Week One - Golden, friends and fun

Temple day with the district was awesome

Hey fam,

This is my first P-Day in the MTC and this first week has been amazing!

We got to go to the temple today which was a great experience, seeing the entire temple packed full of missionaries. I don't know if I told you this story yet but we had a zone conference a few days ago and one of our Zone Leaders, named Elder Wang, told us a story about his dad named Golden. He said his grandpa, who was born and raised in Korea, was in love with Gordon B Hinckley, so he wanted to name one of his sons Gordon. When his son was born he told the people at the hospital that he wants to name his son 'Gordon' but his Korean accent was so strong, that they thought he said 'Golden'. And that's what they put on his birth certificate. So Elder Wang's dads name is Golden Wang haha.

But the mission is still great. I have seen so many of my friends here I cant even remember them all. A few that you guys might remember are Elder Mark Miller, Elder Dillon Perry, Elder Esias Bigello, Elder Braden Millet, and so many more.

My district is awesome. Everyone always tells us that they wish they were in our district because we have so much fun. The Korean is so hard but we are slowly getting it, and they said it doesn't matter how good your Korean is as long as you help the investigator feel the spirit, God will do the rest.

Yesterday we had a devotional by brother Uceda from the Quorum of the Seventy, which was really good the times I was awake. Oh and I'm in the MTC Choir so you might see me in general conference.

The mission is so fun. I miss you guys and feel free to send me as much candy as you would like. Also i need a cord for the camera I have because I can't send any pics without it. The ones shown here are from my companions camera.

(L-R) Plata (Philippines), Clark (NY), my companion Davis (ID), Me (awesome), Winter (American Fork), Stephens (Star Valley, WY), Folkman (CO), Armisted (Layton),
Ockey (Draper) and Haskell (CA)

These guys know how to have fun

Cheesin' in the rooms

Mission Conference, compassion and visiting friends

Elder Stewart came back for a
visit and took me to lunch for
my birthday!

Another week for the books! Time is flying.

Yesterday we had mission conference with Elder David F. Evans. Filled with the spirit. We all learned a lot and I am especially grateful for the Lord's hand in my life. It's been so cool over the course of my mission to learn from chosen servants of the Lord.

This past week was awesome. We had a lot of random people show up to church and that's always the best. Brother Lin, probably our most progressing investigator should be entering the waters of baptism in two weeks. He's such a funny old man. I'll send a picture of him next week.

I can't think of what happened last week hahah. I'm sorry.

Dinner with the Xu family

SOO I will just share with you what I've been studying lately. This morning I was reading about prayer and the power of personal revelation. In Alma 27 is a section of Ammon's interaction with some recent converts. These RC's start getting attacked by others, and because of Ammon and his brother's compassion towards them, they make a plan to save them from being completely destroyed. They present the plan to the king, but the king doubts it would work. in verse 7 Alma says to the king, "I will go and inquire of the Lord, and if he says unto us, go down unto our brethren, will ye go?" I've learned that as we put our trust in the Lord and ASK Him, he guides us with His hands. With a pure heart and sincere intent, our questions will be answered by the Lord himself. Go and inquire yourself.

I love you all, and I promise this week will be exciting! Stay true to the faith.


Much love,
Elder Chase Matua

Dinner with Bishop Li and his wife

Playing ball, Steph Curry style

This park had TONS of Pokemon Go players. So I
used my camera and acted like I was playing too

Exchanges, Zone fun and working

Elder Darger came back to visit

Super busy, super fun week.

We went on 3 exchanges this week. First with the APs on monday night. I was with Elder Hansen and we had one of the coolest experiences. The mission has been trying to figure out new and creative ways to do street contacting. Elder Hansen and I made a little poster that said "#????". We wanted to go around and ask if we could take pictures with people. Snap a picture then talk to them about the Book of Mormon. Right before we started finding, we started laughing as we talked about how cool it would be if we ran into someone who already had a Book of Mormon and was just waiting to learn more. We said a pray and biked over to a night market. I hopped off my bike and said, "hey can I take a picture with you?" to the first guy I saw. He looked at the sign, then at the book in my hand, then back to me and said, "oh, I already have one of those." He happily took a picture with me and then told us how he met with missionaries a while ago, and he's ready to start meeting with them again. The Lord knows who you are!

