4/6/2014 - I've been out a year

Hey everyone! 

Well this was a great week with a crazy big miracle! 

First of all I just have to say how much I love my area and companion. I feel like we really work well together and have a lot of similar feelings about what we need to do to make the work go faster here in 苗栗. I'm so grateful that we have started our companionship off on the right foot and we have already started to see how the Lord is blessing us for it. I definitely have so much to improve on but we are seeing the blessings coming and so we will continue to try to make things happen.

I was able to accomplish my goal of finishing the old testament in three months. I barely made it but I did it and felt really good about it. I am so excited to continue to learn from it in the future and use it in spreading the gospel. My next goal is to finish the new testament by the end of this transfer and start reading the Book of Mormon again. The scriptures are such a blessing. I don't know where I would be in my life without the counsel the scriptures give me. I most certainly wouldn't be here on a mission if it weren't for God answering my prayers through the Book of Mormon. 

Zhou DX. Is doing so amazingly great!! He hasn't missed church in 6 weeks and reads and prays everyday. He doesn't understand the scriptures fully but he has prayed and feels God has answered his prayers. He is excited for General Conference next week and start to understand what prophets really do for us. If his father gives him permission to be baptized he is totally on target for the 26th of this month. He has such a solid ward support and a desire to do what the Lord wants him to do. I am inspired by his small but awesome testimony! He has followed every commandment and invitiation we have taught him from day one. 

Cao DX was our big miracle this week. We had a lesson with him and the member basically scolded him for a little while that he wasn't taking us serious and that he needed to make a big change. He said right then and there that he was done smoking forever and I really believe him. I'm so excited to see the changes he has made over the past few weeks. He is definitely going to make his baptismal date on the 26th. The ward is seeing his changes and are starting to look past the outer Cao DX and starting to look at the good heart that he has. I love him and know he is going to learn so much in the church. 

I had a lot more I wanted to write but I'm rushed for time. Have a great week everyone!

Elder Meeks