Taichung Time

Sunday, March 31, 2013

March 31, 2013

      Hey guys! Sorry if my e-mail sounded a little homesick last week, all week I was reminded of how good I've got it at home! I promise all is well and I'm still 加ing the 油! No worries! 
      I didn't even notice the earth quake!! I was actually on exchanges with our zone leaders and didn't even feel a thing! There are so many earthquakes here that it's just normal after a while... actually, I totally forgot to tell you guys!! The week I left Tainan, there was a pretty big one! We were up on our 5th story apartment and all of a sudden everything started swaying back and forth!! Elder S just froze and went into what he calls "earthquake mode." ha it was pretty fun!
     As for Mission growth, to give you an idea, my companionship has been changed into a tri-companionship! I'm sitting with Elder P right now as we type e-mails, he's way cool and he's from Taiwan! So I'm hoping my Chinese will improve a lot in the next few weeks! Easter was pretty normal around here, not a lot of people really understand what it even is... fun fact though, Easter in Chinese is Fuhuojie... Resurrection in Chinese is Fuhuo... a little more special, don't you think? I thought that was kind of cool that it's a little more focused on the religious aspect here. We're watching Conference not this weekend, but next. I'm pretty positive it will be in English, but no promises! And the Missionaries usually watch it all together... not totally sure where yet! Elder B is coming out this week... I don't know, should I tell you where he's going? I don't think he even knows yet!! He's serving in the VERY bottom of Taiwan!! Pingdong, it's the hottest, and possibly most beautiful place in Taiwan! I'm pretty jealous! He'll be right next to the ocean! He's probably almost out here by now, so no big deal.
     So this week has been crazy busy!! We've had so many lessons, exchanges, tons of finding, and now we've got an extra companion! One of the highlights of the week (sorry, this isn't exactly a spiritual note) is that I now have a barbell and some plates!! It's not a full size barbell, it weighs about 15-20 pounds and it's only about 4-5 ft long, but it's got some plates with it and now I can start building muscle again!! The funniest part was trying to get it all across the city of Gaoxiong! I had about 60 pounds in the back of my bike and I was carrying a 5 foot metal rod in one hand while steering with the other! Yeah, I got some weird looks! The real highlights of the week, we have 3 investigators with baptismal dates, and they're all getting baptized in consecutive weeks! So cool, right?? I'm pretty stoked for them! We also found some new investigators this week and had a lot of great lessons with them! Also, tonight we are planning on setting a 4th baptismal goal with our investigator... maybe a 5th too!! The work is going so great here!
     Some more worldly highlights, along with the weights ;), I had my first Mango in Taiwan! Oh my goodness. I can't even explain to you how incredibly delicious this was!!! We were getting some fruit on Thursday night at one of the many fruit stands, when I looked up and saw a pile of red and green lumps... my heart jumped and I tapped Elder D's shoulder... he says: "Yes!! Mangoes!" and we went over and each bought one. We brought it back to the Church and cut them up. I took a bite and entered heaven!! I kid you not, this was the most delicious thing I've ever tasted in my life. Well, next to your Potato/ Cheese Bread bowl soup mom... But it's right up there with it!! And then Elder D says: "Yeah, it's good... but they only get bigger and better." I'm in love!
     That's basically the whole week!!... Oh, I forgot! Sunday I had my first taste of a Taiwan summer. I woke up sweating (like every morning) and looked outside expecting the sun to be shining in, and it was pouring rain... dang. We had to leave the house at like 6:30 to go get our friend ready for church and we were soaked the second we were out the door. I was wearing my rain stuff, but I was sweating inside of it so I don't think it really made a difference that I had anything on!! haha It was so fun. BTW, cultural fact: Taiwanese people are terrified of rain! The streets were absolutely EMPTY!! So crazy!!
     I love you guys tons! Don't worry, of course I get homesick sometimes, but I'm still focused on the work I'm supposed to do! Everything is going by much too fast! Can you believe I've had my call for almost a whole year?? I can't believe it! Love ya tons! Jiayou!
Love ya!
     Elder Noll
Elder Noll - Rockin' some bowling shoes!


