WEEK 97 XINZHU: A week of tempests and whirlwinds and earthquakes in diverse places........ Kinda

So there were earthquakes this week! 

Well... 

Super small ones

So there was a typhoon this week!!!!

Kinda...

I was so hoping that this was the day! I would finally be able to experience a typhoon. Since I've gotten on island there has not been one that hit Taiwan. 

Sister Peterson is of course to blame for this, her prayers moved all of the typhoons. Some got close last year, but her prayers always pushed them away. 

So I was hoping that after she left () this one would hit us, but at the very last moment it swerved out of the way and we just got a little rain. 

I guess her prayers are still with us! What a great blessing (if not a disappointment to all of my dreams of experiencing a typhoon)

Anyways, pretty gravy week if I do say so myself. 

So P-day went down with me winning a chess game and going on a hike. We also tried to order McDonald's online. It didn't work. So Elder Tan's mom came in clutch and ordered it for us. I'd already eaten so it was whatever, but also, McDonald's tastes worse here than it does in America if that is even possible. So wow. 

Tried to get super spiritual with a less active member, he didn't go for it. Next time tho, I'm sure! 

Tuesday brought with it a load of surprises, and a big old new elder. 

Enter, Elder Blackhurst! So we got thrown into a trio this week which was pretty unexpected. We now have got a new elder, and I feel like I'm finally a father! Kind of! He's technically on his second transfer here in Taiwan, so by that logic I am in fact, his trainer. 

However, I am just a culture trainer, Elder Blackhurst served in Utah for 11 months before finally making it to Taiwan. 

But, in the little way that it can count, I was able to train on my mission! How cool is that? 

Well, after we got our new companion, we started trio life, this is my third trio, so I'm pretty used to it by now, but it is rather hard. It's okay though! We went and gave black beans to a family (don't ask why) And then we had district council. 

Ate some good Thai food and finished off the night with a couple of lessons, and that was about it! 

Wednesday brought with it a lot of pull-ups. I don't even know why.... It just did. Then I got some dope revelations in personal study reading in Ether 12. I might even share it in my something about socks today, I'm still thinking about it... Hopefully I will have figured it out by the time I get there. 

We then met with a catholic guy who was totally chill with our message and all about learning more! The truth is the truth ladies and gents, and that's the truth! 

No one came to our English group that night which was pretty sad. But we did a puppet show which was pretty fun, so it is okay. 

Thursday was exchange day! And interviews! It was great to see President Yang again, and I'm so grateful for his service there, sad that I will only know him for such a short period of time, but that is how it goes! 

After our interviews I went with Elder Miller and Elder Blackhurst to Elder Miller's area. We had a good time, and it was 3 Americans all in a trio together. It was the most English that I have spoken in a loooong time. 

We didn't have bikes so we had to take a taxi and he totally cheated us money, but it is okay because I have Christlike love, even for the sinner. (which is good, cause Christ has love for me, a sinner) 

That night we talked a looooot. It was pretty fun. 

But honestly... It was soooo much English. I wonder what going home is gonna be like QQ

Well, I slept on the floor and then it was Friday. 

This was the day that years of voice acting for work, and countless hours spent reading Harry Potter paid off. I never knew that my work would help my mission, but it did. 

That morning, we were called upon to help a woman's children with their homework. Their homework was to read the Harry porter script. So, we spent about 20 minutes playing the Harry Potter script and it was soooo much fun! It was two little 7-year-olds with great English and one of them did a KILLER Aunt Petunia. Like dang girl. 

So that was probably one of the highlights of my mission. Voice acting the Harry Potter script. Pretttttty nice! 

Then did the planning of the week. Good times. 

Then we found of that next week we would leave level 3 of quarantine! Which means next week I might be able to meet some members before they ship me out!!! I was pretty hyped about that not gonna lie.

I had made some steamed vegetables that night, and so we just sat around our table and contacted people as the three of us ate vegetables out of a pot and commented on how good they were. 

