It's Humid

Wan'an!

Good evening, everyone! It's about 11:30 am here in Taiwan, and we're sitting here in the mission office emailing! This week has been great, lots of investigators to teach, and lots of tracting to do! I still have no idea where anything is, and my bike is already having problems, so I guess I'm starting to become a real missionary! But I really have loved being here, the work is hard, but it's fulfilling. Getting to see people change, to become better through the Gospel of Christ, is such an amazing feeling!

Nothing crazy fun happened this week, but we did go ice skating last P-Day! I guess that was fun ;P! I have been a couple times, but never with like 40 missionaries! Which is... "technically" definitely not allowed, but we didn't plan it, and the AP's were there, so we were OK! It was super fun, and so weird to be somewhere it was cold, since Taiwan has been sooooo hot and humid. I don't know if I've mentioned that before. It's humid here. Really humid.

But despite the humidity, and the humidity, and the language, I really am so happy I have the opportunity to share the Gospel with the people of Taiwan. We sit down with people of all different beliefs, with all different backgrounds and problems and thoughts. They tell us about divorces, about alcohol addictions, about health problems, and it's so hard to hear. But as we love them, and as we listen, every single time, they tell us almost the same thing: they just want to be happy. And I still remember my high school days of loneliness and depression, that's all I ever wanted. That, deep down, is what we all want. To be happy. To feel loved and needed and truly happy. We all have different needs, different desires, but ultimately, we all want to find joy in our lives. And we look so many different places to find it, but it seems so out of reach. But being on a mission, I feel like I finally know what happiness is. This gospel, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, brings us true happiness. Unending happiness. And it doesn't matter if you have had a divorce, or lost a loved one, or you just feel like no one cares about you. Our brother Jesus Christ suffered for your pains, your sicknesses, your doubts. He knows them, and He knows you. And I promise you, I have no doubt, that if you come unto Christ, if you put your pains at His feet, He will take them from you, He will give you rest, and you will feel true joy. I know this church is true, and I want you to know it, too. I invite you to take inventory, do I know God exists? Do I know He loves me? What does that mean? And how can it help me? I promise you, this church is true. I know it, I live it. and I find unexplainable happiness in it. I love you, and God, your Father, my Father loves. Christ loves you, and He suffered for your sins because He loves you. You specifically. And I say these things in His holy name, amen.

Love,

Elder Shope

Week 1 Swimming in Taiwan - 6/19/2017

Nimen hao!

Now, I was pretty sure when I got my call that they said missionaries weren't allowed to swim, but I'm pretty sure I've been swimming through the air pretty much since I got here. Taiwan air is so humid, I have probably been sweating continuously since I got here. But it's been crazy! The work goes every day, all day, no rest. I am serving in an area near to the Taiwan temple, called WanDa. We have a pretty small ward, but I guess it's average size for Taiwan. The chapel is like 6 stories tall, and has like 3 chapels. It's nuts. My trainers name is Elder Kimmel, and he's awesome. He loves baseball and music, so we get along pretty well. It's funny, all the buildings are so close together, and everything smells funky. But the people here are so polite... At least, I assume they are, I can't understand a word. I guess that will show me to be confident in my language ability ever again, lol. Everyone talks so fast, and I can't understand the way they talk. Prayers would definitely be appreciated, it's been rough. But I know the Lord blesses those who earnestly do his work. So I'll keep to the grindstone.

Funny Story of the Week: We just picked up my bike yesterday (it's slick), so I haven't had much experience riding it. Also I didn't really ride a bike in tight space a lot before my mission, so it's been a learning opportunity. Anyway, this morning we went to get groceries, and I didn't have room for them in my bike box, so I hung the bag on my handlebars. Well, it's harder to steer with 5 pounds of groceries on your left handlebar, and the sidewalks are a lot narrower in Taiwan. Well, this elderly lady was helping another elderly lady into a car, and a wheelchair was taking up pretty much the whole sidewalk. I thought I could steer around behind it, but apparently not. I ended up hitting the wheelchair, and the lady started yelling at me in Chinese, and I was apologizing in what I hope was Chinese. Then we just kind of looked at each other, and I almost laughed. We were both talking to each other, and neither one of us could understand the other. I'm 6,000 miles from home, and can't understand anyone, and this lady is yelling at me. It definitely made me take a step back. There's no way I'd be doing this, living in a place where I can't even communicate, doing something I had no idea how to do, unless it was something I really believed in.

