First Week in New Area!

Josh got a ticket? Haha I remember my first ticket, it was on Burton Lane and I was acting like I was in the Fast and the Furious movie, I was dressed in all black with a black beanie. Haha I couldn't have looked any less like I was going to cause trouble. I also couldn't find the insurance and stuff, it was scary. It was also night time and the cop shined his big cop flashlight right in my face, I literally couldn't see him...... Tell him to slow down, he won't need to go so fast once he gets on a mission and you ride a bike around everywhere. I guess we do go pretty fast though. This last week, my companion and I almost got nailed by an oncoming car. The car went to pass a scooter and didn't see me and my companion, I was looking down at my bike to see if something was wrong, the next thing I knew I heard a honk of a car and looked up, my companion was near the side of the road, and the car was coming right at me going pretty fast, well over 40 mph. So I swerved and he barely missed me, wow I’m glad for the spirit and my guardian angels. Another funny encounter, my companion and I were riding and a car honked behind us so my companion freaked out a little and turned really fast into me, I went flying with my bike into a wooden fence area, and my companion turffed it on the pavement, haha we were laughing so hard, it was so funny!!! I love riding my bike in Taiwan!

I love the pictures you guys look like your having so much fun. Man pictures speak a thousand words, I love seeing pictures of my loving family, you guys are amazing. I love each and every one of you guys so much. Thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of the family. I hope you guys are doing all you can to serve the Lord, and be a good example to all around you.

But yeah I’ll be able to see rob this week at zone conference. That'll be fun, I don't know how much of a chance I’ll get to work with him and all, but I’m a lot closer then I have been in the past so that will be fun, I’m excited about that.

The first week in the new area was quite the week. I’m still not used to sleeping with no AC, it's death. I wake up in the middle of the night well over 5 times tossing and turning while sweating in my bed, it's not to fun. After a good old hard day of work, the last thing we want to do is go home, because it's hotter in our home then it is outside. It's quite interesting. It's going great though, I’ve never worked so hard and contacted so hard in my entire life. The Lord has showed us many miracles because of the hard work. We ended the week with 8 new investigators which is a big upgrade from the 1 they were averages a week before, and we added 2 new souls to the baptismal pool, one is Lin DX he is so, so, so prepared, the other is a 15 year old kid who is amazing also. He is Gao Dx, or Joe. I tracted into him and taught him at his door, while I was teaching him his aunt came to the door, and was yelling Buddha, Buddha, Buddha, don't brain wash the kids with Jesus Stuff. Joe kept telling her to leave and get out of there. It was an interesting exchange. Joe is great, we can't meet with him till the day after my birthday, but he has been saying prayers every single day, and he loves it. I've been calling him every once in a while to see how he is doing. He is amazing, and knows he's talking with God through prayer, it's awesome to see a young man the age of Joseph Smith finding out his relationship with God.

On Thursday it was a really, really rough day. All day outside, and no one was accepting the message. I’m not going to lie, there was a point that I was getting pretty frustrated and wondering why, why, why..... But I just kept to it knowing that God tests faith and blesses in the end. The end of the night 3 big miracles happened. First we tracted into my old companion Elder Gania (whose parents are Philippine and Chinese) his cousin. We were talking with her, and she was like yeah I have a cousin that's here on a mission. We were like what is his name, she said jasper, which is his first name. Wow, that was crazy to run into her cousin. So we set up a time for the sister missionaries in our area to work with her, Miracle number one.

