Tou Fen # 25

Happy Birthday Cossette and Benjamin!! :) I love you two so much and I hope you had and do have a great birthday!! :) Happy Thanksgiving!!! :) This week at our English Class we had a Thanksgiving Party, and Elder Liu helped make a massive paper turkey :) fun time! We spent last Monday making Pumpkin Pie and cookies for the party and it was all a hit!! We played Pin the Gobble on the Turkey and made little Hand paper turkeys with thankful things on the feathers :) Super fun time :) Then on the next morning, we found a great new investigator on our way out to visit a less-active! It'd been 2 1/2 weeks since we had found a new investigator and it was super cool because I just saw him, and I just knew that he would listen. As we started to talk with him he was very cold, but as we just continued to chat with him. Eventually he opened up and we gave him a Book of Mormon, and prayed and he felt great!! He set up for Saturday, but I was already gone... This week was transfers and I got moved to Xinzhu!! haha As I remember correctly, Joseph has served here and I am not sure about Joshua, John, or Treavor, but It's great! I have also been called to serve as the District Leader! Haha, obviously the Lord thinks I need it :) I'm super stoked to serve the people in the Xinzhu 1st Ward, and to serve the other members in my district. I'm praying everyday for the Gift of Charity, and I would love your prayers also for that gift :) That's what I'm expecting the Lord to teach me. Hahah, that as well as humility obviously. He's already started!! Hahah, my companion's name is Elder Huang. He is a native from Tainan. He is a hard worker and I'm excited to work with him :) I haven't had any opportunities to meet too many of our investigators yet, but this week we'll be able to for sure :) I'm thankful for the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The Plan of Salvation and The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon, and the strength of truth that it has to change people into a disciple of Christ. I'm thankful for Taiwan, and Xinzhu!! I am Thankful for all of you and especially my mom and dad :) I am thankful for LOVE :) Hahah I'll send some pictures next week and I want to tell you all... I love you!! Love, Elder Jordan Westover

Tou Fen # 24

I woke up this morning and it was freezing!!! I miss having to wear a sweater :) I have a miracle... last week I lost my planner and I went a week without it, but I found it!!! Losing a planner as a missionary, is a very scary, sad, and frustrating thing. I am so blessed :) This week was good. I think I have had many experiences that have been eye-opening for me and I hope that they are able to improve and progress. Our investigators are doing well and just need to strengthen their faith! We met with the Lin Family this week after a week and a half of not meeting with them and... They said they didn't want to come back to church, but that they would rather just read the Book of Mormon, and have us come over and share with them. We just listened as they talked at us for a while and shared their feelings. I am so sad. It is so sad to see that they don't want to come to church because it's too noisy. It's a lack of faith, but we will be meeting with them tonight and keep on preparing them for baptism by the end of this month. Please pray that their hearts will be softened and be able to listen to the Spirit as they read the scriptures and pray. Tang Bebe is doing so good!! He came to the baptism on Saturday, church on Sunday, and committed to quit smoking!! We are going to get him baptized!! He is already a Christian and he is just eating up everything we give him. Everyone in the branch loves him and though his baptismal date is next month I hope we can get him baptized by the 30th :) I hope you all are doing well, and I hope you know I love you. I have a very high chance of moving this transfer, so pray that the Lord will give me strength to be able to do whatever He has in store :) I am in love with this work and I'm gonna go out, plant knew seeds, and reap the harvest of seeds planted earlier. Thank you so much. Love, Elder Westover

