Day 3... more Firsts

Today we went out in service for the first time here. We started kind of early since Jamie had a study before the group met, so Hannah went with her. During their study, Tim and I went to go get their bus tickets to the airport for their trip tomorrow. After getting the tickets Tim and I headed over towards the area Jamie and Hannah were, where we thought there was a park that we could do some preaching in. Unfortunately it was not where we thought it was and was too far to go to make it back in time for service arrangements, so we headed to the meeting for field service after Tim gave me a nice pep talk :).

Field service arrangements are very different. We met in front of a 7-Eleven, then everyone was assigned a partner. You then start working the buildings on the block the group splits in 2, each working one way around the block until they meet then repeat on the next block. Sometimes you don't know what is a business and what is a residence, sometimes they are both but you call on them all the same. I was assigned by the brother making arrangements to work with him, brother Gao. He is a very nice Japanese brother who is serving as an elder and missionary  in the congregation we are joining. Best of all for me his English is excellent, we talked the whole morning. He very kind, he took all the doors so I could see how it was done.

Brother Gao

Hannah worked with:........

I got to work with Gao jiemie, the brother Phil worked with's wife. Pretty cool to get to work with  missionaries our first morning eh? It was really neat, she didn't really speak English so we talked the whole morning in Chinese. It was really good for me. Also since she thought my Chinese was adequate I got thrown right in. She had me take every other door, so I already have 3 calls. The whole morning I got teased, because when we arrived I had my English Bible, PinYin Bible, and my character Bible in my service bag. They made me unload my bag so all I had left was my character Bible, my tracts and a few magazines and my little call book. All morning the sisters kept saying my bag was too big for field service here. I thought I had a lot of moms back in Missouri... :)
Now back to Phil.


About 11:30 the group stops for refreshments normally at the 7-Eleven or other convenience store near service arrangements. About noon is the end of the service day, after that we went to a restaurant near Tim and Jamie's apartment so that we could know some places nearby to eat while they are gone, it was really good and a bargain. A lunch box that both Hannah and I were able to share was only 65NT or $2.23 USD. Then it was back to the apartment this time with Hannah and me driving ourselves without following Tim and Jamie. YIKES! But we made it back without too much trouble only had to turn around once due to missing a turn. After a long nap it was time to learn how to go to FengJia, our university, so we followed Tim and Jamie there. We got to talk with one of the representatives there who explained the registration process and answered some other questions we had.

After many questions were answered we headed out. They took us to a spot near an ATM where we had pulled out some money earlier, and after telling us how to get back home from there they left us to run an errand. Well after going to the wrong bank we found the right one and took out what we needed to pay for our schooling. We then headed back to the apartment and made it with only a few scary moments.

We were suppose to go over to a friend’s house for dinner but we were just too tired. Tim and Jamie went, Hannah went to bed, mean while I tried washing our clothes for the first time here and after about 10 min of shaking my head had to text Tim to find out how I was suppose to dry them. :) Hangers in the bathroom is the answer. Then after looking over the book we will be using at the university I decided I wanted to make a grilled cheese sandwich. Using the bread and cheese slices we got at Costco yesterday I bravely lit the stove and actually managed to make one without blowing up the house.


Stovetop in Taiwan

 I also was able to use my Google Voice number and an app called Groove IP to make a call to Eugene, a very nice man who I call on back home. He was happy to hear we had arrived safely and that we had friends to help us here. He told me to be careful getting food since it isnt the same as back home. And that if in an emergency like I got lost or something I could call him and he would try to help me, so kind!


Tomorrow starts our orientation for the university and also marks the start of us being on our own well except for the friends in the congregation and Jehovah of course. Tim and Jamie Leave at 10 tomorrow and will be gone for 2 weeks.

That is all I have to report for today until later,

Love Phil and Hannah