Sister DeVictoria writing:
We spent a lot of time this week trying to get our prescriptions refilled. The last time I saw my endocrinologist in Utah, he told me to quickly get registered with an endocrinologist here in Taiwan in case something changed in my health. So when I first came here I found a doctor and gave him my doctor's notes. This week both my and Elder DeVictoria's medications were running out so we both went together to the same doctor. But when we got there (on Friday morning) we found his clinic was closed until the following Monday. So on the next Monday morning we went back, only to find that the doctor would only be in the office that evening starting at 6pm. So we came back again in the evening and signed in. In fact we went in together for the consultation with the doctor. In Taiwan you don't really need to make an appointment, just show up and get in line. We were really afraid that the medications we needed would be really expensive or unavailable here. But actually here in Taiwan the very same medicines are readily available and SO much cheaper! He gave us a week's supply and asked us to come back in a week after he got the results of our blood tests.
Those two trips to the doctor weren't really wasted, we learned how to get there on the subway so that we can avoid a taxi fee. But after two trips in one day, we were pretty exhausted at the end of the day. First we have to walk the few blocks to the subway station that is nearest to our apartment or office. We get on one train, then change to another train. Luckily we found the subway exit that is right by the doctor's office. We are getting used to the walking, but the heat and humidity right now is really taxing. We found a grocery store right next to our doctor's office so we stopped in for a few minutes. I was happy see there was a floor map that showed us where to get the "FLOZEN" food. ;)
Last night we taught Institute again. I had prepared the power point presentation, so I knew how the lesson would progress and I taught most of the lesson, but Elder DeVictoria did handle a couple of parts of it. This next week he will prepare the lesson and I will help out as needed. It has been our experience that the students don't really like to participate much in class. I think they are worried about being embarrassed. My understanding of Asian schooling is that they are taught facts, then quizzed on the facts. My teaching method is to ask questions that make them formulate an idea about the subject. Anyway, we always come away wondering how the lesson was received. We did get positive feedback from the teacher, who has a son in the class and evidently said we did OK, but we still don't feel that secure in our abilities. I think we forgot to mention that the regular Institute teacher slipped on the stairs and broke three ribs. So we will be substituting for him until he gets better. We are sure praying for his recovery! We are teaching the Family Life course and there are some sensitive and tough subjects in queue for lessons!
Earlier that day one of our Taiwanese senior missionaries taught me a new phrase. It is a Taiwanese phrase that she taught me in Mandarin. Basically the saying pertains to the moment right before your mother spanks you. The phrase warns you to tighten your buttocks skin and muscles so that the spank won't hurt as much. It's kind of an equivalent to "Brace yourself". So when I started the class, I told them about their teacher's injury and explained that we would be teaching until he gets better. Then I tried out my new phrase (Ba Pi Bung Jin)...or "Brace yourself." People laughed. :)
We had to arrange food for Zone Conference today. Since it is only us two senior missionaries in the office right now, we just ordered bento boxes for everyone. We got a variety, and also a variety of fruit. We ordered a few extra, the Elders took the leftovers to have for dinner that night. But some Elders can eat two, so we do try to always have extra. When we get our new office couple the end of August we will try to branch out to provide food that the missionaries are asking for (like Pizza).
On Friday my computer volunteered to take part in the global Microsoft/CrowdStrike blue-screen-of-death crash. I had some paperwork that could be done by hand, so I did that, but when I was finished, there was nothing else I could do without a computer so I just went home, about 1-1/2 hours early. I sure hope they get it fixed on Monday!
We are hearing there are plans being formulated to renovate our office. It could take up to one year! My understanding is that they might put us in the church building across the street, next door to the Temple. It is the biggest church I've ever seen with 7 floors. The bottom three floors are parking garages, the distribution center, and some storage. The main floor and second and third floors have chapels and classrooms and bishops and stake offices. The top floor has the church foundation / employee offices. The third floor also houses the Institute office and classrooms. There are two chapels in this building, and there are 5 different wards who meet here. The first floor has a multipurpose/gymnasium. Each of the hallways is locked up unless there is a scheduled event, and there is a guard always on duty. Part of the reason is that some homeless people come in to the building and hang out during the day.
