I just wanna dance...

Please note^^ I haven't been dancing in 9 months and I'm suffering from serious withdrawals this week. It's my stress relief. So you can imagine 9 months of stress without dancing or swimming to relax me. It builds.

Anyway. I love you.  HELLO FAMILY!

I made a bunch of bullet points of things I want to say so this email once again will probably be super scattered. (:

First of all-- I finally qualify as one of the super exhausted missionaries. I was saying my prayers after personal study the other day so I was kneeling down leaning on my chair and I totally fell asleep! I'm pooped. I woke up eventually though. Lol. Hilarious!

OH ALSO I JUST REMEMBERED THAT YESTERDAY WAS LAUREN BAKER'S BIRTHDAY. DEAR LAUREN-- I DON'T KNOW IF YOU READ THIS BUT I LOVE YOU AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY YOU OLD WOMAN!! I HOPE YOUR LIFE IS PERFECT! BUT I KNOW ITS NOT BECAUSE NO ONE'S LIFE IS PERFECT! BUT REALLY I HOPE THAT IT'S SUPER SUPER HAPPY AND THAT YOU FEEL SUPER SUPER LOVED BECAUSE I LOVE YOU AND SO DOES JESUS! HAPPY BIRTHDAY PUNKIN HEAD!

So this pas week was weird. On Tuesday we went on exchanges with our sister training leaders (Sister O'Brien came to Bade with me and my companion went to Taoyuan with Sister Parker). It was cool because I was in the mtc with Sister O. She's great. Anyway on the second day of our exchange, the rain was OUT OF CONTROL. Seriously riding our bikes in the rain is pretty closed to swimming because it just comes down in sheets and soaks you to the core! It's the greatest thing! But we had finished up the exchange and it was time to head to a meeting place to get our companions back when we got a call saying that because of the Typhoon we needed to stay inside. So we didn't get to exchange back. We had to stay in the rest of the evening. So our exchange extended to be a two night sleep over. It was fun. The next morning we met at the train station so that Sister Hammer and I could go up to Taibei for a Trainers/Trainee meeting we had which I'll tell you about in a minute. While we were exchanged I showed S. O'Brien my pictures. She recognized Sam from when he served in her stake in Seattle. HILARIOUS! Oh also-- Sam-- everyone who sees you and my sister think you look like spiderman. Also everyone loves Sham. They think you two are beautiful. It's true. You two are beautiful. And so is the rest of the family. Then everyone sees my pictures and says--- oh.. is this really you? Yep that would be my life. Everyone thinks I look completely different. And I do. Because right now I'm just always wet (sweat or rain) and my hair is always up and I wear the same thing everyday (well not really but thats what it feels like after nine months) and I have helmet hair. It's a beautiful sight. (:

So this past week I finished reading The Doctrine and Covenants. I also only have the Book of Revelation left in the New Testament. And this week I'll read the Pearl of Great Price. And I'm reading the Book of Mormon in Chinese. It's cool. But I'm sure you can guess what this means!! Yep-- I'm starting the Old Testament sometime in the next two weeks. It's not the first time I'm starting it and I know there's a lot in there that won't mean a ton to me so I just want to find out how other people study the Old Testament. I want to get as much out of it as I can. Suggestions?

So there is this one street that I have driven by a million times. It's Bo'ai Jie. Every time I see it I want to go. So finally on exchanges we went there to find a new investigator. We knocked on every door and it wasn't until the last one that we had much success. We taught this little old woman how to pray. I don't know how much she understood, but she said a prayer with us and said we could go back and see her again. My companion and I went back just the other day. While we were waiting for the member who was gonna help us this guy biked by then came back. He was obviously chewing binlang (betel nut). He asked us a little about the church then cut us off to find out if we drank beer. We said no and told him the things we avoid. When he heard we don't chew binlang he biked away. When we realized out member wasn't coming we went to knock on this ladies door. Her son and husband (who were obviously a little high from binlang came to the door) they said she was on the toilet and invited us in. Yep. That's when the spirit alarm started going off. We just started backing away and told him we actually had something else going on then we hopped on our bikes and BOOKED IT. There was no way we were staying there. The spirit completely peaced out and we were determined to go catch up with it. Once we turned of the street things felt much better. Moral of the story? Well there is no huge point to this story except for the fact that I am determined my whole life to stay within the presence of the spirit. When He leaves, I'll follow. Sometimes we end up in situations that seem fine at first and quickly find out that we need to go. There's nothing wrong with that, just go. Leave. Stay with the spirit always because He will protect you.

