May 26, 2013

Thank you for your prayers.

 

First things first,

Mom I love you

Dad I love you 

Colby and Kat I love you

Ashleigh.....her future knight in shining armor, I love you

Emma I love you

Hannah I love you

Madison I love you

Natalie I love you

Well this week was pretty interesting our washer broke, so we had to get a new one, and we just got a new ac system. It is pretty useful having your senior companion be the old operations manager. So right now the apartment is just finishing remodel mode to accommodate four elders. But real quick something cool that we did that I will send pictures of is we went hiking in the mountains. That was fun to go do that again, being in and seeing the outdoors. But I'm going to be quite honest while I’m on a mission, nothing beats the adrenaline rush of teaching people the gospel!  

The members are really starting to trust us and let us in and have started helping us.  We have about three dinner appointments this week. Which to Taiwanese, if they invite you to dinner that is good because food is everything out here to these people.  Well not everything but it’s really important. It's funny though I see a lot more similarities in Taiwanese culture to ours than other people do I think. Anyway…

 

So the plan for Puli:  Elder B is really into throwing activities and getting people welcomed back into the ward that way. Which I am super glad! Because with how much less active work we are doing that is probably really the best thing, especially for investigators as well because it is a nice way for them to get friends in the ward and help out with wards activities. So a cool miracle story really quick, well sort of long one. We were heading up to the old persons home slash hospital here in Puli to visit probably the coolest old Taiwanese person I have ever met. And all of the sudden a lady in the parking lot yells at us and says “Who is Elder Green, and who is Elder Bailey?” We stop and look at each other, raise our hands and go over and say hello. And lo and behold it’s a less active and she is holding in her hand is the little newsletter me and Elder Bailey had just written that we have been giving to all of the less actives.   It was so good to know that people were actually getting these, and we saw at least three other less active families back at church on Sunday. Well after that we went over to Hu bei bei "bei bei" is what they call every male over 70 here and they use it like it is a part of their name. Anyway, this man is a spiritual power house. He has one wish and that is to get back to the temple at least one more time.  After that he doesn’t care what happens, and not only that, but as all four of us missionaries were singing to him and giving him a message he said one of the most profound statements I have ever heard. He said “I have Heavenly Father’s Melchizedek Priesthood, I will not dishonor it and leave the church.” It was one of the most spiritual experiences to see this old man who lives in a retirement home with nothing but his scriptures a box and a bed say ”I will not deny the truth”. And it is it is the truth that Heavenly Father loves you, that you can talk to him, that you can read his words, and that no matter what you do, His son, Jesus Christ, so that you can get back to him, will help you every step of the way. This is why the atonement is so important.  It allowed us to one day live with Heavenly Father and become perfect like him! However, a tool is no good unless you use it so we have to remember to do our part.

READ YOUR SCRIPTURES SAY YOUR PRAYERS!

Love,

Elder Green.

May 18, 2013

Hey Mom, it was crazy this week because it really is a true white wash. All we have are the members and the streets, because we don't have an area book and our phone is new everything is new. 

Well hello everyone,

Man it’s crazy, this week has literally flown by! First off love you all!

Okay now we can get started.  I live in a four man apartment.  It is me and Elder B. and Elder K. and Elder K. who is training. So it is pretty much like The Best Two Years, except we are all going crazy working hard!

The Puli area is probably the most beautiful area in all of Taiwan it is also probably one of the biggest areas. We have about three secondary areas that take about an hour to get to and every small house that is in between. The mountains are beautiful!

I would ask you to please pray for the Puli area the branch here has people that have forgotten what it feels like to feel the spirit so please pray that these people will have an experience and remember and strive to come to church.

This week I really felt like I was on a mission.  We planned an entire morning to go visit a recent convert on the top of a mountain, literally, and we are talking mountains too!  It was so much fun to go do that, and see this man’s faith when we got up there. That was some real mountain biking!  Anyway we have an investigator our first week here. He is so cool his name is Qiu.  Please pray for this man to read the scriptures and say his prayers. He has so much faith, he just needs to confirm it.  Also I was reminded of something this week that was really special.  I got to go home teaching with some ward members and the man we visited was one of the most spiritual people I have ever met. It was a great reminder that the most important thing when it comes right down to it is the gospel. And, it helped me remember that Heavenly Father is literally always watching you and looking after you.  So do His work, make Him proud and gain the prize He has in store for you at the end. Endure to the end no matter what trial your going through, keep going!  You can make it!  Heavenly Father wants you to make it!  Rely on him. Keep going don’t give up. I know he is there for you and he wants you to succeed. Read your scriptures, say your prayers.

Love,

 Elder Green 

May 12, 2013

You are right mom, not much time at all today. It was great to talk with everyone yesterday.  I will send some pictures and talk a little bit.

I didn’t get to tell you yesterday but thanks for being my mom! Mom, I honestly have never had any health problems or spiritual problems while I have been here. All because of your letters and love, and your constant prayers, my spirituality has been maintained. Also thanks for teaching me how to be a gentlemen.

