Baptism, Conversion, and Church

2/19/17

 Such a lot of cool stuff this last week! The coolest was a baptism!! His name is 李俊毅 (literally translated: 'luggage handsome willpower'). He had already passed his baptismal interview when I moved into the area, but I got to teach him a few times and he is super cool! His girlfriend is a member in SongShan, and referred him to the missionaries a long time ago. He met with missionaries for a while but didn't have that much interest, so ended up coming to church for almost a year with his girlfriend without meeting with missionaries. Eventually the members in SongShan realized, "Hey wait, this guy isn't baptized yet!" and referred him to TuCheng where he met with missionaries, had a ton of interest, and got baptized! Super cool!!

    There was another awesome miracle I had on exchanges with Elder Bell from our zone. We found this awesome lady on the street and her 6-year-old daughter from mainland China that have been in Taiwan for a few years. She set up to come to church, and then she actually came! A member welcomed her and sat with her during sacrament meeting, then took her daughter to Primary, then came with her to the rest of  church, then introduced her to the Relief Society President, then went with her and several other Sisters in the ward to a Sister Linda K. Burton fireside in Taipei. It was so awesome! There was one point when the member asked, "Don't you missionaries have to sit by her?" and we just looked at each other and replied, "No! You just keep doing exactly what you're doing!" That is what missionaries like to see! Think about what you would like to get out of going to church, then ask yourself: "Am I providing that same opportunity for others that come to church?"

    Elder Facer and I stayed up pretty late last night talking about a pretty interesting topic. Throughout our missions we have sort of noticed that behaviors can't outdo our conversion. In other words, trying to focus on an endless list of extra little things to do to make you a better person just leaves a sort of empty an, to some extent, fake impression on others. I'm sure we all have felt that before: "Wow, that was a really nice thing they did for me, but I kind of wonder whether they actually meant it..." Not to say in any way that they aren't a great person, I would just suggest their behaviors outdo their conversion. First, feel that change of heart that comes from experiencing the atonement and other principles of the gospel. Then, change your behaviors to match your conversion. We have a lot to learn from others and the things they do, but I think it's important to change your heart first. Love you guys! Have a great week!

guy playing an er hu on top of the mountain. So cool!!

went on a big hike. The flowers were all blossoming and the forest was just alive. 

So beautiful! Toooooooo many pictures...

this is their first time eating string cheese. Oh the look on their faces is priceless. They just look like little monkeys so lost as to what this weird cheese thing you peel is. They were enamored for so long as they ate it!! I'm sure we look the same way to them when we pull a chunk of duck blood out of our hot pot....

 Elder Cooper and I on exchanges got sugar canes. You just bite off a huge chunk and chew on it for a minute or so, absorbing the sugar juice and then spitting out the bark onto the road. So weird. Really tasty.

"SWEETNESS BEAN BIBATION" Funny poster. 

Don't know what they were trying to get at....