Townsend 2 taiwan

Monday, March 26, 2012

Book of Mormon

This week was great being able to use the Book of Mormon and to work with the members here in Neihu! They are awesome! They are so willing to serve and just take care of us. I love all of them incredibly!
Well this week I got the opportunity to go on exchanges with the Elder Slawson's trainer Elder Davis! After hearing so much about him from Elder Slawson I was curious to see the man behind his words. He was a great guy. It was fun though he set a really good example of how to make investigators feel comfortable and welcomed. We worked pretty well together sharing scriptures and feeling and watching the spirit work on all of us. I would say the peikes did the best for that. For example, there was a sister accompanying our first lesson of the night and she did excellent. The kid we were teaching was really nervous, but she helped us relax the atmosphere by being relevant, simple, and bearing her testimony of the Book of Mormon. Our plan was to share the Book of Mormon. In the end from the questions and promptings we received had taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how it fit in his life. It was really cool. I love being able to see our new friend start to smile and drop his arms off his clenched backpack. It was pretty sweet.
 
Well we sat down again with li ming hong. Ha Funny guy. We taught him the Law of Chastity. It was really cool because in the Law of Chastity has a lot of blessings that I really haven't thought about. Confidence, love, trust, self-control, free from guilt and shame, and many more, but some of those things that are things his life need really badly. It was also really cool because he did the homework we gave him and he brought his questions from it. I would say this week he progressed more in the gospel than the whole time we have been here. Large part due to him reading the Book of Mormon. He still is like a little kid, but he has a good heart and he is good putting up with us. However, study he comes a little late to church and brings in a milk tea with him(against the word of wisdom. Don't worry I know most of the teas that are allowed and aren't allowed now, but still there is so many). He gets up during sacrament meeting to go the bathroom and I tell him to take his milk tea with him. He grabs it and gives it me and I tell him no go take it downstairs with him and he does. He comes up a bit later and sounding a little frantic says to me he hasn't drunk all of it yet. (he also has it stuffed in his coat) I tell to stick it in his backpack so he does. I have to admit at that time I was a little bit maybe say frustrated but not really just thinking what is he doing? Later on now its pretty funny thinking back how he felt really bad and him realizing that was breaking the word of wisdom.
 
We sat with one of English Students. Peter Wang. Really cool guy. He wants to be a pilot. Right now he is studying english preparatory to going to flight school in America. He has a really laid back life right now so intitially it was hard to figure out how we could apply the Gospel, but we started to talk and just asking simple follow up questions and being bold, we found out he is trying to figure something out with his girlfriend.  Well I am grateful for studies because they helped prepare us well for that. The Lord gave us the words and scriptures we needed to help him there. It opened up the rest of the lesson really well and was a great opportunity to teach him and he is willing to come and find an answer and experiment upon the words of Christ!
 
This week we also had a few members invite us over for dinner and it was fun. They are so loving and love to find opportunities to serve us. I feel a little bad because I feel like we should be serving them.


Well lots of love everyone and Jesus is our Christ!

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Hola!

