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!!!

Making the Most of the last 3 Months in Taiwan

Well...it's Monday here...did BYU and the Zags win??? ;)

So cool that Sorella Yost is home from Italy, haha -- my friend, Eric, in Italy, same mission as Alli, asked me to "put in a good word" for him, hahahahaha.  I guess Alli was pretty impressive as a missionary too! 

Work is much more productive split back into two areas, although I miss MingJian and the miracles we saw...this is better!!!  Speking of, my new friend in MingJian now with Elder Gathright is a good nice guy named Elder Smith...Elder Brendan Smith.  Let's just say all our relatives should look at my pictures this week of the guy I'm with when I'm in my Captain America garb...His last date before his mission was with a cute girl named Paige Montague...

D will get BAPTIZED on Saturday!!!!!  ....at 7:00pm :)  We are so excited for him.  This week we met several times even with his Monday through Friday in Taichung for College (he studies at DongHai, in my FengJia district).  We were able to help him understand the beautifully simple doctrines of the Gospel, as well as confirm his desire to get baptized.  D is a really chill dude, about the same age as me, and doesn't do much besides study, play, and play some more.  But one of the biggest reason's D has decided to get baptized is because he's following the great example of a friend: Jie Yu (Eng name is Ammon ;).  This Jie Yu is a sweet guy, only member who really plays frisbee super well in our ward activites.  D has seen Jie Yu since they've been classmates and friends in Middle School.  He knows that when we don't drink (alcohol, coffee, or tea), smoke, or do drugs WE ARE HEALTHIER, HAPPIER, AND MORE CAPABLE.  He also knows when we keep ourselves morally clean having no inappropriate relationships before marriage, we are SET FOR A HAPPY FOREVER FAMILY LIFE!!!  He believes that when we read our scriptures daily, pray often to our Father in Heaven, and keep the Sabbath day holy, WE ARE BLESSED MORE THAN WE CAN IMAGINE!  He has come to know these things because of a good friend, a strong example whom he admires and wants to emulate, and that friend is a living example of the Gospel Truths above!!!

More importantly, D has come to know these things because he has felt the Holy Ghost testifying these things are true.  WE CAN ALL KNOW THESE THINGS FOR OURSELVES, AND I HOPE ALL OF MY FRIENDS WILL KNOW THAT I KNOW THESE THINGS ARE TRUE!!!  We know of these beautiful truths because of the restoration of the Gospel.  D understands that Joseph Smith was an instrument in the hands of God to restore a FULLNESS OF TRUTH onto the Earth in these days.  The Book of Mormon is evidence of that restoration...but you got to read it to know (not just see musicals with the same name, or google it online).  We have a living Prophet on the Earth today who recieves revelation from God to BLESS OUR LIVES AND FAMILIES TODAY!!!  I love that.  D does too, and that is why he is getting baptized by someone holding the proper authority.  In fact: Everyone who knows...loves it, so COME AND KNOW if you don't yet!

We are so excited to see Peter this week...haha, we went to his house this week because his nephew was there taking care.  He had us skype with Peter, haha, "Recent Convert Lesson???"  But yes Mom, they showed me a picture of that innocent nerf gun...haha, I guess the chinese are simply not familiar with plastic/styrafoam firearms.  Peter insisted it would be very dangerous for any who used it, be it me or his grandson.  So he was curious what he should do with the object so as to avoid potential harm...  No matter what English or Chinese or Sign Language or role play Ender Turner and I used, we could not convince him of the innocence and safety of such a contraption...haha, c'est la vie a la chine ;)  Peter should be back on the twelfth I believe, he can come support D :)  He's sounded lonely in America besides talking with you, so thank you so much!!!

After Church we booked it to our Stake Center to meet with the Stake Presidency and discuss The Work of Salvation here in our Zone and Stake. :)  Thank you so much for that reminder... we have no lessons set up for tonight, except for a quick tour perhaps (as we were running this morning, we met a nice lady who lived once in New York and knew the Mormons.  She is from Taipei though, and so we offered to show her the Church tonight before she returns up North.  Hope we can refer her to sisters up there), so maybe we can go visit Sister Li tonight (after that miracle tour)!!!

(Elder Brown and Elder Turner teaching their ZONE -
one of them obviously said something funny)

Speaking of, RUNNING is going very great...much better than any other time on my mission.  Elder Turner and I are up early every morning, and we are running hard days and easy days.  I did sprints on the Track last week...and lets just say....I was the fastest one there...but perhaps because my competitors were grandmas and grandpas who can't sleep very well so they come in the wee hours of the morning to the school track to walk and chat.  So Kyle and Trevor I'll need some TRAINING when I get over there ;)  I love running with Elder Turner though, it's great.  Might I give a shout out to Aunt Sabrina -- several years ago she taught me running downhill backwards works different muscles...ummm, I testify that what my aunt said is true.  I ran a mile or so backwards down a mountain and my calves have never been in so much tight pain for three or so days.  She might've taught me that the winter I had my hernia surgery, and so I was not too keen on more pain at the moment! ;)

By the way Brother Schenneman, the patch is doing good...in fact I like it so much maybe you can do another one for me some time....................................JUST KIDDING :)  Hope your family's all well!

