First Week in Taiwan Oct 19 to Oct 26

Well it's been a while since I wrote. I am loving it here. What a great place. It really is a lot like China. Other than it has more 7-11s. My mission President is great, as is the mission Mom. I was a little nervous the frist night begause it seemed like he was feinging interest, and he was I think but that was because it was midnight, and I almost forgot that!   I wrote a letter that will tell you more about my president. Sister Grimley is pretty quiet but nice and supportive. It's been great doing some work! I actually talk to people, and they understand. I have gotten 4 phone numbers so far, and have helped teach 8 lessons. It's crazy. I am understanding and following every lesson but other topics I rarely can follow. Yet it's fun. Today I finally get to go to my first area. I am going to Longtan, it's pretty isolated so we are the only missionaries in the area so we get the church to ourselves and can teach women, which I guess is a big deal, IDK.  My companion is Elder Bensen from Utah. He's a hard worker and super nice. In this mission once you're a senior companion, always a senior, once district leader always one, and the same for a  ZL, unless you train and that's what my companion was, a ZL so I think the President trusts him a lot. He is a sponsored  wake border, and is fun. 

  Now about Taiwan- I love the food, it's different but great. I still like breakfast most, mmmmmmm. They have so many great foods for breatfastt!  My favorite was either a breakfast sandwich or an onion bread. I tried passion fruit and was shocked with how sour it was, not at all what I expected.

  Weird experiaence- there is this gay eternal investigator who bugs the missionaries about it because he thinks it's fun. At church he asked me in English to take a picture of my companion in the shower, but all I got was a picture of my comp. and didn't know he was gay, so I said yes.  First mistake. Then my comanion asked if i heard what he said and told me what he said, and I didn't want to make the guy feel like his english was bad and was a little weirded out so tried to play it off like I heard and was joking. Later my companion pulled me over and told me he was gay and not to egg him on. I felt so awkward and bad. So yea, It with a crazy experience. The rest the time this guy kept flirting with the missionaries and the ward had a dinner for us that night and he came to that too and flirted with us there. So weird. Any advice?

 This Sunday we had a stake confrence but for the Asian area, so we watched it on TV, and had President Scott talked about womanhood. It was great, even though I had heard most the stories before. (I watched it in a room that wasn't translated, so I understood everyword, yeah!) 

 Hey I have a bit more time.

Spiritual thought- I liked reading Ammon and Aaron again. They both taught the second lesson to the kings, because they couldn't do the first!  Sadly there was no restoration then. So Preach my Gosple is true. I really like how with Alma and Amuleck the people say "Who is god that he should send one man only..." but with Araron the queen sees Aaron by the king that fainted and commands the servants to slay them, but the servents won't for "one of them is greater then us all." Power is not in numbers alone, it's often in the quality. I want to be a quality missionary and have that power

Love you all

Elder sabey

PS Mom thanks for the email, I love you alot. 

Last week in the MTC

I love you all, thanks for writing and your prayers and support.

Hey I would love it if you would be willing to edit my poem, or add ideas or anything-  some thoughts were how the false summit got me further then if I had only seen the top, or I was on the giants shoulder when on dads, or the first-dad shall be last because he’s helping the last. I don’t know.

Also there are a bunch of foreign lang books here- want a French book of Mormon or hymns dad, or Chinese things mom or Brian or Italian things David?

I took a talk called the fourth missionary from a friend and lost it, so if you could send it to me I would greatly appreciate that.

When does Ian get here?

Any news on the drivers license?

Could I get Andrew Gibbs address?

I am looking forward to the flash cards!

Lastly did the boys get my package?

Any ways about the week

I have loved this week. I am with Elder Hsiao, (his name is spelled that way because it's the old Romanization like Taipei instead of bei) He is super nice and hard working. We lived in the same hall at byu. However we were not great friends, I just knew his name. Probably because he was always in the library studying.  But he's great, smart, obedient and we SYL about 80 percent of the time which really does help our Chinese a lot. It's great to have a hard working companion.

  

So my favorite funny story for the week- my companion calls the restroom a xishoujian (wash hand room) so zi was trying to use that word but switched the first two syllables so it was xiouxijian- which literally means rest room. It was the coolest accident ever.

