27 November 2017 - Thanksgiving in Taiwan

"I'm trying to contact like Jesus, with all of this sweat on my face,
I'm trying to talk in Chinese, and Taiwanese just in case!"

Monday, 20 November 2017
A fun day of not knowing exactly what to do for P-Day! We wandered around our area for a little bit and found a cultural center, but it was closed because it was Monday, that happens here quite a lot. Oh well. But we found some other Elders and a board game shop, so that was all we needed. We had a pretty good time! Then the night was spent on the town! (Proselyting)

Tuesday, 21 November 2017
We met with our baptismal goal investigator Sam. He is set for the middle of December, the 15th! And so is Brother Zhong. We are trying to set up his Baptismal interview this week so he'll be ready. It's so exciting! We taught tithing today, which he said will be a challenge, but he was willing to pray about it. Then tonight we had a member named Johnny help us make a pumpkin pie from scratch, which was really hard, but also fun! We are going to use it for a Thanksgiving activity. 

Wednesday, 22 November 2017
We went and found a less active member today named Shan. She was coming to church a little while ago, so the bishop sent us to find her. She was willing to meet and is really cool! We text her scriptures every day that she can go read and she committed to coming to church next week! We also met with Brother Zhong today and taught about the importance of the Sacrament. It was so cool to see him understand the sacredness of that time. It also helped me to remember why it was so important as well. 

Thursday, 23 November 2017
We went to the district meeting in a neighboring area and celebrated Thanksgiving with them! They brought pie to the meeting, and then we all headed out with full stomachs to proselytize. We also got to eat with Michael, one of Elder Fuller's converts from a previous area. He came down to visit us and it was just cool to see how much impact all our missionary service is having wherever we go. He is a Filipino and spoke really good English too!

Friday, 24 November 2017
We went on exchanges today, but the best part of the night was going to the Lin family's house with Brother Wei, our recent convert and starting to review the missionary lessons. It was cool to hear the family's conversion experience, and it is amazing to see how well they are taking care of Brother Wei and Sister Xu. I was worried because Sister Xu has been working lately and I haven't been able to get in touch with her, and on Sunday we come to find out she already has visiting teachers and they have been visiting every week with her and re-sharing the lessons. This is the best ward in the world. 

Saturday, 25 November 2017
Sister Luo met with us again! She has been coming to Sacrament regularly, and we met and discussed the importance of scriptures today, which she seemed to like. She is such a great and humble woman. She wants to learn so much about the Gospel and is looking forward to how it can change her life. 

Sunday, 26 November 2017
A good Sabbath. We went to church with our investigators and got to mingle with them and the members a lot. We have also had a lot of chances to work with the Less Active members in our ward which is great. Then tonight we Visited the Pan family. The dad is from Canada and the wife is from Taiwan. They are a pretty funny family and it was a pretty great week. 

I love the gospel so much! I love how my mission has helped me make the Savior a bigger part of my life, because I need His help so much. I'm so grateful for His Sacrifices for me, and the way He will always help me up.

Have a great week my friends and family.
-Elder Meanea

20 November 2017 - Zone Conference Training + Technology

"Tell me the stories of Gaoxiong, I love to hear,
Things that the Elders do all day, spreading gospel near!"

Monday, 13 November 2017
Tonight after P-Day we went to visit a less-active member who has to work selling pork most Sundays, but he was super happy to see us! He said the missionaries used to come over occasionally to share with him and it made him and his son really happy to see us. His son is one of the craziest kids I ever met. His name is Danny, he's 6, and super into dinosaurs. And he's also incredibly smart. So that was cool to get to meet him. I'm glad we can still bring some gospel Spirit into his home even if it's hard for him to get to church.

Tuesday, 14 November 2017
We had an exchange today and also met with a new investigator named Jeff! We ran into him on the street the other day, and he told us to give him our number so he could call us later (which never happens) so we forgot about him. Then he actually called us and set up! He also bought us drinks when we met at McDonald's, which was cool. Seems like a cool guy!

Wednesday, 15 November 2017
Our member friend Johnny gave us a cake today after we ate lunch with him! He is learning to be a professional cake chef, which is one of the cooler things I've run into on my mission. So that was a miracle. And then we met with Brother Zhong who is 2-steps away from being baptized! He has had all the lessons, and we reviewed the baptismal questions with him, and he has absolutely no problem and a really strong testimony. He just has to come to more church!

Thursday, 16 November 2017
We had to spend a lot of time in comp study getting ready for zone conference on Friday. There will be three zones there and we get to give a training on some new planning material that replaces chapter 8 in Preach my Gospel, so that was exciting!

Friday, 17 November 2017
Most of today was all zone conference. Our training went pretty well! We at least didn't crash and burn, so that was an unqualified success. The whole conference was mostly about our upcoming access to technology. I'm a little bit scared for how phones are going to change missionary work, but I really think that the Lord is trying to bless us. All intelligence comes from God, and everything else people do with technology is just a side effect. It's incredible that THIS IS THE REASON smart phones exist. It's to push forward the work of the kingdom. So incredible.

Saturday, 18 November 2017
We finished our exchange today and then went to have a lesson with Sister Zheng, but she didn't make it. So we talked for a while with our member, Brother Zhuang. He is super cool! He actually served his mission in Texas and helped us fix some member information and get a ward list so we can start working more closely with the members. Because that's the way to do missionary work! I love being a part of the new ward every time, they are just like a new family to me.

Sunday, 19 November 2017
A good sabbath! Brother Zhong, Sister Luo, and Sam all came to sacrament! So that was pretty happy. Then afterwards we talked to some ward members, went and friendshipped some LA's, and then spent the night on the town! (Contacting)

It's been a good week. I really love being on a mission and how much it has taught me about how to love God. I want Him to see my service and how that it's because I love Him and His Son and will always be grateful to Them. No other motivation would ever carry me through. It is such a blessing. I love you all!

