Week 66

Dearest LOVED ones!!!!!

 

Another week of miracles!

 

We have been working with a sweet Sister Zhong. She is so funny and so sweet. She basically ran over and asked to be baptized when we met. She is planning on getting baptized this Sunday after church. :) Oh the joy!!!!

 

But as you know my time is short here.....So here it goes...... (I cannot believe how fast this time has gone by.... It really is so crazy...)

 

I am so very grateful for the opportunity and blessing I have had by serving a mission. It has been the best 18 months FOR my life. I honestly cannot put into words my feelings at this time or my gratitude and love for my mission. There have been ups and downs, deep waters and great joys. I know that I will forever be changed and blessed from my mission. I am so very grateful for the many beautiful people I have been so blessed to meet. I thought I was coming here to change there lives by sharing the gospel with them but really they changed mine. There are so many sweet and special moments I will never forget. The moments when they know it's true. The calls to tell us they just receive their answer in the Book of Mormon. Their stories of prayer.  Seeing them change. Overcoming hard habits and weaknesses, even sicknesses. Overcoming family opposition or friends that don't agree. Riding up a mountain to visit an old woman and her smile when you get there. The members... So many wonderful moments but the ones I will never forget are their smiling faces when they come up from the waters of baptism. The joy on their faces and the pure joy in my heart. Oh how I will miss these moments... Oh how I will miss these beautiful people that I love.... I have loved these past 18 months so much and I am so very grateful that I could come to Taiwan and serve in this part of the Lord's vineyard. I am so grateful for this time I have had to become closer to my Savior and my Father in Heaven....I wish I could put it into words but I can't.

 

I know that God lives and loves His children. He truly is our Father. I know He answers prayers because I know He answered the prayer of a young boy and later through that young boy restored His true church to the earth. Through the restoration of His gospel we are able to live with our families forever and through His words, in the Book of Mormon, learn of this plan and receive His guidance. I know that Christ lives and loves us. I know that He was with us in the pre-existence and that He volunteered to come to this Earth and sacrifice for our sins and our every pain and trial. He is our Savior, Redeemer, Brother, and Friend. I know that He will come again. I pray that I will be worthy to live in His presence, to feel His hands and to kneel at His feet.

 

I love you all so very much. I don't know if I can express the gratitude I have for all of you. Your support, love, and prayers. I hope you can know and feel how much it has meant to me.

 

I love you soooooooooooooooooo much!

 

Until next week!!!!! Seriously!

Week 65

Dearest LOVED ones!!!!!

 

It has been a great week!!!! We saw some miracles!!!

 

Sister Wang was baptized yesterday. She is such a sweet miracle. She was truly so prepared! It was amazing! All of the commandments just made sense to her. It was... just amazing! She was so excited for her baptism. Her testimony was so sweet about how nobody is perfect and faith. The faith to be changed. She said she has a lot of weaknesses but she knows that the Lord will help her. It just might take a long time. I love her! It was such a great baptism.

 

We also met a really cute girl on the street that had basically been waiting to meet missionaries. She pulled over herself and she set up and when I started talking to her about baptism she put her arms up in the air and jumped up and down a little saying the she wants to get baptized. She came early to her lesson and we started to give her a tour of the church. We showed her pictures of recent baptisms and invited her to attend that night and she asked if she could get baptized too. She is so great! There is something really special about her... We are excited to keep teaching her!

 

We also had an amazing experience with a family that we have been working with. The Wang/Tong family. The 2 sons have been baptized but we have been working with the daughter for a bit now. At first she would not even sit with us or barely look at us. But last night we went over and she told us how she wants to get baptized but she wants to wait a year. We talked to her more and she set a date in the near future. It was truly a miracle!

 

The Lord is so good to us. He continues to pour out His tender mercies to us. It is such a beautiful thing to be here serving Him. I am so grateful for it everyday!

 

Time is running short so I best get going... We've got lots to get done!!!!!

 

I love you all so much!!!!!!

 

Until next week!!!!!

Week 64

Dearest Loved Ones!!!!!

WOW! I cannot believe how time has flown by.... so crazy!!!!!! And I know how fast the next 3 weeks are going to go... ahh!!!!!!!!! It feels so surreal. It still hasn't hit me yet... I can't even put into words how much I love my mission and how much I love these people. Leaving them is going to be the hardest part.... oh I'll cry... next subject...

Can I just tell you all how much I love my companion?! Sister Tanner is so amazing!!!!! She is so wonderful! I don't know what I would do without her! I love her!

It has been a great week. This week had many ups and downs but miracle Sunday made it all the best!