 

Monday, March 25, 2013

March 24, 2013

Hey guys! Sounds like it's been a pretty busy week!! I feel like these e-mails are always a little hard to write at first, there's so much that happens on a daily basis but the weeks go by so fast that I can barely remember half of them! Don't worry though, it might surprise you- but my journal writing has been pretty good since I've gotten on island... maybe I should just start bringing it with me to the internet cafe! To answer the question this week, yes... I can see the pictures if you attach them.

     I got your letter this week! The one with the quote and the pictures of Jessi's ridiculous shirt and Alec's birthday stuff, and Macy being weird! haha Those pictures make my week guys, you have no idea! I love them so much and each new picture usually ends up in my picture book and it goes around with me everyday. I love showing you guys off to my investigators and ward members, and they enjoy listening to the crazy stories about all of you... well, I enjoy telling them. I'm not really sure how much they like listening to the broken Chinese and me cracking up at my own story at the end... oh well! :)

     I'm sorry if this E-mail is a little shorter this week, I've got A LOT of stuff to do today! Well, the majority of this week was spent doing one specific thing. Helping out a man who literally isn't able to do anything himself... It's one of the saddest cases I've ever seen in my life. He is about 50 years old with a 13 year old son. The son is in charge of taking care of him. I don't want to try to paint this picture for you, because it's pretty graphic, but let's just say my eyes well up with tears whenever I see this family. We went to visit him on Saturday because Elder D just felt like we should. I followed, just because I was being a good junior companion haha, and when we got there I was shocked. We've visited him before and his situation has always been pretty bad, but this day was so much worse. The entire hall of his apartment complex smelled horrible, and when we got to his room he could only weakly lift his head to see it was us. He started trying to talk to us, but his throat was so parched that he couldn't say anything. We gave him some water to drink and he finally told us that his son hadn't been home in 2 days... that means that he hadn't drank or eaten anything for about 2 days. We were shocked! We stayed and helped him drink more, gave him his medicine and then ran to get him some lunch. We let him eat while we talked with him and promised that we would come back to get him some dinner... this poor guy. He literally can't move more than a couple of feet on a bed by himself... he can't move more than his forearms and even then they're not very controlled. My heart just broke as he smiled at us and told us how much he loved us and about how he was praying that someone could help him. Often when we visit him, we sing to him. So that day we decided to sing his favorite song, "Lead Kindly, Light." What a beautiful song! One of the verses highlights a very real truth that many of us face at times... "the night is dark and I am on my own. Lead thou me on." Wow. That line of the song lets me feel the role of the Savior so powerfully. Here on earth, here in Taiwan, I've had some nights that I thought were pretty dark. I can't say that they were anywhere near as dark as some other people may have experienced, but they were lonely and hard for me to get through... the only way I did get through them was by following the Savior's Kindly Light. The Savior is always leading us, we just need to look for Him.

     I love you all more than I could ever express in this simple e-mail! This week I've missed you all more than usual! I'm not lying when I tell you how often I look at your pictures! Every night! I think about the examples each of you have been in my life. Whether it's the love I feel from Auntie Sue when we're talking, the dinners and holidays with Grandma and Grandpa Noll, Aunt Sherri, Uncle Gary, Aunt Francie, or the times at Grandma Sue and Grandpa Doug's house. The visits from Stephanie, Brian and Trent, the advice from Stephen, and the constant flow of love from each of you... I appreciate it all and hold those experiences so close to my heart now more than ever before. I love you, and I always will. I look forward to a whole lot more experiences when I get back!! (Which means Stephen and Feff, you guys better be keeping a list of the good movies to see!!) Love ya guys! Jiayou!!

Love Elder Noll
 
 
 PS  I hope you're all loving the snow back home... haha, I'm dying of heat here right now... I love it!! The only time to rival how much I've been sweating lately was wrestling practice. It's pretty great!

