June 25, 2017

Hello Family and Friends!

This was another great week for missionary work! Elder Kelemen and I saw tons of awesome miracles!

Last week we met a father out on the street and talked to him for a little while. He lived in America for a long time and that is where his twin daughter and son were born so we waited with him for a little while for his kids to get dropped off from school. They are so cute and they came to English class this week so we set up with them and get to meet with them tomorrow! I am super excited!

Yesterday, we went to church with no investigators so we were a little disappointed, but at the end of sacrament meeting there was a Japanese guy walking around in the foyer and miraculously there was a father at our ward from New Zealand. He went to Japan on his mission but this was the first time he ever came to the Chinese ward so it was a miracle he was there and could talk to him in Japanese.

On the way home on the train we talked to a girl who was just recently baptized as a catholic but after talking with her for a little while she asked us about our church's difference and we shared about the restored gospel and the Book of Mormon and she was super interested! She said she was going to read it last night and we will find out tonight how it went!

And last night we ran into a girl last night on the streets that was looking for the hospital so we walked her there and showed her how to get there. She is from China and said she just got to Taiwan but she doesn't have a husband. She only has a little girl so she is really struggling here. We helped her get to the hospital and we will meet with her tonight. She is super interested in the gospel and is excited to meet ward members!

Those are just a few of the ones we saw this week! It has been awesome in LinKou! We are still trying to find people to really commit to baptism but the work is starting to really pick up now. Sadly we haven't been able to meet with the Russian family for about three weeks and I am starting to get worried.

Last week for P-Day we got to go ice skating and it was super fun! I love ice skating but what we didn't know was that there were three groups of missionaries that all planned going there without the others knowing so we ended up with like 50 missionaries there... Whoops

I love the work and love the church! I can't believe how fast time goes! Elder Kelemen just passed his one year mark and I was in the MTC with him! I can't believe it!

Sorry, we are both bad at taking pictures.

Elder Holderness

June 18, 2017

Hey everyone!

Well this week was transfers and I am excited for the next transfer! I am now with Elder Kelemen from Provo and I love him! It is going to be so fun to serve with him!

The last week of the transfer we didn't have too much happen! But this last few days with Elder Kelemen have been the best! It hasn't stopped raining for the last couple of days so we are soaked by the time we get home! We are out finding most of the time but we are really finding people and teaching well. Yesterday was a really cool day:

After church with no investigators we just headed back into our area with a couple of appointments. The first one was a person we ran into a month ago and he invited us to his sons birthday party but nothing really happened. This time when we met with him, we found out he is a single father and was really interested in going to church so we are excited to see if he can go. After that we met with a member family and were late to the appointment afterward. The person we originally were supposed to meet with left after waiting about 5 minutes so we missed him. But I decided to just say Hello to someone walking into the Starbucks and we ended up talking/teaching him for about an hour. Right after that we turned and talked to another girl sitting in Starbucks and did the same with her. It was really cool to see all the ways god prepares people!

I love it here in Taiwan! I love the church and I love all of you!

Elder Holderness

June 11, 2017

Hey Everyone,

Yeah this week was pretty uneventful so this letter is going to be a little short.

Last P-Day we ended up having to change our plans in the middle of the day so we didn't really end up doing anything, we just went to another escape house.

On Tuesday we went into Taibei for our interviews with President Jergensen. I love having the opportunity to talk to him. He is awesome and shows so much love for all the missionaries in our mission.

Wednesday was just English Class and finding. Thursday through Sunday were about the same! We just went finding for most of the whole day and didn't really find any new investigators. Not very fun.

It has gotten very very hot here! Hahaha! On Thursday I was soaked with sweat by the time I got to the church for district meeting! I actually really don't mind it that much though. I would take the hot over the cold here for sure! I really really love Taiwan! The mangoes are starting to grow and the shaved ice is delicious! I love it here! (My companion doesn't believe that I actually ate mangoes in America and got pretty mad when I told him because he thought I was trying to trick him)

Love, 

Elder Holderness

June 4, 2017

Hello Everyone!

Well this week wasn't the best week for missionary work because no one came to church! Hahaha really really frustrating but we keep on going!

The Taiwanese people hate the rain and they do not go outside if it is raining. Which really isn't that good for us missionaries. This week we got record breaking rain. It was crazy! I was literally taking off my shoes and dumping out water every time we had to go inside! Hahahaha! It was really fun to bike around on the roads that looked more like rivers. The northern part of the island got about 34 inches of rain in a day. It is so crazy! It's not even typhoon season yet!

Other than that, our week was pretty normal. People drop us and a we find new ones. For the most part our Russian family is doing the best and I love them! They showed me the nerf gun that they rigged to work with a power capacitor so that it can shoot at about 4 times the speed and power! Hahaha

Last week for P-Day we actually went to our mission president's house and played board games! It was so much fun! President even came and played with us for a little bit! Hahaha

Yeah, these letters probably just keep getting more and more boring but oh well! I still love you all!

Elder Holderness

May 28, 2017

Hello Everyone,

Well this was another great week of missionary work! Elder Joly and I are really having some incredible experiences up here in the city on the top of the mountain! LinKou is an incredible place. We keep meeting some of the most prepared people here and it is just a matter of time and patience to teach them.

Lately, that Russian family is doing great and they are really loving the gospel! We hope to help them get to church in Taibei this week for the English Ward. I know they will love it and the ward will be able to offer so much support for them!

Eric is also doing well and continues to learn the lessons well and keep our commitments. He should be able to come to church for the first time this week.

We met a girl named Eva on the streets a couple nights ago and she is awesome. She has been christian her whole life and just loves to read the scriptures and ponder their meaning. We are meeting with her tonight and will be able to introduce her to the Book of Mormon! We are super excited about it!

Other than that, last week for P-Day we got to go to a very very dangerous and low-budget trampoline park! But it was still super fun! However, I am not really in the shape that I used to be and after a couple of backflips in row (about 6) I lost my sense of direction and landed on my stomach and sprained my wrist! Hahaha! No problems just funny! Hahaha

Just some pictures Elder Joly gave me because I didn't have any this week. Whoops. I am so lazy.  (I don't know when he took that second picture. Just at some stop light.) 

Love you all! Elder Holderness