What the Freak

Hello All!

Sorry for the weird, random email in the middle of the week, but Friday is my new email day! I have finally been transferred out of WanDa, to a place called Fenglin, which is as different as you can possibly get from Central Taibei, and the rest of the mission. The city, if you want to call it that, has a total of 8,000 people, and it is completely isolated from other missionaries. It's on the East Coast, it's absolutely beautiful, and it's SO QUIET! Completely different from the hustle and bustle of Taibei. We also are the only area in the mission that keeps the 6:30-10:30 schedule, as opposed to the rest of the mission that does 7-11. Fenglin is such a special place, I'm so excited to be here!

Also, my new companion is a native, who speaks absolutely no English! So I am going to be the only English Speaker in a 50 mile radius. This place is full of stories, and is definitely one of a kind! This has Best Transfer Ever written all over it! I'm so pumped!

I will maybe check emails on Monday, but Friday will be my new email day! I hope to hear from you all! Keep on keeping on!

Love,

Elder Shope

Last Week of My Third Transfer!

BREAKING NEWS:

Breaking is what they call a missionary's third transfer, after they finished training! So... I was just making a pun... Sorry if you thought I have anything exciting to say. I don't, just more missionary stuff. But HEY! I have finished my third transfer in Taiwan, and my first six months as a missionary! And to end it off right, we have a baptism this weekend for a man named Jerry! He is the son of Brother Liao, who got baptized in June. He had a lot of questions when we met with him, but he progressed very quickly. Later, we found out he felt like he has always believed in God, he just never told anyone. So he is super awesome! we are so excited for him!

Also, this week we had a VERY interesting experience with a man who came into our chapel. We were doing a scripture study class, and a member brought in a man who seemed a little... under the influence of alcohol. He was very upset, and sharing with all those present a few choice words he had learned at some point in his life. He really liked those words. Anyway, after trying to talk to him a few times unsuccessfully, we found out that he has a gun, which is illegal in Taiwan! He also made a few punching and slapping motions towards us missionaries, so one of the members decided the best idea would just be to call the police. A short time later, the man was accompanied out of our chapel, and we discussed the situation with the member that brought him in! It was a very interesting experience!

I have loved this transfer, and all the miracles Elder Day and I have seen! I am truly grateful for my Father in Heaven, and for the sacrifice of His only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ. I know, and can personally testify, that relying on Christ, especially in times of trials and stress, provides peace, and strength. Our Father in Heaven wants to help us, we just have to ask, and have faith He will answer. Because He always will. I love you all, and I love my Father in Heaven. I love my Brother, my Savior, and my Friend, Jesus Christ.

Love,

Elder Shope

 

JUST AS A SIDE NOTE: The man did not have the gun with him, he just told us he did. Please do not worry! I love you all, and am completely safe!

I just started my Sister Mission 0.0

Big House Good!

In 3 days, on the 12th Day of October, I will have been on my mission for 6 months! That is 1/4 of my mission! What the heck?!?! I'm still not good at this stuff at all! But I have loved being in Taiwan, and have had so many experiences that have shaped me and helped me become more like my Savior, and the man I want to be. I love my mission in Taiwan!

We had the opportunity to watch General Conference this week (a little late, because of translating), and I absolutely loved it! Having the opportunity to watch Conference, and hear living prophets and apostles testify of the Savior and the Restored Gospel rekindles the fire of my testimony, and reminds me of the love my Father in Heaven has for me. I especially loved the talk by W. Craig Zwick, about understanding others and looking outside ourselves. I definitely recommend you all take a look into General Conference, you can watch it on lds.org, or read it in the LDS Church's Liahona magazine!

But as I was watching and pondering the messages of our Latter-Day prophets and apostles, one thing that was constantly repeated was the power of the Book of Mormon. One speaker, Tad R. Callister, talked about how many have made attempts to geographically, scientifically, or historically disprove the Book of Mormon. They have made claims that Joseph Smith made the Book up, that he somehow was able to create, in just 65 days, a massive number of people, places, names, dates, and events, and keep them all organized, without any notes, or ever going over what was already written. They tried to disprove things like building with cement, and other small historical details, that seemed impossible. They have made claims that ancient records were written on papyrus, not metal plates. But time and time again, architects, researchers, and geographers have found evidence supporting the authenticity of the Book of Mormon. It can reasonably be scientifically proven that the Book of Mormon is a real record, similar to the Bible. But more important than seeing the evidence that supports the Book of Mormon, the earthly "proof", we have been promised by prophets of God that if we ASK God, the source of all truth, if the Book of Mormon is truly His word to us, we WILL receive an answer. More important than knowing if the Book of Mormon is historically, geographically, or scientifically accurate, we can each personally know if the doctrines and the promises in the Book of Mormon really do come from our loving Father in Heaven. By reading the book, and then asking God, through sincere prayer, if this is His word. I know God lives, that He hears and answers prayers, and that He WANTS us to grow closer to Him. He gave us the Book of Mormon as another testament of His Son, Jesus Christ, to help us learn of Him, and help us learn what we need to do to be with Him again. I know the Book of Mormon is true, because I have read it, and asked God, with a real desire to know if it was true. I invite you to read it, to ponder it, and ask God if it's true. I can give you the same promise that so many others have given, that if you read, and really want to know if it's true, God will witness to you that it is. I know that true happiness, peace, and direction are found only in Jesus Christ, and His teachings.