       I hope you guys are still loving the Book of Mormon! Are Grandma and Grandpa and Auntie Sue doing it? I just finished mine this last week and it's pretty awesome! Maybe I'll send it to you in my next package... I just want you to know I love you! I've read your parting letters a lot over the past couple weeks, and they give me so much strength! I don't think a minute goes by when I don't think of you, and I'm serious when I say I tell family stories at least once every lesson! My companion must be pretty sick of it by now! I love ya guys! Until next week!
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(go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxvimHtghHE for a version of Lead Kindly, Light)

    

Monday, March 18, 2013

March 17, 2013

Well, another week gone by and I'm left to scramble through the week, attempting to describe some pretty incredible events that I never seem to do justice!... Oh well, in two years (actually, more like a year and a half!! Isn't that CRAZY??) I'll be able to tell you all a lot more!
     First things first, your questions!
1 - How's the new area?
     It's pretty incredible!! It's in the very deep south of Taiwan, so it's not only incredible, but incredibly hot!! Which is good and a little hard at the same time, because it means the fruit is honestly the most "prime" (as Jessi would say) fruit in all of Taiwan!! The people are also so nice. I don't know why, but they'll almost always listen as you talk to them! Most of the time people just drive off on their mopeds, but here they at least listen! I'll explain a little more later on...

2- You said you're now in Gaoxiong... Is that the same as "Xiaogang?"... Is it near the coast or inland?
    Gaoxiong is HUGE! Xaiogang is a place inside of Gaoxiong, and I'm in the west part of Gaoxiong... a little place called 苓雅 Lingya! It's actually where my teacher, Brother V, served for a while. We also share the Chapel with Elder S's favorite area in the world... side note, he may actually be coming back here to Gaoxiong because he's been begging President B. for a year now. So there's a good chance that we'll be in the same district again! It's near the coast, in fact we may be going to the beach next week! I'm gonna get my surf on... I wish! haha
 