Here in Taiwan, they call the @ symbol a "little mouse". The loop around the "a" is the tail. Once you see that you can't unsee it. ;)
One night we went to a restaurant that deep fries food for you. This basket had chicken, french fries, tofu, rice cakes, green beans, squid and Thai basil. They sprinkle a spicy pepper powder on top. It was pretty good and didn't really taste greasy. Then we got a shaved ice for desert to share afterwards. It wasn't as sweet as it looks, and I love all the tapioca balls and almond jellies and pudding cubes in it.
Elder DeVictoria writing:
We had another two baptisms in the Taipei English Ward today.
One was a filipino woman Brena Morales, she is a younger woman I think in her 20's. The other
person was a more mature man from the US who has been here in Taiwan for 26
years. It's funny, about 3 weeks ago on a Sunday morning I was
suddenly asked to give a priesthood blessing to a fellow high priest in the ward,
he was having some kind of health problem and asked for a blessing right before Sacrament meeting started, and while giving the blessing there was this other brother in the room who I didn't know. My
friend Simon Lee administered with the consecrated oil, then I sealed and
pronounced the blessing. Then the stranger asked if he could have a
blessing too, and of course we said yes and gave him a blessing. I
thought he was a member at the time, but it turns out, he is the man who
got baptized today! I went up to him after the baptism and said, "Hey, I
thought you were a member already!" He replied "I am now!". Nice guy (Jake Palmer). The Lord is really blessing people who are ready, to connect with the missionaries who then teach them and invite them to come unto Christ and enter on their own covenant path. It happens one at a time, it is very special, and very personal for each person.
This last week I had to renew our auto insurance policy that expires on July 21. Even though we aren't even at home and won't touch our vehicle for the next 19 months, nevertheless we still have that truck sitting there on our driveway and even though it's not being used, since it has a loan so we have to keep it insured. I ended up getting a new policy with Allstate. The agent in Orem was totally knowledgeable and instantly helpful about how to handle our situation being away on a mission outside the country. Under our old policy with Progressive, that we had for many years, there was just no way for them to handle our situation. I tried calling their call center and they were just clueless and anything but helpful. I'm glad I got it sorted out with a local Utah-based agent who understands what is going on in our lives. I view this expense as just another part of our sacrifice to serve the Lord. No big deal, it's all His money, if He ever wants it it's all His, and besides it's all Monopoly money anyway. It could all go "poof" at any minute. We just do our best to manage wisely but for sure we can't control what happens out in the world and the Savior warned so many times not to set our hearts upon our riches. I can't think of anything I would rather be doing than serving on this mission right now and the expense is really a non-issue for us, what better thing to do with our life savings than to spend it on serving the Lord. To me it's fun and very satisfying. But it is exhausting.
On Saturday one of the other senior missionary couples who are now serving in Hualien (Elder and Sister Millington), came up to Taipei on the train to attend the temple. Afterwards we had lunch together and they mentioned they really wanted to go to Costco. I asked the mission president if I could borrow one of the mission vehicles and he said yes, so we drove the small mission van to Costco in Zhonghe. Elder Millinton drove and I navigated, the Sisters sat in back. We ended up buying a good load of stuff. Including my favorite, a big bag of Doritos.
A quote from our class, by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: "Let me declare unequivocally,
absolutely, and adamantly that not only is there such a thing as a happy
marriage, but happy marriages are the rule, not the exception. Sister Holland and I are living
proof that you can not just be happy but that you can be ecstatically happy. … You have to work at a marriage. Every good thing that I know of in this world you have to work at. God will help you. Of all the
things in this world that He will help you with, He will help you with your
marriages and your families, because it matters to Him at least as much as it
matters to you."
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