Elder Brown Spelunking in the south of Taiwan

Here they come as I get to feast upon the words of family emails, my favorite delicacy next to the words of Christ...it's crazy how many friends are emailing me about them going home!!!  Ahhh!

Oh man Dad, I love you too so much!!!

I can't wait to see you all.  All of those entrepreneurial ideas sound great, fresh and fun!!!  I'd be more than happy to be on call for Brother Stewart's Zip line as well!!! 

Poor Trevor, ah my heart goes out for him...Pole Vault is just that way. I love you Trevor!!! 

I pray for Kyle's and Trevor's flight every night, but God knows Pole Vaulting is not an integral part of the Plan of Salvation,

Yes, most importantly, I have not been attacked by a shower-head-wielding Elder Page, but that does not stop him from tackling me almost nightly onto my bed or into my desk...haha, he's a funny one ;)

This week has been a wet one for sure, near every day we are just soaked, whether by rain on the outside, or by sweat on the inside (of our raingear!)  Oh boy...it's nice.  I actually for about the second year of my mission have not had any long or hard rains, so I like that now we do get some moisture.  Not to mention Taiwan sorely needs it!!!  It's in a drought-s

tage right now.  Not anymore.  However, when I first moved down here, the city of GaoXiong was going to make a policy where they shut down the city's water for two days every week.  Condition: unless it rained a-lot and soon!  So you better believe you know what fast Sunday was for in May, haha.  Us missionaries were thinking, well "we could fill up the bathtub one day before, and take turns bathing in it each morning for those two days...or we could just shower in our own sweat as we exercise in the mornings and proselyte in the days...I probably would've gone with the latter had I the choice.  However fortunately we don't need to worry about that anymore!!!

The Y family is great, good and sad news.  We visited them on Saturday, and passed them over to the QianZhen Elders because they live right over the ward boundaries.  Those Elders are Elder Cuartas and Elder Lindsey, both great Elders and the Zone leaders of the other GaoXiong Zone,  So we'll miss the Y family.  But they're in good hands!

You should be able to see in our pictures that last Saturday, we went to visit some caves in Northern GaoXiong with Elder Jensen and Elder Davis (E. Otte's MTC Comp.).  This was also Elder Pennington's old Area!  GangShan.  Anyways that was pretty cool and fun.  Probably more dangerous than we realized at first, or at least for those claustrophobic friends, but I just pushed along and we made it to the nice light through an adventurous tunnel, super old, natural, and cool!!!  

The man who took us is English named Dark...and is their investigator, he loved Elder Elder Penninton, and is sad he's gone, so that was a treat!

Today, all the other Elders wanted to show off their cool socks...hmmm, so I got my cool socks out too!!!  (aka Costco Wool)  We're going into the uptown City part of GaoXiong today to see some shops or something that might have some cool stuff, now I'm not a shopper, but Elder Page said they have Taiwanese stuff...hope so, might be cool.  But it is a rule that we don't use mission funds for personal items.   I've heard some missionaries complain that "it's all our money anyways, can't I just save it up and spend it on what I want?"  But we are instructed specifically not to do that... even more important for now is honesty, and before I forget, I just need to pull that out to make sure I don't return home without exchanging that money back to my mission fund.  Anyways, if you see that drop that's why...also, in the long run, that should be an insignificant withdrawal ;) ...unless I let myself realize it's like 20 Subway sandwiches...but I don't let myself think such horrible things, haha;)

Today should be fun!!!

Sister Blickenstaff did get the pictures!!!

Y Wang passed her Baptismal interview too :) !!!!!  She is so great and so prepared!!!!!  This Saturday at 6:00 we'll do her Baptism, and then we'll watch a church movie afterwards as sort of a Ward activity, because two targets we have and need are ward unity, and convert retention...it's so happening!!!  N is close behind and improving, we met his Mom, she's great!!!

Love You!!!

