I Have a New Companion...and Had Two Way Sweet Experiences

Hey, how’s it going?

Sounds like everything is going great with the new office and everything. Also sounds like you have a sweet staff rolling in. Haha I’ll help you with marketing when I get back, Taiwan sure needs it BIG TIME!!!

I’m doing great. Yeah today was transfers. My new companion is Elder Gania. I’m still in the same area. He is from Cali, his dad is Philipino, and his Mom is Chinese. He's sweet! This is going to be a way fun transfer. I’m excited to work with him. I’m so grateful I’m still in this area; this area really is so amazing. I love our ward so much they are awesome; the support they give for missionary work is amazing.

But I’m so stoked to call home in 2 weeks. Yeah I think just like last time, I’ll call home or something. We'll schedule it next Monday when I email you. But I gotta figure out like when it would be best to call you. I’ll probably call you guys on my Sunday and your Saturday, so it won’t actually be Mother’s Day at home. But we'll have to coordinate it next time. But I’m so excited to talk to you guys.

This last week was a good week to end to transfer. We have a rule in the mission that in order for an investigator to get baptized they have to go to at least all 3 hours of church at least once. Brother Huang, because of his work, he's come every week to sacrament but has never made it all three hours. So yesterday when he was supposed to get baptized was his last chance to come all 3 hours or else he couldn't be baptized. So we were praying really hard, that he'd be able to stay for all 3 hours. Well he stayed and we had a wonderful baptismal service. I’ll have to send you the pics of that and new companion next week in the email. But it was awesome. That’s the second guys Wu Guan Chen our friend has found that has gotten baptized. Just think if every member in the world found 1 person a year to get baptized the church would rocket out of this world. We need more ward missionary work around the world. I didn't understand that at all when I was at home, but now I understand. Out of every 3 people that get referred by a member 1 gets baptized. That is an amazing ratio. Member work is so, so, so important. I just wish members were better about getting into the work. We have a group that love it but the others are just not there. We’re working on it though and it's improving. But the baptism was great, I love seeing people receive a remission of sins and coming out in a newness of life. Being a missionary is the coolest things ever.

I want to share an amazing miracle we had early last week. So it was a night that we had a bunch of lessons set up. But the night before none of them said they could. So we randomly had a whole night open up. We were thinking about it during planning, where should we go? We haven’t been out to Nan Gang in a while so we decided to trek our way out there in the night time. It's pretty far away so we don't get out there much because of the lessons we teach and things. So we had our plan to get out to Nan Gang. So we were sitting at dinner before we were going to head out there, I pulled out the ward list to see if there was any less actives that lived out there who we could visit. I saw a family of 5 the Lo Family. Instantly I thought them!! We are going to find them! So we looked at their address, they ended up being at the end of our huge area almost to the next area. So we started out talking to everyone. Every single person was talked to on the way, all we saw was rejection after rejection. We stopped for a minute and my companion asked me what are we doing wrong? I just had the thought maybe the Lord really wants us to get to that family so he's not allowing us to have success. I just told him have faith we'll see a miracle. So then is started pouring rain on top of everything. We had to go to the nearest 7-11 and buy a poncho. Now it was pouring rain, and we were getting rejected left and right. But I knew I absolutely knew there was a reason we were out there. We got to their house and no one was home. Man talk about a hit to the heart, we road our bikes all the way out there in the rain to find them not home. But then we looked at the sheet and there was another address. So we biked further to the 2nd address. It turns out it was their little side of the road store, where they cook noodles and things. We pulled up and we saw the 3 kids (who were in the front of the store) turn toward their parents and say mom dad the missionaries. We went into the store and sat down with the dad at one of the tables, and just started talking. Then he called his wife over and they both sat down with us. The father hasn't been to church in about 5 years and the Mom for over a year. They have been having some family problems, her brother had just died, and her mother is in terrible condition. Last night they were taking it really hard, and the Dad for the first time in 3 years called the family together to have a family prayer. So the night before they said a family prayer for the first time in a long while, and the next day we showed up. The mom was crying and so grateful for the answer to their prayers. I was able to testify of the Plan of Salvation, and my feelings toward Trey. How I know without a doubt in my heart where he is at right now, and that after this life I’ll be able to see him again. They were so grateful. It was one of the coolest miracles to be a part of. They are going to start coming back to church at the end of May because of some things they have to take care of. But the Lord led us to a family of 5 who is longing for the gospel once again in their lives. It was amazing to see all the stuff that Satan gave us to try and stop us from getting out there. But I know it was the Lord's will to meet them and see them that night, and nothing will disrupt the Lords will. I know the Lord lead and guide us that night, because if it wasn't for the Lord we wouldn't have even thought about going to the end of our area. But it was a great miracle to be a part of, and it was great to know the Lord trusted us with that task of giving hope to that family once again! I know this work is true, there is now way it's not!

so yeah those were the two highlight of the week.

I love you guys so much, can't wait to talk to you guys. Thanks for all the support, keep loading me with pictures I love them!!

Love- Elder Rasmussen