Ola, Family,
I wrote the most beefy email of ALL TIME and then the computer shut off...it’s gone. My watch just broke too. Ha-ha, oh man, I'll summarize.
Training, training, training. It’s fun, though, because unlike the other assistants, we aren't stuck in the office all day. We’re out!
The Xinzhu zone is doing a lot better. They were part of the other mission now combined with us, and it has taken a little while for them to adjust. We have visited with EVERY SINGLE companionship in the zone and taught them how to work with members, using Preach My Gospel.
I went with Elder Teshima and he can speak Chinese now!!! Ha-ha
We’re putting together a Learning Resource Center idea to help Taiwanese missionaries learn English. We'll present our ideas to President tonight.
Life is so happy.
Any requests for something from Taiwan? Any suggestions for not being really weird when I get home?
Gotta go!!! I love YOU! Elder Daniels
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Holy smokes! What to write? SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED!!
I have now seen the mission from every angle. Meeting with President Grimley as one of his assistants is a lot different than when you are having an interview with him. He asks for our suggestions. We got to work on Tuesday; we planned out our exchanges for the transfer, and sent out a fax to everyone that wanted to go on exchanges with the traveling assistants. We are taking President’s vision for the mission and transfer and to the missionaries. We're trying to resolve communication problems between Senior companions and District leaders, District leaders and Zone leaders. President said he wanted to call two "swashbucklers" for the job, so he called me and Elder Worthen, haha, I still don't know what that means, but I think it’s good. We want to build a fire among the missionaries in the mission. This calling has been awesome...exchange after exchange and we've seen nothing but miracles, tender mercies given from Heavenly Father, produced to strengthen the faith of the missionaries that we are exchanging with.
We've seen several people set baptismal dates on the street, and when we invite them, we make sure that they know what it is that they are agreeing to. I've realized that it’s super easy to set a date with someone on the street without it having any meaning, but I don't like that. So we like to teach the Doctrine clearly before we invite. We have already exchanged with 6 companionships and we report to President each week. Currently we are in Xinzhu, the huge city that just became part of the Taipei Mission and used to be apart of the Taizhong Mission. Some missionaries are still adjusting to being in a different mission and we want to help with that. I'm learning a lot from each missionary...
I got to go on exchanges with an elder from my MTC district and that was a BLAST! He is the 25 year old MAN who turned his life around to go on a mission; he's my hero.
I went on exchanges with Elder Chen and we contacted a family that consisted of a mom, a cocky dad, and a meimei being pushed in the stroller. After several minutes of contacting them the dad said to me, "Alright, if you can beat me one-on-one in basketball, I will come to church tomorrow." So I took him on. He said he has never lost before…and...he remains undefeated even to this day, ha-ha, dang it! He beat me 3 times in a row. He did admit that I was one of the hardest competitors he had ever faced, but that meant nothing in the end, ha ha, I failed. However, it was enough to touch the heart of the mom to see a person coming all the way from America, with "no home and no salary,” so much that she made the decision to come with her daughter to church on Sunday!! Miracle. I'm determined to beat that guy at basketball some day...some day.
Biking to the next stop, my tire exploded, and right next to a bicycle store! But, the moment the tire had been completely replaced and had sat for two minutes, it exploded again before I had even taken it out of the store! We were late that night.
We attended my last Zone Leader Council. We showed how the doctrines in chapter three of Preach My Gospel resolve EVERY SINGLE concern! While applying teaching skills taught in chapter ten, the goal is "becoming a master teacher."
A funny side story. Elder Lin, the Assistant that went home last transfer, is now married! He is the funniest person I have ever met. Every time he spoke, your outlook on life became positive! He got married within a week, and when he gave his home coming report in Sacrament meeting, his wife was sitting in the congregation! Hahahaha.
Something, I just found out. Elder Leavitt, my last companion and one that I trained, is the son of former Utah Governor Leavitt. He never mentioned it. Now his father works in Washington DC, he was on President Bush’s cabinet. Elder Leavitt speaks some Russian and fluent French. No wonder he traveled so much!
Melanie, did you know a McKenzie Ackerson or an Adam Gassin that lived in the Foreign Language dorms?
