Zone Conference and Exchanges

Well, here we are already week 3 of the 5 week transfer. A lot went on this past week, involving 2 sets of exchanges and zone conference, as well as a lot of (you called it) finding!!!! :)

First of all it’s a blast working with Elder Dickson because he understands the balance between having fun as a missionary and also working very hard!!! Last week was zone conference so President, his wife and the AP's came down once again. So yeah, when they come down most of the preparation for food and everything relies on me and my companion. However, this time we made a big mistake, or was it? All I have to say is, it’s the best mistake my companion has ever made, because of his mistake of ordering 11 extra pizzas, his companion’s stomach has never been so happy. Yes, we've eating nothing but pizza for the PAST WEEK! Good stuff. And, on top of that, it seems like everyone in the Branch gave us food this week. It’s good to be a Hualien missionary.

The only bad news to report is that after we returned from our Taidong exchanges, when entering into our apartment, we noticed a light had been on, that light being the light from Elder Daniels's fridge! Oh no, the pizza! The bacon! The mayonnaise...gone! It’s okay though, come what may and love it, we got a really good laugh.

Zone Conference was AWESOME... I got the opportunity to conduct :) so, my companion thinks he's officially going to get the boot this transfer. This Zone conference was special. I was rather nervous at first because we were given a solid 1 hour chunk of time to do a zone breakout. I'm still new at the whole teaching meetings thing, I never got the chance to practice since I never was a district leader, but, it went AWESOME! Our goal was to rejuvenate the missionaries and get everyone excited to go and work hard. It was really good. We shared a lot, we talked about how we need to avoid the “police officer” stereotypes and not "BREAK," no lunch break. That way we can still find those people out there. It was great, focus was on contacting 10 extra people a day outside of proselyting hours. Everyone was willing. As for the other messages, I particularly enjoyed President’s message on repentance.

As for exchanges with the AP's: They were great!!!! I was with Elder Evans, the most optimistic, meek, missionary of all time...so humble! Similar to Elder Tuveson and I learned a lot from him. He shared a miracle that we saw in zone conference. After we taught one AWESOME lesson with a new member named Zhou Chang about 3 nephi 13, and the gospel of Jesus Christ, and him deciding to come back to church again even though he had been inactive recently. We then went to the Oh Yang part member family.

We got lost on the way, something that never happens when going to their house unless the Lord is controlling the time, haha. When we got there, the family wasn't home, just her husband and we got to share with him the gospel. Before he had no desire, and after the end of the lesson he was different. He wants to meet God. We never had the opportunity to sit down with him before. At the end of the lesson, the family got home, and we asked her to prepare a referral for Friday we would be back in their home and she said that she had a friend!!! She gave us her number and we're all set up for Friday night. They hit referrals really big in zone conference, so it was really cool that the Lord gave us this experience!!!

Exchanges in Taidong were good. We also taught their district meeting and shared about Jonah and the whale. We talked about how Jonah had no vision as he went to Nineveh to preach the gospel and that’s why he obtained no satisfaction, even though the people were saved. We related it to not having a vision and also the question, why do “bad” missionaries see so many families baptized and how come so many obedient missionaries don't get the opportunity. It was really good and then we talked about talents by teaching David and Goliath’s story.