Our Zone lost Elder Brian Otte...yes, SAD.  But I am confident he will thrive wherever he goes, and our zone is on the rise as well.  Finding as well as goals/dates for conversion/baptism all went up this week!!!  Great things are coming.  I had a unique opportunity, well less so for a Zone Leader, to go to ChangHua this week ans do a Baptismal Interview for a 20 year old guy who will also get baptized this weekend over there.  He was so prepared!!!  He's in a picture with me somewhere after the window picture.  Great spiritual experience and he is in the proccess of bringing his two sisters to know the Church and the Gospel as well.  Beautiful.  I love the young spirits who join the Church.  What I love even more is seeing entire families joining and then working together for an eternal family TEMPLE goal!!!  The Best EVER!!!  I love my Family, and am so grateful we'll be together forever!!!

Love Elder Brown

Love Drew

Big Blessings this week!!!

Big blessings this week!!!

WE MET WITH H!!!  We went over on Saturday night as scheduled, and we shared about Temples and Eternal families just as we had planned.

His wife, told us he usually runs when missionaries come and visit, but we've become such good friends that he's planning on staying this Saturday.  Yes, step one!!!  We really have been getting really close.  We saw them at so many dinners with members, nice, that helped us get in.  Then, inside, we planned to follow the Spirit and invite him to very simply come to church, find out how these things could bless his family, ultimately prepare for eternal happiness from the Temple of God!!!

We overcame any fear or previous hesitation left by missionaries!  We taught, we brought the Spirit, we invited!!!  It was great!!!

Unfortunately, as happens in life, as well as in many blockbuster films of the century...We hit a bump.  After that friendly night, we left, and H did not come to church...expected because he said he doesn't feel to change yet.  But worse, his wife found me and said H does not want us to come back to their house again.  He said just plain simple "No"  I asked if he was angry, and thankfully she said no.  But he's just not ready yet, and nor does he want to be pushed!!!  Sad, but I feel confident it was a miracle we got in once.  His wife said other missionaries came and backed down before, not even sharing the Gospel.  We didn't!  She said we were very brave.

I know we shared a loving message of God and His plan for His children, all of us, including H.  I know God, our loving Father, wants us to be Happy.  His Son Jesus Christ is that way to happiness and Eternal Life!  Though H does not understand that now, I feel confident he will later.  And the family will be sealed in the Temple by Proper Priesthood Authority, then live together forever in God's Kingdom.

No other blessing or promise is greater than this!  I am so grateful to know these truths, and I hope you know them too.

I am excited beyond measure for the exciting changes in the mission, especially our zone!!!

Yes, there are a lot of pictures today, huh?!!!

Chen Yong Zhou is the man in the wheel chair (Drew baptized him when he first came to Taiwan)!!!  He was so excited to see me, and he's doing well himself but has not been able to ride his wheelchair to church in the winter...it's got to be such a hard life, so different from mine I was thinking this week!  He's a good guy, and I hope to keep close contact as well as support as long as I'm here in Nantou!!!

So, that new missionary is also from Mingjian.  The Mingjian Branch was formed seven years ago, and this Elder Zhuang is the FIRST missionary to leave!!!  He is going up to Taipei, and will leave in July...ahhhh!!!

Crazy thing is that this boy is part of a family that I taught many times while in mingjian...but he went off to college.  The family is still working on Sunday and thus not able to come to church, but their boy must've had a great college ward, and I have no doubt his mission will rock his family!!! 

Haha, yes, I saved my pocket, haha!!!  But I seemed to do terribly poor in all those jumping pictures...I was the one pressing the camera, then running back and jumping together, but, haha,,,kept missing the cue!

CO monitor tested and working every week!!! ...and we check with our zone to make sure everybody's is!!!

My red suitcase - ...it should hold up...it's just so humid here that mold snuck on in a month or so only!!!  It is way beat up...but I was hoping I could make it work...It probably will be garbage either here or there though, so if you want me to get a nicer one to bring home, I probably could, might be cheap...#madeinchina??? ;)

Oh Yes, and those plants are Dragon Fruit we saw on our way to Jiji!!!  They need more light than the daytime gives them, therefore...they have that artificial light 24hrs.  Those are the really red fruits that look like they’re from the Garden of Eden!!!

Haha, I think Elder Gathright had my camera for a while and I don't even know all the pictures origin, but I trust they're all good ;)  Better than just a bunch of selfies, haha...domo origato gasarita chodo!!!  ...I've been picking up Japanese here and there...:)

Love Drew

Yeah BYU...RISE AND SHOUT!!!!!  WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love Elder Brown

Love Drew