Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Jared 7-12

Hello Family!
First responding to everyones comments:
Of course I'm having fun! Everything out here in Taiwan is just amazing. Its like you know how life supposedly goes through phases? Like you have the honeymoon phase, then the hate everything phase, then the okay grin and bear it phase, then the endure to the end and make the best. Ever heard that? (We heard it about 3 times in the Missionary Training Center) Well I'm not really sure what happened to my mission experience because I either just skipped the bad parts and went straight to the endure to the end, or I'm just stuck in Honeymoon phase. Either way I love it!
You all are getting a beach condo?! That's so fun. Gongxi fazai :) (congratulations)
Haha Natalie asked me what my goals for my mission are, and well Natalie I have about a million goals... I have a goal for every aspect of my life divided into daily weekly monthly and Mission goals. I can tell you that my ultimate goal is to "invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ through Faith in the Savior Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, BAPTISM, gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end." (Missionary purpose) I strive to have everything I do help with that purpose.
I had a cookie a couple months ago. (Taiwanese) and 4 months ago (chocolate chip)
Congratulations on getting the blue car Natalie!
Every morning during personal study I always spend some time reading the Book of Mormon, most times I also read other scriptures, often study for the benefit of our investigators.
How is Nathan affording all these cool adventures? And can I go on some with him later?
Well things here in Taiwan Huwei are amazing. We're seeing a lot of miracles. One thing I learned recently is how weak man is. We as humans are weak. Almost everyone is captivated by something, that we personally cannot break from. We are weak. We need our Father in Heaven, you need your Heavenly Father. Fall to your knees and plead with him. Plead to have strength, plead to have power, plead for forgiveness. You are weak, but He is strong. Put an end to your pride and plead with your Father in Heaven with full purpose of heart, and it will be given you.
I love you.
-Elder Tate
Tang zhanglao

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Jared 6-6

Hello Family!
Mom you should know far better by now to think that the painting people would actually be finished anytime when they said they would be. For example, you had 2 sons that said they would take off the paint of your banister, and well, we're still working on that one. :P
Haha yes mother I could imagine that exactly how Heavenly Father thinks sometimes. Of course He would be more than willing to go on a walk with you at 6 in the morning, without any kind of complaining :)
Good for Natalie, and he choir program, how was her little party? And why dis the girls party go till midnight? Everyone knows the Holy Ghost goes to bed at 11! That's so fun that Miranda got to have a big party like that, did she have fun? Miranda did you have fun?
And of course everyone had fun playing with my old toys, did they go crazy on the little wobbler?
I wish the best of luck to the Weylands, I will definitely include them in my prayers, and if all else fails, Taiwanese realestate is actually quite a good deal, especially if you're looking for a hut on a mountain ;)
Everything here is doing amazingly. Elder Boyer and I have really been working hard. We've been focussing on working with the members in our ward a lot more, and as a result members this week have provided 17 friends and family members that missionaries will be contacting and sharing the gospel with. Our recent convert Liu2 Yuan2 Ji2 has really become active in missionary work. He almost everyday accompanies our lessons, and he's brought a number of investigators to church. It really is a blessing to see the gospel work through the hands of ordinary members. Mom I would testify to you that the best way to help your friend is to help her be active in God's church. (is she a member? I don't think so...) help her to be baptized, and watch as the Lord fulfills His promise being born again, and eventually spotless before the Father at the last day. I love this church, I love this Gospel. It brings people purpose, it brings people hope, but best of all, this Gospel brings people salvation.
I love you,
Elder Tate
Tang zhi qin zhanglao

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Jared goes to Costco

Hello!
Guess what I did today?! I went to Cosco! It was awesome. Is there a cosco by our house? Yeah sure, it was only like an hour bike ride there, then another hour back. but it was amazing! We ate pizza! (We never eat pizza) and I bought cosco muffins and a giant thing of chocolate milk, and my companion bought some brownie mix! its amazing... My companion has a membership card, and we all spent at least 500 kuai each. But it was so worth it :)
Our investigators are really good. We have a lot of people looking to be baptized on the day right before move call (move call is when some people change locations, and most likely I'll be moving next move call). Let me tell you about them:

You dixiong and his girlfriend zhang jiemei. Unfortunately these 2 live together, but they graduate from college on the 11th, and hoping they will get baptized and confirmed on the 18th right before going home.

Yang dixiong - he's a member referall from an inactive family that is coming back. He personally has a pretty sad past, with a job that overworks him. He has a strong desire to repent and be baptized, and is in the process of quiting smoking.