大家好
Hello! (that says da jia hao) I just want to say the Book of Mormon works miracles in Christ! This week was really good and Elder Montalto and I worked miracles. Elder Montalto's background: from Las Vegas. On his 6th transfer. Great guy. Very friendly with everyone and the ward so it is great! OK now back to why this week was so great.
People.
So one of our investigators right now is Chen ba ba. What a character. He loves to talk, but he kind of has the right. Very accomplished man. I think last week I mentioned how he is the big man behind A1 sauce in the Asia area, well that is just some of the few accomplishments he has marked in his life. He believes in hard work, integrity, gratitude, and being an example. So this week we continue to share scriptures and the lessons with him. We'll apparently he likes to take out the missionaries he took us out to eat and oh boy, it was good and lot of food! However the best part was we got to meet his wife and his oldest son. His son is also very accomplished. He owns probably the most popular breakfast shop in all of the Neihu area. He says every morning he gets at least 500 people to come and eat. Pretty crazy. It was good because we got to share how the church places emphasis on the family and it really sparked chen ma's interest a bit. I think it is starting to wear off on her a little bit. We will continue to ask Chen ba to work on his wife to come meet with us as well. On sunday his daughter was pretty excited to talk to us. He said we were really happy and excited when we ate. ha
Next is Ryan (zhang liang jun). He is awesome he came to church this week! Better yet he loved it! Ha he has a Jesus wall paper on his cell phone too. Its awesome he loves Jesus! The ward also likes him too! He looks like a happy punk kid, but he is one of the most respectful people ever. He just has a big heart. Well this week we had a specialized training with President Grimley and we talked all about the Book of Mormon. So after we went and taught the Book of Mormon. It was good, that morning we didn't have any time to do preparation for him but because of our awesome weekly planning session we already knew what we needed to teach. The only thing we needed was scriptures. It was cool during that lesson the scriptures just came out and they bore powerful testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am pretty sure everyone came out of that lesson uplifted and excited about life. Ryan continues to strive and work towards baptism!
Li ming hong. Well he is our special brother. He is good guy, just a bit interesting. This week we went over the baptismal questions. We saw the areas where he lacked a testimony and how we could help him out. The big thing came down to was reading the scriptures. We found when he was progressing the most is when he was reading the scriptures. He is still struggling with the God being our Eternal Father and Jesus Christ as being the savior of the world. He will come around eventually. Continue to pray for him and encourage to read the Book of Mormon! I know he will get around to it.
Alright the Lord has blessed us and given us stress as well this week. For example. We are always pushing just short of our goals and then he helps us accomplish all of them. It is fantastic. However I guess the Lord is just saying keep pushing forward.
Finally as we were reading scriptures with one of our new investigators I watch as his facial expression changed and he became happier and more excited. He is such a great kid and I am glad I met his mom on the street and wanted him to learn about jesus!
I am out of time But I know the book of mormon is true and when we use the Lord will bless!
Loves!
Elder Townsend!

Monday, March 12, 2012

Kaui bu kaui le?

Hello!
Well I have to say these last two weeks have been some of the happiest weeks on my mission so far! The reason? I would have to say the Book Of Mormon. This month we are focusing on the Book of Mormon. It has been amazing how constantly studying the Book of Mormon and using it in my everyday life has brought blessings. Also sincere prayer has brought those blessings as well.
We have been trying to focus using the Book of Mormon everywhere in every situation. One thing I have been doing is writing questions down and then doing studies looking for those answers. Everytime I receive an answer to those questions and better yet I get to use those outside on the street. My personal goal is to use the Book of Mormon in every contact out on the streets. I love being able to open the book and read it with them together. One thing I have noticed is that it really helps me find those who are prepared to listen. I found this sweet lady on the street the other day. I started talking to her and found out a little background and next I should here some scriptures. Alma 26.37 (I think, last verse of that chapter) Talked, invited here to prepare for baptism, and resolved some concerns that she had. Of course we have to pass her onto the sisters to teach, but I was so excited she was willing to study the gospel.
The next big instance took place last night. We went and visit a former and also a member's dad. He just had surgery on his back. Chen ba is living the big life. I believe he is the owner or one of the big heads of the A1 sauce here in the Asia area. He is a really funny guy and a little nutty. He loves to talk. When we first walked in there is a giant painting of a woman's back only wearing underwear. It was so random, but he tried telling us how has these shades and the angles, etc gave it an artistic "view". I just chose not to look. ha Anyways we start opening up scriptures and share about Jesus Christ, His Atonement, His healing power and also what he invites us to do. It was all in the Book of Mormon. First shared 3 Nephi 9. 13-14? then shared Alma 7.11-15. He really liked 14 and 15. When we invited him to be baptized he was really willing. Also he set a date like it wasn't a problem. I felt like we could have set an earlier date, but because of his physical condition, I felt that the later date was more appropriate.
Those are some of the using Book of Mormon examples and the blessings that have come from it. Now the prayer part. I was getting pretty stressed because we had set these goals with the Lord's help and yet we were lacking. I remember Sunday night, we said a companionship prayer out on the street. The peace and strength that came from that prayer was restoring and gave us the hope and faith to move forward and find. Simply put the Lord answered our prayers for the night. We found the people we needed and they were willing to follow Jesus Christ by being baptized.
Well I know the Book of Mormon is true. Anyone can read it, ponder its message, and then go ask God through a sincere prayer if it is true. God will give an answer. Don't have to trust my words or another person. Just have to do go do it yourself. Don't let and you can't let someone else do it for yourself and my only invite is to act off of the answer you receive.
Love
Elder Townsend




