I'M LEANING ON THE LORD MORE EACH DAY AND HE HAS PROVIDED ANSWERS, COMFORT, AND KNOWLEDGE

I really can't believe I've been here 6 weeks. It feels like I just got here, but at the same time I don't remember life before the MTC because it feels like I've been here so long. Anyway another pretty good week! Last Thursday we had TRC. We taught this student from BYU.  His name is Kyle Bishop. It's all in Chinese just like all of our lessons, but I'm understanding more and more each day. I told him I was from Bountiful and that I went to WX. He said he also went to WX. I was trying to piece together, while trying to speak and understand Mandarin, if I knew him or not haha. When we got back to our room I realized it was my friend Mady Bishop's older brother and the brother of the other Bishop we met with the Townsend's that one night. He's awesome! Just like his brother, he had way cool experiences he shared and was way cool with us. So, be sure to tell the Townsend's I've met Kyle while here!

At the mission conference on Sunday (every fast Sunday we have this) the MTC President's wife Sister Nally spoke to the sister missionaries. At first I was like how are the elders supposed to learn anything from this? I then realized how awesome the sister missionaries' examples are to me in here. They don't have to serve missions and have the faith to put 1 1/2 years aside to willingly serve the Lord. She had all the sisters stand up and sing As Sisters in Zion. The elders just sat there but it was really cool. The MTC probably has about 50% sisters in here right now. It's crazy and inspiring that there are so many sisters serving around the world.

Elder Chynoweth, Elder Willes, Sister Smith and Sister Kwan

The devotional last night was cool too. The speaker spoke a lot about Doctrine and Covenants 4 which reminded me of Priest Quorum and how we recited that. He broke down each verse and it's meaning. I gu3li4 (encourage) you all to read Doctrine and Covenants 4 and think about the blessings and the requisites in it. 

Not gonna lie, I'm a little sick of the MTC. I love this place but I'm ready to get out of here. Next week we should be getting our ALL character nametags and the week after that we should get our flight plans. So exciting! I can't wait to teach the people of Taiwan. Our district gets 11 new missionaries today. We got an Elder from New Zealand yesterday who is also going to Taiwan, Taipei. He plays rugby and seems like a way cool kid. 

Chinese is coming along. I'm learning a lot. We are learning the vocab for very hard principles such as Shi2Yi1Feng4Xian4 (tithing). Why does it have to be that many words? Anyway, also learning vocab for Zhi4Hui4Yu3 (word of wisdom) and following the prophet. I memorized my first scripture in Chinese this week as well. 2 Nephi 32:3 go read it.  It's a good one! 

Things are good here at the MTC. I'm leaning on the Lord more each day and He has provided answers, comfort, and knowledge. Read Doctrine and Covenants 82:10. If we do what the Lord asks he is bound to us. All we have to do is do is what's right! Have a good week everyone! Thank you to everyone who has remembered me.  It helps so much.

Love,

Wei2 Zhang3Lao3 

Elder Willes