I felt like an adult. Only old people comment on how good steamed vegetables are as they eat them with their friends... It was odd. 

Then I taught my culture baby, Elder Blackhurst how to play Chinese chess. It was pretty fun. I won. Obviously ;) 

Saturday we were doing a mini MTC thing where we had lessons with some youth. And I got to role play as one of our friends which was pretty fun. Good memories right there. 

One of the members we have been working with for months finally was able to meet with the bishop which was a huge miracle. I love it when people progress. It makes me soooooo happy! 

I guess it probably makes God soooooo happy when I progress too then. 

And when you progress too.

I guess we should all keep progressing then! Yay! 

Also, I made Elder Blackhurst talk to a guy on his motorcycle, and it was his first time! I felt like such a great person. I remember when my trainer pushed me to talk to someone for the first time. So scary. But he crushed it. 

Honestly that was about it. But I did buy a super cool food panda jacket. I'm so 帥

Sunday we woke up and had a meeting at 7:00 AM

I don't know who's idea it is to have a meeting at 7:00 AM, but they should be fired. Like dang. Early bird gets the worm I guess.... To be honest though, I feel like I'm more of the worm in this situation than I am the bird. Oh well. 

After that we had church. I've been here almost two years, and I still don't understand all of church. Oh well. A lot more than the beginning, ha. 

Then we had some studies and some more meetings. Some food. I made some super yummy Kung Pao Chicken 東西. Pretty much a pro. 

After wards we had a couple other lessons, and some other meetings. I love teaching soooo much! It is definitely my favorite part of being a missionary. Well, mostly just bearing testimony. Because I love feeling the spirit and helping others feel it as well! 

Anyways, that is pretty much all for this week. Your opportunities to email Elder Baird are running pretty low. The end is near. So make sure to repent and send me an email!!!! Hahaha, love you all! I will be seeing you all before you know it! 

Love, 

Elder Baird

Something about Socks

Okay, luckily I decided on what I wanted to share about. It took me a while cause I've got three really cool things that I wanted to share, but... Due to the fact that hardly anyone reads this anyway, and the fact that if I put 3 no one would. 

So I have chosen to share my thoughts on Ether,..,.... 

12.....

Twenty............six.

Hahaha, you thought it would be 27, nope! 

26 And when I had said this, the Lord spake unto me, saying: Fools mock, but they shall mourn; and my grace is sufficient for the meek, that they shall take no advantage of your weakness;

AWESOME, the verse that everyone seems to skip over as they rush to get to verse 27. Here is my note from it. 

--

No advantage of your weakness. What does this mean? I'm thinking about this and at first I was like, well no duh, Moroni is gonna be dead by the time the gentiles read this. So... No problem right? 

Then I started thinking a little more about this and the thing that Moroni is scared of here is people not being converted. So taking advantage of his weakness could mean Moroni is worried that because of his weakness people won't believe. 

But God says that if they are humble they will learn, and that if Moroni is humble then this won't happen. All because of his grace. Okay we've got that. 

Now how does this apply to us. Fools mock. Sometimes we get mocked because of our beliefs. But if we are humble, God's grace is sufficient that their mocking won't take advantage over us. As in if we stay with Christ their mocking will not inhibit us from Eternal Glory. This is our end goal. We are weak, and we may be mocked. But this cannot give them power over us IF we are meek. If we stay with God. 

The mocking hand can have incredible sway over people. Look at the tree of life. Fools mocked, some fell away. But the truly meek and humble could not be taken advantage of. The Holy Ghost just helped me make this connection. I've never thought about it like this before! Yah!!!! Anyway, yah I think that is what this means. We cannot lose eternity because of someone's mocking unless we turn to it and away from the Lord. 

So when we are getting mocked we can remember this scripture. And know that if we keep an eternal perspective, these things cannot take advantage over us. Doesn't mean it's gonna be easy, in fact it may even be harder. But our eternal destiny will remain secure! 

Oh, and the fools will mourn when their building comes a tumblin' down. 

