Hello!

Hello!!!

The Lord loves these people here in Neihu. The Spirit is looming waiting over them waiting to enter there hearts and bring blessings of heaven down upon them.

We found many new exciting people and our current investigators are doing really well as well.

I would like to start talking about howard Weng yu. He his great. He met the missionaries 7 years ago and he hasn't gotten baptized. His little sister has though. As we were meeting with him the spirit was strong. Guiding the questions and opening his heart to speak freely. As he opened up and spoke the scriptures did as well. He shared with us how his father really opposes him getting baptized because he is the next male to pass along the family tradition. In the course of all this he shared how he wants to get baptized, how he knows the Book of Mormon is true because God has answered his prayer, and also how him and his dad relationship is horrible. I helped him apply faith and also I thought about the things I did with my own paps to build and keep our relationship through the years. Also other companions on the mission who I have encouraged to develop their relationship with their father. Elder Montalto and I promised and gave some heartfelt invites that will help him build faith and find a way to be baptized.

Next Li ming hong. He has always been our special one. He is great and we always continue to work with him. He has progressed more than ever. He is spending more and more time in the Book of Mormon. It is showing in his countanence. He is a bit more at peace. He might not notice but it was really evident this last week. 

President Grimley. Had our interviews with president for the last time. It was really sad. He has been amazing representative of christ here. He is the Lord's ordained. I'll miss him when he heads home. I gave him a hug at the end. 

The Lord really does answer prayers. We get a call from the mission office (Bu) and a phillipino sister had called asking if we could bring a book of mormon to her. We went found her and she shared with us her experience. She is endowed, has six kids back in the phillipines and has been in taiwan for three monthes. Her boss hates any form of church and won't let her go. The sister Nanet doesn't have any days off, she is suffering basically. She has been try to find a way to get in contact with the church, but to the point where she didn't have much success. Finally as she found someone who got her the church's number she called the bu, and the bu called us. As we gave her the Book of Mormon she was so happy she just started to cry and cry. Also we helped translate her address so she can start writing her family. She is so excited because she has a son already starting to plan to go on a mission as well. 

Last but not least. Last week I set this guy up and for some reason I forgot to get his phone number weird. I started to pray that the lord would soften his heart and he would remember our appointment a week later. The Lord answered. He showed up five minutes late but he showed up! We had pretty great lesson not the most amazing but a good lesson, he understands our purpose and is wanting to learn more as we never really has even thought of God before so now he wants to see what he is about. 

Lots of blessings and lots things but they are all so happy!

Lots of Love 

Elder Townsend

PS I think Elder Scott in his talk was talking about how important writing letters (hard copies) is in displaying love. Just a hint. 

Happy Easter

Happy Easter! Basically Easter didn't exist her in Taiwan. However, that does not change the fact that our Lord and Redeemer lives again this day. Even though people go by and by unexpecting of the Lord's ultimate sacrifice which He has performed for them and the beautiful gift of repentance and how Christ invites all of us as an expression of love to come unto him and enter the Good Shepherd's arms. I know Christ will stand at the Judgement Bar at our side with his arm around us as pleads with the father in our half. He understands better than I ever will all of my own unworthiness and mistakes but all he wants to do is plead for me to come back to him and be perfected in him. He lives.

That is my little Easter share. For Easter we had general conference because in Taiwan they broadcast a week later. It was fantastic. I learned lots and felt a load as well. If you didn't learn any thing or thought it was boring go back again, pray for the Lord to answer the questions you have in life.

Well this week we went to the zoo! I saw a living panda. He was pretty great. I think the greatest part was being able to spend time with other missionaries and be able to laugh and have a good time with them. Elder Peterson and I were a little bit I don't know how to say it well other than chinese but ren4zhen1 (translates serious but also has diligent, active meaning) where we were learning all the chinese names for the animals. We are set that knowing what a southern cassowary is is of great importance to our chinese vocabulary (nan2 fang1 shi2 huo3 ji1=south place food turkey) Its pretty great.

Anyways this week we meet some pretty great souls and watched a few as they progressed in the Gospel. For example Elder Montalto bumped into Bro. Wang. This man is craving and looking for the fulness of the gospel. He was sharing experiences with us how God has been preparing him in his life and how he hasn't found the satisfication of finding the truth in where ever he goes. He said he was willing to do all things that we invite him to do. He also feels that God still speaks to man and that there is more of God's word there. 

Also bro xiao. Is soo good. He is meeting new friends and put really immersing himself in the word of God. He is really good and he talked to me a little about the struggles at home. I know this message provide those things. Well again I am out of time but lots of love!
Elder Townsend 

Some things will never change...boys will be boys!

A few more pictures...

Yes...Buster is the goofball hanging off the stage

I added a member from Taiwan on Buster's facebook and lucky for me I got to see more pictures of my missionary!

Hello da jia!

Hello!

How is everyone out on the other side of the world? I don't know how people are like over there. I met a New Yorker (he was awesome and he is really a New Yorker from Queens) and was reminded that its a bit different over there. Everyone's a bit more conservative over here. They might be a bit more special in some other areas, but I love the Taiwanese brothers and sisters!

Lots happened this last week. Quick review of pictures, some of them are from danshui. It was beautiful and the ice cream wasn't too bad, really cheap and fun. The other is peng qi wen's baptism service. She didn't know a lot of the members so the sisters asked that I might perform the baptism. I was very grateful and humbled. She is a very unique person. Next week we general conference. (They first have to clean up all the translations)

This week I went on exchanges with Elder Peterson. He is the champion. Harvard Student and one of my homies on the mission. We had some of the greatest times together. We just spent the time finding and doing more finding. We met lots of people and had many great experiences. The first one I want to talk about it is when we met Mr. Guo. I saw him on the street and started talking to him. He had some paralysis on his left side and come to find out it was due to an accident 10 years before. For some reason I felt like talking to him about his family. Find out he has a son, but he hasn't seen him in 10 years and doesn't want too. More than that he hates his whole entire family. He hates Taiwan in general. He tells me how his father is addicted gambler and how ten years ago when he got in a car wreck and was living in the hospital, his father and mother sold his (Mr. Guo) house, his car, all of his possessions and used to go gamble. IT was was pretty heart aching to hear this. What also hurt was when he said he used to be christian but in his most trialing time and till this day that Lord has never answered, heard or helped him. He felt abandoned. So now he believes his only friend is money, its a object and won't attack him and hurt him like family. Elder Peterson and I were hurting pretty bad inside and we both open up to the same scripture in 2 Ne 2.2. We told him we cared and trying to fight back tears at the same time. I am praying when we goes to meet the missionaries in his area that they can express the love that he needs so desparately. 

On a lighter not that same day we ran into a russian woman and we were trying to share the gospel with her. I think due to a little language barrier and the noisiness of the street I was telling her we all have weaknesses in life and make mistakes (And was going to say how the savior can help us overcome them and improve, repent and find happiness) when she interupted me and said that I didn't have any weaknesses. I was a little caught off and she followed that by saying that I looked pretty good to her! So I learned right there why I wasn't sent to Russia. 

The Lord really has provided so many miracles this last week and I unfortunately am out of time, but last I just want to say the Lord remembers all his children and he sents us out to find every single one of them despite where they are. 

ELder TOwnsend