Hey everyone,
So it's officially my p-day, and I'm already loving that (i say that like it's been a long time it's only 8:30). So it's been a crazy week. So I have two companions, like you know, Elder Wootan, is from Layton, UT and he knows a ton of Chinese because he lived in Shanghai for 5 years, he says he doesn't know much gospel conversation, but he is very conversational, so that helps out when we are teaching our investigator and he tries asking us questions, or we try and get to know him. Then their is Elder Ko, He is from Twin Falls, ID, he never really took a class or anything so he kinda is learning on the spot, he's our senior companion, (having 3 elders in a companionship kind of messes with the whole 2 by 2 stuff) but he has been working so hard to catch up with everyone, after lights go out and I finish my prayers, I turn around to see that Elder Ko has a flashlight out and he is studying Chinese, he says he usually is up until 11 or 11:30 but he doesn't Know that I see him studying each night. So we only have 3 in our room, we have 6 beds (3 bunk beds) but I guess our room is just empty:/. We'll get a new generation of elders in 3 weeks so maybe then we'll be more crowded.
So I saw Sister Quincy Ellsworth (from Vegas) on Sunday, she actually was the one who recognized me and when she pointed out she knew me, I was like "Qui-Sister Ellsworth" (we aren't supposed to call people by first names at all, and I struggle with that a lot, especially since so many people I know are here in the MTC. I've seen Elder Scmidt a few times, he's doing great it seems, he's always way excited, so I feel like I'm being pounced by a puma when I see him. He took a picture of us so I'm sure Sister Scmidt will have it sometime around now.
Ummm, so ya I'm district leader, a little daunting, at first I was way overwhelmed but then when we were at choir practice and I was reading the words of the song we were singing (reedemer of Israel) I was reading the 3rd verse and I got to the part that says "our enemies celebrate our downfalls but Israel will shortly be free." And I realized there's no point to be discouraged, I may have a daunting task, but I can do it, with the help of the Lord and with that help, Israel, or God's children, The people of Taiwan will so shortly be free, they will have the gospel in their life.
P-days are actually just made of amazingness. You just have a few things to do that day and everything else is personal time. We woke up at 6:30 went and did laundry, I wrote all my letters during that time. While I am on the subject of letters, guess who sent me a letter. Brad Wilcox, he asked for some basic information at the end of the semester, and I guess with that information he came up with the address to write to. That really shocked me but I was so excited to see his letter even though he wrote it all in cursive, and I struggle with reading cursive. After laundry we kinda just chilled in our rooms my companions slept, I think the schedule really takes a toll on them, I wasn't so much tired, I just used my time to address all my lettters, iron all my shirts, I had to go buy stamps, I don't think I packed the ones you gave me mom, I think I left them on my dresser. We finally got ready about 11:30ish and went and got some lunch. After I finish this letter, we are gonna go to the temple, and after temple we eat dinner, then we have choir practice at 5:15 but they say to show up at least 15 minutes earlier to get a seat, because it fills up so fast, on Sunday we barely made it in to the choir (only because we sang as tenors). The director is way spiritual and tells some amazing stories. After choir practice we have a devotional of someone who is a 70 or higher. There are always rumours that it's going to be the prophet but we'll see. Then we end with a district meeting (which I lead:/) Then the elders in our district go and take down the devotional setting, because that's our assigned service.
So a few things I do have to tell you guys. So we have our investigator Li DiXiong(brother), and we've just been teaching him the lessons in order, Elder Ko and I just tend to read straight out of our notes or Preach My Gospel because we struggle communicating with Li DiXiong, but the last lesson I asked if we read the Book of Mormon and he said yes, and then he said he had a question, he opened it up to the introduction asked about Joseph Smith, I taught him the first vision during the last lesson, but I decided to re-explain it in my own words, and I did, without notes or any help. It felt so great to talk in Chinese and not to just read notes from before.
Dad, you should write me and I'll tell you about how we conquered the cereal towers, it's hard to type in 30 minutes, but I can spend my whole p-day writing basically.
Thanks for buying the Hymn book, I think that'll be great, tell everyone I love and I miss them all, Can't wait to see Mckay in glasses, just like me huh bud! Tell Colby I love him!
Elder Brandon Bean
P.S. Sister Amanda Burr is in my district, she's Mrs. Burr's daughter (my chinese teacher)
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