Elder Baird's Something About Socks: WEEK 79 TAIPEI/TIANMU: Don't look at the problems and think why; look for the opportunities and ask how

Wow. That was a fast week. Like way fast. And now we are almost half way through the month. Well for me I am halfway through the month! That's what you get when you live in the fuuutttuureeee!

The weather is pretty great tomorrow.

Also how great is that quote? My president sent it to me in his email to me when I was like, "yo my area is really hard presi boi. What should I do cuz I got no clue man!"

And then he sent that to me and I was like rekt on. Pretty cool stuff.

But actually it really impacted me and totally changed my outlook on my mission and President must be really in tune with the spirit. Cause that was straight fire to my soul.

So yah. We had a great P-day last week. We ate breakfast with the Coffeys who are a senior couple and it was so awesome! They are going home soon and they gave us a lot of advice for after the mission.

Totally don't need that advice. I've still got soooooooooooo long.

Then I ate something that destroyed my intestines. Like both of them.

Then we had new missionaries come that we had to get setup and all the stuff.

Then on Tuesday we had a looot of meetings with people in the church Facebook team. Like almost 3 hours worth. One of the guys we met with was like, here is the whole earth's numbers for finding.

And I literally saw all the stats for all the missionaries in the whole world.

And guys we are KILLING IT! Like so freaking good!

We had another meeting where President basically did all he could to convince the guy that they should give us more money for advertising. And they said yes! Chaching!

Then I deleted all of the footage from our most recent fireside.... That was awkward... Don't tell President... He doesn't know yet.

I learned that backing up your information is really really really important.

Those two things aren't related I promise.

Wednesday was a good day. Why?

Cause I'm a missionary BOI! And so that means it is good.

Oh yah also we had zone Conference which totally kicked like a cleet to the shins! Leaned a ton from it and Sister Peterson made fruit pizza! What!!??

Then in English group I pretended to be Tony Stark (the resemblance is striking) and everyone else was tour guides taking me around Taiwan. It was pretty dope!

Thursday. Good push day = good personal study!

I read through my journal from the MTC and in it I saw that I made a goal.

Well. I made the same goal a couple weeks ago.

It's crazy to see how much I have changed since the MTC but there are still some things that I struggle with. Like I've had this goal for 18 months now (I'd be home if I were a sister (yikes!)) and I'm still not all the way there. And that is just life though

But I do know that I have improved and that means that I am using the Atonement of Jesus Christ in my life!!! Yay!

Then I opened the Book of Mormon and I was just overcome by the beauty of the book. Like I just sat there and the only thing that was in my head was, "Wow this book is beautiful" and I started to cry. And as I sat there pondering on the beauty of the book I felt like Jacob 5:71 was just staring daggers at me. It talks about how the end is near and that we have to be diligent. And that really resonated with me. Not the end is near part. 20 weeks is a long time folks. But the cry for diligence.

All in all it was just an amazing experience.

But guys. This is a book. I remember one time I was just struck by the thought that the Book of Mormon is literally just a book. Like my math book. Like my fantasy books. Like a Brandon Sanderson book. It's a book.

And yet it has the power to change our lives and give us eternal life. Its pages are the keys to unlock the mystery of God.

And it's just a book.

With the power to change you.

I'd recommend reading it.

Anyways after I was like slapped by the spirit for a while we went to the office and started setting up for an interview we were going to film. We were kind of nervous because we had never done this before but it was soooo fun!

We had like two cameras, 3 different mics. Lights. A mixer. And it just fell so flipping professional and it made me feel really cool.

So we interviewed a convert to the church about her experience and it was super cool. Stay tuned for the video sometime in the next year.

Then we went to the Samsung store and had them reset a phone.

Also, weren't flip phones like so twenty years ago? Why has Samsung brought them back... Do they really think that will work?

Then we got a new toilet bowl lid because why not!

Then Friday I forgot to write in my journal....

But we did our weekly planning and had a great bonding time with my companion which was awesome~~!

Then we looked around for LAs. Found some people that moved. Found someone that died...it happens more often than you would think. Age does that to you. She's an active member now most likely. We can hope.

Saturday I went on exchanges with the Elder Pond again! This is like our 4th one which is pretty nice. I'm starting to know his area better than my own.

But we talked to a guy who set up with us to meet again and he was really nice and from Malaysia and those two things aren't mutually exclusive and so that was cool!

Then we had soooo many lessons because Danshui is on fire! Even though it is water... We call it the Flier. (if you know the reference email me) But it felt so great to teach that much cause our area is not doing a lot of teaching right now. But we are working on it!

It was a fun time.

Then Sunday we had stake conference which was suuuuper awesome! I actually learned a lot and President and Sister Petersen both talked and both of them said things that I really needed to hear which was awesome!

Then after some personal study we went out to Tianmu and I was just full of faith!

And the first person we meet set up with us and prayed with us and we got a new friend and hit our standard of excellence!

Then that night after our whole 2 hours in our area we went past a family and I just felt like I had to turn around and talk to them so I did and turns out she had met the church 8 years ago and they set up to meet with us again!!!! Crazy miracles!!!!

Faith works guys.

And that was that. Super awesome week. Learned so much. Felt like crap sometimes. Felt on top of the world sometimes! And that is the way that it be.

I love life!

And I love you all! Email me cause it's fun!

Elder Baird

Something about socks.

How important is your situation? The other day I met little Bai. We went to a less active's house and when he opened the door he was straight wasted. Like really really out. The house smelled like smoke and beetle nut and it was a mess. I immediately did not really want to be there because of just how disgusting it was. You can tell that most of this man's money went to feed his addictions.

As we try to talk to him (he being mostly incoherent) his 5th grade son comes out with the biggest smile I have ever seen.

And as we talk to him he was just so incredibly happy like he had no issue with his current life.

And I realized that our surroundings are not as important as our attitude. And this kid was the proof of it.

I want that kind of attitude! Don't you?

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