Tuesday, June 30, 2015

I TAUGHT HIM HOW TO BRO HUG --- A NIGHT OF MIRACLES IN THE RAIN --- PRESIDENT DAY HAS RAN TO THE FINISH LINE!






Hello,

I hope your summer is going well! Here in Taiwan it's either pouring rain or super, super hot. 

We saw some awesome miracles this week!

On Monday I went on exchanges with Elder Varney a Zone Leader here in Taipei and we went contacting on the street the whole night.  It was so fun! We met this 50 year old lady on the street, Rose. She is a DJ so we called her DJ Rose! We had a great lesson with her and taught her how to pray and gave her a Book of Mormon. It was a really really cool night! 




The next day we went on exchanges again with a companionship that has been really struggling. I was praying all day I would have enough energy and we would be able to see miracles and that this missionary might be helped in some way. I went out with this Elder and man did we see miracles. It was dumping buckets of rain on us but it was still such a successful night. The first two people we met we had lessons with. Not common. We really like showing the "Because He Lives" video and we showed it to this guy and girl. The 23 year-old kid we met was a cool college student. I taught him how to "bro hug" and it was super funny because when we tried to bro hug his umbrella poked me in the eye.  Haha super funny. But basically it was a night of miracles in the rain. One big thing I've been reminded of lately is how important our attitude is. Attitude is a reflection of our trust and faith in God. I love Elder Uchtdorf's quote, "Living in the Attitude of Gratitude." The Lord has blessed me so much as I have been working on that! 

This week has been full of preparations for President Jergensen and his family. I pick he and his family up at the airport  tomorrow morning at 4:30 a.m. We said goodbye to a lot of good missionaries but tomorrow is a fresh start and should be super sweet. I'm really motivated to finish out my mission super strong and still have A LOT to learn.

We had our last transfer meeting with President and Sister Day.  President Day, I know, has ran to the finish line. He has worked SO SO hard. He is such an incredible example of patience, love, and diligence. Will miss him a lot. It is really such a privilege to work with him. At transfer meeting President and Sister Day bore their final testimonies.  President Day sang us a song he wrote about God. It was really cool and touching! When he finished 180+ missionaries stood up and gave he and Sister Day a round of applause. The time and effort put in by mission presidents are so so much. I will forever be grateful for their example. 


President Day

On Saturday I had the opportunity to return to Ban3 Qiao2 to see our investigator Xu2 JM get baptized! Elder Tan baptized her. The service was so neat. If you don't remember her story about 3 months ago Elder Tan and I met her on the street and she was so GOLDEN. So prepared for the gospel. She had been to Utah the month prior (for General Conference with her sister who is a member).  Xu2 JM had been to see the Salt Lake and Bountiful Temples and at General Conference she felt the spirit so strongly that when she came back to Taiwan she wanted to get baptized. She really didn't want to convert through her sister so one day coming home from work she prayed and said, "God if I run into the Mormon missionaries today, I will be baptized. Please let me run into the Mormon Missionaries." And then we ran into her that day!! She's been to church every week since and is so so great :) One of the greatest feelings in the world is just knowing that Heavenly Father used YOU to be an instrument in His hands. So sick!




Also our Bishop gave a talk in sacrament meeting. He listed all the people who had been baptized in the past 2 years and encouraged every member to strengthen new converts! It was really powerful. 

This week's scripture comes from Romans 1:16-17.  The dog tag I used to wear has this scripture reference. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; ... For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith."  That scripture has always had an impact on me. We need not be offended by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We ought to be proud of being His disciple! How great is all of our callings. We shouldn't let small things people say, do, or rejection hurt us. We should be filled with love towards everyone. I have a lot to work on but I know God is helping me grow every single day! The church is true! Love you all and have a great week!!

Welcome home to my cousin Lundy this week.

Elder Willes






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