The first couple days we just hungout at the mission home and had a few orientation meetings, went on a run to an awesome park, contacted people, ate at a few awesome places and then had out first transfer meeting!
My trainer is Elder Kaluhiokalani and he's awesome! He's a big football player (like me! haha no he's like 250 pounds...) he's from Hawaii and is like a quarter Chinese. He's been out here for 10 months and he's great. I don't have much of an idea what is going on but I'm sure he'll show me the ropes. So I'm assigned to the Zhubei area. Just north Hsinchu, the city I was born and the city that my grandma still lives in! I talked with some of the sisters in the ward here (In Chinese... so awesome!) and they told me they would tell my grandma that I'm here so I'll probably get to see her soon!
Also the bishop of my ward apparently knew me in Hsinchu when I was 1 years old! He remembers my whole family and asked how Heather and Melody are doing. Sooo cool. Also in the ward is the Teng family! (Until June) They found out I'm from Provo and went to Timpview and they told me that Ben Teng is in the Taichung mission right now, the other Taiwan mission and their other son is Sam Teng! They also know Will Crosland, it's just a small world! So crazy. I'm so so so blessed to be here.What's also really cool is a lot of them told me I have really good Chinese for someone who just got here 3 days ago! So I'm really happy about that. They tell me it sounds really good and gaoji, which pretty much means like educated sounding, but it's just kind of slow. So either I do have good Chinese or they're just really nice haha so probably mainly the latter.
It's crazy to think I'm pretty much in my hometown! Hsinchu is just like 15 minutes away by bike. So awesome. Let's see I've already taught a bunch of lessons to a bunch of people and it's been awesome. Man these Taiwanese kids are adorable. I'll have to get some pictures this next week. The next couple of weeks are going to be really hard to get times to teach people because it's Chinese New Year and it's a really really big deal here. All the kids get like 2 weeks off of school or something for it. So I hope we can get some appointments going still. We taught the Lin family and they're going to be baptized in 2 weeks after the New Year and last night we taught a Phillipino guy, Jess,and man he's awesome. He's so prepared. So we met with him for the first time last night and as we were getting to know him he said his parents were Jehovah's Witness but he never really believed and always had questions so he asked about Jesus Christ and we taught him about Jesus and his role. Then he asked about "everlasting life" and how he can get that. So we taught him about the Gospel and the steps we need to take. He just ate it all up! Doesn't believe in the trinity, which I guess is really rare for Phillipinos here with his kind of background but he is so ready. We're going to meet with him next Sunday as well because that's his only free time and me and my companion are both super excited for him. So awesome. It made me so happy teaching him.
Taiwan is awesome and it's so great to be here. We bike everywhere and what's funny is during my first interview with the mission president when I got here I told him I love to bike and it's not a problem and exercising is no big deal and stuff and now I'm in Zhubei! It's infamous because our apartment is on top of this really big hill and it's pretty tough to get up. Takes probably 20 minutes or so. Apparently it's pretty well known because all the other missionaries told me about it when they heard I was coming here. So it may have been a mistake to tell my mission president, President Day that I love exercising haha. But it's good because my butt will look great, it's pretty sore right now. So awesome.
Let's see well I have pictures to put and I should have taken more, the first few days have just kind of been crazy and I haven't been thinking about pictures haha. Oh and there was a package waiting for me when I got here so that was awesome! Thanks Caroline! I really liked all the stuff in there, wore the tie and it's pretty shui! (handsome) Thanks :) Well family I love you all and miss you too! ... But Taiwan is kind of awesome so I'm pretty happy don't worry about me! But the drivers are pretty crazy and I've already been hit by a car so maybe pray for me... Haha no just kidding I haven't been hit by any cars. I also haven't gained any weight.
Sorry Tess. Well I'll upload some pictures now and I love you all so much! Muah!
My Address in Taiwan is: Taiwan Taipei Mission
4/F, #24, Lane 183
Chin Hua Street
Taipei 106
Taiwan R.O.C.
Elder Hopper on the plane from Tokyo to Taiwan... a long day haha.
First full day in Taiwan with my MTC companion, the notorious Elder Cheung.
My awesome new tag. hen coo ah!! ( so cool ah!)
Sister Anderson from my MTC generation. First day in Taiwan. We're really excited to be here.
At a member's house. Sister Tian is amazing. Sooo much fooood!! In awe face. Soooooo gooooood.
Yep.
Our washing machine broke...? No problem.
My temporary bike until my own arrives today. I've been using the one with the hearts on it. So cute.
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