Elder Noah Quist: Week 45

Well things are crazy over here in Taiwan lately... With 35 new missionaries, the mission seems to have been turned upside down. Since there are so many new missionaries and our mission is so young, there are a lot of things happening to missionaries that usually don't happen till later in their mission. For example, the missionaries just a transfer above me are all training, which is really crazy young. They were all junior companions last move call. Not to mention the fact that I am already going senior companion and I am the new district leader! I am really nervous! I have never even been a senior companion, let alone a district leader. But I can do it...

My new companion is Elder Weatherford. He is from Texas and he is super awesome. He finished training a move call ago I think, which was a little over a move call after I finished my training. However, he never was reassigned, so he is a little younger than I am. I am excited to get this new chance to be his companion and I'm excited to help the people of 豐原 develop their faith in Jesus Christ.

It has been a sad week for me this last week. A lot of our investigators are moving down to college, and 3 missionaries in our district are moving, including Elder McDougal. So I said a lot of goodbyes this week.

It is kind of scary, because we are going into this movecall after losing some good investigators. However, we have also seen some miracles this last week. The first miracle was actually right after I finished emailing last week. We went to lunch and after lunch we were hanging out around our bikes when I saw a kid just staring at me. So I started to talk to him, and he asked me "你是後期聖徒嗎" which means: "Are you a latter-day saint?" As soon as he said that I knew he was golden, because no one knows what our church's real name is (if anyone greets us they always ask if we are mormons). Then he told me that he has been to our temple before in Taibei for an activity and he thought the temple was really beautiful. So we talked and I invited him to come to our English party Wednesday. And sure enough, Wednesday he was there! His name is Roland and he is really interested in learning more. We have another lesson with him on Saturday.

Speaking of English parties, on Wednesday we had our 6-week English party. It was... good this time... maybe just not fantastic. We had a lot of mistakes happen, like things broke and it was pouring rain so not a lot of people came. But Roland came and also another family came that we have been trying to meet with lately. They are a family of 4, parents and their two small kids. We have invited them to meet with us once, and they told us maybe next week, but they told us they love the feeling of our church, and love bringing their kids here. Also, after the party, we saw them looking at the baptism photos! So we will see what happens with them.

Also, last night I got to participate in the Dan Jones experience for the new missionaries. Like when I first got to Taiwan, the new missionaries had the chance to bare their testimony in the middle of a night market and then they went out with a different missionary and contacted people in the night market. I got to go and contact with a new missionary. His name was Elder Smith and he was super cool.

Well, things are crazy around here! Today we have a new missionary coming back to live in the 4 man with us and I am super excited to meet him!

Please pray for me to have the ability to fulfill my new callings.

Love you all,

Elder Quist