Early Christmas and Elder Dixon

12/20/16

Hello everyone! I am super pumped about Christmas, even if it kinda just feels like St. Patrick's Day here. I mean, there isn't anything wrong with a holiday where you where green, pinch each other, and steal each others gold.... but I would rather enjoy a nice relaxing holiday where you can just enjoy being with family and remember the Savior. This Christmas definitely is not that. I got roped into a Christmas choir by my last companion Elder Boyce. We have performed around ten times already and have about five more to go. Not only that, for some inexplicable reason I have become the accompanist for three or four other things during our Christmas mission conference tomorrow (I think Ian had something to do with that). None of which I have had time to practice for. In addition, I am finally done with training. Now, I have to lead the area while my new companion gets to know it, which, as other missionaries can attest, is a big job. By the way, my new companion is Elder Dixon from Kaysville! He is totally awesome! Well, on top of all that, I am halfway around the world from my family and I have to work on Christmas day because we are celebrating it as a mission three days early.

In all seriousness, it has been an amazing lead up to Christmas, and I couldn't be more excited. In church yesterday, a teacher asked if we thought right now we were prepared to meet Christ. I thought to myself, "actually, sure!" Not only would that be totally exciting, but what better time to meet Christ than when I am dedicating literally everything I have and everything I am to bring lost sheep to His fold? Even though this Christmas will be my first away from home, I have felt them closer than ever in the beautiful package they sent me. Even though I have to play the piano for a lot of things I don't want to, I get to express my testimony and do the thing I love several times a week. Even though I am busier than ever, I am in the service of my fellow brothers and sisters and therefore in the service of my God. Is this not the true meaning of Christmas? I have nothing a traditional Christmas would dictate, and yet I feel that this Christmas will be the best one yet. May we all read those extremely cheesy but touching stories about the true meaning of Christmas, reach out in love to those around us, and especially remember the birth and life of our Savior Jesus Christ this special season. Merry Christmas!

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Family: 

Thanks! We will do it at that time then! I'm so excited!!! I hope you've all had at least somewhat a relaxing Christmas season. Don't worry about me, I'm doing awesome! Yes there is the disappointments and yes there is the hard times, but I just love it all too much to give up or get depressed. It is sad all those Sisters are going home. Maybe I'm sexist and all that, but I think Sisters have a lot harder time with missions. Getting rejected over and over again, day in and day out, can be pretty taxing on emotionally centered individuals, which just so happen to be Sisters. Not that it is a bad thing, I think Sisters just have to be more careful about coming out before they realize what they are getting themselves into. I get rejected allllll the time, but I just laugh and say, "I'm just becoming more like my Savior." I love that quote. It is something an Elder in my district told me while we were on exchanges. It really is true. When we experience setbacks, disappointments, and pain, we just have an opportunity to see a bigger picture of what the Savior went through for each one of us. Pretty cool perspective. Dad, you might be proud to know that the Beitou missionaries (consisting of the Elders and Sisters in the Beitou ward) will be performing "The Twelve Days of Jie Kou" tomorrow. Jie Kou = excuses. It is pretty hilarious if I do say so myself. I will have to perform it for you over Skype. I have been absolutely loving the Twelve Days of Christmas package you sent me!!! (although it was way too expensive, next time don't even send it). Sending things from Taiwan turned out to be super cheap, so I might actually send birthday stuff if I can find the time. Not much has happened this week because of all the choir performances, but we did perform in Beitou, so I will totally try to get a copy of the recording they made and send it to you. It is absolutely hilarious. We performed, and then they did a ward nativity and talent show. Hil-ar-i-ous. Oh, and McDonalds finally started playing Christmas music and decorated! That is what I am talking about. Elder Dixon, my new companion, has been on the island for about a year now. He is super funny. He is pretty wacko and very 開心 (happy and bubbly). Wow. Chinese is super hard but just the funniest and best thing in the world. The word for faucet is shui long tou, or 'water-dragon-head'. Awesome. Well, that is pretty much it. I love you!!!!

