Week #17... Running with the Dogs!

-I swear I still can't get over how many dogs there are here..

-We try and run each morning and go to the sisters apartment gym ( they have a bench press) or the basketball court there..

-Kind of ran out of ideas for working out and so last p-day I broke out some of Don's and Gabe's workout routines. I went to the church gym which has no hoop. The court is outside and then I set up maybe 50 chairs and did a huge version of the diamond drill that me and gabe used to do. A bunch of Elders and sisters were there kind of got in a crowd to watch because they had never seen anything like it. Then a few of them stepped in and tried it. But they mostly epically failed because the moves got pretty complicated pretty fast. 

-I also did the tennis ball drill which they found really entertaining but didn't dare try. Basically Gabe's drills are one of a kind. 

-Chinese is good. We are speaking a lot of chinese with natives everyday which is the best way to learn. 

-Funny story though with Mandarin this week. I was introducing my cousin sister Romney to an investigator and meant to tell her that she is my relative (qinqi) but instead said I kissed her (qingqing) . Quite embaressing and a bunch the ward members heard but it happens. There are a lot of similar words you have to be really careful. 

-Piano is still getting put to good use. We have the nicest piano ever at the church. A grand Yamaha. Whenever an appointment falls through I will jam for a little while. I have been working on a couple arrangements one of I Need Thee Every Hour but not sure if its gonna be as good as the other ones I made..I am getting to play for the primary who is singing in about a month which should be fun! Kids are the best!

-I hope you all enjoyed conference this week. Honestly, modern scripture. Read it again and again or if you haven't seen it yet. Watch it. We live for conference out here. Better than Christmas they say. 

-We actually don't get conference for two more weeks though because of translation issues.

So I will end with a thought. We have a baptism this Saturday of an old man named Brother Chen. He is a fisherman and is 70+ years old. All his family left him and his life funds are in Singapore but his son took his money so he has nothing left. His wife left a long time ago as well. Two of his sons live in Kuching but won't talk to him and pretend to not know him. He picks up garbage paper and sells it for a living. Many days he doesn't have enough money for food and just lives on water. And YET he is one of the happiest most enthusiastic positive 70 year old man I have ever met in my life. So think about yourself what have you got to worry about? honestly? 

God gave us everything. Thank him. Think about all the blessings. Don't worry about one little problem. Trust me it could be worse. 

D&C 78:19

17 Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you;

 18 And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours.

 19 And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more.

I love you all.

God loves you more. 

Elder Pierce

P.S.

This is a great story from last conference from President Uctdorf about being grateful..

"There is an old story of a waiter who asked a customer whether he had enjoyed the meal. The guest replied that everything was fine, but it would have been better if they had served more bread. The next day, when the man returned, the waiter doubled the amount of bread, giving him four slices instead of two, but still the man was not happy. The next day, the waiter doubled the bread again, without success.

On the fourth day, the waiter was really determined to make the man happy. And so he took a nine-foot-long (3-m) loaf of bread, cut it in half, and with a smile, served that to the customer. The waiter could scarcely wait for the man’s reaction.

After the meal, the man looked up and said, “Good as always. But I see you’re back to giving only two slices of bread.”"