Love Drew

Keeping an Eternal Perspective

Hello Everyone,

It's been a great week!  Rainstorm for the first time in forever on Tuesday!

Y and N are doing very well.  Y is just so prepared, and then N needs a lot of help but we are seeing such great change in him through the gospel… Yes!!!

WE FOUND A FAMILY!!!!!  They are a family of four, and kids are our ages.  They also invited two cousins and a boyfriend to come listen to our message.  Then, as and after we shared, the family all committed to read from and pray about the Book of Mormon.  The Dad's boss is a member down here, at the American institute in Taiwan,  COOL!!!  They are such a quality family, oh my goodness!!!  Very interested in WHY the Church had to be restored...and they're getting it know.  Please pray that they can be converted together in the right place!!!

Esp. need to read the Book of Mormon!!!

Our Kids were cute in English, they grab me for a "train ride" every time....like marching behind me just turns into "oh, grab Elder Brown's shirt tail pull it out and ride along the floor behind him his sister's a kindergarten teacher so he loves this train stuff" type of activity!  Haha!

Oh yes, my reflection went well, I'll send you what I have so far...I got all the GaoXiong missionaries laughing so hard, it was great (cause everyone likes marriage jokes ;)...then I faked 'em out at the start, then I talked about how an eternal perspective gets us through anything!!!  Because of that perspective, when we get out the door in the morning...as soon as the rubber meets the pavement, we can smile, look up, and say: This is going to be a great day!!!  Oh yeah!!!

I'll send it to you!!!

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference...

In the name of Jesus Christ...I would like to share my reflection!

Now, you may all be wondering at this time "Elder Brown...your mission's wrapping up...what's next, what are you going to do next?"

Let me tell you:

As I entered Zone Conference today, and saw all of these Elders who were trained from the very start with me: Great Friends, 帥哥s, ...I was hit with a realization.  In the upcoming months...I'm going to have to book a LOT of tickets and travel time...to attend a LOT of Weddings!

Haha, what was the game plan again Elders?  If I'm not mistaken, it's going to be Elder Page and Elder Munger followed closely by Elders Jensen and Jardine...

Don't get me wrong, I too am an avid advocate of following prophetic counsel to efficiently establish a righteous home and family.  But let's just say I've come to know for myself: these Elders are really good at dropping in Week E goals!!!

(Alright, enough with the jokes...well, that last one wasn't a joke ;)  ..In that week E goal; E stands for Eternity.  And as I share with you my reflection today, Eternity is just what I would like to talk about...) About six months into my mission, I received a note from my little brother.  At Christmas time he gave me this gift, it said "Hey Drew, Mom told me you needed a Temple Recommend holder.  I picked this one especially for you.  REMEMBER TO ALWAYS KEEP AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE.  I miss you and love you so much.  Your little Bro that loves you, -Trevor"

Remember to always keep an eternal perspective...that really hit me hard, and reminded me...

***Okay Pause; we're almost out of time, so I may have to finish next week ;)***

Love Elder Brown

Love Drew

WAhooooooo!!!  Yeah Trevor!!!

YOU ROCK BRO!!!!  Done with AP!!!

Elder Page is Drew's MTC Companion.
They are now in the same 4 man apartment.
They took a picture with these very same shirts in the MTC.

I can't wait for the news next week!!!  Go win Regionals, you and CV!!!!!

AND then the news NEXT NEXT NEXT week even more!!!

Love You.

Love DREW

Can't believe this is all wrapping up!?!?!?  AHHH!!!  Nationals at Oregon sounds like so much fun though!!!

Thanks, I love you,

Love Drew

Ferocious Finding in Fengshan

I've just very quickly moved through all my inbox and daily to - do s...and find myself with half an hour to just email to you all!!!

How exciting!!!

I'm so excited for Trevor and Kyle in the coming months to make work happen.  Get up to 15' and 18', place at State and Nationals...Wahoooooo!!!!!  Go Bros Go!!!  Take videos for me and know I'll be there in Spirit to cheer you on!!!  I can't wait to vault together!!!

