Good bye weeks...


Herro.
 
These next few weeks are sad because this week we lose the Koreans, next week the other two Cantonese elders, and then the week after our Phillipines elders aka great friends.  Us Canto boys get to see friends come and go on our floor. haha
 
This week's letter is in honor of my Korean friends. They left this morning at 3 am so I'm bummed.  They were the best elders ever! So funny and soooo awesome.  They always my day better and made it so great to see them.  So goodbye to my good friends Elder Kil, Elder Cho, Elder Yang, Elder Park, and the rest of them. haha Last night when I was saying goodbye to the elders, Elder Kil had me write in his memory book! well after I got into bed and was laying there for a wee bit, i heard a knock and Elder Kil gave me a memory book (journal) and wrote in it! It was so awesome. We became pretty good friends in the short time we had.
 
I am now a 19 year old elder! Wahoo. haha My birthday was pretty good! Just a day in para para paradise. THANK YOU to my fam fam and friends that sent me a letter and also a package! Megan Bertha sent me some nice party hats and supplies so we had fun with that! haha We had a party in our residence that night and then the koreans came in singing bringing me presents! hahahaha aka food.  All in all it was a good birthday though. I definintely enjoyed my foursquare time.
 
Well this week has been a good one! Time starts to go sooo much faster the longer you're in here. I honestly feel like I've been in here so long. But i like it more and more. ESPECIALLY when we get to watch the Testaments on sunday. that film is hilarious. Love quoting it here.
Well on Saturday we had TRC. that is where we go and share a  message with real people that speak cantonese. Usually returned missionaries. Well this week we had a REAL investigator come! We were able to teach her and it was so so so great. the spirit was so dang strong. I was so nervous at first when we were told she was an investigator, but then i just prayed and had faith. when we walked in the spirt was like wham! I got you. So all my fear just left and it was awesome. We had so great devotionals this week. One was from Stephen B Allen. He shared on how "the Lord is expecting everything you got." he was so great and then he shared how yeah the mission will be hard, yeah we will have trials, but that is given. If we expect to do the Lord's work and wear Jesus's name on our tag, then we must expect to have hard trials as we teach just like Christ did.  You have to work to do work. and we need to work so hard. It's everything to work with our heart, might, mind, and strength. because we are "God's warriors." One thing I got out of another devotional is always to proceed with faith! just go forward. the Lord will always bless you if you work for it.  Also we cant excpect his help unless we work for his help. Just like D&C 9:7? how it says we cant just assume he will help us with just asking. or something of that nature.
 
if you havent, WATCH the mormon message.: MOUNTAINS TO CLIMB
 
If anyone loves me and the other elders, you should send us cereal so we can eat it on sundays :)
 
OUT OF TIME... :(
 
LOVE!
Elder Townsend

Elders and Coaches forever...




A little Tommy Boy action...fat man in a little coat....

Kenny and Connor




I am 18 going on 19...sing it!

Leih Houh!

Ngoh ngoi leihde! Practically fluent.  

WELL we have been practicing this week in the showers singing songs, so on this friday we can have a musical for my birthday. ahha

First off, shout out to ALL of my friends getting there mission calls!!!!! SO SICK!!! and I am so proud of all you. The mission is so awesome and I just barely started!!! In a fireside, Bro Littlefield (some cool guy) said "The Lord does not need caretakers of the work, He NEEDS builders of the kingdom." I thought that was so awesome that we are out here building the Kingdom.

Well this week has been a good one!! I for sure so DEF like the MTC more now.  We became friends. How bout the SuperBowl? Lakers won I hear.  So being here i lost track of time, and I feel like i have been here for about give or take 2 months. or longer. I can't really remember what Chick-Fil-A tastes like and yeah. haha
Well this week I had a great time. I definitely felt the spirit.  While we were teaching an investigator and I was sharing Joseph Smith's 1st vision I was overcome with the spirit. Even though I was saying it in Cantonese, it seem as clear as English to me.  Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. I know that he saw our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ that day.  Joseph Smith is an amazing guy. Seriously the amount of pain and sufferings he endured for us to have pure joy and return to God.  I love when he said, "perhaps I am to swim in deep water. better deep than shallow."  Such an amazing guy. I cannot wait until the day i get to give him a great big hug and thank him.  
Well in our devotionals we heard some great things that I would like to share.
"take the risk"  We need to put ourselves out there. The Lord isn't looking for people to hold the gospel to themselves. He is EXPECTING us to share the gospel. he is wanting us to take the risk.
"we need to start beating the bushes." It's the Lord's time.  Let's not be part of the work, but do the work for the work. 
One thing that helped me was that i must believe I can be the Lord's instrument in order to be His instrument.
"We don't ask people to give up the good they have done, just that they do it with Christ and to do more."

Funny Moments.
Had everyone drink SPRILK. Sprite and Milk.
convincing a missionary i am going to ALbania. Because the British made them flee there.
singing in the showers.
out of time....
Love Elder Townsend,

Hey, hey, hey....








The Elders...

The Cantonese District



My favorite brick

Heyyy Ohhhh...

What up fellas and ladies.

