Hello you pookie heads!

Dajia hao!

First of all-- I'm almost done with my 5th transfer. I can't believe it. We only get 11 transfers out her and I'm almost to number 6. It amazes me how quickly this goes by. My companion and I were talking last night about how this last transfer has zoomed by. Really though. I'd say this has been the fastest transfer of my mission thus far. It's interesting because I still don't know what is going on here in Bade. One week we have a bunch of solid investigators and the next week we have none. The work is very inconsistent which is tough-- but I guess that means I need to just be consistent in talking to everyone. It's our job to help build a foundation for sister missionary work in this area so I need to step it up and help things just consistently press forward to helping many souls come unto Christ. The brothers reminded me in emails today that I haven't really talked about my companion much. Her name is Sister Hammer. She's from a small town just outside of Logan, Utah. (And she's talked to me about going to USU after my mission-- they have a really good elementary ed program... it's fluttered through my thoughts, but I really haven't pondered on it too much so there's nothing to worry about.. just a thought). Anyway she's just 3 months younger than me-- but really so much more mature because I'm about 5 years old. She is the most optimistic person in the world and I adore her. We definitely will be friends forever and we would've for sure been friends before if we didn't live in different places. She plays lacrosse and drives a motorcycle. And she sprays cockroaches with raid when I'm freaking out and crying like a baby. She's great. Ya'll would adore her. Just like me!

This past week we visited a less active with the relief society president. It was an amazing experience. We were talking to her and then we sang a hymn with her (singing hymns really do lead to miracles). Then we asked her what Jesus Christ means to her. She started to talk about Him and how she found the church and ended in tears because the spirit was so strong. Her testimony is amazing. She told us about how she prays all the time and how during her lunch break at work she reads the Book of Mormon while she eats and how she shares the gospel with everyone and is making plans to invite co-workers to come meet with us. She said she wants to make it to church but sometimes she works overtime on Saturday nights and gets home REALLY REALLY late and that it's tough to get up, but she promised she'd make it to church this Sunday to take the sacrament. The whole time meeting with her was so spiritual. She's amazing. She said the way she met missionaries was because they just felt like they needed to turn down her street. Then they knocked on her door and found her. Anyway, the really cool part about this is that this is one of Jace Stoker's recent converts (at least she said Stoker and I don't know of another that served here in Taipei at that time... it all fits). Anyway it was really exciting to hear that I was visiting with someone who one of my friends helped find the gospel. Way to go Jace-- she's on fire! It was an awesome visit and she came to church on Sunday! She had to leave early for work, but she made it and she looked amazing and she's helping many people learn more about the church.

Also one night we were biking home and we got cheered on by a Buddhist parade. We passed them and they passed us like 8 times and every time they would all cheer. Buddhist parade cheering for God's army. POINT FOR TEAM JESUS! Also we bike by the army camps everyday and we always wave at the army men and smile. Someday they will be out of military service and they will need direction in their life and they will remember the sister missionaries that waved to them everyday and want to know why they were so happy. Then they will run into missionaries and their life will change forever and for the better!

Yesterday was some weird holiday and everyone did ancestor worship like all day. There were shrine things all day. It was weird and it all smelt like incense -- which really is a putrid smell.

Also-- I'm getting fat. Body beautiful needs to recommence. NOT EVEN KIDDING I'M SO FAT!

Last Tuesday we got broken up with. We were teaching this old lady who had met with missionaries 30 years previous. It was really heart breaking. She was awesome. She had some weird points of view, but she was pretty open to things. Then that's it. She texted us and said that she's busy and she knows what the God wants her to do, but that she just can't meet with us anymore. Heart=broken.

Remember that one time I mentioned that we had a cockroach. Well ever since then my district leader has prayed daily to make sure we didn't get anymore. Two days ago he got really sick and said he forgot to pray for it. That evening we found a half dying roach on our floor. It was an easy kill. My fearless companion took the raid and sprayed the life right out of that little turd. I'm not gonna lie though it was gross. A lot like seeing that spell from Harry Potter that makes them shrivel up and die. Eek.

Also-- I bought parachute pants. And I love them.

Also we have a dilemma. Our neighbor next door collects trash and boxes and pushes them around on a cart all day and calls it work and somehow she's doing okay (I have no idea). She asked for our boxes, but then the gambling ladies who live downstairs said we should actually put our boxes in a community pile. So now we just have boxes and a bunch of trash just sitting in our apartment that needs to go out. We know that if we just put them outside the door it will be taken care of, but then the gambling ladies will know.. and vice versa. WHAT DO WE DO?!

Okay I'm short on time so one last thing. The other day one of the elders in my district was sharing his testimony of  Joseph Smith. He brought up a good point. Let's just look at EVERYTHING Joseph went through for this gospel. He took a lot of hard hits. If he was just a teenage kid playing a prank I believe that would have ended when the mocking started about a month after the first vision. HE WAS NOT JUST PLAYING A PRANK OTHERWISE HE WOULD HAVE QUIT. Joseph Smith is a prophet. The Book of Mormon is true. This is the restored gospel and the only true and living church on the face of the earth. A lot of people took a lot of pain and suffering for this gospel and a lot of people are still sacrificing so much. This is the truth. Anyway. I know it. You know it. And if you don't yet-- go find out.

I love you all!

Love,

Cae