Taichung Time
We did a lot of different stuff in the office on
Monday... handling some stuff to do with the recent transfer, as well as
some stuff for the English program, and a whole lot of other stuff that
you probably don't really want/need to know about anyways... so we'll
skip the boring day! haha
As missionaries, we have an hour and a half meeting
called DTM every Tuesday of every week. It stands for "District Training
Meeting." Basically, the companionships in your district (usually 3 or 4) will get together and the District Leader will prepare
some training based on the needs of the members of the District...
pretty fun! The first Tuesday of every month is similar, but on a larger
level. The whole Zone will gather together and have what's called a
"ZTM," or "Zone Training Meeting..." pretty self explanatory 吧。I
thoroughly enjoy DTM! I used to think it was such a pain to have to use
my personal study time to prepare an hour and a half training on
something that I myself don't fully understand, but as I've come to this
point in my mission, I've really realized how valuable this time is to
be with the members of my District. I'm responsible for their failures,
and I'm responsible to uplift them and keep them happy pretty much! It's
a special responsibility to shoulder, and it's one that I'm happy to
bear! This week, I had the opportunity to prepare a DTM, and I chose the
topic of "Faith, Diligence, and Skill" with the overlying emphasis
being on Righteousness. These three (faith, diligence, and skill) are
absolutely critical in missionary work... but without the RIGHT motives,
the RIGHT feeling and RIGHTEOUS desires, all of your faith, diligence
and skill is just wasted. It was special for me to prepare this
training! I feel like I really learned more than anyone else on this
topic that day!
On Tuesday night we had to start on our way to
Gaoxiong. We made it about half way, when we decided to stay the night
in Jiayi with the Elders there. I was over the moon to be able to hang
out with Elder W (used to be in my zone when I was in Zhongxing)
again! He's honestly one of the good friends that I've made out here! We
had a great time talking about the different investigators we've been
working with lately, and talking about family stuff back in the States,
and so on! He says that he lives near Aunt Sherri! Whaddya know?
Wednesday was pretty tiring! I'll be honest, I was
pretty much dead on my feet! haha, we had to move out a set of sisters
into their new home, meet with the old landlord and negotiate all of the
details that accompany moving, and then had to keep on running around
Gaoxiong as we looked for a new apartment for yet another set of
missionaries. I feel like the moving issues and apartment issues are
never ending! hahaha, we move out one set and get them all set up, and
the next day we get a call from another landlord telling us that they
want to sell their apartment to someone else, so we start looking for a
new apartment! I'm never going into real estate, that's for sure! ;)
We made our way back to Zhanghua on Wednesday, and
had to stay the night there before coming back into Taizhong early
Thursday morning... I was about ready to throw myself on my bed and just
sleep until Sunday! But it just so happens that we'd scheduled an
exchange with the zone leaders in my district on Thursday! So we manned
up and got ourselves ready for exchanges. WOW. I've never felt so
refreshed! It's been a long time since I've been able to just throw
everything aside and be a full-time missionary for a WHOLE day. I had
the pleasure of going around with Elder G for the day! You remember
him? He was a generation younger than me (MTC time) while I was in the
MTC. He's a cool cat, as pops might say! When the exchange started, I
looked at him and said: "Alrighty, what's the plan, friend?" In
response, he showed me his planner. He'd filled in one line on the whole
page, starting at 12:00 until 9pm... "Street contact." I looked up at
him with a big ol' smile and said: "Get r' done." So we did.
The pure joy that comes from preaching the Gospel is
a really weird thing. Elder G and I spent a total of about 6 hours
riding our bikes around on the street in the middle of July in Taiwan.
Turn your oven on to broil, wait for it to warm up and then go and sit
inside for about 6 hours and you'll understand a little more about what it's
like to ride around Taichung city this time of year! haha, it's not
something that should be enjoyable! It really isn't! But it is. I
couldn't keep the smile off of my face the whole day. The sweat was
dripping down into my eyes (something that hasn't happened since I was
playing football in high school!), my clothes didn't smell so great, my
shoes (what's left of them) were literally baking my feet, and I hadn't
had a good nights rest in over a week... but the Spirit was guiding us
everywhere we went that day. We stayed pretty much right around the
church. We didn't ride outside of about a one mile radius, but we found
about 20 or more people who were very willing to write down their
information and tell us that they'd like to sit down and talk with us
about what God can do in their life.
There is absolutely no way that 2 white kids on bikes with mediocre Chinese could go out into the world and do something like that. Let's look at the scriptures. There's no way that a kid could go into a foreign colony and protect scattered sheep by slicing off the arms of those who were doing the scattering! AND THEN that same kid went on to Baptize the whole nation, including numbers of kings, and bring them back to his home land to protect them and nurture them! These things are utterly impossible... and yet, they happen.
There's no way that a 14 year old boy could go
from a poor farmer, not having any solid religious beliefs, and then
becoming a prophet and revelator in the same year. That is impossible.
But Brothers and Sisters, I testify to you here and now that this very
thing did indeed happen. Not only did it happen, but it changed the
course of history forever. This was not some coincidence or bogus scheme
compiled to gain riches or whatnot, but this was and is the plan of the
Great Creator of the Universe! Everything has and continues to go
according to that plan. The Almighty God, is very aware of everything
that happens on His beloved earth.
Whether it is to alter the course of history, as in
the case of Joseph Smith, or whether it is only to alter the course of
the life of one, meaningless boy, roasting in his old leather shoes on
the streets of Taiwan, God cares. I deserve no recognition from God for
anything I've ever done in my lifetime. I doubt there are any who
deserve any level of recognition from such an almighty being. God so
loves us, that He is willing and hoping to make up for our weaknesses.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should no perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that
the world through him might be saved." John 3:16-17
God is so aware of us. Why is He so aware of us?
What did the Savior do that makes Him so special to us in this day?
"Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did
esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded
for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the
chastisment of our peace was upon him; and with his sacrifice, we are
healed." Brothers and Sisters, I do not know why it is that we mean so
much to our Father in Heaven, I cannot fathom what reasoning He has to
love a being such as mankind. But one thing I do know with all the
certainty of my soul: HE DOES LOVE US. You may be sick of me telling you
this week after week, but it's the principle that touches my heart the
deepest week by week. He loves us, He cares, He is completely aware.
Thanks for your patience in reading my emails! I
hope that someone, somewhere in the world has gotten something out of
it, even if it's just a laugh at my digressing ability to use English to
communicate!
Love you!
Elder Noll
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