Photos from Biking Week #1 And Elder Smith

New bikes for the new mission companionship.

Sporting the new missionary bike helmet!

Classy new apartment, new bikes, new companion, new wall hangings......guess this photograph pretty much describes why men get married.

Home after a long Friday biking in the rain.

Mirror shot after that long rainy ride - reminds me of a rainy ride a long time ago in Beijing. He remembers it well.

Week 21 - Bikes and Bikes and Doors

NiHao Everybody!

What a CRAZY week this has been! So much has changed and so much has happened!

Firstly, we had transfers, and I now have a new companion! Elder Smith is from Allen, TX, and only has two transfers left in his mission! He just finished being a Zone Leader in San Francisco, and is returning to Union City to serve with me (he started his mission in this same area, too!). He is a boxer, a swimmer, and a chess champion (#17 in the nation!)! He is also very diligent and very experienced, knows the area, and likes to work hard. We've been hitting the pavement since day one together. 

Also, we are now a Biking Area! My legs are constantly on FIRE, but its fantastic! I feel like I'm getting to know Union City a lot more by biking around. It has brought some rather "fun" experiences this week. My first wet bike ride as a missionary will definitely be one to remember...

We've been tracting like crazy; I've knocked more doors in the past few days then ever before in my mission! We've had the chance to meet some rather interesting people, and have also shared brief gospel messages with them. Its been great to bear simple testimony and to teach. Its taught me that regardless if someone is Chinese or not, I have a duty as a missionary to share the gospel. As a matter of fact, all of us as members of the church have that duty. It doesn't have to be anything fancy or over-the-top; I've learned this week how important teaching simply and clearly is. 

We talked to one of our investigators this week, Sis. Lu, who Elder Smith actually taught while he was here in Union City the first time. We talked with her about her testimony, and hearing her talk about her conviction in the gospel was powerful. It was a very nice evening with her. We've also had the chance to meet a couple new pwople through our door-knocking, and we're excited to share more with them.

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I lvoe you and and am so grateful for the things you continue to do for me! Have a fantastic week! 

TianFu Ai NiMen!

Elder Butters (Bao ZhangLao)

Photos from Week 20 (Goodbye Elder Li)

Forever stretching!  Some things never change.

Not alot of contacting opportunities on an empty-because-of-Spring Break campus, but they tried.

The Hayward Zone blowing off steam after a long meeting regarding transfers - Elder Li is off to Walnut Creek while Benjamin remains in Union City and is joined by Elder Smith.

Chinese women in the park each morning doing ballroom dancing.  Guess you joined right in?!

If he can't convert them, he will dance with them.

Week 20!

NiHao MeiGeRen!

What a week this has been! We've had the chance to see some really cool things happen.

We were challenged by our Mission President to do things that would challenge our faith this week. Elder Li and the Sisters in our branch decided to put together a chapel tour for our English classes. We took them around the chapel and also designed activities to have them talk in English to members of the Union City 1st Ward (English speaking). They really enjoyed themselves, which was a huge blessing. It was a great exchange, and I think it shed light on the fact that we as members of the church as normal, loving people, who are interested and engaged in everyone! What's more, one of our students came to church because of it! It was a great activity.

We also had a great little visit with Professor Wu. We were able to give her the Priesthood Blessing we'd promised to give last week, and it was a very special experience, and I don't remember ever seeing her smile so much as after the blessing finished. I have had a great opportunity to see the miracles of the priesthood work in my life, and it was so cool to be apart of her first real experience involving Priesthood power. 

I continue to love my personal study time in the morning. Something that I studied this week was Prayer (something I would honestly die without...). I found something pretty interesting. Did you know that when we don't know what we should pray for, we can PRAY TO KNOW WHAT TO PRAY FOR?! The thought never really occurred to me before, but I've started doing it this week, and its been a great blessing of peace at some troubling times. I invite you to try it for yourselves and see what you think. I love the miracle that is in our possession to be able to communicate with our loving Heavenly Father.

This week also marked the end of my 12 week training period as a missionary in the field. It also marks the end of my time with Elder Li. My time with him as flown by. He has been an incredible example of Charity and Christlike Love to me, and I will miss our craziness together (sometimes...). He is being transferred to Walnut Creek, into an English Ward. I will remain in Union City, starting work with Elder Smith tomorrow! I'm nervous and excited for the change that is happening, and hoping that we continue to see the hand of the Lord in our lives. 

I love all of you! Thank you for everything that you do for me and the love you send! 

Wo Ai NiMen

Elder Butters (Bao ZhangLao)

Photos from Week 19!

Always studying.....and sometimes understanding.....