We had a rather slow week to begin with... But we also had some miracles. We were down because several of our investigators dropped their baptismal date. Some even stopped meeting with us. I was down and was reminded by our district leader of the story of Nephi and his brothers going to get the plates. How they tried 2 times with no success and were down and disappointed but Nephi went back. He finds Laban just laying there like he fell right into his hands. Elder Farr said that our Laban was somewhere and that we would just find them there ready to get baptized.... Well Sunday came around and that is just what happened. We received a referral from the Elders of a sweet teenage girl that they had mistaken for a boy... yes a little awkward but she is great!  She has been coming to church for over a month and came to conference last week and loved it. She had never had time to meet with the Elders but I think that might have been because they are Elders haha so we met with her and we talked a bit about baptism and she said how she really wants to get baptized. It was just like Elder Farr said. We found a wonderful girl with a beautiful desire to get baptized.... So amazing! So GREAT week!

Also.. Last week we went tomb sweeping. Its a big holiday here where they have the day off to clean the graves or tombs of their ancestors. Well seeing as it only happens once a year... well here's some pics of the day. It was a great day of service!

Well sorry this is short!

Sure love you all so much!!!!!!!

Until next week!!!!!!!!!!!

Week 63

Happy Easter !!!!!!!!!

What a wonderful Easter weekend here! Conference was AMAZING as usual! So inspired and so uplifted!!!!!!! I loved all of it! It made Easter all the bit more wonderful! I hope you all enjoyed it as well! And I hope you all had a very fantastic Easter!

It has been a marvelous week! We saw some great miracles....

We met 3 cute teenagers this week with the same wonderful member friend from YunLin. This great member has been sharing the gospel with her friends for some time now so when her friend Sunny saw us riding her bikes she knew she had to race up to talk to us at the next light. It was interesting because she didn't set up but Sister Tanner tried really hard and invited her to English. Well to our surprise she and her 3 other friends came to English along with their member friend Rona. When we met with Sunny for the first time she told us that she already believes in God and that she prays everyday. She was so excited to have her own Book of Mormon because she has seen Rona's so many times. As we were walking them out she turned and asked "Can I see the Chapel?" So we went upstairs and saw the beautiful chapel. She loved the feeling there. We also continued to talk about baptism and she said that she has a big desire to be baptised but she feels that her grandparents (whom she lives with) might oppose. She is wonderful and truly has great desire.

We also met Rona's other 2 friends Alice and Eve. Both so cute! They were also very excited to hear about the gospel. They came to conference and loved what they learned about gratitude and God's love for them. It was amazing to feel the Spirit increase as we were teaching them. They accepted all the commitments extended but it was very powerful as they accepted the commitment for baptism.

These beautiful 3 teenage girls are now learning about the gospel because of the example of one of their friends. Rona lives the gospel and she shares it with those that she loves. What an example? She is one but she has already blessed so many. I am so grateful to see this example of the power of one.

This week my testimony has been strengthened over and over again about being in the right place at the right time and how Heavenly Father knows all of His children and there needs. We met some really wonderful people this week. All of them have their own trials and concerns but it is so amazing to me that God knows those trials and concerns. I don't but He does. I have been able to testify of that many times this week and by doing that my testimony has been strengthened.

I love this work so much. It is such a blessing to be here helping others come unto Christ and to see them change with the power and love of His atonement. I am so very grateful for this experience... so very grateful.

Well the time is just flying by..... I can't believe it!

I love you all sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much!

Be Good!

Until next week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Week 62

Dearest Loved Ones!!!!!

It has been a great and interesting week...

Sister Yan was baptized on Saturday. It was a beautiful service and she bore a very sweet and powerful testimony of how she feels like Alma over coming her sins and how she hopes she can go on to greatness. It was beautiful.

But... It seems that with this great, exciting. and beautiful act of faith we also experience many investigators leave. Some saying they don't want to meet with us anymore or just that they aren't willing to keep commitments. It's always hard to see that you have no progressing investigators. Especially when your week started with them doing so well... But we have done all we can and we are trusting that the Lord has many that we are to go out and find.

We had a wonderful fireside last night about missionary work in hope to help members build more desire in sharing the gospel. I believe it worked. WE did a funny skit, watched small and simple things (or healing waters) which I had never seen before that was very powerful, and 2 wonderful talks that really brought the Spirit and the fire... It was so great! We received 7 new referrals at the end and that is going to be our first place to look for new investigators. What a blessing!

