30 January 2017 - New Year in Taiwan

P-Day stands for Panic day! There are just so many things to get done, but I'm always glad to take the time out to get in contact with my family and friends. And here we go!

Monday, 23 January 2017
A bit slower of a P-day, actually. We just waited around with Elder Wilkinson for his new companion to show up. So we waited at the Chapel and played Settlers of Katan. I'm blaming the 6-month abstinence from board games for me failing miserably. Don't worry. I only got sentenced to four years of servitude for losing so bad. Afterwards we got some Wintermelon tea with ice cream, and then went out and had a lesson with Jeff! About the Word of Wisdom and Joseph Smith. He is such a cool guy, super willing to learn, listen, and try. He said he's praying to know if Joseph Smith is a prophet, and that he'll start reading the Book of Mormon. I really sense a ready spirit in him. 

Here is a video of the crazy hike Elder Meanea went on in the mountains of Taiwan last week.

Tuesday, 24 January 2017
It was a Johnny lesson day! He is really starting to come around. He's starting to believe in God, and even prayed for help to find his phone earlier this week. He has kept praying, and he's starting to read the Book of Mormon. We'll pray him to the font yet! Because I know what happiness it can bring for him. Other than that, it was a long day contacting. Things are getting harder as New Years approaches. Less and less people are out, but President Teh has encouraged us to use our faith, and see miracles when nobody else can.

Wednesday, 25 January 2017
...Contacting. All day. Well, that's what you get for being in Taiwan at New Years. Fortunately, we found out that we are getting fed no less than 13 times in the next six days... so pray for me? xD I'm actually looking forward to the experience, and getting to socialize with the members a bit. I feel like our relationship has really been improving. And the more time I spend on my mission, the more I realize that it's all about learning to love them as God does. Seeing them through "Heaven's Eyes", as it were. *Que Prince of Egypt music*

Thursday, 26 January 2017
So, today was pretty bad. We went and had what turned out to be our last lesson with Johnny, our lead investigator. What happened is pretty sad to me, but the way it happened was super hilarious, so at least we've got that. We had progressed to the point where he was believing in God, so we started to work on Jesus. We showed "Because of Him" which gets me every time, honestly. Then we started discussing Jesus, and the worst part is, Johnny basically believes he existed, and was probably a really good person, maybe even who we say he is, but when we asked if he wanted to follow Christ and be baptized, he said he has no desire. We asked why, and he thought about it, and said it's a little like Donald Trump. Elder Burge and I looked at each other in a very confused manner. Johnny said it's like Donald Trump is our leader, but we don't want to be on his team. Still confused. So we asked him if he wanted to be on Jesus' team. He said no. We asked him why, and he said it's because he's like Batman, and he doesn't need a team. We very emphatically explained that being on team Jesus was a really good thing, and a pretty essential thing, and bore some sweet testimony at him, and asked him why he was meeting us. He said it was because we were his friends. #friendzoned He had no desire to progress towards baptism, or follow Christ, and Elder Burge and I both knew what needed to happen. It was super sad. I wanted this message to change his life so much, but he didn't let it.

Friday, 27 January 2017
Weekly planning, and the start of the FEASTS! We ate a nice dinner with a ward missionary who is married to an RC, the Chen family. They are really cool, and the food was really good! They made a rice and sausage dish from Hong Kong. Then we went out contacting, and everyone was already disappearing. We saw a few people, but they were all in a hurry and weren't willing to talk to us. The Legends of Chinese New Year were turning out to be true. It's supposed to be like this for about the next week, but President Teh gave us a promise that if we had the faith, and tried our hardest, we would see miracles, and I believe we will. We ended the night by going to our Bishop's house for another big meal. It's all so good! And they make you eat so much at each one. xD Then we tried a park, and the surrounding streets, but absolutely everyone was gone. 

Elder Meanea and Elder Burge trying to work diligently during Chinese New Year.

