March 10th

YOOO!!!

CAI WEI GUO GOT BAPTIZED!!! YEAHHHH! He is such a great man with such a big heart! Yesterday he recieved the Gift of the Holy Ghost and I could not be more stoked for him. Full on love that man.

Lately I have been so happy. A little too happy. This week we find out if we move or not. And if we do we move on Fridee. I have a feeling I will move. I have been in this area for a good 4 months. I have loved this area so much. The ward is crazy awesome, the invesigators here are great, and I have learned and grown so much. This past week I read a talk in the Febuary Liahona about Integrity. It has helped me realize so much. I encourage you ALL to go check it out. It is so great.

Yesterday I ate pig stomach. It wasn't bad. I've realized every part of the pig tastes about the same. Except their heart. Heart just tastes like straight up blood. And ears just taste like ears.

We met with our homie Chen Da Wei yesterday. Aka our Sugar Daddy. He calls us his Sugar Sons. hahaha. He is the best. We have a real connection. He is a person I definitely feel I met in the pre-earth life and promised I would meet here. It is so cool. He will be baptized at the end of this month. Yesterday we taught him the Plan of Salvation. It was my favourite time teaching the Plan of Salvation. He just gets it. He is number one. Hees eyes are number one. Hees hands are number one. Hees laaygs are number one.

I love this Gospel. It is so true. I love being a missionary. I love Taiwan. I love Taiwanese people. I love my Son. I love the Scriptures. I'm so grateful for the Prophet. I love everything about my life right now. Go have the best week ever!

Love, Elder Relyea

March 3rd

Hello everyone that I love!

This past week was great. Everyweek is great. Everyday is great. This past week we got to go on exchanges with Elder Thatcher! He came and worked with Elder Weng and I. He is the Assistant the President so he can do what he wants. So stoked we got to go on exchanges, especially because he has two weeks left on his mission! He slept at our house and we were up until 1 chattin up a storm. So weird how fast time is. Doesn't even feel real. I cannot believe Andy is home! Send him my love. This transfer is almost over... Elder Weng and I will most likely separate. :( I will miss this duff. He has taught me so much. I have learned so much from him and we have learned so much together. I'm excited to see what the Lord has in store for him in the future. He will for sure be a leader of this mission. He has so many leader attributes. So proud of my Son.

This coming Saturday our good friend Cai Wei Guo will be getting baptized! YEAH! He is the man. This past Saturday he passed his baptismal interview. Then yesterday in Priesthood he was introducing himself and he bore his testimony of why he wants to be baptized. He said he want the Holy Ghost with him at all times. So cool! So happy for him and his decision to follow the Savior.

We have this investigator Chen Da Wei. And he is so sick. He gratuated from Mississippi University so his English is crazy good. A week ago we took him to the Bishop's house for a Family Home Evening. That night he told me all the ladies in America used to call him "Sugar Daddy". hahaha. So now on the phone when I answer sometimes I'll be like, "What's up, Sugar Daddy." Then we laugh. He is the best.

I can't even explain in words how grateful I am that Heavenly Father has allowed me to meet all of these amazing people. He truly has put the most prepared people in our path. Heavenly Father knows what is up. He is helping these wonderful people prepare to accept the Gospel everyday. And if I can just open my mouth and tell everyone about his happy message we will find those who are prepared. I am so grateful for this time. I am so grateful for the Gospel! And the Savior. If the mission has helped me learn anything it is definitely getting to know my Savior. I love Him so much and He loves everyone of us. I also love you all! Have the happiest, greatest week of your lives!

Love, Elder Relyea

February 24th

Yooooooo, my best friends! This past week was so good. I love missionary work! Man, for real. It is so good. There is nothing like truly getting lost in the work. Completely forgetting yourself and getting lost in the work of the Lord. Truly being an instrument in His hands. Iss da behhst.

