Ni Hao JiaTing!!!!
How are you guys doing? Hope everything is going good, I pray for you guys every morning and night!! But this week to be honest was just like any other week. Nothing out of the ordinary really happened. Except for all the older Elders, left from the zone last week, and the rest of them like 4 leave tomorrow or wed. Also on Wed, we get 9 new elders added to our zone speaking mandarin, so that should be interesting to have some noobs!!
But I’ll tell ya teaching the 1st lesson in zhongwen was crazy on Saturday. I was freaking out the whole week cause we had to teach the first lesson. To be honest it wasn't very fun, I didn't feel like I could teach it at all, but then again that’s how I felt the first time I taught them in English also. But it’s been really hard learning all the language I need in order to teach the first lesson. Also it doesn't help that my companion knows a lot of Chinese, and he'll teach all the parts that I know and then he'll like look to me when he doesn't have anything else to say, and I just get put in the most awkward positions. Half the time he looks at me I have no idea what’s going on, so I don't have anything to say and just sit there looking dumb haha. But the language is coming, I’ve found that if I learn the characters it really helps my vocab. So I’ve learned Moroni 10:5 and 1 Nephi 17:36 in actual characters. So I can use the legit Chinese Book of Mormon and read those two verses from them!!! I read them from the Chinese BOM and Sister Chong who is our teacher, she's a native, she was freaking out cause I could do that. She's like read it for me, so I did and she freaked out and was way proud, which made me feel pretty cool not gonna lie. But learning characters is really cool cause I feel like I’m actually studying something cool. I can walk around the MTC with character flash cards and study them with pleasure, but if I just do that with vocab I get way bored and end up not studying them. So it's been a good way for me to learn vocab, and allow me to use the BOM in their Language. So that’s been really fun for me to study characters.
But nothing really has changed, we are just ordering our bikes today for when we get there they will be ready for us to get on and do missionary work.
Josh- hey bud, how are ya doing?!!! Hope things are going good, and your kicking but in school and other things (if ya know what I mean). Have you started the working out program? Cause I think you should, so you'll be bigger than me when I see you next!!! you can do it. But I love you so much bud, keep up the good work and never give up. Oh and you look good in the family pick, and really, really good in your dance picture. Keep it up, God is always with you, He's only a prayer a way, keep that in mind. Love you bud!!
Cade- Hey man, good job in swimming. Congrats good to hear that it's going good, keep up the good work, and keep working as hard as you can. Hope school and everything is going good, and you working hard. I know you can do big things, you have so much potential, I love you bud.
Britton- Hey bud Good to hear you guys won your game. I just wanna say keep being an amazing friend, friends are so important, trust me you'll need them more then every through your teenage years. So keep the amazing friends that you have and never take them for granted. I love you bud, keep up the good work!!!
Abby- Hey beautiful!! How are you hunny! I just wanna say I love all your notes ant stuff you send me. You are so amazing. I hear everything is going good, I’m very glad to hear that. I hear your working hard and have a lot to do. You’re a very busy Big Girl!! You’re so mature Abs it's amazing to me, and all my roommates can't believe how mature you are. I love you so much. I miss you. And keep loving the brothers.
Mom and Dad- I love you guys so much. Thank you so much for always putting up with me and raising me to be who I am. You’ve always been the best support in the world, I love you guys forever for that. You guys are the perfect example of hard work, and all the things that we need to be to be successful. Thank you for all you guys do in order to support the family. Keep up the hard work, the Lord see's how hard you are working and I know for a fact that he will bless you and that He knows your working hard. The Lord loves each and every one of us, and will do anything in order for us to be happy. I love you guys so much, you guys are my hero's. I hope my hard work is making you guys proud.
And about Bryce, he lives by Ponds Park. But I’m not sure his parent’s names. His mom is a counselor at Davis though. Well I love you guys so much thanks for being amazing. I have 10 more minutes but I gotta do laundry so I’ll, get off right now but I’ll get back on and type my testimony. Love you guys tons
I know this church is true. I know that everything we do and meet is for a purpose. It may not seem like it at the first, but it's true, we have something to learn from every person we meet and every situation that we go through. I know that I'm supposed to be serving a mission, it is really hard work, but the harder the task the greater the outcome of the reward. I know that the Lord is and will bless me with the language, he didn't call me to fail, he called me to succeed and teach the people of Taiwan in their native tongue. I love my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, he truly did die for my sins, and made it possible for me to receive a remission of my sins and allow me to be resurrected and live with Heavenly Father again. I know that Heavenly Father listens when I pray. He will answer my prayers if it's something that will bring me the right kind of happiness. I love being a missionary, I’ve never felt better in my entire life, my testimony has grown more in this last 6 weeks then it has my whole life. I love studying the gospel and Chinese. I know the friends I have were chosen for me in the pre-earth life, they are the perfect friends for me, to help me achieve the glory that awaits me in the celestial kingdom, where I hope to live with you guys after this life. I know our family is an extension of the family in heaven, it's what holds us together, and allows us to grow and develop to the greatest of our ability. I love you guys so much, and know that if you put in the work and do all you can, that the Lord will finish the rest, and make up for anything else you may need. I love this work, and can't wait to teach the people of Taiwan.
Thanks for all the support.
Oh and Can you send a good pillow, mines rock hard and I wake up with kinks all the time.
Love you!!!!!!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
I Actually Understood His Chinese!!
How are things going? I hope you are all well. I love you all so dang much. I miss you guys too!
But things here are just usual I guess. It's like I've said before that the days take forever but the weeks go by really fast!! I can't believe I've already been here for 5 weeks. All of the older missionaries that got here 6 weeks before us are leaving so were gonna be the older missionaries now, and a group of newbies come in a couple of weeks. So that’s way crazy. I can't believe it. The volleyball player that I always play with is leaving tomorrow which isn't good, cause now I have no one good to play volleyball with!! But I think I'll be able to pull out of it, haha!
