What a Week!
Date
May 21, 2017
Area
Zhong Li District, Taoyuen
Companion
Elder Gibson
What a Week!
This week was something else. Full of absolutely crazy experiences. It has really pumped me up for missionary work. First, I got to go on an exchange with a missionary in my district who is an exAP and is known for being a relentless worker. I was a little intimidated at first and kind of worried because the exchanges that I have been on with other missionaries that have that kind of reputation were exhausting, and very anxious people. My thoughts were "oh great another day filled with anxiety." I have wanted to learn how to be more "unweary" but I haven't found anything that has really been affective, and I knew that I would never be one of those missionaries that used anxiety as a motivator. Those people are incredibly hard workers, but that was just never something I could be. I didn't have the anxiety to do it. Well I went in to this exchange hoping with everything in me to be able to learn how to work relentlessly anyway. Man was I blown away. This missionaries methods were so simple but SO effective. Instead of planning a place to go finding, he planned a destination, and then started really far away and just talked to everyone along the way. Before that day, I couldn't spend more than an hour street contacting. I was just too worn out doing one activity for that long. That day we spent 3 and I wish we had had more time. I tried it again the next day without him, and 2 hours went by and my only thoughts were "dang I wish we had started earlier." It was wonderful!!!
Then on Saturday, we had the opportunity to be trained by several General Authorities that were here in Taiwan. Elder Soares, on of the Presidents of the Seventy; Bishop Waddell, of the presiding Bishopric; Elder Funk, of the Seventy; Elder Mills of the Seventy; 2 members of the area authority 70s; and Elder Quinton L Cook. It was an incredible opportunity and at the end Elder Cook shared his testimony. This is the second time I have heard an Apostle bear their testimony in a more intimate setting, and it was incredible. He knows the Savior. His testimony was very intimate and familiar with the Savior and then he told us that it was important for us to know that all of the members of the Quorum of the Twelve "were having those experiences." These men KNOW the Savior.
Then yesterday, was a pretty strange experience that I hope to never have again. We were in a lesson with a progressing investigator, and after we bore testimony about the nature of our relationship with God, he stopped speaking and started to slump a little. We realized something was wrong and we lowered him to the ground and called 911. He stopped responding to us but he was still breathing, although struggling, and he had a pulse. We figured he was having a stroke. We rode in the Ambulance with him and used his phone to call his wife. She came as soon as possible, and the doctor showed us the MRI of the blood pooling in his brain and then told her that her husband wouldn't make it. We waited with her until her son was there. We then shared a little bit about Eternal Families and then gave them our number if they needed anything. Later than night, we called President Jergensen to let him know what happened, and he told us to go back to the hospital and get their phone numbers. Well we went immediately to the hospital and we had a pretty cool experience. We were trying to cross the street and then all of the sudden my companion starts walking towards the cross walk (we were just going to jay walk). The cross walk wasn't super close, but we got there and waited for a little bit so we could cross. When we crossed, their was this man's family standing there. They asked us why we were there and we told them they were the reason. They asked how we'd know they would be right there, and we said we didn't but that God led us. The family then kind of grilled us about our relationship with their dad, and how long we had been meeting. After they asked a million questions, they said it was weird because he didn't believe in God or religion. Well we knew that he did. He wasn't 100%, but he believed at least in part. We then asked for their number, and they told us no haha. Thats totally ok, because we were able to answer some of their questions and show them that God cared for them. Yesterday was really quite the experience.
I know that our experiences lead and prepare us for our future. God doesn't leave us alone and he doesn't leave us unprepared. I am learning that more and more through life. Its amazing to me. I am so grateful for his loving support and the fact that he has given us Prophets and Apostles, who have a very familiar relationship with the Savior, to lead and direct us. God lives and loves us.
Then on Saturday, we had the opportunity to be trained by several General Authorities that were here in Taiwan. Elder Soares, on of the Presidents of the Seventy; Bishop Waddell, of the presiding Bishopric; Elder Funk, of the Seventy; Elder Mills of the Seventy; 2 members of the area authority 70s; and Elder Quinton L Cook. It was an incredible opportunity and at the end Elder Cook shared his testimony. This is the second time I have heard an Apostle bear their testimony in a more intimate setting, and it was incredible. He knows the Savior. His testimony was very intimate and familiar with the Savior and then he told us that it was important for us to know that all of the members of the Quorum of the Twelve "were having those experiences." These men KNOW the Savior.
Then yesterday, was a pretty strange experience that I hope to never have again. We were in a lesson with a progressing investigator, and after we bore testimony about the nature of our relationship with God, he stopped speaking and started to slump a little. We realized something was wrong and we lowered him to the ground and called 911. He stopped responding to us but he was still breathing, although struggling, and he had a pulse. We figured he was having a stroke. We rode in the Ambulance with him and used his phone to call his wife. She came as soon as possible, and the doctor showed us the MRI of the blood pooling in his brain and then told her that her husband wouldn't make it. We waited with her until her son was there. We then shared a little bit about Eternal Families and then gave them our number if they needed anything. Later than night, we called President Jergensen to let him know what happened, and he told us to go back to the hospital and get their phone numbers. Well we went immediately to the hospital and we had a pretty cool experience. We were trying to cross the street and then all of the sudden my companion starts walking towards the cross walk (we were just going to jay walk). The cross walk wasn't super close, but we got there and waited for a little bit so we could cross. When we crossed, their was this man's family standing there. They asked us why we were there and we told them they were the reason. They asked how we'd know they would be right there, and we said we didn't but that God led us. The family then kind of grilled us about our relationship with their dad, and how long we had been meeting. After they asked a million questions, they said it was weird because he didn't believe in God or religion. Well we knew that he did. He wasn't 100%, but he believed at least in part. We then asked for their number, and they told us no haha. Thats totally ok, because we were able to answer some of their questions and show them that God cared for them. Yesterday was really quite the experience.
I know that our experiences lead and prepare us for our future. God doesn't leave us alone and he doesn't leave us unprepared. I am learning that more and more through life. Its amazing to me. I am so grateful for his loving support and the fact that he has given us Prophets and Apostles, who have a very familiar relationship with the Savior, to lead and direct us. God lives and loves us.
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