I love you all, and I know that your Father in Heaven loves you, too.

Love,

Elder Shope

施長老

PS Here is the link to Tad R. Callister's talk from General Conference, about the Book of Mormon: https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-10-4030-elder-tad-r-callister?lang=eng

And the Beat Goes On

That email title was for you, Dad.

Good morning, evening, afternoon, or night, all! It's another great day here in Taiwan, and I'm back to bother you with yet ANOTHER missionary email! This last week has been crazy, and a little rough, but it's already in the past! So I'm excited for a week of miracles and learning even more to rely on my Savior as I continue to fumble along with the language and my teaching abilities!

This week, we didn't have any experiences that were too crazy, but we did meet some interesting people! One day this week, we met a man who says he is the younger brother of Bruce Li. We talked to him for a little bit, and then he pulled out a bunch of fake dollar bills and had us look at them. They all said "Not Legal Tender" in clear English, but he kept swearing to us that they were real, and that he had a bunch of money hidden somewhere that he was going to get and then give to us. So, not to brag, but I might just be set for the rest of my life!... As long as banks in the US take $1,000,000 bills.

We have some weird experiences here on a mission, but we also have some really special ones. I've gotten to meet some people who are truly looking for peace in their lives, for a better lives for themselves and their families, and I have been so blessed to be able to share a message that brings true happiness, and a comfort, in knowing we have a Father in Heaven who cares about us, and gave us this gospel to guide back home. In Taiwan, we teach an English Class, and my companion and I are in charge of teaching the Advanced Class. This Saturday we were talking about poems, and for our spiritual share at the end, we read a poem called "The Touch of the Master's Hand". For anyone who hasn't that poem, I invite you to read. It is my favorite poem, and it speaks so powerfully of our Savior. In the poem, an auctioneer is selling a battered, scarred violin, and he asks if anyone is willing to pay him a dollar for the instrument. Bids are slowly declared, and the value finally gets up to about $3. The auctioneer is about to sell this broken, seemingly worthless violin, when an older man from the back of the room walks forward, and takes the violin. After brushing off the dust, and tuning it up, he brings the violin up to his chin, and plays a beautiful song. The melody is pure and sweet, and the man surprises the audience with his playing. As he finished the song, the auctioneer again raises the violin, and asks the crowd for bids. After a few shouted replies, the auctioneer finally sells the violin, for $3000. But what had changed? This was the same violin, it had the same scrapes and scratches, but was now worth 1,000 times as much. The difference was the touch of the Master's Hand. The man knew this violin, he knew what needed to be done, and he knew what this violin was truly worth. And because of His efforts, the true value of this old, worn violin was seen. Each of us is just like this violin. We've been tried, and challenged, and we bear scars, physical and spiritual. We sometimes feel we aren't worth anything, that we're too battered and beaten to matter at all. But if we allow the Master, the one who truly knows us, who knows our true worth, to take us, and tune us up, then we, too, can once again play the songs of joy, and remember the value we have always had. I know, without any doubt, that our Savior knows us. That He suffered for our sins, our trials, our weakness, so that He could know exactly how to help us, to put us back in tune. He knows our worth, our potential, and He wants us to know it, too. We are truly Children of God, and our Father in Heaven knows we are worth 1,000 times what we think we are worth. If we allow ourselves to feel the touch of the Master's Hand, and seek to tune the strings of our lives, we can be promised the blessings of Heaven, and the sure knowledge of our Divine potential. I am so grateful for my Savior, and that through His sacrifice, I can again be made whole, and feel hope and happiness.

I love you all, and I pray that each of you can feel the touch of our Master's Hand in your own lives. I can promise that it is joy greater than anything the world can offer.

Love,

Elder Shope

施長老