Well life is good. The MTC is pretty nuts. I for sure have learned a lot and come much closer to my Lord. This week has been as eventful as can be in a a box. haha My favorite things here:
First I LOVE the Korean Elders. They are HILARIOUS. I will send a pic next week. There is 8 of them straight from Seoul going to Busan. and they are here for 3 weeks.  They are on our floor. The way I came to know them was an answer to my prayers.  I have had a great week except on saturday night I was having some "nice" anxiety. The day was rough. As we got back to our residence, I really just wanted to be alone to calm down. But then all of a sudden Elder Kil (kirr hahahahah) came up to our room asking for the District Leader.  So since I am district leader, I was able to talk to him.  He is district leader and had some questions.  Well not knowing english too well, we went to him room so he could show me.  I walked in and felt the Korean love. Hugs all around, fist bumps, high fives, and eating Korean food. "Korean food SOOOOO good"  After I answered their questions, hugs went around.  We pretty much are best friends. They now walk by our room slow motion or dancing. haha Anyway, the reason why they were an answer was because I was praying to Heavenly Father to help me lose my anxiety.  Well he did it though His disciples from Korea! Elder Mitch Calder has also been a great help! We met at USU leadership camp and have been great friends since. Well it's no coincidence we are here the same time! We are pretty much the same and he has helped me out so much! taught me to meditate so i can sleep! haha I love him!
I have never felt so much closer to the Lord here than in my life.  Prayers are answered and things just make more sense. It's incredible. His love is something that words cannot do any justice.  This gospel is all about love. You can not succeed if you don't love what you're doing and love Christ. Because here I have given my life to Him. Teaching lessons in Cantonese is SOO hard but its so much easier when the spirit is with you! I know that by showing to the Lord that I am willing to give up my life, he will walk with me.  It's so awesome because I really do feel as if I have someone with me at all times! (besides my companion...) haha I just love it here because the Lord puts us in places and situations that change and help our lives. I LOVE my district!! They are so great. We were are put in this together because each and everyone of them helps me so much!
I dont know where I got this from or if I wrote it myself, but in my planner i have "Do it the Lord's way. Find the smile. It's His time."  That is sooo true, this is His time. Even though it is very hard, you can always find the smile. 
I could go on forever but I am pretty much out of time and don't like typing too much.. haha so write me and i'll write back haha.
Some funny things:
Sitting in the devotional on Sunday (which was incredible) and Woo Jueng Louh tried letting a silent fart out, but... it wasn't. hahahahhahahah 
One of the sisters from the Phillipines had the best quote. "I like to play Tae-Kwon-Do, I like to paint landscapes, and Doritos." So awesome!

I have no idea what else to write and my milk for my cereal is getting warm. Email yah next Monday. Ps i thought for a second just barely that i had a hernia. Nope. we're good.

Well I Love you all!! The church is more than true, it's real!! I love being here and even though it's hard it is more than worth it. Can't wait to get to Hong Kong! haha 

Ngoi,
Tohng Jueng Louh.









What up real world.

Well I could have put something in Cantonese for the beginnning but I don't know any yet. The language is SO HARD. I cant even say my name correct. It's like Tohng (low high tone) Jueng Louh.  Tohng means like abrupt or rude and the Ming dynasty.  Yeah pretty cool i guess. not as cool as my tiger spirit who devours others like in chinese class. Well my life in here is cool i guess.  Gotta just keep swimming and staying positive.  The first two nights I was like "what in the heck am I doing here??" then i would lay in my bed. Pretty much my highlights. I've seen a ton of friends here which is SO REASSURING.  On thursday I was like super down after language class (spoken in all Cantonese) and i was like there is no way I can do this.  Well i'd been looking for George all two days and then right when i was gonna give up at dinner, he was there! he turned me around and gave me a hug.  DEFINITELY needed that! It made me feel sooo much better.  Obviously, the Lord is watching over me and wants to remind me that I have to continue on even when it gets so Hard and you feel alone. But when you reach that point He will be there, giving you a big hug and letting you know how much he loves you!!! (george just barely was in laundry room right now and gave me a hug as i was typing this. hahahahahahahahah) anyways, it's crazy being here and the life. The spirit is so dang strong and just keeps me moving. Knowing of the support I have is so great! Like on the first night, Megan Bertha wrote me a dear elder and sent me a card with pictures!!! She rules. Made me soooo much happier! Then I got uncle alan's package and one from Krissi! Love them.  
When I was reading in my scriptures the other day and i wasn't sure about the language I read ALMA 17:11 (i think) In this verse it talks about the Sons of Mosiah and how the Lord told them to be a good example of Him and he will make them instruments in His hands. SO i know as long as i keep an upbeat attitude and be an example of the Lord, He will make me one of His instruments. Reading  about Alma and the Sons of Mosiah strengthen me and give me so much hope.  Who knew you could feel so much love and happiness being away from what you love.  The Lord is amazing. The Holy Ghost is truly the comforter. I am thankful for that.
Write me at DearElder.com!!!! letters rule. and also i'd love them :)

Loves
and 
more Loves
Elder Townsend

Colton Ault, Connor and George Alexander



Tanner Johnson, Connor and Kyle Rutledge

Comp- Elder Lee

Con and Nate Lant

Farewell Sunday Jan. 27, 2013

Connor gave his farewell address- Proclaim the Gospel- sharing a message that we are all the Lord's hands in carrying forth His great work.