Monday, January 27, 2014

Loving the Eternal Health (永康)

 

I LOVE MIRACLES! Do you know what brings miracles?....Well lots of things bring miracles! But for my wonderful companion Elder Smith and I, what brings miracles is PRAYER and DILIGENCE! We are going out and talking to everyone and really working hard! It has been a TON of fun. One thing that I have really noticed is that Pride is a stumbling block....A HUGE one. As I go out and talk to people it is even more apparent that usual. For example, when I go out and talk to someone and they start out trying to reject me but end up receiving the message in the end I used to always think to myself, "dang that was good, Elder Gish, you go khed, NO-ONE CAN STOP YOU"#KickinSatanInTheFace (Yes sometimes I think of hash-tags in real life...thank you Elder Ben Johnson! haha). But then I would notice that after that my contacts would go REALLY down hill if people would EVEN talk to me at all haha. It is kinda a little slap in the face like, Elder....really? So I set goals and make plans...I say I like being humbled a lot...but sometimes it really stinks...haha, especially when it involves people COMPLETELY brushing you off. So I have recently been praying pretty much ALL THE TIME. I ask for help when needed and I give thanks all the time, success or failure 都沒有關係(In english that means both don't matter....does that make sense in English?). So that has been a HUGE help and has brought miracles, lots of them! SUCH AS:

1) Talking to a guy while sitting for dinner and him saying, "Wait you are missionaries right? (the tags and white skin weren't big enough hints I guess) 'cause I have a lot of interest in what you guys share..." Elder Smith and I were blown away! That is one of those stories that we as missionaries read about and then dream about and then talk about in companionship study as what we wish could happen to us haha.

2) Seeing an R8 drive by on the road....I know this might seem like what? But when your are surrounded by nothing but scooters, then you see a car...then that car is an R8....my neck almost broke watching that beautiful baby pass by....mmmmhhmmmm :)

3) Having investigators that have been meeting for ever agree to baptism finally and then bring friends or son's to church! (We had THREE investigators this week give us referrals for people to meet with...SO AWESOME!)

I was worried a bit coming into this area after seeing some of the numbers in the area, but boy did the Lord show me wrong!! This area is amazing and I am so happy to be here!

So one thing...I wanna shout out to two people...one I can't remember if I already gave a shout out to Vash! If not...HERE IS YOUR SHOUT OUT GIRL! I can expect an email EVERY WEEK and they are always so good and help a ton! Thank you so much for being such an AWESOME FRIEND!!! :)

The other shout out is again to the most wonderful woman EVER! MOM!!! SO this shout-out is more because I was singing as I was biking ( I know...scary thought...) But I was and as I was singing a FLOOD of memories hit me and I just miss those days and wanted to tell Mom I love you! The most specific were of you seeing me to sleep when I was younger and then, my personal favorite, of you taking us to the laundry place back in Texas, sitting my on one of the dryers and then singing Les Mis with me...you singing Jevert and me singing ValJean! It was just such an awesome memory and I am so happy and glad to have you as a mom! You always showed so much love and care for us! Love you most!

And actually talking about going to sleep just made me think about Dad! I can't talk about going to sleep without thinking about how my Wonderful Super Dad would lighten up my mind with stories of dragons and other wonderful guy things as I would get ready for bed! Or how I know I could always count on you Pops. I could tell you anything, if I was scared I knew I could go to your room and be safe, or just yell and you would come bursting in (I speak from real experiences!...Yes I might have been a little chicken when I was younger ;)) So thank you so much Pops! I love you so much!

Taiwan is such a wonderful place and it is made EVEN BETTER because I am here 24/7 sharing the gospel! I am telling you all...the Gospel is TRUE! The Church is TRUE!  It just makes everything in life better and it is THE SOURCE of true happiness and peace! You may be happy and everything now...but just wait till you have the gospel! It is like adding an exponent to the equation! It is just SO DRAMATIC the change that can and will occur! So go out and share it or just try it out! And don't take the word of some little 20 year old kid in Taiwan, look at the scriptures and those prophets, look at your neighbors and friends! Look at the Apostles and Prophets today! It is all so true!

Seriously nothing is better than sharing this gospel! So before I go I wanna leave a sweet invite!....ready?...hm.....its gotta be sweet....Okay, here we go, I want everyone to go read a story about Jesus from the Bible, I know that not everyone reading this may not have a BOOK of Mormon at Home, but you can find it online, so After you read the Story in the Bible go look at the Book Of Mormon Jesus (3rd Nehpi 11--->End). It is the Same Jesus, I know that book is true and I know that Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer. So reading those will just be good in so many ways! :)

I LOVE YOU ALL! SHINE BRIGHT!!!

p.s. pics are of the new zone…..