Tou Fen # 23

This week on Exchanges with the Elder Liu (Zone Leader) We had two great miracles! First, we had just finished dinner and were going to the chapel there in Zhunan and I just waved at a guy in a car and it ended up being one of Zhunan's investigators. We had the chance to just follow up with him and his reading, and then said a prayer. He apparently must have been really happy because right after Elder Liu's prayer he just started his own prayer. Oh man it was so heart felt. It was great :) I love being with these people that are just developing their faith and relationship with their Heavenly Father. Second, right before our exchange ended, we went finding right around the train station. Elder Liu just looked around and saw a kid sitting on his motorcycle and eating. This kid had pink and blue hair and surprisingly could really pull it off. He was 18 and going to school for civil services to work with special needs. Turns out he was very willing to listen, and hear the message of Jesus Christ. We shared that Heavenly Father loves it when we serve others and he loves to see us happy. We gave him a Book of Mormon and set up another time to share with him. Such a great miracle. Jiang Dx, our less active brought his wife, who recently moved from Mainland, to church!! Our Gospel principles class was on Family history, and she just ate it up. She has a pretty good understanding of her relationship with God, and is excited to learn more! We gave her a Book of Mormon, and invited her to start reading it. She is super interested in hearing the Plan of Salvation. This week alot of our investigators didn't have time to meet, but other than that, I felt this week was good! We have a whole branch full of specific prayers for us and our investigators on top of all the ones coming from back home and from around the world. I'm praying that the last two weeks will go great for Toufen in the last two weeks of this transfer. I had a great week of studies I think. I had the opportunity to give a training in Zone Conference, and that was a great experience. I loved doing that, and honestly, I feel like it was so beneficial to me. I learned so much. I trained on "Striving to speak with the language of the Spirit" --- Emphasis on exact obedience, and praying for investigators by name. I learned alot and was reminded about the authority and power that we have, and the Lord has given us missionaries more ways to be lifted up by His Spirit to see at a higher plain and be able to do the work that we have been called to do. It all comes down to why we are here. Something else I loved was as I was thinking about what reasons I had for coming out here to serve, I was reminded of the Lehi's Dream. We are all in the mist of darkness. Some of us are looking forward holding fast to the rod, others are being distracted by the bright lights from the Great and Spacious Building and our grip is loosened, and others are completely lost in the darkness because they just went to the closest light that they could find, but in reality, it was just a mirage. As a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ, I have been lifted up to a higher point. I can see a little bit farther and clearer because the Lord has lifted me up in his Spirit. I am able to help His children come back to Him and see a little bit clearer to help them through their mist of darkness. The Savior is the light that can help them go home. To see the big picture, and I am so blessed to have this calling. The Lord trusts me, and I must trust the Lord. I love you all and I hope you have a great week! I am pretty sure I'm going to be transferred in two weeks because I have been here for so long, so I would like to ask you to pray that my companion and I will be able Preach the Gospel by His Spirit and see many miracles :) Love, Elder Westover

Tou Fen # 22

This week was awesome! Huang Dx (Kaider) actually came!! This is an investigator who had ran into missionaries several times before we met him last week late on Saturday night at the park. He was about 40 minutes late, but he came. He wants to change, and quit smoking .We had a great lesson with him and shared with him about the Word of Wisdom. We set a baptismal date for December 14, and we are going to work our hardest to get him prepared to get in the water and start obtaining the blessings that the Lord has in-store for him! Lin Family didn't get to come to church, but we finally got them into a member's home for dinner and a lesson. It was so good!!! The Guo Family and them are a great match. It was great to see them interact and talk. It was really a great thing for them. In my studies I read a part in Alma 44 that really got to me. As the armies of Moroni had taken advantage of the armies of Zerahemnah and had surrounded them Moroni called a halt to the killing and after testifying of the greatness of God, and the strength that was with them for the righteous cause for which they were fighting, he wanted to work out a righteous exchange. If they would give up their weapons and covenant to never come up to battle against the Nephites, then they would let them go in peace, and they would live. Captain Moroni... one of the most righteous men I can think of in the Book of Mormon, in the name and by the authority of God, and his sincere desire to not shed the blood of his brethren, commanded them that they take up this oath. Even then, after all that, Zerahemnah still uses his agency to decline the offer and go on fighting to the death. We are all disciples of Christ and have a duty to invite others to drop theirs weapons of destruction, and enter into a covenant with the Lord. Come unto him and be perfected in him. It's a wonderful invitation, but sometimes, these people, our brethren, use their agency contrary to the will of the Lord. We must not lose faith, hope, charity, and love. Keep moving forward, and invite again, and again, and again. Sometimes, all it needs is time. That time will be a trial of our faith, but it will ultimately lead to happy endings. That is truth. I love you all. I just want to encourage you to all go out and be a friend to everyone. Talk with everyone. Share with everyone the love, and the great happiness that comes through the Savior Jesus Christ. You will see miracles, and you will have the Lord always with you. Love, Elder Westover

