"When you feel like an ocean warmed by the sun."

Waaaa. This week was so. Good. I got to go to my home! TAIDONG! For exchanges. The morning there we went to this breakfast place because some members were buying us some breakfast. And I heard "Simple Song." I was so happy. It was stuck in my head for 3 days afterwards. :)

So my companion is a crazy track runner. So we've been running pretty quick. This week we set a goal to run a mile under 6 minutes. His groin was hurting on Saturday so only I could run... I ran a 5:49. Yeah, my body has never felt so tired in it's life. But it was a really good time. Running the last little bit, by entire body felt numb. It was nuts. Pretty fun.

My investigator in Wanda, Zeng Rui Sen aka Reasen was baptized on the 11th!!! So sweet! He sent me the pictures. So stoked for him.

This past week we were blessed with so many new investigators. We found 7. Which is a lot. On Saturday we found 3. All in different places. The Spirit led us to these miracles! And I was actually able to use skateboarding to find one of them. I'll tell you the story next week. I'm out of time.

I love you all and hope you have the best week.

Love, Elder Relyea

July 7,2013

Hello people that I love! Wa! This past week was nuts. Last Monday took a train for 4 and a half hours to Taibei to get my new companion. At 4:40 we had to catch a train back to Yuli and we would get here at 9. So we leave the mission office at around 4, because we still have to take the metro to the Taibei main station. So we're on the metro and it is getting super close to 4:40and I'm starting to get a bit nervous. So we're running through the Taibei main station trying to get on to our train. We get to our platform and I see a stopped train, so I run over to it and slam the door open. Then a lady screams at me, "that train is getting fixed!" So we run to the other side of the platform as we see our train pull away. Haha. I was so sad. So we went and tried to switch our tickets, but we didn't have to. Another train was coming in about 20 minutes to Yuli. But we didn't have any seats on that train. So the whole time, felt super homeless walking up and down the train searching for empty seats. Haha. BUT, we saw such a sweet miracle! As we were getting pretty close to Yuli we were standing in a more open area(next to the bathroom) and we meet this kid named Scotty. This kid is awesome. He is aborigone and he's English is supah fresh. So we talk to him all the way till Yuli. We were able to have a lesson with him right there on the train. Taught him all about the Book of Mormon. He was already a Christian so he was super willing. One of the coolest parts was after we got to Yuli we met his parents and they loved us. I told them how awesome their son is and how fluent his English is. They loved that. They live in Taidong missionaries area. They will go visit him for sure. AND, he surfs. Nice.

My new companion's name is Elder Bastian. He is the man. He runs track. In high school he ran a 4:14 mile. WHAT?! So nuts. We run a mile in the mornings and it is more than double that time. Haha. He is from a suburb of Seattle. His family is huge. 7 kids. And he is the second youngest. His youngest sibling is 16, oldest is 33. Crazy. I admire his parents. They are probably crazy healthy. Yeah, Elder Bastian is great. We are already homies.

This past week litterally had almost no time to do missionary work in Yuli. Wednesday night went to Hualian because Thursday and Friday we had a missionary leader training meeting in Taibei. It was awesome. Learned so much. And got to hang out with some of my besties in the mission! Elder Chatman, Hodges, Mattsson. It was good. Friday went back to Hualian, then Saturday finally got back to Yuli. It was a crazy week, but I learned a ton.

Saturday night the Sister's had a baptism. Two little girls, sisters got baptized. They chose me to baptize them. I was honorned. When the older Sister was doing her testimony she said, "I am so grateful Elder Ye could baptize me." Wa. Melt my freaking heart. It was a great night. And our family that we are teaching the Rong Family all came!!! It was the first time the parents have actually come to the Chapel. So huge progress. They will all be baptized. They all have baptismal dates(4 of them), but we're gonna help the kids get baptized first. Most likely in July. I'm stoked.

I love this work. I know it is true. This is truly the Lord's work. This is the only thing I would want to be doing right now. Spreading this beautiful Gospel to the most beautiful people. I am so blessed. Thank you for your support and love.

Love you all.

Elder Relyea 

Pictures:

1. The two little girls

2. Yuli branch!

June 23, 2013

Hello my beautiful Famaree!!!

I love Yuli more and more everyday. We had some crazy changes in the Branch Presidency this week. Our Branch President, President Singletary was released. Our new President is a Brother Chen Dong Jia. He'll do a great job. He is a man among men. And a sweetheart.

This weekend our Mission President, President Day came down to Yuli. Saturday we went out and visited a part member family with him. It was really cool to see how much love he has for these people. Then we had Branch Council, ate dinner, then had a BAPTISM!!! Our investigator Huang Guan Cong was baptized. He was so prepared. He is a 17 year-old junior in High School. Super shy. Super creative. Loves photography, drawing, playing the violin. He is such a great kid. His testimony after his baptism he told everyone how he already has a goal to serve a mission and help 9 people get baptized. Nice. Already setting goals.

