QiDao

Prayers were answered this week. I got a phone, a bike, an area book, and many other pretty useful things!! That was very nice. Everytime I wanted to think 'wow this sucks without a phone and a bike", i thought back on my experience in ZhongLi where I rode a bike with no pedals for two weeks and was comforted hahahaha!! Things could always be worse right?

The water shortage is still in effect. Saturdays our apartment reeks of urine and sweat. That much is lots of fun.

This week of finding on the streets was particularly interesting. I met a man who when I asked him if he had seen missionaries before, said "Yes, and I HATE you all. I HATE what you are doing here." Typically people are nice here, regardless of their beliefs. This is a shout out to all those in the Bible belt and also in Russia or other various places, my hat is off to you guys for what you put up with a regular basis. It's not so fun having people tell you they hate you for what you are doing.

We found a Mexican food place! So that guy can hate me all he wants while I chow down on some tacos and quesadillas! :-)

Last week on monday we were able to go to the Chinese National Palace museum and go see some pretty sick artifacts and what not. But we only have 2 hours to do it. It reminded me of the days that we were going to a museum like that and stay there for 8 hours looking at everything haha. Not totally sure which pace I like to look at museums. Probably just a good middle of those two. It was all so dope though, becoming half Taiwanese has made me really like this kind of stuff now!! We are so going back when you come to get me mom and dad!!

what pictures of the green and lushness don't show is how freakin humid it is here!

close up

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We also have been exploiting the Ikea in our area. I love it so much. So so lucky!!!

Regardless of the difficulties of this week though, I did make some minor changes that made this week one of the most fulfilling as well. Prayer. We decided we would prayer at least 100 times a day hahah and just really seek that help. It works. What do you know? Such a primary answer. Remind me about this week when I get home and I'll tell you all about it, it was cool.

We had a member of the 70 come tour our mission this past week. Elder Gong. That was super cool. On tuesday we got to Taibei for a night devotional. And it was the craziest thing I've seen on my mission! They brought out these HUGE buckets of ice cream for banana splits! And then we had social hour!! I don't remember the last time that I got to just go relax and talk with other missionaries and not be so rushed or so focused on something. Wow. It was so foreign to me..

But I was actually able to have a pretty long one on one conversation with Elder Gong. I asked him what brought him the most satisfaction from his mission. He ultimately said his own personal development. I have faced some difficult things this past while, as any missionary will, and it is hard to be satisfied with that. But I have grown up soooo much in the past while too. I am so happy with my personal growth and development. Missions are the perfect practice field to practice being an adult on. I am forever grateful for this opportunity. It really is unmatched.

Love you all. Keep living life to the fullest, know I miss you all.

YM/YW helped us contact for a day.  Dinner at the end made it all worth it!