The new area I’m in is like the park city of Taiwan.   I am in Puli. A place near Sun Moon Lake. Which is super famous. My companion is Elder B. He is from Orem, and he is super cool! But, what I have to say first is this. The Puli area needs some prayers. The branch has a goal to become a ward by the end of the month so that means we have to book it over here. So that is my prayer invite for this week.  Pray that we will be able to meet the goal, and that this area will be blessed!  Also please pray for my grammar to become better and my understanding of the language to continue to increase. Well time is almost up so I will say this; there is nothing two can't do when the Lord is on your side. He wants to, and will answer all your prayers.   We don’t know when, and it probably will not be in the way we expected, but I guarantee He will answer. God is our Heavenly Father and He loves us!  Don’t you ever forget that. Read the scriptures which are His words here on this earth, His advice to us in times of need. And say your prayers, the best cell phone you will ever have. The call is free, doesn’t take that much time, and you know that the person on the other end will always answer and will always listen. I love this world and love you all!  Smile.    

Love,

 Elder Green 

May 6, 2013

Dear Mom,

I am also very excited to  talk this week I don't have much time for the email today because we are getting ready for a ward party this week and we had to do some stuff at the mission home

Okay so this week was awesome! I had at least three people  that are here in college on an exchange program that said “hey, I have interest in your church. Can you teach me?” Yeah that is pretty cool if you ask me! I also had two other people self-contact me and say “I need a religion and you people are always happy, can you teach me?” Also this week we had three investigators accept a baptismal goal, which is awesome!!!!!!!!!! But I’m kind of bummed because Elder T. got told he will be training so its 99 percent sure I will leave, and I will not be able to be there for the baptisms.  I can tell you right now that when you go out and do the work, the Lords work, and put your heart and soul into helping people, that is when the Lord blesses you!

 So my new companion is one of the coolest guys I’ve ever met!  He is from Bountiful, Utah. He ran cross country, and knows how to get the job done. He focuses on the important things in life. He is so cool. 

 Also this week I was so happy that a Taiwanese person actually let me help them!  They let me help them do stuff!  They never do that. I love service yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

One thing I would like to say before I have to go is something I found in scripture study this week. It is the story of Teancum.  He is awesome, but the thing that caught my eye was that it said his whole team was battle ready and able to do the work that needed to be done. Sometimes we think that there can only be one best person for one thing but in reality if we have a whole bunch of people that are really good and prepared then the strength magnifies. So stand strong! Stand together, help each other, lift each other and above all love one another!  I love you all! Read the scriptures discover things that apply to your life within them. Look for those things.  And believe that God loves you. Read your scriptures say your prayers.                                

Love,

Elder Green

Great News!  We will be able to Skype with Taft on Mothers Day!

April 28^th

Hello everybody,

So sorry about last week because of the new missionaries and everything there have been big changes in the progress out here.  Elder Bee left, and I have to say the biggest thing I learned from him is that these are real people, they are Gods children, treat them as such.   Listen and desire the people’s salvation. Especially with everything that happened with Elder Bee, and with Grandy and all, I think I definitely succeed in making him my brother.   It was actually pretty cool he happened to move down to an area where one of our investigators moved, so we’re both hoping that he will find him. My language isn’t perfect by far but it keeps improving.   In all honesty if you want to pray for me about the Chinese pray that I will understand the people. But something cool related to that… every time, since the beginning of my mission I have been able to share my testimony and the spiritual things that the people needed to hear with perfect Chinese. There has not been one time that the Lord has not allowed me to share my testimony. My normal conversation Chinese is low, but when I am teaching a lesson and there is no stopping me. I know that it is all through Heavenly Father and Him letting me speak and giving me the gift of lounges.

Well just a quick shout out to my brother Colby who got his master’s degree Friday,  and I would like to thank him for being such an amazing example to me my whole life!

My new companion Elder Taylor is awesome he is a super funny guy easy to get along with and a super good missionary! He just came from being a zone leader and he is helping me remember a lot about what leaders need to do and their responsibilities. He is from bountiful Utah and he is a runner and wants to be a dentist.

Oh by the way brother Wilkinson you are the right man for the job! You just keep doing what you’re doing and if you need anything let me know.

This week Elder Taylor  and I were on foot most of the week and it was crazy how much we got done and how many people we found and the people we were able to visit.  But something that I have really remembered and tried to magnify with Elder Taylor is "forget yourself and go to work", and "focus on serving others". You just feel happy all the time, which I am really happy about because here in Taiwan they don’t like people doing service for them. Back in America I would just ask everyone if they needed help and start helping them.  This week I finally got to serve someone here.   This old grandpa was trying to move some stuff for his food stand and I went over and he actually accepted my help and I loved it! Elder Taylor and I are doing some good work. I’m not going to lie, it feels good to be out of the greenie status and be able to work a lot.

  Alright well do you know what time it is? That’s right… it’s the time when I say read your scriptures, say your prayers. Trust in the Lord, love the Lord.  Trust yourself and love everyone. But this week I will say this all so. Thank you! The more I come to a realization how much the Lord does for me the more I come to thank him. And for something I haven’t done in a while which I just got permission to do go to this link.   http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/mormon-messages/mormon-messages-2010?lang=eng&start=25&end=36#2010-11-23-thanksgiving-daily. And ponder these questions at the end of every day no matter how bad it is. Do I still know that I am a child of God? Do I know that he is trying to help me? And then look at your hands see the potential they have as a child of God. And go out and do some good in the world. I love you all I know that we are all children of our Heavenly Father.  In the name of our Lord, our Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.                                       

  Love Elder Green

April 22nd

I will apologize in advance for the shortness of this letter but we had an unexpected companion ship change and I am now with Elder Taylor. He seems really cool but move day has been kind of hectic so I don’t have much time to write.