I continue to be reminded of all the wonderful examples in my life and just how grateful I am for all the help over the years. The examples that have helped me become who I am. It always amazes me how the Lord knows just who we are and where we are. He knows exactly what we need... Yesterday we had 2 really cool experiences with this. One we were on our bikes and this man started talking to Sister Tanner in english... We usually don't contact men but it was a self-contact so... we start talking to him and turns out he has a friend that served a mission, he had met with the missionaries before, been to church, and is still interested but going to school in Taipei. Well while were talking a great member Brother Lin and his twin and their cousin just happen to be out walking around right there. So we introduced them and it was just great. Then we asked about his friend and he said it was a girl so I asked her name and guess who it was. Sister Chen!!!!! Yep my 2nd companion in the field!!!! It was so crazy!!!! WOW!!! P.S. Sister Chen is getting married at the end of this month in the Washington D.C. Temple. Ahhh!!! I'm so happy for her!!! And P.P.S. can you believe it's April?  Such a tender mercy! Then we were off to the park where we met a man from Philly... He's her teaching english. We were able to talk to him and his girlfriend and it was really cool. My english is horrible and so awkward now.. I have to translate back to english so that was funny but luckily my companion speaks real good english and she can share the gospel in english. She has shared it with her friends at home so she was on fire! He was really cool. Baptist. Had a lot of great questions. And is willing to meet the with the Elders. YAY!!! So in both of these experiences these are not people necessarily for us to teach but we were right where we needed to be to find those that are ready and interested. And we were doing the work of the Lord finding them. He knows us. He knows where we are. He knows what we needs. He loves us!

I'm so excited for conference this weekend.... ahh I can't wait!

Well time is just flying by but there is a lot left for me to do!

I sure love you all soooooooooooo much!!!!!!!!!

Until next week!

Pics
1. Sister Yan
2. Sister Li and her new baby (a less active we have been working with)
3. Sister Tanner and I

Week 61

克稲產畑

It has been another good week! Always is! This week was very busy!!!!!!!

We has a little sad experience this week. Sister Yan was not able to get baptized this week because of a word of wisdom issue. She hadn't smoked for almost a month and then the day before her baptism she had a lot of pressure at work and at home and yielded to an old temptation. She said that she tried praying and really didn't want to. It was actually a miracle how we found out about it. We were really really busy that day so it was kind of crazy running from lessons but we really wanted to go visit Sister Yan. Well we were at a lesson by her house and tried to call our next lesson and they had to change to the next day so we miraculously had time to go visit Sister  Yan. We knew something was bothering her right when we saw her. She felt so bad... We talked to her about repentance and she was willing to pray for forgiveness and work really hard for this Saturday. We told her to call us if she ever felt the urge. I love her so much and I know that through the Savior she can receive the strength she needs to overcome her temptations.

We have many great investigators right now that we just love. One is a cute teenager that is 14 named Sister Lin. She actually is a former. I met with her a bit before new year but we she came back from visiting her family she said that she didn't want to meet with us or get baptized. It was really strong and we were rather confused. A few weeks ago we felt like we should go visit her so we did and she was totally different and way willing. She has been praying everyday and making a great progress. She really wants to get baptized. I just love her so much.

We actually have a lot of teenage ivestigators right now. I love the youth!!!

I can't believe how time is FLYING by!!!! But I love seeing the miracles everyday! The Lord's hands are in His work. He is opening my eyes more and more to the love that He has for His children and the many that are prepared to hear His word. But I better get out and find them.

I sure love you all soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much!!!!!!

Until next week!!!!

Week 60

Qin Ai de Jia Ting!!!!!!!!!!!

It has been a great week!!!!! So many miracles!

Okay first Sister Yan. She really is so great! She has so much faith. Every time we go meet with her the first thing she talks about is her baptism. She understands and desires a new start. She is so excited for it this week. She has some health issues so she wasn't able to make it to church yesterday and she was so worried that she would have to change her baptismal date. I just love her so much and I am so grateful for her example. She works so hard for her family. She has felt many blessings from the gospel and knows that there are more that await her. I love her so much!

We also saw some other miracles. Sister Wang (members sister) set her own baptismal goal. :) It was kind of funny... We invited her to get baptized on April 7th and she said that she set the goal for April 1st but she still needs to work with her husband on it. She said that he knows that she comes to church but doesn't support baptism. So we hope to help her and her husband. Her faith is building. Recently she has received a lot of answers and strength from her prayers.She is wonderful.

We were also able to start building a relationship with Sister Tong (same members daughter) She is 14 and both her little brother and older brother were recently baptized. At first she was very standoffish... Didn't want to meet or really talk with us. But we went over yesterday and took her a gift. A picture of Christ and some mentos. We talked to her for a bit and asked if we could have a movie night (obviously a church movie). Sister Tong said yes and set a date. When we left we asked if we could pray together and she offered to say it! It was such a big change. It was so amazing.