Kendra and Stephanie just looked BEAUTIFUL today, when we Skyped.  Both so slim and nice casual hai

Mom...HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!  (And you too Grandma, and all you great Aunts!!!  And you've still got the best catch--Dad looks healthy, slim and ready to give Kyle a run for his money going to nationals.

But...Please pray for me to have a steel sharp focus over this next month, so I really can leave it all on the Mission Track!!! 

I loved seeing the Jensens too!!  I love you all, do we have a reunion for the Browns or the Sintays this summer???

As we go into this week, I have been reminded to prepare a reflection to present in our Zone Conference to sum up my mission in three minutes...haha, good one...yeah right!!!  But regardless I will share that on Thursday!

And, those two baptisms for Sisters that Elder Otte mentioned...we also get to take a train on Friday to go and see those.  Because Elder Pennington is Elder Otte's last Companion.  I feel blessed because I'll get to see Elder Otte, AND Elder Johnson one last time before I peace out...they're serving in the same district there!  Sweet, tender mercy!!!

As for us here, besides being treated by members just now to a little Sushi buffet...we are witnessing many miracles on the homefront of missionary work and invitations to salvation!!!

Rather cool, this ward, had the most people come and attend our yesterday's Single FHE activity -- we brought two investigators, two RCs, and some members with friends too!!!  Very rewarding to see people come together relaxed and have wholesome fun in a good environment.  Taiwan especially needs that right now!!

I know we're still pretty new here in Fengshan.  But I also know Heavenly Father has blessed us greatly to see miracles of progressing investigators, softened hearts, and improved relations!  I love this wonderful work which we all have the chance to be a part of.  I love Heavenly Father and know that he loves me even more that I can comprehend.  He loves you too...the same!

God wants us to be happy, and that's the bottom line!  In order to allow us this opportunity, he has penetrated the whole world round with the message of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Including the ultimate Plan of Happiness.  We share that plan every day.  I know it will bless your life, IF you choose to listen, and obey.  I invite every one of my friends, especially if you never have, to learn more of Heavenly Father and this Plan in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It's not necessarily easy to know truth, but when you find and feel it...it's the best thing ever!!!

So, that means you, go and find the missionaries, or visit our church website: lds.org or mormon.org and learn for yourself.  I love you all, and thank Heavenly Father for the many blessings in my life as well as your's.  Especially the best blessing of my Mom!!!

Love You Mom, 

Happy Mothers Day,

Love Drew

After this perfect kick!!!  I'M ON MY TOES!!!!!

WHOOOOOOO!!!  LOVE YOU!!!!!

LOVE Drew

I'm also singing a piece in Zone Conference with my district...starting off with me soloing Be Still My Soul...:)  Wahooo!!!

Elder Brown goes South to GaoXiong

Oh boy, I can't even begin to tell you all how much I love you!!!  And also. ...how much I love my mission!!!  These 2 years are flying by, and whew...when was my return date again...June 2016???  I'm sure the next year is going to go by before I even know it...;)

As for the current news here in GaoXiong...hmmm, probably a toasty 100f with NO chance of wind and snow coming in sometime in the millenium!!!

Elder Pennington and I have been hitting it hard this week -- on the streets, on the ward, on the bikes, and even this morning...on the court! ;)  We love this area.  Within the first several hours of our arrival (i.e. Monday Night), we realized we were facing a decent challenge here in FengShan. But as far as we're concerned negativity has never been in my planner, let alone in God's.  I've seen miracles as a ward works together in Faith to Hasten the Work of Salvation, not only in the ward setting, but in homes and family lives as well!

I love the Nantou ward, and will miss them dearly!!! (I believe these are all the members who came
 into the ward while Drew was serving in Nantou)

We're doing so so so GREAT!!!  I love it and instead of "dealing with the heat," we've decided to wholeheartedly embrace it...oh yeah!!!

