Hello, family, friends, comrades, brothers, sisters, people,
Here I am in the beautiful ocean city of Tainan. I smell the beach and the salt everyday, but we haven't been there yet. No worries there will be pictures soon. It's unbelievably hot. It's only March. Oh boy. But I'm gonna enjoy it because it's the last one I get to enjoy for awhile. Now that March 17th has passed, I'm experiencing everything twice. I realize that the end of April and May, well this is the only April and May I get in Taiwan. Except for the first part of April next year. So I'm enjoying it. And drinking a whole lot more water. Getting skinnier. Muscles are actually growing (finally), and my hair needs a good shave. I've still got unibrow problems, and it bothers me to the point where (yes, Dad, I tweeze my eyebrows) I tweeze my eyebrows. That's it. Who really cares a lot about how handsome we are in the mission field as long as we look like emissaries of the Creator of the Universe.
Tainan is fun, hot, and big. And it's the city, but I still LOVE it. We live right on a beautiful canal (except the water is brown, worse than Moab river), and the sun is always out. Dad, you would LOVE it here, except for the heat. Sometimes I literally feel like we're on a cruise boat.
Have I told you that I'm reminded constantly of California? It feels like California here. Cali to me, always reminds me of the 80s for some reason. I never lived in the 80s (and barely a year in California), but my Mom did, and she's an 80s girl. So I have that affect. I am CONSTANTLY reminded of Cali here. I feel like I'm in Cali half the time, and it's WONDERFUL.
The problems?
The ward is not as active as it could be. They have their own chapel, and they're smaller than Tanzi. Only one person attends the Correlation meeting. The mission leader. Makes me want to be SO MUCH MORE ACTIVE in my home ward when I get home.
I realize I was NOT an active member of the church before. I never did anything. I just went to church. Barely read my scriptures. If Dad hadn't've blessed Shelby when she was hurt as a baby and emphasized the importance of prayer to me, I wouldn't have had that personal love of prayer or connection to it. Therefore, I would not have continued saying my personal prayers. That was what kept me in. And my parents of course. Young men's leaders played a big part. I only went to mutual to hang out, I didn't care about the spiritual part.
I was not active before my mission. I feel horrible now. Seeing how important it is to be an active and involved member makes me wish I was more of a help to my ward than I was. It's vitally important to friendship new investigators that are coming to church. THE MOST IMPORTANT PART. A strong convert will stay converted. Duh. But, sometimes people come to the church just because they're ready, and it's easy to accept. No friends until after. But if all new investigators have is the missionaries, their motivation to stay going dies FAST. Because missionaries move FAST. Look for investigators. Love them. Friendship them. Help them get to the next class. Talk to them after church. Yes, the missionaries are to teach, but you can share, you can still answer questions. If you talk to them about Joseph Smith, the missionaries have a lot more they can share about him in that lesson, cause the investigator already understands a lot.
Anyway, I've been hit with huge responsibilities down here. Obviously it's to keep me busy. I've realized something lately.
The way the church works, when in it's prime, is when the people that need to work on testimonies, stretch themselves, go above and beyond what they think they can do, are put in those positions that will help them do so. Dad, that's why you were called as Sunday School Teacher that one time. You hated it, I know you did. But then you grew to at least start to love it, didn't you? It was NOT what you liked to do, and it pushed you. Yes, it didn't last super long, but you affected everyone in that class with your testimony.
And you grew.
Well, I need some help, some strength, and some pushing. (Now, you can't say that because you have a calling in the church, you must have a problem, so that's why you were called... lol, but regardless there is something you can improve and progress on in that calling...) So I've been called to a leadership position here in Tainan with Elder Turk. He is my junior companion. He has no leadership position. He grew up in Utah for 16 years, then moved to Texas for 3. He claims he's a full-blood Texan.
I am not training. I was pulled away from my trainee after a measly 3.5 weeks with him. Elder Mohr is great though, he'll be strong.
My numbers also took huge jump this month. Not that that matters, but it was nice to see on paper.
I do Baptismal interviews and handle follow-ups. Our district is made up of 6 missionaries, 4 Elders and 2 Sisters. The other 2 Elders are the Zone Leaders. So, yeah. I also get to run, and plan district training meetings. That'll be fun. :D While trying to get to know this ginormous area, and it's people.
Had kind of a hard Sunday yesterday, right now we only have 1 progressing investigator. That's really low. We had 7 last week. The rest of them dropped out, cause none of them came to church. Doh!
President Bishop is changing things, but it's kinda hard to explain. The focus and purpose of missionaries is to FIND, TEACH, and BAPTIZE. But we are putting a little more focus on RC's and LA's. The goals are HUGE for this year, but we are well on our way to hitting them. I'm keeping my part of the goal. :D It's really hard to explain President's Bishop's changes without telling you face to face or over the phone.
Time's almost up, but I will say this.
I've changed a TON. I am a completely different person, while still being 100% me. I love it. I have all sorts of problems, but the biggest ones that I thought I would never be able to overcome are starting to disappear and become my strengths. I love Ether.
I am so peaceful just thinking about the fact that these problems are disappearing.
God is real. And He's there. Just go find him.
Love you all!
-Elder Carter
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