Monday, August 29, 2011

Because I Have Been Given Much!

Kung Fu Power!
Hello everybody!
So I got thinking that last year I was just starting college.  WOW! weird! I kinda miss not starting school right now, but I'm glad I don't have to worry about all the stress that comes with school.  Anyway, hope this week has been awesome.  So I'll quickly explain the reason for this emails title, "Because I have been given much."  So last night for FHE we watched the Emma Smith movie.  There was one part that really stuck out to me.  It said, "He has blessed me more than I know." Wow!! Right then I started thinking of all my many blessings that I have been given so far.  I started writing them down, but the list went on and on.  I'd just like to say that I'm so grateful for my loving family and for all their support.  Also, for all the  prayers for the missionaries around the world.  I'm grateful for this gospel and the joy that it has brought me so far.  Being here in Taiwan has helped me realize that I have had an amazing life in the gospel so far.  I have grown up on righteous principles, thanks to my wonderful parents and siblings, that have helped me grow and develop in the way the Lord wants me to. I could go on and on but I don't have that much time.
So this week not much happened at all.  We have dealt with the same situations this week.  Everyone here on the island is "super busy" and has "no time" at all, or they "stand us up" and don't show up to our appointments.  I don't even think we, as a companionship, had any lessons this week with any new people.  However, this past Tuesday I went on exchanges with Elder McAllister.  We had a few lessons where we taught the 1st lesson.  After our lessons we evaluated how they went and we both felt the lessons completely changed after we shared the 1st Vision.  It was AWESOME. 
I would like to share a simple example of the people here.  So we were talking with this young man out on the street who was obviously waiting for someone.  We get talking and then this cab pulled up and then he completely left us to talk to the cab driver.  We tried to get his info to talk to him but his excuse was "I don't have time".  So we went into the little apartment complex we were right by and started to ask the guard if he knew a certain person.  We didn't even say much and he responded saying, "I'm too busy."  He kinda was because he was helping a cab driver back up.  10 seconds later after he was done we tried to talk with him again and he told us he had no time.  So we tried to go find this person on our own and the guard wouldn't let us enter the complex, I guess because we are missionaries.  We told him this person was our friend and we just wanted to talk with him.  He chased us down and wouldn't let us enter.  We got arguing with him, which was no help at all.  Then this guard's friend walked in and grabbed some drinks.  We asked how he was and he said, "I don't have time."  We were like, "We just wanted to see how you are today." He said, 'I'm too busy."  So we left and went down the street a little ways.  We rang on a doorbell to find a less active.  No one came to the door but we heard a voice from above and came out from the little canopy and saw a little women sticking her head out the window.  Right when she saw us she poked her head back inside and shut the window on us.  This all happened in 10 minutes or less, and this is usually the turn out we get. 
I got thinking a lot about this and was reading in Alma 26 and came across verse 27 which says: "Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give you success." This was the answer that I needed, but it wasn't how I wanted it.  But it really applies a lot.  Even though we are getting "stood up" and rejected, we need to bear through this with patience and then the Lord will give us success.  These are the word's straight from the Lord, and He would never lie so.... Just gotta go through with patience but I cannot wait for the outcome of it!
So to answer your questions. The meals we usually cook or buy... breakfast: toast and jam. lunch and dinner: dumplings, fried rice, rice bowls with veggies and chicken, chicken breasts with rice.  Those are the usual.  Biking hasn't been too bad.  Playing soccer over the years has helped build muscle in my legs and so its not bad at all.  Dad I'm so glad you got on and viewed my area.  That Burger King you saw, we ride pass that every day.  And Taiwan's pinyin is terrible and so that's why it was "Feng chia".  But that is my area.  I'm at the college almost everyday and right next to that are all the little food shops and that is like the middle of the entire night market. 
Thanks for all your prayers for me and for all the missionaries around the world.  I know the Lord is mindful of us all and hears our prayers.  I'm grateful to be here in Taiwan and I'm grateful for all I have gone through so far. Love you all, Elder Smith

No comments:

Post a Comment