4- How's the new companion?
     My new companion is Elder D., although I'm willing to bet mom (with all her crazy super mom powers... and the internet chat rooms) already knew that! He's a pretty awesome guy, and he actually served with Elder H. right after Elder H finished training too! Kind of funny, right? He's a really hard worker, and right now we've got some great investigators that we're working with and hoping to baptize by the end of April! The only catch is that we might only be together for like, 2 more weeks. The missions of all over the world are trying to sync up the move-calls so that they're all on the same time frame, so this move-call is only 3 weeks long! He's been here in Lingya for 4 move-calls now, so it's pretty likely that he'll move... but you never know!!
     Yeah! SO, I'm working in the best place ever I guess! Ever since I've come to Taiwan, I've only ever heard how incredible Gaoxiong is, and not just Gaoxiong, but the area that I'm in right here! We had a sister in my District in Tainan, Siste L, who was freaking out when she found out that I was coming here! She was so happy for me! haha and now I know why everyone loves it here so much! The weather, the people, the ward, and just the general atmosphere! Our apartment is also right next to the Cultural Center so we get to see all the cool stuff going on over there every night! They usually have parades there and festivals and dancers and weird rituals and stuff, haha so it's a great place to contact people! I won't lie to you, I miss Tainan SO, SO, SO, MUCH!! I miss Elder S, I miss our old apartment, I miss my old district, and most of all I miss the investigators and ward members! There is just something special about your first area that you can never really forget!! But this place is still so awesome! My first couple days felt like weeks... not because of the heat, not because of my companion, not because of anything except for.... the bike. Oh I've never hated something as much as I hated this bike. I had to wait a couple days for my bike to be sent from Tainan down to my apartment here in Gaoxiong, and I had to use an old missionary bike while I waited. This bike had about 8 gears... but I couldn't change gears myself, the bike decided to do that for me... at the most inconvenient times!! I'd be going up a big hill in 8th gear, or riding on flat ground in 1st!! And then, when I'd start pedaling after waiting at a stoplight, the gear would jump into 8th again and I'd end up almost racking myself with the bar between my legs as the gear jumped! Elder D. got a kick out of it, and my journal must have been pretty sick of me complaining about it! Haha, seriously guys, there is no way to explain to you how much I did not like that bike, but there's also no way to explain how happy I was to get on MY bike when it finally came!! I had the biggest smile on all day when it came! haha, and now that I've wasted a couple of minutes of your time with that story, on to the week! The first couple days here were spent meeting people in the ward, the recent converts, less actives, and a few of the investigators we're meeting with right now. They're all doing really good, and we're making some good progress! We've also met 2-3 new people in the last week who are now progressing investigators! Way awesome right?? I'll have to tell you more about them next week because I don't know a ton about them myself yet!
     I'll tell you about one of the coolest experiences we've had so far though! So, 2 days ago, we were calling some phones and I got a call from a member who lived up in Taizhong. She told me that her brother lived down here and he was in the hospital so she wanted us to go over there and give him a blessing. I told her we'd love to do it, and we went to meet her at the hospital that night. We got there and she talked to us about what had happened for a little bit. This guy had a work accident and was absolutely covered, head to toe, in burns. He was in really bad condition. So much pain, breathing through a tube, and unconscious. She went to let us in, and the hospital wouldn't let us because visiting hours were over. She introduced us to her sister who is not a member. She didn't totally understand why we were there, but she was willing to let us do whatever, and told us to come back with her sister on Sunday during visiting hours. I was a little nervous about having to give a blessing without any other member of the church there, but we agreed and then came back on Sunday. We got there, and more than 1/2 the family was there! Not a single one of them even knew what a priesthood blessing was, but you could just see the look of hope in their eyes, the hope that we (two 19 year old white kids) could do something to help their loved one. They took us around to a room that we could look through the window and see him... it looked pretty bad. We told the sister that we'd like to be inside to give him the blessing, and they told us it wasn't allowed to be in there because of the risk of infection. Very understandable, so we did the blessing outside without the oil... I'm sure God understands! Elder D. gave the blessing, and it was so great! Our Chinese is about the same, vocab and grammar-wise, so it wasn't beautiful and fluent Chinese or anything... but the power behind it was absolutely astounding. Every word had meaning in it. He had to pause a couple times, letting the Spirit direct, and then he would seal yet another incredibly powerful blessing upon the victim and his family members. It was about half way through the blessing when I noticed the sister, not a member, was sobbing. With the blessing finished, she tearfully thanked us over and over again, and then we wanted to give them some privacy, so we left... the entire family of 10-15 people staring at us with happy, a little awe-inspired, looks on their faces. It was so amazing.
     That's part of what my spiritual thought is on today. The priesthood, the Restoration. Such a basic principle, right? I've been learning about it since I was a tiny kid, it's taught to kids when they are old enough to talk, and it's continually expounded upon as we become more and more mature. I've learned more about the Restoration in the past 6 months than I've learned in 20 years. It's not just something you can study or read about, but it's something you MUST feel and experience in order to truly understand. I remember the starting point of my understanding in the Restoration. It started when my family took a trip to Palmyra, New York my senior year of high school. The feelings I felt in that Sacred Grove are only comparable to those in the Holy Temple of the Lord. There is no way to explain it, no way to capture the sacredness of it in a picture, but it's a feeling not of this world. It's the Peace of Christ (John 18) on earth. I won't go into detail about what I know about the Restoration other than this simple testimony. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ has been restored through Joseph Smith, that Joseph Smith truly saw God the Father and Jesus Christ and that he did, in all actuality, speak with them. I know that even today, we have a living prophet who leads the Church, not the way HE wants to, but the way that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, has commanded him to. If we rely on him, we will never go astray. Lastly, I know that the Book of Mormon is truly the word of God given to us to light our paths and show us the way to Eternal life. I promise with all the faculties of my soul that these things are true, and I invite those of you who are not yet baptized to come unto Christ and learn of these things. I promise you will feel the most precious joy you could possibly have. And, I mimic Elder Holland in inviting those who have fallen away to come back and partake of the joy of Eternal Salvation. I know that I'm just a 19 year old kid, I know that I haven't had a whole lot of worldly experience and my knowledge is nowhere near as deep as most of you, but I do know that this gospel is true and is the only way unto Christ and Eternal Happiness.
     I love all of you, and MISS all of you more that I could possibly explain! I have pictures on my wall of all of you that I look at every day before bed... and when I say all of you, I mean ALL OF YOU!! Extended family included!! I can't wait to be back in your presence and tell you more of how much I love you, but I've got work to do here right now. It's incredible to me to know that 6 months have already gone by! It only makes me want to work harder and give more effort! Everyone add some oil (sorry, that's a Chinese joke) and enjoy life!
Love Elder Noll
 
