Taiwan Week 2 , 3 month mark

So this week I will recount part of his letter and share part of his letter. Colby started out by thanking for the letters he's received and mentioned there was a "Zone thingy". I hope that it was enjoyable. As a Missionary I loved the time when I had contact with the other Missionaries. We shared success stories and ideas on how to succeed.

Colby then talks of a teaching a young boy whose father first said he could get baptized yet after the Baptismal interview the father said no. Maybe the entire family approach will be better? (now here is part of his letter):

"So prayers for us to know what to do to move forward would be nice. Elder Buenning and I are being as obedient as we can and using our time to the best of our ability to help with it. I pray that it will work out. I personally think that the family getting involved is a good thing and that it will give them all more exposure to the gospel. The Lord will prepare a way.

Other than that, the whole week has been pushing it to the limits and trying to get as much of the Lord's work done as possible. I passed off the first section of "Phase 1" which is the Chinese program that Taiwan has. I've seen blessings there too because it means a lot of hard memorization and planning. Most missionaries don't do it all this fast. There are 7 pass-offs before "Phase 2" which focuses more on the day to day vocab, where as Phase 1 is all focused on the Lessons that we are teaching. I hope to get "Phase 1" done my first move call. 5 more weeks. I can do it! THank-you all so much for your prayers and mail. I love ya All."

Today is Colby's 3 Month mark. I can't say it has completely sped by, but time has seemed to pick-up compared to that first week. HAPPY 3 MONTHs!!!!! :D

I guess I'm melancholy right this minute... Today I've felt pushed and tugged ... stretched here and there.... Sometimes I feel I'm not in control of my life and I'm hurt and kinda annoyed by those who are trying to control me. I'm not making a bunch of sense. Maybe I should just go to bed. Life really IS good...My family loves me and I love them... It's sad to feel sad. It'll seem better tomorrow. I hope!

2/100

I have read who put the B in ballyhoo .I LOVE it I love the art I will love 98 other books

Colby @ SLC

A friend of ours, Mario Hernandez, works at the Salt Lake City airport and ran into Colby by accident (for reals!). I'm glad he got to see Colby.

This photo is of our handsome son Elder Sanford. The Elder with light brown hair - under the TV screen, at the tip of Colby's left shoulder, is his companion Elder Olsen. The photo of his Mission President and "travelling company" in the previous blog entry was taken AFTER this one of course--- 15 or so hours after...

Taiwan week 1

YAY! We have a letter. It's so good to know he's there, safe, likes his companion and is enjoying the work!!! Happiness! He sounds so happy!!! Here's his letter:

Well, I'm here! My new companion is Elder Buenning. He's moved all around his whole life, but he's half american half cantonese. He's a really hard worker, diligent goal setter and over all great second companion. We're serving in the Tai Ping mission. It includes Dong Xu, Tai Ping and Zhong Xu, and let me tell you, it's so awesome. I'm living almost in the heart of Tai Chung. I'll send pictures as soon as I figure out how they work! pretty much it's just like any big city. Populated. Oh and there are about two times as many scooters here as there are people. Like no joke, every nook and crany has a scooter parked in it. Pretty much on of the most insane things I've seen.

After getting off the phone with you guys, I got on the airplane. Pretty nice airplane. Pretty good food. Insanely long flight. Insane. 14 hours and 32 minutes total. Pretty close to death. So I was stoked when it finally landed. We waited for our luggage and then went and met the mission president and his wife and the Assistants. They were all pretty happy. We stayed the next day and a half there at the mission home doing orentation. We slept in the Zone leader's appartment. THen we went running in the morning. It was actually really fun. Friday, we went and met our trainers. And so the work began! I"m talking to everybody that I can. At every light, at every intersection. I'm trying to find the souls that the Lord has set up for me to find. So far, I've found 3. I thought that I found 4, but one of them put a fake phone number. Lame. It's really tiring work and I get rejected alot, but I love it. Elder Buenning is pushing me hard, which is exactly what I need. I got my bike. Elder Buenning and I put this crate thing on the back so that I could hold things in it that I need. Like my bag. and my jacket. It's very nice. Also, the stores here are awesome. THe missionaries call them "Dong Xi" stores, which means Stuff Stores. and that is exactly it is. You go in and they just have bunches and bunches of stuff. It's pretty insane. And it is all pretty cheap too. right now the exchange is about 33 to 1, Kuai to Dollar. Nice. I can usually eat pretty nicely for about 80-100 Kuai. OH and the Fruit here is amazing. THey have every fruit you could ever imagine! and it's all so delicious. So good. THe church members were nice. I really liked going to church. We teach our lessons there... when the investigator shows up. THey actually usually don't, but some do, and that is awesome. Right now were teaching an 11 year old that is pretty timid. We need to meet his parents though. I hope that will go well this week. Oh, and on the second day, we had a funeral to go to (didn't Dad have one his first day ?) Flowers EVERYWHERE. That was crazy. They take death seriously here.

Well everything is going wonderfully here and I'll be more organized next week, I'm a little rushed today because I don't know exactally how to do this. It's great here though! Keep on doing the family things, I know they will help each and every one of you.

Love ya all!

Elder Sanford

Check my math, but I've been calculating this all wrong. Well, a little wrong. If it's 8 a.m. here and 11 p.m. there that's FIFTEEN hours different, right? 8 to 8 is 12 hours. Then 8 to 11 is 3 hours...12 hours + 3 hours = 15 hours. Math has never been my strong suite....It's a miracle that I figured this out NOW...the other question is---- Why didn't anyone correct my math before now?

1 / 100

One of Goo's goals this year is to read 100 books she also wants to write reviews here on moms blog

I read a book in two minites it was about the art in ABC'S .I like it because i like art and there is an ABC hunt on every page. I want you to know that I got the idea from Mirielle to blog about the books 100 TIMES! But I like it and I want to do the alphabet until my 26 book.