Mom at the end of everyday I remember that the lord keeps his promises and he promised to protect you and he promised I would feel your prayers. And I can tell you right now I have felt every single prayer. The area is doing well and my language continues to improve.  

Well this week due to time I will say this. Families are forever. Heavenly father loves you and wants to bless you. No matter what challenge you have no matter how insignificant you feel. Know that heavenly father loves you and he needs you right where you are. And know that whatever you are going through our Savior, our Redeemer, our Older Brother felt the same pain as you did, just for you so that you can live with your family forever.

Read you scriptures say your prayers and don’t let a day go by without seeing how much love is around you. It is your choice to be happy or sad chooses to be happy and choose to see the good around you instead of the bad.

April 14^th

Dear everyone.

With everything that has been happening this week it is making me stronger and stronger and getting me more and more on the ball I love it. You know it’s kind of interesting but I had a fast this week too for the family. and I think it was about the same time you had it.

So you have heard this many times, “Every Member A Missionary”.  You have no idea how much more effective missionary work would be if the members referred investigators to the missionaries.    You are doing the Lords work never be afraid to do that. This week I was on exchanges with an elder and I realized how much everyone having a strong testimony helps people around you. No one person can do this work alone. You need everyone’s help. And what’s even cooler is that we are never alone when we stand with God.  This week was especially interesting and as I was reading my mission scripture this week I remembered how much the Lord has in store for each of us, if we but do what he has asked in fact he wants to give us the blessings all we have to do is the action that is required to receive the blessings. We have made good progress with three investigators and the bishop is starting to trust us even more.  And the ward attendance jumped from 40 people to 60 people. I love you all and I hope that something in each of my letters will be able to help you in some way. I love you and I hope that you are all safe.

Read your scriptures say your prayers. Love the Lord, trust the Lord. Trust yourself, love everyone.                

Love Elder Green

April 7^th

Dear Mom,

As I got to talk to you the other night there isn’t much that I need to work out. (Taft’s mission president had him call home when he learned that Taft’s grandfather would shortly pass away.) Conference will be this upcoming week for me since translations and everything. But I did however get to watch one talk the other night when we were with a member for dinner.  I like writing poems, this is a poem I wrote when I heard about Grandad.

 Dear World 

There is a life after death

I know this to be true

It is why I’m out here sharing that message with you

When you look at your life

You see the good and the bad

But look at it now and see 

What good the bad has shared?

For without those experiences

You would not have known

That Jesus Christ is your savior

You would not have known the difference between good and bad

You would not be able to remember the ones you love

The people you helped

And the things family did for you.

You’ve only got one life

Don’t waste a second

So I will say this

Smile love, and live your life with the knowledge that Christ is walking beside you wanting to help you.

All you have to do is let him

This week was a very big eye opener to how cool everyone in Taiwan is. To how cool every missionary is. And how much the lord relies on the missionaries. We are his driving force to share with the world that he exists, he cares and he wants you to be able to live with him again. For all those that are reading this I hope that you will watch conference and listen to the prophets words. It is free to listen to. They are wonderful men that you can’t help but love. And they are Gods voice on the earth. 

The atonement exists. Jesus Christ is our Savior and because of him we will live again, as a matter of fact we get to live with God again. But do not take my word for it, read the book that testifies of it, read it from the start. There are twelve more testimonies of it right there and we still get to read the book!  It is roughly 600 pages. That is it. It is shorter than Harry Potter, Eragon or Eldest. So I will ask you once again to read the book and see how your life changes after reading it. Read it with interest, read it sincerely, and I promise you your life will change for the better. I love you all, and I want you all to know that I do not write words in my letters that are meaningless I think about and write each letter with the hope that something I say will you. Read your scriptures say your prayers.

 Love Elder Green

Amy here, so I am a little behind on posting Taft's emails.  It has been a crazy month and I feel like our life kind of exploded.  I am posting each of the letters separately so it's not just one long post.  Enjoy!

March 31^st

Hello everybody

So this week I could literally feel the shaking power of the world. It was quite an experience and probably won’t forget it just know that all the missionaries are accounted for unhurt and still working hard.

Alright since you heard about the earthquake I’ll tell you about it. It was actually kind of cool and weird at the same time. The epicenter was in Nanto which is the city right below Taichung I was at the mission office when it hit doing an evaluation on a zone leader exchange and it was really interesting to see all of the people run around. In the office and   how calm president was. but what surprised me the most was that the first thing they office elders didn’t do was pray in all honesty as soon as I heard that it was big I bowed my head said a prayer for the missionaries in Nanto and knew it was all ok. Then president Bishop responded very quickly and calmly just like a leader should have. Few weeks ago I and Elder Bee had the impression to stock our emergency kits and water supply so we did. (Note from Amy* a few weeks ago mom asked him to make sure his emergency kit was in order)  We were fine.