And I do. It helped me realize I really do believe and know that this is what God wants for me. I know He lives, I know I am His son, and He has called me to share the message of the restored gospel. This last week has been crazy, I don't really feel like I'm making a difference, and I can't understand anyone. But I really do know that God lives, and He gives us challenges because He knows, with His help, we can overcome them. But He wants us to rely on Him, to know He's there. And I do know He's there. I have already seen little miracles on my misison, signs that I know my Father in Heaven is aware of me. One in 8 billion, and He is aware of me. He is aware of each of us, by name, by heart. We are His family, and He is our Father. I find so much comfort in the knowledge that I will be with my family forever. That God has allowed me to hear the message of His restored Gospel, and find joy and peace in it. Being 6,000 miles from my family is definitely not easy, but I find comfort in knowing that it doesn't matter if I can't see them for a while, because I will be with them forever. Eternal families are a gift we can never repay God for, and I'm grateful for them. I love you all, and I know Heavenly Father loves you, too.

Love,

Elder Shope

24 Hours and Counting... - 6/12/2017

你們好!

Friends and Families, Brothers and Sisters, children of all ages.... after 9 long weeks in the... well-loved walls of the MTC, we finally are breaking out! Elder Pope and I found a tunnel from our room on the 3rd floor to the outside of the MTC! Elder Vance and I have forged some plane tickets, and we're going to fly out of the Salt Lake City airport tomorrow at 6:50 am. They can't stop us now! I'm excited to finally be out of here! I've learned a lot in these hallowed walls, and I will always love this place, but I'm ready to move on to bigger and better things. Tomorrow we will be on a plane for 14+ hours, and we're flying United, so any prayers would be greatly appreciated. I don't want to be dragged off the flight...

Cool Experience of the Week! President Uchtdorf from the First Presidency came to the MTC yesterday to tour the new buildings! He was like right outside our classroom, and we didn't even know! We finally saw him as he walked outside the buildings, but we're on the 6th floor, and people were already swarming to him. So I didn't get to meet him, but I did take some pictures, they are on the drive. That brings me up to a total of 4 apostles that have come to the MTC while I have been here.

Well, because this is my last email from the MTC, and I don't know how much time I will have to write from the field, I want to share with everyone what I believe and know to be true. I know my Father in Heaven lives. I know He is a literal personage, that He is our Father, and He loves us. I know He loved us more than we could ever possibly imagine, so He sent His Only Begotten Son to Earth to Atone for us, and to save us from the loneliness, the evil, the bitterness of this world. I know that Christ is the Son of God, the Savior of our world. I bear a personal witness that He loves you, personally. He was a carpenter, a brother, a teacher, and ultimately an outcast. He served others all His life, He healed the sick, He raised the dead, He fixed the lives of those He touched. He brought joy to those He met, gave them hope, and gave them purpose. And still he was despised. The people He loved scorned Him, beat Him, and ultimately crucified Him. But I bear witness that this pain was minimal, this heartache was minute, next to the pain, the agony, He suffered in Gethsemane. He sweated as it were great drops of blood as He suffered, not only for our sins, not only for our mistakes, but for our pains, for our loneliness, for the trials and the tribulations we would face in our own lives. He did it because He loves us, He did it because He wanted to understand us, He wanted to know us individually, so He could know how to help us. When Christ was resurrected, He asked the people to come, to feel the nail prints in his hands and feet, to thrust their hands into His side. Why would he ask the people to touch Him, to feel His side? Something so personal? Because He wants us to know Him intimately. Personally. The way He knows us. He wants you to come to Him, to put your pains at His feet, and He will take them up, and make your burdens light. I know that Christ's church was taken from the Earth, that His power and authority was lost. But I also know that in 1820, Joseph Smith saw God the Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ, and through him, they restored the keys of God's power back to the Earth. I bear personal witness that every sentence, every word of the Book of Mormon is true, that is the word of God to His people. If you don't believe me, read it, and ask if it is the truth. If you have a real desire to know, and you kneel down in earnest prayer, I promise you our Father in Heaven will tell you it is true. That it is His word, to His children. I know these things, because I have asked the Lord myself, and He has, through the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, borne witness to me that it is true. I love my Savior, I love my Father in Heaven, and I love you all. And I want you all to have the everlasting happiness I have found by coming to my Father, and doing the things that He asks. I want Him to be proud of me, because He is my Father. He knows we can't be perfect, I am far from perfect, He just asks we always do our best, and His Precious Son will make up the rest.  I bear this as my personal testimony, in the name of my Brother, my Savior, my Redeemer, Jesus Christ, Amen.

