Headed Out

7/27/15

Dear Family,

I think I'm all ready to go in the package department. Just excited to get out there! I get my flight plans and Chinese nametag this Friday. Only two weeks left!!! We looked at the temple on the church website on a little google map they had, and it was absolutely crazy that I am going to be there in only two weeks. So apparently there are some traditions I should tell you about once I get there. They have a duck brain and eyeball challenge for dinner, they make us run from the mission home to the Chang Kai Shek Memorial (~1/2 mile), make us hand out 5 Book of Mormon's the first day, and they make us quite literally stand on a box and teach people. Sounds super exciting huh? Apparently there are 7.1 million people in the Taipei Basin alone. Plenty of people to teach huh? Well, I found Elder Bezzant (Kelly Sharp's nephew)! He is pretty awesome. There are so many Chinese elders and sisters here now that it is hard to keep track of him or anyone else here. It's funny because we take up two huge tables in the middle of the MTC Cafeteria. Thanks for all of your awesome letters this week! I loved reading them! I will probably just buy a calling card here so I can call you in the airport. Elder Facer had to go to the dentist last week, so we left the compound!! In a car!! It was weird because I never realized how much we treat missionaries like celebrities in Utah. Everyone was so friendly and I talked to the people in the waiting room for forever! Hope everything is going well back at home! I love you all!!!

-Jordan

Brothers and Sisters,

Two weeks left till I leave Provo and actually get started sharing the Gospel with everyone I meet! I mean, I could share it here too but I don't think it would be as effective. So my companion Elder Facer was just released as District Leader yesterday and my other companion Elder Jensen was called to replace him. Either I need to step up my game or stop falling asleep in Sacrament Meeting... Just kidding. They are awesome and I am glad to have them as my companions. Language is coming alright. Although the other day an elder in my district was in a lesson and accidentally said, "You can know these things are true through the Power of the Pineapple." Shengling and fengli aren't very close to each other, but it still made for a funny story.

Cultural Observations:

-I have only gained 6 lbs here (ignoring the 30 lb swing from muscle to fat)

-There is a mysterious grate under construction in the middle of the sidewalk here that workers keep going into

-Chicken burgers are gross no matter how many times you put it on the menu

-The MTC (Missionary Training Center) choir is about 3 times bigger than the MTC (Mormon Tabernacle Choir) choir

-My shoes smell horrible

I hope you have come to know and love the MTC as you have read my bright opinions of it these past 7 weeks. It really is an awesome place though and it is so amazing that so many people are gathered here to worship there God and to prepare to preach His gospel to the ends of the earth. I do have to tell you one quick story. Most missionaries come home telling these awesome stories right? Well I already have one!!! So during dinner last night I got up to get a refill on my 2% milk, and Elder Darrington asked me to refill his Mountain Berry (Blue) Powerade. I agreed, seeing as it was an easy task and I was going there anyway. So I go to the first drink station, which has two nozzles for Powerade, but it only had Fruit Punch (Red) Powerade! So I walked to the next drink station, which had two Blue nozzles. I filled up my milk, placed his cup under the Blue nozzle, pressed the button, and water came out. It was out of syrup. Next nozzle was too. Well, I decided that I might as well continue my journey seeing as I was at the MTC and was trying to gain the Christlike attribute of Charity, right? So I went to the next drink station, and, only Red Powerade. Next drink station? It had Blue Powerade. I finally filled up his cup with fresh ice and brimming with the treasure of victory and started the trek back to quite literally the other end of the cafeteria, excited to relate my tale. I told him the valiant quest I had undertook, handed the drink to him, and he thanked me. Then, gesturing to a drink station about 20 feet away, "But I thought you were just going to go to that one." It had both milk and Blue Powerade. So what is the point of this story? I would like to take a quick look at the Two Great Commandments. First, 'Love the Lord thy God.' Second, 'Love thy neighbor as thyself.' Wait, it said neighbor. I think sometimes we forget just how easy that commandment is. God isn't asking us to serve that one person clear over there that has tons of problems and is really out of your way, he is saying that you should serve quite literally your neighbor. Right next to you. If you go help that one guy clear over there and skip thousands of people in the process, you've missed the point. Service is the most humbling way to express our love and gratitude towards and for our Savior Jesus Christ. May we all look a little bit closer to find someone to serve. I love you all!

-Elder Hawkes