January 12, 2014

What up peeps? How's it?

We had a pretty good week this week... as a companionship and as a zone! Elder R and I found 5 AWESOME new investigators and set a few new baptismal goals with them, and we also had a blast while doing it! We're pretty similar guys... we both love sports, we're both incredibly sarcastic, we both love the Lord and missionary work, and we both love to bet... yeah, we made another bet on whether or not he would become the next assistant... I'm a little worried now!

Welp, onto this week's new adventures!

Mon:

     I saw Elder, I mean Brother S! It was way too weird for me to call him M, so I stuck to Elder S. He was back in Taizhong, checking out all the different colleges and such, so I went up to Taizhong for the day and had lunch with the duffer! He's doing great and planning on working for an airline as a flight attendant soon! Pretty crazy, right? It was so great to see him and have a chance to talk with him for a little while!

Tues:

     Zone Training Meeting. The first Tuesday of every month, we have to run a Zone Training Meeting for the entire Zone. The Zone Leaders get to relay all the messages and announcements that President has for the Mission, and we get to do some specific Training on any problem areas in the Zone. It was so Spiritual, and ended up going really well! We didn't think it went all that well, but when we asked the District Leaders how it was afterwards, they told us it was the best ZTM they'd ever seen!... I think they might have just been kissing up a little bit, but we felt a little better about it after that. We're really working on inspiring the Zone to reach their full potential in the upcoming months and to really see the kind of missionary that they could become, so we hope to really set a good example to lead and guide them along the way.

Wed:

     The story I have for Wednesday is a story so epic that I don't think I'll tell it to you over e-mail... you'll have to wait until I"m home for this one! Sorry guys! :) (Don't worry, I wouldn't get in trouble for it or anything!)

Thurs:

     Thursday was a little hard for us. We had a good amount of lessons, but they didn't go so well. We met with a VERY devout Christian who knows the Bible like the back of his hand, and also a VERY Athiest man who just likes to be around missionaries because, let's face it, we're awesome and funny... These two lessons specifically left me drained and a little bit depressed. We basically spent over an hour testifying to them and all they would do was cut us off and deny what we were saying. I felt a little abandoned. I didn't feel like the Spirit was doing Its' job! As I got to the depths of these feelings and felt like they were almost ready to consume me, I said a simple prayer. I just asked God: "why?" Why can't they feel it? Why is it that I and my companion know the truth of this message so strongly, but these other people blatantly deny it? Why couldn't God give us an answer to our prayers, and manifest himself unto these investigators? I felt a warm feeling of love come over me. I couldn't help but know that God loved these men FAR more than I would ever understand and that He would work with them according to His own will, and in His own time. I am but the tool through which He will prepare His children to accept His Gospel.

Fri:

     I spent the day stuck in the beautiful mountains of Puli. It was gorgeous out there! Tons of trees and a nice little breeze, and on all sides, you're surrounded by mountains. I went on exchanges with an Elder there and had a great time watching him work and assisting him where he needed it. We had some great lessons, one of which I'd like to share more at the end of my email...

Sat:

     We saw the NASTIEST spider I've ever seen as we were waiting for the bus to get back to Caotun... it was the size of one of those little cuties (the oranges) but super flat, and it was METALLIC SILVER. Gross, right? We started throwing berries at it (cause like, what else would we do?) and it freaked out. It started rocking back and forth and kind of flinging it's web back and forth in a really violent manner!! We were done by then and just walked away from that sucker!

     We spent the rest of the day going from lesson to lesson to lesson to lesson! Tons of great lessons and tons of progress with our investigators! Life is rockin' mi amigos!

So, hopefully you can tell, I'm having the time of my life right now. It was a week of ups and downs, but I'm definitely on a high note right now... even if I did lose the bet and I have to buy Elder R lunch.

The Spiritual Share I have goes along with the lyrics of a song.

 "Who am I to judge another when I walk imperfectly. In the hollow heart is hidden, sorrow, that the eye can't see. Who am I to judge another? Lord, I would follow thee."

On Friday, in Pulu, we went to visit a member who had recently suffered a severe stroke. When I first saw him, I saw a man who kind of creeped me out with a blank stare on his face and a house full of garbage and some mysterious disgusting smell. I wasn't really thinking anything bad about this man of course, but I didn't actually feel anything special towards him. But then I saw a picture of Christ next to the small mattress he had rolled on the ground... and another plastered on the fridge behind me. As I looked into the eyes of our Lord and Master, a strange feeling came over me. I turned and looked back at our quiet friend, and broke down in tears. As I looked back at this poor, lonely, crippled man, I was filled with the most pure love I've ever felt in my entire life. I couldn't control myself to be honest! It was as if I heard a voice in my ear whisper: "Do you see? Do you understand now why you are out here?" I finally got it. I finally was humble enough to understand. I used to have a pet peeve about people sharing their testimonies and using the words 'I know...' But I can write these words with no shame at all now. I KNOW that the Lord loves us. No one can know how much He does, but I got a taste of that love last Friday. The only thing I want you all to get out of this e mail is that I KNOW the Lord lives. He loves us. He is waiting with His arms wide open to engulf us with that love. Use your faith, and take the Leap towards Him. He will catch you.

I love you guys! Have a good one!

Elder Noll