20 February 2017 - Sometimes you just can't think of Clever titles, so you don't want to waste peoples' time reading a dumb one, so you just explain why you don't have a clever title instead.

How firm a long email, about the days gone past. I will not, I cannot, type this all very fast!!!
(Copyright Elder Meanea 2017)

Monday, 13 February 2017
So, we emailed today, and then thought that we were going to go do something super fun and cool at the mall near the chapel, Well, we actually just ended up kind of walking around and looking at sporting goods stores, because that's what the elders we were with were interested in... we split after a few minutes and just kind of wandered around Taichung. Then we got home in time to start proselyting at 6:00. Sure we didn't do anything too cool, but a break is always a break, and I got to talk with my family, so what more can I ask for? Also, I saw my first public trash can in Taiwan! 

Tuesday, 14 February 2017
This morning was BOSS. (It's been a while since I've said that) Anyways. We met with our busy business friend Ding, who actually was able to sit for 20 minutes this time, but stayed talking with us for 30! I feel like he really has some interest in understanding why it is we come here and do what we do. And then we actually got 3 numbers this morning from people who were willing to set up! And then we ran into some ward members who gave us cookies and fruit! Yes! Score two for the white guys of Taiwan! Then we had a fun time eating with a bunch of other Elders near the chapel. I get to see Elder Van Slooten a lot since I've been up here. He seems to be doing well, and he has a super cool companion, Elder Giles. Elder Giles and Elder Burge were actually companions in the MTC, so it's fun for him to see them too. Then we were contacting all night!

Wednesday, 15 February 2017
So, with this new schedule, we start personal study right out of bed. It's a good way to wake up, and it prolongs how long I can have a blanket wrapped around me, even if I am sitting in my chair. But the point is, I started reading the Book of Mormon again today, and the study topic is "Hope." Number 2 in the Christlike Attribute study series. Just starting the introduction and the testimonies was super cool, because everything about the Book of Mormon promises hope. It's for the gathering of Israel, preparing for the joy of the second coming, and promises the reader to bring them closer to God. A few months ago, we were challenged to use the Book of Mormon more emphatically in our missionary work, and just reading this morning made me see why. I'm not sure I can convey exactly how I feel, except to say the Spirit truly speaks to me through the Book of Mormon, and brings comfort to my soul every time I sincerely read it. Otherwise, it was all contacting today, until this evening, when we went to English class to see if anyone was interested in meeting with us, and talked to one of my favorite old guys in Taiwan, named Anthony. He's been hanging around the chapel, unbaptized for about 30 years, just going to English, but he offers to go buy us "popcicle" using his broken English every time we see him.



Thursday, 16 February 2017
A baptismal interview for the Zone Leader's investigator today! She is a really nice lady from Mainland China. Then we went back home for a while to get our morning routines done, and met with the Dakeng Elders for lunch at a Curry Rice place. We get free passion fruit juice every time we go there, so that's cool. The guy who runs the place has probably seen missionaries coming in for generations. After, we had a district meeting that went pretty well, talking about how we can improve our areas and work better in them, and then it was mostly contacting. I actually had a cool experience today. We were making calls in a 7-11, and were about to leave. There had been a guy sitting next to us the whole time reading an English newspaper and looking up stuff on his phone (he was Taiwanese) and I had the feeling I should talk to him, so I started a conversation with him, and it turns out he has a few Christian friends, and he was really curious about Christ being our Redeemer. He lives in the other elder's area, but it was really cool to give him a chance to learn more of Christ. 

Friday, 17 February 2017
The missionaries with a plan! A weekly plan, that is! We actually gained an investigator this week because that cool guy named David set up to meet with us again! After planning, we went out contacting on the road, and were just walking along, when a former investigator, the one named Jeff came up on his scooter. We actually dropped him last week because he stopped answering our calls, so I had a brief hope that we might again persuade him to join the Jedi order, but he actually just very awkwardly told us that he didn't want religion, baptism scared him, and basically doesn't want to hear any more about it. So... we lost him. Again. But Elder Burge said something really cool. He said that even if people drop us now, they'll never be able to forget the things we taught them, and they'll still be there someday when they realize they need it. Otherwise, we just went and ate hot pot with the other missionaries at a place that had free all you can eat ice cream! So lots of happy Elders!