From what we've seen, these members are AMAZING, and we're out to help them, their friends, their neighbors, and their families become even more so...get ready for some miracles baby!!!

On the mission front, wow, we've got such a great district and area here.  

We have 4 new amis this week: Yu: from English, has had some spiritual experiences praying when she was younger...but her dad din't let her go out...now she's in college...yeah!!!

N,. shy guy, has an earring, met missionaries in Daliao, our neighboring district, and loves church and activities!!!  He'll make it!!!

A grandma who added from our spiritual share at Eng class...I'm the small kids teacher again :)  And we'll see her on Wednesday...she wants the Book of Mormon!!!

Then J C--cool guy who wants to join all churches...ummm, don't think so buddy, but we'll help you know for yourself why!!!

I have so much fun here -- thank you for your prayers!!!  Elder Pennington, Page and Stuart are all AWESOME!!!  We're fun and friends!!!

I love my mission and hope I can leave it all on the Track now!!!

Love You,

Love Drew

PS played soccer, frizbee, this week and Played Basketball with the mega District today...great!!!

Oh PS  I've been learning and studying how important Gospel Study is throughout our entire lives, not just here, PMG takes on a whole new meaning in Chapter 2 especially when you realize and feel the calling to share His Gospel...is not just on a 2-year time frame.  But that makes it all the happier.  

Love Elder Brown

We sweat forever here...and are LOVING it!!!

 
two things: 1)  This Zone Conference I will give my "Reflection"  Kind of like a farewell talk ON the Mission...

2)  Elder Pennington and I Whitewashed, and therefore, I hope I don't lose my food budget, haha, ...next to losing the spirit I can't see a more dire circumstance...

3)I love that story (the boy who sold his violin to serve a mission), I'm so grateful for the chance I have to sacrifice and serve now.

Love Drew,

Love Elder Brown

YEAH TREVOR!!!!!  I am praying whenever I go over your name that you're gonna get up and over 15'

...and you so got it, wahoooooooo!!!   加油加油加油！！！  You're right about the mission too, crazy to think that next...it'll be you!!!

  Mom and Dad, that does sound like a blast....thanks for going to see my alma mater for me....ahhhh!!!

About Mother's day -- I LOVE YOU MOM!!!!!  We are thinking we will try to talk with you all on Saturday night for you, Sunday afternoon for us, about 1:00 here...10:00 there?!?!?  Would that work???

Earthquake can't shake the work in Nantou!

You asked about fluency -- speaking yes, and I do dream in Chinese all the time, but reading and writing...ahhhh, tougher, but they're coming :)

And we did have a Rainstorm...no thunder, but it was cool and wet.  Gave us a cooler week too!!!  We also had a small Earthquake this morning, our desks just started wobbling, super cool...stomach weezer!!!  But it was only like 20 sec...

We had a wonderful chance to present a training to our ward in the form of a missionary fire side. 

I DID SEE H, YES!!!  He came to our missionary fireside!!!  I asked if we could help with anything at their house, and how he was recently, etc... good follow up.

P is still locked up in his house.  I think the ultimatum though is going to visit him this week, because he can choose to come to church, he just has to!!!!!

Which Brother Y was I looking for?...OH YEAH. that Brother Y, no...unfortunately, he's still lost, we found the other 99 sheep though, hahah, they were easy!  So we have to keep looking!!! :)

At church we had five interested friends -- amazing, J, SZ, a new boy who played basketball with us and the young men on Saturday named XZ, another who came to Family night on Sunday with a member family and us, and last – Z2 a great new investigator!!!  They all should be set well for learning and on track to be baptized within months!!!  Finding, two young men who stayed for a spiritual share we did after basketball, and then a Chinese woman we met who makes ash bins for the burnt deceased...she wants to know about the resurrection!!!