I got a turn. If you heard a noise from the depths of Hades last night, you 

know where it came from

yes that is my companion playing the (Er Hu?) or turn. The tree you sent is on the left and the wreath is hanging in the on the wall. 

all the stuff that was given to us by members this last Sunday for Christmas, and Elder Dixon is doing dishes in the background (I cooked).

classic dinner in taiwan: rou yuan (meat sticky rice balls in gravyish?), zhua bing (Taiwanese pancake or green onion pie), hong dou bing (red bean cake, although I hate beans so this is butter and chocolate flavored), and I forget what the fourth one was. So yummy!

me and Elder Dixon in the background, opening my package!! My guitar that was found in the trash is leaning against the wall on the side.

"Understanding Wild Asses" 

We went to the zoo to celebrate my last day with my trainer. For some reason they have an obsession with the digestive process. Made for a few laughs though... 

"Zoo Poo Poo" and "PoOwer"

New to Beitou

12/13/15

Yep, our shower stopped putting out heat a few days ago and started putting out ice cubes. Seriously. Like, it's a perfect 70 degrees outside, we live in a city famous for it's natural hot springs, and the water coming out of the tap is THAT cold??

Cultural Experiences:

-most popular hymn in Taiwan: "Truth Reflects Upon Our Senses".

-you have to ziptie boards to your car tires so the armies of wild dogs don't come and pee on your car. Once one dog uses your car tire as a restroom, and you're done for

-McDonalds, KFC, and a host of other restaurants do home delivery on little motorscooters

-Taiwanese hate putting their purses, backpacks, or shoulder bags on the floor in restaurants, so most of the time a little stool or another chair is provided

Shorter email today because we are going to the Taipei zoo (which only costs US $2 to get in to!). Yesterday was a pretty big day for us. It was stake conference, and a Elder Funk of the Seventy was there because they split the Taipei East Stake into two stakes, creating the 15th stake in Taiwan! Beitou, where I am serving, is now part of the Taipei North Stake! Two whole floors of the huge chapel by the mission office were completely filled and it was so cool to see. There weren't the overwhelming numbers of members you would see at General Conference in Salt Lake City, but it truly was a testament to the fact that the church in Taiwan really is growing. What a sight to see: rows upon rows of Taiwanese that have been blessed by the knowledge of the Gospel!

Transfers are this Thursday, but I will probably stay in Beitou. I will let you all know next week. I love you all and I hope you are all enjoying the Christmas season!

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Family: 

Transfers and new companion will be news for next week, and unfortunately we were unsuccessful in getting the Christmas present early, so it looks like the Grinch really did steal Christmas... well, at least until Christmas... Oh wait! Until 3 days before Christmas when we are pretending to celebrate it.... Haha we certainly aren't rockstar missionaries, although I do think we are getting stuff done and just being unlucky. The mission goal is for every missionary companionship to get a baptism every month, although it isn't always that. Beitou really struggles, at least in the Elder's area. The Sisters have had quite a few baptisms lately. Keep working on the skype thing, I need to know how I can reach you guys before next Monday so I can get my end up and running. No worries about the computer time and letters, I just figured emailing typed letters would be more convenient and cheaper. Oh, so nobody in Taiwan cares about rats. I have seen a ton of them. Last night, we were having a lesson on the street, and as we were talking with this lady, I watched like three rats running around the sidewalk and road behind her and my companion. They were just casually scurrying around for like 20 minutes. What's worse is when I see them in the food market............. Don't worry! I eat safe! I love you guys!!!

-Elder Hawkes

Overpriced treat

DanShui Sunset 

exchanges with Elder Peterson from my MTC group (I didn't take this while riding....)

'praying' mantis grasshopper butterfly

Sarah, if you get into anime, there is a job in Asia waiting for you. Actually, this kinda seems more like something I would do, but I don't have the art skills. Luckily I don't know the price tag, a member bought this lunch for us.

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