Then Miracle number two, the most spiritual contact of my mission. There was a lady getting off her scooter. I went and started talking to her, she said I have no time. But I kept talking to you, and then she said no use I don't need it, but I kept talking to her. Then she said, go find someone else to preach to, but I still kept talking to her. Finally she was like what are you protestant, I said no. Are you a Christian sect, I then also said, “No.” She said then what are you. We are the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She said the Mormons? I said yes that's our nickname. Then she said why don't we say we’re Christian. (Little background, in Taiwan there are a million of Christian churches just like in America, so if you say you’re Christian you’re just another ordinary sect of Christianity). I then said because we aren't a sect of Christianity we are the only true church of Jesus Christ. Then she looked at me with a weird look. I asked her what her religion was, she said she is Yi Guan Dao which is a religion that incorporates all religions good parts and makes their own religion. Pretty much if they don't like a certain part of a religion they won’t do it, they incorporate another religion in to make up for it; it's really weird. But she was different. She was this religion because she didn't know where the truth was. Because I asked her if she believed in truth. She said yes. Then I said, “Where is it?” She said that's what I’m still looking for. I said if I told you I know where the truth you’re looking for is, would you listen. She looked at me with the face of, keep talking I’m listening. I went through Jesus Christ on the earth, the apostasy and the restoration. I told her all the truth she needs was restored through this real experience of the then young man, eventually prophet of God Joseph Smith. The spirit was stirring in my bosom the whole time. I felt as if I was floating on clouds surrounded by angels. It wasn't me talking to her that's for sure. I then showed her the Book of Mormon, she promised me she'll read it for sure. Then she was like I won't promise you I’ll join your church but I’ll read this book. Well that's a start, because the only way to join to is understand. Then I was like, before you leave I would like to bear my testimony with you.. I said, I know God lives, I've talked with him and he's talked with my. I’m cleaned and have the peace and happiness of Christ in my. This church is the full truth, and the Book of Mormon is God's word. I know it; I can't and won’t deny it, In the name of Jesus Christ Amen. Then she, with tears in her eyes said, my kind of personality I usually wouldn't listen and take this book, but I know that you have true peace and understanding in your heart, so for some reason I’m willing to take it and listen. I thought about that, I truly do have that peace and happiness of Jesus Christ in my heart, because I've been completely cleansed and forgiven of my past sins through his atonement. I’m a walking testimony that The Atonement of Jesus Christ is real, and it changes life's like nothing else could. He is my older brother, friend, and savior, through him I’m clean and through him I’ll return with God again. This lady was prepared by God, and God was nice enough to allow me to be a part of this great miracle, and great experience in my life. In the scriptures how it says some missionaries’ faces were as faces of angels, and God sends angels to testify along us, that was truly the case at that moment of time. I was taken and changed above the normal human, I had angels around me to help me testify and Sister Xu, felt it and saw it. I’m so grateful for the opportunity then to be a instrument and tool in the hands of the Lord.

Another miracle…Yesterday I don't know why, but my whole body just wasn't feeling good. I had a big headache and just didn't feel great. We were heading home, I asked my companion what time it was, he said 8:50 (we end at 9:00) so instead of turning to go home, I went straight to the end of the road without even thinking about it and waited there. There was no one in sight, but I hoped someone that needed the gospel would come by before I had to leave. Sure enough, the Lord put another one of His children in the paths of one of his servants. She road straight up to me, and said, “Hi.” I said hi, we started talking and she had been to our free English class before. She was busy lately so she had no time to come anymore. But, I set her up on Tuesday night at 7:00 to have a lesson with the sister missionaries. That was cool to see, if you work to the very last moment, there will be miracles and the Lord will bless you.

So it was a great week, the Lord has been preparing this area. Just takes some hard work and faith. I’m really excited to continue to work in this area and be and instrument in the Lord’s hands. Being a missionary really is a great thing!!!! I love my life right now.

ps- Is there any way you can contact my friends parents and hopefully get some pictures of them to send me, I miss them and want to see how they are doing. Letters takes too much time; I honestly don't have the time to write all of them. So if that's not too big of a time taker that would be great.

Mom I want to thank you for being so supportive of me. I hate asking you to do things for me, because I’m in no power to do service back to you. But thank you so much, I hope you know how much it means to me that you’re so willing to help!!! I love you so much mom, thank you so much for being the best women in my life!!!! I’ll continue to serve you the rest of my life, sorry if I wasn't so good at it before my mission, please forgive me.