So I didn't get the suit yet...but I will, they originally said today, but apparently they forgot the pants!!!  Haha or something like unto the pants which are very essential according to all my understanding of clothing!

I had a dream about a family reunion recently.  Aunt Sara asked me to change a diaper, and Aunt Sallie to put her boat in a river.  So I guess upon my return Uncle Eric will have a lot of new diapers and Everal a lot of new boats...

Will we have a reunion in June or July...or I guess where?

There is a Boy in our ward named Chen Rong, he got called to serve in the Michigan Detroit Mission.  But all his stuff got sent in English, so I went and translated it all for them for like an hour on Thursday, they had two little nieces at their house, so funny, one wanted to bump my head and give me noggin'

This week has gone very well!!!  We have our good friend SZ who officially quit smoking and will be baptized on Saturday!

Then Z2 looks very solid and willing to hit his goal of the 9th!!!

J is not showing much interest again, because he doesn't do the commitments...haha, he is at this wanka right now, which means he's probably playing lol or wow or something!

A X looks great too.  We took him and Z2 to a members house (our ward mission leaders) for FHE yesterday night and we had a spiritual then a game -- all fun and helped both feel very comfortable with members!!!

Ope darn it I've got to do numbers... be right back I hope!!!

I love you!!!

Love Drew

Brother Hansen...take a bus down to Nantou and come see me bear my testimony on Sunday, there is a bus from Taipei to Nantou...Probably only like three hours long ;)

Hey Mom, I am healthy and well...the sickness I felt two weeks ago wanted to come back with a headache and throw up several days ago...but I conquered the last wave, and should be well!!!

Ah -- stress, haha, I have learned to overcome, and am not worried by much anymore.  That being said, when my companion is stressed, I get a bit stressed simply because I am not them and therefore do not know exactly how to address their concerns.  But God does, and as I pray and tactfully predict their worries, I can help them and myself have fun and move on.  As for myself.  I've learned I have an incredibly PAINFUL Guilt complex that can be triggered on my mission; that's just to say, if I feel guilty for something, or make a mistake, then I can start feeling horrible both physically and otherwise.  So, haha: that kind of stuff dealing with Obedience stresses me sometimes if I let it.  Just because this is a sacred calling, and if I mess up on God's time, and representing his name, I feel really bad, and get down on myself.  Those times are few and far between though.

I have learned on my mission, when other usual stressed come, to grit it out with a smile, and pray for help, and work happy.  That has blessed me to maintain a better, stress-free time, emotionally and spiritually on my mission!!!

Thanks so much Mom...Hah, that really is the ONLY stress that gets me on my mission I feel -- stress I create for myself.  However, you are exactly right, God knows just what's right, and regardless of the frequency or amplitude of our choices...He wants to help us DO what's right, and make what's not already: right!

Only Satan wants me to have headaches and be not fully functioning.  Haha, those situations are pretty silly, and don't happen often but then just happened to be the week you asked me...probably because I needed that reminder, thank you so much!!!

Yay for General Conference!

It threatened to be so hot again last week, then cooled off this week...I don't particularly want to suffer the summer again, but it does have some perks...like water tastes a lot better, and the soaked (in sweat) days make for good journal entries and memories ;)

 

Caught in the rain!

Elder Jiang and I are still happy and healthy here, and the work is going well, we were able to help a-lot of the cool individuals we've met recently feel the spirit and accept Baptismal Goals.  We though, outside of these individuals, are very concerned and hopeful for several families we are teaching.  We hope and pray they can feel the Spirit as well, prioritize their lives, and bring their family righteously into the Eternities!!!  Not least of those families is the Zone family, we are still going strong and working to inspire and lift our zone missionaries!!!  It's going well!!!

One of our friends disappeared, very sad. Last week his cell phone just became somebody else's, super weird.  The new guy doesn't know him, doesn't have any idea, and doesn't speak great chinese, so I think he is like a Phillipino or Indonesian worker...prob indonesia because he speaks no English either...anyways we have to hunt for our old Bro. on the streets now, but no luck yet.