I am learning about 15 characters a day and 20 other vocab.

I don't have that much to tell you, my days are all mostly the same, but I loved what elder Uchdorf said in the general relief society meeting about how the happiest people are those who notice the small things on their way to great things, and all the rest the talk-golden ticket analogy, you’re not forgotten etc. SO if you have not seen it watch it.

Any ways some of those small things were I I am dominating in B-ball and still running, and loving gym. I actually enjoy learning Chinese, and feel good about my Chinese. Obviously a little nervous, but confident that I will be able to survive in Taiwan (i hope). I have pulled a few small pranks mom, so I must confess because I told you I wouldn't, but I think you’ll be fine with them- for example I had to turn my suit coat in for dry cleaning so wore my companions suit and asked a friend of ours of the female kind who's suit was best, and a few things of that sort, the worst was  there was a guy in the shower and his towel was hanging over the edge, so i took it (I couldn't resist) but he got it back quickly.

Spiritual thought- I don't know if I told you all this last week or not but I love how there are always people supporting you or backing you up. I came to this revelation because after years of church, general conference, and BYU devotionals (one year of that) I finally asked why are there always people sitting behind the person giving the talk? I came to the realization that they are there to back him up.; then I realized every calling has people supporting you up to the prophet and down to me.

 Next one was the broken steel bow- insights- steel made of man, steel is not flexible, steel is hard to break. Wood is made of god, is flexible, and also strong in ways stronger then metal. I will let you make the analogies and comparisons Love you all Elder Sabey 

"Give Me this Mountain"

Mountains

After all my years of growing up
Father finally thinks I ready
He’s made a plan to challenge each of us
Sure we’ll make it if we’re steady
A family goal, through different paths,
To all have conquered mount Quandary
Mother knowing we’ll need warm cloths
Silently does her children’s laundry
Packed and ready with all we’ll need
We leap into the car
Mother calms us all, and sincerely prays
Trusting father to take us far
Having reached our destination
We jumped on out and stared
The immovable giant laughed at me
Calling you can’t climb me if you dared
Then I heard my father’s voice
Calling us over for a story
One of Caleb at eighty years old
Still trailing flames of glory
Who feared no mountain nor giant kfoe
For he gave the lord his all
Facing both he charged onward and up
“Give me this mountain” was his call
Inspired I helped to pitch our tent
Toward that little hill
I knew I’d make it to the top
No longer so starkly real
Confidently I zipped up my bag 
And was shortly immersed in sleep
I dreamed of fighting giant foes
And monsters of the deep 
Rise up oh men of god
I heard more loud and clear
I rose and dressed for this great test
Give me this mountain we did cheer
And off we were with dad in front 
To protect and set a pace
With mom in back to make sure
No one felt it was a race
Laughing and talking we started off
Down the clear and sloping trail
Into the woods and over brooks I cruised
Determined not to fail
Soon I lagged a little bit
But caught up nice and quick
Waiting for us by a sign they were
Where the trial began to split
I knew it was coming, for it was in the plan
To split the older from the young
But mom was nice to stay with us 
the youngest and make it fun
we talked, sung and pleadingly prayed 
to see them at the top
I hiked and hiked and felt so tiered
Yet Matthew had to stop
I felt so proud a big boy now
The youngest of the kids
We drank some water and ate some bread
Rach called “come on, the mountain bids”
Soon we left forest into a rocky dusty trail,
With the Sun shining above
Mother leads or lags with us 
Directed by her love
Breathin’ was harder, breaks more frequent
My head began to throb
“we over half way there” I said
Wondering could I do the job
Fighting on I felt a grasshopper
In the eye of the giants stare
“Give me this mountain” I heard
I said a humble prayer
Then on I went with faith in god
Yet the way grew even steeper
Sick and tiered I rested and looked back
My faith grew even deeper
The fourths the way one quarter left
That’s all we had to go
I saw the peek seemingly just ahead,
My body told me no
I’ll make it there, the tops not far
I picked up the slowing speed
My sister brother and dear mother 
Followed my restless lead
Soon realized the top we saw 
Was a rocky lame false summit
The giant laughed at me asking 
How I thought I could have done it
Dropping down, exhausted from my charge
catching my panting thin breath
Thud it hit, Altitude sickness
My head felt close to death
Yet on they went, Matt and Rach
For their eyes were to the top
I tried to follow their slow pace
yet soon I had to stop
My mother stayed by my side
telling me it’s all ok
I cried a tear, feeling stuck right here
and making my mother stay
After a while I got cramped up 
watching the others reach the top
I looking up I saw dad coming down
My head began to drop
He called my name from far away
I did not dare look up
for he trusted me to climb it all 
to drink this bitter cup
Then called again much closer now
No disappointment in his voice
"Look how far you've come my son
Such reason to rejoice"
"We are now not far from the top 
our family waits up there
It starts with just one step, my son
you’ve almost done your share"
I stood up and took that step
then bent over and threw up
"I can't dad, I've done my best" 
I can't drink this giants cup
Reaching down he picked me up
for a piggy back on shoulders
"You've done your best, that’s all I ask'"
as he climbed over many boulders
Then laughing together we made it up
Mother Dad and I
We saw our whole family cheering us
some began to cry
When at the top what a view
a 360 degree prize
On top of the world, seeing a larger view
and touching the clear blue skies
Nevertheless being with family at the top
was the best prize by far
"give me this mountain" we cheered together
forever a guiding star
'went down and drove home, the same,
like it never happened
But I remember well that day 
when I conquered my first mountain
I have conquered many more since then
when asked which one was worst
I look them in the eye and say
"as always it’s the first"
But let me tell you the whole truth
though at first I started off shouting
"I am strong enough to conquer Quandary"
I soon was loudly pouting
My father came down and carried me 
He gave me this mountain