Saturday, 18 February 2017
Not much to report on today. We got stood up for a lesson this morning, so we were out to all day contacting! Woot woot. Ah well, at least tonight when we were calling people, we got a couple people set up to come to church, and someone to come to a special fireside activity our sisters have put together for our Ward about the Restoration. We actually have a testimony part in it, which will hopefully go well. I think this fireside is a pretty cool idea, sharing the message of the restoration in a new and interesting way. I just hope people show up!

Sunday, 19 February 2017
Well, our old man friend Anthony showed up after church, but at least we got to talk to him for a while. Then Elder Burge got to do an interview for the sister's investigator, a 10-year-old that's getting baptized on Friday! So that's cool. We then had studies and went to Brother O's house, the American, who fed us burgers and Tim-Tam Slams. A Tim Tam slam is when you bit both ends off of a Tim Tam (a chocolate biscuit) and have a glass of hot milk, and you suck the milk up through the Tim Tam and then eat it when it all melts inside. It was SO GOOD. And then we went to a fireside that the sisters and the ward put together for the restoration. It was pretty interesting. 

And that was my week! It's been pretty good, and as always, I'm grateful for the experiences God has given me. This mission has done more for me than I think I could ever repay my Father in Heaven for. I see so many blessings here, more than I have words to count. I love you all, and pray our Father in Heaven will help you all find ways to share this beautiful message with His Children that surround you.

-Elder Meanea

13 February 2017 - Week of the HOBBITS!

Called to serve him, biking here in Beitun, chosen here to sweat out all the day! Far and wide we'll share the Book of Mormon, far and wide we will proclaim!
(Copyright Elder Meanea, 2017)

Anyways... my week!

Monday, 6 February 2017
We went hiking to Fairy Lake with Elder Burge's friend, Scott. We also took the Dali Elders with us. It was so fun! It was just like hiking some of the canyons in Zion or in the hills above Cedar. It was super nostalgic. Then we went back and had dinner at a burger place near the chapel with a few other elders. I also got a discount because I was wearing shorts from our hike. I don't know why this place does that, but they do! So 5 kuai off! We went home and cleaned up, then went out and walked around for a bit. We met that one lady we gave a book of Mormon to in the park again! She had a friend with her who spoke great English, and just as they were trying to end the conversation and leave, Elder Burge snagged the new guys number so we could set up an appointment with him. It was really cool! The last activity of the night was making calls, which went better than it ever has on my mission. We were able to set up four different lessons! That's crazy for what I've experienced! It was truly a blessing I saw just today as the week was starting!

Tuesday, 7 February 2017
And the miracle continues in that both of our investigators actually showed up! Well, actually the goodness started earlier that morning when we went out to the park contacting. I admire Elder Burge's ability to make people feel at ease when we're talking to them, and we actually got three numbers! That's more than all last week combined! And then we went to our first lesson at the chapel. His name is John, and he was the one a couple weeks back we contacted on the street and said he actually had 1 minute to talk. He showed up and we talked about prayer and the Book of Mormon, and committed him to start reading and praying. It went pretty well! And then David showed up. David, David, David. He was a referral from Elder Van Slooten from my MTC district. David pulled up in his car and almost seemed to run up to the church door. He's 60 years old, but moves like a very healthy 40 year old. Okay, that's not the best comparison, but that's not the point! The point is he is freaking COOL! He's a bit of a talker, but he listened super intently when we talked about a Loving Heavenly Father and the Book of Mormon and very readily agreed to start praying and reading to find an answer. He was so happy to talk to us and listen to what we had to share. He is also just a super cool guy with pretty much perfect English. He stays in Taichung taking care of his mom who has dementia, and all the other kids are gone, and he's retired, so he just hikes all day and does fun stuff. So those were both awesome, and then we went out to contact the rest of the day. It was a little discouraging, despite the awesomeness we enjoyed all day, when nobody talked to us that night. We were getting ready to go home when Elder Burge remembered we needed to call our Golden investigator named Rollins. We sat at a 7-11 and called him, and he didn't answer. We sat there and moped for about 30 seconds, then he called back. I talked to him, and he was a little disappointed because he failed a test for school, but he said he was okay, and was sorry for missing our earlier texts. I asked him if he had been praying recently, and he said yeah, every time he was feeling frustrated or sad, and he asked what that thumping noise was when my jaw hit the table. I quickly pulled it back up and raised my eyebrows at Elder Burge in astonishment, then talked to Rollins about prayer for a bit, then asked if he was reading the Book of Mormon, and he said he's actually been reading it every night. He then asked what that noise was when Elder Burge's jaw hit the table as well. I told him it was nothing then talked to him about the Book of Mormon for a bit, after which he said, "Yeah, I just really wish I could be one of you guys." Luckily he stayed on the phone long enough for Elder Burge and I to come back around after passing out. So yeah, we set up to meet again on Saturday, and that'll be flipping fantastic, and it was a great end to a an amazing day in Beitun. 