So the rain has started to come. I don’t think we have gone a day without it raining this week, it is awesome!  Also this week I had goose, it was way good!  Expensive but way good! Today is a new move call. Me and Elder Bee are still together in Fangjia. We have a few people switching in and out of our district. 

 So this week I had an awesome experience. I got to participate in Dan Jones again except this time I got to help out the new missionaries, and man it was so cool, right as Dan Jones started it started raining and I love contacting in the rain it is the funnest thing in the world. Also, the new missionary I was with was so cool and so willing to go about saying what he could with his Chinese. It was also a really big helper for my Chinese. I realized I could say more than I thought I could and could understand more than I thought I could. Please keep praying for me though I still have a long way to go but man, the gift of tongues is real!  It is there, and I will continue to do my part to obtain it. Thanks everyone who has been praying for that.

We have a really good investigator right now who has a few addictions and has little time to meet with us. But he is so cool I hope we will continue to meet with him. Elder Bee has gone so long without success, he deserves it. He is such a good missionary. I will invite everyone this week to read 2 Nephi: 32.  It has some really good promises in there and I know each one of them are true because The Book of Mormon is the word of God. And In all honesty if you read your scriptures and say your prayers every day and go to church the commandments won’t seem like commandments, they will just kind of be there. But I promise everyone who reads this if you read the Book of Mormon sincerely, and sincerely ask Heavenly Father if it is true, you will have a sense of peace come over you that you have never felt before. Read your scriptures, say your prayers. Remember the atonement and what our Savior did for us. I love you all I know you are all children of God and he wants to help you. Love your brother, son, friend,

Love, Elder Taft Green

Dear Mom,

As usual you are right.   I came to a big realization this week.  The Lord called me to a mission. But I had forgotten why he wanted me on the mission. It is not only for the people I will teach but it is for me to improve the skills I have and make me a better person. I also realized that we are not perfect, and we may have learned something in the past but not used it for a while so we need something to jar our memory and get us going again.  Mom I love the work and the people that I am teaching. Hey something that I have found very useful this past week from my study is Preach My Gospel the first chapter at the end of it has a quote page.  I think it would be really good for anyone to read.  Also I got the St. Patricks day package.  My language is improving every day.   Keep praying for me.  I will keep praying for the family.

 

Well everyone this week, I realized how important motives behind things are. We have been teaching a couple of investigators and they weren’t progressing until we explained to them that we simply were trying to help them become better people and obtain the same gifts and blessings we have. I will give a simple promise this week; If you love your  Heavenly Father and you love your 'neighbor' And you sincerely desire to help anyone who comes in your path whether it be by a smile or whether it be by a hug or service, you will see the beauty that is in the world. Remember it is your choice how to live life. It is your choice to take something bad and turn it into good and it is your choice to be happy. I love each and every one of you!   Remember the Lord is walking beside you. Read your scriptures, say your prayers. Trust the lord love the lord, trust yourself, love everyone.

Love,

Elder Green

Oh for the picture you can call that little shuai4ge1 russell

Hello Everybody,

 Alright so apparently I didn’t explain transfers that well. This transfer has been shortened due to the increase of the missionaries normally a transfer is every 6 weeks. I am still in the Fangjia area and probably will still be here for at least one more transfer. The district stayed the same. 

Alright real quick funny story before I get into much of what’s going on. This   morning we went to McDonalds because they had a free breakfast thing going on. And I just happened to be the hundredth person in line and voila before I new it I had a McDonalds hat on, a sign, a gift bag and a couple of coupons and some of the workers crowding around me for a picture!   McDonalds is a lot nicer and higher quality here. I hope America will someday catch on. Also I don’t know if I have said anything about this food yet but they have a really good thing which in English translation is omelet rice. They make a huge omelet put fried rice in it and cheese, and then some dressing on top so goooooooood!  Oh and for a culture thing this week I still have a few mints left from America that I have been holding on to. And the kids love them, it’s crazy!

Just real quick I would once again like to thank everyone for their prayers and their support back home with the language. I Passed off my phase one completely and started phase two. Phase two doesn’t have any test it’s just to kick start learning non church related words. So the next things I have decided to work on are; grammar, tones, and ting1 de dong4 (understanding people.) 

Alright for spiritual stuff. First off the area has really started picking up we are getting in contact with more of the less actives and they are all so cool and we are finally getting on the same page as the ward. It is amazing. Well miracle this week… so a couple weeks ago when we were heading home we contacted a delivery boy and made an appointment with him. And we had a good first lesson then we weren’t able to get a hold of him till the other day and he said “sure, is it ok if I bring my sister too”. Why yes, yes you can." and we had an awesome church tour with them,  two members, and us. Then we had an awesome follow up lesson. Especially because all me an Elder Bee did was lead the conversation where we wanted it to go. And the members did the rest. And it was probably the best lesson we have ever had. I will tell whoever is reading this right now that it is through the members of the church doing the missionary work that the missionary’s will be successful. If you know someone that can use the gospel give their name to the missionaries.  It is much more effective for missionaries to know who to talk to than to just blindly talk with people.  That is a quote from Ezra Taft Benson  “Every Member A Missionary". Also there is a talk by president Hinckley that talks about member missionary work... well any way, to get back to the story. The guy came to church the next day. And whoa it was awesome the ward took him in, the bishop introduced himself and it wasn’t an overbearing member hello either just a friendly welcome.  We will probably have a couple more meetings with him this week too.