The other came to Conference.  Then we met him again just last night and taught the Word of Wisdom, the Law of Chastity, and the Law of Tithing all in one...he loved them.  And he will have Elder Smith interview him on Thursday at noon!!!  Pray for his continuing progression, he's great!!! :)

PY CAME TO CONFERENCE!!!  We brought him a poster from the Ward, and then we invited him to come on Saturday...and he did.  Now some members will be in contact!!! 

A sister sitting across from me, Sister Hong (Lisa), a single Mom of three kids, very nice and hard-working but also very funny, thought me watching conference in the back with my wool socks was hilarious...so she took a picture, and I had her email to you instead of me!!!  Glad you got it.  We've finally had some wet rainy days recently, hence the wool socks!!!

Conference was so so so so so so good, I think it always will be, but it's up to the individual what they will take out of it!!!

I especially loved Elder Michael Ringwood's talk about Shiblon and Zone leaders (or not)...it was a great reminder to be good people, no matter our circumstances!  So important!!!  I loved Uncle Pearson's Talk too, Every day every day every day!!!!!  So well put!!!  Then Poor president Monson, yes, his body's hurting, but he was so funny!!!  I also really loved Elder Cook's address: He talked about us following Christ like an obedient and beautiful sunflower, then he also coincidentally talked about an Uncle Vaughn (not Ransom) who was killed at sea, very touching.  Going on to say FAMILIES are the thing, everything!!!  So true!!!!  I loved his testimony, he also said the Church is Stronger than ever, quelling doubts/rumors...now let's just keep getting stronger!!!

Meet in EUGENE?!?!?!?!?!  SO COOL!!!  No Pasco, yeah bummer, but Oregon will be sweet...I bet Coach Mahoney is especially excited!  Rock it Trev, and Own that 15 pole, you got it!!!!!  I didn't try it early enough in the season, and it bit me at state...ahhhh, but you got it, jump hard!!!  Love DRew

Feel free to snag me  in Seattle...as far as I'm concerned, I'm yours to snag!!!  As long as I'm with you, I'll be fine anywhere.  And as for a missionary at a track meet...you bet I'll do it!!!

I'll ride a bike from Provo to Spokane just to have Easter with you Mom and Dad!!!

And Conference touched on many things, not the least of which it looks like, yes...looks like I should get married when I get back...but not before Kyle for sure, I'll follow his example of dating well and gentlemanly :)  

You bet we met with J this week, he himself is great, but he associates with some bad influence friends, not in bad substances, but just apathetic lazy friends, so please pray he will follow the spirit and hit his goal of May 9 for baptism!!!

Love You,

Love Drew

Basketball, bad milk, and Soaring Spirit!

I accidentally drank some bad milk or ate some bad bananas this morning...but despite the state of my head and stomach, My Spirit is Soaring!!!

The highlight of our week was certainly J's Baptism!!!  It went great!!!  Member support, he was all ready, his non-member Mom came and supported him, the Bishop and J both bore great testimony, I showed everyone "Because He Lives," in Chinese of course, and the Spirit was there!!!

We had a little scare right before the baptism because our water went down big time without anyone even touching the drain...but we got it fixed and luke warm water at that point was perfect because the weather is getting so hot now a days here in Taiwan.  Chen Rong, a great young man preparing for his own mission baptized J!!!  Super great!!!

J himself said he wants to go on a mission also as we taught him this week!!!  That makes me so happy, I hope he is a recent convert like Pierrick!!!  (maybe he'll even serve in Africa!)  Haha, he is so great!!!