And another! So the 3rd Branch Elders had a baptism on Saturday. We were obviously excited and invited investigators to attend. Well we got there and they went up to introduce her and then it hit me... a flashback to when I met her at the park. I met her and her friend. She said that her dad was a member and that the Elders came to visit him quite often. I asked if she ever sat with them and she said no... Well we kept talking and shared with her and her friend the message of the Restoration. We referred them and then I remember seeing her at church once so I said hello again... Then there she was in white. It was such a joyful event. I probably should have done more to follow up with the Elders and her but I felt that I might have helped in some way, It just testified again to me that we don't know all those that we help. Sometimes we are planting the seeds and we don't see the results but I felt truly blessed to see this result.

This week was such a good. Blessed with many miracles and peace. The Lord has truly blessed me. I am so grateful for it all. And I'm so grateful for all of you! I sure love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! too much!

Until next week!!!

Week 59

Qin Ai de FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!

Oh how I love you so much!

It has been a great week! So many miracles!

We have been blessed with many wonderful investigators! Sister Yan is doing so great and really progressing to her goal. She talks about when she gets baptized and after she gets baptized quite frequently. She came to a Relief Society activity on Saturday and in the process received an answer to her prayers. She said that when she pulled up to the church it looked like the gates were shut. She was worried because she was late... she decided to pray and then the thought came to her mind that we wouldn't invite her if we weren't going to be there and that she should walk around. She found the open gate and came in. She heard the piano and found us. She also sad that her family has been going through some struggles lately and since she started meeting with us things have been getting better and her little sister would like to meet with us as well. So great! I love her!

Also the Wang/ Tong family that I have talked about the past few weeks... So as you know we have started working with Sister Wang's little sister who is amazing! We met with her this week and she asked us a really good question about her job... She reads palms and taro cards and stuff. Well she is going to school to learn how do to these things. Sister Wang (member and her older sister) told her that it is not right... and that that isn't how we receive revelation from God. So Sister Wang (little sister) asked how it was that we receive revelation. We share with her about the spirit. She asked how the spirit feels and we reminded her of how she feels at church and how she often has this feeling to cry... She said she feels it every time she comes to church and when she came to her nephews baptism. She also bore testimony of the blessings she is receiving from her prayers. Then she asked how she can receive answers to other things like about work, school, friends and future things because that is why people like the palm reading and stuff... So we testified of how the spirit can teach us all things and show us all things. We read with her in the Book of Mormon and anywho at the end she said that she is willing to pray about her job and to find a new one. WOW!!!! It was so amazing! The feeling there... It really was so amazing to see that change. And then her sister said "yep what you need to do is pray more, read more, and come to church every week and get baptized and you will see even more blessings!" So bold and so great! It was so amazing! What a blessing to be there!

We also had a miracle at church.... A woman that I taught in ZhangHua (my last area) came to church!!!!! Her name is Sister Huang and when I saw her I was so confused. We only met with her a few times and then she came to church twice but then stopped answering our calls and came down to JiaYi where I am now... She just decided to find the church herself and just come. And she was so surprised to see me there! It was so miraculous! So... I can't think of the English word except for saying that the Lord's hands truly are in all things.... WOW!!!!

So what a week it has been and will be....

I pray that the Lord will be with you all this week as we remember mom. This year has gone by so fast. So much has happened. We have all grown in our own ways and together as a family. I have felt our relationships and love for one another grow just as mom would want it to. I just want to testify again of the Plan of Salvation and what it means to me... not too long ago we had a Combined District Training Meeting where President Bishop shared with us about the Plan of Salvation... he paused for a second and then shared of when he found out that mom passed away and how he shared it with me and then he said "Sister Bray what does the plan mean to you?" and I said "Everything" "Why?" "Because it gives me hope..." It gives me HOPE!!!! It gives me purpose. It lets me know that we WILL see mom again... That we can be together forever!!! It is true! It is real! It is the plan that Heavenly Father has given to His children. It is the plan for OUR family!!!! I am continually grateful for this plan and so grateful for the opportunity I have to share this plan with His children. I am so grateful that in the past year I have been so blessed to feel so close to you all yet I'm so far away. I am so grateful that I have been blessed to feel mom's presence and have truly felt "angels round about me" just as it says in D&C 84:88... Mom continues to love us and help us. I am so grateful for all the beautiful lessons she taught us. For her light and her smile. For her many "I love you" 's and her singing and dancing.... I love her so much! I love you so much! I will be praying lots for you this week...

I love you all soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much!

Until next week!

Week 68

Dearest Family!!!!!!! and friends!!!!!

It has been another great week!

AHHHH! Time is going by so fast! It's crazy! Weeks fly by like days! SO FAST!!! Too fast!!! (breathing noise)  :)

But can I just tell you...I continue to love the work more and more. It is just pure joy! I love it so much!!!!!! I am so very grateful for this opportunity... words can't even describe it.... or my love for these beautiful people. I love this work and I feel so blessed everyday to be doing it!

