Taiwan week 23

Hey,

...We had Mission Conference this week, so I got to travel back up to Tai Zhong and see all of the missionaries in the mission; everybody that I came on with, Elder Buenning, Elder Rostedt, everybody. I even had the chance to ride up on the bus next to Elder Olsen. We had a good talk about how our missions were going. He is having a great time in his new area too. I hear that you and his family all stay in touch still. That is so cool! So yeah, the whole trip started on thrusday night where we traveled by train to Gao Xiong and stayed the night at Elder Palmer's apartment there (ELder Palmer was Elder Buenning's MTC companion. He is training for his second time now). Then we woke up at 2 in the morning and got on a bus that took all of the South Area Elders and Sisters up to Tai Zhong. We heard from a member of the 70's presidency, ELder Jensen. He was such a good speaker. But most of all he was an amazing teacher. I reallly loved what he said about missionary work and what it is all about. His knowledge of the scriptures was really amazing too. His main topic was just about our relationship with our investigators and with the Lord and our investigator's relationship with us and with the Lord. He drew out at triangle and put God, Missionaries and Investigators on respective corners and we discussed what the relations were or what they should be. There were alot of scriptures used and there were alot of good points made. I really liked what he said. After is was all over, he and his wife and Elder Watson and his wife (of the Seventy. THey came too) all got back into their car and left, then we were aloud to leave the building. Coming in, we all got to shake his hand. It was cool. He said it was like a little interview when he shook his hand and looked into our eyes. It was all so good. We got ushered back onto the bus right after that and we got shipped back to our respective areas. It all went by so fast and I couldn't really absorb it all, but as I remember it all and look back at my notes, I have alot of new ideas and things that I am going to use. One of which is singing more with our investigators. Elder Jensen said that when we sing hymns, it brings a spirit of reverence and reverance brings revelation. So true, so good.

So that was the cool big thing that happened this week. Other than that, just the same old happy hard working. We have a few families that we are working with right now. They all live in our second areas, so a lot of our time is spent on hour plus bike rides out to where they live. It is pretty good. I'm trying to use that extra thinking time to memorize more scriptures in Chinese. It's fun. Reading scriptures in Chinese is a little different than reading them in English. The meaning is all the same, but some times there is added meaning in Chinese. Small things. For instance, there is no way to really just say "brother" in Chinese, only "older brother" or "younger brother", so you find out that The Brother of Jared is actually the Older Brother of Jared. Cool. Little things like that.

I FINISHED THE BOOK OF MORMON! It was such a wonderful experience. In finishing it, I flipped to one of the blank pages in the back and wrote down my testimony of it. It is so cool to look back and see how much my testimony has grown of the Savior. I know that we can be perfected in the Lord and that as we work at it, we really can develop every good gift through the atonement. I have been sharing my testimony of the book since then and I love saying that I have read it recently and seen how it applies differently to me in different times in my life. Such an amazing book, of such an amazing man. I love the Book of Mormon, and I love sharing my testimony of it with those that we meet with.
Got to go!

LOve Ya all

-Elder Sanford

one more day

One more time at the majestic old building: Farrer. Next week it will be torn down. On Tuesday the last 6th grade class to walk the halls held their Graduation. Today we had our last Talent Show. Fittingly, Sasha Farrer was the first performer. (She did a FABULOUS rendition of Adele's "Rolling in the deep"...you know..."we could've had it aaaalllll, rolling in the deeeeeep.")

The last few weeks we have been packing books and records and all the classroom stuff getting ready for the move to the beautiful new school that was constructed in our south playground, nestled closer to Center street. We are retiring our school's name "Farrer"and trying out a new name "Provo Peaks Elementary". We'll see how it goes, that's the future, but for now we still have one more day.

Taiwan 22

Hey,

How is everybody doing. Good to hear that this week was full of alot of fun stuff. Yeah June for getting into Advanced Dance for next year, that is cool. The Robin looks cool too. driving that is probably going to be a blast. I'm glad to hear that you are all still doing stuff together.

This past week was crazy for me too. On Thursday, there was a training meeting in Gao Xiong that my companion had to go to, so Elder Chung came up from Hung Chun to stay with me for the day while my Elder Braby and his companion Elder Petters went to the meeting together. They stayed the night in our apartment the night before and the night after. I spent the day in Chao Zhou with Elder Chung on Thursday and it was actually pretty fun. He lived in Draper, but he went to BYU as a music major. He played the Viola. He's Pro I guess. Thursday night, Elder Petters, who also went to BYU for a while, asked me if I knew somebody by the name of "Bee Money". Elder Petters actually listened to his music and knew a lot of his songs. It was fun to talk about Provo for a little bit. But then on Friday, they left and I went to Gao Xiong for Zone Leader Exchanges. It was interesting to serve with Elder Huang, my zone leader, for a day. Having a Chinese companion would be interesting. We'll see if that ever happens though. Anyways, good week and I had alot of good learning experiences.

