I LOVE YOU ALL. Seriously each of you have made such an impact on my life. You don't even understand how much just being you helps me be a better person/missionary. I hope I can live up the the Anderson name (which let's be real here-- hold's a high standard. Perfect combo on silly and serious. Done)
Random question. who plays the voice of aladdin, timon, and pumba? I promise I'm not distracted but these things just pop into my head and I know if I don't write it down and ask then I'll never know.
Also I have come to a conclusion this week about my life. I'm gonna do a triathalon when I get home. Now before you spit up your drink (because you recognize as well as I do that the thought of me exercising is the biggest joke)-- you have no idea how much we bike here. There is a wicked hill that we go up often (going down is also mega fun). Also my companion and I run every morning (LOL). And I actually LIKE to swim. So I shall do it. I'll be honest-- I have no idea what a tri involves. But it would be a sweet accomplishment.
Oh I need to remind Brae and Gar-- I'M OBSESSED WITH YOU TWO.. Not even kidding. If people aren't interested in the gospel I just spread family to them. I have my pictures of the family with me all the time to share with people. I'm exaggerating slightly (as in I spread Jesus more than I spread you two) but people love you here. And so do I.
Also last Monday I was having MAJOR cravings.
Chocolate milk
Cabbage rolls
Breakfast caserole
Pull aparts
Funeral potatoes
Bacon wrapped water chesnuts.
Oh so delicious. I'M SO STARVING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HAD BREAKFAST YET. I love taiwan people food. It's so good. But I'm just hungry for all the food in the world right now. Also-- you learn to over eat on a mission. It's kind of the pits. Because you get stuffed and then you have to carry the recent addition to your already fattie belly up a hill. Moral of the story: I love food. I am getting fat. Rice cheeks are real. Okay-- the second two are a total lie. I'm in really good shape. But I do like food and I do like rice. And I do want the above listed food on my plate-- as in I need to learn how to make them next summer so that I never have to go this long without them again.
Also-- two days ago was my 10 month birthday. SO OLD!
I was thinking during personal study the other day that I want to send all of ya'll a message that would really make you come closer to God. I'm not good with words so I don't know what I could write to make that happen. But then I remembered who is SUPER good with words. Yes, that would be every prophet in the Book of Mormon! So I came up with this idea. You have 8 months left before I see your lovely faces again. I want to invite all my family members (especially the little brothers), and anyone else who wants to come closer to God: Read the Book of Mormon before I get home. Start now from the very first page and take it away. Do it do it! I'll do it too... in Chinese (:
LOVE YOUUUUU<3
Also I have all of your pictures on my desk and when my companion and I need to role play (everyday) we use your pictures. Shandi and Sam's engagement picture represents the majority of people we meet on the street and quite a few of our investigators. Garrett and Braeden's school pictures alternate in representing the rest of the investigators. It's good.
Also the other day during studies I put on jeans. It was so weird. I felt like a real person. Not that I'm not a real person now-- but lets be real-- normal people don't repeat outfits as often as I do here. Also wearing jeans reminds me how breezy skirts are. It's weird. Anyway the wind here was nuts yesterday and my skirt acted as a very successful parachute. It's hard to get around sometimes. But I'm just getting super fit.
Also my companion and I have a theme song. Seize the day. We sing it all the time-- especially when biking through typhoons. I try to do my best everyday. Despite trials-- I find at least one successful thing about each day. Also my companion and I have started sharing our testimonies of something that happened that day in Chinese with each other at the end of planning each day. It's super awesome.
Last week we were in Yingge one day and we decided to stop by the Bishops house and see his wife/ ask about some of the members we wanted to visit. Well on the way there I was whistling... because my companion is teaching me how to whistle so I need to practice. Well we may or may not have ignited the angry dog. She saw it happening and slowly biked past him. And I was ignorant to I just kept whistling. Then I looked over and saw the dog. AND HE CHARGED. I booked it. After a couple of seconds he quit chasing but he did come about an inch from my leg when he first charged. MY HEART WAS RACING. He was NOT happy. And his teeth were like daggers. We got a pretty solid laugh out of that. So funny! Lesson learned though-- be aware of your surroundings and ignorance is not bliss. I'm gonna pull a dad and go all seminary on you--- Satan works like this and if you aren't careful he'll get ya. Don't just prance and whistle around him as if he is not real. The enemy is real and when he attacks you do NOT want to be like I was around that dog. Got it? LOVE YOU.
Also that evening as we headed home from Yingge (which by the way we found a new hill to get there-- it has switch backs and is really steep and awesome) we were pulled over by this guy. I was so excited. I thought it was a miracle-- we found an investigator for the elders. Or so I thought. Here's how our conversation went.
You're the Mormons
Yes.
You are females.
Yes.
You speak Chinese.
Yes
You are American.
Yes.
You are young.
Yes. Would you like a Book of Mormon? We have a free English class. (etc)
No. I'm looking for a wife. I want babies.
....
...
....
...
SO HILARIOUS. He wouldn't take the Book of Mormon.
Also here is a big miracle. That day when we went to yingge we were taking a new direction (the switch backs) and my companion and I got a little lost so we called the elders to find out where we were going (because there was no one around us). My companion talked to elder K because her directional skills are way more refined. Then she went to hand the phone back to me and we dropped it!! We were standing over a grate in the road and the phone fits perfectly with extra space through the holes in the grate! Eek. It dropped in slow motion (along with my stomach). After flipping once and landed the fat side down just barely missing not falling to it's doom in the gutter. Eek. We said a gratitude prayer.
Lastly I have to tell you about this investigator. L.M. WE LOVE HER SO MUCH. We found her after visiting a less active one day. We gave her a Book of Mormon and scheduled a time to go back. We've been back multiple times every week. She's buddhist and worships her ancestors but she is SO open to the gospel. She's starting to understand. We taught her the gospel of Jesus Christ the other day and when we told her about repentance and baptism and that all of her sins can be washed away (etc) she just looked up and said "Really? that good?!?" She committed to being baptized the end of october. She just said she needs to have time to get rid of all of her buddhist stuff before her baptism. She is literally the cutest old lady in the world. She said she wont let me take a picture with her because she thinks she's ugly. But it'll happen. Then you can all see my Taiwan grandma. And you will all adore her. I want to bring her home and have her be friends with my America grandmas. But she doesn't speak english. Going to her house makes me feel like I'm spending time with my real grandmas. It's nice.
Well that's all. Of course the investigators are doing well. Five of them came to church yesterday. It was such a blessing. This week we're hoping to get eight at church. We totally can. And next week L.M. said she can come. SHE WILL LOVE IT!
I know this is true! I can't believe how quickly time is flying by. I wish you all could be part of this. Garrett and Braeden-- you two will be great missionaries someday. You already are. All of you-- keep sharing the gospel. Read the Book of Mormon. Don't be scared to open your mouth.
Be like Abraham in the old testament (Genesis 13), build your house on the land where the Lord can freely bless you. I LOVE THE BIBLE. I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON. I LOVE THE CHURCH. AND I LOVE YOU ALL!
Love,
Cae
No comments:
Post a Comment