Exchanges

Dear Familia!

Things are going great here in Taiwan!  It was very hot this last week and a was cooked like bacon.  Luckily for me I'm getting tanner and tanner. The Mission President told us that loads of rain is forecast and we should expect a lot of flooding coupled with a lot of opportunities to clean up the mess left behind.  Should be fun.  I'm glad I bought my rain clothes last week!

Response to your email:

It sounds like everything is going very well at home.  Basketball sounds very exciting.  I hope you're rooting for the Thunder.  Hey, Dad, how good of a basketball player is the New York Knick's Jeremy Lin?  He's incredibly popular here.  Basketball is the thing to do, but the great portion of Taiwanese aren't very good at it and aren't very athletic.  I just wanted to know if it's just a Taiwan thing or if he's actually pretty good.

 Batman sounds great.  I would love to see it.  I do have to say that what I'm doing here is much more fun and eternally more rewarding, but ya know....he is the Dark Knight...  I'm surprised by how they ended HOUSE.  I suppose they were going for the whole ironic approach with Wilson and honestly it's not very emotionally satisfying....House never changed...kind of pointless...  Also, Glee does sound really lame once it's written.  I have a feeling that my taste in entertainment will change dramatically when I return home.

Scout camp sounds fun and messy.  I'm glad that you had that opportunity to render service.  I bet it felt so good when everything was all over.  You two are such incredible parents and outstanding members of the church.

I bet Tyler is bouncing off the walls.  If you could, please tell him that if he has anything he needs from me that could help, to ask.  He's so great.

Nate doing well doesn't surprise me in the least.  I bet he's tearing it up in Russia.  The mission is what you make of it completely. If you literally turn your life over to the Lord you will see success.  You will be tired, but you will change, you will grow, and you will help many come unto Christ.  I'm really striving right now to turn myself over and if there's one thing I've learned, it takes more than one day to do it.  This is one of my main focuses. I want to make changes and decisions now that will define who I will be when I return and forever.

I want to ask a question.  If I return, and I'm really strict about what I watch, how I observe the Sabbath, and my interests, what I eat, my opinions, etc. what will you all think?  Will you support my decision even if you think it's silly?  I would love to hear what you think, because I know that coming home will be the hardest part of this experience.  I know it's going to be hard being thrust back into the real world of television, sports, friends, music, family, etc.  I would love a fully honest answer to this question.

I want to be able to collapse into the arms of my parents at the end of two years with smiles and tears knowing that I did everything I could do to serve the Lord.  That I changed.  This is one of the visions that drives my missionary work.  This time is short.  I'm not here to rest.  I'm here to work. 

Thank you for supporting me.  I know you can't be here now, but this time apart is so short.  I'm 20ish% done (which hurts to think about), and it has only felt like a moment.  Know I'm OK. Know I'm working hard.  Know I love you.  This is His work and I'm going to do everything I can to please Him.

Your son and brother,

Elder Woolsey