Paul, HAPPY STINKIN’ BIRTHDAY! "33" (Scotty Pippin)
Back to the goods of the letter...
It’s difficult not having our own investigators, so every time we have the opportunity to teach a lesson we put EVERYTHING WE CAN into it. As for sleeping at nights, we have figured out that sleeping on the box springs at other elders’ apartments is actually rather suitable and when blankets run out, window curtains and towels get the job done. Ha-ha, this life is awesome!!! My house is all in a backpack!!! We travel at nights and arrive in the new area at 9:00 am, just in time to do planning with each companionship. We usually stay until 7:00 the next day before we head off to the next area!!
Well, I have to finish registering. LOVE YOUUOUOUOUOUOU! ELDER DANIELS!!!
We've seen several people set baptismal dates on the street, and when we invite them, we make sure that they know what it is that they are agreeing to. I've realized that it’s super easy to set a date with someone on the street without it having any meaning, but I don't like that. So we like to teach the Doctrine clearly before we invite. We have already exchanged with 6 companionships and we report to President each week. Currently we are in Xinzhu, the huge city that just became part of the Taipei Mission and used to be apart of the Taizhong Mission. Some missionaries are still adjusting to being in a different mission and we want to help with that. I'm learning a lot from each missionary...
I got to go on exchanges with an elder from my MTC district and that was a BLAST! He is the 25 year old MAN who turned his life around to go on a mission; he's my hero.
I went on exchanges with Elder Chen and we contacted a family that consisted of a mom, a cocky dad, and a meimei being pushed in the stroller. After several minutes of contacting them the dad said to me, "Alright, if you can beat me one-on-one in basketball, I will come to church tomorrow." So I took him on. He said he has never lost before…and...he remains undefeated even to this day, ha-ha, dang it! He beat me 3 times in a row. He did admit that I was one of the hardest competitors he had ever faced, but that meant nothing in the end, ha ha, I failed. However, it was enough to touch the heart of the mom to see a person coming all the way from America, with "no home and no salary,” so much that she made the decision to come with her daughter to church on Sunday!! Miracle. I'm determined to beat that guy at basketball some day...some day.
Biking to the next stop, my tire exploded, and right next to a bicycle store! But, the moment the tire had been completely replaced and had sat for two minutes, it exploded again before I had even taken it out of the store! We were late that night.
We attended my last Zone Leader Council. We showed how the doctrines in chapter three of Preach My Gospel resolve EVERY SINGLE concern! While applying teaching skills taught in chapter ten, the goal is "becoming a master teacher."
A funny side story. Elder Lin, the Assistant that went home last transfer, is now married! He is the funniest person I have ever met. Every time he spoke, your outlook on life became positive! He got married within a week, and when he gave his home coming report in Sacrament meeting, his wife was sitting in the congregation! Hahahaha.
Something, I just found out. Elder Leavitt, my last companion and one that I trained, is the son of former Utah Governor Leavitt. He never mentioned it. Now his father works in Washington DC, he was on President Bush’s cabinet. Elder Leavitt speaks some Russian and fluent French. No wonder he traveled so much!
Melanie, did you know a McKenzie Ackerson or an Adam Gassin that lived in the Foreign Language dorms?
Paul, HAPPY STINKIN’ BIRTHDAY! "33" (Scotty Pippin)
Back to the goods of the letter...
It’s difficult not having our own investigators, so every time we have the opportunity to teach a lesson we put EVERYTHING WE CAN into it. As for sleeping at nights, we have figured out that sleeping on the box springs at other elders’ apartments is actually rather suitable and when blankets run out, window curtains and towels get the job done. Ha-ha, this life is awesome!!! My house is all in a backpack!!! We travel at nights and arrive in the new area at 9:00 am, just in time to do planning with each companionship. We usually stay until 7:00 the next day before we head off to the next area!!
Well, I have to finish registering. LOVE YOUUOUOUOUOUOU! ELDER DANIELS!!!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Last Transfer! Traveling Assistant!
Daniels Family!