 Well this week I would like to share simply about the power of reading your scriptures, saying your prayers and going to church have on your life. It takes less than a minute to say a proper prayer in which you 1 address heavenly father. 2 thank him for anything, or ask him about anything. 3 close in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.  Heavenly Father has given you the ability to communicate with him far beyond that. He wants to hear what you have to say. He wants you to come to Him.  I know without a doubt in my mind Heavenly Father will answer your prayers, maybe not in the way you want or expect it but as you earnestly strive to seek for an answer He will respond. I know he is listening and he cares about each and every one of us. If you put your trust in him, he will put his trust in you. We are all family and if you want to live with your family for eternity simply ask and dilligently serve, and as you do your part Heavenly Father will do the rest. I also know without a doubt in my heart that families are important I don’t know what I would do without mine praying for me and supporting me. So never give up on your family. I love each and every one of you who are reading this. And I hope that this message in some way can help you.

Love you brother, your friend, that missionary in Taiwan,

Elder Taft green

Amy here.. We are a little delayed with this post from last week as we were on a cruise.  There will be a new post tomorrow as well.

March 10, 2013

Wow it sounds like it is really busy at home. I and elder Bee are working hard. It sounds like Brett’s sealing was awesome. Tell him congrats for me. I know Brannon is doing awesome where he is if you could, could you get me Jordan, Drew, and Brannan's, address so I could write them a letter.  Also yes I have written letters so hopefully you all will get them soon. Tell Jaime hello and to keep working hard. That is so cool. Also tell Mo congrats again. Good luck on your cruise and have fun you and dad deserve it!

 Alright so I just finished my first move call. And man what an experience pretty much took everything I learned these past 19 years. Rolled them up into about seven weeks and that’s about how my first move call went. I was re-learning and remembering and applying what I have learned and learning new stuff to. Move calls are usually every 6 weeks but because of the influx of missionaries we had a mini move call for three weeks this move call. And we just found out that I and elder bee will be together for three move calls because of that, so cool!  Well interesting food for the week cow intestine and honestly the taste is rather good it’s just really chewy. And they have seafood pizza so good! 

 Next I would like to thank everyone for their prayers in general and the language specific ones. I am happy to report I finished all 5 of my tests and I have my sixth one Thursday. So I am super excited! It really humbled me to go through this process learning the language learning what I need to learn and what I need to work on and also being humble to take correction. Well on another note my basketball skills have been improving slowly. Elder Bee likes to take a few minutes on our run days and shoot some hoops part of our work out. The temperature is increasing every day and honestly it doesn’t feel hotter than a Utah summer but we’ll see what happens. The only difference is everything is wet. It’s weird.

Alright so miracle this week me and Elder Bee both had a feeling that we needed to go over to the college the other day and look for service. So that’s what we did. We helped an ice cream man for a little bit that we have started to befriend. And then as we were riding we saw a former investigator and set up a time with her it was awesome. But this week I really have to say I was severely humbled and remembered how much you need to rely on the Lord and keep learning. I hope if any of you get a chance to keep watching the Mormon message videos that are posted on my Facebook. Or you can find them at lds.org Mormon message videos. I have started to learn so much and my language is really progressing. And I know without a doubt in my mind it is because of Heavenly Father and his love for me. And I also know without a doubt in my mind the Jesus Christ our big brother died for each one of us and suffered individually for the mistakes and sins that we have made in this life. All for the reason that he wanted us to obtain eternal life and get back to the kingdom of Our Father to live with Him and our families once again for time and all eternity. Read your scriptures, say your prayers. And never forget that you are a child of God the things you can do are un-listable!

Love, Elder Taft Green Lin2 zhong3lao3

 

This past week we received a beautiful video from Tafts Mission, and with permission we are posting it.  The entire video is so beautiful, short and worth watching, but if you are only interested in seeing Taft you will find him starting at about 5:40.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B3QSE9YSj9VYa2NKTGhnQkdOX28/edit?usp=sharing

This document will only be available for a short time.

 

 

Dear Mom,

Thank you for all that you do!  Send my love to the family and thanks for putting money in my account. These first few moves have been kind of interesting figuring out what I do and do not need. Tell Mo congrats from me. Also are you posting Mormon Messages?  And once again thanks for being my mom.

Alright well this week was pretty cool. So this whole mission I have been struggling with being myself and was becoming this cookie cutter missionary, and forgot who I was. This week I finally remembered who I was. I think I will be able to more effectively help the area now. Hey, I wish I could describe how cool my companion is.  He just keeps teaching me every day and he is so amazing with the spirit.  

So I ate at this really cool noodle place the other night that was all you can eat noodles, and man it was so good!  That is one thing I love about this area whatever you want food wise you can pretty much go down the street and find it.  One of the members in this area is so cool he does  rock sculpture and he has some cool stuff. 

 Well miracle time.  This week we were riding to an appointment and this guy started talking to us on our bikes.  It is usually the other way around, and to our surprise it was a guy from the Book of Mormon night. So we gave him another quick lesson got his number again and confirmed for him to come to church.  Also this week we got names from the bishop so we can start helping the less actives of the area. Oh there have been so many blessings here it’s amazing!

