Letter # 9

Hey Family,

So I will start by saying that the last week was one of the hardest weeks of my life. I got sick, I had no appetite, couldn't really get out of bed. It just seemed like trial after trial. I know that my brothers said missions were hard. But I had no idea how hard. It seems like when you have one more finger left on the pole holding you up and your about to slip. Somehow the lord will slip just one more finger in to help hold you up. I want to say how appreciative I am of everyones prayers. I know that they are helping me. I can feel it. So thank you so much.

Well besides all that the Investigators are going well. The Family I talked about before who has the son on the mission... They are still really progressing. That is such a miracle for them. The Dad is really trying to stop smoking. Also we have been meeting with someone who I contacted
on the street about a month ago. Last appointment he told us that when he knows it is true he will join the church. Which is great news, especially coming from someone with no Christian background at all. He is also praying and reading. My companion and I are confident that he will receive his answer.

Well your weather report is that it is starting to get humid. Really Humid! Something I am not used to. Better get used to it though. I have a long Summer ahead of me. Oh ya and Mango season has just started. Every missionary has been talking about it ever since I got here, and yes they are are as good as everyone says. The fruit here is AMAZING!!! Sorry, this is a little short this week.

The spcripture for this week is Alma 36:27. Alma puts it very well when he talks about God delivering him out of trials. The key is (TRUST).

Love you all with all my heart. Thank you so much for all your prayers

Wei Zhang Lao.

P.S. I included some new pictures this time.

This is the Tang parents. (Parents of the convert son on his mission)

Letter # 8

Hello Family:
Wow it was so great to talk to everyone last Sunday (even though it was 3:30 in the morning for me). I apologize if I sounded a little wierd on the phone. I was kinda out of it. I really loved hearing everyones voices. There was so much more I wanted to say about Taiwan but I kind of forgot when the time came around. I did make me sad talking to everyone. It made me truly realize how much I love my Family. Thanks so much again for everything.

Well the last week some really good things have happend. Remember that family I told you about with the son on a mission? We talked to the Father on the phone and he only smoked 40 cigarettes yesterday compared to his normal 60. Sounds like a hard thing to overcome but we know he can do it. We taught him about praying everytime he has urges to smoke more. It's going to be a process but with his desire and the Lords help, my companion and I know that he will overcome this. We are really hoping that there son will come home from his mission with both of his parents baptized. Ah, what a miracle.

Another miracle we saw this week had to do with a blessing. There is this new member in our ward who is 21 and he is really good friends with all the missionaries. Everyone calls him "Taco" (I think missionaries gave him the name). He is a funny guy but actually kind of crazy. He has got a few screws loose in the head (Kinda like me at 16). Anyway, he hadn't been coming to church in a month and wasn't praying and stuff. He also got really sick so he was on a bunch of medication. A week ago the medication caused him to pass out outside of his house and he fell on
his face and knee and stuff. He was all cut up with a bunch of cracked teeth. So we went over to visit him in hopes of giving him a blessing. We went into his room and he could barely move. It was not good. But we did give him the blessing. I was able to administer the oil in Chinese that was a cool experience and then gave him the blessing. The next day we went over to his house and he was running around joking and being as obnoxious and annoying as ever. His cuts on his face even seemed like they healed a ton. My companion looked at me and said, "We should not have given him that blessing." Ha ha ha. It was funny but really a powerful experience at the same time.
So ya, ...two really cool miracles this week.

The last thing I want to talk about is the people of Taiwan. The Chinese people are amazing. They are so humble and kind. This is the only place in the world where you can cut someone off on your bike and they will just smile and tell you to go first. It really is unbelievable how giving these people are. I have really learned to respect they way there culture is. It is so much different then ours. They wear slippers in everyones homes, for example. That took some adjusting but now I love everything about it.

The scripture for this week talks about the souls of every person being precious, and giving us the reminder that we are all gods children. It is Alma 39:17. I really like this one.
Okay love you all! You are in my prayers. Thanks so much for all the support.

