July 24, 2011

Elder Glen and me at the memorial

 Elder Erickson and me on his Birthday

Hello Everybody. 

I learned the word for receiving or giving an injection this week DaZhen. Fitting since Savannah received an injection this week. One time the Cedars was full of houses, except for La Costa. Now it's full of houses, including La Costa. La Costa sounds like Costco, where I want to go to buy more pancake batter.

My comp says he's losing weight and isn't "physically able to work as hard as I want to work." I said that's when the atonement comes in and that is when we see the biggest miracles (I know because I lived my first 2 transfers that way.) But, I've learned a lot. I hope I've learned the lessons the Lord wanted me to learn this transfer. Our 82 year old man who is getting baptized I feel is the Lord still willing to give me something good this transfer for being willing to work hard. This area is so AMAZING. We have the biggest college campus in Taiwan. We have some amazing contacting areas. We are really close to the chapel and the temple so we have the ability to have our investigators do tours. This area could really be ON FIRE if I had a companion who was willing to work with me. This week I studied that some affliction is not because we did anything wrong, it's simply for our benefit so we can grow. 10 percent in life is what happens to you 90 percent is how you react.

Dad, don't run kids over or else they'll kick you off rides at Universal Studios.

What? The truck was broken into??? Keep me posted as the story unfolds.

Ether 12:27 is the scripture that changed the Zhang family daughter forever. The moment I shared that scripture with her, her demeanor changed forever. Then by befriending their family in English class it gave us an opportunity to share with them. Because they had seen the change in her, they accepted the gospel with an open heart, and I watched this gospel strengthen their family relationship. Now they are as happy as happy can be. All from Ether 12:27. 

Good luck with the standards works. You can do it. I have the hardest time with the old testament, but there are some real gems and lessons to be learned in there. I love love love having a good study. It's something I took for granted my first transfer. Elder Bogle taught me a lot about studying. He was a convert to the church and only had been 1 year before he served his mission, but you wouldn't know that at all, because he was an amazing studier.

I look back at how crazy my first 3 transfers were. 3 completely different areas, Zhubei (medium-small) Zhudong (tiny), and now the heart of Taibei city and how different my companions were. I've -learned a lot from each of them, had a bundy! If I were like all the other missionaries I came on with, I would have 1 area, and 2 companions. I feel like if I were still in Zhubei and had Elder Erickson for my first 2 and then was onto some other companion, yes it would be an absolute blast, but I wouldn't be the missionary I am now. I've learned a lot. I've seen a lot. There are some missionaries on their 9th and 10th transfers who only have had 2 areas, or are just getting to their 3rd. I've grown a lot because of all the different experiences my mission president has given me.

I'm doing well. This is the last week this transfer, This Friday we find out the change calls. I have no idea what will happen, but we'll see where the Lord needs me.

Veronica, Do I have any special insights? If you want to draw nearer unto Christ, go on a mission. I can't explain to you the change I've had since being on a mission. I didn't even realize it until this week. There is a really cool scripture about draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you. There is also a really cool scripture in I think Joshua, where the Lord tells us "I will be found of you." In one of the Liahona magazines I read an article submitted by a dad about that scripture, and how he would play hide and seek with his little kids in his house, but he would also be sure they could find him easily, maybe leaving a foot poking out or make a little noise. Then he said that's how God and Christ are with us. They want us to have to do the finding, but they make it easy to find them--they give us clues, scripture, prayer (a way we can communicate with GOD!!) and many more resources to find them. "I will be found of you." I really liked that. Sorry I don't know all the references, but I have a firm testimony that if we seek him, we will find him. If we draw near unto him, he will draw near unto us, and as we serve others, he with draw us unto him.

HAVE THE MOST FUN EVER AT EFY. 

It was a good week here in Taibei. I don't remember a whole lot, but I feel like I learned a lot this week, and for the first time on my mission I've taken a step back and realized how much the mission has changed me as a person. WOW. I'm shocked, but it's changes for the better.

This week my 82 year old friend Guo Di Xiong passed his baptism interview. I've never seen someone so excited and happy. He told me yesterday at church, he's just so happy!!! he was so lonely before he met this church and was able to make friends through the church. He is the happiest old man I've ever seen!!! I'm so excited for his baptism this Saturday. He loves to practice his English. His latest thing he says is "Saturday, 6 o'clock I will receive the baptized. Then I am fresh man, son of my God, one goal, become like Jesus Christ." I love him so much. He loves to take us out to really nice restaurants. haha He's awesome. I'm so excited for him. What a great guy.

This week I learned a lot. I feel like I received some awesome personal revelation that makes me feel a lot better about this transfer, and really makes me excited for what lies ahead. I feel like the Lord is still pleased with me even though I've felt like I've been held back this transfer and haven't been able to give it my all. I feel like this week I realized I've been able to give it my all in the my current situation. It feels good.

Last P-day we went to Taibei's only real Mexican restaurant. SO GOOD!!!!! Wow it's been a long time since some real Mexican food. I mean it was nothing like the 2 a.m. burrito runs to Molcha Salsa in down town Salt Lake that Skyler and I would make a couple times a week, but it still hit the spot.

The Zhang guy that I found last week went to the ward where he lives in YongHe yesterday. The missionaries met with him and he moved his baptismal date up!!!! So GOOD!!! This week I found another just amazing Golden guy named Chen. He was so amazing, so golden, and I set a baptismal date with him on the street. Again he doesn't live in our area, but he will be meeting with his area's Elders on Wednesday!! It's so good to find people who will be getting baptized!

Last night I had a really cool experience, we were out at a beautiful park on the main river in Taibei that we contact at a lot. It was 8:30 so we were almost done for the day, when I had a really strong feeling to book it to the NTU campus, actually a specific spot on the NTU campus, a spot that normally wouldn't have a lot of people. We rode as fast as we could and ran into a family there. I spoke with them a little bit and they were the nicest people ever. I shared a short testimony but they didn't really have interest. I thought that maybe something I shared was what one of them needed to hear, and I thought that must've been why I had the feeling. Then it was 8:42, and I talked to the very next guy we saw. HE WAS WHO WE WERE SUPPOSED TO FIND. He had some interest in prayer and we were able to teach a quick 10 minute lesson on prayer, and he set up a time to meet and learn more. So thankful for the promptings of the spirit who can lead us to find a new investigator even in the last 15 minutes of the week.

I love this work. I love the Gospel with all my heart, It's so true.

This week I bought a megaphone, because I set a goal that I want to do more Dan Jones a.k.a. Street Preaching. I'll let you know how that goes.

Love,

The second "Elder White" in our family, but definitely not the last (Bai ZhangLao)