I love my companion Sister Tanner.... She is so great... So I realized when I said she is from Canada I was really vague because Canada is rather large.... She is from Smithers which is 12 hours north of Vancouver. She is so awesome and she is picking everything up so fast. I LOVE HER!!!

We had a great miracle this week! Sister Wang son got baptized. Sister Wang use to be less active... but we started working with her and she started to come back. Along that process we started working with her 9 yr old son Tong didi... he got baptized on Jan. 1st and has been such a great example to his family. Especially his older brother.... Tong gege :) We started meeting with him then the Elders started meeting with him and yesterday he was baptized. A beautiful family! Sister Wang also has a daughter that we hope we can start sharing the gospel with. Sister Wang also invited us to start teaching her mom and little sister. They are great! They came to church the past 2 weeks but the mom is still having a hard time accepting the gospel but I they both often cry as they have heard about the Atonement and eternal families. The little sister has said that she feels something special that causes her to cry.... So I have faith that they will continue to progress. I am in awe at the change I have seen in Sister Wang. It amazes me... we'll have to ask her what made that change? What changed that helped her come back?..... I feel like her experience and testimony could really help other less actives.

We also have some other really great investigators right now. Sister Yan is really progressing! She has been praying and reading and came to church. After she stayed for the baptisms and was like "I might need 2 men to help me do that... I'm scared of the water!" It was so cute. Not only did we find out that she has a fear of water but we also learned of her desire to be baptized and that that is her goal and her plan. Even though she has this fear she is willing to go and do... she just might want some extra help just in case :)

We really see miracles everyday! It is so miraculous.... obviously. Yep, that was redundant. But really... It is amazing and glorious. I am continually amazed by the atonement and the love that God and Christ have for all of us.... It has been testified over and over again that I am not doing the work. They truly do all the work. They change their hearts. They do the work... I just pray that I can continue to become and always be an instrument in Their hands.

It passes all my understanding!
 
Well that's about it for this week!

I love you all soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much!!!!

Until next week!!!!

Week 67

DEAREST LOVED ONES!!!!!

 

WOW!!!!! What a week!!!! I have a new companion!!!!!! She is just off the plane.... Yep, I'm training again!!!!! She is so great! Seriously so great! I love her so much already! Her name is Sister Tanner. She is from Canada! CANADA!  I love Canada! She plays rugby and she is super cool. I love her so much! She is so great!!!! She is such a trooper! She has such a huge desire! She wants to share the gospel with everyone! She loves the people so much and I love her dearly! She really is so amazing! I know we are meant to be together.... She has helped me so much already.... Her mom passed away a few years ago and I believe this is a reason Heavenly Father wants us together. She has already helped me so much....I am so grateful for her... so grateful! She is doing great. I love her!!!!!

 

We had some wonderful miracles at church yesterday. The cute little new member and his mom are truly helping their family come unto Christ. Both her mom and her sister started meeting with us this past week and came to church yesterday. It is so amazing to me that this sweet sister use to be less active and now look at her... there every Sunday and trying to help her whole family receive the same joy she is experiencing. Both her sister and her mom really felt the spirit at church yesterday. It was amazing!

 

It has been such a great week! It always is! I love this work so much! I love this gospel. I am continually amazed by it everyday. EVERYDAY! I am so grateful to be a missionary here in Taiwan. I love these beautiful people so much. I can't believe this time has gone by so fast... too fast.

 

I love you all so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 Until next week!

 

P.S. We had hot pot with some wonderful members today.... here's some pics!

 

P.P.S. I met Elder Tang (Teng) from Cali.... He came in with Sister Tanner and he showed me the picture of the Thompson/ Bray family and said that you are the best member family. He loves you so much.... I love you so much!!!! The picture was worth so much... it brought tears to my eyes! You all look so great! And your new home is beautiful!!!!! Thanks for sending him with that! Love you!

Week 66

Dearest Loved Ones!!!

 

It has been such a great, great, great week!!!! I LOVE this work!!!!

 

Sweet Sister Ye got baptized on Saturday. It was a beautiful service. She is so amazing. I know I use that word a lot but seriously.... she is just fabulous and I love her so much. She bore a very powerful testimony. She also shared how the day of her baptism she didn't have the best of feelings. She didn't understand why... It was her baptism day. She started getting nervous... She kept praying and praying but the feelings didn't go away... Then she came to the church and she said right when she walked in the feelings went away and she testified of how she knows that the church is the Lord's home. She said it feels like coming home. She feels the spirit there. And when she received the gift of the Holy Ghost she was like "your right, this is a good feeling." Oh I love her so much!!!! So much!