My companion is super funny. Our companionship love grows day by day. This past week we had a bonding experience. He used his electric razor and shaved my leg for me. Hahaha. Definite bonding going on here. This transfer has three more weeks and I do not want to move out of Wanda! For real. As time goes on I love this place, ward, people more and more. And so many miracle are happening!\

In March we are hoping to have 3 baptisms! YEAH! So stoked. A Cai Wei Guo, Chen Da Wei(David), And Chen De Fa. They are all so great! Next week Cai Wei Guo will have his baptismal interview and then the other two will be baptized at the end of the month. You can pray for them to make their baptismal dates! They all have great faith and are so prepared. The Lord truly places prepared people in our path erryday. This is why I love missionary work so much. Following the Spirit, talking to everyone, just spreading this Happy Message to the world. And honestly the Taiwanese people are so prepared. I'm so blessed to be here in Taiwan.

During Guonian we met this Mama. Lin Mama, and this week she set up to do a Temple Tour. She came like 45 minutes early... :/ We got to chat for a while before the Temple Seesters got there. She got personal real fast.. She told me she thinks her husband is cheating on her, and she started to cry... I was able to bear my testimony to her that everyone has different challenges and trials. But no matter what your trials are, the Gospel of Jesus Christ will help her. I told her Heavenly Father has his reasons and that He loves her so much. It was a cool experience. She will be meeting with the Sister missionaries. :)

Well, my companion has been waiting for me for a while now. We gotta go buy our delicious breakfast sandwiches(white bread, apples, raisens, cheese, tons of lettuce, tomatoes, it's delicious). I love you all! For real. Thank you all for your love. I feel it every single day! This Gospel is true! Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ live and love us so much! Never forget it!

Love, Elder Relyea

GUONIAN!! February 10th 2013

What up?! Man, Guonian is so crazy. The other night we were on the street and it felt like it was 4 in the morning. No one was out. Everyone was in their houses eating like crazy. So during Guonian member Families feed us a ton. And our first family that fed us gave us............... McDonald's. Haha. Can't remember the last time I ate a Big Mac. That family is super cool though. The Shen Family. Then yesterday a family gave us lunch. So many Dumplings. I swear I ate at least 25 huge guys. Then last night our Bishop fed us. Our Bishop and his wife are so cool.

This week I was riding my bike and my handlebars broke in half. Haha. So I have to stick my brake in my handlebar hole. Haha. People think I'm weird.

Well, that is about all folks. I love you all with my whole heart. I love mission work. Hopefully our good friend Brother Cai will be baptized this month. He is a great man with great faith! So we will see what happens.

Have the best week of your lives! Know I will be eating so much. Everyday. Until I'm sick. It's gonna be a good time.

Love, Elder Relyea

GUONIAN February 3rd

What up everyone that I love! Oh Man! It is almost the Chinese New Year and everything is nuts to butts! Literally they don't sleep. Outside our apartment is a super busy street, last night I woke up at 3:40 and I could hear people just chattin' it up. Havin a party. Since it is the New Year there are SO many people in our area. Riding bikes is even more intense than usual. But it is sweet. I realized I love riding my bike in a big city, besides the fact that pretty much all I am breathing in is bus smoke. Can't be good for my lungs, but no warries! I love it.

I have been hearing about Guonian(New Year) ever since I got on the Island. I hear it is a crazy time for missionaries because members just feed you like crazy. So much food. My last companion told me at night you are so full when you wake up in the morning you don't need to eat breakfast. And by the time lunch comes... You still don't want to eat. But you have to. The tradition here for Guonian is if members give you food you must eat it. If you don't it is super disrespectful. And we all know that I can eat a ton... So no worries... :/ I'm a little scared. But, it will just be another sweet adventure. That might involve throwing up. I'm not scared.

Recently we've just been finding as much as possible and helping our investies prepare for Baptism! Yeah! It is sweet. We have one investie named Cai dixiong. He is so cool. He's been a Christian for a long time. He is such a humble man. His right arm doesn't work too well and he is missing probably 4 of his front teeth. He is the man. I'll take a picture with him this week so you can see him. He is so down to learn, come to church, pray, read the Book of Mormon. Yesterday we taught him the Plan of Salvation and it was so great. He is so willing to accept and to learn.

