Elder Chase Millett: Back to Taichung!, Taipei Temple Trip, and Some Tainan Reflections

Well Everybody, I'm back.

Sorry for the lack of an email last week. I know that some of you were very worried and rather disappointed at this fact (shoutout to you, Mom!). But know that I am alive and well. As my heading states, I have moved back up to Taichung. I kind of figured it would work out that way. Yup, after 5 months in Tainan, I have moved to what could possibly be my last area, or my second to last. But I guess we will have to see. Guess I'd better start filling you in.

Well, my 2nd time in Taichung! Yeah, I am in the Taichung East Zone, in an area called DongYing (東英). It is in the East District of Taichung, but our area also includes the central part, where the train station is, so there are quite a few people. My new companion is Elder Baxter, yet another companion from Syracuse, Utah. He is fresh out of training, so I am his second companion on island, or his "mom" as some missionaries call it. He is just like me, just without Chinese, at least that's what everyone has told me about him. He is super cool though. Like me, very nerdy. Loves games and being sarcastic. Our district here has 3 companionships, the Taiping Elders, Elder Smith (Elder Crockett's trainee), Elder Bradford (needs no introduction.) The DongYing Sisters (Sister Zhang and Sister Yao, both Taiwanese), and Elder Baxter and I, the DongYing Elders. We meet in the biggest chapel in Taichung. There are four wards that meet here. It is the Stake Center, so it has all the goodies, like free computers for email. Free is good. There is a basketball court and everything. Just a really nice chapel. So, should make for quite a fun time. I'll fill you in more as time goes on I'm sure.

The District: Taiwan Edition

Yes, that is the Taipei Temple behind us. This last week, just two days after I moved here, we had the temple trip. This is the second time I've gotten to go to the Taipei temple, and I am so thankful I had another chance to go. Every time I go, the experience gets better and better. You really don't want to leave. We got to do an English Endowment, which was kind of nice, but it would've been cool to do the Chinese one. Maybe next time. But, took lots of pictures. Probably won't be able to fit them all into one email. But I will give you guys at least one.

Me with all of my previous companions who made it on this trip, and my current companion. (Elder Yeh on my right. Elder Rogers on my left. Elder Baxter on the far left.) Man, I miss those guys!

Well, lastly, I figured I would talk a little about some of the things that I learned while I was in Tainan. I really think that Tainan has been the biggest growth period in my mission. I feel like I learned the most while serving there, and that I experienced the most change. Maybe it started with training. While I was training, I experienced some hardships, feeling like I wasn't doing good enough. But, it was during that phase of my mission that I learned about focusing on the simple things, and that the Lord would push the work forward in his own time. While there, I really came to understand the most important lesson of my mission. Looking back, I feel like the most important thing I've learned is companionship unity. Honestly, you can be working your butt off everyday, but if you and your companion are not unified or are not friends, it will be for nothing. I say that in all seriousness. You have to be willing to develop friendships with every companion, regardless of differences. I really feel that the companionship unity thing is the greatest lesson of my mission. I don't feel like that will change either. Obviously it was something the Lord has needed me to see and be a part of. And I will always thank him for that. My hope is that I will make friendships with every companion good enough that I would go and find each one of them after the mission and bro-down with them. Yup, my mission has obviously been just perfect for me. No one else could've done the things that I've done or seen the things that the Lord wanted me to see. And oh yeah, I am definitely feeling the benefits of good relationships. Makes life more fun. And I feel like I've done just that. Tainan was also a time that I learned the most about diligence. When I first got to the area, we had like 2 investigators. By the time I'd left, we'd had a baptism and a list of other people who we were meeting with. It all came from hard work. There really is no other substitute. And I hope that I can carry that energy from Tainan to here as well. I made lots of friends in Tainan, and I will miss them dearly. But they are friendships that will extend far beyond this life. I will miss it, but there are new adventures ahead.

Well, that is about it for now. I hope I was able to address everything. If there is anything that I've forgotten or left out, just let me know and I'll fill you in. But, I'm happy. As President Blickenstaff told me, these are the prime times of my mission. The Chinese is good. The skills are there. You just have to go do it. And I plan on doing just that. Hoping to see many miracles here in DongYing. Love this place. Love the people. Love the work. And I love you all. Talk to you very soon.

Sincerely,

Elder Chase Joseph Millett

雷長老

Saying Goodbye to Tainan and to Elder Starkweather. Wish him the best of luck with Elder Dalmer!

Last lunch with Eric before I moved. He made us Filipino food and it was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO good!

Elder Gilbert and I sat next to each other on the train ride up. If you were to say train travel in the U.S., people would probably just laugh at you. Pretty old school. But pretty efficient. I trained Elder Park. He "mom"ed him. Small world.