Hello, I am your child, Elder Daniels and last week was awesome. I'm writing to you on Monday because it’s a new transfer, again, for the last time.
Last week’s happenings:
All of our investigators with dates are progressing and they all know it’s true; they are just trying to overcome their trials before baptism.
Family, I am old! It’s happened! I caught myself sitting with my legs crossed "high priest style"..."knee over knee." It scared me to death when I realized what I was doing!
Last week we held another zone conference where Elder Watson, Asia’s representative of the Seventy, came and visited us. He gave a talk in General Conference a couple weeks back. I was called to give a 5 minute talk in Chinese about my studies and it went really good.
Last week we saw a lot of progress ward/missionary wise. We want the members to focus more on having a “Preach My Gospel” based Sacrament meeting, which was an invite from President Uchtdorf. So what we did was start visiting members and introducing Preach My Gospel more directly. We visited the 1st counselor and asked him and his wife, "I know you read your scriptures every day, but do you have a scripture study plan?" “Not really, no.” “Well, that’s why we have this book called Preach My Gospel.” They liked it so much that they called and invited me to give a talk in Sacrament meeting, which is absolutely HUGE!! When a missionary has an opportunity to give a talk in Sacrament meeting, it is a very sacred time because it doesn't happen that often. So the ward is really excited about missionary work and reading Preach My Gospel. Hooray!!!
Okay, now for the part that I know you are waiting for....
In the midst of all these happenings, I also received a special phone call on Friday night at 6:00. "President Grimley," said the words on the screen on the front of the phone. He told me to call him back after we ended the lesson we were in, so I called him and he asked, "Are you sitting down?” "Yes, may I ask why?" "Elder Daniels, I would like to call you to be my traveling assistant."
So after giving my talk in church on Sunday, writing in 12 bye-bye books, saying goodbye to my beloved Elder Leavitt, and forgetting to fulfill my responsibility as District Leader and call the Sisters to tell them their new moving situation, making for a rough nights sleep for them due to anxiety expecting a phone call that never came, I have left Keelung after being there for one transfer. Here I am in Taipei with my new companion Elder Worthen, my high school classmate. Hyrum Worthen, ha-ha.
There were no Traveling Assistants for the past two transfers but they have started it up again this transfer. We don't know why yet.
In case you forgot what a traveling assistant does, I will remind you briefly. We ride our bikes all around the island visiting different area's and go on exchanges with every companionship. No bed, ha-ha, AWESOME!!! I'm so excited! I get to go visit all my old areas! Sanchong, Tucheng, Hualien, and Jilong (Keelung)!!!
We never sleep in our house but all of our stuff is left at the Assistants’ place. We will stay there when we plan for zone conferences and things like that. Otherwise, it’s us, a bike, a sleeping bag, and a back pack, with packing skills required.
Elder Worthen. He is 2 transfers younger than me, we played football together in 10th grade and were friends in high school! We never had much opportunity to cross roads though, low and behold, he is killing me off of my mission in 6 weeks!
In a couple minutes we are about to go and eat lunch at the Lin family’s house!!!! Elder Barton’s Lin family!!! (Elder Barton was Jonathan’s trainer and first companion in Taiwan). They live close to the temple near our house! It will be so good to see them again because I'm the last thing left of Elder Barton and Sister Lin loves me, hahaha. I love them too!
Well, there will be more in the near future but for now. I have to sign up for classes. LOVE YOU!!! Elder Daniels....
Hello, I am your child, Elder Daniels and last week was awesome. I'm writing to you on Monday because it’s a new transfer, again, for the last time.
Last week’s happenings:
All of our investigators with dates are progressing and they all know it’s true; they are just trying to overcome their trials before baptism.
Family, I am old! It’s happened! I caught myself sitting with my legs crossed "high priest style"..."knee over knee." It scared me to death when I realized what I was doing!
Last week we held another zone conference where Elder Watson, Asia’s representative of the Seventy, came and visited us. He gave a talk in General Conference a couple weeks back. I was called to give a 5 minute talk in Chinese about my studies and it went really good.