--

So the next time you're being mocked just remember this. Be humble, and don't let them take advantage of you, because through the grace of Christ, and faith on his name, you can prevail over them all! 

Oh by the way, for those of you who don't want to come see me in person for my homecoming, there will be a Zoom link. So don't you worry, you can still see my beautiful face :))))))) 

Pictures!!!! 

District on the hike

I got wrekt by the mosquito 

I got wrekt by the mosquito 

My baby out like a light

The elders

My comp evolved?

The squad outside

The two 7 year olds

3 Americans in an apartment for a night is terrifying....

3 Americans in an apartment for a night is terrifying....

Us and Jerry

Looking cute

Lesson

WEEK 96 XINZHU: The week where I burned my face... The question is... How?

Hello! Ding dong! 

My name is Elder Baird 

(ding dong) 

And I would like to share with you The most amazing book.

Hello! (hello) 

My name is Elder Tan.

It's a book about America

A long, long time ago.

It has So many awesome parts You simply won't believe How much this book can change your life!

(ding dong)

If you get it you win.

This has been my week. Testifying of my favorite book, a book that has so many awesome parts and can change your life.

But like, I've learned just how important this is to me. Not just this work, but this message. I love the work. But this message is sooo much more than just the work. But at the same time the message is the work. Pretty trick huh?? 

SUBJECT LINE

So you may be asking yourself, how did Elder Baird burn his face? Isn't he stuck in side? Locked away from all the sun? Suffering from vitamin D deficiency? Slowly losing his islander (and missionary white shirt) tan? How could he burn his face? 

I feel asleep with my head sticking out of the window.

Just kidding hahaha

So I went to my favorite place (the Taiwan dermatologist) and they gave me some new medicine. Stronger medicine they said would do the trick. Stronger medicine to fix my face they said. 

Well, turns out that when I put said medicine on my face with the other medicine they get me (they told me to) my face caught on fire (no flames were used in the production of this email) 

So yah, my face is read now and I'm peeling... Does acne medication burn turn into tan? Cause I guess that would be nice...! 

Won't help my vitamin D deficiency though... Oh well. I'll go sleep on the roof. 

Wow guys it has been a great week and let us get into itttttt! Monday we went up to the mountains to walk around. Felt great to get outside (this was before my burnt face so pretty nice) 

I caught a butterfly! See video below 

Yah that was pretty much it. 

Tuesday I read Alma 5:28-31 and that was a slap in the face. All of my 3 biggest sins and weaknesses in as many verses telling me I couldn't go to the celestial kingdom. 

Was I sad? 

Nope. Maybe the slap was a little stingy, but it actually brought me soooo much hope! Because the whole chapter is about how we can change through the atonement, and I realized that I myself cannot be saved, but through Christ I can do all things that strengthen me! And I can get over my weaknesses and me made strong, even unto the sitting down with my father in heaven. Go take a read okay? 

Read the book of James. Good stuffs. 

One of the STLs shove mango pie in my face during district council. That was fun. Yummy too! 

Then I got to go on exchanges and it was pretty fun. Got to meet a new elder that I hadn't met before. Elder Zheng is so great. Fun times. Met with a member who said he would cut my hair for free so that is pretty nifty. 

Then we biked to their house, it was like a 30 minute plus bike ride which was pretty great. I love biking. But it was a little long. Makes me wonder how I used to do hour plus races... Pretty great. 

Also I talked to a guy on the street and he set up. He didn't show up the next day, but it's the thought that counts right? 

On Wednesday I didn't write my journal. But I know that we finished exchanges and had English Group... Honestly I can't remember. But I'm sure it was a super awesome day! 

Thursday we threw away a lot of trash. Studied about the atonement and read all of the different new testament gospel records of the atonement. It was actually pretty epic and I was a huge fan. Definitely go and do it. You really start to realize the pain that was experienced, then you add on accounts in the book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants and wow. I'm so grateful for the atonement. 