After J's Baptism, we got to give a priesthood blessing to a former investigator, who, for whatever reason LOVES coming to church activities but has no interest in getting baptized or believing...hmmm.  But As Elder Jiang blessed him, I felt lots of strength come from the words and the Spirit.  The next day he came to church, sat behind me, and as soon as our Easter Sacrament was over...he said "Luo zhanglao (Elder Brown), I want to take the lessons again." then "can we meet this Wednesday, and I'd like to review the Sabbath day and the law of Tithing."  Ummm...YES!  Who says that???  I'm very excited, because I know the power of the spirit, and the word of God, worked on him to the point that he realized he really does have a desire to come closer to Christ!!!

That really is our goal in life.  No matter who we are, no matter what we do, as Moroni states in Moroni 10:32: ...Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

All of us need this, we just need to realize that our hearts have been longing for it much longer than our minds have known!!!  If you think you feel that desire, want to learn more, or don't know what I'm talking about: email me your address and current phone number.  I can invite your missionaries to visit you!!! Drew.brown@myldsmail.net

Earlier that Saturday, I played Basketball with some new members, young men, and investigators.  It was a blast, and I think I sweated out the last of my sickness.  Better tell the Elder's quorum back home to get ready...I play basketball like Jeremy Lin (LA Lakers - he's Taiwanese[AND he's christian]) now!

Right before that b ball activity, we actually got invited to eat Spring rolls with a family who was having a family reunion of sorts!!!  The Zhu family!!!  They were pretty good, not as good as Mom's cooking though!!!  And the get together was cool to chat with the family, three of whom came from Taipei and are not members!  (the young boy of one of those families played basketball with me afterwards!)  Anyways, they all loved me describing our family reunions!!!

This last week during the other times, Elder Jiang and I taught Z and G who both are quitting smoking this week and set for baptism on the 25th!!!  Both are humble and doing well, they both need the blessings of a healthy gospel life so bad!!!  One emergency though, G has changed his cell phone...and we can't get a hold of him right now...I'm sure he does not mean this, cause he loves meeting with us, but we need to find him soon, haha, Mission...Impossible!!!  I think not!!! ;)

We have a good pool of like 20 people we've found recently who are all able to meet and willing, but, Elder Jiang and I want to help all of them feel the spirit and be willing to keep commitments now, and then also help our zone do the same!!!  We will!!!

Elder Jiang and I have an even broader focus group though, and it's not just investigators: We prayed and fasted for inspiration as to how we can help our Zone become powerful "tools in the hands of the Lord."  That is our my biggest desire right now. 

How are we going to do it??  We've already been given the answer, nothing needs to change drastically.  Things just need to be done, and they need to be done Right, and most importantly, with the Spirit.  We are going to exchange, train, practice, challenge, follow-up, and inspire the socks off of the 中興Zone.

We trained the Zone on Thursday morning, instead of Tuesday, haha because our stake sprayed bug poison in all of our chapels on Tuesday!  It went well though!!!

Also I am healthy I believe!!!

I have barely ever had milk on my mission, but Elder Jiang really likes it, and we had some I drank to finish this morning, and then Elder Jiang pointed out it was expired...ahhhhh...so I don't know if that was it or not, but my stomach was not good this morning!  Now I'm over the stomach, the cold, and everything though, so I should be GOOD TO ROLL!!!  Also, pray for me -- the Taiwan heat is upon us, I was dripping sweat the last two days...winter time always makes me forget how HOT Taiwan gets!!!

Haha, speaking of I DID get my own Easter Basket!!!  I LOVED IT, WE LOVED IT, and no worries...P hasn't seen the dangerous duck and bunny-fighters ;)

I realized how much I love sixlets...太久沒吃了！

Nice hiding spot Mom!!!

Oui. Le Cote d'Ivoire Temple, SUPER!!!

Speaking of French, or Speaking French ;)

Kyle, do you know that Frere qui a dans la "Because He Lives" video???  Je l'ai vu, et il est certainement Francais...looks familiar too?!?!?!

YES, I'm so so so happy for Brother Brown!!!! :)

Thank you so much for your prayers, for P, everyone else, and me!!!  I will finish strong, it's time to turn my kick into top gear!!!

Wahooooooo!!!

