The Nikki Madi Dynasty

This week has seemed like every day was a month. I feel separated from life in America, as if I died and was reincarnated into a different world with different lifestyles, responsibilities, and I don’t feel my age either. I feel older. I feel like I’ve joined the middle-aged almost, because that’s how I’m treated here. Now Madi and I of course still randomly burst into song, burst out laughing at inside jokes, and poke fun, but in many ways I feel like I’m beyond my trial stage of my teenage years- I feel like I could be a mom now. Scary thought though, but I feel if it was God’s will, I could be right now-is that weird?
This past week the 21 others and I in the China Horizon’s teaching group went from Hong Kong across the border in the mainland to Shenzhen, where a beloved fellow teacher here in China for many years named Gail Chou set up a 1 ½ day class on teaching methods and expectations. Thanks to that wonderful lady I feel prepared enough to begin teaching tomorrow. Wednesday we all went to Hunan and there at the airport we were picked up by our school directors- a few of us had a little detour because our directors were hung over, but that’s another story. Madi and I rode the 5 hours to Ling Ling City, Yongzhou County, Hunan, China, where we will live the next few months.
Poverty. For those who have experienced it, you know what I mean. For those of you who have not at least lived among it, no matter what I say of how I describe it, that word is like a dismal description compared to what it is in actuality. The apartments we have are high class compared to all the rest, yet I spent all day long Friday cleaning my apartment and still have lots to do. Nothing is ever clean for long though-all I can do is semi-control what types of germs I allow in my apartment, but I will never have sanitary clothes until I come home to America. I could go 4+ days without showering and still not be able to smell myself- the air is full of urine smells, smoke, and…China. My apartment is HUGE! I have a living room, kitchen, bathroom, study, and bedroom. I have a small washer and air conditioning. I have it SO good compared to the people here. My apartment compared to anyone else’s is very clean though. The other teachers and students here have called me a clean freak, which anyone back at home would bust a gut if they heard someone refer to Nikki Checketts in that way.
Today we had our first virtual sacrament meeting! Matt and Cristal Carter who teach in Dong’an, Lawrence Parry and Quincy Zimmerman who teach in Daoshen, and Shelby Woodhouse and Cierra Vanleeuwen who teach in Shuangpai, all came here to join Sam, Madi, and I in our call-in sacrament meeting/Sunday school. We were so blessed to hear over the line some testimonies from a family somewhere in China and the testimonies of others around China in our China-wide branch. This past Monday we were able to meet Branch President Lewis and his wonderful wife and Relief Society president Sister Lewis and dine with them. I skyped cousin Robert Tate and invited him to join us so he might join our Sunday teleconference! I’ll get to see him when I go to Beijing for the May holiday, which makes me happy to have some family here! I feel so connected here and feel part of a much greater work than I can even imagine. I want to stay here in China for a couple extra weeks (I hope everyone doesn’t want to kill me for it), and be here until mid-July instead of the beginning. I love China! 
A few interesting things I’ve seen? Well I’ve gnawed on a chicken foot, that was pretty good. When I go out to eat on the streets I get to see my living food before I eat it. I’ve seen duck heads in garage restaurants, pig snouts in grocery stores, I’ve had fish jump out of their tanks in the grocery stores when I walk past them, seen people urinating in the streets, I’ve found a chicken head in my soup…hardly anything surprises me anymore. It’s pretty fun to see what new things I’ll come across though. It’s SO much warmer here than in the US. It’s been in the 60’s and 70’s since I’ve been here. Every bit of Chinese I know I’ve used and I learn more and more every day. I’ve been on the a plane, buses, subways, and motorcycle taxis (which are by far the most enjoyable) all over the place this past week: Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Changsha, Ling Ling (where I live), Shuangpai (with Sam to help the teachers out there). I got a cell phone and a tour of the school with my liaison Luke Liu who is very nice and the father of a young girl named Kate who loves to practice her English with me , and I have my first lesson for tomorrow planned. I’ll be teaching 16 classes (I think. I should get my schedule sometime tonight-that’s how communist China does it. They like to control everything by changing everything last minute to keep you on your toes and too busy trying to keep up that you don’t gain any power yourself) and each class I’ll teach for 40 minutes once a week. I’m so excited to teach! I LOVE the people here! I want a Chinese baby so bad, but not bad enough to marry one, haha. I’ll adopt one.
Know what? Whenever I chance to see a white person I don’t know, I stare at them like everyone else does. It’s so weird to see white people. I’m used to being stared at, being called beautiful, and I’ve had plenty of pictures taken of me, but when I see another white person, I have to force myself not to stare at them-it’s so funny and I don’t know why, but I do it. Lol.
Well, that’s all for now! But PLEASE if you get the chance write me a letter, or even an email is better than nothing. It’s the only way I feel like I’m a part of your world. I miss you all, especially today. I love you all!
Keep me in your prayers and you are in mine!