When he was baptized it was pretty nuts. Our old Branch President, President Singletary did the baptizing. He had surgery on his right shoulder not too long ago, and he was super scared once he went down he wouldn't be able to help Huang Guan Cong back up. So President Singletary dunked him so fast. He didn't even have time to plug his nose and water splashed everywhere. Brother Huang came up coughing... But he was still happy. He has been waiting to be baptized ever since he met with my companion a couple months ago. Which isn't that long, but it felt long for him. He was so stoked to finally get baptized.

Other than that this week was pretty normal. I got to go to my Home again! TaiDONG! I love that place with my whole heart. Everytime I go back it is Nestalgia 07'. It is great.

I love this work. This week I read a sweet talk on Grace. The Savior's Grace. Such a cool topic. I think my whole life I will continue learning about grace. It is by Brad Wilcox. Look it up. It's sweet.

Well, my friendz, this work is true. I love riding my bike in Yuli. It is all mountains, rice fields, beautiful clouds, and STARS. There is literally no where I would rather be. And these people are the greatest. So full of love and light.

Thank you all for your support and love! Have the best week of your lives.  

June 16 2013

Hello my beautiful family,

 

I love this area more and more as the time goes on. It is full of prepared people! This week we worked really hard. It was truly a great week. We saw so many miracles. And I got to go to my home!

 

My home is Taidong! I went on exchanges with the Zone Leaders and we were in Taidong! It was so cool. It felt like I never left. I hope someday I can so back and serve there.

 

Well, I don't have a lot to say today. Besides I love you all! The Church is so true. Heavenly Father loves us. Christ loves us. I love what I am doing right now. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world.

 

Happy Father's Day!!!

 

Love, Elder Relyea

June 30 2013

Dear my beautiful family,

 

Well, this past week was crazy. Definitely one of the most tired weeks of my mission/life. In the best way. So, last Sundae President Day was at our Branch in Yuli and he takes me to the side and tells me my companion is going to be his next Assistant. So, right now I am actually in Taibei dropping him off at the Mission office. This means I will be the new District Leader. And I get my new companion today. It is going to be super different, but it is going to be great. I'm looking forward to the things that are happening in Yuli.

 

I forgot to tell you, we have a new convert in Yuli. His name is Zhang Yu Fan, English name: Neville. He is the only kid in Yuli and any neighboring town who skateboards. Nice. And two weeks ago we were waiting for his Mom to come pick him up in front of the Church. He was trying to do a kickflip, but not even getting close. So... I had to show him how do it. Haha. It was super fun. I couldn't land a tre-flip though. The leather shoes aren't the best for skateboarding. Then a on Wednesday we went to Ruisui(a smaller town by Yuli) to visit a Sister Yang. While we were waiting for the Sisters to come we were standing on a three foot tall concrete wall. I said, "I could do a backflip off of this." Elder Tay didn't believe me. And he thought I would get hurt. So I did it. Then he knew. Those were my foolish-non-missionary activities that have been going on lately. Haha.

 

But this past week, literally have worked harder and been out in the sun than any other time on my mission. Every single night, I am so grateful for my bed and air conditioning. Yuli is so flippin' hot. I am sweating all the time. But, Yuli is honestly the most beautiful place in the mission. On Saturday we got to go hiking for a Branch activity. It was so nice. And actually this hike, I've hiked before when I was in Taidong, we came up and hiked it. Wow, that English is so bad. Haha. Forgive my poor English.

 

This past week we got to serve a Sister Shi(Sure). We went to her house without her knowing and pulled weeds for an hour. I don't think I've ever sweat so much in my life. Some of the weeds are just grass, so it was like we were mowing her lawn with our hands. haha. But it was so great. I LOVE SERVICE! Seriously, so much.

 

Working in Yuli without Elder Tay will be very different. I'm hoping I can continue the momentum that he has already started there. Because Yuli has already progressed so much. I just hope I can help it to continue to grow.

 

I love this work. Lately I have been reading a ton from the Teachings of the Prophets. Learning tons about our Prophets. They are so cool. Before the mission I would not have touched those books. haha. I love being a missionary. This work truly is the Lord's work. I know He is helping me everyday. I know if I do the things I need to do, I will have the Spirit with me. The Spirit is SO important in this work.

 

I love you all. The Church is TRUE! PEACE!

 

Elder Relyea

 

The last picture is our family investigator's! They are the greatest. They are the Rong Family. So good. Look at them all holding their Book's of Mormon.