Arrival in Taiwan

Noah arrived safely in Taiwan on Wednesday.  Although we have not heard from him yet, we have seen pictures on the mission president's wife's blog.

His second day there he dined on fish eyes and duck brain!

The below link is a video of Noah and the other new arrivals preaching and teaching on the streets of Taichung...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW4D6ruWbVs

Week 18

Last Week In Washington

This last week in Washington has been a good one, but it also has been hard. The weather started off a little rough, but has gradually (especially this last weekend) become beautiful. For my last day in Washington, the sky is blue and it's warm outside (relatively). I have been preparing to go to Taiwan most of the week and I am about ready to pack up and leave. I feel like I just got here, which is crazy because it's been over 2 months. But I am so glad I got the opportunity to serve in the Federal Way Mission.

I had the opportunity to prepare a little for biking in Taiwan this last Wednesday. We went on exchanges to a biking area in our district, and I got to bike all around Auburn. I realized how fun it was to bike, but I might need a little more practice before I get to the crazy biking streets of Taiwan. I also learned that it takes a couple days before you get.. comfortable riding a bike. Let's just say the first little while you are a little sore.

Then on Thursday I had the chance to do one last missionary splits in the Lake Holm Ward. That is one of the best things I will miss about Washington, the Lake Holm Ward. The people in this ward are all so awesome, and I love going out on Thursday with the Ward Missionaries. This week especially has made it a little bitter sweet to leave, because the Lake Holm church is tucked away in the big evergreen trees of Washington and the Sunday drive out there in the sun is beautiful. It will definitely be hard to leave Washington and all the great people of the Lake Holm Ward.

On Friday we got to go on exchanges again, but this time with the Zone Leaders. Elder Kim stayed in Lake Holm, but me and Elder Nelson went to the White River ward with Elder Eliason, the Zone Leader of the Auburn Stake. It was an interesting experience, but I feel like the people of White River are pretty mean. We were rejected by men all day and I was just ready to get back to Lake Holm. Just kidding, it wasn't so bad in White River, but it did help me realize how different people were just a few miles away. 

On Saturday morning we had a stake missionary breakfast. The Stake High Councilor who is in charge of missionary work invited all the missionaries in the stake to come and eat breakfast at his house, which, by the way, is enormous. (There are so many millionaires here, it's ridiculous. I think it's because we are so close to the Boeing headquarters, and amazon, and Microsoft, and basically a hundred other multi-billion dollar companys.) It's nice to go to these houses, but the people need to be humbled. I think the Seahawks defeat earlier this month was a good first step.

This last Sunday was sad- my last week in the Lake Holm ward. We were able to have a member dinner with a family in the ward who has fed us every month since I got here. Then I was even able to go on exchanges again to the Federal Way Stake to help again with a Chinese investigator. It helped me realize that.. well let's just say I am going to be a little lost when I get to Taiwan. But that's okay because I know the Lord will bless me as I try. 

I am so excited to go to Taiwan. I am leaving tomorrow morning at 5:15 from the mission office and after that I head to San Francisco. I don't know much about my travel plans besides that. All I really know is that I will be in Taiwan sometime the next day. I am going to miss this mission, and I am really glad I had the opportunity to serve here, but Taiwan here I come. Next week I will send pictures of my new area and companion and some pictures of me departing from Washington.

Love,

Elder Quist

Week 17

Taiwan Bound!
I have exciting news! I guess I have to share the whole story, because it is a pretty cool story and a testament to the fact that God answers prayers in mysterious and diverse ways. A couple of weeks ago, exactly a week from last Thursday, I had the opportunity to go to a Chinese restaurant. That day I was particularly anxious about my visa, and I prayed so hard that God would simply let me know when I would get my visa. It didn't have to be soon, I just didn't want to have to worry about it anymore. So I was at the Chinese restaurant, and as usual, I got a fortune cookie. Before I opened the fortune cookie I prayed to please let this fortune cookie give me some guidance about my visa. As I opened the fortune cookie I was surprised when my fortune read "At this time next week you will receive something long waited for". It was too good to be true! Could Heavenly Father answer my prayer through a fortune cookie?

