Townsend 2 taiwan

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Na Ai ho November 4th


Na Ai ho.
 
That's a little amis. Zhang mama has been so gracious to take it upon herself to teach me amis and feeding us snails. Aren't I a blessed young man?
 
Food
 
As I just mentioned Zhang mama cooked up some sea slugs for us. I have to admit they were awesome. Zhang mama has got me hooked. Her food is awesome. Also The Hou family had us over for dinner. They are amazing. I love this family so much. Well what they had us make were these little seaweed wraps. They were really good and fun.
 
People
 
This last week we put for a lot of effort to find and teach. We probably taught more families than we ever have before. I know the Lord wants us to teach families, but He also has reminded us of the individual member is so precious. This week we found Brother Yang. Planning, prayer, and opening our mouthes put us in his path. We were going to Ning Bo street. I saw this young man talking on the phone, thought about talking to him but he seemed a little engaged in a phone call, right after I passed by he hung and Elder Seneca stopped. We started to sharing the Gospel and shared a prayer with him. He felt the spirit so strongly and wanted it. His soul hungered for it. We invited him to pray and he said that he could express gratitude and his prayer was amazing. Everytime we have meet we have a spiritual lesson and he wants it. His previous background from when he was younger was leading down a dark and dangerous path, getting involved gangs, and dealings with it, but decided to leave and now he wants to help protect people as military man. He still has a way to go, but I know the Lord is watching over him. 
Another great miracle was that we set a solid baptismal date with the You family. Elder Seneca and I were so thrilled! Bro. You was funny he said he could get baptized this weekend but his wife might need some time which is ok. It was almost as if he wanted to get baptized first. He has had a complete change. Still has some of his old little Bro You quirks (Random english moments) but now he wants the Gospel in his life and to change. In church I asked the members if there would be any volunteers who would read the scriptures to Bro. You (Because of his eyesight is almost gone) and our Elder's Quorum president volunteered. I am excited! Also an other Brother from the Branch told us he had the Chinese Book of Mormon on tape so we will also try that as well! So grateful for an amazing Branch who is willing to support this family.
 
Spiritual Message
Lately I have been studying the Atonement of Christ and answering the question "why do I need Jesus Christ?" I am enjoying the answers I am finding. One of is Mosiah 5.8 We are made free. Christ paid the debt so we can be free from sin, the feelings of sin, fear, doubt, and loneliness. God blesses us spiritually. Those are the greatest blessings he gives. Of course we can still receive other blessings but they are all for spiritual blesses. If we maintain good health and are blessed with more, how much easier is it to have the spirit communicate messages from our father in heaven?
 
love
ELdre Townsend




A couple more pictures


Elder Seneca with dragon eyes! Long yan a fruit and the other is a bao zi some of our favorite things

Hello! Oct. 28th


Hello!
Well this week I believe we saw some pretty special miracles. The first is when I was on exchanges with Elder Nelson. Neither of us can sing as angels from on high, but as we were contacting this lady we felt impressed to sing, "I am a Child of God". It brought the spirit, gave a direction, soften the heart of this person, and she actually started singing with us. It was pretty touching to watch the spirit work through that pure simple truth.
The next one would have to be is that as we were going about doing good someone let us work on their farm! It was great, even though they aren't new investigators, that act of service, let us have the spirit so that we were guided to the prepared soul. We planted lettuce and the lady we were helping asked how we planted so fast. She was impressed by our skills and I just replied its from working on my grandma's garden when I was little. She loved it.
This week we had family home evening with the You family. We shared a nice little message about Heavenly Father. We also shared a new game with them. UNO. They are addicted. The kids love it. They even brought it to church on Sunday. Its really funny even though kids can only talk about playing UNO now, I think that sister You is addicted. Watching her play was funny. She started getting pretty intense into it.
This week Elder Slawson and I went to a remote part of my area called ruiyuan. We a little past is a place called ruihe. The train only stops there maybe 3 times a day. Well we went up and we met with a member who took us around to go spread the good word. We saw lots of people and they were all so great. We met one man who's name is fuxing which is the same fuxing for restoration (Restoration of the gospel) Coincidence? Maybe but we wants to learn the message of the Book of Mormon. So hopefully we can get back up there to share with him.
 
Well love all of you lots!
ELder Townsend


Hello! October 21st







Hello everyone. a ni ho
Well this week had its sweet mixture of disappointment and joy at the same time.
However the Lord the Lord is always better to us than we realize. I just need to get over my self pity. The Lord wants us to focus on different areas of the work. Last week we had prepared Nian Cong ming to get baptized, he was doing good. He was good on all the questions and could share his simple yet firm testimony of the truth he had grown within his heart. We tried to find out if he had any last concerns or things that we could help him out with and he said no. He said that he was ready for baptism. So we set up an interview. Well Bro. Nian never showed up. We went over to his house and he was sitting outside on his little bench having a nice little afternoon. We asked him why didn't he didn't come. Apparently he is daoist now. So we sat down and talked to him. A friend had given him yi guan dao stuff and his sister wasn't supportive of him getting baptized. We went over and let him talk and ask questions. He then asked him a few questions and let him share. He told us he doesn't believe in any of the daoist stuff, just its the culture and he doesn't want to let go of his culture. He is afraid of what it might do to his ancestors. We started asking about the book of mormon, jesus christ, heavenly father and so on and he shared how they are true and how they have brought peace to him and has felt of the truthfulness. We will still work and see how we can help Bro. Nian but in the long run its his decision and we have to respect that.
This week we have been trying to share all the lessons with an investigator so he can get baptized next week. As we were sharing with him it wasn't feeling quite right so we continued to share with him. As we sat down on sunday we decided to postpone his baptism a week. At that point it felt right and we were able to have a nice flow of the spirit as we continued to share with him. It was funny during the lesson we shared tithing and why we have it. Well during on the parts, he raised his hands up over his head, looked up and said hallelujah! Amen. And my reply is yes bro liu, yes, Hallelujah amen. During the lesson we also focused him relating the sacrament with the atonement. It was really powerful. He was really touched we also showed him pictures in Gethsemene and on the cross in the Gospel art book. He was really touched and a acted as if he was stroking the picture and oh lord, Jesus in a tender voice. This man really does love Jesus. I told him we would get an artbook for him. It made him really happy.
One of the big happy things was the You family! (say it like a rapper "yo" what's up, fool). So this last week we invited them for baptism. They still haven't accepted however, they came to English class which sparked interest in his wife at what happens at church, and the second taught their little boy how to pray. He now prays everyday and gets the whole family to pray together. Well on Saturday we went over to do drop off some study material for the sunday lesson and we ran into their boy. he was going to go buy eggs so he asked if we could go with him. So we went and helped him buy eggs. Well apparently that little small act of service really touched Bro. You. That night they came attend the baptismal service and yesterday on sunday they came to church as whole family. What a giant blessing. Now tonight we are going to go have FHE. Let's see how it goes!
Well the pictures are from when Zhang mama taking us for fun. She took us to the beach and gave us fruit. She is so funny. Right now she wants to teach me amei. (her aboriginal language)
Well lots of Love, lots of work to do!
Elder Townsend