Temples and Phubbers

10/25/15

Another week on the island of Formosa come and gone! This last week, I got to go to the temple. I have to say, it was the funniest temple experience I have ever had but also one with very deep spiritual meaning. All the temple workers are Chinese (for obvious reasons), but they choose ones that can.... speak?.... English to work at the temple on days that missionaries come for poor Elders like me that have no idea what is being said in Chinese. Pigeon English is officially my favorite language. It is hilarious. And everyone once in a while, they would give up and just switch into Chinese and I would pretend I knew what they were saying. At the same time, it really sunk deep when I did the endowment for a man named Miao Ji Hua. That name just sunk in. This Gospel really is for everyone, and that man that lived around 200 years ago in China could have been waiting for not only people to do the ordinance for him, but also for someone to find his name and even for the Gospel to be preached in Taiwan so someone would be able to find his name. How incredible that I get to participate in two of those parts.

This is the best work in the world. The food is amazing, racing through the streets on my bike is fantastic, the people are superb, I see miracles every day, I don't have to worry about school or anything, it's awesome!!! Language? Well, yes, it's uh... coming is a good word for it, yes. Coming along. It's hard not to be able to just speak--to just let out words. Every day, however, I learn a bit more and more and am able to understand more and more.

People in Taiwan are super blunt. Yesterday the recent convert we were meeting with straight up told me I was looking fat right after we sat down. I got a pretty good laugh at that (as long as I can bike up the huge stupid hill to get to your house I'll be fine!!!). I've heard the Chinese food actually plumps up the cheeks a bit, but I didn't know it was THAT noticeable.

Weird Burgers I Have Eaten Lately:

-Octopus shaving, cabbage, mayo, shrimp burger with rice paddies

-PBB Burger (and yes that stands for peanut butter and banana)

Also, a tip from Taipei city: "Don't be a phubber." For this we have to look at the literal Chinese to English translation: "Don't be a phone-rubber." Still doesn't make sense? Under the inscription is a cracked phone with red spots and a stick-figure walking. Apparently, it's a very gruesome campaign to end looking at your phone while crossing the street. I dunno, don't ask me.

Yesterday, we had a young man call us. He had been on our radar for a while because he didn't want to meet with missionaries until he had finished the Book of Mormon (what??). He finished!!!! He has already been to church and everything, and I am so excited to meet with him! Yesterday we were meeting with a recent convert, and I felt impressed to say "At the end of it all, we are just ordinary beings with an incredible calling." Must've been inspired to say it because up until then I really hadn't thought about it that way, but it's true--missionaries are ordinary people. Nevertheless, God has given us an enormous calling to come to this earth and to learn and to grow: to become perfect through his perfect plan. How grateful I am for that trust in me to do his work in Beitou. I love you all so much and I hope you all have an incredible week! 

-- Elder Hawkes

P.S. I just learned that Suzie--one of our investigators in Modesto, CA--was baptized last week! So excited for her