Townsend 2 taiwan

Monday, January 24, 2011

Week 3! Can't believe how fast it's going...only 101 weeks or 23 months to go!

Hello!
So like I said there isn't much that goes on in the mtc. We had a couple of great speakers, they said some great things and we just loved life. Deng zhang lao (elder vandenberghe) has been sneaking around lately. We have started to play this game with an apple. The game goes if you wake up in the morning with the apple in your bed, you have to bust the trays at breakfast. Deng spent twenty minutes getting out of his bed onto the floor, then crawling to my bed and back to his bed without anyone noticing. If someone is going to be that crazy to waste their sleeping time I don't mind busting their tray.
At the mtc we have what we call the trc. It's where we missionaries go to have missionary situations. We have to contact and meet people in chinese. It gets pretty hard at times. after we go and meet one of those people we contacted and teach them a lesson. Its such a crazy experience but the spirit is unreal. It strengthens mine. I don't know if they are real investigators or not (most likely not) but it doesn't matter because its not about that its about how we can help that individual, that soul feel the spirit.
Anyways nothing new on this front. It will get exciting in two months from today. :)
Spiritual thought...
Helaman 5
Two things to ALWAYS remember. Crucial.
1. Words of king benjamin saying the only way for man to be saved is through the Atonement
2. One must build his foundation upon the rock of our Redeemer, our testimony must be based on Him. If it is not we will come crashing down.
There are other things as well but its up to you to find them. I know Jesus Christ is our Redeemer and his love is the greatest of all. i have felt it before now and I know i will in the future. I have become stronger now the more I reflect upon it everyday.
Lots of love,
Elder Townsend

A couple more pictures

Buster with Elder Wyatt, Elder White and Elder VanDeBerge.
Elder Jake Larsen Buster's good friend from Hillcrest High school. Jake was also Buster's comp in Mission Prep class at BYU. He used to say they were "on fire" while they were together. Silly boys!

Pictures from the MTC!

Buster sent some pictures- I love seeing him at his finest. Just kidding- the picture with the comps- well let's just say boys will be boys. It's a bio hazard bag because their Visa required a "sample" and I will leave it at that. The other picture is Buster with his companion Elder Wyatt at the Provo Temple. They get to go to the temple while they are at the MTC. He said it is one the favorite missionary activities. My guess is because they finally don't have to study for a couple of hours!

Monday, January 17, 2011

Week 2 Mission Letter

Ni men hao!
 
Time goes a lot faster after being in the mtc for almost two weeks. I've come to realize that nothing really exciting happens in the mtc.the most exciting thing we do is give deng zhang lao a hard time. He knows everything meaning Politics. Dinosaurs. Cereal. North American Wildlife. SO to us, everything. He flips when we talk about incorrect terms of dinosaurs or any sort of view that opposest the conservative view. His most quotable line, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME ELDER?!!" Good old elder white helps with this. Right now we are trying to get Deng zhang lao to give one of the sisters in our zone a picture and tell her to write him. Its a work in progress.
I have come to realize that there are five things missionaries look forward to 1. Gym 2. SUndays 3. temple trips 4. LETTERS 5. devotionals. Exciting life right? So help keep the excitement write us letters!
Chinese is going well, I'm realizing it is a very different chinese from what I learned in high school. Its fun but incredibly hard. now I can pray, bare testimony, and contact. Doesn't mean we are very good at it.
Also send www.dearelder.com to us they get here quick and they are nice to have some love from everyone.
Gospel message of the day/week comes from Elder Holland who spoke this last week. (Elder Holland is amazing and talks straight to the heart)
After Christ's death the apostles didn't know what to do. SO they did the only thing they knew how to do. Go fish. After fishing all night and not catching anything they saw a stranger on the beach. He asked them how their fishing was and told them to cast their nets on the other side. so they did. They caught so many fish it almost sank their boat. John realized it was the savior. Peter, knowing it was the Savior, jumped over board and swam to the beach while the other apostles brought their boats in. The Savior, being the loving and caring example, had made them breakfast. During the breakfast they were talking to the Savior. The Savior turns to peter and asks him do you love me more then your boats, fish, and oars? Peter replies yes Savior, thou knows I love thee. Savior asks again. Again Peter says, I love thee more than those. The Savior asks again. Peter at this time is having a hard time with receiving messages in three. Savior, thou knowest I love thee more than all those things. The Savior replies. then feed my sheep. If you love me more than those things why haven't you been diong the work I have sent you to do? Peter from that time forth became the greatest missionary ever to walk the face of the earth. The people were trying to get in his shadow just to feel the power and authority from that man. I too want to be as peter. Having the power and authority as he did but more importantly showing the Savior I love him more than anything by feeding his sheep.
 
