12/18/16
This last week was awesome!! Our area (and our district) has really turned around in the last four weeks. This last week our whole district saw a ton of success and it was so stinking exciting. In our area, we hinged most of our week on one activity: the ward Christmas party. We invited everyone and their dog, and even worked with members to visit their neighbors, give them candy, and invite them to the activity. Honestly, the night before I was a little scared because in Taiwan 300 people might tell you they are coming to an activity 30 times each and you still might not get a single person there. The activity came round though, and to our excitement the majority came. We had a family of three come that we had ran into on the street several times, three investigators, the Zeng Family (also already investigators), and another family who was the neighbors of a member who had gone with us to give candy to their friends. Super cool!
This last week was awesome!! Our area (and our district) has really turned around in the last four weeks. This last week our whole district saw a ton of success and it was so stinking exciting. In our area, we hinged most of our week on one activity: the ward Christmas party. We invited everyone and their dog, and even worked with members to visit their neighbors, give them candy, and invite them to the activity. Honestly, the night before I was a little scared because in Taiwan 300 people might tell you they are coming to an activity 30 times each and you still might not get a single person there. The activity came round though, and to our excitement the majority came. We had a family of three come that we had ran into on the street several times, three investigators, the Zeng Family (also already investigators), and another family who was the neighbors of a member who had gone with us to give candy to their friends. Super cool!
Earlier in the week after district meeting, we got to go on exchanges with the Assistants in downtown Taipei by the temple. Lately they have just been going on exchanges with a few of the district leaders, and because we are nearby we got to go with them. Probably the best part was getting to drive from our area to the mission office. Usually we just ride the MRT (subway), so that was actually my first time driving in Taipei in a car and it was super exciting! It was also a really fun exchange because I got to go with Elder Reintjes, the only other Elder that had a visa delay in my MTC group. When we came to Taiwan, it was just us two missionaries on the plane, so we are pretty good friends. The funniest part of the exchange though, was when Sister Bao (a member from our ward who volunteers to help out in the mission office) pulled up the last photo of her son on his mission (he came home last Thursday) and Elder Reintjes points to someone in the picture and yells, "That's my old girlfriend! I kissed her!" Needless to say, Sister Bao printed off a giant copy for him, and teased him for the rest of the day.
As I was studying some talks this last week, I ran into a scripture that answered a question I've been asked a lot but never really been sure how to answer. The question goes something like this: "why do we have to drink water and eat bread when we partake of the sacrament? I know faith without works is dead, but is eating bread and drinking water really 'works'?" The answer I found is in Doctrine and Covenants 88:15, "And the spirit and the body are the soul of man." As I read this scripture, I guess it sort of sunk in that if we just sat in our seats and just thought about it, it's only half the picture. If we want to "bow down before him, and worship him with all [our] might, mind, and strength, and [our] whole soul" like it tells us to do in 2 Nephi 25:29, we have to use both our spirit and our body. Just something interesting to think about. Well, I love all you guys and hope you have a wonderful Christmas!!
ok, I'm sending some emails marked "OPEN ON CHRISTMAS DAY ONLY". As you might guess, DO NOT open them until Christmas!!! They will contain my letter and a picture of your presents.
turtle!
They forgot to finish this overpass...lots of graves on the way to the mountaintop.
biked for like 6 hours to get to the top of a mountain. Super exhausting. The view at the top was blocked by trees, but we climbed one to get an ok view. We biked all the way there and jogged the last half hour. After we got back to the bikes we realized Elder Heaton left his helmet back up at the top. So we turned around laughing and crying (from pain and laughter) and jogged all the way back up to get it
Jumping fish!
Assignment for Dad: what on earth is this caterpillar??
Yes, we zip-tied santa hats to our helmets
I found Mr. Bean with make-up on!!!!
I have been eating Honey Bunches of Oats in an American milk paradise for two weeks!!
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