Here is my address and number. I have free incoming calls but you need a phone card to call me. Keep in mind I am 14ish hours ahead of you in the midwest, and yes I do get texting. Love you more!

Nikki Checketts
C/o Zhou Zhixi
Foreign Affairs Office of No. 1 Middle School of Yongzhou City
Hunan Province, P.R. China
Post Code: 425006

18774690241 that's my phone number.

Love you more! <3
Nikki

I left Tuesday with Madi and we went to Chicago and then Los Angeles and by midnight Wednesday morning we were on a plane to Korea. Oh, and in the LAX airport we saw some missionaries, about 8, heading from the MTC in Provo to the Philippines and some were on the phone and I asked how many were calling their gf’s. I got a few smirks. Well we arrived the 14 hours to Korea and then stayed a few hours and then finally arrived in Hong Kong 11:30pm US Central time on Wednesday evening but Thursday 1:30pm Hong Kong time. Needless to say it’s taken a while to get used to the time change of 14 hours ahead with all the touring we’ve done the past few days. When we got here we left the air port and there was a dramatic difference from the US. The trees, the construction, the tall vertical but narrow buildings, the random poverty. Much of it reminds me of third world pictures I’ve seen from missionaries. I’m surrounded by palm trees, which I’ve never been that close to in my life.
The group of about 23 of us and Jacob came first to the temple housing which isn’t 5 star accommodations by any means. It’s all tiny, relatively dirty, cramped, and with 15 girls and 10 guys in a 2-room, 250 square foot apartment there is absolutely no personal space whatsoever-welcome to China! J Well we’ve had the great privilege of being able to do temple work 3 days straight at the Hong Kong Temple. The baptistry is beautiful-absolutely. There is so much symbolism there you’ll have to remind me to share with you when I get home. Today we got to have church in the temple too in a Cantonese Branch and we got to hear from the temple president (President Gu), the area 70 President Li, and Sister Wen, a sister about to leave for a mission to the US. President Gu shared much with us about the work in China and how it’s going to infiltrate throughout the nation, which is pretty confidential information, but if you want to know and swear to secrecy, let me know and I’ll give you some insights.
As far as touring goes, we’ve been able to go to downtown Hong Kong, Victoria Peak, which overlooks Hong Kong and the harbors which is gorgeous, NGong Pong which is a giant tribute to Buddha and it’s got beautiful gardens and a Love Sutra forest with trees cut in half the long way and on each one in a figure 8 has parts of the sutra scriptures. Oh it’s SO pretty here! I honestly feel like I’ve been here for years, yet I don’t actively miss anyone much except Tristan. I’m sure I will when I finally get the chance to relax and get to the school. I haven’t had much time to do anything or time to myself with all the touring and sharing a tiny apartment, etc, but it’s been amazing. I’ve taken hundreds of pictures already and I’m so happy to be here! I almost can’t wait to start teaching-I’m so thrilled. Apparently discipline is different here with children. We can punish children here unlike the US, lol. I’ve done so much here it’s crazy. I’d have to say the bakeries, fruit, art, and nature are so beautiful, and the people are so kind and sweet, but they have no concept of personal space, especially on the trams, subways, air planes, buses-it’s all cram cram quick. I’ll get used to it. So yeah, Asian drivers are named appropriately. Although I won’t be able to really share the gospel in the mainland, I can serve with love and answer questions briefly that can touch people and help them recognize truth and light. God has GREAT plans for China and I feel so privileged to be a part of this work. Oh it is glorious and I feel so unworthy yet as prepared as possible to provide the faith and obedience for the greatest miracles in these last days. The church is true, and I will be too!
So this week tomorrow we cross the border into the mainland into Shenzhen where we get out training on lessons plans and such until Wednesday and then we travel the rest of the week to our locations. Madi and I and another teacher named Sam are going to the same school in Ling Ling City, Yongzhou, Hunan, so we’ll have a priesthood holder in the same apartments as us which is amazing! Sam is cool. Served his mission in Australia quite a while back (he’s 26), and he’s the youngest of 9 children, so we’ll get along well. So life is grood! I have TONS of pictures, and if they are worth 1,000 words, I could just give those to you and end this email. Well I do have to go for orientation, but I HAD to make sure I wrote you, because I love you lots and lots. I’ll let all of you know my address when I get there. Apparently from the US it only takes mail about 10 days to get to my school, that’s what Sam said and he’s been there a while, so I expect a few things from home…maybe hot chocolate periodically and some love. I miss cheese here…a lot. Oh well I’ll live. I’ve got my 10lb bag of chocolate from home, so I’ll be good. Once I get things settled I’ll give you another update.