As the week went on I heard no news about my visa. A week after that day at the Chinese restaurant, last Thursday, was the day the fortune cookie read I would receive my visa. Miraculously, I got a call almost exactly a week after, at the exact time I got my fortune cookie, that my visa had arrived. I was speechless! The Lord is merciful, he answers prayers, even if it isn't the way we expect him too.

So I will be leaving to Taiwan next Tuesday. I am excited, even though I will miss Washington. This last week has been particularly beautiful, it hasn't been too cold and the sun has been out all week. I think Washington is just giving me a going-away gift.

Another great thing that happened this last week was Zone Conference. President Eaton taught us about the gift of the Holy Ghost. He told us we all live under our potentials.  We have the companionship of the Holy Ghost, a member of the Godhead. If we live in accordance to the laws of God, we have the right to the power of the Holy Ghost and the gifts that come with it. Sometimes I think we forget how amazing it is to have the Holy Ghost.  He is not just a compass that points us to the right path when we make mistakes or when we are in danger, but he brings us comfort, teaches us eternal truths, and magnifies our gifts and talents. Through, and only through the Holy Ghost we can become the kinds of people we were supposed to become, Sons and Daughters of our Heavenly Father.  As members of the church, we have the glorious gift of the Holy Ghost, so we have to make sure we do not waste this great gift.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve a mission, because I have learned so much that I would have never known if I didn't serve my mission.

Thank you all again for the emails and letters. I will probably email you again before Taiwan, but if not, I will let you know how Taiwan is!

Love,

Elder Quist

Week 16

My Crazy Week

This week was different. Last Wednesday was pretty normal, we didn't have too many surprises. Thursday was basically the same. We had splits and we were able to teach a less-active family we have been teaching for a while. They are the Pantojas and they have been really active in the past. Brother Pantoja really wants his daughters to go back to church, but there has been something holding him back. We have been teaching him for about a month and trying to get him to come to church.

On Friday we had a lesson with a new investigator. His name is Eddie and he seems like a really nice guy. He sings in a Christian Rock band and he has a close relationship with Jesus Christ. He said he was open to us telling him more about our church. We taught him the restoration and the lesson was going really well, but right at the very end, where we would usually invite him to pray to know if Joseph Smith was a prophet, his entire family came running in the house and things got chaotic. We had to leave quickly and the spirit was lost. We are going back tonight and I hope we have a better chance to get him to feel the spirit. 

Then Friday I had the chance to go to a local community college to set up a booth about Institute. We worked with another companionship, the YSA Elders and in that companionship happens to be my old companion from the MTC, Elder Millet. So me and Elder Millet got to actually go contacting. We went around and tried contacting Chinese speakers, but no one would talk to us because it was pouring rain that night. 

Later that day, I had a unique opportunity. We have a family in our ward, the Russells, who invited someone to meet with us.  So Friday, during dinner, we went over and met them. It just so happens though, that the lady they invited over was from China!  She spoke Mandarin with me all night. I had the "opportunity" to teach her the restoration in Mandarin. It went well, but she said her life is very hectic right now, in preparation for Chinese New Year, but if I am still here after Chinese New Year she would be happy to meet again. 

Then on Saturday we went on exchanges, because Elder Kim is the district leader. We went on exchanges with Elder Lee Wen. It was supposed to be me, Elder Nelson, and Elder Lee Wen together, but the zone leaders called and told us one of the zone leaders were sick, and they needed one of us to sub in for him. Elder Nelson went to help them and it was just me and Elder Lee Wen. However, we had 2 set lessons that day with single sisters, and we can only visit single sisters if there are 3 males in the house. We had to rush to try and find someone to come to the lessons with us. One of the lessons actually cancelled, which was a blessing, and the other we got a ward missionary to come with us. Everything was peaceful again, until we had an investigator call us and tell us he needed our help. So me and Elder Lee Wen rushed to our investigator's house, who had relapsed again and was extremely drunk. Me and Elder Lee Wen spent an hour chasing around a drunk guy and trying to figure out what to do with him. 

