with the people here. Elder Huang and I have been really focusing on helping the members do missionary work and trying to work with the members to further the work here in Zhang Hua. We've been working with the auxiliary leaders especially our super cool ward mission leader, Lance, to come up with a solid ward mission plan. We've decided that the first step in all of this is to build the faith of the members. How do we do that??? Well, like it says in Preach My Gospel, we should teach them the gospel of Jesus Christ! We've been working really hard to get the home/visiting teaching where it should be. Actually, I should just say the home teaching because the Relief Society is doing a really good job. Anyways, in addition to going out and home teaching with the brothers in the ward, Elder Huang and I have been working on some other projects as well. Last night we successfully pulled off putting together a 3 ward musical fireside! It was pretty sweet. It was a great opportunity for people to invite friends. There are a lot of super talented people in Taiwan. There's a 16 year old girl in our ward who is crazy good at singing. I got to play the guitar and sing with the rest of the Elders. We did a "Lower Lights"-esque folk version of 'Secret Prayer'. The time is cookin' by. Every day feels the same but has it's own unique challenges. Elder Huang and I have been getting up early in the morning to ride over to the church and play ping-pong which is exactly the kind of exercise I imagined I would be getting with a Taiwanese companion. Elder Huang is super good and wins probably 70% of the time but it's still super fun. We have some solid investigators right now. One is a guy named Pony. Yes, as in a small horse. He just graduated college in China and came back to live in Taiwan. He's a bro and seems to be an honest seeker of truth. We started meeting with another guy last week who's name is Zhang Di Xiong (there are a lot Zhang Di Xiong's in Taiwan). His story goes something like this: At the age of 19 he moved to America to study. After graduating and spending some time as a Christian missionary, he went to fight in the Persian war as the only Taiwanese soldier. His plane got shot down while flying over the Middle East somewhere. He survived but got shot in the butt (Forrest Gump, anyone?). While trying to drag his injured comrades to safety, he got caught by the enemy and spent some time as a prisoner of war. He saw some gruesome stuff there and then somehow got set free. When he returned to Taiwan he became a professor at the best University in Taiwan. After retiring he moved back to his home on the outskirts of Zhang Hua but now has cancer and diabetes. He just had surgery on his head but seems very unphased. He says in the last 15 years he has drifted away from God and thinks that the missionaries being sent to him in the hospital is a sign that it's time to come back! We agree! He has a lot of faith in God and in Jesus Christ, and we hope that we can help him focus that faith on the restored gospel. Lastly, I just want to say that I'm grateful that Heavenly Father continues to bless me with the greatest companions. Elder Huang is a great friend and a great teacher (he teaches me both Chinese and English every day). He's serious about the work but takes the time to enjoy it as well. Laboring in the Vineyard is a good time! By the way, Pokemon Go has literally taken over Taiwan. It's frightening to witness, but it's good because that means more people walk by the church and are at parks and stuff! Today we're off to go hang out in Taizhong! Love you all!
I haven't taken any pics lately, but here's one of a super cool old guy with sweet eye brows.