Have a great week!

-Elder Meanea

13 November 2017 - International Revolution

"Oh come all you faithful, come and meet for lessons,
or we will come and find you and teach you anyways!"
(Copyright Elder Meanea 2017)

Monday, 6 November 2017
I got my new companion Elder Fuller today! He is a total beast! I am really happy to be working with him. I hope that we can keep taking care of the awesome people we have and finding more. We didn't know what to do for P-Day so we stood on the roof for a while and then biked to Ikea and browsed around for no apparent reason, then went contacting!

Tuesday, 7 November 2017
The amazing Sister Luo met with us for a lesson today! The bishop and his wife helped with the lesson, and we taught her about the Restoration. The Spirit there is so strong, and we told her about the amazing message of God still talking to His children today. Whenever I share the Restoration the Spirit immediately comes in. It's truly incredible. She is so amazing too, because in her prayer she thanked Heavenly Father for letting her come in contact with us missionaries and said she'd been looking for a church for a long time. I was so happy!

Wednesday, 8 November 2017
And then there is the amazing Sister Zhan! She is a younger mother with two daughters, one of which she always brings to lessons with her and is super cute. We had a reading lesson with her today because she didn't read the Book of Mormon, and in her prayers she thanked Heavenly Father for the Book of Mormon and the chance it gave her to get to know Him. I'm just so happy teaching these people. It is truly incredible. The gospel is great. And Elder Fuller and I already have really good unity while teaching even though it was only our second or third lesson together. He has a really funny sense of humor and we laugh and work a lot. 

Thursday, 9 November 2017
We did weekly planning today since Friday we had to go to a meeting. It was pretty good. Then we met with an RC named Villa! She is such a good missionary. She loves reading the scriptures and learning new things. She also offered to invite her friend to a Thanksgiving party we were having with the ward this Saturday!

Friday, 10 November 2017
Secret MLC stuff. Can't talk about it.

Saturday, 11 November 2017
Today we ran all over the city, but it's because we met a new investigator named Sam! He was a missionary referral, and he already has a baptismal date! So that was super exciting. He is a really cool guy and he has already read to Jacob, and he really likes chapter 5 for some reason. So he's pretty great. I love seeing people who want to learn! Because I love the gospel. Then the ward had a baptism of a member kid, and Brother Zhong came and saw it! He thought it was really cool. He is still working for a December 2nd goal. Then we ate a giant ward thanksgiving! It was amazing!

Sunday, 12 November 2017
A day of freaking miracles. Sister Chen and Sam both came to church and stayed until 3rd hour. Then tonight we had two lessons set up, one with two people from the Philippines, and one with two people from Vietnam. The guys from the Philippines didn't show up, but later in the afternoon we went back to the park and found them sitting there, and we taught the Restoration and they agreed to meet next week! Then the Vietnamese guys didn't come, but we were riding through a different park and ran into one of us and he gave us his number and also agreed to meet next week, which was great! A day full of miracles to end the week!

I love you family and friends, and I know the Savior does too! Never forget to reach up for Him. I know He will always be there.

-Elder Meanea

6 November 2017 - New Companion

Monday, 30 October 2017
Today we went shopping for shoes! Elder Yang lost one of his basketball shoes on the way back from an exchange so we needed new ones. After that we just cleaned and then went proselyting. We also got the garbage out for the first time this transfer because we have to take it to the garbage truck, which plays songs as it approaches so everyone knows to come out and throw in their trash. That was pretty fun.

Tuesday, 31 October 2017
We spent most of the day setting up interviews and getting ready to be interviewed. Since we are zone leaders we need to arrange the schedule and set up the rooms. The interview was good, I didn't get fired. :-) We mostly just talked about the zone and things that are going on. I really love getting to be in charge of a zone, mostly for the opportunity to get to see so many amazing missionaries truly working their hardest to serve the Lord.

Wednesday, 1 November 2017
Honestly, today was mostly contacting. Sorry the email is a bit rushed this week, it's transfers and time is a little scrunched. But it was a mission day today, and I'm really happy!

Thursday, 2 November 2017
The man of wonders, Brother Zhong. He has a baptismal goal for December 2! I'm super excited for him. We taught the word of wisdom tonight and he just said yes, he is willing. I can't believe how amazing and dedicated he is to the Lord. Everything he does is to bring him closer to God. His faith is just so strong! He gave up tea and coffee on the spot, and every other commandment he is working really hard and PRAYING FOR HELP TO KEEP THEM!

Friday, 3 November 2017
We had a lesson tonight with our convert Brother Wei. We had a good lesson about the Holy Ghost, and he is ready to get confirmed on Sunday. We met at the Bishop's house and Brother Wei is so happy about being baptized. He has such a desire to follow Christ that it blows me away. I hope to find so many more people like him who want to know their Savior. It makes me want to know Him more as well.

Saturday, 4 November 2017
A new investigator named Sister Shen! She accepted a baptismal goal for December. She has been taught by a few other missionaries but lives in our area. She got referred here. And she was super willing to learn about God. She said she is a really nervous person, but that she felt the Gospel might be able to help bring her happiness. We promised her it could. Every day we have an opportunity to help someone come closer to Christ.

Sunday, 5 November 2017
The final day for Elder Yang. Most of it was spent packing. He was a great companion, but he has been called back to Taichung to be a zone leader. Elder Fuller is coming to be a zone leader with me! We also put together a little feast for our district since half of them are leaving. It has been a good week.

Stay strong, keep smiling, and share the light!

-Elder Meanea