Hey
Dad!
Hmmm....so where to
begin?
So this past week I
went on exchanges with Elder Kou, my district leader. I went to his area and
mainly we did a lot of LA hunting to go find out their situation and if they
even still lived there. It rained that day and I only had my rain jacket with
me, so my pants got all wet. But later in the afternoon my pants dried.
Funniest thing though is that my bike is still so filthy from that day. There
is dirt pretty much all over the back part of the frame, the fenders, and even
on my box.
Thursday came and
that was Elder Chen's birthday (very close with mine, dui bu dui?). But so at
first Elder Chen told me he was turning 25. Wednesday night after
English some members who were helping me to go get a cake and stuff were asking
what age would he be. We finally got a hold of Elder Chen's backpack to see his
ID card and check. Because Taiwan uses a year system for when the country was
formed, that is what the ID card said, year 78. But because it is 2014 and the
year 103, the members got their numbers backwards coming to the conclusion that
he would be turning 26. So we got the cake and everything with the numbers 26. Thursday night
is our Book of Mormon class, so after the class we brought out the cake and
everything with 26. And then Elder Chen said I am turning 25. Oops, :/ We all
had a good laugh though and I am sure he will remember it. Another thing that a
member gave him was this huge party popper (hence the picture) because Elder
Chen hates pretty much all types of party poppers (even the little small ones).
I really want to pop this big one on the last day of the move call on our roof.
It is Elder Chen's though, but I think I can convince him to do it ;)
Friday came and RRR
(not baptized, waiting until he graduates, wasn't even me that found him, but
just was in the process along the way to help him) came up to Zhanghua in the
morning. We had lunch together with him as well as Brother ZZZ. Afterwards he
helped to sit in on our lesson and teach Brother ZZZ the 3rd lesson. We also
watched a few Mormon messages with them. Then RRR had to leave to get his train
going back down to Jiayi where he would have dinner with Elder Mudrow and Elder
Hansen. It was really fun to see him and he also brought me square cookies as
well as pineapple cake. The Taiwanese love giving little gifts to everyone.
It's crazy! We have so much food at our apartment now.
Afterwards in the
afternoon the Assistants came down and went on exchanges with the Zhanghua 1
and 2 wards elders (me and Elder Chen and then Elder Kou and Elder Chiang). So
at first Elder Yang went with Elder Chen and I to visit some LAs and contact.
Learned a lot from him especially some other ways to try and contact people in
a more simple way. Afterwards that night we came back because Elder Edwards (he
was in my area for 9 months) really wanted to go out with Elder Chen and I we
met back at the church and out of happen chance me, Elder Edwards, and Elder
Kou went out with the car to go to a lesson by the train station. But so this
investigator we met with was mine and Elder Chen's investigator but actually
lives in Elder Kou and Chiang's area. So we had been planning to hand him over,
and this opportunity worked out best so that Elder Kou could come, introduce
himself, and let Brother NNN get to know him. The lesson was a little off, but
still good, but at the same time Brother NNN was still feeling very nervous
about going to church and feeling scared. He is one that will need a lot of
help in distilling hope and faith in him. But I learned a really cool example I
have been using a lot to teach about needing in our lives scriptures, prayer,
and church. Using the Book of Mormon, I first try to balance it on one finger.
This is as if you only had one of those three things in your life. Then use two
fingers. Both times it is nearly impossible to balance the book. But when you
use three fingers and explain this is like when you are doing those three things
in your life there is balance for the book and that is when peace, happiness,
and the blessings come.
Saturday we had a
service project. Once a year all of Taiwan go to their graves and clean them
and then as well do some ancestral worship stuff. We however, come and serve,
helping to clean graves or clean up the areas around. So all of Saturday morning
we went and did this. It was neat to see all the different graves and how they
are very much different from what ours are like. We visited an LA afterwards. I
mainly used my time Saturday night writing our progress record and making phone
calls (I managed to confirm 2 people for church the next day, 1 of which came
and then set up 2 lessons for tomorrow, one of which I have really high
hopes for).
Now as for Brother ZZZ
he is progressing. He needs to just have commandments taught to him, the big
ones being Law of Chastity, Tithing and Fast, and then Keeping the Sabbath Day
Holy. Our plan is to have him ready for a baptismal interview at the end of
this week. I have been praying a lot for him and specifically fasted for him
yesterday that his desire to drink tea would leave him. Since last Wednesday to
now he has been keeping the Word of Wisdom. It's a matter now of really helping
him to develop more and more faith and see the blessings that come from the
Word of Wisdom. He already knows more about why not to drink coffee or black
tea, but it is more the green tea is for him a problem. I really testified to
him the importance of knowing Joseph Smith is a prophet and how that will build
and stabilize that the WoW is a commandment from God. I really hope he
continues to progress well and be ready for his date, but a part of me feels we
may need to push back by one week so everything doesn't get too rushed. He is
really great guy though and good friend, really fun to talk with and he comes
to a lot of activities and church.
So this is pretty much
what my week has been like. We are coming up on the end of the transfer now and
it will be General Conference (which I am really looking forward to! :D ).
Love you so much!
Elder Roo