 

We also had some really amazing things happen with new members and less actives this week. So you remember cute Tong Didi? The little boy that was baptized the first of this year... (I love him) Well he is quite the little missionary. Through his baptism his mom has started to come back to church. She bore her testimony in church yesterday and it was amazing. He has also started helping his older brother and sister. We were able to meet with his brother on Sat. and he came to church on Sunday. The Elders are going to start working with him too. Tong Didi is such a good bot. I love him.

 

Also the Luo family. We have been working with them for a bit but helping them come to church consistently has been hard. Well we met with them on Sat. and the Spirit was so strong. We shared about the sacrament and the HUGE blessing it is. Sister Luo (mom) shared how she has good feelings at church. She is away from the world and she can just think. She also talked about how we are not perfect and how partaking of the sacrament helps us wash away the guilt. It was a great lesson and .... They came to church!!!!!!!

 

Such a great week! I love this work so much!

Well... I know this is short but we had an awesome zone activity of kickball, volleyball, and food... so we are short on time.... but here is some pics....

 

I love you all soososososooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooosoosooosooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Until next week!

Week 65

Dearest Family!!!!!!!

 

Wow! What a week!!!! We were busy, busy, busy with a lot of power!

 

Power week was so great! It started with a great Sister exchange. We go on sister exchanges every transfer and it is always so great. This time I had a sweet new missionary come with me. Her name is Sister Hsiao. She is from Taipei. It was her 4th week in the mission. It was so fun! It was also really great because my first time as senior companion her trainer came with me and at that time it was her trainer, Sister Yen's first transfer. So It was so much fun to see Sister Yen and to work with her sweet companion. I learned so much from Sister Hsiao's humble spirit and her desire to learn and improve. She is so loving. It was so much fun and a great learning experience.... Guess where my companion went? She went with Sister Smith, my MTC companion! They had way too much fun! I love them both so much! It was really good to see Sister Smith for a few minutes.

 

The rest of the week was go go go!!!! I love busy days. We saw many great miracles even with the wet and cold rain.

 

First miracle: Sister Zeng. She is a former investigator that was taught by my previous companion Sister Wainright. She had her baptismal interview and everything was going so great and then a week before I came she just disappeared. She wasn't at home and she wouldn't answer her phone. Sister Wainright would try to call or go out to her house (she lives in the country so it's quite the bike ride there) but never any luck. Well this week we went out there and there was luck. She was home but busy so we set up for another time this week. We went back with a great member that we found out lives right by her :) This sweet sister remembered Sister Zeng and actually remembered a question that she had had before that she went home to study for. It was such a miracle that we found her again and that the member we called knew her and prepared for her without us even knowing... The Lord's hands are truly in His work!

 

Second miracle: Lisa. She is super cute. She actually self contacted the Elders a few weeks ago and said that she really wants to come to church. So the Elders referred her to us but when we called her she said that she couldn't come to church and didn't seem to interested. Well every Wednesday we have free English class. I went into my class that had only one student and it was Lisa. It was so great because I was able to sit with her. She asked me all sorts of questions about my family, my mission, why I'm here, and the church... so we skipped right to the spiritual share and I shared with her the beautiful message of the restoration. The spirit was really strong and she was quick to commit to praying and reading. She even set up for the nest day. She is so great! It comes to show  that you really can't read a book by it's cover.

 

Third miracle: Sister Ye. Wow I just love this girl so much! Her faith is growing so much! Yesterday morning she called us and said that she wouldn't be able to make it to church because she had a family thing. We were really surprised and talked to her for a bit and tried to see if there was any way she could come to sacrament meeting and promised her the blessings she would receive if she came. She said that she would talk to her mom and try to change the time so she could come. We were sitting in sacrament and we just kept praying and praying that she would come... Then she walked in and she stayed all 3 hours! It was so amazing! She is so amazing! She is preparing for baptism on Saturday and really needed to come and receive the blessings and help from church attendance. Her faith is growing. I love her so much!

 

Fourth miracle: Mrs. Xu and Mrs. Jiang. Last night we were riding around contacting when I went to talk to this cute little old lady. She seemed lost so I asked if we could help her. She is from China and showed me the address of her Hotel and asked if I knew where it was. I told her I knew where the street was and asked if we could walk her home. Her and her friend were so grateful. They were so cute and just lost on the streets of Taiwan. Her friend is a Christian. We were able to share a short message with them as we walked. My heart was so full of love and pure joy helping these 2 sweet children of God find their way home.

 

I feel so blessed that that is what I am able to do everyday. Help God's children find their way home. I love this work and I love this gospel.

 

I love all of you so very much!!!!!!

 

Until next week!