I
also had the opportunity to work with 3 other missionaries in our zone. I felt like there was someone different in our apartment every single night! I've loved going on so many exchanges, really great opportunity to get a feel of how different people are doing this same sacred work.

We had a special opportunity listening to David Archuleta bear testimony and sing. Great guy, wonderful music.

Me and Elder Seamons listening
to David Archuleta

We've been working with many people lately, trying to help them develop their faith and relationship with God. It's been kind of rough seeing many people give up. The Gospel is so simple, It is so powerful. But If you're not willing to give it a chance, if you have no hope, then it will have no effect on you. The line "Come unto Jesus" in our conversations with others has turned into "LET Jesus Come unto You!" Sometimes I can literally feel the Lord trying so hard to reach out to His children here, but they are just not willing to open their hearts and let Him in.

Sorry about that little rant. I am very grateful for the tender mercies of the Lord., and for all the many times that people will actually give it a try. People that actually have "hope for a better world".We have a new friend named Eric. Ran into him on the street about two weeks ago. He let us know that He isn't Christian and that religion isn't really that important to him. BUT he was willing to pray with us on the street. He was willing to learn a little bit more about the gospel. The other day, he called us and said, "I've been praying and reading the Book of Mormon. I'm busy this weekend, but I would like to meet with you guys next week, is that okay?" I told him of course. I know the Lord will always be there waiting for us to let Him in!

Things are all good!
I love Taiwan!
And I love you guys!


Elder Chase Matua

MTC numbers, Korean language and missing shoes

Hola! Sorry this is the first time we have been able to email because there are so many of us. The day we came in there was over 600 missionaries reporting, the biggest portion being Korean Elders, which makes a total of about 3,000 missionaries at the Provo MTC. We have the biggest branch in the MTC and it is also the biggest zone ever in the MTC. My companion is awesome, his name is Elder Davis from Sugar City, Idaho, and he is a potato farmer. My district is cool, I've gotten to know every one of them. Elder Winter is such a dork. He is from AF which explains a lot. He brought three watches on his mission... like I said, dork. J/K. I'm only wrote that because he is sitting right next to me reading what I'm writing. He's pretty sick.

Oops, I didn't mean to send the last message already, I still have more to write. We have been learning way too much Korean in the last few days and I'm already pretty much fluent ... skrrrr. We had to teach a lesson just barely, entirely in Korean. It was pretty funny. Elder Davis started to say the closing prayer that he was reading off a piece of paper and he forgot how to read so he passed the paper to me in the middle of the prayer and I finished it. The Korean lady was pretty confused. We tried to go exercise this morning but then realized I forgot my shoes so we couldn't. So can you PLEASE SEND MY TENNIS SHOES? Missions been fun. The people are awesome.

Please get me my shoes ASAP


Love you guys
Elder Mica Matua

Elder Mica Matua - Korea Busan Mission

Brothers: (L-R) Kingston, Mica, Kenyon
and Quinn

These past few months and weeks have been an emotional roller coaster for our family. Our third son, Mica received and opened his call to the Korea-Busan Mission and reported today to the Provo Missionary Training Center where he will learn the Korean language. Even after saying farewell to his two older brothers, we have found, that as parents it never gets easier.

Mica was so excited to get his mission underway. We sensed that he was getting a bit nervous last week but this morning and afternoon there was no way to contain his excitement and his smile was absolutely blinding.

We're not sure if he'll be as vague in his emails as his brother Kingston was  while he was serving in Hawaii, or if he will be as descriptive as his brother Chase has been while serving in Taiwan. What we do know is that we will be very fortunate if Mica writes home at all. But if he does, you can be sure to catch his updates here on the blog.