The last thing I would like to mention is I realized why Taiwan has felt so much like home..... It reminds me of Snowbird.  Almost everywhere we go everyone we talk to our apartment the sky the trees the animals the people they remind me of Snowbird.  I think this is the greatest blessing of all that Heavenly Father has literally prepared me for this country my whole life.  And it has reconfirmed my testimony of how important remembering who you are is.  I know that I am a child of God and the blessings He has in store for me are indescribable.  He wants me and you and everyone else to receive these blessings, because we are all his family and he looks after us, and loves us.

Read your scriptures, say your prayers. Trust the Lord, love the Lord.  Trust yourself, love everyone!  Never forget that Jesus Christ is walking beside you and when you fall he picks you up and keeps you going until you can walk again.

 Love,

Elder Green

Hello everyone well this week has been amazing it was power week here and man it was so much fun. So this week our ward had a party and man people are crazy they were playing a guessing game and they were jumping up and down it was fun. It is fun to get to know the ward better. 

 As for miracles this week... we were just about to eat dinner and calling the apr when we got a hold of a guy and he said “meet me right now at this place.” Well alright we will be there soon. So we got there as fast as we could and ended up going through this huge field, a few abandoned buildings and finally finding his little shack. We found out that this guy was a member and his job is to watch the buildings around here every day so he can’t go to church but he wanted to hear the gospel and such. So talk about the miracle! A lot of people, if their jobs take up their Sunday time here they forget about the church but he really wants to continue to learn! I also found out this week how important it is to love everyone and know that the lord will help you. Everyone I talk to with boldness pulls over to the side of the road and gives us their number. I love my companion he is so amazing everyday he does something new and just keeps improving and learning and he is totally willing to help me learn and trying to help me become a great missionary. He is a great man. I know without a doubt in my mind that the Lord has placed me where I am for a reason and that no matter what happens he loves me and I am a child of God. Remember that you can talk to the Lord about anything. He is our Father in Heaven and he will respond. Maybe not when you want it but he will respond. And he will help. I know that Heavenly Father watches over each individual person, and if you put your trust in him not only will you begin to understand your purpose in life but you will begin to see the never ending happiness that is promised to us. Trust the lord love the lord. Trust yourself love everyone. Read your scriptures say your prayers. Remember who you are.

 

The pictures that I added are some temple trip pictures and also a night market picture at Fangjia university night market. And a statue at a bike shop that totally reminded me of Sundance.

Hey mom sorry I didn’t write on Monday we had zone conference and brother Evans came it was pretty cool. We learned a lot. Hey so I actually had kind of the same impression that I kind of need to be prepared for any type of emergency.  So if you could make sure there is money in my account and also could you tell me next Sunday how much is in the account that would be great. Oh and pigs blood is actually pretty good. The stuff I’m talking about is taoff pudding. I now know what most of what I’m eating is. Also dad there is a whole chapter in Preach My Gospel about stake and ward leaders and how the ward is to help. I never realized how important the ward is in missionary work until now.

 

 Alright well it sounds like everyone is doing well. Sorry I didn’t get this to you till now P day got moved to Wednesday this week. And I would just like you all to know that I am still doing my work out and I still have a backpack that has pretty much everything I need as a missionary still kind of in the making. But my leg muscles are getting huge. Riding the bike is so much fun here in Taiwan because of all the parks and such. And I have now passed the fourth test of the language teaching skills book. Only three more to go, thank you for all of your prayers! Chinese New Year is still officially going on, but all of the party and vacations are pretty much over. However, lantern festival is supposed to be this Saturday, so I’m excited for that. We had mission tour this week to kick off our power week, it was so cool!  Brother Evans came and the Area Seventy. It was very cool. I also had my first exchanges this week. It was weird not being with Elder Bee but at the same time I learned a lot from Elder Hu who is the zone leader I went on splits with. SO power week is a week where we have a specific assignment each day and we try to hit that goal. But first my culture experience of the week. So it is custom here to make and prepare hongbao's which is the little red envelope thing, and give them out. so we did that for some of the familys. And then we also got to know a lot of members because it was pretty much none stop eating during Chinese New Year. So good. The fruit is amazing they have something here that we would call a wax apple. It is a miniaturized watermelon in my opinion greatest invention ever created. Also the fruit is usually after the dessert here.

 Well I said this week was power week and I have to tell you about one of the coolest things that has ever happened to me. So Tuesday’s goal was to place 15 Books of Mormon and get their info. to call them up. Now this is quite hard because imagine being a small Taiwanese person and having two big white guys randomly at a stop light ask you to pull over to the side of the road for a bit to talk. But it happens all the time. That in its self is a miracle but the miracle is this. I was still on exchanges with the zone leader that morning and we placed 4 or 5 Books of Mormon and then we had a bike ride back to our area and immediately had a less active lesson, then another lesson and we grabbed dinner somewhere in there. Then on our last appointment for the night he couldn't make it.  This is at 7:20ish so we still had Books of Mormon on us, not a lot but we decided we would try to place them. No joke we placed 10 Books of Mormon in the hour and half we had, which is even more amazing! I did not think we had ten Books of Mormon on us but we kept reaching into our bags and pulling them out. Plus we got a bunch of referrals. In all honesty  it was all the Lords work.  That morning I simply asked him in my prayer, “Heavenly Father let us meet the goal and find those who need these Books of Mormon”, and that is what happened. We placed 15 Books of Mormon all in all. I know that you can do anything if one is God and two is you. This is my testimony in the name of Jesus Christ amen.                            Love, Elder Green

Dear Mom,

  Ok so first. I am a servant of our Heavenly Father our God. I am okay. I was put into a very good apartment. We just deep cleaned today and the apartment is very clean and ready. Second thanks for all the prayers this week I had some interesting turns that will definitely be for the better. As for the miracles there are so many I cannot count. Elder B. is so amazing.

