Feb 4, 2008 Email

hey hey hey,

well nothing new is going on here. everything is going really well, it is the beginning of the fifth week, at this point we are basically no longer allowed to speak in english unless it is absolutely necessary like in class and stuff. it is tough, but really fun. we can usually get our point acrossed, but sometimes i think i am using more sign language than chinese. to talk we basically play chinese sharads, you say a couple words until you get to a word you don't know how to say and then you act it out. its pretty funny! all you see is these elders running around trying to act out what they are saying hahaha. think about it, how would you act out the great apostasy? or the gold plates? its tough.

we have had some really neat meetings that are very spiritual, yesterday we watched a film biography on the life of president hinckley, it was so funny. he is probably one of the funniest people i have ever seen on TV. anyways after going to these meetings you just want to get out there and tear it up, but i can't yet.

THIS WEEK IN FOUR SQUARE: so this week i did a somersault kick and hit the ball back in to the square, i was upside down. anyways after wards an elder from another district said that he had something to give me, so i followed him to his room and he made me kneel and close my eyes, i was a little nervous, but my companion was there so i did. anyways he went and got something and came back and told me to open my eyes and arise. i opened my eyes and before me was the most hideous belt i have ever seen. It was the four-square king belt. it is like a blue weight lifting belt with all these bottle caps glued on to it and the name of all the previous kings. there are about 12 names on it. so i figure it has probably been here for about a year. so now i am the current 4square king and before i leave i have to crown the next king. i am supposed to add my name and something funny and then pass it. hahaha... it made me laugh. well the chinese is coming awesome, i feel like i can communicate pretty well. yesterday i bore my testimony all in chinese and the elders and sisters that are just about to leave were very impressed, so that made me a little less nervous for when i get to taiwan. I can't wait to go! i like it here, but the field is going to be awesome. we have been teaching the first two lessons in english, my teaching skills have really improved. the last time we taught volunteers it was amazing, the spirit was so strong even though it was just a practice lesson. our teacher was very happy at how well we are doing with both teaching the gospel and learning the language.

well i love you all and hope to hear from you,

love,
elder anderson