Guo bao yuan dixiong- I know I'm not supposed to play favorites, but if I were forced to.... it'd probably be him. He is a ten year old boy that self contacted us, rode his bike a half hour for our first meeting, has befriended everyone in his primary class, goes to a ton of other activities, but best of all, he wants to grow up to be a samurai warrior! It is so much fun spending time with him. :)

Then a handful of others that we are hoping will hit their goals for being baptized while I'm still here in the blessed land of taiping.
Elder Boyer and I are working hard and really seeing th blessings from it. Again we had 6 investigators attend church, it is such a blessing to see the fruits of your labor, but I know this is all the Lord's work. Lately we've received a lot of training on working with the ward, and honestly it is paying off. 4 of the six investigators this week we personally brought, or otherwised taken care of by the ward. Our ward is really doing some amazing things lately, I've seen a number of less actives come back to church, and our 10 year old bao yuan investigator has been taken under the wing of an amazing family in the ward. I realized that what the Lord asks of the members of the church is not to just occassionally accompany the missionaries lessons, or help them when they are at church, but he expects the members to incorporate these people into their lives. I've really seen how much of a difference it makes when members sacrifice, and imply these brothers and sisters in their lives. I know that as you, my friends and family back at home really sacrifice for the missionaries, and more importantly for their investigators you will see the work back in wards start to explode, and really see the Lord watching over your personal lives as well. So, would you all be willing to make sacrifices and do something different for the missionaries, and they're investigators?
I love you. I know that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ lives. 2 thousand years ago he died on the Cross, 3 days later he resurrected and about 1800 years after that he once again came down to Earth, and appeared to a young man looking for truth. This is the greatest message in the world, Share IT!
Love,
Elder Tate
Tang Zhanglao

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Jared May 2011

Wan an!
I'm in Taiwan! Have you ever been like in a place you've been for awhile and then look at it again and think like "... what in the world?" Yeah that's like my every month or so. It's like I'm talking to an investigator or something and half way through, or right after it will hit me that I just had a full conversation in Chinese. Sometimes people will ask me what just happened in that conversation, or ask about a word I said, and often I have no idea, it's just the Spirit understood what was going on and I am blessed to always have the Holy Ghost with me.
I'm a little curious about this birthday party thing. Are people allowed to wish Natalie happy birthday at Miranda's party? Or is Natalie even invited to Miranda's birthday party? :P
I do not understand your healthy habits thing. You can get 10 a day, then 2 at the end of the week for no chips and one for every 30 seconds off your mile. That means that Nathan had a perfect day everyday, didn't have chips, and thats a total of 72. So he also took 3 minutes off his mile?! Wow no wonder he is beating everyone.
I'd be interested to know the full rules, and what number I would start at. Because I automatically drink a ton of water, and work out daily. We don't have enough money for treats or chips, so just buy some fruit and I win! :D
Well Family! I love you! Everything in Taiping is amazing. We had the most investigators I've had a church this week (actually tired with another week) with 6. Our friend Zhao dixiong (The man that could really change his life by coming unto Christ) has expressed a few times that he doesn't really want to be baptized, nor give up his 2-3 packs of Cigarrettes a day, and we aren't sure how much longer we will be working with him. Then we also have, You dixiong, who for the past couple weeks has brought his girlfriend with him everytime, and we discovered they actually live together (they're only 22). And he also doesn't want to give up another addiction. Then I've also seen investigators like liu dixiong who instantly gave up his tea, coffee, alchohol, binlang and smoking in a matter of days. That really testifies to me that some things the Lord asks are not easy. Satan's grasp can almost seem inescapable. But once you personally decide what to do, you just have to do it. If you choose the Lord's way he will help you accomplish it, you just first have to decided to do it. I know that God gave us our agency so that we can choose, and learn and progress, and he is excited to help us choose right.
I love you all!
-Elder Tate
tang zhanglao

