Week 79

Press Forward

This last week was a very busy week for me. I worked hard to prepare for the two baptisms coming up this week, the memorial service also happening this week, and helping the other investigators, less-actives and recent converts that live here in Zhang Hua. Even though it has been a long week, I am still happy and okay.

I got some crazy news yesterday. I was waiting to find out whether or not I would be moving this week, when I got a call from President Blickenstaff asking if I would be willing to serve as a zone leader down in Tainan. I accepted, even though I am so worried about it.  But, I believe it's what the Lord wants for me and where I am supposed to be at this time.

Sister Lin and Claire are both getting baptized at the end of this week! Since I will already be coming back to Zhang Hua for Elder Hampton's memorial, I will also be able to attend Sister Lin's and Claire's baptismal service. I am so happy for them!!!  They are both excited and ready to get baptized. I am a little sad I am leaving here right now, but I keep reminding myself that everything the Lord gives us is truly a blessing and for our good.  I know that there will come a time, and soon I believe, that I will be glad and I will thank the Lord for the opportunity to move when I did.  I just hope this is my last stop, because I really don't like moving.

I am still in Zhang Hua right now, because I had to clean and move out of the old apartment before I left, so I probably won't get to Tainan till later today. Apparently, Tainan is a great place; many of the missionaries say it is the best zone in the mission, but I guess I will see. 

I love you guys for all the support you have given me over the last couple weeks. I have really felt the power of everyone's prayers. There have been so many people who have reached out to me over this experience and I thank everyone who did.  I love you all!

Elder Quist 

Week 78

Blessings from the Lord 

This last week was a very special week. My life changed forever on Tuesday when my companion passed away after being struck by a car on the way to the church. That night was a tough experience for me. However, I have been able to pray and receive priesthood blessings that have helped me to overcome and find peace through this trial.

At first, I was very shaken up. However, as I began to reflect on my purpose as a missionary and on the Plan of Salvation, I came to see this experience not so much as a tragedy for me, but as a blessing that has strengthened my testimony of the Plan of Salvation and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I have felt the healing power of His Atonement and also the power of all your prayers over this last week. Because of these things, I have been able to press forward.

I spent the day after the accident, in Taichung in order to help with some of the legal matters. I also spent part of that day resting and reflecting on what had happened. Then on Thursday,  I headed back out to Zhang Hua. I am currently serving with the other ward's elders in a threesome, but we are also covering some investigators from my own ward. Although it seemed a little fast to get back to the work, there were some things I had to get done.  And I knew Elder Hampton cared just as much for our investigators as I did, so I knew he preferred me getting right back to work. I especially had to go back to prepare for a baptism for our investigator 羅Peter, which was planned for Saturday.

The baptism was great!  The Spirit was so strong throughout the entire service. I had a special feeling throughout, and I knew missionaries from both sides of the veil were present. I reflected on how, as one person I knew and loved, had just ended their mortal discipleship of Jesus Christ, someone else I knew and loved, had just begun theirs.

To close, I would like to bare my testimony of the Plan of Salvation. I have come to Taiwan to preach to every person the truths and blessings of the Plan of Salvation and I know personally these principles are true. I know we shall all live again and once again be reunited with ALL those we loved here on earth. I know this is made possible because of the Atonement and sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ, who died and lived again. Because of this knowledge, I am not struggling or depressed by Elder Hampton's passing, but rather I am still a very happy and a very blessed missionary. 

I love you all,

Elder Quist

Week 77

Here Come the Baptisms!

I loved General Conference this last week! I felt inspired. I had many questions and I got my answers while watching General Conference. I would like to testify to all of you of the power of the words of God's prophets and apostles and I will do it through an experience this week.

We have an RC (recent convert) by the name of Will. He was baptized almost a year ago, but because of family pressure and illness, he became less-active in attending church and very less-active in his heart. Since I have come to Zhang Hua, we have continually met with him, trying our hardest to help him come back to church. Although there were some times that he did come back, and there were some times that he began to do better, there was never a real sense of consistency with him. However, this last week while preparing him for General Conference, we had a lesson talking about the power and purpose of prophets and apostles. We then shared the Mormon Message "Hope you Know We had a Hard Time" by Elder Cook. After watching that and sharing about the power of the words of the apostles, Will told us that his heart had been moved. The words of Elder Cook seemed to speak right to him. He then shared to us how he wanted to start becoming very active again. I know that the words of the prophets and apostles are the words of God, and therefore can change hearts.

This week we have a baptism scheduled.  Peter (Luo Jing Hui 羅景暉) is getting baptized this Saturday. I am excited for my first baptism in Zhang Hua and Elder Hampton is very excited about his first baptism on the mission. And we expect to get more baptisms before we end our time together. Sister Lin (the one who can't really see) came to a big chunk of conference and she loved it! She especially loved the part about having family council. She is so awesome! She talks about how she wants to share this gospel message with her friends and her family. There is also Claire, the english student. She comes to all our activities and is supposed to get baptized next week, but we might have her get baptized the following week with Sister Lin.

We are so grateful for all the blessings the Lord has given us lately! Thank you for your prayers! They have truly given us power and we ask you to continue to pray for us. 

I love you guys!

Elder Quist

Week 76

Wow, Transfer Went Fast

So, another transfer has passed (and it was a 7-week one, longer than usual ) and this time it just flew by. My training experience is already half way over! I can't believe it. I am kind of sad, because I will almost definitely move this next transfer and I feel like I just got to ZhangHua! I guess I still have six weeks, though... I remember when I used to think six weeks was a long time!

I want to share a cool experience we had this week.  There is a family in our ward, the mother is a long-time less-active and the three kids are all recent converts (they were baptized last July in a different area). They moved to ZhangHua about 6 months ago, and since they got here, they have only been to church once. We have tried every single thing to help them come back to church, from having members invite them to having members drive to their house on Sunday morning and offer to take them! However, each time they have come up with an excuse on why they couldn't come to church. But, while planning on Friday night, we were inspired to go visit them. So following our contacting from 6 to 7 on Saturday night, we headed over to their house and gave them a simple invite to church. The mother told us she had a feeling we would come that day and had hoped we would visit. She then told us how she had been longing to come back to our church lately. They then committed to come to church and all four of them showed up at church the next day! This is a testament to me that the Lord never gives up on people and we should do our part and remember it is all in the Lord's timing.

Now the investigators... Do you remember Peter Luo? He is an investigator we met a few weeks ago. Since we met him he has been to church every week and now is planning on getting baptized next week! He loves church and he comes to all the church activities.

Then there is also Claire, our english student. She came to church yesterday too. She loves coming to church and is preparing to get baptized soon. Today is a holiday in Taiwan, so most of the college students are returning home for four or five days. She came to church yesterday and then after church she headed back to her home up north.

Then our investigator Lin Pei Hua (or Jessy? I never call her by her english name). She is the one who is partially blind. She is such an example of someone prepared by the Lord. She is trying everything she can so that she can read the Book of Mormon. Currently, she has decided she will just enlarge the text until it is so big that there are only a couple of Chinese characters on her phone screen at one time. Doing it this way still causes her a lot of pain and requires a lot of effort. She is such an example to me of faith and diligence. She is willing to sacrifice so much in order to learn more about the church of Jesus Christ.

Then I told you about Jack (Xin Xiang) last week. He is the one who came to the easter activity. He is doing well too. He came to church yesterday and is currently considering setting a baptism goal.

And there are others who are progressing- Peter Lin (the one with family opposition) and Kim are still working towards baptism.  We also have a few new investigators. We are truly blessed lately!

Love you guys,

Elder Quist