Love,

Elder Shope

(PS, this is the last day I'll be able to respond to emails right away, if anyone has anything left to say to me. I love you all so much)

Final (MTC) Countdown - 6/5/2017

你們好!

LAST WEEK IN THE MTC!! I'm almost ready to start my mission after being out for 2 months! This last week has been full of so many good experiences, though, and we are still learning so many things here! No crazy stories to tell this week, but the new MTC buildings just opened up today! They are so beautiful, and the spirit is so strong inside. We only get them for a week, but I'm so glad we get to be there at all.

We start in field training Friday, and I take off for the airport next Tuesday! So next Monday will be my last P-Day in the MTC! I'm going to miss all the fun times here, getting hit in the face with volleyballs (twice now), and messing up words in Chinese. But I really have learned so much about our relationship with our Heavenly Father and His plan for us. It's so amazing that, as someone pointed out, of all the titles our God has been called, He asked us to call Him father. To me it just shows again the love he has for us as His literal spirit children.

I also had the opportunity to teach the lesson this week in our District Meeting, and I taught on obedience. As I was preparing the lessons, I was thinking about what obedience is, and what it means to be obedient. God loves us, and so He gives us commandments to keep us on a path that will protect us from danger, both temporal and spiritual. Sometimes we don't understand the commandments we're given, and sometimes we don't know how they can help us, but I know that He gives them to us because, like any good parent, he wants us to be safe. And if we keep His commandments, the rules He's given us, if we use the Gift of Agency we've been given to obey him, he promises to protect us, and to bless us. Obedience is a covenant, both we and God make promises. His blessings and protection all hinge upon our agency, though. There are so many example of obedience throughout the scriptures, but the best example of obedience is Christ. He was always obedient to his Father, throughout His entire life, and did everything that was asked of Him. He taught others, and shared the love of His Father. And then, as an ultimate act of obedience, He drank the bitter cup of sin and death, and atoned for us. In Luke 22, we see the only time in Christ's life where he may have doubted, where He didn't want to obey. In verses 41 and 42, we read "And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will , but thine, be done." He knew the pain He would suffer pain beyond our comprehension, he knew that He would feel emotions and mental pains so terrible any mortal would have succumbed to death. But in the Garden of Gethsemane, alone and on His knees, in the ultimate act of obedience, He told His father "Not my will, but Thine be done." He knew that there was no other way, nothing else that could be done to save his fellow men. And so His will was swallowed up in the will of the Father's. He made His Father's desires His own desires, and He saved us all. We as children of God have the same opportunity. We will never have to suffer the bitter pains of sin, if we use Christ's atonement to repent. The commandments we are given may seem hard, but they will never compare to the cross the Christ was given to bear. And the blessings of obedience are so numerous. In Leviticus 26:9, we are told we will have the Respect of God. How amazing is it to be told that God will give us His respect if we follow His commandments. And that is just one of the blessings of obedience. I know obedience to God's commandments will bring us closer to him, and will help us trust in Him as he trust in us. I know Christ lived, He died, and He lives again. And I have promised to always obey my Father's commandments, because I love Him. And I love all of you. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Love,

Elder Shope

PS, thank you for everyone that has emailed me! I'll post more pictures later!

