Sunday, January 17, 2016

吃到飽

Happy birthday to my best friend tomorrow! Hope it's a good one Lisa! :-)

This past week was incredibly interesting, I don't even know where to start..

That of course is an exaggeration. Mission life is fun and interesting, however it's also very repetitive for those of you who aren't here with me as well. I'm also scraping to think of what all the most fun things are that I can think up...

Last Monday as it poured rain, we went to an All-you-can-eat. It was loads of fun, however, I'm getting sick of always just eating. Food is tasty, don't get me wrong. But I would love to sometimes work off the calories instead of just put them on... That's what happens in a district of pig-eaters.. But I mean, I can have all the time in the world to work it all off when I get home right? so no worries.



I went on some fun exchanges with an Elder Seely that some of you may know back in STG! He is in my zone. And is a major stud. It was a little weird to be with someone from STG though, it's been a long time since I have talked to someone who knew some of the same names and places as I did. It made me realize it really has been a while since I was there last as I couldn't remember jack lol.




I've been reading some New Testament lately.. Paul's writings are quite interesting as some of you know..

Then the major thing of the week was going to Taipei for exchanges with the AP's!! It was so good being back in the same apartment as Elder Huntsman Johnson and Elliott! Lots of good old mission friends that I haven't been able to see much for a while. And good times being back in Taipei! What a beautiful city, miss it so much...

In the morning up there for exercises, Elder Elliott and I got out and ran a mile or two to get ourselves to the Chaing Kai Shek memorial place that is nearby the temple. It was beautiful. I love Taiwan.

That was my week in a nutshell. Taiwan.

Hope you all have an amazing week!!

恆心 January 10, 2016

Hello! I hope everyone is surviving the intense snow fall in the west lately.. Not too much rain here in Taiwan luckily, although of course today it had to rain. Best part of where I live now is it has little precipitation in comparison to the rest of the island, so I am very happy to be dry while it is a bit chillier here..

This past week we actually had a morning where we woke up and it was pouring hard core rain. I run in the mornings rain or shine, so I made my companions (we were on exchanges all together) go out into the rain with me LOL. I'm a mean comp maybe? But, it was such an impressive storm! There was gnarly thundering and lightning and all that jazz, in January!!! I don't remember any winter storms with that intensity. It was fun to watch.

This week went by faster than last week. When RM's tell you all that stuff about the last half of your mission being fast, they mean it. When they also say you are the most tired at the end of your mission, that also is very true! I nearly slept through all of church! Or at least really really wanted to...

There was a member this week that called us to take us out to eat. I hadn't met her yet, but apparently I had passed her in the hall before and she wanted us to eat with her nonmember husband. We got to the mall we were eating at, greeted them, and they asked if they first could take care of some shopping... Followed them in there and the first thing this lady and her husband do is start picking up all these new clothes and asking me to try them on!! I was so surprised and want not that I semi-yelled "不要!" (I don't want!) and semi took her back. I felt so bad! But holy she surprised me hard core lol. Just goes to show how nice and caring the people are here for us. I was moved. Of course I still had to reject her though...really, who just grabs a couple 100's of dollars worth of clothes down and wanting to buy them all for you when she hasn't even met you before. I love the people here!

We had a cool lesson with a part member family. Going into it, I didn't know what I wanted to say. The mom, being the member took control unexpectedly as well and had us go around the room sharing some of our thoughts. I was last. I didn't know what to say. But I opened my mouth, and words spilled out. I told them how lucky and blessed I was to have the family I did. To have loving parents, loving siblings, and a really good life. It is a rare thing. Shout out to the awesome family I have!

We talked to a man this week, clearly had schitzo, and when we start talking to him about the gospel, he tells us the voice in his head knows a little hebrew from his bible reading. The voice also did not understand English, but knew the mans name, Bruce. He continued on to tell us what the voice tells him when he speaks to him.

I was really glad at that moment that my head is void of any crazy voices!

There was a point in this week where I thought I wouldn't be able to live up to the mission expectations that President has recently put on us all as leaders. That's really common for missionaries to feel that way though. I didn't have to think too long about it though. When I look at the mission as a whole, I have come so far. The mission does change you in so many ways. It has been the richest experience of my life. I was made grateful for it all over again. 

Some something from the last world fair in Shanghai

Eating the REAL stuff :-)

The Zone

二零一六年 January 3, 2016

2016.

Starting the last quarter of the mission now. Crazy..

To start the year off, we headed up to Taipei for a big meeting that any missionary knows about. MLC. Lots of fun honestly.

The contents of the meeting wasn't much different than any other meeting I've ever attended before. We as missionaries must Find, Teach, Baptize. However, somehow in the way they presented it all, I was interested in what they all had to say. The church is going a bit old fashioned again. Good meeting!!

The best part of the mission right now is all that I am learning. There is sooooo much to be learned and it's probably what makes most every day so interesting for me. I love making connections with people, seeing how an effective administration is run, how a loving leader makes a lot of difference, how to talk to people, how to be real, how to enjoy life. So much good to come out of a mission. It is wonderful.

The most exciting experiences I had this week though we centered around my dreams at night. I'm finally to that point where dreams just get super nuts. It is a real thing. I am not usually a dreamer either. From watching monkeys attack cats to seeing giant skyscrapers in Saint George to being in a nuclear holocaust. They just keep getting better and better.

The work is also going well too. Lots of upcoming baptisms.

Hope everyone has a good game plan for 2016. It's going to be a good one!!

XinZhu

Mid-city hiking