Then I went on exchanges with my Elder Elder Lal from the MTC. The one and only Fijian in Taiwan (probably) 

We had a great time, and honestly we had some of the funniest lessons of my whole life. From meeting with a guy who said he wouldn't talk to me because I was too tall, to singing songs with members, to one of our friends trying to sell us Dottera products and saying he could fix my face (this was after burn so I was quite tempted mind you, but still you shouldn't take up all the time with the missionaries doing your sales approach, the missionaries are trying to do their sales approach. You can't out-sales eternal life mind you.) 

I just used mind you twice. I don't think I've used that in two years.... And to be honest I'm not sure if I used it right... Oh well! 

Then we went to the roof and looked at the city lights at night. Pretty chill. 

Got up early the next day to play Frisbee with the bois. 

Then we missed our train by literally 5 seconds. 5 seconds people???? I could have saved those 5 seconds in soooo many places and we still missed the train. But that is okay. No use in crying over missed trains. There will always be another one. 

Made fried rice. 

Contact. Lessons. Met with a guy who actually had questions and seemed interested??? That would be nice!!! Met with another guy we are working on helping to go on a mission! 

Saturday we had great lessons. Can't really share about all of them but they were great. Some good friends progressing. 

Good member lessons. Yah pretty much it

I really just want to get to the something about socks! 

Sunday was good. We had 4 friends come to church which was awesome, and we set a baptismal date with one of our other friends and so that was also great. 

I spent a lot of time studying and it just makes me happy. Also got to have a great experience with personal Repentance, and Boi am I grateful for that! 

Are we done yet??? 

Fine sure. 

Love you all so much! You're running out of time to send me an email :)))))) 

Love, 

Elder Baird

Something about Socks... Finally!!!!!! 

Okay, so I listened to a talk the other day (link in the description) 

(where is the description part of the email??) 

Let me quote it, you all know it. Elder Hollands 

“An High Priest of Good Things to Come”

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1999/10/an-high-priest-of-good-things-to-come?id=title1&lang=eng#title1

Sooooo

"Thirty years ago last month, a little family set out to cross the United States to attend graduate school... they drove exactly 34 miles up the highway, at which point their beleaguered car erupted.

   Pulling off the freeway onto a frontage road, the young father surveyed the steam, matched it with his own, then left his trusting wife and two innocent children—the youngest just three months old—to wait in the car while he walked the three miles or so to the southern Utah metropolis of Kanarraville... 

   After more than two hours of checking and rechecking, no immediate problem could be detected, so once again the journey was begun. In exactly the same amount of elapsed time at exactly the same location on that highway with exactly the same pyrotechnics from under the hood, the car exploded again. It could not have been 15 feet from the earlier collapse, probably not 5 feet from it!... 

   Now feeling more foolish than angry, the chagrined young father once more left his trusting loved ones and started the long walk for help once again. This time the man providing the water said, “Either you or that fellow who looks just like you ought to get a new radiator for that car.”... 

   “How far have you come?” he said. “Thirty-four miles,” I answered. “How much farther do you have to go?” “Twenty-six hundred miles,” I said. “Well, you might make that trip, and your wife and those two little kiddies might make that trip, but none of you are going to make it in that car.” He proved to be prophetic on all counts.

   Just two weeks ago this weekend, I drove by that exact spot where the freeway turnoff leads to a frontage road, just three miles or so west of Kanarraville, Utah. 

   Yet in my mind’s eye, for just an instant, I thought perhaps I saw on that side road an old car with a devoted young wife and two little children making the best of a bad situation there. Just ahead of them I imagined that I saw a young fellow walking toward Kanarraville, with plenty of distance still ahead of him. His shoulders seemed to be slumping a little, the weight of a young father’s fear evident in his pace. In the scriptural phrase his hands did seem to “hang down.” In that imaginary instant, I couldn’t help calling out to him: “Don’t give up, boy. Don’t you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead—a lot of it—30 years of it now, and still counting. You keep your chin up. It will be all right in the end. Trust God and believe in good things to come.” "

Sorry it's a long quote, but I read this the other day and boy did it hit me. 