PS.
     Mom, I just need to tell you that I apologize for not cleaning as much as I should have at home. I'm now Elder Maria the Maid at this new apartment!! I don't think the Elders have swept the floor there in about a year and I'm pretty sure that they shave in the living room because there is hair EVERYWHERE!! Ha, but it's looking a lot better since I got here. I've done a deep sweep each night, I've mopped twice and I've organized 2 of the 4 rooms into a suitable living situation... Elder S has turned me a little OCD when it comes to cleanliness!! Does that surprise you? haha, just want to tell you I love you! I'm still going through all the quotes you gave me and loving each and every one! Hope all continues to go well back home! Love ya!
    

Sunday, March 10, 2013

March 10, 2013

Well, I'm done training! It's official! Elder S and I are about to go to the train station to pick up his companion, and at 2:30 today, I go to 高雄 Gaoxiong! Isn't that crazy? We all thought for sure that Elder S would be moving, but now I'm going to his favorite place in the world! He always talks about how great of a place it is, he served there for 6 months... well, he went to the ward right next to me, but we share the chapel with that ward I guess... So as sad as I am to leave Tainan, I'm really excited to go to Gaoxiong! That's the biggest news of the week, I guess I couldn't hold it in! I'm pretty nervous!
  Well, it's really weird to think that this is my last monday in Tainan! Yesterday, at church, was really difficult to say goodbye to everyone! I've grown to love that ward so much! And yesterday, as we were taking pictures and stuff, I saw that they've grown to love me too! Despite my defficiency with the language and my weird little quirks, they've been so kind and loving and yesterday was no different! 
     This whole week I've been pretty nervous for the move call! I honestly felt like I was going to be moving, and I was right! So we've been working with investigators all week, trying to get them ready for one of us to leave and it's been really kind of sad! We've got one guy,  who we're meeting with right now, and I've got to say that he's probably my favorite person in Taiwan! He's so awesome. He doesn't really want to get baptized, and he sleeps in too much so he doesn't want to come to church, but he's got a huge heart, and I'm gonna miss him! We met with him on Saturday this week, we went out to lunch with him and talked for a while.
     The other investigator (the most constant one) is somewhere in his early 20s and he's a pretty cool dude! We also met with him on Saturday, and it was a pretty awesome lesson! We taught the plan of salvation to him, and then talked about baptism for a while. During the lesson, the Spirit was so strong and he was pretty accepting of what we taught him! It came to a point in the lesson, and I had the strongest feeling like I should invite him to be baptized. So I did... and he flat out declined!!! I was so disappointed and so confused, and absolutely sad. I'd never felt that strongly to invite someone to be baptized before, but he didn't even take time to think about it before refusing! Now I think back on it, and I know that it was only one of his opportunities to accept baptism. God knows each and every one of us personally, and He knows the right situations for this investigator to be baptized... maybe it's just not right now!
     Going along with that, is my Spiritual share for the week! Yesterday, at F.H.E., I was sitting next to my recent convert. During the lesson, he pulls out his translator and types something in... then he turns to me and says: "I need to endure to the end." Picture this in his cute, broken English! I told him, yeah! Everyone does! And then he tells me: "I've lost 2 friends..." and the look in his eyes was so serious and hurt that I could barely stand it! I had no idea what he was talking about for about 20 seconds, and then it clicked. I was leaving the next day. Elder S is leaving in 3 weeks. He was almost in tears because we were leaving. It was a testament to me that God knows His children. Whether we've been baptized or not, He knows and loves each of us... and He'll put us in situations to help one another out! One of the reasons (in my opinion, this isn't doctrine!) that we're on the earth right now is to build relationships! When I first got here, he was all ready to be baptized. I didn't help a whole lot with that, I only had 1 lesson with him before his baptism! But I've been here ever since, and I've been doing my best to help him become the strong member he is today, 3 months later! I feel such a special bond with him, and I know that God placed me here to meet him, and he was ready to meet me and help me grow accustomed to missionary work! I wish I could explain how anyone could have so much love for someone they met 3 months ago, but it's impossible. It's a love straight from God, and it can only come from feeling of God's Holy Spirit together and learning as one.
     I love you all a ton! I'll send some pictures home really quick so you can see my ward and my District! Love ya! 加油!!
 