Last week we saw a lot of progress ward/missionary wise. We want the members to focus more on having a “Preach My Gospel” based Sacrament meeting, which was an invite from President Uchtdorf. So what we did was start visiting members and introducing Preach My Gospel more directly. We visited the 1st counselor and asked him and his wife, "I know you read your scriptures every day, but do you have a scripture study plan?" “Not really, no.” “Well, that’s why we have this book called Preach My Gospel.” They liked it so much that they called and invited me to give a talk in Sacrament meeting, which is absolutely HUGE!! When a missionary has an opportunity to give a talk in Sacrament meeting, it is a very sacred time because it doesn't happen that often. So the ward is really excited about missionary work and reading Preach My Gospel. Hooray!!!
Okay, now for the part that I know you are waiting for....
In the midst of all these happenings, I also received a special phone call on Friday night at 6:00. "President Grimley," said the words on the screen on the front of the phone. He told me to call him back after we ended the lesson we were in, so I called him and he asked, "Are you sitting down?” "Yes, may I ask why?" "Elder Daniels, I would like to call you to be my traveling assistant."
So after giving my talk in church on Sunday, writing in 12 bye-bye books, saying goodbye to my beloved Elder Leavitt, and forgetting to fulfill my responsibility as District Leader and call the Sisters to tell them their new moving situation, making for a rough nights sleep for them due to anxiety expecting a phone call that never came, I have left Keelung after being there for one transfer. Here I am in Taipei with my new companion Elder Worthen, my high school classmate. Hyrum Worthen, ha-ha.
There were no Traveling Assistants for the past two transfers but they have started it up again this transfer. We don't know why yet.
In case you forgot what a traveling assistant does, I will remind you briefly. We ride our bikes all around the island visiting different area's and go on exchanges with every companionship. No bed, ha-ha, AWESOME!!! I'm so excited! I get to go visit all my old areas! Sanchong, Tucheng, Hualien, and Jilong (Keelung)!!!
We never sleep in our house but all of our stuff is left at the Assistants’ place. We will stay there when we plan for zone conferences and things like that. Otherwise, it’s us, a bike, a sleeping bag, and a back pack, with packing skills required.
Elder Worthen. He is 2 transfers younger than me, we played football together in 10th grade and were friends in high school! We never had much opportunity to cross roads though, low and behold, he is killing me off of my mission in 6 weeks!
In a couple minutes we are about to go and eat lunch at the Lin family’s house!!!! Elder Barton’s Lin family!!! (Elder Barton was Jonathan’s trainer and first companion in Taiwan). They live close to the temple near our house! It will be so good to see them again because I'm the last thing left of Elder Barton and Sister Lin loves me, hahaha. I love them too!
Well, there will be more in the near future but for now. I have to sign up for classes. LOVE YOU!!! Elder Daniels....
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Getting "It" and kind words for Mom and Dad
Life + missionary work = terrificness! I was thinking about the next step in life the other day, and then I thought about the step after that, and then the one after that, and then I thought about my own parents and realized something...YOU ARE LEHI!!!!!
Tell me, what is the virtue that all old people know that we young people just don't get yet? (I think that when you become an Apostle, it’s the same.) I think that they all have a secret virtue/principle that is taught to them when they are ordained. I bet it’s got a really weird name too, like "scroomility" or something like that! I think my parents have learned it, (whatever “it” is) because they are SUPER good parents. Very Christ like.
The word "parent" means "child raiser" right? My vernacular lacks a better adjective to describe the magnitude of your "child raising" abilities! So, I will use the Chinese word "LEHI." Lehi = super ridiculously awesome!!! Mom and Dad, you are "Lehi" child raisers. You must have a lot of “scroomilitude.”
In past zone conferences we have referred to the central point of the Gospel by using the word "it,” as, “Do you get ‘it’?" "It," referring to the principles taught about Christ’s gospel in 2 Nephi 31 and 3 Nephi 27:13-20. My parents get "It."
My goal for the next step is to find me a woman who gets "It,"
and then I gotta figure out how to "till" the earth and teach "It" to my posterity. Hm, that seems easy! I repeat, "Yes parents, you are LEHI!" Ha, hooray...moving on!
