I have not been transferred. I am still with Elder Woo and we are still in Longtan. This is his last transfer of his mission.
Today we are going up to Taipei. I am visiting my old area of Banqiao and visiting my old companions and some friends. We are going to my favorite restaurant where it is unlimited food, steak and other stuff. You cook it all yourself (I will be sending pictures next week). This place is only 9 American dollars a person for unlimited food. This food is really pricey too! If this was in America it would at least be $25-30 a person. So all the missionaries love it!
The baptism went well. I got to baptize him. Other then that there isn't anything crazy new this week.
Paul, I loved your letters. I was laughing so hard! I have the best family in the world!
Things went pretty well this week. We have contacted into a lot of great potential investigators. So we have a lot of hopes for the next couple weeks. Brother Shi is getting baptized on Friday. He asked me to baptize him. That will be cool. I am excited about that. We are still working pretty hard with the member work. The members here are seriously awesome. Surprisingly I think I like the ward better here then in my last area. The picture I sent is of this 12 year old kid that is in my English class. I have gotten to be good friends with him. He loves hanging out with us because he so set on going on a mission.
Well this week My companion made me my favorite food in Taiwan for lunch. IT was AMAZING! Its this curry rice plate! and then this drink that they make over here! Its called dong gua! I guess the only way I can describe it... its kinda complicated. Its like those buttered popcorn jelly belly's flavor and carmel made into a drink. Ya terrible description I know But all the American missionaries over here love it! So I got some pictures from the Family..... Noelle I am so mad at you! Sending me a picture of a perfectly assembled American burger! It made my rice for lunch taste even worse.
Well not a bunch of crazy new news for this week. Just a pretty normal missionary week. I have been thinking about what I want to say in this letter and I feel that I should let the family know that in all these letters I feel like I have left a false impression about me and how the missionary work actually is. What I mean is that I feel like by my letters it seems that life over here is just great and things are going really smoothly. Anyone who has served a mission knows that it is rarely a time when things are going exactly how you want them. I will admit that things have been hard lately ...really hard. The thoughts of self doubt, personal trials, thoughts of a lack of testimony, and constant rejection eventually take their toll.
So this week the scripture I chose was Ether 3. It is based purely on Faith. I know that everyone has their own personal trials every single day. I promise that if you read this scripture and try to apply it to yourself you can see where you all can show faith to overcome our trials.
I love you all. Thank you for all the prayers I can feel their help. My companion said something that really touched me. He told me that I was so blessed to be born in the family that I have. He said "Your family prays for you a lot" This is coming from someone that doesn't have very much. I started to cry a little bit and realized how blessed I really was!
I know that Last week I did not give much information to everyone, and I am sure there are some people that might wonder what it is exactly like out here. So I thought of a good idea. I want everyone to email me the questions that you might have about Taiwan. The food, the People, anything. Next email I will do my best to answer everyone's questions.
Things are still going great in Longtan. We have been really praying for a family. So we have really big hopes for that. It was a lot easier to find people in my last area so it has kind of been a challenge there. For example yesterday we didn't have any lessons so we were out looking all day. For the most part we were out in the country stopping by farm homes and stuff. Basically the only people home were old Chinese grandmas. Most of them don't even speak Mandarin. They speak this Taiwanese dialect which is like Alien talk I swear. But luckily I have a Native companion who speaks it. He has actually been teaching me some of it which has been cool. The people love it out here if an American can speak the Taiwanese dialect. I just have to say one thing in Taiwanese and It will get people to stop and talk to us without fail every time. There blown away "whoa you speak Taiwanese" Then I have to tell them no Mandarin is hard enough. Most of the time I can get a few laughs but then they loose interest quickly.
Oh ya I don't think I told anyone what I did for my birthday here. Well basically nothing. Honestly It was a normal missionary day. It didn't feel like my birthday at all. I wouldn't of known any different, but I kept reminding myself. I bought a cake and ate it with the district of missionaries I was with, and some members gave me a couple gifts. Ya I'm not a teenager anymore. I know everyone is thinking how did I survive until 20? But I did ...barely.
Well we have an investigator who is getting baptized in a few weeks. He is a miracle story. He met missionaries 30 years ago. Some of his family actually joined the church. But he decided about a month ago that he was going to accept the gospel. He came to church on his own and basically self contacted us. Really humble guy and wants to change and learn as much as he can. We love him.
As far as the weather here... NO RAIN! it is blowing my mind. It hasn't rained since I got to my new area. Its so weird. But its been nice not being soaking wet all the time. We eat inside most days which is a change from where I was before. But it saves money. My companion cooks some mean noodles. If anyone is still wondering. Yes I eat Rice, Noodles and Postickers about every day...and Yes it gets old. I cant tell you the amount of money that I would pay for a Cafe Rio Burrito.
Well other than all that, All is well. We are doing things right and we are seeing a lot blessing with us personally. This week I have learned so much about sacrifice. Especially from my companion. He doesn't know that I know this but another elder told me that my companion is in debt thousands of dollars. He is from south Taiwan and he comes from a poor family. Basically he bought his family a place to live and now he literally has like no money. He was a convert for 1 year until he decided that he needed to go serve. His family was really against it but he went anyway. He literally has sacrificed everything. We are completely different from each other but I have an unbelievable amount of respect for him. I think I know why the Lord put me with him. This last week I have been really trying to follow his example and learn to sacrifice, and have seen the blessings already from it.
This week the scripture is Mathew 10:39. I really want everyone to read it and ponder what Christ is telling us. "Those who loose their lives for my sake will find it"
Love you all. Write me and let me know how you all are doing.