Could I get the chocolate chip cookie recipe and a couple of other good recipes for regular food that would be appreciated? (* Mom tried to tell him he would want these, but he insisted he knew how to cook) This week is Chinese New Year so I wouldn’t have gotten mail this week anyway and I might not get it next week either. But that’s ok I will be happy to get a package.  Pray this week that I will remember the tasks I should be doing at the time it is needed. I have passed the past two tests by the way. So it is going good.

Alright so this week and next are Chinese New Year, So happy New Year Everyone, and also I heard about some new mission calls this week congrats to you all!  It’s crazy it’s pretty much a two week party here.  Most of the stores shut down, everyone just eats sleeps and lights of fireworks. It is crazy! It’s so cool though. It makes it little hard to talk to people about the gospel but people are more than willing to say happy New Year.

All of our investigators are out of town so we are really trying to figure out how to help the ward and get the members active. It’s a good time for that because for this whole week lunch and dinner is being taken care of by members.  It has been so cool doing this.  New Year’s technically started last Saturday so we have been going to members houses since then. The spiritual thought we decided to share with the members when we go to their homes was about the plan of salvation the eternal families part.  The other night while we were at dinner I had the strongest impression to say something and usually I would just say it but I’m in training so I was kind of waiting for my trainer to say something, but I had the impression again so I went for it and I said something that blew me away it was so simple and yet it was exactly what the family needed to hear. And on Sunday the whole family was at church on New Year’s which is a miracle in itself!  And it happened again the other night but I was more willing to just say it this time. And once again it was exactly what I needed to say!

I don’t know what I have eaten this week but I downed it.  Most of it is good and I’m so glad that I don’t ask what it is till after I have eaten it.  I have had interesting parts of a cow and some interesting fish and vegetables. And a lot of tofu still I don’t know why the hardest think for me to down is like a toffee pudding thing that they use as a dessert but man it is so crazy.

So one lesson I have learned so far is you can always learn!  Never are you done learning.   You can always learn more about something.

This week, even though it’s Chinese New Year, I know it will be a better week!  And since we are focusing on families I will say this to end my letter. Heavenly Father, our God, promised us that our families can be together forever. Not just in this life but through the eternities. And that is true. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it, we can attain eternal families, and forever be with the ones we love. I love this church I will do the Lords work.  I know that we are all children of our heavenly father and have a specific purpose on this earth. Trust the lord love the lord trust yourself loves everyone. Read your scriptures say your prayers. I invite you all the night that you read this to ask Heavenly Father if this promise is true if you can have an eternal family.

 

 

 

Dear Mom,
I am so happy that the family is doing well. Tell each of the girls I love them and that they are doing great!  It sounds like they are all doing really well.  Remind them to keep reading the Book of Mormon and to write me about what they have read recently even if I won’t get it for a while.
Elder B. is awesome. He is 6'5, loves basketball was a swimmer in high school is one of four boys in his family lived in Los Angeles, California, and has the ability to immediately have a smile and the spirit with him whenever he needs it. I look up to him a lot. He is teaching me a great deal about many things.
Well, where to begin for this week?  So I’m continuing to street contact, that’s super fun! The people over here really admire English and American culture so things are a lot more Americanish than I expected. The mission just changed their outline of the English class we have once a week and it is awesome! Hopefully it will increase the work by tenfold. Oh also, like I was told, the girls over here like blonde white guys but man It's getting almost a little ridicules. It’s actually really funny I can understand a lot more than people think I can, but I just can’t say it back so people tell me things and then they’ll laugh and I'll just laugh inside because I know what they said.
Our apartment is really good actually we are up high so we don’t have any cockroaches or mosquitos yet. Plus we have Chinese New Year coming up and one of the traditions is super clean, and President said that we need super clean, so we will be doing that next week. I tried seaweed wraps this week and it was supper good I had the duck one and oh yeah they are good.  Also, I found a pot sticker place that did pot stickers for 4 kuai which the ratio is 30kuai to one U.S dollar. And I finally met my match I couldn’t down something the other day, it was a cold soup of some sort and it tasted good but my stomach was a about to explode. And I had something called a candy wax apple and a wax apple is a fruit over here that tastes like a watered down watermelon in apple form. And then they lace it with sugar, super good.  I will send pictures as soon as I can.
  So I was super happy we got a former this week that is super interested he is catholic currently and he came to church. It was so cool!  He likes it and wants to come back and everything. I’m a little worried that some of our investigators will get lost over New Year’s. But the Lord will pull them through I know. We also were trackting the other night and we knocked on a door and nothing, so we moved on.  Just as we were about to head home someone came out and said hey “Americans what you selling?” in Chinese of course.   So we gave them a pamphlet and set up an appointment for after New Year’s. I also got to review the plan of salvation with one of our investigators that have a baptismal date. We are really working on the less actives in this area because there are over 500, so we are trying to make progress on that.
  Well Thank you for your prayers family I don’t know if you remember this but I was promised in the setting apart prayer that I would feel your love and know that you are kneeling down and praying with me and for me.  I know this to be true I have felt it. And I have used ever last bit of strength from each prayer to the next to do the Lord’s work, so keep up the good work. I never get tired of teaching people because every time I do I fell the spirit and feel it working in my life and theirs. This work is for the Lord. It’s hard it’s tiring its long it tries your patience. But the Lord called me to do it, and in all honesty I have learned more already than I thought I ever could.  And I know without a doubt in my mind that Heavenly father loves me and is helping me , giving me a hug when I need one  Giving me comfort when I need comfort.  I am grateful that I have the knowledge that if I endure to the end and keep doing the Lords work I can have eternal life.  A promised blessing for prayer is comfort, so I invite everyone who reads this no matter where you are or who you are to pray right now and ask Heavenly Father for comfort.  Read your scriptures say your prayers, trust the Lord, love the Lord, trust yourself love everyone. Love Elder Green