On Sunday we exchanged back, and I was back with Elder Kim and Elder Nelson. However, early in the morning the zone leaders called again, and said one of the zone leaders was still sick. So now it was my turn to go. For the rest of the Sunday, I was a zone leader and I got the opportunity to see what the zone leaders do. 

And to top off the entire week, Sunday night a different zone asked if I could go on exchanges with them to help teach a Chinese lady who is investigating the church. I was able to go over and I taught her the restoration. I pray that she understood most of it and I hope she felt the spirit. 

A pretty crazy week for me. I was stressed through some of it because I felt like I was running around the whole time, but the Lord blessed me and I could feel the extra strength He was giving me to overcome my trials. I know that if we consecrate our lives to the Lord, we will never "run out of juice" but we will be continually fed by the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Love, 

Elder Quist

Week 15

Another really fast week has gone by! Washington is as beautiful and as wet as ever! I am so glad for our car... but I guess I should probably get ready for never having a car in Taiwan.

This week we were able to do a lot of member missionary work. We started a new training that involves us going over to members' houses, and sharing a quick message with them, then asking them who they think they should share the gospel with this week. We have had a lot of really powerful experiences of members coming up with names they have never even considered until then. It just shows that we have no idea who is prepared for the gospel, but the spirit does know, and when we rely on the spirit we can become the member missionaries we are meant to become. I know that you all must have a name, whether it is a nonmember or a less active, that you can help bring the restored gospel to. I challenge you all to do that, because let me tell you, missionary work is not a burden, but rather an opportunity the Lord has given us to participate in the salvation of mankind. I challenge you just to try it out, and see how you feel when you do. 

This last week I didn't get the best opportunity to work with the investigators we recently met. There is opposition in all things, and as soon as we have an investigator feel the spirit and want to meet up with us again, something happens in their lives that stops them from meeting with us. It's all right though, because at least we got to work with some of our previous investigators. 

One of these investigators is a man who is named Keith. He is 26 and lives right across the street from the church building. He has been investigating the church for a while, and he really wants to change his life. The problem is he has a word of wisdom problem.. Well it's more than a problem, alcohol has basically ruined his life. He is handicapped because of early-age alcohol abuse. As we have met with him over the last couple of months, we haven't see much progress in his desire to get baptized. However, a few weeks ago we felt impressed to introduce him to a guy in the ward, Brandon. Brandon has also had some Word of Wisdom problems in his life, but has recently overcome a lot of them. As soon as Brandon and Keith met, there was an instant connection. Since they met, we have had multiple lessons with both of them, they are both reading the Book of Mormon, and Brandon has offered to baptize Keith. We now have a date set up for Keith's baptism on the 21st of March. This experience helped me realize how important members are in missionary work. When we meet with people, we are usually really nice people who want to help them, but when members get involved, the investigators then have a friend who genuinely cares about them, and supports them through this tough gospel transition. This friend makes all the difference for the investigator.

Another of these previous investigators is Marge McGreggor. She is an older lady who grew up as a Catholic her whole life. We have recently been reading the Book of Mormon with her. As we have spent time with her, reading the Book of Mormon, I have seen a new potential within in her. She is making steps, very small steps, towards baptism, and I believe the Book of Mormon will change her. 

So from those two investigators I learned two things. Investigators need two very important foundations- a foundation of comfort, found in friends in the gospel, and a foundation of faith, which can be strengthened through the Book of Mormon. If an investigator doesn't have either of these two foundations, they will quickly become disinterested. Member missionary work is essential in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Last, I would just like to mention a miracle which we have seen this week. If there are any Seahawk fans reading, I would suggest that you stop here. This last Sunday, as I am sure you all know, the Seahawks lost the Superbowl! You may think that we are a little disappointed, since we are in Seattle. But all the missionaries are actually really glad, because apparently last year the cities went crazy, and people became so prideful. I guess the Lord has humbled the people of Seattle, and I can't wait to use their heartache to bring them something they could never find in the Seahawks- eternal life! 

Thanks everyone for all the love and support you give me! I love it here in Washington, but I still can't wait till the day I step off the plane into Taiwan! 

Love, 
Elder Quist