Love Drew

P.S. Speaking of top gear, I really would love to get with brother hunter and anyone else (trevor, you guys, corey...oh, he's a missionary, huh?) and do a sweet bike race in the summer.  I remembered Bro Hunter talked to me about triathlons before or something...just thinking how fast I could go on a roadbike now...

Love you all,

WAhooooooo!!!!

Love Drew

On Friday, we played Board games, switched our exercise activity over and played games with investigators, haha!!!  Elder Jiang brought some familiar, some new games, so so so fun!  I miss playing good old family nights at home!!!

We did have two amis at church with us:

First is a new investigator that we started teaching this week.  He has a very hard life, no work, smokes with money from friends, went to church when he was younger, and is just a body falling apart.  But it amazing to see through the roughness, he is a smart man, and has a soft and humble heart.  THe is about 50 or 60 ba!  He meets with us at the McDonalds in Caotun, and this last Friday and Sunday we had a member drive him to the Church to attend Institute Scripture Study, and then Church!  He said he loves them both!!!  He's a good soul, in a rough waibiao!  Please pray for his health and esp. to quit smoking!!!  Everyone smokes in Taiwan...ahhhhhh!!!

Next is votre ami, Z -- also struggling with Smoking...but he is so great!  He lives in ZhongXing very close to the Church and he recently was injured at work, I talked of him last week I think!  He is well on his way to a 4/25 goal!!!  They both are!!!

The Bishop met them this week and then on Sunday we had a great Ward Council, best I've attended in Taiwan!  We talked about much more than just our missionaries' efforts alone.  We made plans to help MEMBERS do missionary work!!!  It's funny, things like FB and greeting someone you don't know every week at church, and split home teaching with the missionaries were all brought up.  Some things were more basic than others, but all were so useful, and I could see just how we can improve so much in our ward!!!  We'll now get them underway!!!

Our Sacrament meeting was also all about this missionary work for members!!!  I hope they latch on, cause us four in the ward could never be as influential as the 100 active souls who live here!!!

J is getting baptized this Saturday!!!  I almost forgot, I don't know how...I thought he wanted to move to the tenth, but he came back on Sunday and said: This Week!  WOW!!!  Pray for J, he's so prepared, great and fun!!!  And he is Trevor's age too, next step -- the family!!!

Alright, we haven't seen the X Famille yet this week, they had to change!

But the L family we saw last night.  So stubborn, believes in God, he just says he doesn't believe man and therefore doesn't believe in Baptism...

We were pretty BOLD with him last night, and shared scripture references about Trusting in God, and then as well about commandments both to come to church, and to get Baptized by an authorized servant of God.

I told Li, because he said he believes the Book of Mormon is True : You cannot believe the Book of Mormon is fully true, nor God as described therein is a God who expects nothing from us, if you've truly studied, pondered, and prayed sincerely about its contents.  So that's where we turned him back to, the Keystone of our Faith.  “The book of Mormon ins the Keystone of our religion and a man can get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts than by any other book.”

Oh some tidbits to close:

Kyle - that Chinatown tie you got for me, besides me loving it, EVERYONE says how good it looks, so thanks!!!  Love You!!!

Edler Jiang and I are going to do a Zone Training on Tuesday because our zone needs inspiration, we're going to emphasize unity, diligence, skills, and of course all possible through our FAITH!!!  I'm excited!!!  (that computer was our mission presidency member loaned to us to use for the Easter initiative presentation, that will also be a part!!! #becausehelives, SO COOL!!!)

Then, I need to get with Bro Hunter to sign up for a bike race when I get back...ride a road bike :)

Love Drew

What else, ah yes,  I've been down with a cold this week, well, not really down, but stuffed, tired, and dizzy, but I'm coming out of it...haha, for our English class, I showed them Prophet of the Restoration in English because my voice was being lost!  I'mm doing good now though, thanks for your prayers!!!

I love you all!!!