Saturday, 28 January 2017
WOW. Today was a lot more eventful than I expected. We biked about 40 minutes to a chapel to have zone conference today, and I got to see Elder Hansen, Elder Jones, and Elder Gasser! The first two are Elders from my district in the MTC. It was so nice to talk to them all and catch up. The Zone Conference was the annual mission broadcast, and boy did it have some changes. Not only did I learn a lot about the missionary purpose and re-focusing on the Savior, they also introduced 2 very BIG changes. Daily Schedule and Key Indicators. People who have been missionaries recently know the key indicators. Well, we still record them all, but they only want People Baptized and Confirmed, Investigators at Church, Baptismal Goals, and New Investigators numbers reported weekly now. And the daily schedule has been changed to promote healthier, more inspired, and agency using missionaries. Grab any white handbook and you know the schedule. Well, it's out the window folks. The new schedule has time blocks, and elements therein. So we now arise at 6:30, still, but from 6:30-10:00 AM, we just need to eat, prepare for the day, exercise, DO DAILY PLANNING (in the morning now) and have an hour of personal study. Then, from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, in whatever sequence and time is appropriate for our specific areas, we have 30-60 minutes Companion study, 60 minutes language study, 30 minute lunch, 1 hour dinner, and proselyting. We then return home at 9, unless teaching a lesson, write in journal, prepare for bed, pray from 9:00-9:30, and it is now an option to go to bed one hour early, at 9:30, or just stay up till 10:30 doing whatever, then hit the bed. And then on P-day, we have until 8 AM to get ready, do 30 min personal study, 30 minute planning, and then we can be out the door by 8:00 AM!!! They just assume we'll exercise during the day probably. This is all a lot of HUGE changes. But It's really interesting to see how this is a test from Heavenly Father to allow us to exercise our own agency now. To see what we will do with the things alloted us. I'm excited to see how this turns out. 

Sunday, 29 January 2017
What a Sabbath! We only had an hour of church since it's Chinese New Year. We then went home and studied, since Elder Burge was a bit out of it. See, he was sick this morning, and he took some medicine that doesn't exactly keep him... well, not high. So he was a little high. But studies were still good! I liked reading about Shiblon this morning in Alma. Alma 38:4, Shiblon was patient because he knew that Heavenly Father was with him. He had faith in the blessings his father had given him, and because of his Faith, he was able to endure the pains and affliction that came his way. He found his strength in Christ, and therefore could not be battered by Satan and his helpers. I'll let you contrast where Corianton put his trust by yourselves, but we can plainly see the two very different outcomes. Yet, in the end, by the power of the Atonement, both were able to continue valiantly in the service of God. 

Family, Friends, I am so glad I get to share these special experiences with you all, and feel the love of our Heavenly Father so often. I know that we must all stand as a witness of Christ, and that he loves us more than we could ever understand here on this Earth. Keep the Gospel flame burning bright.

-Elder Meanea

23 January 2017 - The STEAK of Zion

One Week More! Another great 7 days in my island paradise of Taiwan! Lots of really cool and miraculous things happened this week, and I'm really excited to share with you all.

Monday, 16 January 2017

We went hiking in the mountains with the Dakeng Elders and Elder Burge's friend named Scott. We had a great time, tripped on some logs, saw some giant spiders, and got some amazing pictures! I was actually in the Jungles of Taiwan, and it was crazy beautiful. I didn't see any jaguars, unfortunately. We got back just in time to have a quick dinner and go contacting. We were walking the park near our house when we ran into that lady we gave a Book of Mormon to again! She said she's already read a bit, and if she runs into us again she'll give us some fruit. She is way nice, and maybe if we talk enough she'll let us teach her! 

Tuesday, 17 January 2017
We went and had some Chinese Tutoring with our English speaking friend John Legend. He's a really cool guy, and I learned a lot of stuff yesterday. When then met with Johnny again, who is technically improving. He is willing to believe in a God, but he says if He does exist, He doesn't care. He gave the example of a volcano exploding. He said you can't just stand still and pray God will save you, you have to rely on yourself. JOHNNY!!! I just want to show him what I know I have felt about God, that He is more full of love than we could ever imagine. But he's still willing to meet with us and learn. I just pray we can receive the Spirit's guidance to know how to help him. Then we had a ward council that night that went well. 

