June 23, 2013

Hello!  It's Move-day for the Mission, so I've been down at the Mission Home all day, helping people find their companions and doing things down there. 

     Well, this week I've got a lot to write about! My last week in Lingya was pretty nuts! We had a lot of lessons and quite a few crazy experiences with the man we take care of... there was one night when we were supposed to get him ready and take him to his sons graduation... but the son wouldn't wake up to go to the graduation!!! We about threw him out the window. We spent 2 hours over at this guys house, doing absolutely everything he asked us to do, and finally left... the son never woke up and the man we ended up going to the school himself to talk to the teachers... suffice it to say, our patience was a little thin after that experience! 

     We had a chance to go and visit some members and have some good experiences with them, and on Saturday, we found out that a sister in our district was having serious stomach pains and was getting her appendix taken out!!! So we went to visit her on Sunday with the Sacrament and a couple other members... It was a good little meeting and we all had a good time trying to cheer her up! As Elder M and I rode through the streets of Gaoxiong, headed home, I had the oddest feeling of reminiscence looking at all the buildings and stores. I got super sentimental and just thanked the Lord for the incredible experiences I had in that amazing city. I gotta say, it's been so hard leaving Gaoxiong. That city became home, and the members became my beloved brothers and sisters. That night, I got the phone call... "Elder Noll, I've got a special assignment for you. You're going up to Daya to help a new Elder finish up his training and be the District Leader there... Oh, and I'm gonna need you to leave tomorrow morning." Talk about being shocked! 

     So, here I am! Sitting in yet another internet cafe, writing a letter to the same people, and doing the same missionary work, and yet, everything has changed completely! I have to take care of not only 1 new missionary, but I've got 4 other missionaries to look over now and I've absolutely loved it! It's incredible up here! So beautiful. There are a lot more trees, a lot less buildings, and yes, a WHOLE lot of rice patties! They just built an INCREDIBLE new chapel here for 3 different wards, and the ward is super strong. I've already met quite a few of the families, and I'm getting more and more familiar with the roads... It's a lot harder than it was in Gaoxiong! Gaoxiong was a huge city with a nice road layout, but Daya is much more countryside and the roads are completely random!!! It honestly reminds me of home a lot... if we lived inside of an oven. No not really, it's a lot colder up here. Everyone makes fun of me because I'm cold a lot, but I'm still sweating like crazy... a little weird, huh? haha, I'm super excited to be with my new companion! He's teaching me a lot of Taiwanese, so hopefully I'll catch on to that soon... it's pretty diffficult! 

     I just want to testify of the blessings we have on this Earth... one of the greatest, in my opinion, is the ability to love. I've learned what it's like to love a stranger as a brother, to love a strange place as if you've grown up there all your life. I love you all. That love isn't something I can even begin to describe, but it's precious to me. I love the Savior. He is everything in my Life, and I hope to always do those things which He would have me do. I love my Father in Heaven. He has given me everything, and He continues to bless me day by day! I'm so blessed to have you all in my life! I love ya guys!! 

Elder Noll