Elder Holland came and spoke this last week!!! It was amazing the spirit was so strong it was awesome. Pretty much the whole meeting I felt the spirit, and my testimony literally grew a ton. Then we watched a movie about the Salt Lake Temple and how the saints built it. It was crazy how the saints took all the corner stones and stuff - it took 4 days for one block to get to the ground of the temple by ox. So when they got it like a tiny bit done on the corner stone they had to bury it all to keep the US army from destroying it. They buried it by hand shovels, then they dug it back up and discovered that there was cracks in the foundation. So they dug up all the corner stones and started all over again. It was amazing to see all the hard work and dedication that went into building the temple. There was an amazing quote by Brigham Young he was like, “This temple needs to stand 'til the end of times.” That gave me the chills way bad, it was awesome.
But yeah I'm still chugging along in the language. Something cool happened though our branch president, President Liu, got up in sacrament and gave a talk. He bore his testimony in the middle of it, and it was crazy I understood most of it. It was a really good moment for me that I understood a lot of a native Chinese man’s testimony!! It was really cool!!! So yeah I'm still working hard, Satan is really working on me and telling me not to work cause he knows it's hard and I get really frustrated. But I gotta just keep praying and keep working hard cause it's gonna come I know it is.
I only have like 6 and a half more weeks, it's absolutely flying by. But Josh, Cade, Britton and Abby hope things are going good!! I love all you guys so much!!!!!! Thank you for all the support that you guys give me and everything you've done for me. I couldn't even survive without you guys. Thanks for always being good examples to me! I look up to every single one of you guys.
In the temple the other day I was really pondering if Trey is alright and doing good!!! I wanna let you know that Trey is doing great!! He's doing a great work up in heaven and Heavenly Father is looking over him. He still stays with us and is always with us.
I love you guys, thanks so much for doing all that you do for me!!!!!!!!
Love, Rui Zhang Lao
But things here are just usual I guess. It's like I've said before that the days take forever but the weeks go by really fast!! I can't believe I've already been here for 5 weeks. All of the older missionaries that got here 6 weeks before us are leaving so were gonna be the older missionaries now, and a group of newbies come in a couple of weeks. So that’s way crazy. I can't believe it. The volleyball player that I always play with is leaving tomorrow which isn't good, cause now I have no one good to play volleyball with!! But I think I'll be able to pull out of it, haha!
Elder Holland came and spoke this last week!!! It was amazing the spirit was so strong it was awesome. Pretty much the whole meeting I felt the spirit, and my testimony literally grew a ton. Then we watched a movie about the Salt Lake Temple and how the saints built it. It was crazy how the saints took all the corner stones and stuff - it took 4 days for one block to get to the ground of the temple by ox. So when they got it like a tiny bit done on the corner stone they had to bury it all to keep the US army from destroying it. They buried it by hand shovels, then they dug it back up and discovered that there was cracks in the foundation. So they dug up all the corner stones and started all over again. It was amazing to see all the hard work and dedication that went into building the temple. There was an amazing quote by Brigham Young he was like, “This temple needs to stand 'til the end of times.” That gave me the chills way bad, it was awesome.
But yeah I'm still chugging along in the language. Something cool happened though our branch president, President Liu, got up in sacrament and gave a talk. He bore his testimony in the middle of it, and it was crazy I understood most of it. It was a really good moment for me that I understood a lot of a native Chinese man’s testimony!! It was really cool!!! So yeah I'm still working hard, Satan is really working on me and telling me not to work cause he knows it's hard and I get really frustrated. But I gotta just keep praying and keep working hard cause it's gonna come I know it is.
I only have like 6 and a half more weeks, it's absolutely flying by. But Josh, Cade, Britton and Abby hope things are going good!! I love all you guys so much!!!!!! Thank you for all the support that you guys give me and everything you've done for me. I couldn't even survive without you guys. Thanks for always being good examples to me! I look up to every single one of you guys.
In the temple the other day I was really pondering if Trey is alright and doing good!!! I wanna let you know that Trey is doing great!! He's doing a great work up in heaven and Heavenly Father is looking over him. He still stays with us and is always with us.
I love you guys, thanks so much for doing all that you do for me!!!!!!!!
Love, Rui Zhang Lao
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Flying Through the Rain
My adlib on
a scripture
to my comp
to my comp
who doesn't
want to
want to
share his
desk!
desk!
I've got
a cankle...
To the Best Family Ever,
Wŏ zhīdaō shén aī wŏmen-wŏ zhīdaò Yēsū Jīdū shì shén de ér’ze. Wŏ zhīdaò wŏmen shì shén de Haízi. Wŏ zhīdao Yūesèsīmsì Fùxīng de Fúyīn. Wŏ zhīdaò Mōerménjīng shì zhēn shì de!
Wow, I love you guys so much! I couldn’t have asked for a better family. Not even kidding. You guys are amazing.
The Language –
Like I mentioned the Lord has blessed me and shown me a better way to memorize. Let’s say I’m trying to memorize “God loves us” Example: s a w (shen ai women)
So I’d use the first letter in the word and write it down with the tone. It’s been amazing so far. I couldn’t have asked for a better blessing at a more time of need. I know God hears and answers my prayers.
This last week’s language assignment went much better than the week before! So, I can totally see how I’m progressing. It’s coming slow but it’s coming. It’s something I gotta learn. PATIENCE. I’m on the Lord’s time and He will bless me with the language whenever He sees fit and I have to learn to accept that. But I know He will bless me. I mean He already has greatly. But characters are coming along. I can write the name tag and a couple lines of my testimony. So that’s cool.
