IT FELT LIKE HALF OF THE CONGREGATION WAS INVESTIGATORS! IT WAS INCREDIBLE!

Time is shorter today because we got back a little bit late from the temple. [P-Day was Wednesday this week and included a trip to Taipei to go to the temple.  A long wait for a letter for us at home.]  The temple was so amazing! Such a peaceful place and so great going there with Taiwan's Army of Helaman. 

Elder Willes and Elder Marchant at the Taipei Temple

This past week was really incredible.  I will just get started with the miracles:

 

Shi2 Di2 Xiong1 is improving. We stopped by his work and gave him a note. We also made contact and he's not mad at us anymore but his wife is super sick in Taipei so he's been up there. He said next week he really wants to meet though so that is really exciting!

 

Ok I have to tell you about the biggest miracle. Elder Marchant and I were out finding and we only had about 30 minutes and we decided to say a very specific prayer that Heavenly Father would help us find 1 prepared soul for us to teach. A really prepared soul who was ready for the gospel. After we prayed we just looked around and pondered. After about 5 minutes we both felt like we should talk to this guy walking our way so we got up and talked to him. He tells us he has talked to missionaries before, but this time it was different. He said it felt right that he was talking to us. We started by telling him how the gospel has blessed our lives and how it will bless his. He asked if we could sit for a minute and share with him. We sat with him and he told us about how badly he has been searching for a religion for him. We told him about prayer and I volunteered to give him an example of what a prayer is like. After the prayer he said, "I think I've found my destiny/future."  We were just like yes!  We know this will bless you. He came to church (all 3 hours) two days later and we met with him on Monday this week and he is super great! We are meeting with him tomorrow. Truly a miracle. His name is Zhong1 Di4 Xiong1 and he is such a prepared soul. I know Heavenly Father prepared him for us and it was through the spirit we knew we were supposed to talk to him.

 

Our other investigators are great! Kelly and her kids are awesome. Still trying to get them to come to church. They are busy on Sundays but we are working with them!  We still haven't made contact with Huang2 Di4 Xiong1 since he left for the army but I'm not worried. He is a stud.

Biking on their way to Zone Conference in ZhuBei
 

Church was filled with blessings. We had 6 less actives come to church AND 6 investigators come to church!  We really focused on the importance of church this week and were so blessed. Sui2 Jie3 Mei4 came for the first time!!  AHH so so cool. She loved it!  Also Chang2 Ding3, Chang2 En's brother also came!  Keep praying for him that his mom will let him get baptized! Also the couple Lin2 Jie3 Mei4 and Yan2 Di4 Xiong1 both came to church!  And we have a new investigator 

Ji1 Di4 Xiong1 who also came to church. And Zhong1 Di4 Xiong1. It was so cool. It felt like about half of the congregation was investigators. It was incredible! This week we are going to focus on getting our investigators to progress towards baptism. Look at the big picture!  Super exciting.

 

We also had 20+ people at English class last week which was cool. Our investigator Cherry is also great. She asked if her dog could get baptized with her haha super bizarre. We also had some guy who shook our hand on the street and wouldn't let go. We had to like pull our hands away lol.

 

Yesterday was sick too. We went over to Habib's house to start his new missionary lessons and for his new member lessons we skyped the missionaries in Turkey!  They are going to teach him the lessons in his own language. Haha it was super cool seeing these other missionaries in Turkey doing the same thing we are doing.

 

The first presidency has a new rule where missionaries have to teach all 5 lessons in PMG before and after baptism. So before baptism we get to teach a bit about the temple, family history, eternal marriage and stuff. That will be exciting!

Elder Willes in front of a huge escalator that leads to a movie theater in the Big City Mall.
This mall is where Thomas took the Elders to eat last week.
What a treat!

 

I got to see Elder Westover at the temple today and that was cool. I told him about Sui2 Jie3 Mei4 coming to church and he was jumping around haha it was great. Anyway time is about up. I love you all!  Nate you look like a stud!  Jake way to be with the flop in!  Dad lookin' good on the surf board.  Mom thanks for just being the best mom out there. :)

 

Love you all! Have an amazing week!

 

Elder Willes