Monday, March 5, 2012

Neihu The city of lakes

Hello!
Scratch the metal jungle comment, Neihu is one of the most beautiful places ever! We have lakes and just gorgeous scenery (with the mountains and everything) It reminds a little bit of taidong. The houses are really amazing as well. My new companion, Elder Montalto and I are stoked to get up and go to work! Elder Montalto was with Elder VanDenBerghe before so he had heard some stuff about me. Its good because I think it helped him prepare for me a little bit. I can be a little crazy :)
 
This week the Lord opened up the windows of heaven and blessed us greatly. First off, I thought that we wouldn't have any investigators as we got here. Wrong. The sisters handed over two awesome friends (well one of them is like a little kid) which was a great start/foundation. Definitely will take a bit of work to help them where they need to get to be baptized. One of them is li ming hong. He is like a little kid. Its pretty funny he thinks that we don't understand any chinese or something so he tries to say it in English and his tendencies are very interesting. The sisters said that this has been a problem that keeps the lessons from going smoothly. Fortunately the Lord has consecrated my efforts to learn chinese. I asked him what his chinese name was and he wrote it up on the board. I read it outloud and he was astounished. He was surprised I could read chinese characters and ever since then he has spoken chinese to me. Ha the only problem is that now he mumbles his chinese so I have to really work on listening. The other Friend is Ryan (Zhang liang jun). He is just a good good man. He just makes me excited to talk to him. He definitely has some trials in his life and will have to overcome some bigger trials to really get baptized, but I know Heavenly Father will prepare a way for him. We got his address and I wrote him a note saying hi and giving some scripture for him to read. I called him to see if he got it and he said he didn't see it but was going to go down and grab it. He sounded like a little kid who was having christmas!
 
Next the miracles of this week. Simple the Lord put people where we needed to find them or they came and found us. Elder Montalto and I were walking down the street when a ticket trafficker woman pulled up beside us and said she had a friend who wanted to be christian. I called him and he was good, the only problem was that he mostly spoke taiwanese. His mandarine wasn't that good. Luckily was we met the ward at church there were a few who where really excited to use their taiwanese to help with work!
One of the littlest but coolest ones for me was being led by the spirit. We didn't have enough time to get to our planned place and back to our appointment on time. So we said a little prayer and started riding. Not quite sure as to where we needed to go we went forth. As we hit a stoplight just felt like turning. Kept going up the road there really wasn't anyone on the street but kept going forth in this neighborhood. As we were going along we saw a lady standing in a cubby of the building. Started to talk and she said she always saw our church but has never been into it so she was curious. I set up a time and that was it. But the miraculous thing was it wasn't a huge thing, but simple going along not worry and trusting the Lord would do his part.
Also this week as I found a little serving (piling boxes) I got a referral out of it and within a few minutes ran into a russian woman who had heard things about our church. None which are good but she was willing to learn more and find a time to come to our church. It was really a cool thing. Elder Nelson (one of the traveling assistants) didn't quite believe what just happened. It was really cool.
Well another miracle was during the last hour of church some man walked in. We went out and talked to him. He said he is looking for a church and he is deciding whether or not he wants to become Christian. He wanted to know our differences with other churches, etc, and why he should join ours. Well I feel I know those questions pretty well and next week when we meet with him those questions will all be answered. :)
Last but not the least the ward here is amazing. They haven't had elders for a while so when we showed they were so happy. One of the members gave me a big hug as he walked in. Also they want to help out with missionary work. Its fantastic!
The pictures is what I walked into our first day here in our apartment. Yes, maggots, flies, nasty. The storm is being weathered and there is sunshine emerging from the mess. Well I get some good pictures to send next week!
Love
Elder Townsend
 
PS. Isaiah 58 and alma 17-22 have been instrumental this week in the work!