Week 64

Hello sweet family!!!!

 

I love you all so much!

 

Warning: this might be a short email because this week is power week and today was power cleaning which means Sister Bray is exhausted and would really like to take a nap... I'm sorry.

 

It has been a really great week!

 

We saw many great miracles.....

 

First, I just want to tell you again how much I love my companion. She is so sweet and so amazing! I am learning so much from her and so much about myself. I love her!!!!!

 

Second, sweet Sister Ye is so great! Her faith is just growing and growing. She always has something great to share with us. I just love her so much. It is amazing how she is changing and how you can see it and feel it. It's so beautiful. She is truly doing her part to prepare for baptism. She is amazing!

 

We have seen many blessings this week with less actives. We have been working with Sister Liu since before I came to the area... we have been trying to help her remember her testimony and the "why" of the gospel. The ward has also been very involved. Our Branch President invited her and us over to their house for a great lesson. She kept telling us she would come.......... and she finally did! It was so amazing! I really was so happy and so in awe! WOW! The members were so welcoming to her... Oh it was just so great!

 

I love our Branch!!!!! (so I know I often say ward but I'm really serving in a branch:) ) They are so great. They are very willing to help and have a great desire to share the gospel. But we still have some of our branch family missing. There are many less actives here... but we are doing all we can to help them come back and endure to the end.

 

This week is power week...  That means we leave earlier because there is no language study and we eat on the go so we will have more time to be active in the work. I'm really excited for power week! Mighty miracles come during power week!

 

I'm sorry this is so short.

 

I love you all so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

And I love this work! And I love this gospel!

 

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!

 

Until next week!!!!!!

Week 63

HELLO FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and friends!

 

What a week! I have a new and wonderful companion named Sister Amelia Jean Wu (Amy). I just love her! I met Amy during my second transfer here on the island and since then we have been following each other around. She is 18 and originally from GaoXiong (the south). You might be wondering how she is 18 and serving but it's because she is a short term. She'll be with me until the end of this transfer so a total of 5 weeks and then she back to being normal... kind of :) I love her! She went to school in ZhangHua, my last area, so we became the best of friends. She would come visit us. She surprised me for my birthday. She wrote letters right when I needed them. She is one of my dear, sweet friends... and little sister. She is so amazing and just loves the work. She contacts, teaches, studies and just does it all. I am learning so much from her. I love her!!!!!

 

So this week we had a good old Chinese New Year. We ate way way way toooooo much!!!! We had everyday lunch and dinner with members! We just kept eating and eating and eating! It was so much fun! I loved getting to know them all. The members here are so amazing. I love hearing their conversion stories. They are always stories of great faith. Often times their families opposed their baptism. They all had their own trials but it is so amazing to see them now. I love seeing the families and hear the children's testimonies of how their parents joining the church has blessed their lives. It is amazing to me how far they travel to come to church or to go to the Temple. I feel so blessed to live so close to our church and to have several Temples within a 30 minute drive. Sometimes I think we take that for granted.

 

As for the food this week..... lots of interesting things..... pigs feet, cow stomach, duck liver, well I'm sure more than just duck liver, and lots and lots of fish.... all of it was so good! 

 

Because of Chinese New Year a lot of our investigators went home for the holidays... So that was a little hard. I feel like I haven't seen them forever! I should tell you that Sister Xu stopped meeting with us. She said that it's just not her time. It was really hard for us to hear but I know that her time will come. We have some new investigators. A really cute Sister Ye. She is close to my age. She is so great! She loves the Book of Mormon. We had invited her to read certain parts to help her with her questions and to prepare for the next lesson and she came having read all of those parts... So we invited her to start from the beginning and she said "I already have. I'm on chapter 17." WOW! Her prayers are so beautiful and sincere. She came to church yesterday and really enjoyed it. She loves the peace that she receives there. I love her!

 

We also had a great miracle with one of the less actives we have been working with. When I first met her she seemed really, really sad. You could tell she had burdens that she needed lifted. We found out that her husband opposes her coming to church. It actually makes him rather angry so that's why she hasn't been coming. She said that she continued to pray but she had not been reading the scriptures. We invited her to start reading. Well this week when we met with her it was totally different. She had this beautiful light about her. She had a smile and a glow. She said she felt different. We read with her in Mosiah 24 about Alma and his people not being able to pray vocally so they prayed in their hearts and the Lord came and comforted them. He didn't change everything and take away their trials but He gave them the strength they needed to face their trials and He made their burdens light so that they could bear them. I love that story. It testifies that the Lord truly visits His children during their trials and afflictions. I know this to be true for I have seen it and I have felt it many times in my life.

