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!!!