Well hello again from Taiwan!
So I guess first to address about your interest in our miracle scooter guy. Not good.... :( We called him Tuesday night to set up to meet with him and he told us that he feels its not something he needs right now in his life and that he really appreciated talking with us though. That's what he told me and then Elder Dailey talked with him and told him that he is studying for some big like law and government tests. Elder Dailey bore powerful testimony to him and told him that as important as the tests are, our message we are sharing is the most important and will impact and affect his life so much more than the tests could. We told him that we weren't even expecting to use up all of his time to meet only wishing to be able to meet for 30 minutes at a time. But sadly he just said that he feels its not what he needs right now and that he is busy with these tests.
So it sounds like you had a pretty busy week. Just getting thrown right into the fray. Sadly also this last week had one of my hardest days. Last Saturday I was just lacking confidence and feeling anxiety, nervousness, worrying over contacting and finding. I was finding it very difficult to even contact at all or talk. Even though I had an awful attitude and outlook, Elder Dailey at least helped to push us through and that I was at least trying some to contact. Contacting is one of my greatest weaknesses and that I am pleading with the Lord to help me turn it into a strength. I guess to be more specific its just talking with people really or going up to complete strangers and just talking with them is where I struggle. I am comfortable with teaching doctrinal points or bearing my testimony. It's just hard because my personality, character, and nature has never been one of going up to people and just talking with them. Like if people talk to me I will totally talk with them and everything. I never really have been one to initiate things though. So its really outside of who I am and my bubble of comfort. So I am really praying hard for Heavenly Father to help and what I can do each day to take one step at a time of turning this weakness into a strength.
I love teaching though. I love having a plan made for our investigator that has been pondered, prayed, and studied over to help them and to help their needs. I love being able to do that and to then teach them and share with them doctrinal points as well as bearing my testimony to them. Many times other missionaries have remarked at how powerful my testimony is and how sincere I am and really care for those we teach. It's helped me to feel good.
Some more uplifting things from the week though has been that our ward has really been good over the last couple weeks about attending church and being on time to church as well. Normally we have been maybe having like 55 or 60 people maybe. But the last couple weeks we have had about 80 people each time. It's been such a blessing and am so thankful for it. Especially since they also come on time at 9, which was something that really had been a struggle when we first got here.
On Thursday night we had a ward activity lined up to go find and teach less actives. Sadly only our Elders Quorum President showed up (which he is a way awesome guy and I just love him, he is married and has I believe 3 kids). But it was still good going around Feng Shan for the night with the EQP to find less actives. Sadly we didn't get any lessons with less actives, but we did find out some good information. One of the families we went to visit found out they had moved to Ping Dong and that she is a member as well as her 2 sons but the father isn't. We found out though that her younger son who is 17 had been in a scooter/car accident and is paralyzed now. We don't know how long ago this happened. But the EQP asked if she would like missionaries to come over to give a blessing for her son and she said yes. So we got in touch with the Ping Dong Elders and passed this along to them.
Another great thing was that we had Xu as well as Wayne come to church yesterday. Xu stayed for 2 hours and Wayne only for one hour. Wayne had promised his mom that he would be back at 10:30 (who by the way when we taught Wayne the night before at his family's restaurant we always teach him there (we had asked his mom if she could let Wayne come to church for an hour and she said yes) and it was already 10:10 but the last speaker was still going. So I got up with him because he needed to leave and went out into the foyer. I asked him what his thoughts were and he said that he can tell everyone has a very strong faith and belief in the church and in Christ. I told him that they all really do and that they all have done what he is doing right now, that is praying sincerely and with real intent as well as studying the scriptures. So I just recommitted and urged him again to read and pray with sincerity and real intent. We will be meeting with him on Saturday again. It's hard to meet with him during the week because he has school and many kids, including him, have bu xi ban which is essentially cram school. They go to this at night to pretty much get tutored more on what they are taught in school. It's a little silly though. But Wayne is really great. He is open to hearing our message and being taught. So he isn't straight up rejecting us. But he also doesn't just blindly accept. He really wants to know for himself. Right now he has a baptismal goal of September 28. It might need to be pushed back though.
We also were blessed with last night a referral from the San Ming ward. He is Christian and has believed in Christ over the last 2 years. But he is really interested and wants to learn. He came to FHE last night, that's where we met him for the first time. So we have good hopes for him as well.
I as well passed off my lesson 1 on the Restoration evaluation this past week and plan to pass off lesson 2 this week. It's also crazy to think that new missionaries come this week! Wah! Then I will have my first zone conference next week. Oh and also it is Elder Dailey's birthday tomorrow. So I have given him some presents as well as he got a small package from home with some east coast pastries. Needless to say, they were really good. I got him a little lego guy, a Ford F150 Hotwheels car (he likes trucks, which we don't see very often here, but I have seen a couple Fords and then the rare one being a Dodge Ram the other day. Really cool though was on our way to church we saw a guy washing a Porche 911 Turbo S, so a way expensive nice Porche. We didn't have time to stop and talk though :( ), and I got him a little lego set that is a coast guard truck with a little zodiac. Speaking of Legos make sure Dad gets the ultimate collector series Star Wars legos. I know there is a X-Wing that is coming out this year and I am sure there will be one next year. So yeah....get them.
I have a few pictures to send today as well but I will have more next week. We are going golfing today though! It will be way fun. Sorry Dad, I really miss golfing with you. But now I can say I have golfed in Taiwan (at least hitting at a driving range).
Another few things is that could you actually send some pictures that are from the time when I was home between MTC 1st time and MTC 2nd time. I would like some pictures printed off from those times. Also really people think that you are an older sister in the pictures. They say you look so young and look like sisters to me, Allaina, and Allisa. Then also really an idea for something to send for Christmas package is maybe a few CD's. Like I really want a CD that is music from Zelda. I doubt I will find one here though.
But so that is some of my week.
Love ya so much!!!!!!!
Elder Dayley
