The Peach Garden

Hello everyone! 

Sorry I didn't write last week, just no time sadly. But I'm back this week to tell you all the news about what happened last week during transfers!!

I've been transferred! I honestly thought I would be staying in Miaoli for a fourth transfer with Elder Merrill cause we were having some good success, but little did I know that I would be moving. When I got the transfer call I was a bit disappointed because we were working with so many good people. The thing is when transfers happen, lots of people you are teaching just disappear. So they aren't teaching many of the people I was. I was really really excited though because I was moving into a district that had the Taoyuan Zone Leaders and that meant Elder Fernandes!!! Yep, I'm in the same district as him. 6 weeks apart was just too long I guess cause we're back together again. The district is really close and the missionaries all use the same stake center so we see each other all the time. 

Taoyuan means:" Peach Garden" in Chinese. I am staying the district leader just like last transfer. This district is a lot different than my last one with only us and two sisters. Now in Taoyuan my district has 2 sisters and 4 more Elders so a total of 8 people in the district. We have the zone leaders and the Sister Training leaders in my district. With this many people I have a lot more opportunities to go on exchanges and try to help the district out. We have lots of goals and we're all really excited to work hard here!

So much to talk about... My new Companion! His name is Elder Fredenberg! He's a super nice guy from Michigan who has been on his mission like 4 transfers less than me, but his Chinese is way better. He's honestly a great guy and super smart. He's into building robots and research stuff. He actually got a scholarship to go to MIT after his mission. For those who don't know that is, it's one of the best schools in the country. He also has the thickest eyebrows I've ever seen on anyone. Even beats out Mitch and Talmage on that one. Another thing that's cool is he was raised on a farm of about 40 acres and has pigs, cows, chickens, goats, and sheep. Pretty fun to talk about that with him cause we both know about that stuff. He's awesome.

me and  Elder Fredenberg on the roof

Last week we helped Daniel get baptized. He's very excited and a bunch of people came. The thing is I had to come back to Miaoli to baptize him. About 2 days after I transferred to Taoyuan I got back on the train and headed to Miaoli. Everyone was really happy to see each other again and it was cool to see the couple we baptized the last week! They're doing great too. They were even asked by the sisters in Miaoli to help out teaching a lesson! Everyone is really good, I wish I could have stayed for a bit longer but our train was leaving and I had to go. 

This week I've met a lot of new people and am just trying to get adjusted to a new area. This is my 4th so I know what it's like to move, but it's always weird for the first week. When I came in they weren't teaching many people and so we are having to start from scratch almost and just work really hard to help these people. 

Can't wait to talk to you all next week! Love you and thank on for all your prayers!

-Elder Grayson Thayne