A Great Week Again...

It's been another great week in Zuoying!!! We had a lot of fun stuff happen! We've been working a lot with several investigators that seem to be really progressing. Brother Z... and his wife and doing super well. They've already read together all the way to the end of 1st Nephi in the Book of Mormon! He really enjoys reading it a lot. Our ward mission leader likes to come to help with their lessons because when we meet at 8:30 in the morning he can come too because his work is later. He loves teaching them so he basically does most of the talking haha. It is easy to see that Brother Z... loves what he is learning here. He's doing very well.

  Our newer friend Brother Z... is doing well too. We've met him for about two weeks now and he's awesome! He's in his late 50s and he is a very humble man. He was sent to prison for a crime he didn't commit when he was in his 20s, then he just wasted away his life drinking and smoking. Then his body just couldn't take it and he almost died a few years ago. Then he's spent the last several years in and out of the hospital for months at a time trying to recover. He feels lots of regret for his past and wants to know why he was preserved back when he should have died. He has a strong desire to change his life and to be baptized. He came to a great ward activity on Saturday where all the members just split up into groups and had little discussions with each of the investigators that we brought about their conversion process and the things that they changed in their lives. Literally everyone in our group used to be heavy smokers and drinkers before and the things they shared clearly had an impact on our friend Brother Z...! Currently he has a baptismal date for the end of September! 

  B... is still struggling with smoking and drinking as well. He came to the Saturday activity too and was equally touched by the stories that the members shared. He really wants to change!

  Saturday morning our ward mission leader invited us to play some soccer with a bunch of guys in the park and it was a ton of fun. I love to play soccer but I haven't had any opportunities to play here in Taiwan. This was my first time and I found out that I was pretty rusty. I almost scored a header off of a corner kick but it hit the post!!!! I was so mad. The guys kept crossing them to me because I was so much taller than everyone else (except for a guy from Germany) but I just couldn't score. We might go back again next week because there are some really nice guys there.

  We also got the opportunity to paint an elderly woman's house last week. I love doing service for people.  I was so happy to have the chance to help her paint. They didn't give us any tape for the edges of the baseboard so they got plenty of paint too haha. I would hate to see the look on my dad and grandpa's face if they saw the poor quality of the paint job. They didn't give us any tools though so it was impossible to do a good job! 

 The week was super good and there are many great people here!! I'm super tired all the time though. I fall asleep anytime we say a prayer, like during church, or during studies, or during lessons. I fell asleep once saying a prayer out loud with my companion haha. I'm looking forward to a nap on the plane ride home. But before then I'll do my best to stay awake haha.

  Well I love you all lots!! Have a great time on vacation out West!!

Love,

Elder Stevens