I want to write.

There I said it. I'm just not so sure what I want to write. Ever since I was 14 when President Spencer W. Kimball encouraged us to keep a Journal, I have. There were a few years when I was a new Mom that I stopped, but even that was years ago. I'm not so much a new Mom these days. I'm an old Mom. I've been reading the blogs of my good friends daughters. Words flow off of their fingertips, or so it seems. It's enjoyable to read.

Today I was asked to "coach" ( ha--not sports) students. I am to help them understand what they could/can do to improve their writing. Every week they have to write a short paragraph in response to a "prompt" given them in a test. This should be interesting. I love the 4th grade brain!

Taiwan week 5

Hey,

... We had a baptism this week! A young boy by the name of Zheng Hong Xuen. It's been nice seeing him grow from 0 interest to Baptism. We're working with the family this week. We also have a 9 year old boy that is supposed to get baptised this week. When we were at church, the second counselor in the Bishopric came and said that this little boy had been coming to church for a few months but wasn't a member yet, really wanted baptism and his family wouldn't have a problem with it. Yeah, so we didn't really do anything, but somehow it stilll counts.... So that should be this Saturday. Lin Ping Hong is a 19 year old who started by coming to English class with his friend and we are teaching him a lot now. ... There is also a much older man by the name of Liu. He met with me two weeks ago and we gave him a Book of Mormon. He kept standing us up and not meeting with us and then yesterday he came to church and has read up through 1 Nephi 8. Whoo! That is a miracle right there.

Also, I'm sorry about exploding a little from last week about computer use. Computers are really good and have many many good uses.... Just use your brain. It's the same with anything. If it's not being productive, don't do it. There is not enough time to waste any of it.

I'm glad to hear that stake conference was good. I have Zone conference this next week, so I'll tell you more about that later.

THank-you all for the love that I feel when I read your letters and hear of stories from home. I'll try to do better about keeping you informed.

Love Ya All!

ELder Sanford

P.S. I bought a cord for my camera! I'll try to get it to work...

Taiwan week...I forgot (Week 4-- Ma remembered)

This week (Taiwan #4 ) I'm sharing the entire letter. I think he just might have to look into motivational speaking after the mission. He's pretty good at it!!! Enjoy:

Hey.
So yeah, I forgot what week I'm on. I think it's three? Yeah I don't know.
Passed off the third section of Phase 1 this morning though. This
week was pretty intense with the studying, but this next week is going
to be two times as intense. I look forward to when it will all pay off
and I will actually be able to understand what people say to me. That
will be nice. Thank-you for the prayers to help me learn the language,
they are definitely being felt. The way that I have structured it, I
have had two days where I would devote all of my time to memorizing
words. I've been able to get in about 50 a day. But this week, I need
to somehow double the number of words learned in the same amount of
time. Thank-you so much for the prayers. I do need them.
THe saddest thing in the world is the amount of time that is wasted
in Taiwan on computers and TV's. I'm in an internet cafe with a bunch
of internet junkies. They spend all of their time here and all of
their money. Online gaming is HUGE here. When we tract here and there,
every single door that we go to, without fail, is greeted by a person
who just got up off of the couch and supposedly has "No time". I am
trying to save lives here, and I am torn apart because I see so many
lives being wasted. If you can do one thing for me, don't waste away
your life, don't waste away an hour, DON'T WASTE EVEN A SECOND! If you
are sitting infront of a screen, then chances are there is something
better that you could be doing. There is a world of opportunity being
thrown away. Go find a piece of it.
Sorry for my bluntness, but I really feel strongly about this since
being here. So please, don't waste your time.
ON a happier note, we have our first baptism this week (: Yeah.
He's fourteen. Cool person. It's interesting to see the light that is
so much more apparent in him over the past few weeks. I remember the
first time that we talked to him, it was late-ish at night and he was
half asleep. I'm excited for him.