First email from Taiwan

I honestly don’t know where to begin, so here it goes. I love the people! I love the food! I love the mission!  I am so grateful I am finally here. Mom I realized I gave you the wrong password to my account stuff. Add a 1 on to the password if it isn’t working and it should work. Also I found out that it takes anywhere from 10 days to three weeks to have a letter get here. They pride themselves on their mail system and it is extremely safe and efficient. Oh, also ask Brother Leavitt if he knows what the thing that is like a fruit drink that has tapioca balls in it is called.

  SAyyyyyyy what? Tokyo! That is going to be so cool!!!  And tell Grandy happy birthday for me. It sounds like it’s going to be a blast, same with all of the family that is down there right now. Love you all!

  The plane ride wasn’t bad at all.  I was so excited it literally zoomed by and I just couldn’t wait to get there. When we got there President Bishop picked us up in what is the common rent bus here, but it pretty much was a party slash hippie bus with neon lights and curtains. So cool! Then we had orientation for a few days so I got to say my goodbyes to my old district.  They tested us on our physical strength and our spiritual strength. They also let us try some new foods.   They have some really good fruit called a passion fruit which looks totally gross but it is soooooooo good.  Also everywhere sells rice dumplings and noodles, so I’m set.   The food is awesome. Oh, this is more for uncle Rex, but here are some really weird foods I have tried so far:  Duck brain, fried do to foo, rice omelet, dong wa cha, which is winter Mellon tea, (Don’t worry its healthy tea) some really good pastries, and a lot of other stuff that I don’t know the name of, but it tastes good! 

   So everything here is in really tall apartment buildings and packed really close. And everyone has a scooter and there is a huge American influence here.

   My first companion is Elder Bee from Los Angeles he is 6 five, plays basketball and pretty much just has the spirit and knows his stuff.  He is so cool.

    My first area is called the Fangjia ward in Taichung city itself. It has a huge night market and a college and a lot of parks it is so cool.  We have a total of 3 progressing investigators and 3 investigators at the moment, and they are all so cool.

   So my first Saturday here I got to go to a baptism in our area and it was so cool. To see the smile on the persons face when she came out of the font...  Then that next Sunday I got to bare testimony in sacrament meeting that was good.  I couldn't say much but I was able to say what I wanted to.  I totally lucked out again my first P-day I got to go to the temple which is why it took so long to respond back. It is so cool they did stuff half in Chinese half in English.  Oh so cool!  But normally P-days will be on Monday for me, so I will write then next week. 

   So I’m not going to lie its pretty much biking all day to appointments and stuff since Elder Bee is district leader.  We do most of our contacting while on the street on our bikes whenever we stop at a light and talk to whoever is there. It is so cool.  I love it!   Well my time is almost up.   I will write more next week and hopefully be able to send pictures. 

  So just know that no matter who you are where you’ve come from you are still a child of god and are entitled to the blessings of our Heavenly Father, and that He wants to help you and loves you, and through prayer we can talk with our Father in Heaven, and by reading the scriptures we can learn his words. I know this to be true, and pray for the safety of my family and friends. Love you 

Oh mom real quick that I forgot to mention, the first night we were here they did kind of an initiatory thing where they take us to the night market, give us a box and we give a small powerful testimony. And then they pare us up with an older missionary and off we go and preach at the night market. It was one of the most spiritual experiences of my life cause when I was on that box I could see the people stop, and I could see the glitter and hope in their eyes for the truth of what they can really obtain and have in this life. I have two goals: one, I don’t want a day to go by where the smile drops from my face. Two, I cannot waste my time learning the language. So they have language learning material out here called phase one and phase two and phase three. My goal is to be done with phase one in six weeks. And faze two by the end of my training. And also to be able to understand the people when they talk. So please pray for these if you are going to pray for me. Love you and I will write more next week.