40 days and 40 nights

Have you ever considered fasting for 40 days and 40 nights? I bet it would be hard--BUT if you start today then you would finish your fast the same day I get home. what what?!

Okay not trunky though I promise. We just had transfer this past week. It's been an exciting week.

So as I helped Sister George get ready to get home I was getting SUPER pumped to come home-- and thus I know that I have 40 days left. BUT that being said-- we still worked hard and saw a lot of miracles. I'll be real though-- I was SUPER nervous to get a new companion. Since this is my last transfer I obviously know that I want to take off running and I wanted a companion that I can work in unity with because that is most important to me. Anyway I had to call and report some things to the temple sisters this week (and they know early about the transfers) so I mentioned that I was nervous and Sister Barden (one of the temple sisters) just kept reassuring me that it would be okay and would have a blast this last transfer. BUT STILL going to the transfer meeting on Friday-- I was wicked nervous and my stomach was all in knots!!!! Well I'm pleased to announce that my new/last companion is Sister Johansen!! She's so great. 

This transfer is gonna be stellar! She's the third child in her family. She's from Provo, likes to try new things, is a bomb missionary. OH AND SHE'S RELATED TO POCAHONTAS!!! What what?!?! And she blows glass. Moral of the story: ultimate cool. 

Also the first evening we had together we went out and met this guy on the street. Brother L. When we prayed with him he said that he got goosebumps. SO COOL. He's our new investigator. But later we talked to him and he said he's never felt that way before so he knows he needs to meet with us and see what this is all about.

That same evening we visited a family that we're teaching. The lesson was pretty good. AND THEY CAME TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY!!! Well-- not the daughter because she went to the library to study with friends. But the mom and son did. YAY!!!

Also-- i just found out that a girl I started teaching with Sister Boyer and taught most of the lessons to just got baptized this past Saturday. one year later. I could cry. I'm so happy!!!!

Wow just realized that I don't have a whole lot to say. This transfer is going to be a busy one. We have seven exchanges to go on. The first one is tomorrow. And we also have out temple day, and a mission tour meeting with a member of the seventy, and temple tour training, and two missionary leadership meetings, and some other random meetings and things. So between all that and our exchanges-- S. Johansen and I realized we have 6 normal days together this transfer. BIZARRE!!! It's going to fly by.

Anyway. THIS IS GONNA BE A BUSY AND AWESOME TRANSFER!! I look forward to hearing how your fast goes ;) just kidding you don't need to fast that long (: LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Mission progress 10.6

I'm starting the last week of my second to last transfer. BIZARRO!

I honestly don't know what to say. This week was busy. We had two exchanges back to back. So on Tuesday Sister Anderson came to my area with me. And on Thursday I went back to Bade with Sister Wu. It was a good time. First of all-- the Taiwan people had a really hard time understanding that we had the same name. It was kind of hilarious. But we tried this new thing for the finding time that we had. We decided that we couldn't let three minutes pass by where we weren't talking to someone. We past through a lot of people and got ignored and blown off by a lot of people. BUT for a whole hour before lunch time (which is honestly usually the least productive hour) we talked to EVERYONE. It also felt like a really successful time. We talked to this man who is Christian who is really interested in learning more. He is our new investigator. Also-- he has two children and a wife that he says are probably really interested too. It was a successful exchange.

Then I went to Bade again. IT WAS SO GREAT! I also got to see a recent convert that I taught all the lessons too-- she got baptized after I moved out. She's great. And I had some time while I was there to write in my journal in the evening. Then all of Bade's memories came flooding back and I just thought-- "I hope the people I love know I love them." Ya'll should know, you are all included in that category!! LET'S GO TO THE CELESTIAL KINGDOM TOGETHER!! what what?!

Going on exchanges is exhausting. We went on 6 this transfer. And I'm wiped. Sister Hammer says that I have a new wrinkle on my forehead. I'm getting so old!!!

Oh also-- the morning of exchanges with Sister Anderson-- before we exchanged I saw a lizard get run over and I heard his bones crush and saw his guts splatter out. AND THEN when I was out with Sister Anderson, we heard a squealing noise and turned around just in time to see another get run over. He ended up rolling a lot and then jumped up and ran away. I think he was only under the car and didn't really get crushed-- but I'm sure it hurt and probably shocked him pretty bad. So sad :(

Also this past week we went to a members home for dinner and he said that we should not call on taiwanese mothers to help us teach lessons at noon or 6 because "i don't know how it is in America, but in Taiwan mother's have a responsibility to be home and cook for their families at these times." I mean I think that's cool and all-- but I also think it sounds painful. I also think men should learn to cook-- because a woman shouldn't be restricted at those times because she needs to slave in the kitchen for her family every single day. Anyway-- I'm not like a major feminist, but I hope men in America will learn to cook too.

