Xinzhu #43

So I am officially a dad. :) And thank you so much for your prayers because I'm still in Xinzhu with my Trainie. He got here last Wednesday Night and I got him on Friday. Elder William Willes (sounds like Willis) is from Bountiful, UT and is such a wonderful missionary. Like stellar!! It's crazy how they just get better and better!! We have seen a ton of miracles and are learning so much!! One of the miracles is just that after another companionship's baptism that we were asked to attend, I asked Elder Willes what he felt like we could do on the list of Finding Ideas in our planner, and we both decided that it would be good to invite people to come to church. So after a very sincere prayer we went out! We talked to three people, and on the fourth we talked to a woman who was willing to come!! She couldn't come this week but committed to us as Representatives of Christ that she would come next week! It was so good. for only being our 4 days, my companion is awesome with his Chinese, and we are going to continue to see miracles through our faith and Help 5 souls be baptized this transfer! :) This week was alright until I got my baby boy (Elder Willes)... and then it got a whole lot better!!! He is so great! I am learning so much with him so much, and it's only been 4 days! Haha. He has got so much faith and is so excited to be working to help them according to their needs and build a testimony. His Chinese is so good. It's so much better than mine was when I got here, and I know it's because he is such a hard worker. He really has a great desire to help these people obtain a testimony of the truthfulness of our Father's Gospel and develop faith in Christ. He is not scared to invite to baptism and is super willing to get into everything. We took the opportunity to kneel down on Saturday morning and ask Heavenly Father what he sees happening in this area with in the next transfer and we feel that He would like us to specifically work really hard on working with the ward to accomplish our ward mission plan. The goal is to get our area caught up with our baptisms for the year. We would like to help 5 people receive the blessings of baptism and establish good footings for the rest of the year. We are still working on our plan, but Heavenly Father has given us the vision, and we are going to go forth as Nephi with faith and follow the teachings of the prophets in the scriptures and PMG, and seek the guidance of the Spirit by being exactly obedient. Happy belated Birthday to Savannah, and Laci!! I love you!!! :) The next family that goes over to visit Grandma Dixie... Give her a hug for me, and tell her I love her. Jia You!!!! Hurrah for Israel!! Love, Elder Westover

Xinzhu # 42

Hello all!! :) This week has been so wonderful. I want to tell everyone.... I'm gonna train again!!! haha and this time it'll be a normal period of time. It's still not forsure that I will be here in Xinzhu either... so I might be training, opening an area, and possibly district leader.... I will be doing alot of growing this next transfer, that's for sure. :) This week was very good. I forgot to bring my study journal!! I had some really good thoughts that I wanted to share, but that's ok. We're really excited about the work that has been happening here with the members. Although the WML is working on getting married, and is kinda busy with that, the ward is doing great!! We are striving really hard to work with the members here, and have a member present at EVERY lesson. We recently have found out all the Home Teaching assignments, and are going to have the Home Teachers go with us to visit their brethren. I am so happy to have the guidance that you have received from Heavenly Father and effectively sharing it with us. Although I am not perfect, I feel the presence of the Spirit every time I do any of the invites and specifically make changes to improve. Thank you for sharing the knowledge that you have, and loving us enough to give us opportunities to learn from the Spirit for our selves. To Change the nature of me to become more like the Savior. Also inviting, testifying, and promising blessings to all those that I speak with. This week we had a lot of trials... our investigators have not been answering their phones so, we spent alot of time finding, but there was not much success on our part of setting new baptismal dates, and helping them have faith to go and do. To act and believe that the Lord will help them prepare for the baptism. We are going to focus on the vision to use the doctrine of Christ to bring an ever increasing number of souls to Him. To help these people overcome their doubts and fears through faith, repentance, baptism, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end. And pray a little harder (understatement) when we are planning for the Lord to show us where we should go to find his chosen ones. Hurrah for Israel!! Love, Elder Westover

Xinzhu #41

Hello!!! :) Too much goodness this week. :) I have way too many miracles to tell this week. . . . . . I don't even know how to start!! I was on exchanges with our Zone Leaders here in Xinzhu and on that one day alone, we found 3 new souls... :) It was awesome!! We also found two others with Elder Kesler here. Both accepted baptismal invitations and set a goal for April. :) It's amazing proclaiming the Gospel. This week in our Zone Training Meeting we were introduced with the Monthly Mission Vision, "Using the doctrine of Christ to bring an ever increasing number of souls unto Christ". :) This made me really think of my relationship with the Savior and the strength of that relationship that was able to bring souls unto Christ. There is always ways that we can improve and ways that we must change to obtain the blessings that Heavenly Father can bring to those who are in our lives. I don't have enough time this week, but I love you all. I am so thankful for all of your prayers, and I will start to write the names of our investigators next week. :) I love you all. HURRAH for ISRAEL!!!!!!!!!!!!! Your kuazhang missionary, Elder Westover