羅正杰長老
 Elder Noll
 

Sunday, March 3, 2013

March 3, 2013


We asked Elder Noll some questions this week and figured we'd post his answers - If you want to skip down to his main letter - It is in a different color at the bottom :)
1. How much time do you have in the internet cafe each week? Do you have enough time to read our lengthy emails in the cafe... do you download them... should we keep our emails brief to allow you more time to write?
     I've got plenty of time! Don't worry about it! Make them as long as you want!
2. What's the guitar status? Would you like for us to send you sheet music with the next package?
     Right now, I have an ukulele that a friend has given me to borrow for a while, but no guitar yet! I'm still not sure if I'll buy one or not, I don't know if it would be worth it! But I'll let you know when I get one or not... as for sending music... I don't know! I think it would make the package pretty heavy!! I'd love it, but I don't want to make it too inconvenient for you guys!
3. Do you miss your mommy? Are you ever homesick?
     Of course! I could lie and say I never get homesick, but that would be stupid! Of course I get pretty homesick sometimes, but I don't want to bother you with those feelings, because the feelings of missionary work fill up those empty spaces! I miss all of you more than I could ever explain, but there's work that needs to be done!
4. Are you excited to transfer?
     Um, that's a hard one! I'm pretty nervous actually! Elder S is most likely going to move, but there's still a chance that I could go somewhere else! I'm excited to not be a trainee anymore, but I'm a little nervous about what that means! I'll let you all know how it goes next week!
5. Do you ever feel unsafe?... With the people? Traffic? Apartment?
     YES! Elder S is very abusive and he throws things at me... no not really. haha I wish you guys could experience the roads out here, they're an adventure that's for sure! It's like New York roads with no side walks... imagine riding a bike around there... oh yeah, and then add 1000 mopeds in the bike lanes and cars parked on the side of the road and people walking in and out, and cars going 50 mph a foot away from you and then you'll know what being a missionary in Taiwan is like!
6. How is your bike holding up? Any repairs? Did you choose the right model or should we have gone with a different one?
     My bike is doing great! It's working pretty nice and I think it was the right one to go with!
7. How much money do you get each month for food/incidentals? Is it enough?
     We get 6850 NT every month, and it's enough! The food is INCREDIBLY cheap here, one of the most expensive restaraunts here is McDonalds... and it's no more expensive than it is in America. Most places, you can get a full meal for 50-100 NT, so I'm doing fine!
8. What are 3 things that every Junior and Senior in High School should do right NOW to prepare themselves to serve right after high school? Would you have done anything to prepare differently?
     1.STUDY the Scriptures (especially the Book of Mormon). Don't just read them, really study them and let them start to shape your actions.
     2.STUDY Preach My Gospel. Again, don't just read it, study it. Do the activities in the little boxes, turn to the scripture references and use the things you learn.
     3.Learn to forget yourself. There is absolutely no room for selfish feelings in missionary work. This is one of the hardest things to do, and I think it's one of the major keys to success on a mission. We're not here for us, we're not here to learn a new language, we're not here to try some new food and have a 2 year vacation. We're servants of the Lord and we're here bringing souls unto Him.
     What would I do differently? TONS! I would have taken Dad's advice and studied Chinese more, I would have taken Mom and Dad's advice and taken some Institute classes, man, I would have just listened to my parents more! They're pretty smart people! I wish I would have started better scripture study and prayer habits, I wish I would have attended the Temple more regularly, and I wish I would have shown love for my family more.
     Well, there's all the questions for you! If you have anymore then feel free to shoot them out! Wow! this week has really flown by!! It has been SO busy! Since Elder S is our District Leader, we've had to do 2 exchanges this week and we've had a lot of lessons on top of that!