Wednesday, 8 February 2017
This is where the title of my email comes from. Because we were sentenced to Hobbit duty for the rest of the week today. I was riding down the road, and switched gears, but my bike didn't like that and ate my back gear-shift. And then my back tire wouldn't move at all, so we carried my bike to a shop, where we were politely informed that the part needed would take a few days to order and ship... so we're walking! We spent the rest of the day walking around Beitun talking to people. I believe there's a purpose to everything, so while this isn't exactly the most convenient situation, I'm sure it'll work to the fulfilling of God's plan somehow. We then walked about 40 minutes to the church that night for a lesson, who didn't show up, and then walked home and went to bed. Woot woot. ;-)

Thursday, 9 February 2017
We started our morning by walking to the chapel to do a language pass-off for some sisters there, and then we waited around to do our interviews with President. By the look on his face, he knows how well our area is going, and it was really nice to be spiritually uplifted by him. He gave a great analogy about how the master measures his fisherman by if their boats are in the water, and how diligently they cast their nets. I love the President Holland talk when he says, "Isn't it obvious now, if I want fish, I can get fish. What I need is disciples who love me." If that's what I am at the end of the day, there is nothing more I could have done as a missionary, and it provides me with a lot of comfort. Also, blessings! My bike actually got finished being repaired today! So our Hobbit week was cut short, but I'm not complaining.

Friday, 10 February 2017
Today was a great day! We had a zone training meeting discussing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love how every time we talk about it, I realize how important and central it is to everything we do. And then I went on exchanges with Elder Wilkinson! It was super fun. He is a great missionary and really cool guy. We came back to Beitun for the exchange, and we went contacting in the park, met a few really cool people, and one lady actually invited us back to her house to teach her and her husband for a few minutes. That's never happened before! It was a really cool experience to just be running all over the place preaching the Gospel. 

Saturday, 11 February 2017
I got up early with Elder Wilkinson to bike to a nearby stadium, where a few elders and sisters were playing ultimate. It was so fun! It's been a long time since I've run that fast. After we got ready for the day, we went out proselyting. It's really cool to see the Christlike love Elder Wilkinson has for the people. I could feel it in every contact. We were also going to meet with our cool kid Rollins today, but his school schedule changed and he wasn't able to make it. Darn it. Hopefully he'll show up to church. After exchanges ended, we got treated by Elder Burge's friend, Scott, to Coldstone ice cream. IT WAS SO GOOD. I felt I earned it from the frisbee diving I did this morning. We also had to go in a bit early tonight and make some calls because their was a Daoist parade going around, and if you've ever heard anything about Daoist parades, you know exactly why we got out of there.

