Wednesday, October 29, 2014

ShengDian Tian!!

Today is temple day, hence the email is slightly late I apologize... BUT the Taiwan temple is beautiful and small but super cool! It's right in the middle of the city and yet so quiet. I loved being there doing that, especially the fact that I went through for a daluren! or in other words a man from the mainland! turns out there's missionary work going on on that side of the border as well too haha that was super cool!
left to right: dad (elder Willes), granddad (elder Westover), and me!
I'm straight up becoming Taiwanese. I haven't had American food once since being on island and I've literally eaten all the craziest foods that you could ever imagine, AND LIKED THEM!! except pig ear and pig foot they are 99% fat and hairy so it was slightly too much to bear hahah! But I also like using squatter toilets now. They are way more sanitary in my opinion bahahah. My shirts are all almost completely yellow now and stinky, and I swear my breath is Taiwanese too now. I might just not come home because everyone might think I'm a little too weird of a person now!! Nah I'm still the same...ish... hahhah
breakfast always makes my day!!
We bike like 20 miles a day here on average. dad you better be training or start training so when you get on island we can bike from taipei to taidong alright?? cuz we gonna be biking maniacs for the 2 weeks youre all here!! last saturday had to have been at least 35ish miles, it was sooooooo long. and its super funny because the waist in my pants gets more and more rooming but my thighs get tighter and tighter hahah! its a funny sight! and I'm also getting my hair back so that's exciting. you might wonder why I decided to go bald.. the lady was snipping all my hair off and there were horrible cuts lines everywhere so I just told her "I want all same length!" so she grabs the razor and sure enough all my hair was gone after that! but its great never having to worry about bed head, except now its semi coming back again...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANNI!!!! and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

I straight up discovered a drink from heaven and it's become my addiction. Donggua cha with ice cream and pearls in it, for $1 dollar!!! I dont even understand how Taiwan it blows my mind!! the most expensive dinner I've eaten so far was a huge thing of squid for $3!! Dinner entrees for that much?? bahaha its one of those cliches that's actually true.

I had my first baptism over the weekend. that was cool. I didn't really help teach Joy much, but the little that I did she was super awesome. It is fun watching people getting baptized. But not always easy getting there as it turns out. Taiwan is actually considered one of the less successful missions in the Asia area. But s'all good!! Everyone is so friendly it doesn't matter if they don't care for religion they still just want to talk to you because you're WaiGuoRen which is basically nonexistent here in Taiwan. To the point that I get a little weirded out when I see a white guy in the street hahah!
first baptism!! Joy is great!!

I use my WaiGuoRen-ness to my advantage out here. sometimes when we're at stoplights and I'm trying to hand out a pamphlet, people don't want it. they yell "BU YAO" or "BU YONG" which means no want or no use! and of course i know they're rejecting me but they dont know that I know that so I yell back "I'm sorry, I'm white! Wo TingBuDong!" (I can't understand what you're saying!) and then smile really big and it always works hahah they just roll their eyes and look super irritated but they take it!! And they say no effort is wasted so maybe one in those thousands of people I talk to will read it?? idk but its still a riot!!

I also had the privilege of giving an entirely mandarin blessing of the sick. This guy is a stud and we go paint his roof for him a lot as service. but he's like 35 in a 90 year old body. It breaks my heart. So Willes annointed and I sealed and It was through and through mandarin and friggin legit the spirit definitely is a major help when you need it!! Such a super cool experience.

Sorry I have no time, ever. But I still read your emails so keep sending them!! Love you all thank you for your support and prayers you're all beautiful and remember God loves you to the infinity and back!!

金長老
Jīn ZhǎngLǎo
Elder Jensen

meet Derek!! We just painting roofs like a boss.

this lady is absolutely nuts.  you'll have to have me tell you her story when I have time in two years hahaha

1 comment:

  1. We love reading Elder Jensen's letters home. It fills in some gaps for us. I am Elder Willes' mom. Go Team Taiwan!!! Much Love, Marianne Willes

    ReplyDelete