Dear one and all. da jia hao!
Get the business part out first. If you want to contact me you can either write me letters or send packages (send those to the mission home and they will forward them to me) or you can send me emails. The only problem with emails is that I can only write family back. I will have to write you a letter and that will take some time to send to you. Next, I did receive my carryon bag, sorry if I didn't make that clear. And last but not least prep day is on Monday for me, but remember I am 14 hours ahead. Now- to the fun stuff.
I totally forgot to talk about my Dan Jone's night! So the first official day in Taiwan we had to go out proselyting that night. We received a "babysitter". We had a lesson so we had to book it. On the way we talked to a lot of people and saw many miracles. We hopped on the train and took it. (The MRT)
When we got off we had to ride bikes. Scariest day of my life. First off the bike was for an Elder that was over six feet, next, it has been a while since I rode a bike, it was night, and I was in Taiwan, Taipei. Craziest city ever. The drivers are nuts! I was praying so hard not to die to continue my mission. We almost got hit a couple of times.
Well we got off and started talking to this older man. He knew some English and he invited us to his gongzuo (work). We started talking and he was a really neat man, he gave us his son's info and said his son really needed our message. After we got to the church and taught.
So last Sunday I ate at a member's house. The zhang jia ting (family). They are the best one son is a member (he's around 40 or so) and his wife and son and the member's mother. Zhang ma. So we started and her native tongue is an Aboriginal language. I didn't know that. So she starts praying and I am so confused because I can't understand a word. All of a sudden it started sounding like a tribal chant and she began to get louder and louder. She was almost yelling at one part, calmed downed and ended the prayer. I was trying so hard not to laugh, so funny. Her second language is Taiyu (Taiwanese) and she knows very little Guoyu national language.
The dinner was great, they had chicken feet, but I decided to pass on those this time. Still getting used to it.
Teaching quite a few people, it’s cool. One of our investigators’s (I like friend's better) quit smoking and is getting ready to accept baptism next week!
Also we had our first baptism on Saturday!!! Wu mao rui, he is in the military and the coolest guy you'll meet. Has a cool conversion story. I had the opportunity to baptize him. I was more excited for him to get the gift of the Holy Ghost, You can really see the light on people as they change and accept the gospel.
This week I got in a gnarly bike wreck. We were on exchanges since my companion is district leader. It was night and we were flying. We started going down this hill and I thought I could just keep going fast since we were going to go straight. Nope, Elder Peng decided to slow down and hit the brakes pretty hard, I didn't notice till I was pretty close on his tail. I hit the brakes and went flying over the front of my handle bars. All good, no major injuries just sore and cut up hands, and my pants have a good ding in them.
I also ate at McDonald’s this week! It was weird it was practically the same as the one back home but less options and for Taiwanese money expensive. We ate with one of our friends, he wants to be baptized but his parents won't let him because it will offend their gods they believe. Anyways we are praying lots for him and his family.
Also, in Taidong we do tons of street contacting. It’s a little nerve racking trying to talk to people in Chinese while your companion is talking to another. We have found some really cool people and hope we can meet with them and teach them and for them to feel the Holy Spirit and learn of Jesus Christ and His love for them. And hopefully bring their soul unto him.
Spiritual thought is just that missionary work is more than just teaching, baptism, and a number. It’s about their soul and that this is the most singly important decision of their life. That they need to know God loves them and that He has a plan for them to be successful. In the Doctrine and Covenants it says the worth of souls in great in the sight of God. Everyone is special to God.
Love, Elder Townsend
No comments:
Post a Comment