     On Tuesday, I went up to 北區 (the North district of 台南 tainan) for exchanges with our Zone Leaders. I was with another missionary named Elder S... that's ironic isn't it? I leave Elder S to be with Elder S... anyways, that was pretty fun! I learned a lot, and I got to use the Zone Leaders bench press (highlight of the week) and it was cool to work with some new members and such. But it was definitely nice to get back home to my beloved 東區 East district! I love my ward and I love our investigators so much! Wednesday we went home teaching with our Bishop and met a really great less active family and then we had English class that night! Not the most eventful day, but English is always fun! I love teaching English here! I'm the advanced class teacher and my class is pretty awesome! We basically spend the entire hour just talking about what happened during the week!
     Friday was Elder H's birthday so we took him out to a really expensive all you can eat buffet kind of place. It was the most delicious hot pot I've ever had! They literally had anything you could possibly imagine! And the meat was all ultra fresh! They cut it right in front of your face! After the lunch, we went on exchanges and I had the chance to act as Senior companion in our own area for the first time! Kind of really fun! I had so much power! haha, it wasn't THAT cool, but I liked it. We had a few lessons the rest of the night and then we headed home to do our nightly planning. Nightly activities are a lot different as a senior companion. Not as much time to write in your journal because you've got to call everyone and confirm for the next days lessons and you've got to call the members you want to teach with you the next day and a whole lot of other stuff! So that was pretty fun to experience!
     The rest of the week was pretty uneventful! Except for yesterday! We're at church, sitting in Gospel Doctine class and we're talking about the Holy Ghost. We start talking about how the Holy Ghost doesn't have a body of flesh and bones, and the 85 year old woman sitting next to me says: "Yeah, He's like Satan!" Hahaha, the missionaries in the room couldn't even hold it in! The funniest part was that no one even bothered to try and correct her! So there's the spiritual message for the day... the Holy Ghost is like Satan. Not really. The other comical event of the week happened Saturday night as we were going back to our apartment. We have a guanli, a doorman, whose name is Papa Wu. He's about 60 or so, and we like to mess with him a lot and joke around with him. He really likes us and loves talking to us whenever we're heading out the door. This night, when we got into our building, we couldn't see him anywhere! We decided he must be upstairs smoking or something. As we wait for the elevator to come down, Elder S told me he thinks that Papa Wu is coming down in the elevator... so he gets up right in front of the doors, and right when they open he sticks his head in and says "Boo." Turns out he was right! He scared Papa Wu so bad that he just backed into the elevator and leaned against the wall! We went in and asked him if he wanted to go up... he said he needed to get out, but we'd already pressed the button so he proceeded to yell at Elder S while I just cracked up as I watched. It was definitely a weekly highlight!
     The Spiritual message this week is a little bit of a call to action! I received it yesterday at church as I was listening to a lady bear her testimony. She said: "We cannot leave Christ, we have things that He expects us to do! We can't just leave Him!" Think of all the promises that we have from Christ and from our Father in Heaven. They are numberless! One of my personal favorites is this: Matthew 11:28-30 "Come unto me, all ye who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest..." Christ is constantly volunteering His strength and His love, but when it was his turn to labour and become heavy laden, who was there to help him? Who was there to carry His yoke? There was but one, and he was compelled to do it by the guards who were taking Christ to the hill where He would be crucified. Christ had nobody to lift him and share that burden, even at the end, He needed to experience the feeling of a spritual death and that was so painful that He cried out in agony, "Father, why hast thou forsaken me?" We have things to do. We know what they are, and we know the consequences of disobedience. Our Father in Heaven and our Savior have asked of us to set the example for those around us. We have a call to action and we must answer that call.
     I love you guys! It's great to hear from you, and to those of you who I've received letters and e-mails from, thank you so much! It means so much to me to hear from all of you! I can't wait to hear from you and I love you so much!
     BTW Steph, I love your new found language ability! It took me and Elder S a minute or so to find out it was a joke! We thought it was Cantonese at first! Hahaha Love you!
羅正杰長老