up with us we went out again to The Bund and saw the tallest building in China. We ate dinner beneath it's shadow. . . kinda. If the sun were out, we would have been in it's shadow. It was a good way to close our trip.

Tuesday morning. We still don't have our train tickets, and the train leaves in three and a half hours. It's suggested you get tickets twenty four hours before. Jeshua told us he was going to do it so that's why we left it up to him. Never again. I was genuinely nervous that we weren't going to be able to get a ticket. I said so many silent prayers. He was listening. We got to the train station and got all eleven tickets with no problem. The train ride sucked though. Sixteen hours in a straight seat. It was a hard night, but an experience worth having, but only worth having once. It's good to be back to my box spring after that night. I never thought I'd say that. What would really be nice, though, was if my bed was like the one in the hostel minus all the bug bites.

Confucius says, "Why crap in your pants when you can crap on mom's arm?"

DAD!!! I did it!!! Today was so much better! The kids didn't make what I had made, they didn't really follow instructions, and I was still a little flustered, but I was ready for all of that! I knew it could happen, so I simply adjusted! It was so much smoother than yesterday despite all the things I just said. I feel like it was more of a success.

My roommate, Lauren, her dad sent me something. It was entitled the Ministering of Angels By Elder Holland. He said:

"My beloved brothers and sisters, I testify of angels, both the heavenly and the mortal kind. In doing so I am testifying that God never leaves us alone, never leaves us unaided in the challenges that we face."

"May we all believe more readily in, and have more gratitude for, the Lord’s promise as contained in one of President Monson’s favorite scriptures: “I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, … my Spirit shall be in your [heart], and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.”

"The ancient prophets who died were those who came to visit their fellow creatures upon the earth…It was such beings-holy beings if you please-who waited upon the Savior and administered to him on the Mount…In like manner our fathers and mothers, brothers, sisters and friends who have passed away from this earth, having been faithful, and worthy to enjoy these rights and privileges, may have a mission given them to visit their relatives and friends upon the earth again, bringing from the divine Presence messages of love, of warning, of reproof and instruction, to those whom they had learned to love in the flesh."

Thanks for coming and helping me, Dad. I couldn't have done it without you. All the things you would do that were affective in your primary class came to mind, and that really helped in my teaching. As I was laying in bed last night, feeling a little 'woe is me,' I felt comforted just laying there. Thanks for coming. You always know what to do or say when I'm down, and I may not remember what you did or said to cheer me up, but I remember how I felt. I love you so much, Dad. Tell everyone back home that I miss and love them. Oh! And tell them to enjoy their good food, because they may not know how good they have it ;)

Love love.

Dad, what have I gotten myself into?! I taught my first lesson yesterday and it was a disaster! Never give kids who can't understand you a pair of scissors. They so did not follow the lines I traced for them. It was really hard to get them to talk too. Sometimes they'd repeat what I wanted them to say, sometimes they wouldn't. Sometimes they'd repeat everything I was saying! Needless to say, I got tired really quickly.

What if I'm no good, Dad? What if my kids hate me and don't learn a lick of English? What if my time here is wasted? I know what you would say. You'd say I'm a good teacher and that the first day doesn't reflect on the rest of the semester and that as long as I am learning and having a good time that nothing is being wasted. Hopefully I'll get better.

I went to bed really early yesterday. I was just so exhausted and homesick that the only thing I could think or muster to do was sleep. Let's hope I got enough hours on my box spring to give me enough energy to teach them how to make a frisbee today. I love you, Daddy.