Tuesday, November 1, 2016

The Lord Believes in Payback


Hello my amazing family! What an amazing week it's been here in Fengshan. I really love this place so much!

Monday, 24 October 2016
Got my first Taiwanese Haircut! It doesn't look half bad actually, and I felt so good when they washed it out afterwards. Really nice scalp massage and such. And the hairdresser asked if Elder Gasser and I were brothers because we look a lot a like? I don't know. It's probably because we're the only two white guys in the city. ;-) Then we went to a wild family home evening activity, where another family taught our recent convert Cai and his family how to hold one, which consisted of children climbing on furniture, talking about the economy, a short spiritual share, and me winning a game of Uno! Also, President gave us a challenge today to speak every other day only in our mission language. It's a challenge I intend to take, so you'll see how it goes later in the week. 


Tuesday, 25 October 2016
Slow day. But we got to go to Pingdeng again (also not sure on spelling still) and have a great training from Elder Gasser on the Book of Mormon. I really loved our practices, and the Spirit of discernment that comes when we truly seek for the Spirit, and use the Book of Mormon as our greatest tool. We had a couple of practice scenarios, and in one of them a sister from our district was really impressed with how I+the Spirit tied in the Book of Mormon with her "concerns" she had. It was a really nice day for me to get some guidance on how to be better. And then we met with a part member family and I ate octopus pizza!


Wednesday, 26 October 2016
First day of president's challenge. It was really tough at first, but I really started to feel it helping me improve my Chinese throughout the day. We went contacting all day, with little success. But then we had English class, which I love a lot, and I got to give the thought on the Book of Mormon, and the Chinese I practiced all day really seemed to help me speak more clearly that night. I believe in priesthood leader challenges. They help us move a little bit closer to the person God knows that we can be. Afterwards we had a short lesson to finish up the Restoration with our friend Lily. She still is on track for her baptismal goal, which is really really exciting! She is just so accepting!

Thursday, 27 October 2016
We went to Pingdeng again today for our exchange with the Zone Leaders. I was with Elder Cole, and we spent the night doing some hard core street contacting, and actually got a girl who knew a bit of English to agree to meet with them on Monday. Then we gave a chapel tour to someone they had contacted earlier in the week. I love the Spirit that was there as we stood in the Chapel talking about Heavenly Father. I also love that we all know these things, we've just forgotten them on Earth. I really feel the "great importance to make these things known to the Children of Men." Then we talked with one of the baptismal interview candidates and prepared him to go in, and had a lesson on commandments with one of their investigators. So many people are so ready to receive the joy that I know the Gospel will bring in their lives, and it continually makes me want to strive to become a more powerful teacher of this Gospel.


Friday, 28 October 2016
We came back from our exchange, did some weekly planning (still love it, and it was another Chinese day, so that was interesting) and took Elder Gasser to the Dentist. We went on Monday and they had him schedule a check in appointment for today. We also got invited to my first "Hot Pot" by some members. Oh wow.... that was amazing. They have a table and they all have pots that have a soup-like thing in them, then you go grab some vegetables, dumplings, meat, and a lot of other stuff and throw it in. Then you eat it all. And then do it again! I had some swordfish, which tasted pretty good. But oh goodness, that was delicious and we had so much food!

Saturday, 29 October 2016
The day when things just went boom. The reason for my title is because I procrastinated a lot of things in my life. Everything important usually got done, but sometimes I was a little late on it. I believe the Lord has a sense of humor, because now he lets me sweat and push all week, then the weekend comes and he pats me on the head and says, "I appreciate you trying, have some miracles." And then FWOOOOSH. Miracles. Such as today. We set up for two lessons in the morning. One with Lily, and one with Sam, our very hesitant investigator who likes to smoke. We met with Lily first, but we had to wait a while to start because our Member was a half hour late. It was good for him though, he was that Zhong DX that was less active, and then we visited him and he's coming to church. We had a great lesson, in which we planned to share the plan of salvation, but luckily Elder Gasser was in tune enough with the Spirit to know that halfway through the lesson, she was ready to jump head-first into commandments with us. We covered Law of Chastity, Tithing, Word of Wisdom, and the Sabbath, and she just said yes, I'm willing to do these things. [Brain Explodes] Just... wow. And she'll hopefully have her interview next week and be baptized the week after!!!! And then Sam showed up a half hour late. We were going to share about fasting, but instead we talked about some questions he had, we all pondered a bit together, and then he said, "This is pretty important, huh?" And Elder Gasser told him yes it was. And he said okay, I'm ready to get baptized. [Whatever was left of brain, slowly burns away] We did not see this coming at all, but the Lord will do what he will do, and I'm extremely grateful that this was his will. He is planning on the same baptismal date as Lily! I also passed my last District Leader Language review, chapter 5. I'll have my 1-5 pass off with the Zone leader next week! Allyse will also be happy to know I ate a Mexican restaurant in Taiwan. It was great! Hand-made tortillas and everything. I'm definitely taking you all there. And then that night Ivy, the nurse called and said she actually could come to church tomorrow! MIRACLES

Photo we received of Elder Meanea and Elder Gasser from another Elder
Sunday, 30 October 2016
[Brain, partially recovered, gets sucked into a black hole and disappeared] So today the Lord really looked out for us and our investigators. I was praying so hard everyone could come to church. We called Sam at 7:30 to make sure he was awake then headed to the chapel. I kept praying hard. I wanted this so badly to happen. We got there and ten minutes til, Ivy showed up! That was good. We got her with a member and kept waiting. Sacrament started and nothing. I kept praying though. We went up to the meeting, and right after the sacrament, Lily came in! She looked so happy sitting there listening to a talk about the Atonement, which we were also hoping to help her gain a better testimony of. Then after the first talk, Sam finally walked in. I had so much gratitude to Heavenly Father for that. He truly answered in every aspect those prayers. I know when things still don't happen the way we want them to, God is still in control, and always answers prayers. It was a beautiful Sabbath. I was also very much reminded of my family. They didn't have enough people to pass the sacrament, so I helped. And I felt a bit new, and it reminded me of my first Sunday as a Deacon. My dad took me in early to practice passing the sacrament. And then they Played "Gently Raise the Sacred Strain (Stain)" and it reminded me of it even more. I love my family so much, and I love the opportunity I have to bless them and the families here with the Gospel. 


It's been an amazing week, and I hope you can all continue in your faith, knowing we have a loving God. And He always hears and answers according to our faith.

-Elder Meanea

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