This week was very superb! In addition to the three people with dates for the 5th of December, we have been blessed to work with 3 families!!! In one family, the father is already a member but not active. We've been teaching his daughter recently who is a 9 year-old, chubby mei mei. (Little girl) When we teach her, the mom, dad and son all participate in the lesson. In the past their daughter had NO interest, but we've been going “Book of Mormon crazy” with her and she LOVES IT! We want to get the dad active, the daughter and the mother baptized!! The son is only 5 years old, but he wants to be a MISSIONARY!
Okay, so across the street from this family is a poor family with 5 kids. At first they didn't open up to us, but because of the influence from the other family, they have started to open up to us a lot more and they are willing to meet with us!!! HOORAY!
And lastly is a family that we found and started teaching, with two AWESOME didi's (little boys) who love us! However because the husband is not around, we've handed them over to the Sisters, but it’s okay because the Sisters are taking good care of them, and they still LOVE to meet with us. They loved the Plan of Salvation and the mom and kids both LOVED Church! They got along just fine. They are a rather rich family and they have a relative who is also a member of the church. Therefore the mom already knows all the standards of the church and is already willing to accept them! Hooray! Good stuff, huh.
As for our other investigators, one loves "it" and knows “it’s” true and has to figure out his problem with the Sabbath... pray for him! And then there is another who is still looking for an answer, and lastly there is still the half crazy man who is progressing a lot!! He expressed that he wants to be baptized again into a church that has the Book of Mormon because he feels his last one didn't count... because they don't have the BOM, they don't have "a fullness of Christ".
We set a goal with a less active returned sister missionary (who is divorcing her husband because he beats their kids) to go to the temple before Christmas and before I leave Taiwan! She really wants to get back!
One morning we took the bus to the church because we parked our bikes there the night before on exchanges and when I got back to my bike I saw that somebody had spit beetle nut juice ALL OVER MY helmet!!! I washed it but it still reeks! Yuck!!! Beetle nut is like tobacco but 30 times grosser!!! Also on exchanges we were waiting for a new member to come play football with us and while we were waiting, me and Elder Hammer were throwing the football back and forth. As we were throwing, a kid started walking by that had just finished school and I decided to throw the ball to him. I forgot that nobody in Taiwan plays football and most kids have never even seen one, so the ball sailed through the air and hit him square in the face. Dangit! He didn't even think to put his hands up. He didn't even say anything and walked away awkwardly. Oh, I love Taiwan.
Talking in the elevator to strangers is awkward in the first place, but when those people are Taiwanese, it just become incredible! Ha-ha, they stare at you for about 2 seconds and put their head back down immediately, ha-ha, like a missionary turns his head after he realizes that he was unconsciously looking at a bad poster on the wall. Ha-ha, I love Taiwan!
My bike is dying. On the way over I stopped by a motorcycle shop to get the tires pumped up and the chain re-oiled. Two minutes afterward, in the midst of saying the sentence, “That’s better, now my bike is…BAM! My chain skipped abruptly while I was changing gears and then it fell off completely causing me to hurt myself in a very awkward manner on my seat. Ha-ha, all my cards I had stuffed in my bag had fallen out and been scattered across the intersection. It happened so fast. What I was beginning to say was, “That’s better, now my bike is kingly again.” But it was all in vain. Ha-ha, Kathi (bike named after Aunt Kathi) is on her last couple threads, ha-ha.
Susan from Hualien came to visit last weekend with her son Peter and brought me two huge bags full of goodies and pineapple cakes, bless her.
Well I gotsta go. I love you always, Elder Daniels
Tell me, what is the virtue that all old people know that we young people just don't get yet? (I think that when you become an Apostle, it’s the same.) I think that they all have a secret virtue/principle that is taught to them when they are ordained. I bet it’s got a really weird name too, like "scroomility" or something like that! I think my parents have learned it, (whatever “it” is) because they are SUPER good parents. Very Christ like.
The word "parent" means "child raiser" right? My vernacular lacks a better adjective to describe the magnitude of your "child raising" abilities! So, I will use the Chinese word "LEHI." Lehi = super ridiculously awesome!!! Mom and Dad, you are "Lehi" child raisers. You must have a lot of “scroomilitude.”
