Monday, February 29, 2016

元宵節快了!

Happy Chinese Lantern Festival to you all! It was really fun here in Taiwan, hopefully someone somewhere in America was able to celebrate it just a little...

These Chinese holidays are super epic here, there are always these super massive and crazy loud rallies that go on all across the city. If I wasn't in the most peaceful and law-abiding country in the entire world, I'd think that these were on par with the riots in Egypt a few years ago. They are super exciting stuff. We went to a Chinese temple that has a market surrounding it to pass out fliers. We watched as a parade of loud speakers and huge drummers passed by in their trucks and people blowing giant horns and marching all through the streets, then the traditional dancers performing on the stages set up in the plaza and all the extra street vendors selling special Chinese snacks. We even ran into the temple and got some cool pictures of all the random lanterns everyone had made and decorated the inside of the temple with. It was super pretty!

We went up to Taipei twice this past week for meetings and exchanges. I went with Elder Huntsman again. I've been able to make some pretty awesome friends on the mission, he's definitely one of them. But while we were up there, we had a member take us to another Chinese Family restaurant where they served us plate after plate after plate of absolutely delicious food. There was one kid there that showed up though who was much much darker skinned (notice how I've picked up some of the racist Chinese spirit unfortunately...) than the parents there who took us out to eat. I was super confused and had to ask him where he was from or if he was adopted. He told me he was Mexican. I wish I could've seen the look on my face at that moment! A Mexican kid speaking fluent Chinese?? I didn't believe him but it took him nearly an hour to finally tell me he was one of the Natives, like our Indians, who had just got back from his mission in Indiana where everyone told him he looked Mexican LOL. He did have the look. I would've never guessed Taiwanese..

On this past Saturday, we had 4 lessons in a row fall through before even 2 pm came. It was fun. And it was pouring rain outside. I finally gave into getting a Coldstone. When I went to pay for the super expensive ice cream, the guy told me it was Buy 1 Get 1 Free. Miracles happened to make up for the loss with the lessons. Elder Gray and I lucked out and celebrated to two huge ice creams!

This week had some interesting experiences.. One of our very best investigators who was right on the path towards baptism dropped off the map and blocked everyone's numbers. So that might not happen with her anymore unfortunately... Then there were a few lessons in particular where it was nuts, I had the point I was getting at right on the tip of my tongue. I knew exactly what I wanted to get at. But I felt like I was chasing that main idea the entire time throughout the lesson. I just couldn't ever catch up to it, even though I had it right there. It was a weird sensation. Poor Roy, he said he understood it all, but I'm not sure if he was serious or just trying to be nice..

This past week went super quick. I am super happy to have another new start again though. Monday is always the brightest day of the week. Which is a good attitude to keep for the future. Excited to hit it hard every week! 

Love you all!

PS I cut my hair again. I like it longer..

Some of the cool lanterns up close


Inside the Daoist Temple (the smell of incense thick as black smoke)

This one was also a fountain.

Remember Chinese reads right to left, meaning "Celebrate Lantern Festival"

For Lisa. The Sakuras are everywhere here in Xinzhu

More lanterns

Sunday dinner crew!

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