Xinzhu #40

大家好! Hello Everyone! Happy birthday Mom!!! and Happy Anniversary Jared and Laci!!! This week has been awesome and I am so happy to say that I am serving here in Xinzhu with a wonderful (another) new companion!! Hahah this time it is actually an American! His name is Elder Kesler from Liberty, Missouri. He is a wonderful missionary and very motivated to work!! I am not saying that I haven't loved my other companions before, but it's been a while since I've had a companion like him. He's just moved here from Toufen, so him and I have had alot in common. :) It's been good! We are seeing miracles with the member work and helping all of the members in our ward create family mission plans and it's awesome to see the miracles and the blessings that come when the work is done the way it's supposed to be done. The members and missionaries working together. I have only a little time, but I will share one quick miracle. We had some people cancel on us on Thursday night and we had a member who had signed up to come out with us so we started to knock doors and find, and on the second door we were rejected, he thought of two of his employees that were still at the office. He asked us if we could go visit them, and we were like, "Yeah, I guess you can just let us go meet some people that you have been sharing the gospel with"!!!!!! He called, and they agreed, so we got in the car, and it was awesome. We invited them to be baptized, as we shared Eternal Families, and although they didn't accept now, but they know how important the message is, and they know what our purpose is. :) We had 0 investigators come to church last week, and we set a goal to use the members to help our investigators come to church by teaching in their homes, and this week we had 5 investigators come to church. The importance you have in missionary work is so essential, and I want to encourage you to ask the missionaries in your ward what you can do to help their investigators at church have spiritual experiences. You are the example of the Light of the World. Our Lord and Savior, and these people need your prayers and your help. :) Go and Do!!! I love you!! HURRAH for ISRAEL!!! Elder Westover (Jordan)

Xinzhu #39

Hey ya'll!! :) I have so much more that I want to tell you, but I just have to tell Julia, Happy Birthday!!! :) Love ya sis!! My companion took off to the MTC today :) Sarah, look for him! His name is Elder Tseng, and he is going to Minnesota. Tell him I love him when you see him, and a good hand shake! His English is good. I had a good hour and a half with President Day all to myself as he took me back to my district and I will be with the other Elders in my district until Thursday when my duanchuan (temporary missionary) I love it!!! For me, I feel like the thing that I learned the most was to Teach People, Not Lessons. It's really good because that is the principle that we are covering in the training program. The earth is full of Children of God, and just like a good wise friend of mine told me once... "People are important." I must make lessons for the people and all the doctrine in a way that the person needs to come unto Christ. Our Father has called me to rely on him. To lift me to higher levels, to receive inspiration for those who I bring unto Christ. Then I must walk with them and pray my heart out for them. Really desire their Salvation. Elder Graves (my Zone Leader) shared something with me as I followed up with him on the PMG Power Promise that I really loved. He said that as he goes out to find, he actually desires to talk to them! This week, he didn't feel like he was talking to them because he had to, but he did it because he wanted to! That's what I want. I will pray for the gift of Charity to love them, and WANT to talk with people and share with them!!! I have been so blessed, and I am so happy. Though there are obstacles, nothing will stand in the way of the Lord and His work. I know that the Lord lives, and I know that the Book of Mormon is a testament of Jesus Christ as well as a testimony that the Church of Jesus Christ has been Restored upon the earth and I must go forth with the members and the Investigators, and RCLAs and walk the road to Calvary. Praying unto the Father to lift us up when we fall. Love, Elder Westover

