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