Too Many Mangoes

Hello Everyone,

This past week here in Taidong was overall good. We some good successes and few downers, but overall I feel that Elder Niedfeldt and I worked our hardest and that is what counts. 
Some highlights of the week though were:
Meeting again with a recently returning LA's and her son who is our investigator. In the beginning, he was pretty closed up to praying with his mom and would tell her that he didn't want to come to church, but we met last saturday and learned that they prayed together this last week 2 or 3 times and the he is liking church more and more! He is slowly opening up to the gospel, its a miracle! I really feel that this is a huge blessing for his mom and him as she is becoming more and more active also. We really hope to help him be baptized in June. 
We also have been meeting with this 70 year old man and he is super willing to listen to our message. Its been a challenge to help him really understand it clearly as its so foreign to him but he is warming up nicely, has set a baptismal date, and is excited to come to church this coming Sunday. If we can help him quite smoking, I think he will get baptized for sure!

The Zhuang Family is also doing well. The 2 daughters came to church this past week, but the mom did not. This week were are focusing more on teaching the commandments. Its interesting how here in Taiwan that one of the harder commandments for people to accept is the 10 commandments because #1 says to only worship Heavenly Father. In Taiwan, many people believe there are thousands of gods and that even there ancestors are gods. I have noticed that the best way to help the understand that we are to only worship Heavenly Father is by helping them have their our spiritual experiences through prayer and communicating with him. Its pretty interesting. I hope all goes well when teaching them this on Tuesday!

Its been pretty hot here lately, but we also had a sweet miracle! Yesterday as we were doing studies at home someone knocked on our door. We opened it to find a little boy and girl holding this big bag of mangos. The said they were neighbors for the floor below and that the had grown too many mangos this season so they wanted to give us some. They were huge! I ate one yesterday and man it was delicious. I will attach a picture to the email.

Well that's pretty much it for some of the bigger highlights of the week.

Elder Niedfeldt and I are continuing to work hard and hope to see much success.

Hope everyone has a great week at home.

Love,

Elder Bastian

Reflecting on the Mission

Hello Everyone!

Its been a pretty good week here in Taidong.

Here are some of the highlights/big news from this past week:

We were blessed with 3 new investigators that all came from member referrals! This is the first time its ever happened since I've been on the mission and whats even better is that they all seem pretty interest. We really hope to be able to work with these members to help the friend/ family be able to progress towards baptism. I know that member missionary work is sooo crucial to help people come unto christ! When and investigators has a friend by his side to answer his questions and encourage him along the way, the probability for them to join the church is so much higher. Then the member and friend can both rejoice in the blessings that have come from this gospel. 
We are also continuing to work with the Zhuang Family. They are so great. Once again they came to church as a whole family! Its their 4th time now. They are continuing to progress and will definetly be baptized in time. They are just trying to resolve some family opposition with the Grandmother. We are going to bring a member on tuesday that struggled with family opposistion at first, but over came it, to help them out.
Sadly, we had to pass Brother Wang off to the 2nd Branch down here in Taidong because we figured out the house that he is living in with his family is actually not in our area. We had been meeting at his Shop and I though he also lived right by, but he doesnt. Its ok though! He is still awesome and I know the missionaries in the 2nd branch will take great care of him.
Last insight:

This week I have been reflecting back on what the mission has done for me and it made me think of something my best friend's dad (Brother Brown) said to me before I left on my mission. He told me that one thing I should do while I am on my mission is to love every single one of my companions that I will have, no matter who they are. That is something that I have strived to take to heart and can say that I feel I have done well. I understand more and more why he told me that. Although we have ups and downs with each companion I have found that loving them and learning how to work with them and interact together has been so beneficial, not only for the work now, but I have really felt that it is preparing me for when I am married and will be with my wife. Its hard to explain in words, but I know that because of the mission and striving to love each companion I am better prepared to be with an eternal companion! So cool!
Well I thought I would share that insight with you, since its been something I have been thinking about lately. The mission really is a training ground for life! And NO, I am not trunky! This is just something I have learned and thought I could share.

This about sums it up for the week!

Love you all,

Elder Bastian

Third Celestial Bridge

Sorry time is a little bit shorter today, so I won't be able to write a lot! We are heading out to a famous tourist spot on the beach that a member is taking us to. It's called the 3rd Celestial Bridge. I hear it's super pretty so I will send pictures next week.

Highlights of the week:

My companion got hit by a scooter this past week and they both crashed! He is OK and only a little scraped up. The people that hit him were two 80+ year old people. I hope they are OK as they are much more frail. I know that the Lord really does send angels to protect us because this accident could have been much worse!

Elder Forbes and my companion met with Brother Wang this past week as I was on exchanges. They say that he seems to be much more on board with everything lately and even in the lesson asked what all the commandments were so he could know how to obtain the blessings that God wants to give him. So cool! I really hope he gets baptized this month.

We also did service for one of Elder Forbes' recent converts, this funny 60 year old sister who lives up on the mountain. We were moving some beds and things for her at her house and we found a spider that was huge! About 4 inches in width! It was funny to see supposed "missionary men" turn into little girls! Ha-Ha. Gladly, we smashed him good after we cornered him! Overall the service was a success.

This is about it for the week!

Hope everyone has a great week at home! Love you all!!!

Elder Bastian