December 25, 2016 - Last Christmas in Taiwan

Dear Family and Friends,

Well this week was fun for me but probably boring to hear about. I got my clothes tailored and fixed so they can last the rest of my time here in Taiwan. My pants all had holes and were kind of gross. It is all okay now and looking better than before haha! .... and more humble

On Wednesday we traveled to my old area in Tainan for Zone conference. I played the violin twice and sang in a trio during the conference. I was grateful that I had been in choir before so I wouldn't pee my pants from nerves. When your mission president is a member of the first quorum of the seventy it makes me just feel more stressed for some reason. 

I saw my long lost friend from the MTC . We are in the same mission but I haven't seen him since last Christmas!! More than a year had passed. I had seen everyone else besides him. Elder Rollap is one of the best. 

Later in the week I played in a violin quartet that will perform in a couple weeks:) It was fun, I was the oldest and was the most experienced out of the group. It was almost like teaching a little music class, so that was fun for me. 

We had a Christmas activity on Christmas eve. Taiwanese people love to eat so there was a ton of food. Elder Cox played Santa and gave everyone treats. 

It was a fun week, It didn't really feel like Christmas but I think when I look back on it, it will. I love you all! Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and I wish you a happy new year! 

I included a couple of pictures of me with my bike. I have grown to love my bike, actually I have a love-hate relationship with it, but more love than hate.

While my companion, Elder Cox was on the phone with his family at the church building,

I spent my time playing with my camera. It was a lot of fun!

Here is one of the pictures I took.

December 18, 2016 - Christmas Parade

This week was fun! We had a chance to go out to Mama Jiang's farm. We helped them remove planters to put in a gate to their house. Jiang Baba (baba means dad or father) suffered a really bad car accident a long time ago so he cannot walk very well and Jiang Mama broke her foot a month ago. Jiang mama said the two of them right now are very dangerous together. haha! They both came out to work with us and Jiang Ma was swinging a hammer really close to where I was working so I told her I would finish it... So I wouldn't get taken out with a rusty old hammer. Both Mama and Baba made us wear hats. They yelled at me if I wouldn't wear it. haha. They don't like the sun.

On Friday we participated in the JiaYi Christmas parade. We handed out candy and smiled and waved. Our group of about 20 missionaries probably had the least preparation but everyone freaked out because there was a giant group of white people at the end of the parade. It was fun!

Saturday we got to go back and finish the work that we didn't finish on Wednesday at Mama and Baba Jiang's house. This time we brought reinforcements and a ride because it is really far to go on a bike. Sister Yu (member who owns the restaurant) drove us in her van with another member. After work we went and ate cake and hot chocolate with her. She is the best! If you look closely at the picture you can see the cool little cakes we had.

This isn't super important and kind of embarrassing, but on Sunday I laid down on my bed during our companionship study and Elder Cox's punishment was making my bed with me in it... I was very tired this week haha! I stayed there longer than I am proud to admit. If you look at the picture, my head is by the window, my hands are clasped on my chest and my legs are over the side of the bed.

I got my Christmas package from sweet parents too! Thanks Mom and Dad! 

That was pretty much it for this week.

I love you all!  

December 11, 2016 - Christmas is Coming

Dear Family and Friends,

Well this week was a bit slower than last week but that is okay. To start off the week we went to visit a less active member who is very active in another church... It was really upsetting because they were so full of anger and hate to things that oppose their beliefs. They are actively involved in protesting some of today's most debated topics. They go with their preacher to city centers with signs and banners and it really just seemed like it is not the path that the Savior would walk. I hope they will soften their hearts and come back to church with us here. 

 

On Wednesday we watched the Joseph Smith video with our 15 year old twin investigators. They had a little miracle. They got a 20% on their English test before coming to church and then after coming to English class and church they got 80%. Their Dad is now willing to drive them to any church activity and or meeting with us. I don't think we helped their English that much but it is a blessing for sure. 

 

We met a new investigator this week who is interested in the church because of Howard Hughes, he really likes the church and wants to join.. haha. We will see if he really does. 

 

Our special investigator who kidnapped us last week did it again this week!!! We didn't have a ride to stake conference so he took us. The stake center is in JaiYi which is about 30 minutes from where we live here in TaiBao but it took him an hour to drive us therebecause he drives really weird. He drove us in a big circle up and down back roads! He is a very kind man but he is not all there. I guess it was like voluntary kidnap. 

Christmas is coming. We got our first Christmas gift from a member on Sunday that was pretty nice. It was a tie with Chinese characters on it. We put it under our little tree for a while before we opened it.

I took a picture on a bridge that looks like it has American style Christmas lights on it.

I think that was about it for this week. I love you all!

Elder Erwin

December 4, 2016 - A Week Full of Surprises!

Well this week was great! We started by going to TaiZhong by high speed train, which was amazing! I got to see my old companion Elder White and some of my current companion, Elder Cox's,  recent converts, and some members from TaiZhong that have become some of my best friends. 

Elder Cox's Recent Converts

My friend, Chris Chen, from TaiZhong

On Tuesday we went on exchanges. Elder Sims came to Taibao with me and did Brother Wu's baptismal interview... He passed!!! He wanted to be baptized as soon as possible. We said it would be probably be at least a week but he said this Saturday, so we made it work and he was baptized by his brother-in-law on Saturday. 

Our Crazy District

Wednesday I saw something that made me laugh. My sweet Grandma Jensen used to joke about riding her motorized scooter to Oregon to visit her son (my grandpa). The people of Taiwan are living Grandma's dream. They ride these scooters down the highway... It is very dangerous but it always makes me smile because they are really doing what grandma would always talked about doing.

Thursday we did service and wrapped Christmas candy into little bags to use as invitations to our branch Christmas party. We also set up a Christmas tree in the church. It was fun to tell the stories of Christmas to the members there. They don't really celebrate Christmas in Taiwan so they are like little kids when they hear about all the ways we celebrate Christmas in the States.

Friday we had to scrub clean the baptismal font because it is outside. It is basically just a box on the side of the chapel. We enjoyed the chance to do some manual labor. We don't get to do much manual labor or service because the people of Taiwan are too proud to let a white foreigner help them.

Scrubbing the Baptismal Font

Saturday was the baptismal service, Brother Wu, who is about 65 years old but he seemed to be like an 8 year old child to me. He was so happy. It was an amazing to see Brother Wu, a man who was so difficult and stubborn be baptized in such a miraculous way. Two weeks ago we thought he wouldn't go through with being baptized and then he had a change of heart and seems to be completely different from the man I knew.  I played the violin at the service... as usual. I am glad I have a talent to share, it is not much but I can do something. 

Brother Wu's Baptism

We were also abducted that day by an investigator who is a little crazy... He told us he wanted to feed us and then we got in his car and he took us all the way to BeiGang which is about 30 minutes away by car!! Luckily we made it there and back in one piece. Then we had a beautiful bike ride across this bridge in our area, the wind was blowing pretty bad so it was bouncing around. Once again, all ended up being okay, but it felt like our life was in danger a lot that day. 

Sunday we had a crazy fast and testimony meeting, you know how sometimes it never has anything to do with church. Haha! There is nothing you can do about it, just smile. Brother Wu received the Holy Ghost during sacrament meeting and got a beautiful blessing from his brother-in-law who has been a member for over 40 years. We got to practice singing songs for the Christmas activity, it was great.

I love you all!! 

Sincerely Elder Erwin