FLUENT CHINESE...IN MY DREAMS My companion says I still talk in my sleep (nothing's changed) and that I talk in Chinese, always. Well, if only Chinese could come out in the middle of the day! :) REQUEST FOR FAMILY STORIES How is Book of Mormon reading coming? Love to hear favorite scriptures or "nuggets" you all find! This week, I ran across 2 Nephi 5:27 "And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness". I decided it was amazing. I've thought a lot about family history work this week... Could I send out a call to the family, I know there are tons of stories, but I'd love to have just a few individual stories written down (so snail mail it)... like of an experience a great grandma or aunt had that is faith building, or funny. I'd love to be able to share these with people we visit and meet. :) Just something to think about. PETER'S RETURN This week was awesome! We found a couple of great new investigators we are super excited to start meeting with! and I don't remember if last week I told you about this man, Peter. We met him twice the last month (just by chance ran into him twice). He's a member but hasn't attended church for a year. He lives in a southern part of Taiwan but is up here for business often. Well, last week we invited him to church and he didn't come, but this past Sunday (curch attendance has been our focus and push for this week) he came! I'll admit, Sister Jasperson and I were both tearing up after seeing him. We didn't reach the numerical goal of investigators at church, but boy oh boy, was church great. It was fun to see him meet members, take the sacrament, and have that spiritual boost church always has on us. MIRACLES AND FAITH Another miracle, we were not hurt while biking... another week with that miracle! We feel like we are doing a lot of things well, we've just gotta keep it up, so this week our goal is to keep focusing on church attendance, for the spiritual blessings, and so they can be baptized! We also talked about Ether 12:6, "And now I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." We won't see or receive the witness until after a trial of our faith. As we keep praying and working toward church attendance, new investigators, and baptisms, we'll see the results when Heavenly Father wants us to see them, Until then, we are comforted every hour to know He is in charge of this work and will take care of everything. | CHALLENGES The rain was a little crazy this week, but kinda fun. Studies are going great, we're getting better at planning lessons to people's needs, and focusing on a commitment and following up on the past invitation. I just love the scriptures. Everytime I read I get answers to questions I didn't even know I had! And feel peace, and comfort, and it's always amazing how much I find principles I need to work on, but I can apply. The Book of Mormon is so cool! The earthquake this week was fun. 1st earthquake since coming here! It was funny, I felt swaying during personal study and my first thought was, drink more water, don't pass out. Then I remembered Jia JM talked about how the buildings sway in heavy wind so I figured that was it and then Jia JM came out of the bathroom and said, "Your 1st earthquake!" and then it was over... That was a fun point in the week. We laughed and said, you know when it starts off with a windy rain storm and an earthquake, it's going to be a good day! RELIEF SOCIETY...AT MY AGE Releif Society was cool this week. As I was sitting there, laughing and interacting with this group of fatihful women, raising families in the gospel, I just was amazed that I felt so at home. This truly is a world-wide church, and it is the same relief socity here as in Utah. Women in the gospel gather to laugh, serve, love, and uplift each other. They are great friends, and mothers, and super busy, but attend church :) I just felt really at peace and at home... even though they were speaking Mandarin. :) Love it here! Love this mission! Love my companion, and LOVE the Taiwanese people! It's so awesome being a missionary! Well, I can't believe I've been here for two months already, I totally love it here, and I really enjoy living in the city. And I love speaking Chinese!! It is so cool to understand and be able to speak Mandarin (the words I can speak and the smallish % I understand). Thanks for your love and support and prayers. Love you so much! Keep praying and reading, it's the best way to be happy... it's the only way to truly be happy. Love, Sister Smith |
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AuthorI'm Sister Smith, missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I'm serving in the Taiwan, Taipei mission until July 2015. Archives
June 2015
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