The Gospel –
Wow! I do gotta tell you guys the gospel is amazing. I’ve grown so much testimony wise while I’ve been here. It’s especially grown leaps and bounds on a few specifics. I’ll explain a couple. I probably already told you a couple of these but I’ll tell you again anyway.
Elder Scott talked to us at one of the devotionals. He taught the whole time, it was amazing. And at the end he said I wanna talk about something very sacred to me that I usually don’t talk about. He said it’s about somebody I know and love, the Savior Jesus Christ. Then he explained how nice and loving and kind the Savior is. It was amazingly powerful. But then he closed with one more statement. He said, “I know He lives, because I know Him.” I’ve never felt the spirit so strong. I knew the Savior lives more than ever that night and continue to carry that testimony with me today. Then we sang I need thee every hour. I was crying so hard I couldn’t even sing. How true it is. The chorus of the song: “I need thee, oh I need thee, every hour I need thee.”
I would suggest getting those few lines printed and laminated to hang in each of the kid’s rooms cause it’s so true we need the Savior, yes we need him every hour! Also after that we all stood out on the curb and waved to Elder Scott. As he drove by we all sang, Called to Serve. He drove by and waved while he said, “thank you” over and over. When He drove by me we made eye contact, and I started crying, cause I knew he was called of God.
Another experience happened yesterday (Sunday night). We had a devotional, then we got to watch a movie Sunday night. We picked to watch the testaments (if you guys haven’t seen it yet I would highly recommend watching it for a family night or something). But during it toward the end they show how awful the people are to the Savior. My heart went from wanting to kill those guys to crying because it was awful to see the pain and suffering my elder Brother and Savior had to go through. But then it showed him come down to the people there was a huge beam of light and when it disappeared Jesus was standing there. My whole body filled with emotion and I just started crying. I know the Savior lived and still lives today. He died for our sins and knows each and every one of us. It was such a neat experience and I’m so glad we got to watch that movie.
But yeah I’m loving it here! The spirit is always strong. My companion and I have our differences, and he really gets on my nerves sometimes, but it’s good for me.
I hope things are going good with you guys. I pray for you guys every night. You guys are amazing, I love you guys so much!
WELL, one last little story then I’ll close with my testimony. It was sweet today. We went to the temple and when we went the weather was perfect, but when we got out the weather was dark and windy. And when we were walking back from the temple it started to pour on us. It was funny! It was like going from Heaven to Hell in 5 minutes. The Temple (heaven) outside (hell). My companion ran and hid under a shed cause I was freaking out cause of the rain. I made fun of him so bad (he’s from Florida if I haven’t already told you). Also we were in full suits and everything. It was sweet! He was freaking out, but I was lovin it! I was like running and skipping through it. It was awesome! It was pouring. I got my companion to warm up to it and we ended up playing in it.
It was sweet. I think I liked it so much cause everyday here is literally like the movie Ground Hog Day. And, finally, something different happened!
Well I love you guys so much!
My Testimony –
I know my older Brother, Savior and Redeemer lives. He atoned for each and every one of our sins. He suffered the unbearable death bleeding from every pore and nailed to a cross because he loves us and to give us the opportunity to live with our Father in Heaven again. I know for a fact that Joseph Smith restored the Gospel. I know he saw God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. I know my Heavenly Father very well. He hears and answers my prayers. He’s the best friend I can ever have. I know if I’m down I can go to him and He will comfort me. I’m so excited to teach the people of Taiwan the gospel, and give them a chance to accept the gospel and repent of their sins so they won’t have to go through the pain and anguish after this life that Jesus went through. They can use the atonement and be saved. I know I’m not a teacher, I’m just a messenger. The Holy Ghost is the teacher and tells me what to say and is the only thing that can convert the people I teach. I have no power to convert, that’s why I need to work hard, and live worthily to have the Holy Ghost so He can tell me what to say and can convert the people to the Gospel. God wants us to return and live with him!! I know He has a kingdom and a beautiful home waiting for me and you guys to live together for eternity in his presence. My hope is that as a family we may be able to live our lives so we can receive the gift of eternal life and live together forever because there’s no one in the world I’d rather live with then you guys!
Thank you mom and dad for raising me the way you did. I’m eternally grateful for that sacrifice in your life.
Love, Rui Bing Zhang
Monday, September 14, 2009
Chinese is Finally Coming...
Well. First off, thank you so much for the shirt, it's awesome. The only reason I'd want a real one was cause it'd be easier to wash, but thank you so much!!!
Also yeah I didn't get the email from Josh, it's rassmy6@myLDSMail.net, so tell him to try again. I'm excited to hear from him. I really, really miss hanging with him.
But sorry last week how I told you I'd send you a letter and I didn't don't worry I will this week for sure, I have some stuff to talk about and a bunch of pictures to send home also.
But a little about what happened and what has been going on!! Well, this week was actually a really good week. The Lord really blessed me and showed me a way that I remember I can use to memorize way fast. I got the First vision in Zhong Wen (Chinese) down in like 2 days, which it took most elders 3 weeks. I'm not bragging I'm just saying the Lord really blessed me. What it is our teacher just randomly put it up one day and I remembered how I used to do it. I've been happy ever since. The Lord has provided me a way to learn the language faster. What I do is I take every word in the saying or sentence, and I just write down the first letter of each word on a piece of paper with the tone of the word above it and memorize the words from that. It has been an amazing turn around to see how much I can memorize with this method. The language is kinda picking up, I just gotta learn patience. Cause the Lord will bless me when he sees fit, it may not be as soon as I hope for but I know it will come.
