The Abode

This morning we woke up early and got dressed in our volunteer suits so that we could go to the abode and meet Master Cheng Yen. The grounds of the abode are beautiful and so I regret that we were not offered a tour around the place, but we were there for a specific purpose and so I of course understand. I had something different pictured in my mind about what this meeting was going to be like. What happened was that we sat on cushions on the floor criss-cross apple sauce style. For the first 45 minutes Master Cheng Yen spoke about....I'm not sure what she spoke about, I know that the last little bit was about world news but I'm lost other then that. Then for the last 45 minutes representatives from different Tzu Chi schools came up to explain their plans for delegation trips coming up shortly. After the meeting was over to Master Cheng Yen. We didn't really get to meet her, she was passing out Buddha Beads which are kind of like prayer beads for Catholics. She gave us each a bracelet (Buddha Beads) and then we thanked her and walked away. It was a good experience to go there, but it was difficult to sit still. My legs are restless and fall asleep easily. I don't sit still well in a regular chair for long, so sitting on the floor for an hour and a half did not go so well. I surprised myself with how well I sat in the beginning, but after the first 45 minutes I couldn't take it anymore. I kept fidgeting and I desperately wanted to stand up and walk around, but that was out of the question. By the time we stood up to go get the beads, both legs were numb and I was surprised I could walk.

We made it back for church in time and Amy, a girl from National Hualien University met us there. It was a little bit awkward in Sacrament Meeting today because Branch President Chang gave a talk, but it wasn't a talk. He stood up and chewed out the members of the branch. He wasn't yelling or anything, which is why I was so surprised by the translation the missionaries were giving me. President Chang told them that they weren't going to the temple enough, that they weren't doing enough missionary work, and that they weren't even visiting with each other like they are called to do. Then he told them about another ward in Taiwan that is growing quite rapidly because its members are enthusiastic in their missionary work, they have 100 people attend the temple monthly, and they spend time with one another. Unfortunately, the Sacrament room was really quiet, which makes me think that people were sleeping and not paying attention. My theory was confirmed by the missionaries later who actually did look around to make sure people were listening, and they weren't.

Amy (the girl from National Hualien University) came over to have lunch with us. We made bbq chicken with pineapple. We put the chicken over rice and had plums and grapes as our fruit and corn and green beans as our vegetables. It turned out very well and Amy seemed to like it. She told me that I was a very good cook and asked if I cooked often. I told her that I cook all the time when I am back home but here it is hard to find the right foods that I know how to cook (you've got to remember that we don't have a stove and so that cuts out many many many recipes I know how to make). She looked surprised and said, "oh, so your food is even better when you have the right materials?" I told her yes and I took it as a great compliment because she was surprised that a meal could get better (or that's the way I took it, and seeing as I'm usually a pessimist, let me think about it that way, alright?) After dinner we talked and talked and talked and then we played Phase 5 (because Phase 10 takes too long). Amy left after that and things quieted down and we all went our separate ways.

I've been reading my lesson manual because I've gotten a little behind in it. And although I have all my lessons planned and everything, I still need to go through it again and maybe get things better organized for my lesson tomorrow.