Please email or write to him as often as you can. Like most missionaries, he will be anxious to hear about home and still be a part of your lives even though he will be thousands of miles away.

Good luck Elder Mica Matua! We love you more than life.

Baptism, testimonies and miracles

Wu Mama invited us over for lunch
after our Zone meeting

Awesome week.

Quick email today. We had a super busy week. Zone meeting, 2 exchanges, Lots of lessons, good stuff. Brother Xu got confirmed yesterday. He'll be such a great addition to the Songshan ward. He also came to the new member fireside last night with us.

I just wanted to share with you guys a pretty simple, yet powerful moment from my week. Every fast sunday, they do a new member fireside. Last night we went with Brother Xu and a 18 yr old kid named Rain. He was baptized nearly 2 years ago, but got busy soon after and didn't come to church. Recently, he has been coming to church and has really been trying to get things in order. At the fireside, one of the elders played "Jesus of Nazareth" for a musical number on the piano. I put my elbows down on my knees and just pondered. When I sat back, I saw Rain out of the corner of my eyes, bowing his head with his arms folded. I immediately thought of all the young Taiwanese kids I've met here. All the struggles they face. I thought of how Rain had humbly accepted the Gospel, and even after losing sight for a short while, is again sincerely trying to come unto the Savior and enjoy the blessings that

I buzzed my hair for the first time
since elementary school

follow.

I've feel so blessed to have this opportunity to serve a mission. To see people follow Jesus Christ with all of their hearts is indeed something that has brought me so much happiness!

Do you guys remember Sister Liang from Longtan? I also saw her last night and she told me that she had just opened her MISSION CALL early yesterday. She's serving in the Taichung mission! She'll be a great missionary.

That's pretty much it for this time. Sorry if my emails make no sense!


I love you all. Jesus Christ lives!
Elder Matua

Some of our investigators

Exchanges with the Yilan Elders

Elder Lindahl is heading home!

Us, Elder Lindahl and Sister Liang who just got
her mission call to Taiwan-Taichung

Baptism, volleyball, exchanges and more

Brother Xu De An
got baptized

Elder Seamons and I had a wonderful week here in Songshan. Biggest news: Brother Xu De An got baptized yesterday right after church! It was a great experience for us all. He stood and bore a powerful testimony. I'm happy for him and for the impact it had on all those in attendance.

We were super busy this week with exchanges, trainings, and a lot of lessons. Weeks like this past one always fly by sooo fast. On Friday we had MLC. This months training is on becoming a successful missionary. Most of it was based on effective work and teaching for conversion.

Again not much too report on, things are going real well.

FHE with Brother 徐

Monday our district leader wanted to go play volleyball. He's a goof ball. We showed up and he had no ball, and no net. So we started playing pacman on the basketball lines like we used to do in elementary school. Monday night went to 許爸's spiritually uplifting FHE with Brother 徐.

Tuesday, exchanges with the JiLong elders. Talked to a guy from Minnesota who is currently living in Japan. He was on a two day break so he came down to Taiwan. He was one of the most humble human beings I've ever met. We shared about the restoration, and he said it all makes sense. Great guy.

Saturday night we rode the train to Zhong Li. Elder Seamons just moved from that area, and we went back so he could baptize one of the investigators there. Met a new friend named Miles. One of the funniest Taiwanese kids I've ever met. We ate noodles after and now I have food poisoning.

Last night we were street contacting and we started talking to this lady. We asked her what her dogs

Dinner w/missionaries in Zhong Li

name was and she said, "Seven." Later on in the contact, I accidentally called the lady "Seven".

Things are all so good! I love my brothers and sisters out here in Taiwan. I continue to find myself laughing with them on a daily basis. Such great people. I've been feeling especially grateful to have the opportunity to serve and represent my Savior lately. The phrase "Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ.." has really impacted me. I'm so honored to have His trust and His assistance as many around the world, including you and me, take part in the work of salvation!

I love you all

Thank you for your love and support!


Elder Matua

Our new friend Miles

Elder Reinjtes

I love Taiwan