Tou Fen # 21

This week was awesome!! We had so many miracles... as usual!... Haha it's not like it's any different. I'm only like one in 88,000 of the Lord's chosen, set apart servants, to go out into the World and share the most marvelous message of all eternity!!! :) Yeah I'm pretty happy being a missionary. John Adams Westover. Happy Birthday Bro!! Hey if you get some time to take the hour flight over here while I'm in Taibei today, I would treat you to some Gonggua Niunai :P Man I love that stuff!! I love you and hope you have a wonderful... Goblin Birthday :) This week was great!!! We had several awesome miracles, but I would say that the best part was that we got two member referrals!! It made me so happy. We are seeing the hands of the Lord in our work everyday. Guo Dx, our High Counselor gave us a call and set up a friend. The lesson was held at his house and it was good. It was an awesome miracle because it is so good to see leaders, actually leading out! Guo Dx is so strong and I absolutely love him. He met this man about a month ago at a work engagement and got to talking about how the gospel of Jesus Christ helps us be happy. This man's name is Shen Dx and he definitely is willing to go forth and do what he needs to do to change his life and get around to knowing what eternal happiness can feel like. Shen Dx was very nice and willing to set a baptismal date and fortunate for Miaoli he lives about 200 meters from the chapel there! We got "fang-ed" and were talking with Xi JM our peike (member present in a lesson) (Chinese is so much more simple!!) when she told us of a family that they had invited to come to the Halloween party this weekend. She told us their names and told us the time to go and "Tract" in their area :P It works!!! Always ask for referrals. I now have a testimony of that truth. Consistently reminding members to think about people in their lives will turn out some time. We were waiting to meet with a potential investigator and got there early. We decided to go knock doors, but the only thing was... I needed to use the bathroom. We tried a few houses to see if they would let me use their bathroom, and unfortunately there were no people willing to let a foreign Jidu Jiao missionary into their house to go to the bathroom and the last one just told us to go to the nearest 7-Eleven, which wasn't really that close... so we started to make to walk out of the housing complex and I had to go really bad! But we found a man and his wife who were coming home and started to talk with him. Shared how the Gospel of Jesus Christ could bless him and his family. He invited us in to sit down and talk!! After sharing that we had a meeting with one of his neighbors really soon but that I really needed to use the bathroom. He let us use it, we got his number to set up another time, and were off to our other lesson. Unfortunately the other potential was very argumentative, and was not willing to listen, we found a family willing to listen :) the Lord works in mysterious ways! The Church is true, the book is blue, and I love Taiwan... Sorry time is short. :) Love, Jordan

He labeled this "Picture of the Day" :)

