Elder Trevor Lloyd: July 2014

Ni hao Family!!!!!

Soooo....first off, I want you to know this is definitely the
hardest
thing
I've
ever
done, but once Sunday came, everything got a million times better!!!!

My companion is from California, and his name is Elder L. He's completely fluent, so I'm losing him today because he's fast tracking :( He's going to be in Singapore in a week!!!

Xiexie Elder Hayes!

Life here is not what anybody told me it would be like! You're on your own the whole day, in a fifteen foot wide room with ten people. Seriously, no teachers ever telling you where to be or what to do. You're completely on your own to study and learn. I was hoping that learning Chinese would be easier since I'd be surrounded by it, but it's not that way at all right now! It is twelve hours of studying and memorizing in the same room, every single day ... but I know I can do it!!!!

It's amazing to see all of my friends during lunch and dinner and as I'm walking around. The food is actually really good, and unfortunately I'm already gaining weight haha. My companion doesn't really exercise and he threw up the first time we tried to run together......oh well :)

So, Friday I was having a really tough time because we had our first lesson and the person we taught didn't speak English. I didn't understand a single word for thirty minutes straight, and he was very patient. He would stare at me and expect me to answer questions but I couldn't understand!! It was rough; hopefully the lesson tonight will be better.

After the lesson Friday, Tanner and I were able to talk for about twenty minutes and that helped me let off a lot of steam and stress. Thank goodness for Elder Redding. Anyways, Sunday was incredible!!!! We woke up, wrote a talk in Chinese, ate lunch, and then went to Sacrament meeting and Priesthood. Almost everybody was falling asleep during Sacrament meeting, but Priesthood was amazing. Our Branch is pretty big and our President is super spiritual and strict which is great.

We also got the chance to be in the choir that sings during Tuesday's devotional, and while we were practicing the director told us a story about Joseph Smith, Martin Harris, Samuel Smith, Brigham Young, and Heber Kimball. Look up a story about blue smoke seen by Brigham Young okay?

After practice was a devotional where the mission managing director spoke to us about how to prepare and teach on our missions. He told us to find, teach, baptize, retain, and activate, but do everything at once! Don't segment your brain, and try to always be in action. The way we do this is love/servince, obedience, the Spirit, the Book of Mormon, and planning with members. It was incredible!!!!!!! I love the devotionals! And now, for the grand finale.

WATCH CHARACTER OF CHRIST by Elder Bednar. http://www2.byui.edu/Presentations/Transcripts/ReligionSymposium/2003_01_25_Bednar.htm We watched his talk before bed Sunday night and it changed my life and view of my mission. I know I've been struggling because I was too focused on learning the language so it would be easier for ME. I need to study for the people and for the Lord. So once again, watch CHARACTER OF CHRIST. Please.

Thank You Elder Luker!

I'm sorry for the bad punctuation and writing, we just dont have much time. I don't need any food, seriously. Maybe some icebreaker duos though because I love 'em :) Most of all, I need addresses for everybody, especially family Email addresses and street addresses ASAP.

Also, we get Dear Elders (dearelder.com) twice a day so please send those throughout the week. Even if it's just a hello it'll make a huge difference in brightening my day and giving me a change of pace. My new address is SEP23, not SEP25, that's the only change.

I love you all so much, and I miss you miss you miss you. Thank you for everything, talk to you soon!!! .

Zai jian peng you men!