14 Days and Counting - 5/29/2017

Zao'an!

It's another NOT warm day in the MTC... I really miss Arizona heat. But it's OK, because two weeks from tomorrow, I will be on a plane for 14 hours headed to the best mission in the world! I have learned so much in the MTC, not just Chinese, but I have learned to appreciate the Gospel so much more! The Church is true, I know it without a doubt. And I want everyone to know it.

So, today is P-Day (obviously), but because it's Memorial Day, the temple is closed. So, yesterday afternoon, we as Zone Leaders got together with the Sister Training Leaders and planned a set of activities to do with our zone instead of the Temple. So, this morning, at 8 o'clock, we got together and played "get to know you" Jeopardy, and then did an Easter Egg Hunt in our classroom building! After we found eggs, we had to read scriptures, and then do a skit about the Book of Mormon story we got. Videos to come ;). But seriously, who knew missionaries were allowed to have fun?? I mean... I hope it's allowed... No one tell the MTC President. Please.

As far as learning goes, I feel like my Chinese is not progressing as quickly anymore. I feel like we've kind of hit a wall, we've learned all we really need for the MTC, so we haven't picked up much more. I'm sure the field will be another steep learning curve, lol. But any and all prrayers are much appreciated, missionaries are not immune to doubt and stress. I have a testimony of that.

But the best thing I learned this week was about the Apostasy, and the Restoration. In Priesthood, we discussed the need for Apostasy, and why and how it happens. The Great Apostasy happened after Christ was killed, His apostles were killed, and the priesthood was removed from the Earth. But it started long before that. Apostasy starts with just one person. When we turn away from God, or change His teachings to fit our "world view", we are starting our own personal apostasy. In the Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi, Chapter 1, verse 19, it says the Jews were angry with Lehi the prophet and his preachings, that before they stoned him, or cursed him, or even mocked him, they were angry. It starts in our hearts. When we are angry, when we doubt, or even when we're just sad; whenever we turn our hearts from God, because we don't think that what He is doing is right for us, we begin our personal apostasy.

But apostasy is necessary. Just like with the Great Apostasy, our personal apostasies help us recognize that we are missing something. We are missing truth, we are missing the Power of God in our life. We feel lost, alone, and when those feelings expand and grow when we don't know where to turn for support. But, again like the magnificent contrast of the restoration, like the joy the Earth felt when it was again warmed by God's power, we have the ability to restore ourselves to the bright and shining knowledge of our loving, caring Heavenly Father and His gospel. And it all starts with a question, a very similar question to the one a 14 year old boy in New York asked. "Who is God? Where is He? How can I know Him?", and other questions that take us down a path to find truth. And just like that 14 year old boy, God has given each of us a way to know He exists. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." I know Joseph Smith, as a 14 year old boy, went to God in earnest prayer, with a desire to know the truth. And just like Joseph Smith, we have the opportunity to kneel before God, with a question in our hearts, and ask Him where He is. Who He is. I promise you, and I stand as a personal witness, that if we take our questions to God, if we truly want to know, and if we are willing to act on the answer we are given, He will confirm to us that He is there, and that He loves us. He is our Father, He loves us, He weeps with us, and He is there to give us strength through the infinite power of Jesus Christ's Atonement. Let Him into your heart, focus yourself on His plan for you, and you will find happiness that cannot be found any other way. I know this church is true, I know Joseph Smith restored the Power of God on the Earth, and that it will never again be taken from the Earth. I know that this Gospel brings peace, brings happiness, lifts the tired head and mends the broken heart. It has saved me personally from the torment of my own pain and suffering. And it can do the same for you. Come unto Him, follow Him, and your burdens will be light. I promise it, I know it with every ounce of who I am. And I am so grateful for it. In the name of my Savior, and my Brother, Jesus Christ, amen.