Over the last couple of days my companion and I have decided that we need to call former investigators. But we don't have any. So we raided the elder's records and pulled out all the females that have ever been taught in Bade. There aren't many, but there are some. And we can see the missionaries that started teaching them-- there are some names I recognize as people I knew before my mission. It's super cool to see that I can go find the people that my friends have taught. I'm determined to find them. (:

So a Christlike attribute I have been trying to develop my whole mission is diligence. I don't think I've ever been diligent in my whole life. Anyway after our last district meeting my district leader when around and thanked each of us for different qualities that we have. He told me that I am diligent. That is the first time anyone has ever said that to me. I think that means I'm finally getting there. I have been working harder. I still have a lot of room to grow, but it was nice to see that I have been improving.

This past Saturday we went to a training meeting. It was kind of a review/follow-up for all of the first transfer missionaries and their trainers. We discussed many things including stress management, how to improve our studies and work habits, and how to be better as a companionship. It was super awesome. I took some notes that I want to share.

"We are to learn our duty from the Lord and then diligently follow through" -Henry B. Eyring.

"Missionary work is not easy because salvation is not cheap! Why do we expect this to be easy for us when it was NOT easy for Him?

If the missionaries come to love and appreciate the atonement, it will carry them.

You have every reason to stand tall and know that the Savior and Redeemer of the world understands." -Jeffrey R. Holland

Every morning when I wake up I need to think "what kind of missionary am I going to be today?" Then I need to go do it! I can do it!

I also decided that I want to be the kind of person that the Lord knows will do just what He asks of me.

The end. There was so much more learned there about how I can improve myself as a trainer. Sister Hammer and I are implementing some new things into our missionary work here. It's good. It's all very good.

Also this past district meeting an elder in my district said something that really changed my perspective on myself as a missionary. He said "You can count the seeds in an apple, but you can't count the number of apples that come from one seed." It's true. I have been planting a lot of seeds out here in Bade. I have been doing what I've been called to do. The end. (Okay reading back on all of this it looks like just a pump up session for me to be a better missionary. Hilarious. I love being a missionary!)

We've shared this scripture with quite a few people Alma 56:44-48. MOM I AM THEM AND YOU ARE MY MOM. AND I LOVE YOU AND YOU HAVE NO IDEA THE IMPACT YOU HAVE ON ME AND MISSIONARY WORK HERE IN TAIWAN.

Dear dad-- I use that pillow case you drew for me and every time I wake up and see it I know that you are praying for me. You have been such a huge example to me of hard work and love for the gospel.

Moral of the story is that I love my mom and dad so so much and I want everyone to know it!!!!

Lastly-- I read "Our Search for Happiness" by Elder Ballard this week. It seriously is so good and it is a really great beginning explanation of our church for anyone who is willing to understand but really doesn't know anything about it. It's short. Dear all people in world (member or nonmember) go get it and read it. It doesn't take that long and it really explains well what this church is about.

A great line in the back though refers to missionaries who give up their time hoping they can repay the Lord. He says that on our missions we realize that we will realize that we can never do more for Him than He has done for us. Dear family-- never for get. I know that the Savior lives. I know that He atoned for us. Through Him we can become complete. Every aspect of our lives can find completeness. Anyone who thinks there are holes in their life or in their heart doesn't understand the atonement. You don't need to have those holes. Because of the atonement our families can be eternal. NEVER STOP BEING FAITHFUL TO THIS KNOWLEDGE.

I love you all!

Love,

Cae