Wednesday, 18 January 2017
We had a pretty busy one in Beitun today! After studies we went out to eat lunch with an investigator named Allan. He has been with the Beitun Elders for a long time, so hopefully, with a bit of faith, trust, and forceful psychological maneuvering, we can help him. ;-) We then had a really cool lesson with a less active member kid that we've been trying to meet with for a long time. He is just super busy, and is willing to come back to church. It was really powerful to help him start remembering why he's a member in the first place. There's that part in the Book of Mormon where it talks about "If you have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can you feel so now?" At any point in our lives, no matter where we've gotten to, Christ is always standing right next to us, inviting us to come to Him, come back from wherever we are, be clean again through His sacrifice. It's always much too amazing for me to comprehend. And to cap off the night, our sisters were sick, and they are the assigned teachers for one of the groups in English class. So I'll give you one great big whopping guess who's job it was to fill in for them. *Points emphatically at self and Elder Burge* Yeah, it was pretty much a disaster of teaching, but we made it out alive! 

Thursday, 19 January 2017
A District training meeting today, talking about exactly what I was discussing earlier in my email, that is, promised blessings! It makes me wish that every time I contact someone, I could just pull out a giant binder full of a part of all the blessings that the Lord has promised us through obedience to His Gospel. But I suppose there is a reason that God instead just wants us to testify with the Spirit and try to touch their hearts. We also had dinner with the Zone Leaders today. It was McDonalds, but no, we do not go there very often at all, Dad. Honestly, I like Taiwanese food a lot better now. American stuff is a treat, but now I can't have too much of anymore before it does terrible things to me. Anyways... New missionaries got on island today! They were in doing orientations in the chapel, and it was weird, because we had all phases of the mission cycle there. The new guys. Me, at 6 months, Elder Burge at 1 year almost, Elder Wilkinson at a year and a half, and Elder Kunz, who goes home at the end of the next transfer. Super weird...

Friday, 20 January 2017
Weekly planning! Woot woot. I'll actually give out a little list of the investigators that we currently have. The first is Johnny. He is slowly coming around, in his own way, and has progressed to wanting to believe in a God. I know the Spirit can continue to touch his heart if he'll let it. And then there is Jeff. He is a college student who has a lot of interest in our church and it's differences with other Christian churches. He seems to have a genuine interest in how the Gospel can help him. Next is Jenny. She is a 40-ish year old woman who currently has a dad in the hospital in Taipei, so she doesn't have a lot of time to meet, but she cries every time we share about the gospel and the blessings it brings. Then there's Ding. He is the super busy businessman who has about 5 minutes to meet at a time, and then John, a kid who spent a lot of years as an exchange student at the University of Utah, who is super willing to learn about the church. That's all for now, but that night we also went and had an active member family with a cool family called the Yangs. 

Saturday, 21 January 2017
Thanks be to the honest zone leaders! They found a super golden kid who was an exchange student in Utah for a year, came back, and wants to know why everyone there was so nice and happy. Utah is his favorite place on Earth, apparently, and he already has a baptismal goal. But he lives in our area, so the Zone Leaders handed him over to us. He seems really cool. And then we watched the Restoration with Johnny, and I think he liked it pretty well! Then I found out I'm staying with Elder Burge in Beitun for another round, so it's going to be pretty fun! 

Sunday, 22 January 2017
Johnny was at Church again! We had a great gospel principles class about agency, and why bad things are allowed to happen in life, so that was basically an answer to a prayer, then in Priesthood we talked about sincere prayer, which is also something we have been trying to focus on with Johnny. I love seeing how coming to church always helps, either directly or indirectly. Then we went over to the O Family's house, and they had an American barbecue, with real steak. I haven't had steak like that in about 6 months. xD Then we shared about the Restoration. We found a really cool picture of a glass mural in the December Liahona magazine that came from an art exhibit about Christ, and I cut out two. We had them each pick their favorite part, and we cut that piece out and gave it to them. We also kept some. Once everyone had a part, we told them to put it back together. They laughed and tried, but it was impossible. Then we got out the new picture, and "Restored" it, to help them see why we had to have a Restoration of the Gospel. Because God still loves us in this time as well as in times of old, we are still His children, and if we're willing, He will guide us. 

The end of a week, and a transfer here in Beitun. I hope to make the most out of the next one I have, because this message, and this Church are God's, and everyone needs to know it. I love you all, and pray you stay close to the Lord.

