week #73 Monday, July 28, 2014

Dear Fam and friends,

     This week was awesome! So last week we started strong, we found a lot of new investigators. We headed to Gangshan for exchanges. That's right, Gangshan. I got to go there with an Elder Galura. It was so much fun. We saw a few of my recent converts over there. I got to attend a ward meeting and see some members. It was a crazy blast from the past. Then Friday, Taiwan got hit with a typhoon. But unlike most typhoons, nothing really crazy happened. We just got hit with a lot of rain, no crazy wind or flying cows. Nothing. So Elder Gummow and I just went and visited some members, investigators, etc. 

     Thursday we got fanged (stood up) a lot. But we were able to find a lot of cool people. One of the things we did was we got a board, wrote on it "Does God know you?" Then we went around asking everyone what they thought. Most said no, and so we would tell them why we believe God knows them, share a bit about prayer, then try and get them to meet with us later. I was amazed at some of the answers we got. "no, there's to many people" "no, I don't know him", there was one family from China that said "yes, he created us, of course he knows us." It is so crazy running into people from mainland china because we learn how prepared they really are, despite the fact that they don't even have religion. 

     Later that night we also had a crazy experience. We got called by our investigator to come and meet him over in the city, near his work. So we rode over to try and see what was up. He was waiting for us, he brought us into his work where we see a bunch of older people dressed rather nicely. He leads us to a table where there is probably 6 or 7 people waiting for us “哇你带外国人的朋友，他们会国语吗？”(so you broght foreigners, do they speak Chinese?" We answered "会“（yes we do) then they started talking to us, apparently they were working for a company named mirandana (I think I'm not sure) the founder of the company is from Utah, he was a missionary a long time ago. But here is the funny part. They are a pyramid scheme, and our investigator was trying to get us to buy under him. We told them we weren't interested (even if we were, we wouldn't have the money, but they don't seem to understand missionaries are broke). Elder Gummow feels like all the crazy things seem to happen while we are together as companions. 

     Friday we went on exchange with the Xiaogang elders. Which meant I was with Elder Tolman, who worked at little caesers with me back in Highland. We had a blast, we contacted a ton, went and met with some solid investigator's. It was really weird to see how much we've changed in the last 2 and half years. He's a great missionary. Love working with him. 

     That's basically the week. we're doing great, loving the work. We are keeping Elder Gummow super busy, never giving him time to think about home, I feel like this move call will finish and he'll finally realize he's going home. Life is good, the work is great, I love it!

with love, /爱

 

Elder Bean

week #71 Monday, July 14, 2014

Hey Everyone,

 

Well this week was crazy, full of adventures, lets see if I can get them all. So first off, it is super fun being with Elder Gummow again, it seems like I time traveled 9 months ago and we are just continuing on from where we left off. I'm super glad I get to be with him again this move call. It's funny at the end of the last move call we were together, I told him, I don't think you're leaving, I feel we still have another move call together, I was right. 

So we have a four man here in Qianzhen, it's super fun, haven't been in one of those for a long time. The district here are all really great missionaries. We've got Elder Tolman who worked at Little Caesars with me and Courtney. Elder Moore who is the same move call as Elder Faddis. Sister Mancillia is training a sister Voss, then we've got Elder Blacker who has been with Elder Liu for 2 move calls, and has been in this area since he started his mission (4 months ago).

Tuesday we had a good DTM (district training meeting) by Elder Tolman, Elder Gummow and I then went out and found a ton. I forgot what it's like in a city where you run into millions of people everyday. I get to lunch with the same amount of numbers that I would return home with in Guiren. Later that night, we get a call from Elder Tolman telling us that they got locked out of their apartment. I guess they left the keys in that day, and for some reason they decided to get on the roof and then the door shut and then they were locked on the roof. They finally got to our apartment around 10:15, it was pretty crazy. But hilarious. Elder Gummow and I teach Advanced class in English so that's fun, my first time doing that. We have a huge class probably like 15 people. Then Saturday, we had a "Missionary Day" the youth in the stake all came to the stake center and got assigned out to different missionaries in the zone. We got two kids. They were funny, we went tracting, our investigator had a baptismal interview, took the subways both ways, it was a party. oh ya and it was Elder Gummow's Birthday Saturday. 

The people here are so great. I'm excited to serve with them. There are lot's of great investigator's, we are gonna be working really hard on finding in the upcoming. Elder Gummow and I are doing well. Love the work. 

Elder Bean

week #70 Monday, July 7, 2014

Hey everyone,

Don't have a load of time, I'm moving to Gaoxiong in a bit. So I'll cut to the chase. I'm moving to Gaoxiong, I'm going to be zone leader with... drumroll please...................................ELDER G!!!!!!!

I'm so pumped. I'll get back to that later. (Brandon and Elder G were companions in September and October, he is also from Highland, same high school, same school bus to high school, but didn't really know each other then.)

 

So last week we went with the zone leaders to eat shitou(an all you can eat meat place). This week we've been finding like crazy,  inviting them all to be baptized. We were having a lot of success. We were able to get a lot of work done. Tuesday we had ZTM (zone training meeting) and I felt like I learned a lot, we discussed finding, faith, and baptism. We had a lot of opportunities to work with the ward this week. About Thursday I started telling people it was my last day, so everyone was wanting to buy us food, give us treats. So I've gotten pretty fat ;p. I have a thousand pictures I'll send when I'm at a better computer. 

Saturday came around and I had called President Blickenstaff (mission president) to ask a question about whether I could email/write a part member family that has only active sisters in it. He didn't answer thought... Then later that day we were eating lunch and he calls me up. He tells me the answer to my question, then tells me that I'm gonna be zone leader. (tells me all the expectations) then says, I think you're gonna get along great with your companion. But I won't tell you who, you'll find out tonight. Later that night, they call me up and tell me that I'll be with Elder G! crazy!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so pumped. 

 

Well that's all for this week. 

 

Love ya,

Elder Bean