Tou Fen #16

Hello family!! This week I have had a wonderful time serving the Lord. Just like... every week I have been out here :) There is so much that I love about being a missionary that it makes me so happy just just thinking about it! Seriously. I love it. Anyway, on to the good parts!! :) This week on Friday we had one of our former investigators (Brother Peter Lin who moved to Tainan in the Taizhong mission for college) give us a call and wanted to meet. We sat and chatted and let Elder Broeder get to know him for about 40 minutes, and then we started to follow up with him on how he was doing with his progression to baptism. When he moved down there he said he was pretty good about it and then after a while because the Tainan missionaries had not gotten in touch with him he started to get off track... He shared with us some trials in his life recently... specifically because he had recently moved and missed his family. As he broke out in tears I gave him a big comforting hug and he continued on to share how grateful he was for his parents and their hard work for him to go to school. He respects and loves his parent's religious beliefs too much right now to accept a baptismal date, but he is slowly developing a relationship with his Father in Heaven. We shared with him the plan that our Father has for us and the power of prayer. Recommitted him to pray every day and pray specifically for the things that he needs comforted. It was a very special lesson for me. Chen Dx, one of our investigators with a baptismal date is progressing. We hope to see him get in the font by October 5. He has had some problems with addictive drugs before (he doesn't have the problems anymore, but he does eat Beetle Nut) and wants to change. He knows that this gospel can help him change and is committed to changing. We had 3 investigators at Church. That has not happened for a long time!! I was super happy to see Lin JM and her son walk in, but it really tore me down to hear that Lin Dx didn't want to come. It was good to see them come, but we'll get him going! We have a follow up appointment for tonight to see how church was and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It makes me so happy to see a family progressing!! I know we will run into trials... roadblocks, but they will know that this message is true and will someday be baptized. I know that my Redeemer is Jesus Christ. I know that there is no greater man than He who has ever walked upon the earth, because He was not just a man. He was the Son of Man. The Son of God. The one Chosen to make to ultimate sacrifice and conquer death. I know that He lives. He is risen and he is calling us. "Come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might mind, and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you." I love you. Have a great week! read your scriptures and pray ;) I'm praying for you! Elder Westover