-Elder Meanea

16 January 2017 - Level Up: Sister Missionary

Howdy dowdy family and friends! I actually have taught the word "Howdy" to a lot of Taiwanese people. It's probably going to become a pop culture thing pretty soon. Anyways...

Monday, 9 January 2017
Emailing home was great as always! I love seeing the blessings and protection my family receives from Heavenly Father as I serve him here in Taiwan. We went and attempted to play football today, and it was freaking hilarious. Yes, we are all mostly athletic people, but that doesn't mean we are actually skilled at sports that require coordination. It was actually a pretty cool blessing. Our investigator Johnny came, and I was a bit worried he would feel a bit left out, since he doesn't really do sports, but I was praying for him to have a fun experience, and the Elders were super nice to him, even though he doesn't really talk a lot. He had a great time, and I was so glad. Maybe it'll help him realize that God isn't an alien? 

Tuesday, 10 January 2017
We had a lesson today! It may have only been 5 minutes, but it still counted as a lesson! It was with our Friend Ding, who is a Salesman near our house. It was the appointment last week who I thought had given us the wrong address. He is super willing to lesson, but he walked in and said, "I'm a bit busy today, so I've got 5 minutes." We told him about the Book of Mormon and living prophets in about 3, had a prayer, and he was gone, and still willing to meet. So I'd say that's an unqualified good lesson! 

Wednesday, 11 January 2017
We had exchanges today! I was with an Elder Kunz. He's a really great Elder, and I was really impressed all night with his dedication to share this message with people. He actually goes home next month, and it's easy to see how much he realizes this message means to people. How much allowing Christ and His Atonement into their lives can brighten them. It was a really fun exchange.

Thursday, 12 January 2017
We woke up and had studies with the zone leaders, then went out for lunch. After lunch, we still had a few minutes before district training meeting started, so Elder Kunz and I went out on the streets, and in less than ten minutes, we found someone that was willing to meet next week and hear about the Book of Mormon. This exchange has taught me a lot about diligence, and really looking for the people who will accept. Elder Burge and I headed back to our area and started contacting around. We went to a nearby park, and nobody was really talking to us. We took a second lap around, and ran across this lady who was looking at us really funny, she finally said, "Hi, good evening," in broken English, so we started talking to her. She found out we spoke Chinese and was much relieved. She told us that she's seen missionaries around before, and she just had to ask why it was that we came to Buddhist land Taiwan (my words) to talk about Jesus. We told her it was because we knew our message was true and could really help her. We had a Book of Mormon with us (always have one with you!) and we handed it to her to look at. She glanced at a few pages, then said, you have five minutes, tell me what your message is all about. Elder Burge and I got wide eyes and looked at each other, then just started spewing a lot of doctrine like the Plan of Salvation, the Restoration, Jesus Christ, and in the end, we gave her the Book of Mormon, and she told us she was was going to read the whole thing. I think she really will, and I believe in the Book of Mormon's promise that to those who read it, and ask God if it is true, will receive an answer, no matter how long it takes This is a true promise, I've tested it myself. It's why I live on a tropical island telling Asians to believe in Jesus. Because it's true, and I know it.

Friday, 13 January 2017
Weekly planning party! We went out to lunch with Elders form a nearby area as well. It's fun to get together with them occasionally. Apparently it's a tradition to have the lunch for weekly planning together. Afterwards we headed to the Chapel to meet with Johnny, our Alien-loving friend, and showed him a Mormon Message about how science and religion really agree with each other. He's scared to get baptized though, because that means he'll be a Christian. We told him that was kind of the point. Now that believing in God has come around, we get to work on the believing in Christ bit. I really can't believe how much I've come to care about him, though. He's at the forefront of a lot of our prayers as a companionship and personal prayers for him to receive an answer from God. I know it'll come if he has faith, but I also know that Heavenly Father takes our faith into account as well. I just really want to be able to stay long enough to see him accept this message and let it bring him the joy I know it can. 