Xinzhu # 38

Happy Birthday to Jesse, and Jason :) Old Men!! :P Yeah I forgot to tell you something last week... Elder Jeffery R. Holland came to our mission this week, and we were spiritually feasting for two hours with him on Saturday night. My heart is so full, and I feel that the experience this week will be a major changing point in my mission. Here are some things that were awesome from Elder Holland's talk: · “We only send the world’s best to Taiwan.” · In 24 months of his mission, everything was “turned upside down—or right side up” and he said, “I want that for you.” · “Don’t you ever leave anything to carry off the field.” · “We didn’t get up this morning and decide to come here and share a fairy tale.” · “I want you for the rest of your life to feel like I did about my mission.” · “This is real life. You will never come closer to real life than right here.” · “Everything you want for your investigators, He wants for you.” · “A ‘Preach My Gospel’ missionary is so in tune with the Spirit they can teach what they need to teach…” · “’Preach My Gospel’ says missionaries are to go to the people. We are going to find them where they are and take them from the Sacred Grove to the Garden of Gethsemane.” · “I think this [Taiwan Taipei] mission is poised for the hastening of the work.” · “Why is this so hard?….Because salvation is not a cheap experience.” · “God never intended a mission to be easy.” · “It cannot be easy for you because it was never easy for Him.” · “A little bit of your mission must be spent lugging a cross.” · “The road to salvation goes through the Garden of Gethsemane.” · “Don’t think you’re going to have a picnic in Taiwan.” · “You have to sign on for the whole experience.” · “Don’t spend time wondering why your mission is hard.” · “You are being shaped and molded into disciples of Christ.” · “Difficulties will make you more like the Son of God.” · “Your family has you on a pedestal.” · “Everyone wants their children to grow up and be just like you.” I want to share with you my Thursday night journal entry: "Right before I was going to bed, I had a lot of stress and was really distraught about the current state of our are, and I was sad. Then I saw my scriptures, I grabbed them and said a little prayer in my heart to bring some comfort to me, and then I opened them. My eyes fell upon D&C 111:7, which reads, "Tarry in this place, and in the regions round about;" I read this verse, and I was so full of gratitude, and peace as I pondered on the people that I have met and the experiences I have had. I read on: "And the place where it is my will that you should tarry, for the main, shall be signalized unto you by the peace and power of my Spirit, that shall flow unto you. This place you may obtain by hire. And inquire diligently... For there are more treasures than one for you in this city. Therefore, be ye as wise as serpents and yet without sin; and I will order all things for your good, as fast as ye are able to receive them. Amen." I was so comforted to see this and I am really so excited, that as I heed to the admonition of the Lord through my personal revelation, and obtain by my own hire, the signalization by the peace and power of the His Spirit, the main, why I should tarry here. I know that to do that I must be without sin, I have lots of repentance, and need to continually use the resources that the Lord has given me to do that. To listen very carefully to the Spirit, and obey. I am so blessed to be here, and although it is really tough right now, I just want to tell you that I am all in. "I signed on for the whole experience", and I will "tarry in this place." I will do all that I must to go to my investigators, and walk the path through Gethsemane, up to Calvary. I will go to them. I will not make them come to me. I want to testify as a representative of Jesus Christ, that I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I know that it testifies of the Savior of the World, and that there is so much in this world that our Father in Heaven has given us to learn from. We have our trials, and we have the tools and resources necessary to have hope and peace in this life if we have faith, and act. I know that those who heed to the teachings of the prophets in the scriptures, and the Word of God speaks to our souls, and brings more strength than anything else in our lives, and on our paths back to our heavenly home. I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior of our souls, and He calls to us, "Come follow me". He has promised us that if we come follow him the Father will give us the Spirit to guide us in all that we do. Go and Do. Have faith and see the miracles come in your lives. Share the blessings of the Gospel with your friends, family, and make new friends to share it with!! Remember that you are also a representative of Jesus Christ. Hurrah for Israel!! Love, Elder Westover

Xinzhu #37

Hey ya'll!! Happy Birthday to Callyssa and Joshua, and I'm super stoked to see that little new baby boy next week, or as Jacob said, "he's going to come when he's good and ready. And not a second sooner...! :)" This week was wonderful! I am so stoked to get to work with Elder Zeng. He is a wonderful missionary and is doing a great job. We saw many miracles the past few days and were very blessed to have the experiences we did. "If we recognize the miracles, no matter how small or big they are, the Lord will work more in our lives"- President Day. I need to make more time in my reports and in my life as a missionary to recognize those miracles and thank Father in Heaven for those blessings often! In our area, we gave the Sisters two of our investigators because those investigators did not make their baptismal dates, and dropped some about five other investigators that have not been answering their phones, and so we kinda back at ground zero, but that's okay. We are going to see some new miracles, as our members get together with us and find, fellowship, teach, and testify! :) My companion is very inspiring, and makes me super happy and pumped to go and get these members pumped up to go work with us!! We also have a baptism this week!!! Zhou Dx!! It's been forever to get him to this point, but it will be great. My companion, Elder Tseng is also waiting for his Visa, and is from Taipei. His English is so good, and we are going to have a lot of success together, I know it! I know that we are going to work together with the Spirit to find those that will receive us and help them receive the Savior. I really love him.We have fun together and we see miracles. :) One thing that I learned in the scriptures this week, and I didn't realize till right now that I had strengthened my testimony of them, is that the scriptures give us strength. I was reading in 3 Nephi 28 and it was just incredible to ponder on the things that the Savior promised the 12 that He had chosen. The scriptures are like an energy drink, that will feed and continue to keep the Gift of the Spirit string and bright to guide us and to inspire us. Though it might not help us right at that moment, it will help us in the future when we really need it! I just want to share with you one miracle: When we were out tracting and got fanged by our investigator, we had knocked just for about 30 minutes, and there was a lady (Chen JM) riding her bike past us. She had already gone past us quite aways, but I just felt like I should ask her to stop. So, I said, "qing wen yixia", and of course she stopped. We shared that we were missionaries, and she said that she thought we were cops so when I called out to her she definitely stopped, but she ended up really wanting to hear the message of baptism! She said that she wanted to, but she would get back to us and come to church after she had some time to read the Book of Mormon. :) She is a wonderful daughter of God, and although she did not set a baptismal date or give us a number or come to church this week, I know that because she is important, that I am accomplishing the work that I have been sent to do. Although I am not the perfect teacher, but the Spirit is, and by listening to the Spirit and calling out to her I was able to give her an opportunity to receive the Plan of Happiness that Heavenly Father has for us. I am so happy. That's all I have to say. I love this work and I am so happy to wear the name tag that I get to wear every day. To represent Him. I love you. Praying for you and thank you so much for your love. Love, Elder Westover