I recently started reading my journal from the beginning of my mission. I felt that now is as good as anytime to go and look back on those experiences of the past. I've been amazed going back and looking at it, seeing what I had went through and some of my challenges and fears and depressions and happiness and successes. It's been eye opening. 

But the one thing that has amazed me the most is the change. 

As I've gone back and read the words of Spencer past, I can still feel the fear and sorrow that were connected with them. Lookin forward on two years of which, at the time, was misery. Wondering if I would ever find the promised happiness in the work. Wondering if it would change me. Wondering if it would ever actually become the "best two years" 

And those feelings were real. The anxiety is in the words I wrote. 

But as I look back on those times and read those words, I kind of feel like Elder Holland. Looking back at myself from under two years ago, seeing where I am now and just wanting to tell my past self, "Just keep going! You have so much happiness and joy ahead of you. You just don't know it. And it will be everything that you have wanted it to be and more. You will have struggles but you will come out so much better. And you'll be so much prepared for the future."

I can't help but just imagine me telling my past self that. 

And I'm so grateful to my past self for sticking it through. 

But how often do we need to remember this? That there is good to come. Maybe we should just imagine it, right now, our future self thanking us for enduring right now. For making it through the hard time. Us from the future telling current us to keep going. Because if we do, there will come a day where you look back and say those things to your past self. 

So why not get that encouragement now? 

I'm going to end with Elder Hollands testimony because he says it soooo much better than me! 

"I testify that God lives, that He is our Eternal Father, that He loves each of us with a love divine. I testify that Jesus Christ is His Only Begotten Son in the flesh and, having triumphed in this world, is an heir of eternity, a joint-heir with God, and now stands on the right hand of His Father. I testify that this is Their true Church and that They sustain us in our hour of need—and always will, even if we cannot recognize that intervention. Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. Of that I personally attest. I thank my Father in Heaven for His goodness past, present, and future, and I do so in the name of His Beloved Son and most generous high priest, even the Lord Jesus Christ, amen"

Pictures!!! 

WEEK 95 XINZHU: A week of.... Well.... Normalcy? Can that be said of missionary work? It was a normal amount of crazy?

Dang. That was a fast one. Let's just get to it!

Monday was a great day. 

Basically we just went to Costco and I blew my MSF like one does at Costco. I then worked on the puzzle and played some board games with the compiono (said in an Italian accent) 

Then we met with some young men that we are helping get out on missions, it's probably one of my most favorite things to do. To see these young men who will be going out soon, one leave in August, and just helping them get ready and knowing how awesome the time is going to be for them. It's amazing. 

It makes me sad that I did like hardly any prep. We meet with these guys twice a week. I had never met missionaries before my mission. Maybe once when I was young they came over for a couple minutes, but I have no recollection of any interaction. That is something I regret, but now I can help other people and it is great! 

We then hung out with the traveling assistants, they came to have a sleep over. It was pretty fun. 

And that was the day! 

Tuesday I forgot to write in my journal... I was on exchanges and the elder needed to talk, so we talked. It was a good day though!

Wednesday was great because we started the day waking up early and playing Frisbee! Again playing Frisbee with a mask is kinda the worse. So I didn't. And it was just a goooood time. 

Then we had a meeting with all the mission leaders and I started feeling anxious because we weren't doing as good as we should be doing, and there was a lot to change and I was like oh noooo, but after the meeting I realized... This isn't scary, this is an opportunity! And when I made that change in my head I felt great and ready to go! So do that, it' S cool. 

Then the Elder made me super good Taiwanese fried rice, he's like a pro cook. 

Had a good English Group. Talked about English things. I'm pretty good at English guys, not prideful or anything, 

Then we got one of our new friends to come and meet with us. It was so good. 

Then I finished the puzzle I'd been working on. Finished it in 8 days about. Felt pretty good about that. Not like the good old puzzle days with Mitchell where woody sat on the table for forever until McKay went and finished it XDXD

Good times. 