And sometimes not understanding ......but still studying.

Elder Li - otherwise known as one of the Knights Who Say Kni - I almost died when I saw this picture and it makes me very grateful for Elder Li and his positive, silly, laid back influence on my boy.

Indian food!  A great way to break from the Chinese cuisine that has become his new normal.

The expression of two elders knocking endless doors with anything but success - they are considering cutting the first discussion down to "Why Don't You Just Get Baptized?"

"Where are you?"

The elders share their feelings about Panda Express.

The gym at the apartment building where they live - looks pretty nice - each morning the missionaries can be found here.

Letter 19 - Chinese, American, and Muslim

NiHao Everyone!

This has been a busy week! We've been all over the place, working hard with a goal to find some new people to teach. Although such people have not yet been found, we're trying to maintain faith and hope that we will indeed find them out.

We have, however, have had some interesting experiences along the way. While contacting a few days ago in Hayward, we ran into a man named Albert, who was interested in hearing what we had to say about Jesus Christ. This left Elder Li and I in shock (No one ever says yes...), but we proceeded to share briefly the message of the Restoration with him and invite him to church. We will see what comes of it! It was amazing, but would've been even better if he was Chinese...

Along that same street, a couple in a car started blaring "Hello" from "The Book of Mormon" Musical as Elder Li and I walked pass. I flipped and started singing along with it! It was a very special, memorable moment.

We visited another one of our investigators this week who we haven't seen in a while. Professor Wu is about 80 years old, and just overcame some illnesses and a minor surgery. She agreed to meet with us again next week and receive a priesthood blessing! It was so exciting, and such a huge step in the right direction for her. It shows incredible faith in her Heavenly Father and the reality of His priesthood power! 

We also had both Zone and Branch Conference this week. At Zone Conference, I provided the musical number for our Zone, singing a solo of "This is the Christ." I'm surprised with how many opportunities I've had to "perform" while on the mission! Branch Conference was a little scary, especially because I acted as our Stake President's translator for Sunday School....Holy Cow, that was an eye-opener to how much Mandarin I know (more like how much I don't...) 

I love you all and think of you constantly. Keep up all the great things you're doing and rely on our Heavenly Father!

Wo Ai NiMen!

Elder Butters (Bao ZhangLao)

Photos from Happy Elders!

Benjamin and Elder Li draw pictures to help their English students understand the new vocabulary words,

Benjamin enjoys a "Singing in the Rain" Moment...

Lunch at Pickles seems to be quite pleasing to these two.

How often can you see a symphony concert on Temple Hill with an investigator and have it conducted by Darth Vader and the Storm Troopers!

The best conductor ever!!!

I think these two are becoming very good friends - that makes me happy!

Week Eighteen Letter- Chickens!

NiHao Everybody!

Another Week! Its hard to believe that we're already in March! 

This week has been a little slow at times, but has involved a lot and has helped me to reflect on some of the blessings Heavenly Father has sent me in my life. It has (again...) been wet at times, but we manage. 

One of the highlights of the week was a lesson we had with Sister Luo, who is a convert to the church of about a year. She was one of the first people I met in Union City, and was a very worried and careful person upon our first exchange. As she approached Elder Li and I for the lesson at the local library, she was a completely different person! She had just returned from China where she was visiting her family for Chinese New Year, and could not stop talking about how happy she was. Elder Li and I used that opportunity to talk about how families are more that just a social unit here on earth; they were ordained to make us happy now and FOREVER. Isn't that awesome? Families really are the most important thing, and I love that a major part of our message is that we get to tell people that their families can be theirs for time and all eternity!

We also did more service with Elaine this week, which involved picking up her yard and moving her chicken coups. She used to own chickens and wants to start again. After we were done, she talked our ears off about Tammy, Baby, and Emmy among others for ages. We love her to bits!

We also had a pretty fun Saturday night (I mean, as fun as you can get as a missionary)! We have an investigator who we're trying to "pick up" again, and thought we would try to find some activities to do with him that he might enjoy. This weekend we took Aaron to Temple Hill to watch the performance of the Temple Hill Symphony Orchestra. They played a special "space-themed" program, which included music from ET, Star Trek, and Star Wars. Not only that, they'd invited a professional cosplay troupe to come a display their incredible Star Wars costumes! It was pretty awesome to see Stormtroopers and Darth Vader and R2-D2 strolling down the isles of the auditorium!

I hope you all are doing well, are safe, and happy! I love and miss you all and think about you on a daily basis. Have an amazing week!

Tian Fu Ai NiMen!

Elder Butters (Bao ZhangLao)