Monday, May 16, 2011

Taiwanese Rain

Hello Family!
That's great about your writing Mom. I think you should always be enjoying it. Whether it's work or not you should definitely be enjoying what you're doing. One thing I've learned out here is they don't always have to be separate. In fact, they should be put together. Missionary work, especially out here, is hard work. It's very tiring, and very draining, it's quite frankly, work. But it's fun. For example the other day it started raining. But don't worry, it wasn't just a slight drissle. It was Raining. But don't worry, I forgot my raincoat. All of my tracts and everything I had with me (except my scriptures and what not which was safe in the box attached to my bike) was almost completely ruined, but I can tell you right now, looking back that was the funnest day last week. Riding around still talking to everyone, everyone complaining about the rain (Taiwanese people hate the rain) and we were just riding around soaking wet having the time of our life. Anything is fun when you have the right attitude :D
Good for Natalie's choir! That's amazing! I had a lot of friends in choir, and they never won state or anything good for you Natalie!
And mom I don't if this changed while I was gone, but you don't have any convertibles, and you still cram more than you need to in your little car :P
This last week we met a very interesting investigator. His name is zhao, and he doesn't have a job. For the last 8 months or so his dad has been paying for his livelihood, paying for his little tiny apartment, paying for the little amount of food he eats, and paying for his about 40 to 50 ciggarettes a day. He lives a life in solitude. No friends, not much contact with his family, no mode of transportation, just him in his little appartment and 2 baby chickens he jst recently bought. We've been working with him, and we got him a nice white shirt, a tie, and a ride to church. He loves chruch, read first Nehpi on the first day we gave him a Book of Mormon. He's already starting to change a lot, and I'm excited to see what kind of instrument the Lord will turn him into. I know that regardless of our past mistakes, regardless of how lost, or poor we are, the Lord will always be there. He is always standing with his arm stretched out to help us. I love Him for that.
I love you!
-Elder Tate
tang zhanglao

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Jared 4-18

Hello Family!
Happy burn money and make loud noises day! hahaha, today is a Chinese God's birthday (I assume) so everyone's outside burning they're money for the ancestors and blowing firecrackers! It was really quite the hoot the first couple times they did it (it's a God's birthday at least once a week), but today it seems just a little bit louder than normal :P
Answer some questions:
Favorite Mormon movie is The Testaments.
My Trainer was always impressed by my Chinese, but honestly my first couple days I really didn't understand too much. Just because the accents different here, and well it's Chinese :P Now I am no where near fluent, but I am dilligently working to speak as the natives do :)
My Favorite Hymn is Lead Kindly Light. (I believe Hymn #69)
Natalie I am not able to tell you what you should do when it comes to having a zero period, or taking summer classes. I personally wish I had done summer classes, and zero period.
Miranda I'm sure you can handle church, a job, drama and school. One thing I've learned on my mission is that there is time to do anything. But you really have to think about priorities. What's most important, and are you willing to sacrifice for that?
Taiwanese people don't really like really sweet things, and I'm too poor to buy candy. Easter came and went, nothing too big.
Yes I keep a Journal.
Sorry Mom, I still don't know what's going on for Mother's day. I don't know how or when I'll call you. It'll probably not be the most convienant time for you, but I'll let you know next week :)
Thank you everyone for you love and support. I would really like some more pictures though. I'm pretty sure you can send it though email (Nathan sent some earlier) but I'd really love it if you sent me some hard copies too.
I love you all. I'd like to close with my testimony, that everything is really in the Lord's hands. This last week we've kind of been struggling finding willing people, and helping them progress to baptism. We do everything we can in this life, and when it comes down to it rely on the Lordto fill in the gaps. I know that our Savior Lord Jesus Christ is waiting with his hand outstreatched to help us fill in our gaps, he is waiting for us to plead for his help. In 1820 a 14 year old boy did plead help and as result God's true church is back on Earth. I am incredibly grateful for the faith of that boy. I love you all, and I love this Church.
-Elder Tate
Tang zhanglao

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Jared 4-11

Everything in Taiwan is amazing! We watched conference this weekend and that was super fun. Lots of sitting down this weekend, and then today we went to another all you can eat place.... but that's okay, I was healthy last week :) Actually my companion and I have been trying to eat healthier because we're in a part of town that has a lot of really cheap all you can eat rice places. And well let's just say that I haven't lost my MTC weight yet... and we're going to really start our diet on Wednesday because tomorrow we're going to another really nice sit down place. Taiwan is just amazing.
Did you all do anything fun for spring break? Besides build stuff, and putting off losing weight :P
One of the members in my ward (my companion's new member) found your blog, and reads my emails home, it's funny how much Missionaries are loved here.
Our investigator Liu dixiong got baptized on Saturday, he's so golden it's amazing. He loved general conference, and is excited to be confirmed next sunday. It's amazing how much faith these people have here. We are working with some golden people. Duan dixiong is amazing , we've been trying to work around his work a lot, but if everything goes as planned, this saturday he will be baptized and he definitely has the faith to take upon himself this amazing covenant. And our college friend Wang dixiong just passed his baptismal interview but he disappeared on Sunday, but he's good. He'll be baptised next sunday.
I don't know if you remember, but I'd really appreciate some pictures of you all :)
I love it here. I love the people, I love the work. My companion is on his last 4 weeks of his mission, and it really makes me think about who I want I want be, and how I want change while I'm here, and I know that through the Lord I can become whatever he asks of me, and I'm excited to change. As general conference said I plan on being the one who the Lord can rely on. I love you all. You are the one I can rely on. I love you all, I would like pictures of you :)
-Elder Tate
Tang zhanglao.