Saturday, 14 January 2017
We didn't get to be out doing much today. We contacted until about 4:00 PM, then headed to the church for a food activity that went from 5-8. It was a Taiwanese traditional food cook off! You'd better believe there was some weird stuff there. Also, as I was writing that in my journal, I saw a cockroach on my companion's bed, so he grabbed a paper, yelled "fore!" and flipped it off the bed, then I threw a book down on it right after that. It was some good companion unity. Anyways, sorry. I got distracted. We had 2, almost 3 investigators there! Johnny, who is opening up more and more every day, Jeff, who just got done with tests and is a super cool guy willing to learn about the Gospel, and Anthony, a 70 year old man who's been coming to English class for 38 years. He on and off investigates, and just barely let us have his number, and always buys us ice cream. He's a really nice guy, he just needs to learn about the happiest thing in the world. So it was a great night all around, really. I'm really so grateful I have the chance to work in this ward. It's starting to become like another home to me.

Sunday, 15 January 2017
What a day! Johnny came to all three hours of Church, and I think he might have enjoyed it! Then we had a training after church on how to use Facebook for members to spread the Gospel. It's amazing how easy it is to do. And then we went to the Olmes family's house. He's an American who actually went to school in Cedar City and knows Herr Corry. They fed us some Japanese hot pot! It was so good. And then we went to a park to contact around, and we found a really cool guy named Xu. He is a Christian and actually set up to meet with us at the chapel to learn more next Saturday! That's the first time someone has set another time to meet on the spot! It was really cool to see how our diligence actually brings results in our Heavenly Father's time.

And that brings things to that. I really can't express all the experiences, challenges, and blessings that I see every week. I think the only one who really understands it all is my Heavenly Father. I've been given a lot more blessings than I probably see, and am just so grateful to be out here, serving my Savior. I know Jesus Christ lives, and he's the reason we can all return home to our Father someday. I love you all too much to say, and I pray for you often. I know Heavenly Father loves us all, and I'm glad I can spread that message here with His power. Have an amazing week my family and friends!

-Elder Meanea

8 January 2017 - Fearless Leader Burge and Me

"Another year and we're still here, like we've always been, like we always been, just like we've always been!" Well, what a great first-ish week of the 2017 year! I know I've said this before, but I find it a bit scary that this is the only full calendar year I get with my badge. It make me want to make the most of every day. And, well, here are my days!

Monday, 2 January 2017

We finished emailing and then headed for the chapel to meet with some other Elders and go to Costco. I've heard it's a pretty swazzy place, but I had yet to go myself. We took a bus there with a member named John Legend. Seriously. And then we had Costco pizza. REAL PIZZA! They don't know how to make pizza here except in Costco. It was so good, but it destroyed my stomach for he rest of the day. xD I guess I'm going native! We watched a bit of the first presidency devotional from Christmas with the other Elders, then got back to our area just in in time for me to get my second Taiwanese haircut! At a Carrefour. Which is basically an Taiwanese Walmart. It was only 100 kuai! (About $3 USD) And it wasn't half bad! A cool thing that happened that day was that night we were in a park, and we passed this old man on a bench. We walked on, then Elder Burge stopped and said, "We should have talked to that guy." After fighting the awkwardness of going back to someone we had just passed up, we went and talked to him. It turns out he had attended the church 30 years ago and met with Elders, but nothing had come of it then. We were able to get him to agree to meet with us another time. I'm really grateful for a companion who recognizes and obeys spiritual promptings. 

Elders P-Day Shopping at Costco

Before

After

Tuesday, 3 January 2017
We had a great lesson with our friend Johnny today. We taught him the Plan of Salvation, and it seemed to go fairly well. I got up after the lesson, but Elder Burge stayed seating and we started talking to him just a bit. We found out that he doesn't exactly have a lot of friends around, and he seemed a bit lonely. Elder Burge offered to let him do something fun with us on our next P-Day, and he seemed really happy about that. I was really grateful for Elder Burge's example of acting in love and following the Spirit. He surprises me with something new every day. Other than that, we were just on the streets, contacting. On that note, I'll explain something I like to call, "The Taiwanese Death Wave." Sometimes I'll be biking along on the side of the street, and the people on the sidewalk will be waving. I wave back, thinking they're just being friendly to the neighborhood white guys, when suddenly I turn around, and low and behold, I see a HUGE METAL BEAST OF A BUS ROARING DOWN UPON ME AT 30MPH! So it turns out in Taiwan that if the bus driver doesn't see someone at the bus stop, it'll just go by, so people wave as it approaches. Now when I see people waving 50 yards ahead, I don't even look back, I just pedal for my life. 