I don't know if I told you about how I rolled my ankle but I went up to spike the volleyball and I got a way good spike, and the kid on the other side of the net tried to block me, then came down under the net and I landed on his foot. I rolled it pretty bad, haha I had to be on crutches for a day. It was ridiculous I felt dumb going around on crutches. I felt like a paper weight. But I do gotta tell ya, there’s this one girl that played volleyball at Dixie for 4 straight years. She's amazing and she loves being on my team cause I can set her and spike it when she sets me. It's so sweet.
Lets see, well I do gotta tell ya the weeks are flying by. I don't know if I've said this before but the days seem like weeks, and the weeks seem like days. It really does feel like it!! But this last week was the first week of teaching the 2nd lesson. It actually went really good. When we got to the Atonement during the Plan of Salvation, I explained it, I gotta tell ya the spirit was working through me so much!!!! my whole body was filled with warmth. It was unbelievable!!! I am really loving it here!!
But I'll send you guys a letter with all the details and stuff!!! (I PROMISE, and hopefully my pictures will be done by tomorrow or soon so you'll get it by the end of this week.)
Josh- I love you so much Bud!! You are so sweet. Good luck getting ready for the dance. Also I hope that your having fun with senior year, hope you’re not letting all the dorks get to you who think they're all that. You'll do great. I'm so proud of you and you are such a good example for me. I love you so much dude.
Cade- Dude you are amazing also!! Hope swimming is going good!! I know it is cause your way good at it! I also hope your really studying hard in school cause getting good grades is really important. I know it's early but make good study skills right now in your life so you can take those on your mission, I wish I would have done that
Britton- Hey little man!! How are you bud? I hope soccer is going good, keep up the hard work and do your best in practice and every game you play. Also, same thing with school study as hard as you can and do the best that you can also. I love you bud, I miss ya!
Abby- Man girl, I don't even know what to say, I'm speechless when it comes trying to find something to find cause you’re so perfect!!! I love you so much!! I have a picture of you by my desk, and all my missionary buddies look at it and are always like ahhhhhhh...... she's the cutest girl in the world!! Which is true cause you really are!!! Keep up the good work in everything your doing!! You’re amazing.
Mom-Dad- I Love you guys so dang much. You guys are the perfect example for me, and I couldn't have asked for any better parents. Thank you so much for putting up with me all my life, and helping me get on a mission. This is the best decision ever. Keep working hard with all your business opportunities cause I know the Lord is going to bless you and our family with all the hard work you guys do to support us!! Thank you so much, I hope I make you guys proud!!
So I'll send ya a letter.....
I love you guys so much!!
Also yeah I didn't get the email from Josh, it's rassmy6@myLDSMail.net, so tell him to try again. I'm excited to hear from him. I really, really miss hanging with him.
But sorry last week how I told you I'd send you a letter and I didn't don't worry I will this week for sure, I have some stuff to talk about and a bunch of pictures to send home also.
But a little about what happened and what has been going on!! Well, this week was actually a really good week. The Lord really blessed me and showed me a way that I remember I can use to memorize way fast. I got the First vision in Zhong Wen (Chinese) down in like 2 days, which it took most elders 3 weeks. I'm not bragging I'm just saying the Lord really blessed me. What it is our teacher just randomly put it up one day and I remembered how I used to do it. I've been happy ever since. The Lord has provided me a way to learn the language faster. What I do is I take every word in the saying or sentence, and I just write down the first letter of each word on a piece of paper with the tone of the word above it and memorize the words from that. It has been an amazing turn around to see how much I can memorize with this method. The language is kinda picking up, I just gotta learn patience. Cause the Lord will bless me when he sees fit, it may not be as soon as I hope for but I know it will come.
I don't know if I told you about how I rolled my ankle but I went up to spike the volleyball and I got a way good spike, and the kid on the other side of the net tried to block me, then came down under the net and I landed on his foot. I rolled it pretty bad, haha I had to be on crutches for a day. It was ridiculous I felt dumb going around on crutches. I felt like a paper weight. But I do gotta tell ya, there’s this one girl that played volleyball at Dixie for 4 straight years. She's amazing and she loves being on my team cause I can set her and spike it when she sets me. It's so sweet.
Lets see, well I do gotta tell ya the weeks are flying by. I don't know if I've said this before but the days seem like weeks, and the weeks seem like days. It really does feel like it!! But this last week was the first week of teaching the 2nd lesson. It actually went really good. When we got to the Atonement during the Plan of Salvation, I explained it, I gotta tell ya the spirit was working through me so much!!!! my whole body was filled with warmth. It was unbelievable!!! I am really loving it here!!
But I'll send you guys a letter with all the details and stuff!!! (I PROMISE, and hopefully my pictures will be done by tomorrow or soon so you'll get it by the end of this week.)
Josh- I love you so much Bud!! You are so sweet. Good luck getting ready for the dance. Also I hope that your having fun with senior year, hope you’re not letting all the dorks get to you who think they're all that. You'll do great. I'm so proud of you and you are such a good example for me. I love you so much dude.
Cade- Dude you are amazing also!! Hope swimming is going good!! I know it is cause your way good at it! I also hope your really studying hard in school cause getting good grades is really important. I know it's early but make good study skills right now in your life so you can take those on your mission, I wish I would have done that
Britton- Hey little man!! How are you bud? I hope soccer is going good, keep up the hard work and do your best in practice and every game you play. Also, same thing with school study as hard as you can and do the best that you can also. I love you bud, I miss ya!
Abby- Man girl, I don't even know what to say, I'm speechless when it comes trying to find something to find cause you’re so perfect!!! I love you so much!! I have a picture of you by my desk, and all my missionary buddies look at it and are always like ahhhhhhh...... she's the cutest girl in the world!! Which is true cause you really are!!! Keep up the good work in everything your doing!! You’re amazing.
