Dear Mom, Dad, Eric, Belle, and Coffee,
Thank you so much for taking time to write me every week. I love
seeing such extensive letters from all of you so often. Every week for
over a year now, you have written long letters that have kept me informed on
detailed information that has keep me in full connection with all things
happening at home. I love it. Thank you.
It's a strange feeling being here in Taizhong I decided. Today is
a rainy day and it feels so much like when I first came to Taiwan, seeing as I
was trained in North Taizhong of Shalu. The
weather is becoming the same as it was last April when I landed and memories of
those first few days are flooding back. I remember my trainer who was so
excited to see me on a younger move-call than I am on now. I remember
riding really hard and really far that first day and loving every minute of
it. I now think of how my trainer has only a little over a move-call to
go before he has to return to America. And what a wonderful missionary he
has been! Funny enough, he is no longer the assistant to the president,
he has now stepped down and is serving once again in SHALU where he was a year
ago with me. If I had to guess, I imagine that he will likely train again
with his short time left before he returns home.
I am now allowed to email all of my friends and other family
members. Please inform all of this and invite all who have the desire to
do so to write me. It's an official announcement by the missionary board,
so I can write other missionaries as well. I would love to hear from
others and their experiences, so if there's any way of informing them, I would
appreciate it.
I hope that all things go
well. Keep me posted on all that you decide to do and what I can do here
to help you. I know that I don't have a huge efficacy not being there,
but I'm willing to share my thoughts on whatever you say and such. Of
course the best course of action is to consult with the Lord. He is the
most important person to ask. Remove those pavilions and you will have no
problems. The Lord has a plan for our family and I think it entails being
very close.
Also, it sounds as though your cycling ventures are going well as
well. I can't believe that you are so physically fit. I have a
small confession to make. When I teach the Word of Wisdom, I often use
dad as an example of how the word of wisdom can change someone's life. I
usually mention a previously less healthy state and now that you're more fit
than I am. My investigators always get wide eyes and laugh because to be
honest, I'm in pretty good shape right now.
Taizhong is on fire right now. It is a wonderful zone to be
in. It's the heartland of this mission and I'm very convinced that Elder Hoopes and I are going to continue to see success, even if we only
have another week and a half together. I better learn the area
quick! He's a relatively famous missionary by missionary standards as
most people know that he trained younger than any other missionary in this
mission for many, many, many, years. Our thoughts on missionary work are
very similar so we are already hitting the ground running. We dropped in
a WEEK A investigator this last week which means without previously having a
goal, we helped an investigator set one for that week and pass an
interview. When this is the case, we have to first call president bishop
and get permission to baptize him that same week. To make a long story
short, we had a baptism last Saturday. He's an awesome kid that my
companion has been working with for the last six months. I'm grateful that I
was able to come here and help him prepare for baptism in such a short amount
of time. We are going to try it again on another investigator who has
come to church for four weeks straight for three hours each time, but
unfortunately hasn't really been progressing toward baptism. He has a
testimony, but just doesn't feel very ready. This area is golden and we
plan to set it ablaze.
The Zone is wonderful. There are about 24 missionaries (in this
Zone). We exchange with all of the Elders in the Zone at least once to
observe missionary work and train. We have all of their numbers and it is our
goal to help everyone in the zone use their time effectively and to teach
others how to baptize. We have a specialized training meeting this
Thursday in which we have to present some things. It's more
responsibility than I've had in any other previous assignment and it's more
difficult on the area because we exchange so much, but it's wonderful being so
close to so many different missionaries. It's also interesting to note
that all other missionaries watch you now. We have to be obedient.
We have to be the example. This zone, fortunately, is
wonderful.
Thank you for sharing your personal experience with me about Jared's
accident, Dad. I'm grateful that you are willing to share such a sacred
experience. I know without a doubt that everything you said is
true. I know less and understand less than you do, but I believe it.
What you said is true. My time is growing short and it will be
great to see you all again. I fear returning home knowing that I won't be
doing exactly what I love. This work is wonderful and I can't imagine myself
doing anything else. I do want to see you all though. Thank you for
caring for me so very much. Don't worry about me. I plan to sprint to the
end of this race and collapse at the finish line at the airport. I love
you all. Don't worry about me.
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