Dear family and friends,
I can't believe this week will mark my first full month in Taiwan!
That's so crazy. We realized that last night after reminiscing our
adventures in different monsoon rainfalls. This last week has been
pretty adventurous in other weeks! It started out with a zone activity
last Monday after emailing. We all met in Caotun and went to a
chidaobao. Which is an all you can eat hot pot. So good! I keep eating
more and more each time we go to one of those. It was really cool
seeing/meeting everyone in my zone. Also, there's these drinks called
duoduo. It's like yogurt in the form of a drink. I'm fully addicted to
it. It tastes so good. It was all you can drink at the chidaobao. We all
love it.
The family that we're working with is really progressing. Last
Monday night we brought the Bishop and his family over to their house
and taught them about family home evening. They thought it was really
nice. Later in the week we met with them and watched Finding Faith in
Christ. That movie is so great. Members and investigators alike love
that movie. This wonderful family knows everything we teach them is true
and they're feeling great about baptism, but they would like to come to
church a few more times. And they're having a little problem trying to
find out how to tell their parents about wanting to be baptized, because
their parents are very baibai (ancestor worship) and want their kids to
worship them once they die. So we're still trying to work with that.
But other than that, they're doing so great. They came to church
yesterday and loved it. During our gospel principles class, he made a
comment about repentance and we pointed out that Christ said almost
those exact same words in 3 Nephi. He was so in shock and pretty much
fell in love with the scriptures even more. So Great! I'm excited
to work with them tonight.
The wife of our recent convert has been progressing so much. Her
husband has been getting her to read the gospel principles book so much
so she can understand what we teach better. And she asks the really
good questions that no one else asks, but is usually a thought in their
mind. I really love how bold she is with questions. Like she asked why
other churches don't use the Book of Mormon as scripture. It's these
little interesting questions that are helping her learn so much more and
have a desire to learn more. She now has a baptismal date for the 30th
of this month! She really wants to work towards it. She also came to
church yesterday and she's making so many friends in the Relief Society.
She's loving it.
We've been working with a somewhat former investigator. His
record is completely full and we think he's had all the lessons and
dropped right before getting the baptism interview. It's a little unsure
looking on the record. Record keeping is so important. I can't stress
that enough. But we've been meeting with him more. He came to church
last week and we asked him about his thoughts towards church and
baptism. He knows all of it is true. There are just little but essential
things that are a problem for him. But he knows it's all true. He said
he's been obeying all the commandments, stopped smoking and drinking tea
and coffee. So we asked him if he has a desire to be baptized and he
said yes. So we've set a goal with him for the 23rd of this month! He
wants to work towards it. I'm really hoping. He's such a great guy. Very
positive and loves joking around.
Last Thursday we were surprised to find out that a group of
students from West Valley, Utah were coming to Nantou for a month as
foreign exchange students. We heard they were coming straight to our
church from the airport to get an orientation. We called the bishop and
asked if he knew and he was like "yeah. Actually... you all should
probably be there too." Haha so we got to be their welcome committee and
it was nice since a few of us are from Utah. One of them came to church
yesterday and had a great time. There's also a kid in each of the
hosting families that's going to Utah next month. I guess it's like a
kid swap for a month. And the zone leaders came in contact with them
before the Utah exchange students arrived and were so excited to learn
about the church since Utah has so many members. So from this exchange
program, they have this REALLY willing family to teach. Opportunities to
teach everywhere!
Sister Porter, the head of the chinese department at the MTC, has
flown out here and is going all around to Taiwan to spend a day with
everyone in my MTC group to see our progression since we were the first
in the 9 week pilot program. So on Saturday she was with us and got to
watch our studies and our ward correlation meeting. And it just so
happened that as part of my weekly training, I had to take the lead in
working with our ward mission leader and discuss the progress of our
investigators. So she had good timing to take part in that. Then she
said the church is volunteering to pay for a meal of our choice. So we
went to a steak chidaobao, recommended by zone leader Elder Muhlelstein.
And it was so good! So much food. Then we got to take a taxi all over
our area and visit with a potential investigator and a less active. It
was really fun. Then we had interviews with her about the pilot program
and she left. It was such a cool day. I could tell she really missed
being here. She served in this mission as well.
On Saturday night in the middle of the night I got to experience my
first EARTHQUAKE! It was really cool. We actually didn't really know it
was an earthquake until the next morning. I was dead asleep and next
thing I know, my bed is shaking like crazy. Mine and Elder Allen's beds
are right next to each other. I have 3 mattresses piled on top of each
other, and he has 2. So mine is really shaky and I thought he was like
kicking my bed or something. But then we were informed that it was an
earthquake. We're supposed to be getting bed frames in the next 2 weeks,
and I'm so glad we don't have them yet. Otherwise I probably wouldn't
have noticed that cool experience!
Last night we went to a member family's house. This week's zone
leader invite was to get members involved in inviting others to come to
church and get referrals from them. So we met with them in the far south
mountains of our area in the middle of a huge rain storm. They're such a
great family. The wife is Philipino and they have two teenage boys. It
was a lot of fun and they're actually already working with the husbands
brothers and asking them about church and stuff. Way to go them! Then we
had the most intense trail biking experience as we were on this epic
flooded trail in the dark in the middle of the biggest storm I've ever
experienced. I loved it. The family didn't think we'd want to go all the
way out to their house, but we assured them that distance isn't a
problem to visit with them. What a great family!
I'm so excited for this coming week! The weather is supposed to be
very stormy. We have some great appointments and new families to visit.
It's going to be a great week of learning and serving.
I love you all! I pray for you all daily. I hope everything is
going well. Please continue to write and keep me updated! Don't let any
moment pass you by. Look to serve everyone! The Lord loves each and
every one of us. Put your trust in Him and he'll guide you. And for all
you fathers, have a happy Fathers Day! Happy Fathers day dad! I love you
so much! You're such a great example to me. I'm so glad I can call you
my father. Thank you for all you've done in raising me to be who I
am! Until next week.
Love, Elder Anthony Buckwalter
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