Also-- we run into a lot of stereotypes out here. It's hilarious. Sister George and I sang at our investigators baptism last week and a lady from another ward came up to us after and was telling other people that we sing so well because we both play the piano and so we know music really well. Hahah we just laughed and were like "neither of us play the piano." She was so flabberghasted. It was kind of hilarious actually.

  

Also nankan means south ditch and tao yuan means peach garden. So I live in the south ditch of the peach garden. It's a lovely place.

Cold Week

This week the weather was pretty typical in Taiwan... but I had a cold. That's why it's cold week. I've had a really bad sore throat and my nose has been really stuffy-- aka impossible to breath and I've been coughing a lot. It started on Wednesday night. So Thursday, Friday, Saturday. and Sunday I had to wear a surgical mask (because that's what people do when their sick out here). Today I'm not wearing one because I'm feeling a lot better. Just the remnants of a cough are left, a little bit of a sore throat (because it keeps being agitated by the coughing) and my nose is stuffy. But I can feel that I'm getting better. So really no worries. It was just really annoying.

BUT despite the cold. We had a baptism this week. Sister C. (who was going to get baptized on the 22) moved her baptism up a week so that her son could attend. It was a really good experience. My companion and I sang at the baptism and the spirit was really strong the whole time. Sister C. is an amazing woman with incredible faith. It's been really cool to teach her and see her grow.

Other than that there isn't a whole lot to say this week. Just a few random things.

First: I was curious-- while I've been gone, what kind of changes has the family gone through? Like what individual changes have you all had? How have you grown? Also what will be different when I get home?

Also-- Garrett and Braeden: Make good choices. We contacted this young kid on the street the other day. He was just sitting by himself smoking. I asked him what grade he was in. He's 14 years old and he's been smoking for half a year. I told him that he should stop because it'll kill him someday. We also gave him a for strength of youth pamphlet. He was a really nice kid-- just making a dumb decision. Well over half the population of Taiwan smokes (or at least has tried it) and everyone I know who smokes started when they were about 14. Obviously Garrett and Braeden don't live in the same circumstances as people out here-- but really it's just such a nasty thing. And we deal with a lot of people who we have to help overcome this addiction. It's a nasty habit.

In the same day that we met that boy, we were knocking doors and met another teenage boy. He looked really familiar and I asked if we knew each other. He said no (but I was wearing a surgical mask-- so maybe that's why he didn't recognize me). Anyway-- we talked to him a little about God and prayer and the Book of Mormon. He had been to church a couple times and knew missionaries from before. Eventually he even admitted that he's read the entire Book of Mormon. It was so crazy! Well after a few more questions we realized that he's been baptized (but I would've never guessed because he told us he's Atheist and also asked what is the difference between our church and other churches). He was baptized last October. He's willing to meet again because he has a lot of questions for us. It was just such a weird experience. Also-- I recognized him because I've met with him before with Sister Bang. So crazy. Moral of the story is-- the Lord leads you to the people who need to be found.

The end. I love you all.

Keep working hard. Make good choices.

March 10!

1. I'm obsessed with all of you!

2. I may or may not have scolded the boys playing video games behind me for bad language.

3. The church is true.

This week has been really good. I found out recently that the very first woman that I ever invited to get baptized finally made it just two weeks ago! I'm so happy to hear that. I still remember that day like it was yesterday--- the very first time I ever invited anyone to be baptized. The spirit was so strong. AND NOW SHE'S MADE IT! My heart is so happy!

Also thank you for all of your prayers for our investigator Sister C. She's gonna make it. She'll be baptized on March 15. We've only been teaching her for about 3 weeks. But she is so humble and in tune with the spirit. I love her. Last Monday when we were on exchanges, I brought Sister Su to our area. The two of us went to visit Sister C. Only the day before we told her that she had to quit smoking. We asked her the next day how she was doing. She had smoked three that day. BIG IMPROVEMENT! We wanted to show her a video about obedience with President Monson speaking because we wanted her to start gaining a testimony of him. She pulled out the computer to put the DVD in and it wouldn't open. But then Sister Su pulled a bobby pin out of her pocket. She poked it into a small whole in the computer and it opened. Sister Chen was so amazed! Hahah. The best part was that Sister Su told us that as they walked out of her door that day she had the prompting to grab her bobby pins and put them in her pocket. So she did. I guess Heavenly Father knew that we would run into this problem. Anyway Sister C was so amazed. The next day when we met with her she said that because of that little experience she's decided to do a great thing. She hasn't smoked since. I know that the Lord, through small and simple things can make great things come to pass. Sister C is doing great. She passed her baptismal interview on Saturday and she's gonna be baptized. This woman has such strong faith. I absolutely adore her!

