June 4, 2012

Hi family! I feel like the time from last wednesday to now has past so quickly that i can't even remember what happened really. All is going well here in beitun. We have three young men that are recieving the priesthood in our ward! Our two recent converts and a less active that has started coming back to church.

 

The less active is brother Liu. He is about 16 years old and hasn't been to church in along time. I think i have told you about him before. His mother and little sister are at church every sunday but he doesn't ever want to go. One night his mom needed a blessing because she had a foot problem and was not able to work, but she is the provider for her family. A brother in our ward called us up that night and had us go over with him and another brother to visit her family and give her a blessing. We got to talking with her son while we were there and started to go visit often and started teaching him the lessons. He still knew a good amount about the restoration, the plan of salvation, the gospel of Jesus Christ, the commandments and the gospel in general from when he was little, but he hadn't been developing his testimony. He committed to start reading the Book of Mormon and pray everyday. We invited him to church for about two weeks in a row but he was busy with school things and did not want to come. Then mother's day came around...we invited him to come to church the saturday night before mother's day and he started contemplating...then his mom says from the other side of the room, yeah come on you need to come it's mother's day! Fine he says, i'll go. He has come every week since. I have loved watching this young man's testimony grow. It has built my testimony as well. Even though he already knew what the doctrines were, now he knows they are true. He knows that Jesus Christ is his savior and is willing to walk in His footsteps and keep the commandments of God.

 

Like i said in my last email, you MUST read Jesus the Christ. James E. Talmage uses some words..well alot of words that are definitely not in my vocabularly, but just make sure you have a dictionary nearby and you start to get used to it. That amazing book testifies of the divine calling of Jesus Christ as our savior and reedemer and allows me to grow closer to Him as I learn of Him.

 

Today i remembered to bring my camera, but i forgot the USB cord to hook it up to the computer! Arrrrg i am sorry..next monday i WILL remember! I also had a letter from you Momma with some questions on it about daily life hear in Taiwan but I forgot that too! I am sorry I am slacking. Next week. I love getting your letters with stories and things that are going on back home! Like the greyhound bus story, and the lady that had you call the paramedics! It never gets boring in the life of Momma Ripley! I also loved the one about the lady who helped pay for the green stuff, i am so grateful for the Lord's care over my family. Thanks for the funny cards too haha you and Dad are the best. Thank blake, blythe, and brock for drawing those pictures for me. They are fantastic and i am going to hang them up no doubt! Well i love you! Hope all is going well! Have a super fantastic week!