Wei Zhang lao

Letter # 7

Hey everybody! wow that last week went fast! Things have really picked up here. Last month we were in the finding process and did not have a lot of people to teach. But as of yesterday we are teaching 4 families. They all are progressing as well. I really hope we are able to stick with them. One of the families has a son on a mission in another mission in Taiwan. They had interest in the past but they understood a few crucial principles a little wrong. Like prayer. We had to re-teach them last night. It was interesting how we met them. I was just riding my bike on our way home and she waved us down so of course we were like, "no way someone wants to talk to us. She must be crazy". But she then went on to tell us that her son was doing the same thing, So then I assumed she really is crazy. Nevertheless we set up with and we found out that my companion actually does know her son and he went to another ward before his mission all by himself without his parents. We are going to be meeting with them on a regular basis now! I think the son has been praying for his parents for a while now! I hope and feel that his prayers have been answered. I am really starting to love it out here. It's really hard, but worth it. Well, for the weather report its been sunny and not to hot suprisingly. Its beatiful. Oh and for once it hasn't been raining. Well at least for the last couple of days. It was my companions birthday yesterday. That was cool He went and bought a bunch of cheesecake yesterday, and I mean a bunch! Now you can only imagine what this did to our bodies. Going from rice rice rice noodles potstickers rice, and Then BOOM cheesecake! Last night was rough on my body uhh I still feel it! Its all good though. Anyway, things have been going very well thanks for all the prayers. I really feel the help.
Okay so scripture for this week is Alma 26:37.
It talks about how god is always mindful of his people. It really made me think of where I am and
how different it was from anything I have ever known. Yet the Chinese people are our brothers and sisters and he loves us the same as them. This scripture really helps give a perspective on things, and Gods plan for everyone.
Love you all so much, your in my prayers.

Letter #6

Hello Family.
A lot of things happened this week Wow!
So it's STILL raining non stop. Not kidding. We will be riding our bikes down a street and it will seem sunny and fine and then we turn the corner and BOOM! ...a wall of really heavy rain hits us and then just stops. It is the craziest thing. The weather here is more unpredictable then Utah! But I am getting used to being soaking wet, I guess.
Oh ya, I got in my first Earthquake. We were teaching a lesson and it sounded like something was banging against the apartment building we were in. It was weird. Then before I realized it we were shaking. The lights and lamps and stuff were all moving. Ha ha! I was way to shocked to be scared. Then the lesson just ...continued. (kinda funny I guess!?)
Things really started to pick up with investigators. Not only have we been finding some new people to teach, but we are really seeing success with this inactive member. He is 20 and lives in the tiniest thing I have ever seen in my life! His house is literally 8ft by 8ft. His bed IS his house so we have to teach him on his bed. He was baptized about a year ago but moved into our ward from the ward he was baptized into. The first time we met with him was about 1 month ago and he was not doing to well. He was not leaving his room or anything. He wasn't even really eating, and had some issues with the word of wisdom. We have seen him twice a week since then and have been really working with him. I am really thankful that we were able to meet with him. He has completely turned his life around and he comes to church with us every single week. We take him to firesides and all that good stuff. One of the last times we went and met with him he had church music on when we got there.
It was awesome.
I know before a missionary comes on a mission they think a lot about baptisms and things like that, but seeing him has made me just as happy if not happier then a baptism. It has taught me a lot about service and the blessings that come from Charity.
Ah, awesome!
Last night something interesting happened. The sisters in our district were on the street and some person ran up to them saying that their father was in the hospital and that he was going to pass away within the hour and needed help. The guy told them that he needed people that believe in God. "Church People", he said. The sisters initial reaction was to get some of the elders to go give a blessing. We had someone for the lesson at that time but they didn't show up so we were the ones that had to go. When we got there the father had already passed away. The kids were all older 30's and 40's but they were just sobbing and they wanted us to come in and say a prayer with them. So my companion went in the room with the two kids and the Dad who had already passed away. My companion offered the prayer asking for blessings for the family and peace to be with them. When the prayer ended we both had a very confirming feeling that the father was exactly where he was supposed to be and that the family would understand that. The son was just crying and saying sorry to us for making things inconvenient for us.
We left and my companion made a comment how humble the Chinese people were. He said, " There Father just died and they were saying sorry to us for bugging us". I started to cry a little bit realizing what my companion had told me.I felt so bad for the family. These people are so unbelievably soft hearted and humble. That was a really interesting experience.
Well Elder Bednar came on a mission tour to our mission this last week and we all got to sit in a room with him and ask him questions. It was a amazing. I got so many answers to prayers.
He could answer every question with the scriptures. I learned so much about prayers and the power of the scriptures and the true importance of a missionary. It helped me better understand that we are to be teachers and to serve. And that these people are our brothers and sisters and should be treated as such. We all got to shake his hand afterwards and I looked at him straight in his eyes. That was a feeling I have never had before! I wish I could talk more about that. But I gotta run.
The scripture for this week is in the Words of Mormon 1:7. It comes along with a lesson I learned about receiving answers to prayers. Sometimes we wonder why certain things happen in our lives and how could that happen to us if we are doing the right things. It is God's Will. He has a plan for everything. Just trust him! It's a great scripture.
- Love you all so so much!
Your in my prayers,
Wei Zhang Lao

