Movin on to Tainan!

Not a whole lot of time today...

I moved. I left my beloved home in Tanzi, for a strange, alien world in Tainan, just above Gaoxiong in south Taiwan. Yes, I've finally left Taizhong.

I miss that home. I didn't get to see the baptism of the young man who became one of my best friends. 'Cause I had to leave. But I got to see three more when I got down here. I was called to leave my trainee early. I didn't finish that call.

I was thrust into Tainan to become unbelievably busy. I've now done two baptismal interviews for two of the Sister's investigators, and all is going well. I got here on Wednesday, and saw two baptisms on Saturday, and another on Sunday. I'm already falling in love with the ward. But I miss the people in Tanzi.

The phone call came on Wednesday morning at 8:03 AM. I was told I would be moving to Tainan that day- and the train left at 2:16 PM. I had a couple hours to pack, and Victoria, my Chinese mom, was trying to take us out to lunch first. We got out to a beautiful restaurant and had a good lunch with Victoria, her husband Lin Dixiong, Anna, and Olive. Along with me and Elder Mohr. Took some good pictures.

I missed Lin Hong Zhan's baptism, and I don't get to see Guo Jin Ming's baptism next week along with the Lin Zi Xiang and his girlfriend's the week after that. At least I got to call them to say good-bye. Including most of the members. My other best friend Yu Jie was devastated, and all my recent converts in Tanzi were sad to see me go. I hated to leave Chen Baba behind. But my heart is with them. If I ever come back, I'm going back to Tanzi.

I'm scared, again. It's been just a few days, and I've been unbelievably busy. I no longer have time at night, because I'm on the phone doing follow-ups with everyone. I'm exhausted. My companion is amazing, and super diligent. He knows how to do missionary work, and I feel like I have a lot of work to do. I finally moved all the way in today. I knew I would be coming down to Tainan at least at one point on my mission, I knew it was coming. I also knew, and could feel from the start that my 7th move call was going to be special. The new move call doesn't come for two weeks from today, so when my 8th move call starts, I'll write an email and say hey.

March 17 comes up in three days. That's a weird feeling. But the biggest feeling is I'm scared to death that I'm gonna lose contact with the lifelong friends I'm making here. I don't want to leave, I can't leave. They are EVERYTHING to me, and I can speak Chinese with them from dawn til dusk and still have energy to go stuff my gizzard with Taiwanese food. My Taiwanese language is getting better, and it's fun to speak it, 'cause almost no other missionaries know how to... lol, thanks to Victoria.

I'm learning lately just how much I've changed. I guess I'm happier than I've ever been, even though I don't feel like it sometimes. I love contacting now. I know how to save my money (better), and I can connect FAST with people here. I'm working on writing and reading now, and am SLOWLY making my way through the Book of Mormon. I know upwards of about 1500 characters and have roughly 10,000 more to make it through the newspaper. My goals are getting hit, and I have to make a new goals sheet now. I'm scared to start watching my time count down. It's also fun to reminisce with my junior companions now, since they are all in the very beginning of their mission. I remember when I was their age...

I've also realized that I DO NOT want to be a Zone Leader. WAY too busy. That is NOT how I want to serve my mission, but I guess if I'm called... ;P

We just ate dinner at a white man's house last night. He met his wife at BYU. She's from Hong Kong. They all speak English. Brother VanCott speaks Cantonese and very little Mandarin. Their kids all speak Cantonese, Mandarin, and English. They have four. It TOTALLY feels like America in that house. Not to mention Brother VanCott is tall, skinny, loves computers, loves Macintosh and it felt like I was in the vicinity of Mike, Dad, and Kirk Lee, maybe add a little Paul in there.

I got SO trunky last night. Ugh. Don't really want to go back to dinner there...lol.

Doing messages and visiting as missionaries to an American's home really brings back memories of when we had missionaries over and what the purpose really is, what the expectations are. It made me think of how easy or difficult it would be to make it back to Taiwan to live, if I could. I don't know. That's not for now. I still have over a year left.

I'm extremely proud of my family and all you are accomplishing at home. I'm finding myself again and slowly working myself back up to where I thought I was before Christmas. It's nice to learn more about who I am. 

I'm growing, I'm learning, and I'm getting better everyday.

Love you all.

-Elder Carter