Mom-Dad- I Love you guys so dang much. You guys are the perfect example for me, and I couldn't have asked for any better parents. Thank you so much for putting up with me all my life, and helping me get on a mission. This is the best decision ever. Keep working hard with all your business opportunities cause I know the Lord is going to bless you and our family with all the hard work you guys do to support us!! Thank you so much, I hope I make you guys proud!!
So I'll send ya a letter.....
I love you guys so much!!
Monday, September 7, 2009
Air Mormon at the MTC!
Well how's the fam doin'? I miss ya guys, but need not worry things are good here.
Um, I'm just wondering if you can send me the family pic!!! I'd really appreciate that! And that pic of Abby with her shorter hair you were talking about, and dad's missionary blues song, with a tape player that I could send right back, I just wanna show my roommates dad's song. Also, something I really want which would be an amazing present would be an Air Mormon shirt!!! Ask Josh he'll tell you what shirt I mean. Have a legit shirt made and send it to me, pretty please :D!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And I think that's awesome that dad is sending me that memory stuff, that'll really help, and I heard about the BYU game. I was so happy cause it's BYU beating Oklahoma and also cause it makes a good name for the MWC!! I don't know if I told you but my roommate that plays at Army's brother is on the coaching staff at Utah, so that's cool. His brother sent us their summer workouts and stuff.
But, mom, regarding the scriptures of the day, I actually really like them. Send them every day if you can. I have a little journal type binder for all my impressions and fireside talks I like and stuff, and I have a section dedicated to your scripture of the days, so I hope to have over 500 scriptures written in that section by the end of my mission, so keep sending them. And a couple of them have been exactly the right time in the day. I get them and then I feel good cause it literally is something I was dealing with that same day and it really helps.
Also, how did the football game go with Abby? Tell me all about it!! Also, that is a way cute story about Abby and the piano number on the piano that is dedicated to me. And how she said to Mikelle be quiet or whatever when it was playing, I was laughing that was way cute. That a girl Abs thanks for keeping me in the mind.
Also, I think I'm gonna just send an email every week with all my usual updates and stuff, but if you guys want like individual letters or whatever to have like a pen pal or whatever let's do it, and I'll write letters also every week.
But, I gotta share some showing off stories...We'll first of all gym we have 5 times a week for an hour long. I just play indoor volleyball every time, I dominate to be honest with ya. But there's all these kids that are over 6 feet that come play and think they're all bad, until they see me spike it in their face or block it when they try and spike it. They are always astonished cause I'm shorter but I still out jump them, so that's really funny. Also, I usually play on the same team as this chick that is 6 foot about and played 4 years at Dixie College in Utah. She loves how I can set her really good and loves playing on my team cause I always give her good sets and stuff which makes me feel cool. haha. Also, in front of everybody cause they wanted to see, I got my head literally around 6-8 inches from the rim!! Yeah, I know my head, I honestly think my hops are better than they were in high school, everybody was freaking out. Also, there is a flight of stairs outside of the gym, and it has 13 stairs. Everyone tries to jump up it in two jumps (like run jump up land on one foot and use the rest of your momentum and try to jump up the rest). For the last two weeks I've seen everybody try and do it, but they all fall 2 or 3 stairs short. So, one day I'd thought I'd show everyone up, cause I've literally been resisting not doing it for 2 weeks cause I was thinking I have nothing to prove. So I decided to do it, I cleared the top of the stairs and got about 3 feet further than the top step on the landing above them. Everyone was literally freaking out. So I let my ego take over and I just had to do it. So there's my showing off paragraph for a while hopefully I can control my ego. hahahaha
Well on Saturday we had our language task thing. It went 100 percent better than last time. I actually was able to get words out and stuff. So that was awesome. The gift of tongues is real. I love the work! We also taught the 1st lesson, the spirit was way strong and the guy was really impressed how we taught. The Spirit was teaching him well, I didn't do any of the teaching I just did the talking!!! I love the gospel. I'll send ya a letter with my testimony and some other experiences of the week though.
I love you guys so much. Keep up the good work, you guys are awesome!
Wo(3rd tone) Ai(4th tone) Ni Men(3rd tone) (I love you guys)
Um, I'm just wondering if you can send me the family pic!!! I'd really appreciate that! And that pic of Abby with her shorter hair you were talking about, and dad's missionary blues song, with a tape player that I could send right back, I just wanna show my roommates dad's song. Also, something I really want which would be an amazing present would be an Air Mormon shirt!!! Ask Josh he'll tell you what shirt I mean. Have a legit shirt made and send it to me, pretty please :D!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And I think that's awesome that dad is sending me that memory stuff, that'll really help, and I heard about the BYU game. I was so happy cause it's BYU beating Oklahoma and also cause it makes a good name for the MWC!! I don't know if I told you but my roommate that plays at Army's brother is on the coaching staff at Utah, so that's cool. His brother sent us their summer workouts and stuff.
But, mom, regarding the scriptures of the day, I actually really like them. Send them every day if you can. I have a little journal type binder for all my impressions and fireside talks I like and stuff, and I have a section dedicated to your scripture of the days, so I hope to have over 500 scriptures written in that section by the end of my mission, so keep sending them. And a couple of them have been exactly the right time in the day. I get them and then I feel good cause it literally is something I was dealing with that same day and it really helps.
Also, how did the football game go with Abby? Tell me all about it!! Also, that is a way cute story about Abby and the piano number on the piano that is dedicated to me. And how she said to Mikelle be quiet or whatever when it was playing, I was laughing that was way cute. That a girl Abs thanks for keeping me in the mind.
Also, I think I'm gonna just send an email every week with all my usual updates and stuff, but if you guys want like individual letters or whatever to have like a pen pal or whatever let's do it, and I'll write letters also every week.