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the new comp....image

and a ninja...:) image

 

Ge Sheng Long ZhangLao

葛勝龍長老

Shannon Here: But wait!  Elder Gish sent a ton of wonderful pictures this week. See them all below.

I. IHelping out During the Dan Jones Tradition

Do you remember viewing the video of Sam’s first day in Taiwan? In it, he performed the mission’s tradition of a Dan Jones experience? (You can see him at about 5:15 seconds.)

As he did, there were lots of other missionaries there to help him – ones who had been out for a year or more to help with the language. Well, the following 6 pictures are of Sam helping out a brand new missionary during his Dan Jones experience.

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II. Random shots. The captions are from Sam.

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This is one of our best friends named Eli.

 

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This is a guy that was getting baptized the week I left....he was sad I couldn't be there for him...:( (Shannon here: He couldn’t be there because he was transferred out of the area before the baptism.)

 

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the other is that dad of the part member family and his son! HE IS GETTING BAPTIZED ON THE 22nd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!! ETERNAL FAMILIES!

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The Other is these guys we found and will be getting baptized soon too I think, one is from Taiwan and the Other is from Tailand!

Pictures of the Ward Members below:

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III. Visiting a zoo bat cave during their P-day (Preparation Day: It’s a day for laundry, shopping and exploring the area they are serving.)

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Monday, January 20, 2014

HERE WE COME!!

I want to start off and say sorry that this week I have NO TIME. I moved to a new area with a new sweet companion but have ZERO time this P-day, sorry.

So here comes a powerpacked superspeed fill-in session okay? Buckle in...here we go!

1)  Miracles happen all the time!

In Zone Training Meeting we practiced contacting and had one where we couldn't talk. Later that night I ran into a deaf guy and taught him and helped him to agree to meet with the missionaries in the area he lived in

2)    Elder Wang is the best missionary ever period.

I want so bad to emulate the things that we has done. I love him and am pretty sad he is going home...But at least I learned a lot! He is a power house.

3)   100% obedience is totally key! LIVE IT AND LOVE IT! It brings happiness!! I promise.

4)  A man called asking for another Taiwanese person and when I said that that man was not living at our house he asked if I was his son!!! That made me feel good.

5)  The coolest thing is when an ELDER missionary sees a girl on the street and tries to help her want to meet with the sisters and realizes that he has lost all skills when it comes to talking to girls....scared to come home? ...maybe....haha

6)   The Elders taking over for us will be getting about 4 baptisms in the next 3 weeks....super sad for us to not be there but super exciting for those people! Hopefully pictures make its way to me! (The Part member family husband is going to be making that step to help his family to be together forever!)

7)    I would love to get more new years letters/reflections, those things that families send out with pics of the fam and info about the year and stuff! (THANK YOU WILSON FAMILY!!! :))

8)   We are purifying the mission and it is awesome, making sure that we are all 100% dedicated to the mission and I love it....leave all boats and nets behind!!

9   )Praying for more humility will bring humbling experiences....that is always fun ;)

10)   When you receive revelation write it down! It will show the Lord how much you appreciate the revelation and it will help you to remember it and stuff!...It is really awesome!

Sorry that is so short and everything but I really am almost out of time...so.....

INVITE!!!! WHOO!!!! Okay here we go. This week I want everyone to write down some characteristics that they want to develop that would help them to become more....godly. For example...."I don't want to make excuses and actually get to church on time". I mean really it can be anything! But just do what it is that you think God hopes you will do, he will help you!

I love you all so much! I have been in Taiwan for a year now....NEXT YEAR....HERE WE COME! ELDER GISH 2.0!!! I have learned a lot and now it is time for me to really kick it in!!

I hope you have all had an amazing week! I love you!

Elder Gish

P.S. I would love to hear about what people did to become more 'godly'...I need a lot of work so all of your ideas will help me.

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Ge Sheng Long ZhangLao

葛勝龍長老

Monday, January 13, 2014

Is it really the end!?!?

 

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So I forgot my planner at home...shoooooooot....but I can try to pull some stuff from memory. Then I will try to get it all in next week okay!?

