Hualien!

Elder Coletti's Letter Dec. 20, 2015 Week 22

This has been a crazy week!  Transfers were this week and everyone in my area thought that I was going to be the one of the four missionaries staying in SanXia.  HA!  Ya right!  We received a call Tuesday night from the Zone Leaders telling us that Elder McClellen (who just finished his mission), Elder Scovel, and Elder Coletti were moving out.  We were all stunned!  We go to the Transfer meeting on Thursday to find out where everyone in the mission is going.  Transfer meetings in Taiwan aren't the same as in other missions.  We go to a church and the 1st floor is dedicated for church/reverant activities and the 3rd floor is dedicated to any kind of activities. While the transfer meeting is going on......it is very loud and crazy!  Just imagine over 100 missionaries freaking out about where they are going and where their friends and previous companions are going.  It was super fun!  During the transfer meeting, my face appears on the big screen next to my new companion, Elder Crawford!  Elder Crawford is so awesome!!  He is one of the kindest people I have ever met!  He is very different from Elder Scovel, although both are great missionaries.  I'm super excited to be serving with Elder Crawford.  We will be serving in Meilun, which is part of Hualien.  Hualien is not in Taipei so I will be leaving the main city!  Hualien is on the east coast of Taiwan.  It is as close to the Pacific Ocean as you can get!  Where I am staying, it is only a 10 minute bike ride to the beach! Hualien is absolutley GORGEOUS! It is notorious around the mission for being the PRETTIEST area in all of Taiwan.  There are a lot of jungles, big tropical trees, and mountains, etc. I'm so happy to be serving here.  When I first heard that I was going to be moving, I was pretty sad. I was not mad at all, but just nervous for change.  We, Elder Scovel and I, had so many investigators that we loved so very much and since we were both leaving, we were worried about them and their progression.  That  night I prayed to my Heavenly Father.  While I was praying I received a confirmation that this was the right thing for me to be doing.  I know that without a doubt SanXia will be in good hands with the new missionaries coming in.  It was about a 3 hour train ride to Hualien.  When I stepped off the train......there was something about the air there.  I was breathing in almost what felt liked satisfaction and anticipation for the next few months I will be serving here.  I know, without a doubt, that God has called me to serve in this area for a specific reason.  This leads me into what I talked about last week on that everything happens for a reason.  I have no idea why I am going to Hualien or why I left SanXia, but I do know that my trust is in the Lord.  Whatever happens is for a specific reason and I will trust his judgement. 

 

I love you all so much. Thank you for all of your amazing examples and support.  Christmas is this coming week and I cannot express how excited I am.  Christmas is the holiday for giving. The time for giving a little bit of yourself in order to see the HUGE smile on other's faces. Why only have this giving spirit during Christmas?  Why only give presents, candy, happiness and service during the Christmas holidays?  Christmas represents our Savior and everything that he gave to us.  However, Christ didn't give only once or so a year.  He gave every second of his life and he freely gave. As I have been a missionary serving other, I have noticed how much I have kept to myself throughout my childhood, how I would rather make myself happy than make others happy and how selfish I have been. The whole point of Christ's gospel is to help others.  We should find joy in making other people happy and helping other people find their purpose in life.  But.... why only have one day a year dedicated to being like Christ and having that "Christmas Spirit".  Is Christ's gospel only a one day thing?  No, not at all.  It is because of Jesus Christ, we can become different at any time and at any place or point in our life.  Jesus didn't care who you were, he was going to give of himself to you.  I want to invite everyone to give of themselves everyday.  Everday should be Christmas. Everyday should be an opportunity to have that "Christmas Spirit", and to help change someone's life.  Radiate that "Christmas Spirit" all year long.  From January 1 to December 31, give of yourself.  Make someone happy. Make a difference.

 

Merry Christmas!  Make everyday, your best day:)

 

Elder Coletti

 

田甜圈長老