But, I gotta share some showing off stories...We'll first of all gym we have 5 times a week for an hour long. I just play indoor volleyball every time, I dominate to be honest with ya. But there's all these kids that are over 6 feet that come play and think they're all bad, until they see me spike it in their face or block it when they try and spike it. They are always astonished cause I'm shorter but I still out jump them, so that's really funny. Also, I usually play on the same team as this chick that is 6 foot about and played 4 years at Dixie College in Utah. She loves how I can set her really good and loves playing on my team cause I always give her good sets and stuff which makes me feel cool. haha. Also, in front of everybody cause they wanted to see, I got my head literally around 6-8 inches from the rim!! Yeah, I know my head, I honestly think my hops are better than they were in high school, everybody was freaking out. Also, there is a flight of stairs outside of the gym, and it has 13 stairs. Everyone tries to jump up it in two jumps (like run jump up land on one foot and use the rest of your momentum and try to jump up the rest). For the last two weeks I've seen everybody try and do it, but they all fall 2 or 3 stairs short. So, one day I'd thought I'd show everyone up, cause I've literally been resisting not doing it for 2 weeks cause I was thinking I have nothing to prove. So I decided to do it, I cleared the top of the stairs and got about 3 feet further than the top step on the landing above them. Everyone was literally freaking out. So I let my ego take over and I just had to do it. So there's my showing off paragraph for a while hopefully I can control my ego. hahahaha
Well on Saturday we had our language task thing. It went 100 percent better than last time. I actually was able to get words out and stuff. So that was awesome. The gift of tongues is real. I love the work! We also taught the 1st lesson, the spirit was way strong and the guy was really impressed how we taught. The Spirit was teaching him well, I didn't do any of the teaching I just did the talking!!! I love the gospel. I'll send ya a letter with my testimony and some other experiences of the week though.
I love you guys so much. Keep up the good work, you guys are awesome!
Wo(3rd tone) Ai(4th tone) Ni Men(3rd tone) (I love you guys)
Friday, September 4, 2009
Pictures of my Roomies
My Roomies...we have a good
time together!
Here are the 4
Taipei Tigers getting ready to do laundry on P-day.
Taipei Tigers getting ready to do laundry on P-day.
My companion Elder
Raskey is in my arms.
His nickname is Smurf
cause he looks like him.
Here we are at the Provo Temple on P-day.
Yeah, we're sweet! This is Elder Duff. He played football for Army.
More on Elder Scott's Visit to MTC
Sorry if this is a repeat of the information I shared in my email...
But, just some of the cool stories Elder Scott talked about listening to the Spirit. He went to visit a mission. The mission president and he were driving down a road late at night, on both sides of the road there was some gravel then a very steep cliff on each side. Well Elder Scott told the mission president, "I'm gonna take a quick nap then I'll finish driving." So he went to sleep. Well, while he was sleeping he heard the wheels skid across the gravel which obviously woke him up. The car spun out of control and just stopped in the middle of the road. Elder Scott looked at the mission president who was pail white with fear. He said, "Elder Scott I fell asleep...but I didn't stop the car!" That was a really cool story about being protected by the Lord.
Another one he told, was he was driving through a bad sandstorm, which was so bad it was tearing off the paint on the car. Well, he got the impression to stop. So he stopped the car and waited till the next day to continue. When he woke up in the morning he was a few feet from driving off a very steep embankment. So, that's another cool story about listening to the Spirit.
Well today was a really good day. My companion and I went to another fake investigator and taught the 1st lesson which was really good. The Spirit was way strong in that. Also, we went to the RC (Referral Center) which is where Levi told about his phone call experience. Well we did that today, my total numbers were 6 accepted to have missionaries come to their homes and share a message, and I talked to another lady about baptism. We started the call with her wondering about getting a bible. I told her bout the BofM and everything, about prophets and how they receive revelation. How we have a prophet today. Also we talked about the Atonement and how we can live with our Father in Heaven as a perfected being forever. She loved it! Then we talked about baptism and how the LDS Church does baptism. She was very interested, so I sent the missionaries over to teach her and give her a Book of Mormon. So hopefully she takes the right steps and is baptized. But so far everything is good. Love you guys!
But, just some of the cool stories Elder Scott talked about listening to the Spirit. He went to visit a mission. The mission president and he were driving down a road late at night, on both sides of the road there was some gravel then a very steep cliff on each side. Well Elder Scott told the mission president, "I'm gonna take a quick nap then I'll finish driving." So he went to sleep. Well, while he was sleeping he heard the wheels skid across the gravel which obviously woke him up. The car spun out of control and just stopped in the middle of the road. Elder Scott looked at the mission president who was pail white with fear. He said, "Elder Scott I fell asleep...but I didn't stop the car!" That was a really cool story about being protected by the Lord.
Another one he told, was he was driving through a bad sandstorm, which was so bad it was tearing off the paint on the car. Well, he got the impression to stop. So he stopped the car and waited till the next day to continue. When he woke up in the morning he was a few feet from driving off a very steep embankment. So, that's another cool story about listening to the Spirit.
Well today was a really good day. My companion and I went to another fake investigator and taught the 1st lesson which was really good. The Spirit was way strong in that. Also, we went to the RC (Referral Center) which is where Levi told about his phone call experience. Well we did that today, my total numbers were 6 accepted to have missionaries come to their homes and share a message, and I talked to another lady about baptism. We started the call with her wondering about getting a bible. I told her bout the BofM and everything, about prophets and how they receive revelation. How we have a prophet today. Also we talked about the Atonement and how we can live with our Father in Heaven as a perfected being forever. She loved it! Then we talked about baptism and how the LDS Church does baptism. She was very interested, so I sent the missionaries over to teach her and give her a Book of Mormon. So hopefully she takes the right steps and is baptized. But so far everything is good. Love you guys!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Elder B-Rock's MTC!
