February 23, 2014

What's up guys?? Wow. What a week. I'm serious this time... I know I say that almost every week, but it really was an incredible week this week! 

I can't even believe that it's time for Jessi to receive his Call!!! It seems like it was just last month that mom was yelling at me for telling Jessi not to wait and to leave when he turns 18... hehehe sorry mom! I'm so proud of you Jessi, you honestly have no idea how happy it makes me to read your letters about your Mission... I'm anxiously awaiting the news of your Call! 

We had a special week this week... because of the Chinese New Year, many areas and missionaries have been struggling with numbers and finding new people to teach for the last couple weeks, so the Taiwan Taichung Mission does this thing each year called: "Power Week." We cut our studies down a little bit, eat meals on the go, and have a special "mission" that we're supposed to accomplish every day of the week. For example, Tuesday was Book of Mormon day... we taught everyone we met about the Book of Mormon, and we were challenged to hand out 13 copies to people we met on the road and also exchange information so that we could follow up with them. Another day, we had to get 20 different people to set up a time to meet with us and leave their information. On Friday, we went to 15 different houses to confirm 15 different people for church and so on. It was a total blast! Elder R and I were proud to tell President that we hit 6/7 missions while going on multiple exchanges throughout the week! We're stoked to continue meeting with these new investigators as well! It was a tiring week, but we both had a absolute great time working our butts off in the hot sun and the freezing rain! 

We have been working with a couple of really old investigators lately, and one of them is going to get baptized on Saturday!! It's been incredible to watch him change since I've met him. When I met him 3 months ago, he was still smoking, drinking, and not exactly keeping the law of chastity. Now, he's given up the ciggs and the alcohol and he's a wholly chaste man. He's truly repented of so many things and it makes me so happy to just be around him! The Gospel is so incredible guys! If we have ANY feelings of guilt or remorse, the Atonement can literally wipe those things away completely!

One bit of sad news is that Elder R will be leaving me tomorrow! He's going to head down to Gaoxiong to open a new area and train a new missionary! I'll admit, part of me is a little bit jealous, but then I look at where I live and I forget my jealousy immediately! Nantou is beautiful!! I'm going to be with a Taiwanese Elder! He's one of my best friends in the Mission, so I'm totally stoked to be able to serve with him!! It's gonna be so much fun! I pick him up tomorrow, and then we're gonna get to work! 

Yesterday, we had an amazing opportunity to see Bishop Stevenson, over the presiding bishopric of the 70! He has a son serving in my mission, and he came last night to have a fireside and talked for quite a while about some truly inspiring things! It was nice also to see the whole mission get together! I feel so old out here right now because I hardly know any of the Missionaries any more! It's a weird feeling! 

I feel like I should share a quick testimony with everyone about the Plan of Salvation, the Plan that our Heavenly Father prepared for us before this world was even created. First of all, God knows us. He prepared this Plan specifically for us, and it pertains to us in every way possible. Of course, most of us have seen the layout of the basic Plan of Salvation... Pre-existence, Birth, Death, Spirit World, Resurrection, Judgement, and Kingdoms of Glory... but have you ever imagined what YOUR Plan would look like? I know that God had those plans prepared for us. He knows exactly what we should be doing in order to be the happiest in this life. He knows what choices and what experiences will help us grow the most and make us strongest. There are so many times when we will question God's guidance and His commandments, but why should we question those things? He knows so much better than we do! It's our nature to be prideful and to question authority, trust me, I know. But I testify that God is our loving Father in Heaven and that His every command is ONLY for our benefit and each and every effort that He demands of us is ONLY to prepare us for the Eternities. When God commands you, be as Nephi and obey without a second thought. I'm still working on this trait. It's not easy in the least bit, but it's worth the work.

I love you guys! I hope you have an AMAZING week!

Love, Elder Noll