Please note: In two months from today we'll all be reunited. It's a BIZARRE thought.

This past week we had two exchanges. They were good-- despite the rain. I learn a lot on exchanges and I'm happy to help the other sisters. This week we have two more and I'm leaving my area for both of them so this week will probably feel like I'm hardly home.

Also this week we had Jedi Council. I guess it's official name is Missionary Leadership Council Meeting. I like Jedi Council better. It basically is where all the zone leaders and sister training leaders meet with the Assistants and President Day and his wife all day. We talk about how our zones are doing, what we'll do to improve, our goals and plans, what President Day thinks we should work on, etc. That happens the beginning of every month and prepares us for monthly zone training meeting where we just go back and train on the things that we learned there. I feel unqualified. The leaders in are mission are all really amazing people/ good missionaries. And I'm just the weird awkward child. I hope that I can be a good missionary.

This past week we also had a baptism on Saturday. The little Chilean woman was baptized along with the other sister's investigator. Sister C came to see. It was crazy. The spirit was SUPER strong the whole time. It is definitely one of the most spiritual baptisms I've been too. I can't even describe it. The spirit was really strong when us missionaries sang "Nearer My God to Thee." We sang the first verse in English, second in Chinese, and third in Spanish. I would've never thought that I was going to be singing in Spanish at a baptism. It was nice though.

Lastly-- I think I mentioned a while ago that one evening after making a bunch of phone calls this woman called us back and talked to us on the phone for about a half hour. She had never seen missionaries before--- someone in her house used to meet with them though (according to our records). Anyway we never ended up meeting with her until this last Wednesday after English class. It was bizarre to finally meet her. Hahhah. She's willing to keep meeting with us. So that's cool.

Well that's pretty much it from this week. Time is going by faster than I can run.

One last thing: I found this when I was reading Jesus the Christ this morning. Referring to Christ clearing out the temple. "He acted in the strength of righteousness, before which the forces of evil had to give way." pg 528.

I love this. When we OBEY and are RIGHTEOUS, we will have the strength and boldness to overcome the powers of evil. We all need this-- missionaries and non missionaries. I know that as we BOLDLY share the gospel with everyone, relying on strict obedience to the Lord and His commandments, the very powers of Heaven will come down to support us and overcome the evil in our way.

I LOVE YOU ALL!

Confessions of a teenage drama queen

GOOD MORNING BALTIMORE!!                                     

(or rather: Virginia, Brazil, and Australia)

Please note: the subject of this email has nothing to do with anything. I just didn't know what to put.

This week has been good. I realized last week that I totally forgot to tell you about the little Chilean woman who has stolen the hearts of all of the members out here. Her name is Sister W. She is 65 years old and she's from Chile. I'm not sure how missionaries found her-- but the Elders have been meeting with her and they just adore her. I mean who wouldn't love a 65 year old spunky chilean woman who speaks spanish and chinese. Holla! They teach her in Chinese and they tiny bits of Spanish that they know. (which is next to none). But one of the senior couples-- the elder served his mission spanish speaking so he comes to take part of her lessons every once in a while. Her chinese is pretty good so between spanish scriptures and simple explanations she has come to understand the gospel and have a very strong testimony. She's getting baptized next Saturday. And the ward LOVES her. We love her too. And everytime I talk to her I think "wow if only sarah was here because she speaks spanish!" She talks to me a little in spanish and I understand a little bit... but I'll be real. Chinese is way easier!

