Thanksgiving In Taiwan

Dear family and friends,

I can't even begin to describe how crazy this last week was! So many ups and downs... So on Tuesday we had a great night of English Proselyting. There was so many people with interest! Then we went to visit the Sisters' RC's family. The dad was referred to us a while ago and he's been pretty busy since then. So we checked up on him. Not a whole lot of luck there. But then we went to a Thanksgiving/missionary goodbye/less active dinner. A few less actives that are all friends being less active arranged a dinner at an all you can eat pizza and fried chicken restaurant. They all love the missionaries and do this every so often. Since it's near the end of the transfer and it was also Thanksgiving, they arranged this one. James came to it and loved it too.

Wednesday was a hard day. Elder Teerlink was really sick and had to have a rest day. So he was knocked out all day and I was calling through a ton of old contact cards trying to set up lessons. So I was just laying on the hammock that I bought all day making non stop calls. And there was a lot of success from that. I woke him up and we went to English class. It was a fun night talking about food. And I got in the biggest argument about what a biscuit is. In Chinese the translation of cookie and biscuit are the same. And Taiwan doesn't sell biscuits. So I was trying so hard to draw it and describe it. Then a student looked it up on his phone and showed everyone. Then I taught them about eggs benedict (if that's how you spell it). I saved that sauce packet for my birthday this week! haha.

Thursday I was feeling sick now and I also had to arrange for exchanged with Elder Bardsley that day. So after weekly planning we had to bike all the way to Sandimen and up the mountain to get to an aborigine family's house to look at their clothes for the Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday. After biking for about and hour and a half, this bus driver stopped and asked us where we were going. We told him and he wanted to help, but we couldn't fit our bikes on the bus. He drove away but then stopped 50 feet ahead. He said we could wing it if he could charge the bikes as people too. We were fine with that. And somehow it only turned out to be a really small price for the both of us. Usually the price of one person. It was just us on the bus and our bikes were in the isle. And he drove us to the bottom of the mountain. Such a nice guy. The ride was way funny. But that's a longer story.

So we started our trek up this super steep mountain in the freezing cold as mist is coming down on us. I'm already sick. My lungs, throat, and legs are on fire. And we finally make it 45 minutes later. And it's just pure aborigine reservation. I wasn't in Taiwan anymore. All the houses were made of wood and had an American feel. Everyone is Christian. It was so weird. We got to their house and they make Christmas decorations. It was so cool to actually see a hint of Christmas! And the misty mountains was almost like snow! The clothes worked and we made our way down the mountain. I haven't gone that fast downhill in so long.  We then went to the Lin family's house and they said they'd come to the Thanksgiving dinner.

Friday we went to Gaoxiong for mission tour. Elder Randy Funk was there. He spoke in Conference in October. It was really cool to learn from him. The whole conference was really great and focused on working with members, giving it your all, and being diligent. Then we had a full Thanksgiving lunch with Turkey, stuffing, funeral potatoes, and other random stuff! It was SOOO Good! It was a super sweet mission tour. I was so tired though. Still sick and all.

Saturday we went on splits in the morning and I found a really willing less active. I was with the Elders Quorum president and we loved getting to meet this guy. And his daughter has a lot of potential to get baptized too. The dad just got busy with the military and work after he was baptized 30 years ago.   That afternoon we started making the set for our skit for the Thanksgiving dinner that night. The ward was all around outside cleaning up the grounds and putting up lights all over the trees! I've never seen such a decorated church! There are wreaths hanging everywhere and a huge tree in the entryway with garlands everywhere. It's so cool.

There was a huge turnout. We had a few referrals from it. A lot of members brought their friends. A lot of less actives came. It was just a great time to come together and be thankful. Then it was time for our performance. I have a CD with traditional Indian music and Elder Bardsley had some adventurous music. So we acted out persecution in England, leaving on boats, getting to America, struggles, war with the natives, and coming together for a peace dinner. We wrote a script and Kang Zhe Wei narrated the whole thing. It was so cool and everyone there loved it. Then some members came up to us afterwards and asked if we could do it for another service project near Christmas time. It was so great.

Sunday we had a super great turnout at church. We had a few investigators come, as well as some of the people I had called on Wednesday, and they loved it. Every one's testimonies were all about their thankfulness for the Savior. The Spirit was so strong in that meeting.

And that was my week. I loved it so much! This week will be a lot of fun as well. It's the final week of the transfer. I don't know what will be happening next week! Sorry this email is so long! I just loved the details this week. The ward is doing great! I love you all! I hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving!

 

Love, Elder Anthony Kai Buckwalter