Love,

Elder Shope

P.S. I love you all so much! Thank you so much for the emails, I will try to respond to any who email me! Pictures and Videos will hit the drive soon! But here's a link to a video I thought was amazing, called "Origin".

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2013-06-002-origin?lang=eng

3 More Weeks of MTC Food - 5/22/2017

你們好!

6 weeks in, and as of tomorrow, we will officially be the oldest district in our zone! It's so crazy to look back and think of how fast it's gone, because I still remember the long grueling days. I guess that's what missionary work works! I've definitely appreciated my time here, and have felt my testimony grow as I've shared it and as I've learned to use the gift of tongues!

So, no real news this week, but I did have one fun little... "experience" this week. So we go to class for about 6 hours a day to do language study and learn the lessons in Chinese. As part of our classes, we have to teach lessons to our teachers, who play as investigators based off of people they taught on their missions. Well, one of our investigators, 陈姐妹 (Sister Chen), has been really helpful in learning how to teach, and our lessons have gone really well! In one particular lesson, we had a really good discussion about the 10 commandments, and why we have been given commandments. I definitely felt the spirit testifying of the truth of what we were sharing. However, as the lesson ended, I said that I would give the closing prayer. About halfway through the prayer, I decided I wanted to thank the Lord for helping us feel Sister Chen's spirit: 'lingti'. However, as the words came out of my mouth, I said "we are thankful for her shenti."....... Shenti means body. I quickly corrected myself, but I was too late. After the prayer, we returned to our classroom, and our teacher relayed the story to our class. I was so mortified. Haha, but mistakes happen... mostly to me... but it's cool.

On a more serious note, I have loved having the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost to testify of truth to me, so that I can share my testimony with others. It is truly such a blessing in my life. When I entered the MTC, I think I truly did have some doubts about parts of the gospel, but as I've taken the time to study, and to ponder, I have truly had the truth of these things confirmed to me. We've talked a lot about agency in our classes, the ability we were given to choose between good and evil. This is truly such a gift to us, the ability to decide for ourselves what we want to do. It also shows how much love and trust our Father in Heaven has for us. Just like our earthly parents, He was willing to let us come to Earth, to a scary place where he couldn't be by our side, showing us the way. He knew that this was the only way we could become like Him, was to be separated from Him, and to learn to make good choices on our own. Agency powerfully testifies to me that God is truly our Father. He is not a merciless God, to be feared, but He is literally the Father of our spirits. Just like any parent, His goal was for us to become the best we possible could, but like any parent he had to give us the choice. He knew we would stumble, we would fall, we would lose our way. And so he sent His son, His only literal Son, to help us find our way home. He knew that we would do things he wouldn't be proud of, that He couldn't allow in His home, so He gave us a big brother, a perfect big brother, one that took those sins and those problems, and put them on His own back, so that we didn't have to. One that would endure the pains and the sins of an entire WORLD, so that we could all come home to our Eternal Father. He suffered the pains of those sins in Gethsemane, then he bore the load too heavy for us to comprehend as he staggered up the hill to be killed by the very people He had come to save. He did what any good big brother would do, because he's the best big brother we could have. And he did it because he wanted us to come back home, to the arms of a Father who wants nothing more than to forget what you've done, forgive what you've done, and welcome you back home with open arms. I know my Brother personally, I know my Father personally, I love them with all my heart. Come unto them, there is no other way nor means whereby men can be saved, except through the Atonement of the Only Begotten. Your Father loves you, your Brother loves you, and much less importantly, I love you.

Love,

Elder Shope