Ready To Go Out and Serve

Week 9:

Hello,

I'm done with my time at the MTC and can't wait to start this mission. Reflecting on these last 9 weeks, I have come so much closer to Christ and learned how to teach by the spirit. Its really an amazing feeling, that in a couple days I will be able to put my new skills to use.

This week was filled with activities for Thanksgiving and the departing missionaries. We had a musical devotional this week. The Nashville Tribute Band came to the MTC and sang about there conversion. It was very different, but I really appreciated the change. Some of there songs were humerus and everyone was engaged. 

We also heard a devotional from ELDER BEDNAR!! He passed around cellphones so that missionaries may text and email him questions that he would answer. A majority of the questions addressed how to have better unity in a companionship. 

The MTC also partnered up with Feeding Children Everywhere and 2,000 missionaries worked together to pack over 350,000 meals. There's one thing I learned from this service; A group of people working together are able to preform miracles. Service is so important because the Lord is able to spread blessings and miracles through his children. 

This week was busy, but it was my best week by far at the MTC. Today, I will be updated about the status of my visa. I may have to stay at the MTC for up to a week longer depending on what the visa situation is.  As much as I love the MTC, I'm so ready to get out into the field. 

-- 

杨長老

耶穌基督後期聖徒教會

Service, A Great Way to Start out the Day

Week 8:

I had a great Christmas this week! Me and my district got our flight plans on Friday! I only have one more week left in the MTC. I leave on November 28th, as long as I don't have any delays with my Visa. There have been a lot of delays with Taiwan Visas so there is a good chance I will be reassigned for a transfer. There are 2 elders from Canada in my district that have been reassigned to serve in Canada. Wherever I go,  I’m so excited to use my Chinese.

I went through the temple today and afterwards, me and my companion had the opportunity to help fold laundry. I felt like I was only helping for 15 minutes, but when I looked up, I had been serving for 45 minutes! Even simple acts of service like this was a spiritual experience and was a great way to start off my day. Its times like these that make me super excited to serve in Taiwan.

杨長老

耶穌基督後期聖徒教會

Success Of A Missionary

Week 7:

Last Tuesday, we were able to listen to a talk by President Nelson!! It was such an amazing talk because he was giving us advice on how to be a successful missionary. One part that stuck out to me was “You don't know how successful you are as a missionary until after your mission. Your real success comes after the converts children are baptized and confirmed a member of the church”. It's so simple and so powerful because when I baptize someone, I’m bringing salvation to their future kids / grand kids.

This week, me and my companion have been teaching a REAL investigator from Taipei Taiwan. He is attending an english immersion program and has lived in the Utah for 3 years. He is super interested in the Gospel and always takes notes and is super straightforward and honest with us. We prepared a lesson on Prayer and 30 seconds into the lesson, he told us that he already understood this principle and wanted to be taught something else. In very broken Chinese, we were able to teach about the importance of repentance. It's such an amazing experience. One I’m not able to explain.

Friday, the cafeteria decided to serve us some delicious meatloaf. Our whole district decided to eat Cinnamon Toast Crunch ®. Our goal was to eat the whole cereal container, but we fell short. We also felt really sick afterward. I was only able to eat a little because of all the sugar.

 7 weeks into Elder Andersen's mission and ALREADY 17 lbs. heavier.

2 more weeks until I leave for Taiwan!!!

杨長老

耶穌基督後期聖徒教會

For Halloween, We Wanted to Dress Up Like......Elder Jacob Andersen.

Week 6:

I don’t get updated with the news while at the MTC often, but I was able to read a news article saying that the church was expanding Tablet/Phone missions. Taiwan Taipei is now a smartphone/social media mission! Although, after being without a cellphone for this long, I’ve gotten used to not needing to rely much on technology. I’m sure they will still be very useful with keeping missionary/investigator contacts and showing videos.

Halloween Dressed up as Elder Andersen--Notice short ties, missing belts, open fly and Elder Andersens famous finger pose.

This week for Halloween, my district decided to dress up as me. I’m not sure why or how this costume represented me, But the picture is still amazing. I also did the Flamin' Hot Funyuns challenge again. My district participated but only 3 passed: Me, Elder Pilling, and Elder Anderson.

On Fast Sunday, I listened to an awesome devotional by Brother Eggett, who talked about a couple artists, and how they are able to write songs in the Hymn book. He talked about W.W. Phelps and his backstory regarding his songwriting was super interesting. Brother Eggett talked about other people too, but I forgot their names.

The generation of people above us left to the field this morning, which means that me and my district are the big kids at the MTC. These next weeks are going to be very exciting. Our Christmas is next week (we are getting our flight plans). Then the week after that is our last. I can’t wait to be in the field serving Taiwanese people.

Thanks so much for the support these past 6 weeks!! Only a couple more Pdays before my real mission begins!

love，

杨長老

耶穌基督後期聖徒教會