July 11, 2016

When we were on exchanges this past week, we ran into some of our senior citizen Chinese friends at the park.  We got there just in time to join their Taichi session.  It was actually somewhat difficult and strenuous controlling all my movement, but it was fun.  The missionary I was on exchanges with had never experienced that before.  Some people around the park were looking at us a little funny, two guys dressed up in white shirts and ties doing Taichi with a bunch of older Chinese people.

I attended my last Mission Leadership Council.  Bittersweet, but I'm excited for the path that the mission is on.  Upward trend!  We always have this really good pizza at lunch at MLC, and I've become addicted to eating it with ranch.  A couple MLC's ago, they didn't have salad, so they didn't have ranch!  Travesty, I know.  So for my last one, I ensured I would be able to dip by bringing my own!  Don't worry I shared with my table too.

We had two awesome new members move into the ward.  Both the husband and wife are from China and joined the church there.  They served missions and attended BYU Hawaii, where they met.  We're so excited because it's an answer to our prayers.  We've been praying for strong members to come in to help bolster our group as we work to establish a branch here.  God answers our prayers!

We were in a lesson with a member, and her 10 year old daughter made a funny comment while talking about her 8 year old little brother.  She said, "Sometimes I hug my brother because I love him. Sometimes I do it because I want to annoy him!"  It reminds me of my childhood, with an older sister, and later, a younger one!

last mlc with my "son"

aid bye to Bishop Garcia.  He's moving to Georgia.  We're going to miss him!

steamed fish made by one of the members, really tasty

July 4, 2016

Happy 4th of July!  To celebrate, all the missionaries in the stake got together and had a barbecue.  Very fun stuff!  Hamburgers, hot dogs, and carne asada (because we're in Southern California).  Don't worry mom, I had my sunscreen on. The night was really lit... because we headed to the church after and played glow in the dark chair soccer!  Pretty fun stuff.

We got to witness a recent convert's patriarchal blessing.  They were very excited for it.  Hopefully they'll be able to decipher the English!  Just kidding, we'll get it translated for them.

I had my exit interview with President.  Everything just got a whole lot more real!  Time is ticking.  It seems like it's just flown by.

One of our recent converts is now holding a scripture study class at his house every Friday evening.  It's nice to see everyone getting so involved in helping the group progress!

Q got baptized on Sunday.  It was a good service.  It's awesome to see young people start on this path that will have such a great impact on their future.  

I got to see Allan at our zone activity on the 4th of July.  He said he had just started his mission papers that day!  Amazing experience being able to see his conversion from the start to now.  He's changed so much, for the better of course!

Q's Baptism

Crayfish!

matching for 4th of july

matching tom's

barbecue!!

allan came to our zone activity!

jurupa zone, glow in the dark

selfie, which one is me?

chair soccer set up

afterwards

June 27, 2016

We had our Chinese sacrament meeting this past week.  It was amazing to experience.  There was a total of 58 people in attendance, crammed into the relief society room.  It's such a blessing to be able to take part in the building up of this Chinese group throughout the past while.  The members have really taken it upon themselves to actively build the group through church invitations, investigators taught in their homes, and supporting the missionary efforts in general.  It was awesome to feel the momentum that they have as we're moving forward trying to push for a branch.  Eastvale is great!

the miao family made authentic taiwanese shaved ice!

The apartment complex we live in has been doing construction on the roads the past week.  One night we had to park really far away because the road we live on was being re-done.  We were obviously bummed because we like being spoiled and parking in our garage.  However, we had an awesome blessing as we were walking back.  It was a little late and we ran into a Chinese lady on the way to our apartment.  We obviously started conversation with her and she was incredibly excited to hear that we were Christians and had church around here!  She told us that she too, has a faith in Jesus Christ and wants to attend.  Blessings for walking!

The former Elder Murray (now Dexter Murray) came back to the area to visit for a couple days in between trips to Taiwan.  Very fun to see him, can't believe it's been a YEAR already since he was out here with us.

the former elder murray made an appearance!

While we were passing out our free English class cards at a park, we got some water at a drinking fountain, and a little baby praying mantis crawls out from his hiding place!  We do the natural thing and catch it in a plastic water bottle.  He was not a very happy camper, tried to attack us and did not succeed.  We made a small terrarium out of a peanut container and kept him for a night.  In the morning we were wondering where he was and find him shedding his skin!  He was about 50% bigger too!  It was a very exciting moment to see him mature but unfortunately we let him go afterwards.  He didn't seem to be going after the ants or roly poly we provided.  I actually forgot to bring my praying mantis encyclopedia on my mission so I was not equipped to provide for him, even though he likes to pray too!

he shed his old skin and was suddenly a lot bigger than before...

observing our praying mantis

HE MOVED!

Shout out to my mission dad, the former Elder Johansen (now Christian Johansen).  He's getting married!  Two days after [the two-year anniversary of when] I entered the MTC!  Congratulations, so excited for you!

congrats to my mission dad, the former elder johansen!

