I Finally have Flight Plans!!

Hey Family!!

Geez my MTC stay has been flying by and I’m almost out of here. But thank you guys so much for the Package, I really appreciate it!!! But let me tell ya a little about this past week.

Our Teaching appointment on Saturday went really, really well. I prepared really hard all week on the lesson. It was by far the best I’ve taught in Chinese and maybe even in English since I’ve been at the MTC, it was a really good experience. Also we taught in Unity and my companion didn't try to talk the whole time, so it actually went really good. We taught the first lesson, and also had to explain the typical day in the life of a missionary. On Wed we had missionary day.. Where we didn't have any class time, we just had teaching appointments all day and stuff. So we taught 4 lessons, contacted for about 30 minutes and tracted for 2 hours. It was a sweet day, also a very long day, but it was a great experience to get a little of a taste of what the field is actually going to be like. Except the field will have real Chinese people speaking to us, haha, so it'll be quite different.

But I'll probably send home a package or two with all the stuff I’m not gonna take with me, like all my letters, and some other stuff I won't need. So expect a box of stuff either late this week, or next week sometime.

But about the packages from everyone, I sent a thank you to them all. I feel bad if they didn’t receive it. I’ll write them again today. I’ve tried to be as good as I can with thank you notes for things I receive.

That’s funny about family home evening with Zach. I agree with him though, I absolutely love Family Home Evenings. I looked forward to them so much, and now that Zach is home I think it is a very good idea to get back on track, and do it every month. I know if I were home I’d be begging for them also. Serious you wrote Josh's Talk? Haha I’m just kidding, I remember you probably wrote every talk I ever gave except for my farewell talk. But I bet that was fun josh, I never liked giving talks. Now I have to try and do them in Chinese, it's pretty hard to write a talk in Chinese. I just use lots of scriptures haha..

But YES FINALLY!!!!! Our flight plans came. We leave on Tuesday! I can finally say when someone says when do you leave, I can say next week. I’m so excited and nervous at the same time. I’m not even close to good enough at the language yet, but I couldn't be more excited to leave the MTC, I’ve been here too long!! But we LV: SLC at 11:15 Am Nov 3rd AR: Los Angeles, CA 12:16 PM on DELTA then we switch to EVA Airways, LV: Los Angeles, CA 3:50 PM, then AR: Taipei, Taiwan 10:35 PM on Nov 3rd. I’m so stoked it's going to be a very long flight but I’m excited. Total travel time is going to be like 21 hours. But yeah we can call home at the airport, I’m so excited to talk to you guys it's not even funny. I’m thinking I’m going to call you guys at the LA Airport when we have like a 3 or 4 hour layover, So we arrive in LA at 12:16 PM so that’s California time, and I’ll call you between that time and 3:00 or so LA time. So I’m not sure if were an hour ahead or behind of them. But I’m going to call between 12:15-3:00 their time. So hopefully you guys will be there to answer haha!!! But I have a few things I need in order to travel (sorry I’m asking for things again) But I need a calling card so I can use it to call you guys, and while I’m in Taiwan I can use that same card I’ll just put money on it. Also I don't think I ever told you but right when I got to the MTC I had a shot that was exactly 4 years since I got it so it was fine, but since it was so close I got the shot anyway, so I don't have any cash (everyone also got a flu shot, 20 bucks or something) so I’m out of cash and you need 100 cash to travel, so if you could send that that'd be awesome (haha sorry and could you sneak in like 12 bucks for my dry cleaner suit and 2 pants.) So yeah just a calling card, and that cash I think is all I need to travel. And anything else little I guess if you need to send to me, I don't know if I need anything but if I’m forgetting something and you guys remember you can send that also. But it's crazy, our carry on bag can only be 15 pounds (plus a personal carry on, which will probably be my scriptures) or we pay an outrageous fee. So I’ll have to figure out what I can put in my little backpack thing since, it's only 15 pounds worthy. But man guys I’m so excited for this. I’m so ready to hit the field and am so excited about all the opportunity that is awaiting me.

But I love you guys so much. This Church is true. The healing power of the Atonement is real. Through the Atonement we can be cleansed of all our sins and mistakes. We can become perfect, and have the chance to live with our Heavenly Father again. I’m so grateful for Heavenly Fathers Help because without it I wouldn't be able to learn the language. Even though I have a long way to go, I know I’ll be able to carry the message that the spirit wants me to say to the hearts of the Chinese people. I’m so excited to go to Taiwan and preach the Gospel that I’ve grown to truly love. God Lives, he communicates with us, and answers our prayers, the Heavens are opened. He is our loving heavenly father and wants us to be happy. Any trials we go through, take to him and through His son, and our Redeemer Jesus Christ our burdens will be lifted from our backs. Although not taken away, they will be lifted and made a lot more possible to overcome. I testify this is true, for it is this reason that I’m still on my mission and know that I can learn the language and help bless the lives of the people of Taiwan.

MOM and DAD-
I love you guys so much. Thank you so much for being the perfect parents. You guys have always put up with my crap, it's this love that amazes me. I wasn't always easy, I think back of the things I did to hurt both of you guys, and feel sorry every night for it. I hope I can make it up to you and make you guys as proud as I can. I’m working hard, because I know this work is true, and it'd be selfish for me to hold the blessings from you guys and the family if I wasn't being obedient and working hard. You guys have always taught me the right way, even though I may have been a snotty teenager, I always took those things to heart. And I dwell on them now, thank you so much for raising me to the person I’ve become. Without you guys, I would be nothing, I’d go nowhere and I’d never succeed. But with you guys I’m something special, I’m going places, and I will succeed. I hope you guys are continuing to work hard with the business ideas and stuff. I pray for you guys every night. If you guys will continue to work hard and do as much as you can to figure things out, go to the Lord for the rest. It's called a power prayer, 1. Tell what you've done to accomplish your task 2. Acknowledge that you're powerless 3. Acknowledge the power of the Lord, and how he can do all things 4. say we need Thy help to finish, we've done everything we can 5. recovenant with what you’re going to continue to do in order to accomplish the task 6. end with Thy will be done. I promise if you do this your prayers will mean more, and be answered. I know you guys work hard, and the Lord will finish the rest, you guys will have success beyond your comprehension. Just keep working. I love you guys so much, thank you for all you've done. Keep being amazing parents. I'll always love you and stand behind you guys. Thanks for everything.

Love you guys, talk to ya in a week.!!!!