A little about my companions I guess, we all took pictures and stuff but they are gonna take a few days to get processed so you'll probably get a bunch of pictures in the mail the end of this week or early next week.
My actual companion's name is Elder Raskey he's from orlando florida. His chinese name is Si Kong with 2 first tones. He's a goof ball it's kinda funny. He's the ultimate elder calhoon from best two years. i like it to an extent but sometimes he ways to pushy. Like I'll be half way through my meal and he'll start saying like qi qi qi which means fast and will be like we gotta get to class, and we'll still have like 20 minutes remaining. But i guess it's good for me cause he's always pushing me and i have no time to even think of doing anything slow. But it's gets pretty obsessive sometimes. But went to the AirForce academy before he came here. So he's an airforce kid. But the funny thing is he's way sensitive. He has a girl friend back home and we always bug him about her cause they've only been going out for like 3 weeks before he came and he's obsessed. He sends her 10 page letters, no joke. But he's a cool guy.
Then my other roommate, he's from Utah, he actually went to Utah state before he got here. But he's ripped. He's constantly flexing in the mirror and asking how does my hair look. So he's a funny character. He's really quiet but not like a scared to talk to people quiet, but yeah. He never hardly smiles, unless something is really funny, and if he laughs let me tell ya he laughs. but he's a cool cat also.
But my favorite one of the 3 his name is elder Duff. He's 21 and he's in the army. it's really funny cause him and my companion always go at it arguing which is better the airforce of the army. He drew a picture on a whiteboard of a plane on fire and a tank shooting it down, it was pretty funny. But he's like a tank, he plays football on Army's football team and goes to westpoint. it's hard for him to talk really peter preisthoody cause he's been in the army forever, but he's been doing really good with it. He reminds me a lot of Ivin our cousin. he has flaming red hair, and is way tight. He has sweet stories, and we get along way good. He's pretty whiny which is funny cause I didn't think he would be coming from the army, but he calls him self out about being the whiny one. He's sweet though!!
Well there's my companion story, but about the last week. I'll be sending pictures and stuff in letters, and whatever I don't get to type in these quick 30 minutes I get to write a letter. But we some sweet devotionals. Richard G. Scott came and talked to us. He talked about how satan thinks he has power over us, but that no spirit without a body has power over a spirit with a body. It was an amazing talk. He told of a bunch of experiences he's had with listening to the spirit, I'll have to write them to you cause I don't have time to type them. But At the end he usually shakes every missionaries hand in the whole thing. but instead this time he was like I'm gonna take a few more minutes instead of shaking everybody's hand if that's ok. And trust me it was okay with me after hearing his testimony.
He stated first, I wanna talk about someone I know and love. The Savior Jesus Christ, he talked about how humble and nice, and loving the savior is. And then he closed with, I know the Savior lives... Because I Know Him!!!! That is literal!! it was amazing the feeling I got when he said that. Then in the end we sang "I need thee every hour". I couldn't even sing I was crying so hard. I especially looked at the main part of the song where it says, I need thee. oh I need thee, every hour in need thee. I was thinking how true is it that we need our Savior. I can't even think about continuing life without our savior. But that was an amazing testimony building experience. I know the Savior lives!! also after the devotional we all went out and stood on the curb as he drove out in his car. We were singing Called to Serve, as he drove by waving at all of us, he was saying over and over Thank You, Thank you!! what an amazing experience it was. As he drove by me I could feel him waving to me and saying Thank You. But as he drove by I had another confirmation to my testimony, as i was crying barely singing the song, I knew that he was an apostle of the Lord, and that confirmed my testimony that prophets and apostles are real, and are called of God here on this earth today, to receive revelation and help guide us in our lives.
But yeah that was a little about the devotional, but let me tell ya a little about our language assignment. On Saturday we were supposed to "contact someone in the park" and introduce ourselves and get to know them, and set up an appointment. I felt pretty good about it, until we got into the room. I introduced and said my name is elder rasmussen this is elder raskey and were from the Church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints. But then my mind blanked and all of my Chinese was gone. Haha good think Elder raskey can already pretty much speak it, they just sat there for like 10 minutes and had a conversation in Chinese as i stood in the background, laughing inside way hard, but looking like an idiot on the outside. Not know anything that was being said. So that pretty much sucked pretty bad, cause i didn't say anything. Yeah i pretty much suck at the language right now. But Then we went back and taught the first lesson which was really good. The spirit was so strong, and as I taught the lesson I introduced the restoration and Joseph Smith. As i stated the first vision from memory, my whole body just filled with warmth and I couldn't help but smiling. It was an amazing feeling I hope to feel every day on my mission. The spirit was strong, and by me telling the "investigator" about Joseph Smith it just confirmed my already rock solid testimony of Joseph Smith as a prophet, who brought this perfect church back to the earth.
Well we went to the temple today just like every p-day. We did an endowment session, I teared up right when I heard God's voice for the first time. I gotta tell ya the spirit is awesome here, if only I could feel the language as much as i feel the spirit!! haha I guess it will come.
But sorry I'll write individual letters if I can, I just keep looking up and the beeping red timer that keeps ticking down, and once it hits 0 my communication with the outside world is gone!! haha it's really intimidating.
But I'll finish with my testimony. I know this church is true. The Gospel was restored by Joseph Smith, and he did see God the Father and his son Jesus Christ. He did restore the gospel. Prophets are real, and they receive direct revelation from God i know that!! I love this gospel and can't wait to actually learn the language and use it to teach the people in Taiwan.