Letter # 5

Family, Ni hao.
Things are going good in the east!
I have officialy become pro at riding a bike (Dodging in and out of cars and scooters constantly will do the trick).
So this last week went pretty good. My companion was really sick from something we ate so we went home early one night and he was in the bathroom a good part of the night (Ya, it was not good). But things are much better with him now.
So I heard about the new apostle. Thats awesome! We dont see conference until this next weekend. But every missionary here was like "making bets" and stuff on who it was. Kinda like betting on a sports game or something. Hah! (it's as edgy we can get on mission right?)
The work has picked up since last week. We have a couple new investigators one is an older couple who are really into the standards of our church but still believe all of the buddhist beliefs too. They want us to teach there kids and everything. We are really looking forward to that. The next is this sixteen year old kid who came with us to church for the first time last week and then we taught him for the first time last night. HAh ...we taught him out in front of a seven eleven with scooters flying by and dogs and all that good stuff. But the kid now has a baptism date and is willing to work towards it. (after that it just kinda hit me the situation we taught that kid in. Funny... but it worked so no complaints).
Other than that things are all the same here, still raining and all. I love it though.
Oh ya, I have found an extreme love for peanut butter. Our budget is super tight, so we cant just always have the best tasting things.. Ha so we just get
random fruit and bread. All you have to do is just throw peanut butter on it. Its amazing!
Anyway, love you all keep the emails and letters coming I love hearing form everyone.

Okay so the scripture this week is Alma 14. The whole chapter. Its not the most pleasent chapter but it helps us understand the sacrafice htat was made by so many of the people who believed in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and especially the blessings of Sacrafice.

Letter # 4 with NEW PICS

Well hello Family,
So is everyone excited for conference? Everyone here for sure is! Its super exciting because I have so many questions I am looking forward to getting answered. But unfortunately we don't get to see it for two more weeks because of the time here. What we do is have our own little mini conference session. We do it at the mission home. We follow the exact same time as if we were in Salt Lake but it’s just a week later. So that will be cool!
Last Pday we went to these gardens and this 200 year old mansion. It was Gorgeous! You all would have loved it! So the work is getting a little hard of course. We are really trying to get some new investigators. Especially a Family! I am really hoping for that! So I am going to tell you a little bit about the food here! I’m in trouble...... I am already sick of Chinese food. Ha ...but other than that the food is so so good! The fried rice here is insane! and the fruit is amazing to. We are eating really really well. (Partly because every house we go to they just feed us tons of fruit!) Oh ya, I would not recommend cow stomach to anyone. It’s kind of a weird texture! ha ha not kidding! Umm ya.
Well I love you all so so much. It’s hard not to think about everyone! But I know this is where I am supposed to be (Sometimes very hard, But that’s all part of the growing process). Okay so the scripture for this week is Mormon 9:15-21 Everyone read this it’s amazing. The thought that goes along with this scripture is "The Key is Trust". We must trust god. He is capable of all things. If we trust him in all that we do, we will see miracles, and the miracles that we already have in front of us will be made known"