Wednesday, 4 January 2017
We had a few lessons today! The first one Elder Burge came through again. We got a referral from the Zone Leaders that they had already set up for an appointment. We were told it was a family mart at a certain address, so we went to check it out before hand, and the address was an apartment building. I was going to just give up right there, because he obviously stood us up, but Elder Burge had us bike around a bit, then found the closest family mart to the address, and guess who was there? Our guy! Who was actually really cool. And then we had a lesson with our investigator, Jenny. Her dad is passing away in a hospital in Taipei, so she's not around much, but we shared the Plan of Salvation with her, She cried three different times, and told us that she won't get baptized until she understands more, but she wants it to be true. It was amazing to look her in the eyes and tell her I know that I will never lose any of my family, that I can be forgiven of my mistakes, and that God has a plan for us, really testify that's why we're here. 

A Taro Cake from the Ward Mission Leader

Thursday, 5 January 2017
Personal study was really interesting today. I was reading about Nephi and co. going back to find some wives, and Laman and Lemuel tying him up and trying to kill him, and two things really stood out to me. 1. How Christlike is Nephi? His brothers literally tried to kill him, and he "frankly forgave them," on the spot. I don't know if I could ever forgive someone who tried to kill me, let alone my own family. And 2. I've always found it interesting that Nephi prayed for strength to burst the bands, but they just fell off instead. I've always felt that was significant for some reason. Today, I feel it applies to our prayers, and seeing the answers to them. They don't always come how we want, or can see. For instance, last week I felt like I should specifically pull off and pray to find one more person to talk to on the way to eat lunch, and I had a really good feeling when I prayed. But we didn't find anyone. I don't know why we didn't, but I trust that somehow, in some way I don't understand, it was for the good of God's plan, and I don't doubt it. We also had zone training meeting today, talking about the doctrine of Christ, and how it's the basis of why we're here. After, we had a lesson with our quiet friend Johnny, and we found out he's been to Norway and Iceland, and has friends there, and doesn't believe in God, but if there is one, he's an alien. That was a... frustrating lesson to say the least. But all we can do is keep loving him and keep praying for him. 

Friday, 6 January 2017
A long, long day of contacting. It was really cool, I sat down to complain to my journal tonight about how hard today was, how nobody would talk to us, but then the spirit gave me a gentle reminder. Earlier in the week I had decided to study faith. I felt it was a principle I was lacking somewhat in. And suddenly, it gets hard to have faith. And then I remembered I didn't pray much at all to Heavenly Father today for help. No wonder it was so exhausting! I was doing it myself! Today I'm simply grateful for a Father in Heaven that will patiently teach me again and again how to be happy, and how to be a disciple of Christ. 

Saturday, 7 January 2017
No lessons today means.... contacting!!! All day... we made it, to say the least. It was really cool today, we were praying before we went tracting, and I just got a really nice feeling, and got the thought that even though people don't usually like us tracting into them, just to have faith and ring the doorbell. We rung the first one, told them we were missionaries, and they actually came to the door! We were able to explain a little about the Book of Mormon, and I felt it was a tiny miracle for the day.

Sunday, 8 January 2017
I always love the things that can come when the Spirit is around during study. I don't know what I was reading, but I just had a few really helpful thoughts hit me. It was about faith, since that's what I'm studying right now. It occurred to me there is no one great and final way in life to show Heavenly Father you have faith. It's the small, daily effort of trying, that shows the greatest faith. It's the same in many aspects. There is no one great thing you can do to solidify a relationship, whether it be with your family or with God. It's the small, constant daily effort. Other than that, it was a good Sabbath. The bishop invited us over to his house, and we had a really fun dinner with his family. They are all so hilarious and fun. It felt like just a nice, loving family. And then we got a new investigator! A student from our English class named Zack wanted to meet with missionaries, and we finally got a chance tonight! He seemed really willing, and we set a new time to meet with him. So it was a good end to a week here in Beitun. 

I love you friends and family. I've never realized how much so many different people have taught me and helped me come to this moment. And I'm so grateful I can share this message of peace to these people. I have no doubt that this is God's plan, and He loves us. Have a safe, adventurous, and Christ-Centered week.

-Elder Meanea