Taiwan Week 38: Where Did Everyone Go? (New Year Celebration)

Dear family and friends,

 

This past week has been pretty frustrating, but good. Since the week that we're now in is Chinese New Year, last year everyone was traveling home to their parent's houses. Tuesday we had a great zone training meeting in Nantou all on the importance of numbers. It was pretty fun. But because of poor bus scheduling, we weren't able to get back to our area till later, so that night was pretty rough. But we did tract into a really cool family. They seem to have a bit of interest, but they're really busy with the new year festivities.

Wednesday us and the other Elders decided to have a power adding day. So we met up that morning and made plans for how to get a ton of new investigators. As the day went on, I got more and more frustrated though. Everyone that we came in contact with that was willing to talk were all referrals for other areas. The day ended at English class with one add from the whole day and a ton of referrals. It bothered me a lot, but that just means a chance for them to be taught elsewhere! Also we started off our new English class last week. We had a few new people that are way excited to learn English and had some interest in learning about our church as well!

Thursday was Elder Hanset's birthday, so we had a bit of cake in the afternoon. We did a lot of finding again since our teaching pool is low and ended up with a lot of other referrals. We had a pretty epic run in with one of our formers, Qui baba's, sons. It was absolutely nuts, but I can't even describe the experience without using my sound effects. So write this down and I'll have to go through it when I get home. So funny and weird.

Friday we went to Tianzhong and had a huge fail. Everyone we went to visit was not home. It was rough. But we had a great lesson with a less active that night. He's pretty much back to activity now, which makes me really happy. And he has a huge knowledge of the gospel. He was pretty much teaching us, and I just soaked it all in. It relieved my stress for the day.

Saturday morning was really rough as we had to bike quickly out to Tianwei to meet a less active that called us up and wanted to meet. But when we got there, he didn't show up. He said he went out of town and forgot to tell us. So we biked all the way back to experience a miracle. One of our recent converts that has gone less active was contacted by the other Elders the day before while she was walking with her oldest brother. They agreed to come around with us on Saturday and get involved in missionary work. So it was really awesome having them come around with us. And she said she would for sure come to church next week. We've also got another time set up with her and her brother. We had a great huge dinner with a member family that night. It was New Year's Eve. So there was a ton of food. It was all the way out in Beidou. They picked us up and drove us out. We didn't get back until late that night, and Elder Lathen's tire was completely flat. Not good. Everything pretty much closes down during the New Year. But luckily we have a guy that lives near the church whose family are all members. We were able to pump it up to hurry home. And it got cold.

Sunday was pretty cool for church. We only had Sacrament meeting and we combined with the 2nd ward. So it was weird but cool having a bunch of people that I didn't really know there. We had lunch with the Bishop's family, which was really good and filling. And then we ended the week with even more referrals. It was a crazy week for referrals.

Today we got to get up early and Peja, a guy in our ward that speaks fluent English and studied at BYU-H and Australia, took us to Sun Moon Lake. It was a lot of fun. A lot of people.

And that was pretty much my week! It was frustrating, but rewarding in special ways. I'm really excited to take part in the New Year festivities and hopefully get to meet some great new families to teach! I love this gospel. I love that I get to share it with all the people here in Taiwan. Do all you can to share it with those around you. There are people out there. Look for them.

I love you all! Don't forget to write! I keep you in my prayers!

Love, Elder Anthony Kai Buckwalter

Taiwan Week 37: It's Almost Like We're Strating Over

Dear friends and family,

This week has been a pretty good week of pretty much starting fresh. Tuesday I was randomly called by a random guy that said he was at the church. I had no idea who he was, but he kept chewing me out for not being there. So we left our appointment quickly and got to the church. It was a delivery guy. He gave me this big box. I was confused. When I opened it, it was a mop bucket thing that rings out the mop. I guess someone in the ward ordered it and put it under my name and number since we're often at the church. It was weird.   We had a good DTM that day though. Elder Bardsley got us all pumped up for goals and going out with no regrets. Afterwards we found a really cool guy that came with us to the church. He seems to have a lot of interest. He has a few conflicts with making it to church though. So we'll have to work through that.

Wednesday we had to do some fixing of Elder Lathen's bike. It was delivered the previous day and was completely messed up. Shipping from Gaoxiong is dangerous business... He had a flat tire and a broken chain guard. And I'm sure there are other small problems too. But after lunch we did some contacting at McDonald's. Not a whole lot of luck though. A really drunk guy contacted us on the street the day before and said he was a member. We get that often, so we asked some questions and his answers were pretty legit. So we got his address and went to go visit him. But his address was nowhere to be found. We biked through a construction site, through a ton of fields, and all up and down the streets. Nothing. I was so confused. But then we ran into Liu dixiong on the street and got him to set up for an hour later. He's been struggling with overcoming smoking. So as we sat with him, I decided to just give him a huge challenge to quit smoking. He's going through a pack every 2-3 days. So I asked for his current box. Inside had 7 cigarettes left. I challenged him to make that last until Sunday. That's 2 a day. His was in shock. But he committed.   Then we went English Proselyting (which by the way is proselyting about our English class. Not going around proselyting in English). Then we had English that night. It was pretty fun. I'm English leader this transfer.

Thursday we had our weekly planning and then a lesson with a less active we're working with. He's the one that was a recent convert until last month. We got him to meet us at the church. It went pretty well, but he's still not willing to actually come to church. He'll come around though! Right after, Liu dixiong came to the church randomly. Sometimes when talking to him, we just can't get through to him, and he wanted to talk to the bishop. So I called him up and he very graciously came to the church. He did a ton of positive uplifting to help him along with his goal to quit smoking. And Liu dixiong is actually doing pretty well. He's just concerned right now with some family problems that he wants to work through soon. That night we got to meet a less active family that can't come because of work. They were all so nice and amazing. Their daughter gets taken to church every week because they at least want her to go. It was really great.

Friday we got to go to Taizhong really early in the morning for new training on our English program! They've really bumped it up for our mission. It got me so pumped for English. It was almost an overload, but once we get used to it, it'll flow more smoothly. I also got to see Elder Taft Green! I think it's so great that he's being trained by Elder Bee. He was in my district when I was being trained in Nantou. He's so cool. And Elder Green is quickly getting used to being here.   We then got to meet a cool guy in our ward and work with a less active who almost counts as coming back to activity. I'm so excited!

Saturday morning was way rough. Our trip to Shetou was almost a complete waste. No one was there that we wanted to visit or find. So once we got back, we did Sacrament Powerboarding with the other Elders. It's just going crazy contacting everyone at an intersection on foot. I was able to get a really cool kid to pull over and share a bit. He was way interested and I had a lesson right there with him. I love those experiences. We then got to meet with our long term investigator at our 2nd councilor's house. We decided that we need to have the lessons at members' homes to help him develop relationships with the ward and get a feel of a Christ centered home. It went pretty well.   The other Elders had a baptism that night. It was pretty great.

Sunday at church was pretty interesting. During Gospel Principles class, the Sisters have an old couple that are the grandparents of some members, and they only speak Taiwanese and another dialect. So we had the class in Taiwanese and me and my companion needed translators. It was really weird. Everyone else is from here. But I was happy to understand a few things because the sound of some of the church words are pretty similar. That night we had dinner at a Sister's house with a group of people. It was really good. Still not a fish person though. That will never change!
It was a pretty good week. We're really working hard to get new investigators. This week should be a great week! I love you all! Be safe on the roads. That weather sounds pretty awesome. I miss snow. Don't forget to write! I keep you in my prayers.


Love, Elder Anthony Buckwalter