 Thanks for sending me the letter to president Grimly.  I was shocked to find out however that I was a tennis captain, had a full tuition scholarship to BYU, and frequently wrote mother notes to see how she was doing. I don't know where you got you information but I am pretty sure those are not true. I wish they were. Thanks. It was really nice and way above the praise I deserve.  (Note from mom:  He has a a statue that say's "captain's choice" and dad thought that meant he was the captain.  He has written me notes from the MTC to me specifically and he does have a scholarship when he gets back to BYU--dad thought it was full tuition.  Most likely it is 1/2 tuition.  I wrote the letter first and then he edited and added to it and mailed it off.  We were not intentionally misleading his president.)

This week was great. I got a new companionish, I will know for sure who it is tonight. But I think it will be Elder Hsiao, whose family is from Taiwan, but he is not any better in Chinese than us, he just went through the fast track. He's great. I totally loved general conference. I want the whole world to watch it. My favorite was look up, so mom I really am working on my posture now. lol I loved the idea though. I realize how important it is to look forward and up, not down and back. I sometimes feel like Lots wife when I look back at sins that I have already confessed. If gods forgotten them, we need to become more god like and forget them to. Also mother, I am waiting for the coat you used on your mission, I think that would really help. lol. But seriously, what a church we have. I learned that one of my friends from highschool Kari Baker's dad --had a stroke at 55, on a bike ride and died. I just wanted her to know what we know. It would help her so much. I am sending her a letter. I love our church. Dad you did a great job raising Rachel because there has never been a doubt you loved mom. Thanks for your example. I loved your Lehi's Dream annalisis.  Here are some thoughts I have with it. It's interesting how the iron rod is next to the river/cliff, when there's a barren wasteland it could be at, nowhere near the filthy river. It's almost not fair to those righteous (one step wrong and you're toast) but then let's look at it from the sinner's point of veiw, although it may be a steep hard climb, the path is right next to you. Jesus will help you up. I also like that Jesus can walk on water, and go under for baptism, if we cry, 'Lord save me," he will immediately. I love how in his baptims he "straitway went out of the water." If we have faith we need not remain in the filthy river. Also I re-read it this week and saw a JS first vision parallel where Lehi was first sourounded by darkness, and it was not until he called upon the lord that he was delivered. Then when they saw Jesus (the tree) it was "whiter then any white" "and brighter then noon day sun. I thought those were cool thoughts.

his week I had in-field orientation and loved it. I am so excited to go to Taiwan. It is also nerve racking too, but onward and upward, look forward not back and look up not down.   I want to start memorizing scriptures like Elder Scott told us, send me what you think were good ones to memorize.

Love you all,

Elder Sabey