Tou Fen # 20

So just so you don't freak out next week, I'm going to be going to the temple next week so the next time I write will be on next Friday. :) Happy Belated Birthday Grandma Adams!! :) I love you!! This week was good! A lot better than last week. I am so humbled to so say that I am a representative of Jesus Christ. The Asia Area Stake Conference Broadcast was this weekend and in Elder Hales's talk he spoke of the power of His name (3 Nephi 11:10-11). I really want to become a more effective ambassador of the Lord, my Master and King, the Redeemer of the world. The Lin JT is not progressing as much as I wish they would be, but we met with them twice this week. They fed us on our first visit and then on our second visit was a little more serious and good. We completed sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, so next week, we get to share the commandments!! They were down south visiting family this weekend so they couldn't come to church. We recently recontacted a former potential who just really needs the gospel in his life. We were at the market handing out English Tracts, and I saw him. We set up with him and he came. He came 20 minutes late, but he came. He has been on Binlang for a while because it gives him the energy to stay awake to provide for his family, but we shared with him about the Word of Wisdom, and about his Heavenly Father, asked him to spit it out right there and never do it again. It's been a week almost and still hasn't eaten it!! I'm so happy. His wife and son come back from Taibei this week so hopefully we can meet with them all! The Lord has blessed us with finding two golden investigators for the missionaries in Jinlong, and in Gaoxiong. They were great contacts and great lessons. We are praying for Huang Dx, and Guo Dx. Team Jesus!! I was reading in Alma 36 this week and as I read, I was reminded... The scriptures are so true!!! Alma shares his conversion step by step through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. My testimony has been strengthened and I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is so simple and so clear, and so true. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know that those words are the things that will keep us on the straight and narrow path in our eternal progression, and I know that prayer is also an essential factor. I know that through daily study of the Book of Mormon and sincere prayer are the two most essential and basic things that we must do to continue on in Faith. To have strength and power through our Savior to Endure to the End. Specifically in doing the Lord's Work of Salvation. A personal daily study of the scriptures is so essential. I would like to give you all an invitation. One that I extend to people all the time but I'm going to change a little bit to fit you all and your efforts sharing the gospel. "Are you willing to develop your relationship with your Heavenly Father to bring to pass the salvation of souls by daily praying and studying the scriptures?" Take the time to ponder afterwards and set one goal of how you will help someone (one of your brothers or sisters) come unto Christ. I know that my Redeemer lives. I know that He is our Master, our King, and our Brother. Choose you this day whom ye will serve. Seek the Lord humbly, and faithfully. I know that as you will do this, you will see miracles in your life. I love you all! Love, Elder Westover (Jordan)

Tou Fen #19

Oh my goodness. This week was awesome! :) Conference was absolutely awesome!! I can't believe how much I learn from General Conference and how much of a faith builder it is to literally listen to the voices of the living prophets and hear the same truths that have been taught throughout time. The Lin JT this last week scared me really bad. In our first meeting with them this week they told us that they went online to do some research about the church and they had ran into some Anti-Mormon information. They started asking us questions and I have to be honest... I really was afraid we were going to lose them, but as the time went on as we relied on the scriptures and the Spirit, I felt a comfort in my heart when Cai JM said that she knew and knows that all those things that she saw were not good. This was a trial that they were given, and because of their faith, they have been strengthened in it. We went over the next day and ate a wonderful dinner, and shared with them about Faith and Repentance. Lin Dx came to General Conference and all the questions they had, were in one way or another answered perfectly. They really have a great desire to have this gospel in their lives and are making the small and necessary steps to accomplishing those steps. The Lord has a great purpose for them here in Toufen. Oh!!! I just thought of another miracle!! I'm still in Toufen!! I'm really so happy about this! The Lord answered my prayers. I have been in Toufen for 4 1/2 months. I am starting to focus on using the Book of Mormon to find questions a very common part of my personal studies. I am finding that by the Spirit, a reader of the book can literally find an answer to any question. I feel a need to increase my knowledge of the scriptures so that I can better help those I come in contact with and those who I am teaching. So, I am memorizing all of the scripture mastery scriptures in the Book of Mormon this week :) I am so happy! I really am! I have set more goals for this transfer to help me develop that happiness into a greater level of love and Charity for my companion, future investigators, investigators, recent converts and less-actives, and members. I am striving to be like Jesus and to remember that I'm always on exchanges with the Savior. He is always at my side. I need to rely on the strength of my Father and my Redeemer and together, I can do anything. I just need to look up and see what He thinks I should do :) I have decided that I could stay here in Toufen for the rest of my mission. I absolutely love the branch here and I love the town. This place has so much potential and with the amount of wonderful missionaries we have here, we should be able to help these members in their efforts in bringing our brothers and sisters unto salvation. I would like to second everything that was said in General Conference about the roles that we all have in the Work of Salvation. I love you all and I want you to know, that I know that my Savior lives. I know that we are all Children of a loving Heavenly Father who will help us if we ask. This work is only possible through His way. Seek Him out. Ask Him what your purpose is in the Work of Salvation. I know that as you seek that out, and do the small and simple things, you will be helped, and loved. He loves you. Invite others to come and feel of the love! love, Elder Westover