Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Sep 30, 2013 - letter to Dad

Hey Dad!

So yeah kind of crazy that already 2 months on the island of Taiwan are already gone now. But I will for sure keep Mom in my prayers. And Canada is just crazy like that. The little sticklers. Good for you though getting the big part of the project done though. Awesome! I can't wait and look forward to seeing your letter and package within the next week or so. An idea I was thinking of over the last couple days is maybe you could share more about from your mission. I sit and think sometimes that I really don't know much about your mission or what experiences you had, what you learned, and everything. So maybe if there are lessons or experiences you wouldn't mind sharing, I think that would be cool.

So one sweet thing I want to share from past P-day is I finally got my suit. It is a fully tailored, Dolce & Gabbana suit that was $11300NT so almost $400. But this is a super nice suit, all tailored, with two pairs of pants. I can't wait to get it and then be able to wear it back in Utah. It will be read on the 14th. And then it is going straight into my luggage because I don't want to ruin it at all here in Taiwan.

Also maybe try not to send anything about conference quite yet. You can type it up so you remember. But we don't get conference until a week or so later because the English isn't broadcast here, as well as the time difference. So I will be getting conference a little later. Also, you will need to tell Pat's mom that he has it so easy teaching in English. Our investigator set up to have a baptismal interview this Saturday. We have, for the most part, taught him all the lessons in English. He is 14 and has learned English just in school (which is a so-so learning place to learn English). He has also learned English from watching American movies. Even more, he understands and knows Western culture and euphemisms. So a saying here in Taiwan is "tuo1, fang4pi4", which literally means, take off your pants and fart. But when said, actually means, you don't need to go to that much effort. Any way, he understands and uses English phrases like that Taiwan one. Teaching him in English is so easy and quite nice. So Pat should be very thankful for teaching in English.

That is so awesome the ward got to 100% home teaching! I knew you could do it. But I honestly didn't think that I had that much influence or effect on people in the ward. I was just being myself, struggling through the things I had, and sometimes being selfish and thinking of myself. I am happy to see that I have helped people though and have had that deep and profound of an effect. Also, Cole ended up emailing me today. It was so cool to see an email from him, and I miss more than ever being able to teach the 11 year old boys and the Elder's Quorum. Really, I miss teaching there a lot. Here, everything is in Chinese. So I still only understand part of what is taught.

I really think we should do a Japan/Taiwan trip together. I really want to show you Taiwan, see the places, taste the foods, because there are some things words really can't describe. The sooner we go after I come home, the better my Chinese will be. So something to think about.

I love you so much Dad!
Elder Dayley