過年

Sorry everyone, not much time to write this.

Last week was Chinese New Year. I was amped to celebrate it a bit. And to make this year's new years even more memorable, I got Strep throat.

This week was great and very full. But due to time I'll elaborate on this one story.

On Monday, as it was Pday, I figured I just need to rest what I was feeling off, so we had a good relaxing day. But then Tuesday came and my throat hurt like crazy and was super red and swollen and full of white puss. Go see a doctor, the answer is simple right? But don't forget that Tuesday was the third day of Chinese New Year. Every clinic and hospital was all shut down for the entire week...except the ER. I talked to the President's wife to see if I could try to just tough it out for a week and then see but she didn't like that idea with lots of strep all back up in the throat the way it was. So Tuesday afternoon we made it to the hospital ER. I stood in line for 15 minutes to register. Once registered we were put on a waiting list. After almost two hours, I still wasn't called. A car came flying up in the drive way and an entire family sprinting all over the place barged into the room. Then we had tons of medical assistants shouting and sprinting out to the car to get the dead man out of the car and flew him into the resuscitation room! That craziness went on for a solid 30 minutes as they tried to bring the old man back, finally they got a pulse. What a stressful sight that was even for a bystander.. When it died down a bit, I went and checked to see where my name was on the list. I still had another 20 or so names ahead of mine. At this point we threw in the towel and left.

Went back the next day and made it through a bit faster, but not much.

Socialized healthcare systems during the longest holiday break of the year are a nightmare!

In the end, I saw the doctor for a total of 2 minutes. She wrote a prescription I could've forged myself in two seconds.

Don't get sick on Chinese New Year if you're in Asia, you'll regret it.

But I ate a TON of food to make up for it :-)

So I will be working that off now. 

Love you all!!

Here are some pictures of the food for your enjoyment.

A family we ate a dinner with.

A man we love who we've been seeing in the hospital.

And the last one is proof that there are no thieves here in Taiwan (the owner left his keys in the ignition and everything..)

搬家天

Chinese New Year began yesterday! But as it will carry on the rest of this week as well, I will write more about it next week!

New Year Decorations lighting up all the streets here

This is our apartment, refurbished hotel.

We have mastered the mosquito hunting tactics.

Our apartment has a funny little ecosystem of its own. As we are working on killing all the little blood suckers, the ants come in and devour their carcasses. Roaches come in summer and mosquitos in winter, but ants year round.

There were some other epic occurrences this week! And good news is I survived them all!

First off and least interesting, I found the best restaurant in all of XinZhu. It is a Singaporean place with the best tasting curry ever. Literally all I've ever wanted lol. But the interesting thing about this place, and I forgot to snap a picture which I'm pretty bummed about, is that Taiwan is SUPER tiny for how many people live here and you have to take advantage of every little bit of land you can find here. So along the street, this is literally this little patch of dirt, like 5ft by 5ft, like nothing at all, completely cultivated with cabbage, spinach, and other little tasty vegetables. Probably no wonder the Singaporean restaurants veges tasted so fresh?

The second was two days before Chinese New Year, I'm not sure what happened, but my throat lit up bright red with soreness. It's incredibly inconvenient to have swallowing troubles right as you prepare for the holiday of the year for the best food. And to be better off, because of the holidays, there were no people on the streets, like at all. It is amazing how quickly this place becomes a ghost town. Spooky almost. But either way, with the throat throbbing and no people to talk to, I wanted to call in sick. But fortunately for me, my companion is super excited about always working, so I never said anything for fear of making him slow down. We kept going hard. And funny as it is, it really does feel so much better when you just stick it through the pain and work anyways. There were some many small moments I would've missed if I had called in sick. Life is short. Get out and live it. We can recover from our illnesses and weaknesses in the Spirit World.

My mother is a shining example of how to live life. Making it to the top of the Rockies and across the ocean only weeks after surviving the gnarliest surgery ever. I'm lucky to have such a role model of a mother aren't I?

The third and best of all was to start off a great Chinese New Year, we had a pretty intense rumbling in the earth. That drum roll to usher in the New Year must've been too loud or intense or something? I was sleeping Friday night and had an intense nightmare when I was being shaken ridiculously hard. I woke up thinking it was my companion, but realized my whole bed and entire room was bouncing around like crazy. So there I was, laying in bed, shaking harder than I have ever before, when the thought occurs to me, "I really ought to jump under that desk in my room. Or under my bed. Or just do something when the ceiling falls then it won't crush me." As I'm considering my next move, I roll over to look at Elder Gray and first see what he does. He is sound asleep!! Snoring away!! I keep watching as we are both bouncing up and down waiting for him to flinch. Not a thing. Then I lay back down. I think when you are sleepy, your logic isn't as good. I reasoned that my bed was at least warm and comfortable, the ceiling was only dry wall, so nothing too intense if it were to collapse, and then if Elder Gray did eventually get up, I would then consider moving. So I went back to bed and enjoyed the remaining 3 or so minutes of super intense tremors watching the lights on the desks and ceilings shake like crazy.