Sunday, 12 February 2017
Soooo.... a bit weird today. We had church meetings, and no investigators were able to make it, but we had a real nice sacrament meeting about trusting God in trials. I always love the feeling I get in the church building and when we get to partake of the sacrament. Then we went home and had studies until it was time to go back to the chapel for a lesson we set up. We called a former investigator in the phone, set up to meet with him, and found out at the meeting that he was actually baptized last year in a different ward, so, we're good missionaries? While we were meeting with him, a lady with a backpack and plastic bag came knocking on the door. She was out of breath and looked pretty shaken. She asked if we spoke Chinese, and I said yes (I love getting to say that) and then the member that was helping us in our lesson walked out. She said, "Oh good!" And she said she needed to sit and talk with us immediately, so we poked our head back into the room with our Recent Convert and told him we'd be a minute. She sat us down and started telling us a story, mostly through our native friend and talked really fast about how something happened and she had started doing witchcraft for some reason, and then her house started having demons in it threatening to harm her and make her sick, and stuff was falling down all the time in her house, and she got so scared that she sold her house that day, and pulled out the bill of sell to prove it to us, and she just filled a backpack and sack and walked out. She wanted to know if she could stay at the church, which she couldn't, but we got Bishop to start checking with members or something to see if she could stay somewhere. I don't know what happened to her because we had to leave, but I actually believe her story. Sadly enough, the devil has power inasmuch as the children of men give it unto him. There is weird stuff out here, but that doesn't mean I or you all need to be scared of it. God has given us all the blessing of His church, of prayer, of scripture, and through all of these things, Satan is nothing to us. Nothing he sends can shake us if we build on Christ. And I'm glad that I can tell the people here about it, no matter how long it takes for them to realize that there can be more light in their lives than they ever imagined. 

Sorry to end on a bit of a sober note, but that is a pretty cool story to look back on. ;-) Elder Burge actually has stories about casting out devils, or at least watching it, but we can talk about that another time. I just want to say that I love this work, and things are crazy sometimes, but there is no place I'd rather be. I love you all, and I hope this week has brought you all closer to the Lord. There is so much He has given us. And I look forward to keeping on sharing here in Taiwan.

-Elder Meanea

6 February 2017 - Muscles

Every week brings so many tender mercies, small and big miracles, and so many chances to exercise my faith, and become a better servant of Jesus Christ. It is so amazing to know that what we are out sharing with everyone, every day, is THE Truth. It humbles me to know that it's been found, and I grew up singing about since I was in primary.

Monday, 30 January 2017
We had our first "Luxury P-Day" with two more hours tacked on to our time every week. This is going to be really, really nice. I emailed my family early, then we went and had a snack and sit down with our RC, Jones, who was in the Taiwanese Air Force 30 years ago and now flies people around for tours. He's really cool, and has a lot of faith in the Book of Mormon. We then went to a member house, Eddy, and ate pizza for lunch. He convinced us to stay for a bit after and play Munchkin with him. It's a crazy card game I've played before... but not with Chinese Cards. So, I'll just let you imagine how well that went. Then we went to the chapel and talked to the Elders who are stationed out on Magong, the small island in our mission. They flew in for exchanges the other day and were heading back. Then we got Elder Burge a $3 haircut, had a nice dinner with a ward family, and then basically had to head home!

Tuesday, 31 January 2017
The first day we got to try out our new schedule fully! It was really weird. We left the door at 10:00, contacted until lunch, which was at a seafood restaurant with a member for Guonian, and guess how much I ate? ALL OF IT. I TRIED EVERY BIT. Taiwan seems to be curing my child pickiness. We then came back during the dead hours and did companion and language study. The afternoon was pretty depressing, because all day we couldn't get anyone to talk to us. But just as I personally was letting my little bud of faith dwindle, Elder Burge contacted two separate people and got both their phone numbers, all within 5 minutes. It was a real reminder that God is the one who gives success, in His time, and according to our faith. We then ate with Chris, our super cool ward missionary. He's about 23, and he took us to this American pizza place called "Pizza Rock." I have never eaten so much pizza in my life! It was actual American pizza as well! But the rest of the night we were out trying to contact. Another beautiful night in Beitun. 

Wednesday, 1 February 2017
We actually had activities planned all through-out the day! Which was a nice change. We did so much today, but I feel as though everything that should have exhausted me was simply taken away, and I had a really good day. I feel like the harder I try to work, the more I gain Heaven's support, and it makes me more ready to continue serving my Lord. I could say a lot about the things that happened today, but lets just say I had four meals, and then we barely made it home with the extra mass, and I basically laid on my bed the whole night trying to digest. That's a beautiful Guo Nian day for you!