Elder Townsend

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Week 1 Mission Letter

Ni men hao!
 
Wo feichang hao! (I'm extremely good) Everything is going great, the first few days in MTC were crappy. the thought of why am I here always popped in my head, but now since I made it through sunday, its been pretty great! I try to remember to live in the moment rather than "ah two years from now will be nice" Chinese is going well. I feel pretty great when the other tong ban (companions) ask me questions.  Wo de tongban jiao Elder Wyatt. He's from Ephraim. He's almost 22 and a great guy. I am lucky to have him so that I might be able to focus on principles. The other two tong ban in the district are Elder white and vandenberghe. Vandenberghe is Morgan's cousin (Friend). They are obsessed with the chopsticks I gave them. Its hillarious they say if they can't eat with chopsticks they won't eat at all! We also have to jie mei (sisters) in our district as well. Its a blessing to ahve sisters in the district they bring a different spirit in. SThe other day during district meeting a bird flew into a window wihile the branch pres was talking. ha Two sisters who came in the week before who joined our district were sitting across from the window and witnessed it. One of the sisters was oh a bit traumatized for the day. The bird lived. We went down and checked to see if it was still there after the meeting.
Since I am a missionary now I should give you a thought of the day...
Enduring to the end does not mean hold out till the last day. Rather Enduring to the End means being strong in the beginning, strong in the middle, and accomplished in the end.
Love Elder Townsend (Tang zhang lao)
 Elder Christoffersen Scott Townsend
MTC Mailbox # 228
TAIW-TAI 0324
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

He's a real Missionary now



Buster was set apart as a "real" missionary Tuesday night. It was really inspiring and very tender. He received a really touching blessing. Our Bishop gave him awesome counsel and I knew that all was going to be well with my Busty boy. Buster knows he will love those whom he will serve and being obedient to the commands of the Lord mission life will be good. We have been blessed to be neighbors and friends with our Bishop O'Hara and President Saunders. Can't help but feel the Lord knew how much I needed these men in our family's life.

Saying Goodbye.....



I was doing pretty well(or at least pretending to think I was doing well) these last couple of days helping Bust finish up last minute stuff. What I didn't realize was how hard it was to watch him say "see you later" to his good friends. He is one lucky guy, so many friends with so many memories shared. Of course- I realize I wasn't privy to the "good one's" shared in the Lion's Den. I am sure I will learn more when the boys feel my foot is far enough away that I can't kick them in the rear for some of the things done. But that is what cool places like the Lion's Den are for...well and maybe for sharing a kiss with a cute girl...yep, I know about that stuff too boys....

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Farewell December 26th


My favorite part about Buster's talk was his reason to serve a mission. He said that the reason he decided to go was " I love God" and I want to share that with others. He talked about the greatest example being our Savior Jesus Christ that the Good Samaritan was the pattern for us to follow. I would quote from the talk a little more but that would require me to rummage around in his messy room  so I think I will hold off on that for a little bit more! Love the lovely winter white glow that he has and I know I will really miss that sweet crooked grin... almost time to go and grow...

Temple Trip


Buster went through the Jordan River Temple. He planned to go on his birthday but that was the  "Queen mother of all snowstorms 2010" and so the temple closed early. It was a little frustrating because the snow never came. I guess you can never be too careful when you think of all those 80 year old temple workers trying to drive on a sunny and clear day much less a day when it "might" snow. We made it to the temple on Nov. 27th. Buster was lucky and had quite a few family members who were able to attend. Other than having "itchy" knee's it all went well.