Townsend 2 taiwan

Monday, October 24, 2011

Wassup...(honestly Bust... Oct 16th letter)


Hello!
Sorry quick email this week. Well the big things this week I had interview with President Grimley. He said I was going home next week. He told me I'm not doing any good. Totally kidding but seriously he didn't(did) tell me the two options of when I can go home. Scary. Time does fly. I still have lots of time so its ok!
Well this week I took the advice of a wise somewhat old man, and have been praying for who's life I could l touch today and that I would be able to recognize him or her. Well we were at the park and We just finished praying and I look up and see a man on the bench. (Recognize this pattern yet?) I go sit next to him. we start talking and he isn't looking to good but I decided to keep talking with him. Pretty soon he spills his guts with all his problems how his family won't let him go home. His boss hasn't paid him and all the difficulties he has encountered. It was really sad. He said he wanted to change so I told him how. He told me he would come to church on sunday but he didn't have any contact information. Usually not a good sign. I trusted him. This sunday I get a call from a landline and it was him he told me he was running a bit late. He came and in our sunday school lesson we talked about agency and all the important decisions we make. we had to write down all the decisions down and which one was most important and I peek at his and it said to change his life. He also talked during the lesson which was huge. He said he was thinking about changing his life when I showed up. The Lord does answer our prayers and I know this work is in God's hands. We are his ministering angels to a people in a strange land, and yet the Lord has been mindful of us.
Lots of love, smile and enjoy the weather.
Elder Townsend




I have some saddening news. My dear little friend of the past six weeks, Elder VanDenBerghe is being moved over to Taibei so that means... I have a new companion!
You will have to wait to next week to know his name. I am not quite sure how to spell it or say so I figure next week (after being with him for a week will be easier to have his name down)
Here is the Rundown of Last week...
Food.
We had a couple of different cooked rices... I don't know what they are in Chinese so I don't how you in English, but they weren't too bad. Also we had these fried eggs and inside they had some weird little things in it. I decided I would hurry and eat so I could get it off of my plate. Bad mistake. The member gave me more of it.
Other.
On preparation day we made mexican food! Not too shabby. This week we also had stake conference. It was good, we had a less active come, Larry du! He is hilarious. He was a little restless during the meeting which was hard, but it was ok! Also sunday as we were contacting we bumped into some croaking friends. Couldn't resist snapping a picture with the monster. Also on Sunday we had some crazy member from another ward follow us. She kept trying to tell me that I couldn't talk to the people on the street because they were lamanites and that they would corrupt me. I could only speak to members because they were nephites. Also she asked me how long it takes to the train station and I said around 15 to 20 minutes. (I don't know exact we always contact to there so it takes 30 or so minutes) She said this was lamanite language and that the nephites say exactly how long it takes because the Holy Ghost tells them exactly how long it takes. She also went off on some other crazy lectures and I just kept praying. There is my testimony of the week. I was getting really mad and it was bugging everyone there, but I remembered to breathe and say a prayer. I just prayed for the patience and calmness to come down. It did. I still thought she was out of her mind (which she is), but I could now handle the situation.
People.
This week we meet with xiao ma! (Its his nickname and it means little horse, pony). Xiao ma is classified as a social type. We had invited a peike to help us out and xiao ma would as for example and more explaination on everything. If we didn't have a peike, I don't know if we would have survived. He is a great guy and we with the spirit have some work to do. Starting to pray for some humbling experiences, just to help him to rely on the Lord. I really like him, he is young, 21, and wants to know everything. We will take it nice and easy and he will make his baptismal date! So last week pan dixiong, was really good. We saw him a lot last week and he said that the he loves praying morning, night and all throughout the day. He shares with us the experiences he has had. Unfortunately bro. pan might have a while before he gets baptized and that's if he can get baptized. Bro. Pan back in the day killed someone. I don't know why but there are a lot of killers. I still love him and love how the gospel is changing his life, but its hard when you have that heavy of burden we have to deal with.
Anyways lots of love!
Elder Townsend




Buster and his creatures...just as long as they don't come home with him...

Saturday, October 15, 2011

This isn't monkey business unless it is language study...(where does Buster get these titles from???)