Thursday was a cool day. 

Why? 

It had been exactly a year since I got on island for the first time. Crazy. That year went by soooooo fast. 

There were a lot of good times! 

There were also a lot of not Good times. 

But why else was this a crazy day? Well I also got my flight plans, signifying I have less than one month left on island. Let's just say that's not my favorite thought or feeling ever. 

We try not to think about it. Like ever. 

Then we met with a guy who was soooooo funny. He had terrible English and it was the only language he wanted to use, both Chinese and Taiwanese were attempted. He just kept yelling into his phone "CHINESE BOY CHIIINEESSES BOOOOYYY" at my companion cause he couldn't remember his name. 

Let's just say that didn't make my companion very happy who is very stalwart in his taiwanese citizenship. Oh well. 

We won't be teaching him again.... Sad. 

Then we had an LA who said he would give us ice cream if we sang him and old Chinese song. 

So we sang the song. 

Video below... 

Still waiting on the ice cream

Friday was good. I finished 3rd Nephi and this time through I really felt like I came closer to Christ. Something that I have been doing this whole entire mission process, but it felt so different reading his own words. I love scriptures. And Jesus. And being a missionary. 

We then met with a guy who was definitely playing a game of league of legends while we were talking with him.. 

It made me realize how much I had changed since the beginning of my mission. I probably would have done that to. So grateful for the mission clarity to give up video game addiction hahaha. Don't do it kids. It's just like drugs. 

Well not exactly... 

But kinda! 

We then had Thai food for dinner. Called a bunch of people. 

Saturday was good.

We got to go do service at a members farm! It was so awesome to be outside and just messing around in his farm. We got to help him make a pizza oven! Super fun, now I want to make a pizza oven! 

Then we helped a friend overcome the 1 Nephi 4 dilemma. I think we did it! 

Then we had lunch with a member. 

Met with a grandma

Helped two other young men prep for their missions. 

Made some macaroni vegetable thingy for dinner. It was way good! 

Met a new friend. 

Then we went to a members Brazilian pizza place to fold pizza boxes. It was a lot of fun, and one of our friends that we haven't seen in a long time came! So amazing!!!! 

It was really fun, we then got to be in the kitchen for a little bit and it reminded me of the gold old days making pretzels. Except I think pizza is cooler. 

Then they made us Brazilian pizza and boiiiiiiiiiiii it was good! Made me happy! 

Sunday was church. Lessons. More lessons. More lessons.... Food?? Ummm.... Calling people... 

Yah, we had one guy that we met with and the spirit basically took over and we invited him to be baptized and he accepted a date! This is the first date I've set in this area so that was an awesome miracle!!!! Did not expect it, but God did, and so that is why he stepped in! 

Yah, honestly this week was pretty normal. Nothing to crazy. Lots of lessons. Lots of fun. Lots of staying inside. 

Oh yah, they extended the quarantine another two weeks. So if in two weeks we re opened I will have one normal week left on the mission.... Oh well! Make the most out of it! 

(I'm actually loving this version of missionary work, it is a lot more affective!) 

Anyways, Love you all! 

Elder Baird

Something about Socks

So.... Since nobody took me up on giving me so advice on how to fast better (cmon guys) I decided to do my own study. Like every good missionary I was reading Preach My Gospel, when I came across this line. "When we fast and pray with faith, we are more receptive to receiving answers to our prayers and blessings from the Lord." 

Then the spirt taught me this "To make my fast effective I need to pray for my needs throughout the fast, not just at the beginning and then wonder when the revelation will come." 

And that is my insight on how to improve my fasts. Thank you personal revelation and study! 

Yay! 

Pictures

Video of us singing!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/QV7nKUGCavL5vuzV9

Puzzle (it glows in the dark 😲😲)

Brazilian pizza house

Thank goodness I'm tall

Quote

Me and the sky

Frisbee

I'm with a future missionary 

Our members are funny