Crazy Week

Dajia hao!

I'm so sorry.  You're going to hate this, but I have zero time to write today.  I didn't have a preparation day on Monday because today we went to the Taibei temple.  Apparently it's the most fangbian (convenient) day for the missionaries to go.  Anyway, today was my preparation day...in theory.  We are really far away from the mission home so we just BARELY got back to our area.  I literally have thirty minutes to read everything, write you and write the mission president.

I hope everything is going well with Grandpa.  I kinda had a feeling that he passed away the other day.  I sang "O My Father" on Wednesday with my companion because I felt like he had passed away.  Grandpa wanted "O My Father" to be sung at his funeral.  I hope that still happens.  I tried really hard not to cry in front of my companion.

This last week and a half have been crazy because it's been MOVE CALL!!!  Elder Stone left the "4-man" and we received Elder Erickson.  He's crazy.  He's super shuai (handsome) and hilarious.  He'll be a lot of fun.  He's a move call older than me and tomorrow he gets to come into my area for an exchange (I get to be a legitimate senior companion for a day haha!  I'm a little scared!)

My Chinese is going well.  Elder Haag helps a ton.  I've been studying characters mostly.  They're a lot of fun.  It's SO HARD for me to read characters in different fonts right now though.  For example, I can read them on my flashcards, but I can't read them on billboards (sometimes).  I'm learning though!  My Chinese is decent enough to teach all of the lessons and know the zhongdian (main point) of most conversations.  I'm still super young by mission standards.  As soon as my Chinese is good enough and I'm responsible enough, I will go senior companion.  Most people don't go until they're sixth move and I'm on my second so I have a LONG time to wait.  The area is great.

I really want to tell you about this investigator and this other family we're teaching so I'll keep it brief.  One is trying really hard to quit smoking so he can be baptized (he totally believes).  He is struggling though.  We had him give Elder Haag and me a pack of cigarettes and we taped pictures of Christ on it and filled it with rolled up scriptures (and sprayed it with cologne).  I'll send a picture next week.  He is super solid and is doing great.  His goal is the ninth of June.  I'll have faith he'll hit it.  He knows we're there to love and support him.

The last thing is this family.  We're teaching an entire family that all believes and wants to accept the gospel.  They're a miracle.

  

Thank you for all of your love and support.  I'm so sorry that this email isn't so good.  I hope you understand that I have ZERO time.  I love you all and you'll all get another email on Monday (my time, probably late Sunday night your time).  I love you SOOOO much.  I see children grow up in the gospel and I marvel at it.  Church families are a miracle and a blessing.  I love this gospel so much. 

Keep it up!

-Elder Woolsey