Well....This week I finish my training! Oh gosh....that is scary! But really it isn't so bad since it is so obvious that Elder Roberts is just going to keep going on to bigger and better things!!! :) I am excited to see how much he will truly bless this mission! This week we will find out if either of us will be moving...I am actually just about 100% sure that I will be moving haha...but we will see! So let's just HOPE that Elder Roberts and I BOTH move and BOTH move into the same area again :) Or maybe Elder Roberts can just become my Zone Leader right away!! ;)

This morning we all went to the bat caves again! IT WAS SO FUN! It was full of adventure...I think the pictures will speak for themselves! I just wish you could hear Elder Roberts screaming like a little girl...oh gosh...those are the moments you will never forget ;) hahaha

I want to start this week off with somethings that have happened to me this week....so without further ado:

YOU KNOW YOU ARE A MISSIONARY WHEN:

You can't think of Dumbledore and Voldemort's name (I just had to think awhile again...) And so instead you input the names "Abinadi and Satan."

You Listen to your phone ring tones at night for fun..."Oh man that Nokia tone is dope Elder!"....yup

You quote Preach My Gospel DVDs to tell jokes with your friends

You point out how "Freakin Sweet" another Elders Fanny Pack is

You compliment other friends by pointing out how white their shirts are, "Elder...that shirt is so white! Is it new? It looks SWEET!"

You struggle coming up with complete sentences in English but you somehow still communicate...."Yeah Elder, I know, but you have to....umm....what is that word again?....shoot....you know what I mean right?" "Yes"

You go out to eat at a place that might cost 5 American dollars and tell your companion "whoa buddy...I don't know if I can afford to eat like this this month" So instead you go to the place down the street that costs 1 American Dollar...haha...#lovintaiwanfood

When you wake up you sit and wonder if you even fell asleep..."Elder...please don't tell me it is 6:30 already...."

You see a pretty girl on the street and your first thought is "I wonder if she would be willing to meet with the sisters!?"

You DREAM about tracting and finding family after family!

I will try to also get some others later....I think they are probably pretty typical of this amazing mission!! haha

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Well this week was so filled with miracles but let me just start with the one I am most grateful for and that I want to thank everyone else for as well! So do you remember that Man that was in a Part Member Family and had a lot of problems and we tried to help him get baptized on Christmas? Well we hadn't met with him for a long time and we were about to just kinda throw in the towel and say...maybe he just needs more time (week sauce...haha). But we went over to see him anyways and try to talk to him one last time. So we went over there and BAM INSTANT PRAYERS ANSWERED MIRACLE BOOMSHALOCKLOCK BOOM! :) Yeah...I was pretty excited too...So we went and taught a pretty normal lesson and things seemed normal. And before we left he said...wait...so to get baptized right now the only thing holding me back is smoking and drinking and stuff right? And I said yup. Then he said "well actually last week I had a dream...It is kinda hard to tell you all about it but basically I just feel like my drinking and smoking time is over and I haven't done it for about a week now and want to keep going!"

MIRACLE!!!!!!!!!!

Yup it was amazing! So we are preparing him and helping him now...hopefully he will be totally ready for the 18th! So please keep him Brother 江 (Gee-ah-ng) In your prayer! :) 

We also baptized this AMAZING kid this last week! He is so fun and super cool! He was totally prepared. All he needed was a little missionary magic and BAM he joins the fold of God and receives all those amazing blessings!

I may not know a lot, but I DO KNOW that this gospel is TRUE and that nothing will bring us closer to God than studying this gospel! So we need to just tell everyone about it!!

We have another really good friend named Brother 曾(dZ-uh-ng). He is Super amazing and we are also hoping he will be ready for the 18th. He just feels he needs a little more time even though he is 100 percent ready! I think he is just nervous about that step....but at least he realizes that it is a big important step :), I just hope that he also realizes that it really isn't a step that you can just push off.

So I have been emailing with the Old AP Elder Erickson (my trainer) and he has been helping me stay fired and helping me realize the importance and impact that just one missionary or person can make. It is good however as an imperfect person I also get a little burned when I get that kinda fire just because I am so sorry for everything that I have ever done before that has been disobedient or even "not-missionary like." I am FAR from perfect and have messed up a lot...but one thing I have learned is..well..Hakuna Matta! It is in the past and is done and I can not change it now...however I can do all I can to make up for it or to repent and let that mistake become a blessing. I am so grateful for the knowledge I have of the Atonement and how I know that the Lord can help me take those times of weakness and mistake and turn them into ways of my being able to help and bless others!!

I love this gospel and I love you all!

Have an amazing week!!!
SHINE BRIGHT!!!!!!!

OH INVITE! Yeah! Go up to missionaries you know and just tell them how good they are doing. It is WAY too easy to get down on yourself...especially on a mission. So let them and the people around you know that they are doing good. :)

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P.S...If you see that picture and are wondering where the front tire to that bike is....the answer is...somewhere that I knew and that Elder Palmer had to find out :) haha [Shannon here: Elder Gish’s last post explained a district wide hide and seek joke that Elders play on each other after meetings.]

