YOYOYO Family and friends!! 

It was the birthday baptism week. Contacting baptisms really do happen. About three weeks before I got on the island my companion found Wei Dixiong. They talked to him for about 30 seconds on the street and invited him to church. He came. Since then he hasn't missed a week of church. He really was a golden investigator. My first time that we met with him we decided to challenge him to baptism. He was a little hesitant and then our Peike shared her experience of why she decided to be baptized. The Spirit was very strong and he decided to go for it. Over the next couple of months we continued to teach him and he continued to strengthen his testimony. Two weeks ago was his first baptismal goal. He was still drinking coffee and tea so we had to push it back two weeks. He decided to really be serious about it and for 2 weeks before his baptism he did not drink coffee or tea. The day before his baptism we shared with him about the Holy Ghost and how it would influence his life. He was very excited and new that it was true. I also asked him why he wanted to be baptized and he said, "I want to start my new life." So wonderful. He truly was prepared and will be a great strength to the Ankang ward. 

Baptism!

Wu Dixiong is still doing great. We continue to meet with him every week and discuss the Book of Mormon. He took us out to dinner for my birthday and we had a wonderful time together. He is a great man and I am so happy that we found him. His process into the church might be a long one but he is definitely worth it. We are going to really try to get him to come to church with us next week! I think that he will do it. 

Thank you for the time you spent with me in our personal interview. I really believe that the goals we set together will really help me become a better missionary. I really feel like I will improve in the next few months. I've realized lately that it is definitely possible to just coast through the mission experience. You might even see miracles. But God will not trust us with all of the people he has prepared for us if we are not willing to work hard to get it. 

This week we are really going to try to put the assistants training to the test and invite people to baptism more often and more boldly. I really think that this will help us begin to see who is really prepared to keep meeting with us and progress and who might need to wait for a little while. This will be hard because we love all the people we meet with but I know that we will be blessed to find more people if we are willing to do it. 

My companion and I are still doing great as always. He really is a great example to me. We really just love the work and love working together. We have some part member families that are doing really well and this week we look forward to challenging them to baptism. I strongly believe that they are prepared and will really have the desire to be baptized. 

Now for some funny stuff. Lately I've been having these, "You know you're in Taiwan if..." statements popping into my head. I will now share some of them with you. 

You know you're in Taiwan if nobody sits by you on the bus. (They will walk back and see you sitting there and just stand up) 

You know you're in Taiwan if people point at you and whisper "white person" or "foreigner".

You know you're in Taiwan if people try not to stare at you but can't help it. 

You know you're in Taiwan if people love eating things that smell horrible

You know you're in Taiwan if one second it's bright and sunny and the next you're up to your ankles in rain water.

You know you're in Taiwan if everybody tells you your Chinese is amazing even if it isn't.

You know you're in Taiwan if people ask you if you are full all the time.

You know you're in Taiwan if people compliment you on being fat.

You know you're in Taiwan if men have wife beaters pulled up over their beer bellies

You know you're in Taiwan if every girl giggles at you when you say hello

You know you're in Taiwan if you almost get killed by a bus everyday

Well everyone the work continues. Everyday is pretty tiring but it's always rewarding. I only have about 3 weeks left of training. It'll be interesting to see what happens. My companion thinks that I am going to train but we shall see. :) Remember to always have a smile on your face even if you aren't happy. Fake it till you make it. 

Love,

Elder Meeks