Yeah we are on a little later today. We went over to the mission office to say goodbye to a friend going home now (just barely was our zone leader). Then we came back and ate at a hot pot buffet because yesterday was Elder Hintze's birthday (he is in the Dongying ward). And then we looked through an antique shop to see what there was. Then that brings us to now. Email time. So today is the start of a new move call. And literally the next whole month or two is going to be so crazy and all over the place.
First off there were only 2 new missionaries that came on (one is Taiwanese and one is from Japan but has a French last name) this past week. As of right now the plan is hopefully that we will have about 20 or so missionaries come one in 2 weeks (or at least we will do a mini move call in two weeks which will really be our big move call since today not many people moved around and a lot more short term missionaries are serving for the next couple weeks). But then today talking to Elder Sumsion who will go home at the end of this move call was saying that actually I guess there is church policy of a black out period of two weeks where no church people move around. So the missionaries going home actually go home about 4 or 5 days before the start of the next move call. And that one will have a lot of people going home (including the sisters I came on island with). But yeah that means that Elder Mudrow who is Zone Leader in Gaoxiong East will go home, Elder Fiegleson who is AP will go home, Elder Flint who is operations manager will go home, and many others as well. Super crazy and lots of changes that will be happening. All kicking off with when the new missionaries arrive.
But so yeah I am still in Taiping going on to my 4th movecall here. Elder Williams is still with me. I am still serving as the District Leader (and I feel in parts like I have hit that phase where you were talking about feeling really inadequate as a leader). I feel that it in parts stems from me working over some weaknesses in I feel my faith and diligence. I do feel to say that I am getting better about facing on the challenges and trials in front of me or casting out the lies and doubts. It is still a trying challenge. I guess it stems from in parts that this last week our numbers and so forth weren't so good (the lowest compared to anyone else in the district) and talking last night with Elder Williams about what is it that we are missing or not doing. We both had the conclusion feeling that it just is coming down to the diligence and putting forth the faith. I guess really staring me in the face is working really, really hard (which I am gearing up for and willing to go and do now more than ever). It's just annoying when you get little crappy feelings that all they seem to do or feel that I am really not that good or that strong, comparatively. Hmmm, I guess this really is all that the adversary ever does. Yeah I have made mistakes. Yeah I have at times not worked as hard or as faithfully, or as full of love as I could have. But I guess it really just is now to out with whatever happened in the past, and that I am going to go out and make a difference. I am going to go out and believe in myself to hike the summit and stay on top of the summit.
So yeah Elder Williams is still the English Leader. Sister Parkinson is the only one with a new companion (it actually being Sister Anderson because her sister training leader position over in Dakeng, the north Taizhong zone, is closing down for a couple weeks, so she is coming over here where actually she was trained at the start). So that is all really the changes that happened.
I think about it all the time of trying to make the most of moments. I find it actually quite a conundrum. I feel like it will never really be made the most of in the moment and always will have to some extent afterwards those feelings of longing and desire to just once more experience or partake. So I don't know, if you have any feelings or thoughts about how to make the most of moments better, that would be cool.
Also, do you still collect those marble balls at all?
Love you
Elder Roo