Thursday, 2 February 2017
Another District training meeting. I am also sorry to inform everyone back home that my humor is not compatible with these people. I've made about 5 jokes in these DTM's so far in Taichung, and absolutely nobody laughed, they just stared at me. Well guess what? I am going to take my finely tuned sense of humor and not share! So ha! I'm not sharing any more of my Golden Material with them. But it was a good DTM anyways. It was really cool how we discussed the mission broadcast we had last week, and I realized that all the fundamentals of Preach my Gospel were discussed, but in talking about the Doctrine of Christ. I especially liked a quote from Elder Bednar. I can't remember it completely, but it was something like "We could talk all day about what the most important doctrine of the Gospel is, but when we make Christ the Center of our focus, everything unimportant falls away." There is a lot of stuff you need to remember to do as a missionary when you teach, contact, testify, prepare, and learn, and I worry a lot about missing pieces. But I remember that as long as Christ is my focus, everything else in life falls into place. 

Friday, 3 February 2017
Weekly planning! We got that done, then a member took us to Cairns Stonegrill restaurant! It was so good! I sent pictures of it, but they give you the raw meat, and a platter with a burning hot stone slab on it, so you cook it yourself. It was super fun! Then we went back, finished studies, and contacted around. We actually had a lesson tonight, but they ended up not showing Ah well, back to the streets. I love the story of Nephi and Lehi, though. No matter how bad anyone's area is, it's not as bad as murdering Lamanite infested bad. But they had faith that there were people who needed to know about Christ, so they walked right in, and baptized thousands. I admire their trust in the Lord. Some might say my area is a bad or dead one. But I believe we're all somewhere for a reason. I'm not just here to not do anything. There are miracles Elder Burge and I can work, if we're just willing to follow the Lord wherever He leads. 

Saturday, 4 February 2017
So... we were going to have 2 lessons today... but they both were no shows...so... you see why I have so many dot-dot-dots... probably. I love this place, I really do. I know that there are purposes unseen being accomplished at this very moment, out of my sight, and in the Lord's time, He will bless us for the work that we strive to give Him here. I'm reminded of the story of a man who had a vision one night, in which God told him to go outside his house, and push this boulder with all his strength. The man, being faithful, woke the next morning, and strained all day at the boulder, pushing and heaving to the utmost extent of his strength. Nothing happened. The boulder, as stubborn as ever, hadn't moved. "Perhaps I must continue tomorrow," the man said to himself. Day by day he strained at the boulder, from sun-up to sun-down. Day by day, the boulder sat as rigid as the first day the man had started pushing. After many weeks of this, the man grew frustrated, and after pushing the boulder all day one day with no effect, he knelt down and appealed to the Lord. "Lord, why haven't I been able to move this boulder? I have faith in You! Why hasn't it happened?" After a moment, the man heard, "I never asked you to move the boulder, I asked you to push, with all your might and all your diligence. And now look at the muscles you have strengthened, the endurance you've developed. If I wanted the boulder moved, I could move the boulder, but look what's happened because you tried." I don't know where I heard that story, and that may not be exactly how it goes, but that's the gist of it. And also the gist of me telling it was LOOK AT MY MUSCLES, FOLKS!

Sunday, 5 February 2017
Well, we weren't able to get any investigators at church, but some members stood up during testimony meeting and talked about how hard-working we are! So, at least the ward is good! We also went out tracting tonight, which I love, because I automatically gets a chance to testify of our message. Nobody had interest tonight, but honestly, sitting down to write this, I just feel peaceful. I'm just glad that I got to work tonight, to go out and serve my Savior. That's all I'll ever ask for as a missionary, that I get to serve Christ. 

I love you all, family and friends both. That's about it from me for the week from my island paradise. I hope your weeks have brought you closer to Christ, and that He has made a difference in your lives everyday. I'm grateful for this opportunity that I have to share my testimony and experience with you all.

Until next time!

-Elder Meanea