Week 7

Ni men hao!

Hello all! I have to apologize in advance, this letter may not be as full of stories as any others because I don't have my journal with me! So bare with me for a while! This week has gone by so fast! It's crazy how fast things start going towards the end of the MTC stay! I'm going to miss the MTC (maybe not the food) so much! It's been great having missionaries around me 24/7 and knowing that we all share one purpose, but I know that I'm needed in Taiwan, and right about now I need Taiwan! I'm freezing! ;) (Speaking of which, Mom, if you could send me a scarf that would be great!)

So like I said, this week has really flown by! On Wednesday we got all of our new Chinese speaking missionaries and they're great! It was great to meet them! The only downside of it, is I feel like their Chinese was 10X better than mine was when I first got to the MTC!! But no worries, they are all incredible and really hard working! It's been really weird, being the "older generation." The Elders that people come to for questions, I feel like I'm still asking questions myself! But it's also been so interesting to see how much I've progressed since I've come to the MTC. Looking back, I don't think I'd even recognize myself! Funny story about people recognizing me, just a couple hours ago, I was walking to the Temple with my District and I saw Brother Gee at the stoplight in his van!! I started waving like crazy, and he didn't even recognize me! He gave me this funny look and then drove off! Haha my District got a good laugh out of that! 

Another funny story that I'll share real quick! I don't know if I said this last week or not, but last Saturday we were teaching at the TRC (which is the volunteer service where people who speak your language come in and you teach them) and we had just finished up with one of our lessons. My companion, one of my laoshi's, and I all went into a room to evaluate the lesson really quick. We sat down and I immediately said to my tongban: "ok, what do we need to work on and how can we do it?" My teacher immediately looked at me, laughed, and said: "Come on! Let's start with what went well!!" .... and then (joking) under his breath loud enough for all of us to hear, he says: "WRESTLERS!" hahaha I thought that was pretty funny, seeing as he was a wrestler himself! So that taught me a lesson (along with all the advice from you, dad, that week) that I need to be a hard worker, but I also need to recognize the success that I've had in the past weeks!

I've got plenty more stories to tell, but I'll save those for the hand written letters, hao ma? 

It's so incredible to me how much easier it is for me to study the scriptures here at the MTC. Back at home, I had a hard time reading for even 15 minutes!! And now, I have a hard time stopping after a full hour! I feel like I had a testimony of the Book of Mormon before going on a mission. But now, after studying the Book of Mormon so intently, I feel like my testimony is strengthened dramatically every day! I love the Book of Mormon more than any other book in this world! I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that it's true. That Nephi was a prophet, that Alma the younger and the Sons of Mosiah truly did convert thousands of the Lamanites, I know that Captain Moroni truly was one of the best men to walk on this earth throughout all of time! I know these things because as I read these stories, they grip me. They're more gripping than even Harry Potter is! I know these things are true, because as I put myself in these stories, I can feel the story unfolding. I can feel the way these people felt and I know that God is there! I just finished reading in the book of Mormon (not the Book of Mormon, but the book of Mormon... ya know?) and I've been receiving a constant feeling of truth since I started reading when I got here. Every time I open the Book, I feel the power of God, and I feel His love for us as His children. I feel the power that Joseph Smith used to translate this Book, and I know that he was, and continues to be, a prophet of the Lord! The Book of Mormon is truly the most true book ever to come forth among the children of men. I know this and I testify of this with all of my heart and soul. I love this Book. 

I challenge any who are reading this to start doing something today. I know that life is busy, and you don't have a set hour for you to study scripture like I do right now, but I challenge you (if you are not already) to drop what you are doing and start on the introduction page of the Book of Mormon. Start there and read every word. I challenge you to read for at least 1/2 an hour a day. I promise that if you do this, you will know that this Book is truly of God. You will know that Joseph Smith is a prophet. But most importantly, you will know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, the Savior and Redeemer of our souls, our Loving Lord. Through this Book, you will come closer to Christ than you could by doing anything else. I know this to be true. And even if you've done this before, do it again. Even if you already have a testimony that the Book of Mormon is true, read it again... and again... and again! And as you read it, let it change you! Don't remain the same person!! Unless you are constantly becoming a better person, you aren't using the Atonement the way it is meant to be used! Let Christ change you, let Him mold you! I promise that as you do this, you'll feel Him closer than you ever have before!

I love all of you so so much! I miss you every day, and I look through my little photo album with tears of joy in my eyes knowing that each of you are safe and that each of you care for me! As much as I miss you, this is a sacrifice that is well worth it. I'm leaving you, so that I can bring other families together. I'm leaving you, so that I can bring this Gospel to others who need it SO much! I love you all more than I could ever express!!

Jiayou!!

Zaijian!