Week #54

Hello Family and Friends!

  I forgot to tell you this before, but when I got here we moved apartments into the sister's old apartment because it is nicer and they are shutting one of them down. So we were cleaning it and I pulled a huge hairball out of the drain (thanks sisters). And we had to clear out the old apartment and put all of the stuff in our new apartment so its a little crazy (sorry I forgot to take pictures). 

  

Well nobody really new this week, but this next week is going to be super good, because we set up an English student, and are going to set up another one. And also there is a lady from New York that came to visit because she is from Taiwan and she was just recently baptized in New York. And she brought her mom to church and 4 of her students. so hopefully we can set up with all of them this week. 

   

We met with Sister Wu this week.. She is progressing really well, but she won't be able to make her baptismal date because she can't make it to church enough times. She works at a famous hotel in our area, and so it is really hard to get weekends off. So we are praying for a miracle. 

   

One day this week we had 2 lessons set up with 2 new people. But one of them cancelled, and one of them actually lived in the place that he was referred to us from, so that was kind of lame. 

  

 I also got to do my first baptismal interview this week, so that was pretty interesting. 

   

I have been working really hard on developing Charity and Patience. Because when you have those two things as a missionary it is really easy to always stay happy, and not get discouraged. Without charity we are nothing, and discouragement weakens faith. Thats all from me. Love you all! I promise next week will be more exciting

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博長老 Elder Bosco

Taiwan Taichung Mission 16-18

Week #53

   This last Pday was super fun because we got to go eat lunch with John Howard Graves Jr. and his family. Elder Graves is one of the best friends that I have made on the mission so far and he will truly be missed. But now he is back in the promised land, so thats good. 

  

 Elder Meng and I have been working really hard this week, and although we didn't find new this week, I can definitely see things starting to get better. This next week should be a good one. 

   

This week we had a really good lesson with Sister Wu. She was reading the Book of Mormon, but wasn't really feeling anything from it, but we figured out that she didn't pray when she read. So we talked about why it is important to read and pray together and I think she understood it. Also she brought up that she had always wondered what the purpose of life is. And so we were able to talk about how the Book of Mormon answers questions of the soul, and so that went really well. Also she came to all 3 hours of church this week!

   

This week I was able to go on exchanges with Elder Vainuku, one of our Zone Leaders (sorry I forgot to take a picture) I learned a lot, especially about contacting which is still something that I am not very good at. But I learned a lot that I really think will help us here in YuanShan. 

   

Also the coolest thing happened at church. We were just sitting in the chapel waiting for sacrament meeting to begin, and this lady walks in with her husband. She tells us that she has just been teaching Chinese in Syracuse, Utah for the past year. And while she was there she had been going to the Mormon church (her and her husband are members of a different church). And she loved the feelings that she had there, and so when she got back to Taiwan, she wanted to take her husband to our church. And throughout all of church she was just taking a bunch of notes, and was just really happy to be there. Sadly she does not live in our area, but it was still really cool. 

   Well that is about it for this week. Love you all!

p.s. I was sad to hear about Bro. Nickerson. Please send Sis. Nickerson my love.

 

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博長老 Elder Bosco

Taiwan Taichung Mission 16-18

Collin holding the bag of goodies (goldfish and bubbles and candy) that Ella and Micah sent with Elder Graves mother. Thanks Graves family! 

This is Annie (shes on the BYU golf team and was home for the summer). 

Week #52

  Well this week will officially be the half way point of my mission! It is crazy how fast time flies. I honestly love being a missionary so much, and I am so glad that I still have another year to do so. This year has included some of the hardest, and some of the happiest moments of my life. 

The mission (especially the beginning) was not easy for me at all. But I have truly learned to  rely on my Savior and his Atonement. And I have also learned to rely on the Book of Mormon as a source of spiritual strength. I can't even begin to describe how much my testimony of the gospel, and especially the Book of Mormon has grown on my mission. I know that I have been called by a prophet of God to serve here, and I know that the Lord has been with me every step of the way. 

  

 There is not a whole lot to talk about this week, but Elder Meng is super awesome and we have been working hard this week. Contacting in this area is a lot different than my last area, so it has been a little bit of an adjustment, but I am getting used to it. 

On Saturday we were at the park and this guy came up to us and started talking to us in his not bad English. And he said he would come to church the next day, but he wouldn't set up with us or give us his number or anything. Then on Sunday he actually came, but then he quickly left before we could get his number or anything. So that kind of sucks. Also on Sunday we talked to this one guy, who at first didn't seem like she wanted to talk to us at all. But as we continued to talk to him, he started listening more, he ended up accepting a Book of Mormon and said the he would come to church. But he also would not give us his number or set up with us so that was pretty disappointing. 

   

We have one investigator with a baptismal date for August. Her last name is Wu (like Wendy Wu Homecoming Warrior).  I have only met with her once, but she is asking good questions about what she is reading in the Book of Mormon. She still does not have any special feelings about her baptismal date so hopefully we can help her with that. 

   

Well thats about it this week. Love you all. See you next year!

   

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博長老 Elder Bosco

Taiwan Taichung Mission 16-18

​the picture of the empty land is where they are supposedly building the next temple in Taiwan

Week #51

short letter this week because of his transfer...

  Well I am going back to GaoXiong. I will be in YuanShan with Elder Meng. He is from California, and both of his parents are from China. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I had to serve in Qingshui. I will never forget the branch members there. I am so grateful for all of the memories I was able to make there. I am so grateful for everyday that I get to spend as a representative of Jesus Christ, and I am thankful for the opportunity I have to do it in Yuan Shan!
博長老 Elder Bosco

Taiwan Taichung Mission 16-18