LOVE YOU ALL!!!

-

Ge Sheng Long ZhangLao

葛勝龍長老

[Shannon here: I think Elder Gish forgot to attach the pictures of the bat cave. I know we were all looking forward to seeing them…]

Monday, January 6, 2014

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So with the new year comes miracles, goals, and best of all, clean slates to start getting things going!...kinda like baptism ;)

Well since there aren't many emails in the inbox this week.. (hmmhmhmh *clearing throat ;)*) haha. Atleast I will have a good amount of time to write this email to everyone!

(image from the official Taiwan Taichung Mission Blog)

So funny story...I might have gotten some of my Dad's blood in my veins...why do you say?...I am a prankster at heart hehehe...and when you have a district full of really good friends...every once and awhile...it might come out. Well we have started to every so often hide each others bikes when we have long days at the chapel...Well, it has always been small things like behind a tree or bush...in a large trash can...an elevator...but then...one day; Elder Roberts and I walked out to find only our helmets on the ground. We looked in the normal spots and nothing...then it happened. We looked up. Yup...the bikes were on the roof of the churches storage building!! We were like, "WHAT THE...." haha, it was so good and so funny! I love this district so much!...Stories will come soon of how we upped that one...haha

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Also Elder Roberts and I have developed this habit of every so often talking like children...it is a weird habit....but it is SOOO FUNNY holy cow. SUCH a good stress relief! Anyways, HILARIOUS story. Elder Roberts had this bag of skittles and it was late at night and he read the bag in this kid voice and on the bag it says "guess what is inside?" and he said in his kid’s voice "...skittles I hope...otherwise I am going to be very upset!" hahahahahaha

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It might not be as funny over email...but I was DYING laughing for like 15min!! It was SO good, I love Elder Roberts so much! Such a fun and hard working companion! Good Job Mama and Papa Roberts!! ;)

INFACT. AMAZING STORY!!! I feel like the BEST DAY of my WHOLE MISSION was just yesterday, SO I have been trying to talk to everyone I see so that I can help AS MAN PEOPLE as are willing to listen to this AMAZING gospel! And I found this one man names Wu Dixiong. He is so cool and fun. But he said he couldn't meet for a week and would just come to church...so not the BEST set up since it would include about a week of not seeing him and then expecting that he just shows up at church. BUT..miracle...HE CAME! And he was awesome. After Church we sat with him and we had the SMOOTHEST lesson I have ever had my whole training period! Elder Roberts would pick up RIGHT where I left off and continue to teach perfectly and ask AMAZING questions and then I would pick up and then he would and everything was just PERFECT!!! I was so happy! And even better at the beginning of the lesson he said he doesn't believe God exists, and because of Elder Roberts amazing teaching, at the end of the lesson He said his first prayer ever and he said  "Heavenly Father, I am sorry for doubting you...thank you for letting me meet these missionaries, because of their teaching I am starting to believe in you now...." It was SO AMAZING! :) I loved it and was so glad to have Elder Roberts by my side in this lesson!

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I had the worst dream last night though and I thought I would share it with everyone for the reason of pointing out what the mission means to me and how much I would plead that ANY and EVERY youth go on their mission..I PROMISE YOU nothing could be more important than this and you will NEVER regret going on a mission, but you will eventually or at some point regret not going or quitting. So in my dream I was home and I was so happy to be with my family and to see everyone. At night I started to unpack my stuff back at home and I pulled things out and was remembering the amazing people I have met here and the experiences that I have had and all of the sudden a huge fear struck me so hard and I called for Mom. When she came in I said " Mom I don't think I should be home yet....my mission is not finished...why am I here? I need to be back in Taiwan...I am not finished yet!" At first she questioned me and then after talking for a little I realized that I was home early and I just started crying and crying and saying that I was not finished and shouldn't be home yet. That was pretty much it. Now don't get me wrong I am SO EXCITED to be able to see my family and friends and all that...however I LOVE my mission so much. It has meant so much to me and I don't want to waste a single second out here because one day it will all be over...and I will start crying and miss it. I know without a doubt that this gospel is true and that Jesus IS the Christ and that he has called modern day prophets and has restored his church! I would ask ALL, even long time members to get down on their knees and ask their Heavenly Father the truth of all of this...I love it so much and I love you all so much!

Have an amazing week!!

JUMP IN AND SHINE BRIGHT!!

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Ge Sheng Long ZhangLao

葛勝龍長老

(Teaching and Role playing during district meeting. Image from the official Taiwan Taichung Mission blog.)