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!