Hello!
Hope everyone is doing well! Thank you for the recent letters and packages! It makes me feel all good warm and fuzzy inside to think that someone loves me! Taiwan is great and I'll give you the quick break down of this last week's time in the service.
Food
Ate the curry egg rice. Translation is a little rough, but basically what it is a scoop of rice. Curry on top of it. A giant egg, within the egg has lamb or beef, chicken, or pork. Its really good. The man who opens the place is named Richard and he is from Singapore. (I think)
 
Other News
This week was Elder VanDenBerghe's Birthday so I made him a dinosaur, moose, and rattle snake pancake. I am pretty sure he was impressed with my pancake pouring skill.
Also this week for our lunch language study we went to the zoo which was about .30 cents in America. (Isn't that sweet?!) Saw lots of animals and learned a lot of them in chinese. Except the names aren't the basic ones, they are more specific correct names which is still ok. Finally this weekend we had conference! It was fantastic, I loved it so much. Again it was like Christmas, long anticipated, made me feel all good, and was gone before I knew it. Its ok though there was still a lot that I learned and a lot I didn't catch onto so these next sixths monthes will be spent studying their teachings and more importantly applying them here in my life and the lives of our brother and sisters here in Taiwan. The biggest thing that I pulled out of Conference is that we have a living loving Heavenly Father that is willing to help us with anything. He is always there. As I watched conference and listen to our prophet share his testimony of our Father in Heaven I could feel His presence draw ever nearer. After watching and praying in gratitude for Conference, it was easy to bare testimony of His love for his Children and I could feel the truth of His Reality linger upon those words. I know God lives. He loves you and He loves me. I know we have a Prophet called of God who is leading us today. His counselors, the apostles, and the other general authority and general auxiliary leaders messages are from Heaven. They shared what we needed to hear.
 
People.
Daniel Huang is struggling in the Gospel. He is right there, but we can't force any one to come unto God. He just needs to recognize his Heavenly Father's hand and Jesus Christ's ultimate sacrifice and how they are in his everyday life, if he lets them.
Well I found two brothers on Sunday and they were great. The older brother was excited about baptism and the only concern he had was that his clothes would get ruined when he went into the water. I don't know why so many people have this concern. ha I just tell them we have clothes they can wear. Oh I met them playing basketball sat down and talked to them. Besides basketball they also like break dancing. I think its pretty cool and they are pretty funny.
 
Well I am running out of time but thanks, know that I love all of you and have a great week!
Elder Townsend




Friday, October 7, 2011

Hello!


Here is the weekly email as follows.
Food.
We have had a new discovery. It is called tian bu la. I am not sure exactly what it is, but I love it! Probably get sick of it in a couple of weeks, but it is currently a favorite. Also we have youzi. I forgot what it is called in English. Elder VanDenBerghe is a freak over them. He always is eating them. Its kind of like a giant grapefruit. Its pretty good.
Other News.
This Saturday we had the youth from the ward come out and be missionaries with us! It was great. They came over to the church early in the morning. We had little studies with them. Then we went out and preached! It was great we went knocking on doors and we got let into one and we shared with this older man. We also went contacting at the parks by the trainstation and we had them Dan Jones! Just start preaching the word! It was pretty fun. We also had this old grandpa with a guitar who was also really crazy grab a tract and start going wild preaching the word. It was a little awkward but the kids loved it so it was all good. We finished this little experience by going to zhu bei and having a nice little fireside. It was stressful but a great experience. I wish they had this in America.
People.
Well last week I came across this guy named ken shi (sure). He was really excited to be alive and really excited to hear to a foreigner. I told him a little about us and our free English. He said he had most interest in English, but he was curious about religion as he is looking for something in his life to have that place. He just seemed too good to be true. So I set him up right before English Class. He came and he was awesome. A bit hard to teach. He talks a lot and really fast. Just a great blessing that I could understand it. It is crazy how the Lord can bless and help out. Unfortunately since he talked so much, we were only able to share with how to prayer. He kept going off on so many tangents we couldn't share the message we prepared for him. That's ok, he'll be back and love the gospel.
Next we have Daniel Huang. Daniel is a really great guy and he is so close to baptism. The main thing with him is that he is afraid of that last step you can almost say. Hopefully with this coming weekend having General conference he can receive his answer so he will be ready for baptism the weekend after. Its hard to almost watch him because is so good, but at the same time there is something there that is keeping him from enjoying all the blessings.
He dixiong is good. He went two weeks without drinking coffee or tea! This week though he had a cup of coffee. I was mostly just impressed that he had gone that long without anything! It means he is starting to keep all of his commitments! He had been struggling with keeping commandments for a while but he is getting better! He is finally starting to have the change he has been looking for.
Well got to split,
Lots of love!
Elder Townsend