Eastvale had a huge city-wide event, "Picnic at the Park," during the weekend.  In our search to find more Chinese people, we obviously went to the most crowded place in town.  Our guess proved to be successful as we ran into a ton of Chinese people walking around, clearly attracted to the crowds and loud noises.  We caught a bit of the firework show as we were leaving.  Felt right at home.

selfie walking by a fireworks show!

I took a trip to space and took some pictures of some other galaxies... pretty cool

June 20, 2016

My last transfer in the mission!  Going to finish in Eastvale with Elder Warren. 

It was Elder Merriman's last week in the mission.  We found a lot of people to commemorate it.  We unfortunately dropped from a trio to a regular companionship early in the week because a missionary in the zone went home.  Elder Warren took one for the team and went English for the rest of the week... on bike... in really hot weather...  He got a good tan.

We were meeting with our eight year old investigator and he prayed that Heavenly Father would help him play less computer and read scriptures more - from the mouth of babes.  We got him some clothes to wear to church - white shirt and tie and black pants.  It reminded me of the nine year old recent convert from La Sierra Heights.  I was back in the area last week and got to talk to his family.  I think his example has really changed them.  The Dad found a job, everyone seems more responsible, and some of his other family members are now coming to church and preparing for baptism.  He's a strong little man, I miss him.

At the park the other night, we ran into this guy and got talking to him.  He asked what our Chinese names were.  When I told him my full Chinese name, he kind of looked at me weirdly, then looked at his wife, grinned and said "that's a good name."  Turns out he shares the same name with me!  Fun stuff!

We had so much Chinese food this week because it was Elder Merriman's last.  His last meal was at an investigator's house full of Shanghainese people.  We had already finished everything, and the grandpa goes back into the kitchen for a little bit, then comes back with "tang cu pai gu" [sweet and sour pork chop].  Suffice it to say, I ate too much.  We had a hilarious conversation with all of them though.  They all seemed to have different opinions on Shanghai, China, and America.  Some seemed to love everything about Shanghai, some said China was just communist, and some just loved America.  We were talking about the matchmaking parks in Shanghai, and one of the ladies admitted to going there to try to marry off her 30 year old son a couple years back.  They all had mixed feelings on whether or not we should find Shanghainese wives.  

One was a retired cop and asked how my parents met.  Another one quickly interjected saying that that was PRIVATE and he couldn't ask that.  I didn't know that was a "no no" in China.  He said it's because he's a police officer that he asks those questions naturally.  Funny times.

We had to translate a lesson in relief society at church.  It was unique not only because of the fact that we were the only guys in the room, but we were translating a lesson for a Chinese member going Chinese to English.  It was a lot smoother than going the other way.  

we decided to take boat pictures while we waited for Elder Warren

in the boat

elder Merriman's last week

district

district

district gone Chinese

throwback, the Chinese missionaries at MLC

June 13 2016

We had our AP exchanges this week.  It was fun to go back to my old area.  Got to see some of the recent converts which was fun.  The nine year old that got baptized back in that ward is now going to church with his whole family.  His example and faith is amazing in helping them change their lives and get out of their current situation.  Bishop and his wife took us out for Chinese food at this place that had tons of awards.  He made me order in Chinese so he learned how to say chopsticks.  I miss them.

During the exchange, we stopped at a potential investigator.  When we pulled up to the house, I said, "hey I know this place!"  I had contacted a guy that lived there six months ago, with Elder Mock while we were on exchanges (back when he wasn't in the office).  Turns out his granddaughter is getting baptized in a couple weeks into the ward, the sisters are teaching her.  It was a pretty amazing coincidence.

We were able to nab Elder Zeng for a little bit to do a baptismal interview for us.  Lunch was at this Chinese place and the waitress freaked out when she heard all of us conversing in Chinese.  She's from Shanghai which was cool.  Later, as more people came into the restaurant, they also seemed incredibly shocked to hear out Chinese.  One of the groups was from Shanghai and started speaking in Shanghainese because they didn't want us to hear them say, "those foreigners are speaking Chinese!"  Good thing I understood it.  We're having a lot of fun seeing people react to us "white people" speaking Chinese.  In Target last week, this older Chinese woman kept getting close to us and walking away.  She'd get about a foot away and then scurry away.  It was like being in China again (the lack of personal space).  When we tried to talk to her though, she kind of ignored us.

Transfers are this next week.  Elder Merriman only has a week left with us in the trio :(.  It's weird because we got into the field together - same plane.  This week we have dinner with Chinese members every day.  I call it the gauntlet - hopefully I make it out without gaining 20 pounds!  Time is flying!  What will happen at transfers?  Stay posted ;).

at mission leadership council

crafting - might have to open a 3D photo shop!

Elder Foy with the camera

Harry's last day.  Elder Zeng was with us for a baptism interview so we all got to say goodbye.

jurupa zone from last transfer. nice tie president ;)

multizones - peaking out

Photo creds to Elder Foy

team pic - Jurupa