BBQ, festivals and the work

Apartment picnic

Wow. This past week has been one of the best weeks of my mission. Tuesday, Elder Love (ZL) and I were on exchanges. Met some great people, had some incredible lessons. By the end of the day, I drop like a rock on my bed and I was just so exhausted. Up to this point, one of the most fulfilling days of my life! We worked super hard, and it felt good to feel like we put every last ounce of energy into the day. Good stuff!

Transfers weren't last week, they're this week! They had to change them due to visa problems. I guess a lot of people are moving, they just don't know who yet.

Yummy stuff!

We've been meeting a lot of awesome people. Meeting new friends is the best thing ever. Taiwanese people are the nicest. This weekend was the Mid-Autumn Festival. A big thing that EVERYBODY does is kaorou (Barbecue)! Last night we were invited to plenty of barbecues as we biked along the road. The homes don't really have yards, or driveways, or sidewalks. So they pull out a small box put some coals in with a rack on top, and grill right there on the street. Families get together and it's just a huge party. So awesome. We ate with our investigator and his family and it was so great.

Elder Stephens, our friend Gao Yu Chen and me

I think one of the coolest things I've learned this week was from the Book of Mormon. So I've been studying how to become a better missionary. Interesting right? yeah, it's fun. Anyways, I was reading in the Book of Alma about one super powerful missionary companionship, Alma and Amulek. Missionary work is hard. We are rejected on an hourly basis. Seems discouraging right? Sometimes.. it is.

Alma and Amulek are a great example of why we shouldn't be discouraged, nervous, scared, or shy away from bearing testimony, even when others are sometimes openly rejecting it. A man named Zeezrom starts questioning them as they teach. Zeezrom's crazy because number one, he really doesn't care whether or not what these guys are saying is true. He's just trying to get them to cross their words, slip up, something. Alma and Amulek teach him by the spirit. Zeezrom feels the influence of the spirit and he has no idea what to say.

Later in in the 15th chapter, Zeezrom enters into a covenant with Heavenly Father and is Baptized. I

Our zone, having fun

just think that's so awesome. Zeezrom was "a man who was expert in the devices of the devil, that he might destroy that which was good" (Alma 11:21). How did Alma and Amulek do that? So cool. They sowed a seed that was quickly harvested. I've realized that as missionaries, we are here to HARVEST. BUT, there would be now way of harvesting if someone had not come earlier and sown a seed.

Let's sow some seeds this week! And look for opportunities to harvest! I love missionary work. Love you all. Keep staying strong. Stay true to the Faith. Have an awesome General Conference weekend!

You all get to watch it a week before me so have fun!


Have a blessed week!
Elder Chase Matua