Last night we had a Fireside. We had 2 investies come and one Potential who set up for tomorrow. Stoked! And yesterday i got to see my Homie Daniel, who lives in Hualian. He came up for the Fireside. He leaves on his mission in March. He is going to Taizhong! Elder Croft could train him! Sick!

I love missionary work with my whole heart. I know this is the Lord's work. I love going out everyday and telling everyone about the Gospel. I love meeting these people and seeing them change their lives, making their lives better through the Gospel. I love it! There is nothing better. I love you all with my whole heart!

Love, Elder Relyea

6th transfy--January 27

What up my best friendzzz?! I cannot believe I've been on this island for 7 months. Time is not a real thing. I know I've said that like ten times, but go on a mission and you will know what I mean. Last night we met a sweet heart lady on the MRT(Taiwan's subway). She guessed how long I had been here... She said 4 years. Close. 7 months. Haha. She asked why I can speak Chinese. Everytime someone asks me this question I just say, "God's help." I tell them how every single day I ask Heavenly Father to help me learn Chinese. Then I can teach them about prayer. So cool. I love this work.

Everyday we meet so many cool people. Last night, I was chillin at a red light and I started talking to the guy next to me. He was way cool. I asked him if we could talk to him on the side of the road. Turns out he's been to our church before to learn English. His name was Victor William Rock Benson. Haha. He speaks fluent Russian. What. We able to teach him prayer and have a lesson with him right there. So cool. Miracles like this happen erryday. It is so Sick!

At the first of this transfer Elder Weng's foot was hurt. So one day we went to the Hospital and met such an awesome Less active member. Her name is Lin Nai Hua. She is so cool. So we go to her house to visit her, turns out, she has three adorable kids. Two daughters and one son. The son is the youngest. They are 7, 8, and 9 so this past week we started teaching them. They want to be baptized so bad. So we were able to set baptismal dates with them for March 9. They are so good.

Well, I love this work with my whole heart. I love my companion, Taiwan, this Gospel, riding bikes, and everything that I do everyday.

I hope you are all happy and healthy. Have the best week of your lives!

Love, Elder Relyea

January 6 2013

Yoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, Whass good?!

This past week was awesome! Every week is awesome. Everyday is awesome. I love bean a missionary. This past week my companion got a cold... So he slept a lot. I also got a lil sick but, I chishoudaodi'ed(endured to the end) and now I'm fine. Thank you mom for those vitamin C guys.

This past week on New Year's Eve I got to go on Exchanges with my MTC companion Elder Norris. Elder Norris is an interesting man... A lot like E'or. He's having a tough time learning the Zhongwen, so I got to lift his spirits. :) It was an awesome exchange. The night time did not at all feel like New Years eve. We were up until like 12:30 chattin it up. Then the next day we were like... It is 2013. What.... So much for the end of the world. I bet some crazy stuff happened in America. On the exchange we met this awesome family in the park. They loved us, they love missionaries, they know what we are doing is awesome, but... They are Taoist. This happens to us at least once a day. Makes me sad. I know this Gospel can help them so much! But, they are still being prepared to hear the Gospel. And they will in their own time.

This past week we got to go to the Temple. I love the Temple so much. So grateful I am in a place where I not only get to go to the Temple but I get to see it every singe day! Heavenly Father loves me so much. He blesses me more than I even know. One of the biggest blessings He has ever given me is letting me come to the promised land of Taiwan. I love Taiwan with my whole heart. I feel like an egg.... White on the outside, yellow on the inside. Lately I've been telling people I am from Taidong. haha. Sometimes they believe me.

"I don't have a lot to say... right now... What's that!?!" I love this work with my whole heart. I love my Savior. Everyday I get to know him more and more and nothing brings more happiness than following our Savior. I love my Father in Heaven. I know this is going to be the fastest, best year of my life. "Life goes pretty fast, if you don't stop to look around once in a while, you could miss it." In the words of Sister Uchtdorf, "It's not a race, it's a journey. Enjoy the moment." Sister Uchtdorf knows what is up. Heed to her advice. I love you all. More than you will ever know. Have the best week of your lives.

Love, Elder Relyea