One thing that came to mind yesterday was a scripture that I love in 2nd Timothy 1 verse 7:"For the Lord hath not given us the spirit of fear. But of power, of love, and of a sound mind." I wanted to know more of the context of that, so I read the chapter. Then I read the Chapter after that. Then I decided that I liked it all and flipped open to Matthew, the very beginning and started reading a few chapters there. I loved the feeling that I was reading and learning of Christ. I love reading the Book of Mormon, and the Bible too. Learning of Christ is fun. Christ is everything. His love is such an inspiration to me. I love Jesus Christ.

I hope that this week is just as fun packed and exciting as the last week was. It is so fun to hear all of the fun things that you all do. Thank-you for all of your prayers!

Love Ya All!!
-Elder Sanford

The early bird catches the ... Robin?

It's true! Jeff FINALLY caught a Robin.

He has tried MANY times, but this time it took!

We have it at Uncle Bill's in California until we can pick it up later this summer. It will go nicely with the collection of funny small useful cars he has gathered-up. So he'll have what people think is a "Harry Potter Car" (the green daf) and a "Mr. Bean Car" ( the Robin). It just gives them something to talk about. :D

This morning it was gorgeous outside. When I sat up in bed, without looking out the window, I could tell there were finally no clouds. That's something new for us these days. Of the last 50 days, 32 have had preciptation. I love rain so it's not really been too hard to bear. I have missed the sun though.

I decided to go out to the front flower garden and weed it. It was quite interesting to try and distinguish the plants from the weeds. We planted some perennial seeds last year and I don't remember what their seedlings look like. Some undesirable weeds look a lot like "keeper" plants. I did my best. We'll see in the next few weeks if I guessed right. I planted some of my Mom's day flowers. It's nice to "work the earth."

I sat on the swing and read afterwards. It was so pleasant.

T-20

Jamille interjections are in blue this week. I am always trying to figure out what is too private to share or not ...I hope I'm doing an okay job.

Ok, so the past week has been pretty intense. I have been working so hard in so many different aspects. One thing that I have really enjoyed though is moving into this new apartment. The missionary that I replaced was Elder Braby's last senior. Elder Braby just went senior with me as his junior this move call. ...I have been having a blast coming in .... Scrubbing, organizing and cleaning. Any free time that I have had at the apartment, which is pretty much none, I have taken to focus on bringing the Spirit into the apartment. I honestly have been having a blast doing it too. It's so fun to just have everything organized and spotless and clean. ( I hope this holds over after the mission :D!!! ... & to be fair though he has always been the child to enjoy cleaning.) We're putting alot of finishing touches and reorganizing alot of things later today. I can't wait.

Also, I am just all around loving this new area. Everything that I have learned is going into helping this place out. The branch is awesome. The Ward mission...has everything super organized. Probably the best ward mission leader in Taiwan. We go over to his house every tuesday for lunch and there is always somebody there to teach. THis past week, we taught a guy who just recently married a member and so he is looking pretty seriously into the church. They have three children from previous marriages. Only one of the kids is a member already. This whole family is going to get this gospel though. I can't wait until they can be sealed in the Temple for forever. ETERNAL FAMILIES. WHOO!

I am so greatful for the chance to work here in Chao Zhou. The spirit and everything is just right, and I know this is where I am supposed to be serving right now. I am really enjoying being companions with Elder Braby as well. He is a great teacher. I am learning so much. He has sent two missionaries home now, so he has a lot of knowledge, I'm just trying to soak it all up.

I'm reading right now in Mormon. I am just so amazed at how amazingly strong he is in the face of all adversity. He was the leader fo the Nephite Army when they were all pretty much as wicked as possible and he still was a humble hard worker that knows what he needs to do to serve the Lord and does it. Such a wonderful example to me. Right at the end of chapter three, he talks a little bit about how everybody that is a decendent of Adam will be judged before the thrown of Christ. And because of that, he says, (vs. 22): "And I would that I could persuade all ye ends of the earth to repent and prepare to stand before the judgement seat of Christ." ONe of the biggest thing he wants in life is to persuade people to repentance. And I think that it is because he has such solid knowledge of the plan. He knows that we all need to repent. I really love Mormon.

Anyways, yes, the mission is going great. I am loving it and working hard. I am seeing the hand of the Lord more and more in my life. it is just to wonderful to rely on him for everything. Thank-you for all of the prayers. I know that they help.

Love Ya All,

Elder Sanford

I'm so excited for Mirielle! She is once again in the Relief Society Presidency in her Singles ward. What a fun calling! She was the Secretary a few years ago and she really enjoyed it, she was on Activites committee too. She also enjoyed that. Then she was the Visiting Teacher Coordinator. She learned a lot about how things should run, and towards the end of that calling she was trying hard to fulfill it the best she could.

I love how in the Church we all get the opportunity to serve and grow. Lately, it has become very evident to me that it matters not what one is called to do. What is really important is that one should "dig in" and serve with full heart! Sometimes I get in a rut with my duties then, as if in a cycle, I realize that I am concentrating more on myself, than on the people I can serve...and then I try harder to do what I should do...and the self inflicted pity/burden is lifted, the Lord steps in and I CAN do my calling. If I keep the Lord and the people over whom I have stewardship FIRST, before me, then I can do my callings right!

I know that Mirielle enjoys her callings because she immerses herself in them. She tries to learn what she can do to fulfill what is asked of her, and then she truly tries to do what is expected. Thanks Mirielle for your good example!