Also I have to tell you: I'M THE NEW CHILDRENS ENGLISH CLASS TEACHER! The children here a little bit rotten. But I come up with good lesson plans to keep them busy. And my companion is so great. I told her that I felt like we should teach the children's class and she was so quick to jump on board. And even though they are crazy we have a good time. Most of them are members too so that's cool. But hilarious moment. We were doing the spiritual thought at the end of english class and Heber passed som SERIOUS gas. He cleared the room. We literally could not stay because it smelled SO TERRIBLE. It was potentially one of the most hilarious things I've ever seen at English class. Then after we got the smell out and calmed everyone back down we talked about Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. And one of the children-- who forgot his name, but I call him Tiger because his older brother is named Lion-- raised his hand and "Joseph Smith is Jesus's dad." I just about died. Kids are adorable. We corrected that small doctrinal mistake though. Then at the end I taught them all the words "prayer bones." And we knelt down together and Tiger helped us say a closing prayer. It was so sweet. They all just closed their eyes and folded their arms so tenderly and waited patiently for class to end. Although most of the time they were terrors-- it turned out well and I really enjoyed it! I love using the things I've learned in college out here. It makes me feel like I actually might be an okay teacher someday!

That same evening I was making phone calls when we got home to find members to accompany our lessons. I called this woman "sister z.." and she didn't answer so I called her husband in order to get in touch with her. He said something that I didn't understand (all I got from it is that she's not available-- i assumed she was not at home). So I asked when she would be home and he was like "no she is home, she's in the bathroom." I repeated what he said (because sometimes I have to do that to understand what they say. Well when my companion heard me repeat "oh she's on the toilet," she just started laughing so hard like 'why would he tell you that?' Well in response to my companion's uncontrollable laughing I started laughing and I could not stop. Meanwhile Brother Z.. was like "uh do you think that's funny?" bahhahah. I just couldn't stop laughing. After what felt like the longest laughing attack of my life I just told him what we needed and he said they'd be out of town the next day. Great-- now Brother Z..'s impression of me is just that I find the word "toilet" hilarious... like a small child. I am officially the most immature missionary the church has to offer.

Hahah

*side note: i think the part that I didn't understand was that she was bathing her children... and since I obviously didn't get it-- he used what I would understand, the word "toilet." Anyway. We got a good solid laugh out of that.

Also the other night my companion got bit on the eyelid by a mosquito her eye swelled up like a balloon. So the next day I taped an eye patch to her and we went to work like that. It was hilarious-- and because i'm the world's worst companion I kept cracking jokes about her eye... it was just too easy. And I'm evil.

I've been having weird dreams recently. I had another dream that I was home after my mission. (it was a long really detailed dream-- but i'll share the easy to explain parts) I was an hour late to church and about half the ward was wearing choir robes that were baby pink with white collars and a pink tie that had white polka dots on it. It was bizarre! And mom was one of them. When I showed up and sat down next to her she just looked at me and was like "you haven't changed at all from your mission!"

Needless to say--- that question has still been on my mind. Have I really been changed because of my mission? I'm still working on answering that one because these dreams keep coming.

I had another dream that night that I got moved for my last transfer to Philidelphia! :( And they just put me on a plane and sent me there. And they said I wasn't allowed to talk to or say bye to anyone I met here ever again. I woke up with tears in my eyes. That would be so sad!

Second to last thing: GARRETT HAPPY BIRTHDAY YA CRAZY! I'm so proud of you for making it around the sun SIXTEEN times. What an old dude! And I'm excited to hear you bless the sacrament when I get home!

Love you Pookie bear!!!

Lastly I want to tell you all about Sister C. She's an investigator that Sister Bang and I found before Chinese new year. I think I mentioned her last week. She is AMAZING! We make contact with her almost daily and she showed up to church 15 minutes early because she didn't want to be late. Right now her biggest struggle is smoking but she has so much faith. We taught her the word of wisdom after church yesterday and then stopped by her house last night again to see how she's doing. She said she had smoked less yesterday and that she had prayed that God would help her have more desire to do this and then just a few minutes later we knocked on her door. We hadn't originally planned to visit her again yesterday but I know that God knows what we need and so he sends answers to our prayers. We told her that we would be at her house or in touch with her almost daily to help her quit. And when she prayed with us last night she was so humble. She just said to God "I know that if I can really quit smoking-- this isn't me-- this is you and your glory that will help me do this." She is just so sweet and humble and willing to learn. I know she can do it-- in order to make her baptismal date she has to quit in 15 days. We are praying for her hard. I just love this woman with all my heart and I want the best for her. I know God loves her. A lot of my energy in prayers is on her behalf right now. I just know she can make her baptismal date and she will be ready for it. The end.

Moral of the story: The church is true. I love the gospel. I love being a missionary. And I will never forget this time of my life.

I LOVE YOU ALL! Be safe. Make good choices. Have a dance party. Laugh uncontrollably at something-- it'll be worth it!