Well I keep you guys in my prayers every night. I wish you guys the best of luck. Thank you for being an amazing family. I love you guys so dang much. Well my time is 30 seconds and if I don't send it by the time it hits zero it shuts it off. See ya
My actual companion's name is Elder Raskey he's from orlando florida. His chinese name is Si Kong with 2 first tones. He's a goof ball it's kinda funny. He's the ultimate elder calhoon from best two years. i like it to an extent but sometimes he ways to pushy. Like I'll be half way through my meal and he'll start saying like qi qi qi which means fast and will be like we gotta get to class, and we'll still have like 20 minutes remaining. But i guess it's good for me cause he's always pushing me and i have no time to even think of doing anything slow. But it's gets pretty obsessive sometimes. But went to the AirForce academy before he came here. So he's an airforce kid. But the funny thing is he's way sensitive. He has a girl friend back home and we always bug him about her cause they've only been going out for like 3 weeks before he came and he's obsessed. He sends her 10 page letters, no joke. But he's a cool guy.
Then my other roommate, he's from Utah, he actually went to Utah state before he got here. But he's ripped. He's constantly flexing in the mirror and asking how does my hair look. So he's a funny character. He's really quiet but not like a scared to talk to people quiet, but yeah. He never hardly smiles, unless something is really funny, and if he laughs let me tell ya he laughs. but he's a cool cat also.
But my favorite one of the 3 his name is elder Duff. He's 21 and he's in the army. it's really funny cause him and my companion always go at it arguing which is better the airforce of the army. He drew a picture on a whiteboard of a plane on fire and a tank shooting it down, it was pretty funny. But he's like a tank, he plays football on Army's football team and goes to westpoint. it's hard for him to talk really peter preisthoody cause he's been in the army forever, but he's been doing really good with it. He reminds me a lot of Ivin our cousin. he has flaming red hair, and is way tight. He has sweet stories, and we get along way good. He's pretty whiny which is funny cause I didn't think he would be coming from the army, but he calls him self out about being the whiny one. He's sweet though!!
Well there's my companion story, but about the last week. I'll be sending pictures and stuff in letters, and whatever I don't get to type in these quick 30 minutes I get to write a letter. But we some sweet devotionals. Richard G. Scott came and talked to us. He talked about how satan thinks he has power over us, but that no spirit without a body has power over a spirit with a body. It was an amazing talk. He told of a bunch of experiences he's had with listening to the spirit, I'll have to write them to you cause I don't have time to type them. But At the end he usually shakes every missionaries hand in the whole thing. but instead this time he was like I'm gonna take a few more minutes instead of shaking everybody's hand if that's ok. And trust me it was okay with me after hearing his testimony.
He stated first, I wanna talk about someone I know and love. The Savior Jesus Christ, he talked about how humble and nice, and loving the savior is. And then he closed with, I know the Savior lives... Because I Know Him!!!! That is literal!! it was amazing the feeling I got when he said that. Then in the end we sang "I need thee every hour". I couldn't even sing I was crying so hard. I especially looked at the main part of the song where it says, I need thee. oh I need thee, every hour in need thee. I was thinking how true is it that we need our Savior. I can't even think about continuing life without our savior. But that was an amazing testimony building experience. I know the Savior lives!! also after the devotional we all went out and stood on the curb as he drove out in his car. We were singing Called to Serve, as he drove by waving at all of us, he was saying over and over Thank You, Thank you!! what an amazing experience it was. As he drove by me I could feel him waving to me and saying Thank You. But as he drove by I had another confirmation to my testimony, as i was crying barely singing the song, I knew that he was an apostle of the Lord, and that confirmed my testimony that prophets and apostles are real, and are called of God here on this earth today, to receive revelation and help guide us in our lives.
But yeah that was a little about the devotional, but let me tell ya a little about our language assignment. On Saturday we were supposed to "contact someone in the park" and introduce ourselves and get to know them, and set up an appointment. I felt pretty good about it, until we got into the room. I introduced and said my name is elder rasmussen this is elder raskey and were from the Church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints. But then my mind blanked and all of my Chinese was gone. Haha good think Elder raskey can already pretty much speak it, they just sat there for like 10 minutes and had a conversation in Chinese as i stood in the background, laughing inside way hard, but looking like an idiot on the outside. Not know anything that was being said. So that pretty much sucked pretty bad, cause i didn't say anything. Yeah i pretty much suck at the language right now. But Then we went back and taught the first lesson which was really good. The spirit was so strong, and as I taught the lesson I introduced the restoration and Joseph Smith. As i stated the first vision from memory, my whole body just filled with warmth and I couldn't help but smiling. It was an amazing feeling I hope to feel every day on my mission. The spirit was strong, and by me telling the "investigator" about Joseph Smith it just confirmed my already rock solid testimony of Joseph Smith as a prophet, who brought this perfect church back to the earth.
Well we went to the temple today just like every p-day. We did an endowment session, I teared up right when I heard God's voice for the first time. I gotta tell ya the spirit is awesome here, if only I could feel the language as much as i feel the spirit!! haha I guess it will come.
But sorry I'll write individual letters if I can, I just keep looking up and the beeping red timer that keeps ticking down, and once it hits 0 my communication with the outside world is gone!! haha it's really intimidating.
But I'll finish with my testimony. I know this church is true. The Gospel was restored by Joseph Smith, and he did see God the Father and his son Jesus Christ. He did restore the gospel. Prophets are real, and they receive direct revelation from God i know that!! I love this gospel and can't wait to actually learn the language and use it to teach the people in Taiwan.
Well I keep you guys in my prayers every night. I wish you guys the best of luck. Thank you for being an amazing family. I love you guys so dang much. Well my time is 30 seconds and if I don't send it by the time it hits zero it shuts it off. See ya
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