In past zone conferences we have referred to the central point of the Gospel by using the word "it,” as, “Do you get ‘it’?" "It," referring to the principles taught about Christ’s gospel in 2 Nephi 31 and 3 Nephi 27:13-20. My parents get "It."
My goal for the next step is to find me a woman who gets "It,"
and then I gotta figure out how to "till" the earth and teach "It" to my posterity. Hm, that seems easy! I repeat, "Yes parents, you are LEHI!" Ha, hooray...moving on!
This week was very superb! In addition to the three people with dates for the 5th of December, we have been blessed to work with 3 families!!! In one family, the father is already a member but not active. We've been teaching his daughter recently who is a 9 year-old, chubby mei mei. (Little girl) When we teach her, the mom, dad and son all participate in the lesson. In the past their daughter had NO interest, but we've been going “Book of Mormon crazy” with her and she LOVES IT! We want to get the dad active, the daughter and the mother baptized!! The son is only 5 years old, but he wants to be a MISSIONARY!
Okay, so across the street from this family is a poor family with 5 kids. At first they didn't open up to us, but because of the influence from the other family, they have started to open up to us a lot more and they are willing to meet with us!!! HOORAY!
And lastly is a family that we found and started teaching, with two AWESOME didi's (little boys) who love us! However because the husband is not around, we've handed them over to the Sisters, but it’s okay because the Sisters are taking good care of them, and they still LOVE to meet with us. They loved the Plan of Salvation and the mom and kids both LOVED Church! They got along just fine. They are a rather rich family and they have a relative who is also a member of the church. Therefore the mom already knows all the standards of the church and is already willing to accept them! Hooray! Good stuff, huh.
As for our other investigators, one loves "it" and knows “it’s” true and has to figure out his problem with the Sabbath... pray for him! And then there is another who is still looking for an answer, and lastly there is still the half crazy man who is progressing a lot!! He expressed that he wants to be baptized again into a church that has the Book of Mormon because he feels his last one didn't count... because they don't have the BOM, they don't have "a fullness of Christ".
We set a goal with a less active returned sister missionary (who is divorcing her husband because he beats their kids) to go to the temple before Christmas and before I leave Taiwan! She really wants to get back!
One morning we took the bus to the church because we parked our bikes there the night before on exchanges and when I got back to my bike I saw that somebody had spit beetle nut juice ALL OVER MY helmet!!! I washed it but it still reeks! Yuck!!! Beetle nut is like tobacco but 30 times grosser!!! Also on exchanges we were waiting for a new member to come play football with us and while we were waiting, me and Elder Hammer were throwing the football back and forth. As we were throwing, a kid started walking by that had just finished school and I decided to throw the ball to him. I forgot that nobody in Taiwan plays football and most kids have never even seen one, so the ball sailed through the air and hit him square in the face. Dangit! He didn't even think to put his hands up. He didn't even say anything and walked away awkwardly. Oh, I love Taiwan.
Talking in the elevator to strangers is awkward in the first place, but when those people are Taiwanese, it just become incredible! Ha-ha, they stare at you for about 2 seconds and put their head back down immediately, ha-ha, like a missionary turns his head after he realizes that he was unconsciously looking at a bad poster on the wall. Ha-ha, I love Taiwan!
My bike is dying. On the way over I stopped by a motorcycle shop to get the tires pumped up and the chain re-oiled. Two minutes afterward, in the midst of saying the sentence, “That’s better, now my bike is…BAM! My chain skipped abruptly while I was changing gears and then it fell off completely causing me to hurt myself in a very awkward manner on my seat. Ha-ha, all my cards I had stuffed in my bag had fallen out and been scattered across the intersection. It happened so fast. What I was beginning to say was, “That’s better, now my bike is kingly again.” But it was all in vain. Ha-ha, Kathi (bike named after Aunt Kathi) is on her last couple threads, ha-ha.
Susan from Hualien came to visit last weekend with her son Peter and brought me two huge bags full of goodies and pineapple cakes, bless her.
Well I gotsta go. I love you always, Elder Daniels
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