Sorry again for the late email. But today I had one of the most fun P-Days I've ever had. But I will get to that later. For now, I guess I will just explain how I've been doing.
So, training. Not a very easy task. It can be challenging. I have definitely spent a lot of time getting back to the basics of Chinese, but that's never a bad thing. I have been working with the 12 Weeks training program again, and that is a good refresher. We have like 2 additional hours of study in addition to the regular study time, so that feels long sometimes, but it is worth it. This week, we had a lot of cool people set up, but they either cancelled on us or just straight up didn't come, so that slaughtered this week's numbers, but it could be worse. Training is definitely a humbling experience. You learn just as much, if not more, as the trainer than as the trainee, I think. And that was what I talked about in my interview with President Blickenstaff this week.
So, usually for interviews, President likes us to come prepared with any questions or concerns to talk about during the interview. Well, as I thought about what to ask, nothing came to mind. But, just before I went into the interview, something came to me. I then proceeded to ask President, "What made you consider my name for training?" I told him that I knew that it was all through prayer and revelation, but there is still some choice involved. I told him, "I am not the greatest missionary in the missionary. I can count the number of my RC's on one hand. I am not the greatest street contacter. I don't have the greatest numbers. My Chinese isn't THAT great.What made you think about me for training?" Well, he thought about it for a second, and then he gave me a pretty cool analogy. He told me that if he had been chosen to choose the Prophet of the Restoration, he personally may not have picked Joseph Smith. He said that he would've probably picked Sidney Rigdon. He explained that Sidney Rigdon had a lot more experience than Joseph Smith. He was older, more educated, and more trained in speaking than was Joseph Smith. But he explained that it's not the way that it worked out. God chose the Prophet Joseph Smith to open up the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times. Joseph Smith was a simple man. He had not much education. He wasn't the greatest speaker. He lived a simple life. Yet through him, God has restored the fullness of His church to the Earth. We have received some of the greatest revelation the world has ever known. We have the Book of Mormon. And he talked about a lot of other things. But he told me that his point was that the Lord doesn't always pick the "Top-Shelf" missionaries. He will pick normal people, like myself, to do His work. Like the fishermen of the New Testament, he will make us to become "Fishers of Men." And that really touched me. I may not be the most elegant speaker, the most skilled missionary, or the smartest missionary, but I have been called here because the Lord knows what I can do. It really hit me hard and filled my heart with the Spirit. So that was a really neat experience.
Lastly, today we had an AWESOME P-Day. So, a member in the Tainan 4th Ward named Ricky, likes to take missionaries places on P-Day. So, he told us this last week that he would take us to Fo Guang Shan, or the "Buddha Light Mountain." (I think that's what it was called.) But this place is massive. It is where the Mission Christmas Activity was the year before this last one. And what a place it is!
You have no idea how big this place is! The pictures don't do it justice. There is a ton of history I could tell you about this place, but time doesn't allow for it. But essentially, the point is is that this is one of 3 places in the world that houses a portion of Buddha's ashes! And it houses a 108 meter tall bronze statue of Buddha!!!!! And it is really cool. It took us like 3-4 hours around there and we only checked out like half of it! But, maybe next week, I can tell you more! For now, enjoy some pics, and there will be more on the way!
Well, that is about it for this week. I wish I had more time to write, but this will have to do until next week. I hope that all of you have an awesome week. Know that I am missing you and thinking about you all the time! Love you and talk to you guys soon!
Sincerely,
Elder Chase Joseph Millett
雷長老
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