AH! tight on time, so I'll wrap up. THe more I learn about the
Savior, the more I know I can rely on him. If there is something that
you have been asked to do, but it seems hard, chances are that it will
help you grow. THis Gospel is here for our help. That is what the
whole idea of the Gospel is. Repentance and improvement. This week, I
challenge you to do the hard things. Reach higher and become better.
As you do, the Lord will help you. I know it to be true because I live
it every day. There is no way that I can become what I need to without
him. His is my Lord, my Savior and my Redeemer. I love Him and I owe
Him my every effort
Have a wonderful week! I love you all. I'm very happy to hear that you
are all doing well. Good luck! Thank you for your prayers and help
from home.

-Elder Sanford
P.S. Logan can have my piece of pie.. If he hasn't already.

goo's adventure

Jamaican Missionary

This morning I was on the LDS Headlines page and I saw the story about a Missionary who was killed in Jamaica on the 17th of January. I began weeping...for his family.

I thought back to when Greg McOsker died while on his mission. He wasn't feeling well so the District went ahead and had their weekly meeting in the front room. He was in the bedroom resting. He suffered from an aneurysm (sp?). It was in an instant and he was gone. He was the cutest nicest boy...the one that all of the moms in the ward dreamed of capturing for their son-in-law. The Lord needed him on the other side.

My heart goes out to Elder Walker's family.

KC Temple

When I was growing up in the Gracemor Neighborhood in suburban Kansas City MO, I remember the friends we had. It was a new development. We were young families. There were only 7 in our family (Momma & Daddy and we 5 girls) when we moved in. Over the years we became 10 (with the addition of 3 brothers). I pretty much had my friends next door. There was Russell Sickman to the south of us, and Jeri, Linda, and Ray Moulder to the north...and the Thompson's just past them. My older sisters "branched out". My sister Jonna had a friend who lived up the block and around the corner. Our backyards ALMOST joined. They were/are the Simpson's. (That was WAY before the cartoon show.) Chris used to come over. She and Jonna were very good friends. Chris was always smiling and I still remember her cute laugh/giggle.

Just the other day, Chris took the photo of the Kansas City Temple that is above. Chris grew up and moved away from Gracemor--as many of us have. (She's about 5 minutes away from Momma and Daddy.) She and Jonna still keep in contact. The photo is from Chris' home, from her deck. I'm so glad she shared it. I hope she doesn't mind that I am sharing it with you. When the Temple is completed, I hope Chris will visit the Open House.

Taiwan Week 3

Here is his letter we got in the wee hours of this morning.

"OK!

SO I have about five minutes to be able to write you because we are a little pressed for time from the Temple trip. It was a wonderful and fun experience and am super grateful for it though. We were in a super fancy travel bus that actually isn't too uncommon for Taiwan and really cheap. We watched classic church films all of the way up. It's fun to see the old videos from the past and how much the church's productions have improved. I wonder what they are going to be coming out with next?

This week has been just about as cold as it gets here in Taiwan. So yeah, we sleep with the heater on and a few extra blankets, it's good though. The people in Taiwan just wear really huge coats all of the time instead of making houses that can contain any sort of heat. Infact, most of the places that we go will have their doors open wide all day. So yeah, pretty insane. I'm still trying to get used to it. Another thing that I'm still getting used to is that we take our shoes off at everybodies home. I love the Idea actually, but I think that I may have to invest in some slip-on shoes so that we can be in and out of people's houses quicker and be able to do more for the Lord in less time.

Thank-you all for your mail. I love getting mail from you all. The Lord is there and watches out for all of his children. I love that fact.

Well, I'll write more next week, but THank-you again for all of the love that is being sent to me. I love ya all!

-ELder Sanford"

Last week he mentioned that his preparation day would be moved--but gave no indication as to why. I'm so happy he was able to go to the Taipei Temple! I wonder how often they get to go.

He sounds good, but I know I need to "pump-it-up" on the letter side! Our family is good about writing emails (I'm so thankful that that is available to us), but I need to do better about handwritten letters.

If any of you wish to write him--do so! Here's his address. We've been asked to write to this (his Mission Home address) and the mail will be given to him. That makes it easier I suppose. Only one address to memorize for the rest of the time. :D

Elder Colby Sanford

404-15

Taiwan Taichung Mission
498-11 Wu Chuan Rd.
Taichung,Taiwan
R.O.C.