Merry Christmas - Loved hearing Him!

(Note: Jed wrote this at about 6:00 a.m. his time. He was up and to a computer center to send this email before calling us!)

Good morning/good evening! How are you all? I am so excited to call you an a little bit about an 40 min from now.

This week was fast! Christmas and service; it was great! This week I have been singing a lot more than I have been in the last year, all about Christmas. Our ward had a party where we got to perform a song for the two wards that where there. We sang Oh Holy Night. We had a few things that we could have worked out a bit better but in the end we did not have a ton of time to practice to get it sounding perfect. I liked it. Well I'm going to write president Grimley so I can get home to call you all!!!

Marta's notes from our phone call:

Elder H is fabulous! He testified of so many tender mercies... a golden contact met at a stop light (bike to scooter) on the way to the Christmas party a week ago, who asked where a church was nearby, then followed them to the church, and said she had just recently lost her Grandmother, and was searching for meaning in life. It was a girl, posing possible problems for this set of Elders to teach, tender mercy - the Sister missionaries were in the church, there to help the Elders prepare for the Christmas Party. Let's see, teach a discussion or prepare for a party? Not an issue! J said they gave the first discussion, enjoyed the party, and the Sisters have had a couple follow up lessons in the last week! Yea! Then on Christmas Eve they had a elderly lady they were teaching whose grandson had joined the church. She was baptized that night by her Grandson (see picture)! Awesome! Then Christmas afternoon they had an appointment with a part member family they have been working with, praying for, and the Mom called and asked J & his companion to come early because her husband had asked if they could teach him that night prior to their dinner. Windows of heaven opened and the spirit was strong, questions answered, and that was just last night, but he said he was way excited that this family could have such a beautiful gift of their Father joining the church for a Christmas gift this year! He said he was asking great questions, and the spirit was there in abundance testifying of truth, and the questions were resolved. He is hopeful! Tons of Tender mercies! I am so grateful that he is fully engaged, teaching and testifying! Thank you Father for answering prayers and opening hearts to hear!

We got to talk to him for an hour, as outlined by his Mission President, and we obeyed that rule. We wrapped up the reuniting conversations with each member of the family within 50 minutes, and then B offered a family prayer together! I am so grateful for the power of God on the earth! I am grateful for my beautiful family!

Christmas Call Soon, Transfers. Sisters headed Home

Family:
Hey awesome family Good evening. Today is a bit earlier than usual. Today I get to try to do a bunch of stuff. Today we have a sister that is moving up to Taipei do the the fact that my sister missionary's are going home!!! The sister missionary's that came on with me are going home this week! Some of the sisters need to go up and move, so they wanted to go as a district and have breakfast before they left as a district/zone. We are going to have about 6 to 8 people going. So anyway that's why it's earlier that usual.

Thank's to the Ward members for the Twelve days of Christmas! You must have sent it through Grandpa Val's friends? I didn't recognize the address or the name on the box. Thank you. It has been fun.

This week has been fun...we had a baptism for an 18 year old kid named lin2 xiao4 kai3. He is a great kid. He is the second kid in his family and is at work getting ready to go to college. He is taking the college entrance test next year and so he is getting ready for that.

Ok so I'll right you some more is a sec. How was the reserve? I hope that you had a fun time.

Thank you for the update on the ward. You are awesome. Thank you for all that you do for me. I need to go. Sorry this week I needed to talk to President about with stuff in this zone. I love you all so much. Know that I love you all. I'll email you next week!

Quick Week in December 2011

Hey Awesome Family here it is again! Another week gone with the wind and a new one has come. How was your week? What happened this week? What are you all up to this week? Hope that you all are doing well.

This week was good went by quick. It was week 6 of the transfer and so we had move calls and all the end of the transfer stuff that comes with that. This week a member took us to a all you can eat place that was cool those are almost everywhere. It was cool how they did it. Yu got there and take your shoes off to sit down at the table. Like there was a hole around the table that you put your feet in, like the table was in the hole and you sat around it. It was fun. Later move calls. This next transfer I will be in zhubei with Elder Bogle for another one, it is going to be fun. I'm excited for it. Wow it is already Dec 5th. Wow, Elder Bogle and I where talking about how fast time is going by. Spring is going to be here before we know it.

This week we are going to be getting ready for a baptism for a guy named lin2 xiao1 kai3. He is 18 years old and had been meeting with the missionary's for awhile now. His testimony is awesome. He is 18 years old but if you where to talk to him on the phone you would think that he is a lot older. Anyway he is getting a baptism interview this week to be baptized on the 17th. So that is cool we are excited for that.

Last Sunday (yesterday) was cool I went to church and was about to walk upstairs so we could go to sacrament meeting. I walked around the corner and I saw Brother Xu. He was one of my investigators in Tianmu. He and his wife had come to zhubei to visit me and see how I was doing. It was so much fun to see him. He was the one who wanted me to go and baptize him on Oct 29. Well he came with his wife. It was really fun to see them, they are doing well.

So a bit about the photos: we went to the bishops house last night for dinner and had a friend join us for the meal. The bishop told us that they where good to eat if we wanted it for dinner. We told him that we would wait till next time for that chance because his wife had already got dinner ready. It was fun.


Wow you all are so involved in so much. Thank you for your examples. Know that I love you.

Dad: Thank you for all that you do! Thank you for all that you teach us; always giving and leading us to go and help others. Thank you for setting such a great amazing example of good and love. Thank you. I love you. Thank you for so much good.

Mom: Wow I'm glad that you all are safe. You are awesome and do so much. Thank you. I love you. Be healthy. Be safe. Thank you for stories.

L: Wow you made a wedding cake? Wow you go girl. That's a huge project. Who was it for? You told me the name but I don't remember that name. Anyway that sounds awesome. Way to go. Enjoy this time you still have at home. WOW I just saw the photos!!! Wow!

C: Bro I love the photo on your email. Just the one that you have on your account. Have you been biking lately? What you been up to? Keep working hard.

Ok I need to go. I love you all. Thank you for the emails.

Dad, Mom. this year for christmas. I am good. I have so much, thank you for all that you do for me for teaching me to go and do. Thanks for teaching me how to do hard things. The only thing that I might need in awhile is a pair of slacks, but I think that those will be cheaper to get here in Taiwan. Thank you for all that you do.

I love you. I know that we are known and that we are heard and that our Father in Heaven loves us and know our needs. I love Him. I know that he lives. I know that our older Brother Jesus lives and that He will help all of us.

Love you need to go.