It was when I woke up in the morning and heard just how intense it really was that I think I learned my lesson that if I'm ever back in the that situation again that I probably ought to get up and get to safety just in case.

Next earthquake I will duck for cover, don't worry.

Fun experience.

I'm super excited for a fun New Year! Hope you all are as well!!!

The Lin family

Cute little missionary Amah with a fun little demo.

New Year feast. To die for!!

Eels....

Taiwan Taipei Temple

Textile life

Chinese markets

搬家天

As I was riding to the chapel just barely to send my emails, I almost got blown away off the road. The wind here is ridiculously strong and super obnoxious. I had a very clear and distinct sign from the Spirit that "Wind Cities" are not for me in the future. I'll still visit Chicago for the holidays, but done with any thought of living there ever.

That said, the weather has been fairly decent lately. Sunday morning it was even hot! Somehow I'm learning to like this hot weather! Perhaps I am really into this tropical zone climate? No wonder so many people live here. Lol.

This week was a beautiful week. It was an ordinary one. Nothing too special happened. But, one thing, I was at peace about my future life. On the mission it is such a pain because you have no time to think about those upcoming things. And it is very real that you do feel pressure about what is to come all the time. However, this week I was able to put those burdens up on the shelf. Just focus on Taiwan. It was a great relief. And for that I am so grateful.

As such, I don't have any major stories.

But I will describe to you one day this past week, Thursday.

Every RM knows that there are many days on the mission where you feel incredibly blindsided by all the crazy things that can suddenly come crashing down at you at once.

It was transfers. And transfers changed drastically for us with the beginning of the new year. It really isn't that huge of a thing, however, any time you implement something for the first time, there will always be lots of confusion and anxiety about the turn outs. Bright and early in the morning, Elder Gray and I had to be to the train station to pick some elders up and send some other off. We had to bring an extra bike with us as well. That was quite the walk trying to juggle so many bikes and possessions and whatnot. Once there and getting that all settled, we had to ride straight to the hospital to be with some sisters who are pretty sick and needed help translating and such. Taiwanese hospitals are nuts!!! I am so happy I have not had to go to any. Thank you America for having somewhat decent health care. Social healthcare is a nightmare. Once those few hours were over, we headed right back to the train station to drop more elders off. Then walked all the bikes and equipment back to the house and had 3 hours to plan out our week. But it started pouring rain during that time. And our next lesson ended up being a disaster trying to get there. We had to ride far in the rain. My shoes got wet. My athlete's foot got worse. And the heater at home felt real nice right before bed.

Thus is mission life.

It is a good one.

Love you all!

January 24, 2016

If you haven't heard yet, it snowed here in Taiwan! Yesterday after church got out, we nearly had the entire ward out the doors dancing around like little children as the snow flakes fell. We had some 70+ women telling us it was the very first time ever in history that it snowed on the flat lands of Taiwan. Nuts huh??

None of it stuck, but watching it fall was entertaining and crazy nonetheless.

Last week I forgot to include this, but as we were riding to the church to email, we went to turn left at an intersection and I turned to look back right at the perfect second! My poor companion flipped HARD off his bike onto the payment right as the light turned green to oncoming traffic. I was dazed for a second thinking he just got nailed or t-boned or something, but I realized that there were actually no vehicles of any sort around him. I run out to help him get up and gather all his stuff and ask what happened as cars are starting to come at us. (The cars all went around, that really wasn't any issue) Turns out his front tire went over a foot-deep pothole as he was making the turn and also only had one hand on his handlebars.. Bike wrecks.. They happen all too often here lol. Good news is my companions and I have never gotten more than a scratch or two!!

Front row seat

This week was frigid cold. I had a few nights where my shoes were soaked and rain water had dripped off my rain clothes down my neck and into my pants and then XinZhu is as windy as Chicago. Although it wasn't walking through snow, it was what it was. One night, after finding for many hours, we went to a steamed buns shop and got a cheese bread roll then got a large ginger tea and went to the deserted convenience store next door and sat upstairs in the dark eating and watching the crazy traffic outside. It was pretty memorable.

Flip through those quick, gives you an idea of how the traffic works here..

Also, alongside all the funny occurrences that happen in a week, we had many awesome mission miracles as well. (Miracles surround us, isn't even something as small as every time we take in a deep breath a miracle?) We went up to a college campus to contact a bit for a while. We stopped a kid who at the start said "No thanks" but after talking to him a bit, we gave him our information and some material and set up with him. Two days later he showed up to that lesson! And then he came to church even in the freezing cold. And liked it. We won't meet with him for all of Chinese New Year coming up, but afterwards he'll be good to go. 

This parking garage at the college had four or five flours to it just like this one.

We are sent on missions probably not to prove what true religion is to the world and certainly not to fight with anyone about anything, but to invite those who actually do want it. And the miracle of my mission and some of these past weeks is that there actually are some people out there who do still want religion and a moral standard in their life. Sometimes you just have to get past that first "No thanks." 

I've been lucky to meet a lot of people here who have a desire to be in our church. It strengthens my desire as well.

I hope not everyone froze to death over on the other half of the world!!

Love you all!

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