 

I am so grateful for this gospel. I am so grateful for my Savior and for His atoning sacrifice. He has provided a way for me to change and improve. I am so grateful for Him. I am so grateful to be doing this work!

 

I love you all so very much!!!!!!!

 

Until next week!

Week 62

Dearest Family!!!!!!

 

I love you so much!

 

It has been a great and interesting week!!! With many miracles.

 

This week has been such a wonderful learning experience.... I was blessed to have many companions in a way different than I expected... over the week I had 5 different companions.... Let me introduce them to you....

 

First, It was a sweet new member Sister Zhang. She is so great! She was baptized in October. She has a beautiful testimony and desire to serve, She memorized Joseph Smith's First Vision so she would be able to share it with investigators. She was ready to get out and contact and share what she knows. It was so great to watch and I learned so much from her approach.

 

Second, was Sister Wu. She is in our ward here. She is actually preparing to go on a mission to Taipei on Feb. 3. She is so great! And she was so so so so busy! I was so grateful she was willing to serve with me. I learned a lot from her example and her faith. Her and her brother live with their Grandma who was recently in a bad car accident and has some health problems. She is nervous to leave on her mission. I was able to share my testimony of the Lord's plan and not to worry but to find comfort in the plan He has for her and her family. They will be blessed for her sacrifice and service.

 

Third, Sister Lin. She is actually a new member here in our ward. We are good friends! She's younger and a lot of fun. She love baking us treats. I was so impressed by here desire to serve. She was always asking questions on what she could do and how to help. She was talking to everyone and having a good time doing it. It was so fun! I was able to learn a lot more about her and her life. It was a great experience.

 

Fourth, Sister Cai. She is also a new member here. I love her!!! She is so so so so shy! We meet with her often and it's so hard to get her to open up and talk. But she was also so willing to share the gospel. She was out on her bike and talking to people. At dinner she really opened up to me and I finally found out what she likes to do and why she is so shy. I love her! She is so meek and humble. There was so much joy in seeing and feeling her bear her testimony.

 

Fifth, Sister Chen (not my previous companion) She is also a member here. I LOVE her!!!! She actually wanted to come serve as a short term but she couldn't get off work.... She was also out on the go. She loves the work! She is so funny. She called me at night to tell me she loved me and good night because she felt bad that I didn't have a companion to say good night to. (Don't worry I was with the other Sisters so I was not alone. Completely safe!) Her and Sister Lin would tell all the members that they are my junior companion. It was so cute. Sister Chen just called to say thank you and to make sure my companion would be coming in okay... She is so sweet! She skypped "her" missionary this morning and showed her a picture of her and her companion (me). It was such a sweet feeling.

 

I really learned so much from these beautiful sisters. At the beginning of the week I struggled and felt alone.... especially at night when I was planning alone... But then the Lord help me recognize 2 things... 1 was that I wasn't alone. Even though I felt that I was doing some of the work alone, I wasn't. He was always with me. 2 I needed to change my attitude. I needed to be grateful for this experience. As soon as that changed my load was lightened and there was lots of sunshine and beautiful experiences. I felt so much love form my companions and the ward. Members calling to make sure I was okay and had a companion. It really was such a beautiful and memborable week.

 

I also learned so much about and from the other Sisters I live with. Sister Sumko from Utah and Sister Laxi from Taiwan. We had a lot of fun and learned a lot.

 

And now to my new companion...... Sister Amelia Jean Wu!!!!! Okay so her name is Amy and I met this girl at the beginning of my mission. She loves the sisters. She really is one of my dearest friends. She lived in ZhangHua so she would come and play with us a lot. She is an amazing missionary!!!!!! And I'm so excited for her to get here! She is way to good to me!!!!!

 

So it has been a great and stretching week. My testimony has grown so much and my knowledge of my purpose has been divinely increased. It was a beautiful week! And now we are having Chinese New Years and we are going to eat way too much!!!!

 

Well I best be going! I LOVE you all sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much!!!!

 

Until next week!

Week 61

Family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Oh how I love you so so so so so much!!!!!!

 

The work has been great this week! We saw many miracles!

 

Also it's a new transfer... so you know what that means.... or in my case it often means this.... a new companion. Yep, Sister Wainright left me today.. to who you might be wondering. Well, that's a funny story. I don't really have a companion..... let me explain. So our mission does a little thing called duanchuan's or short-term missionaries. I'm not sure if I have explained this before... but basically when the mission doesn't have enough or an even number of missionaries they ask for members to come and be a missionary for a bit so we don't have to close or combine areas. Hopefully the whole transfer but it all depends on the member. Well we found out yesterday morning that Sister Wainright was leaving and that I would have short-term. I called the Assistants this morning to find out when my new companion was coming and they said "Sister Bray, we haven't really found you a companion yet." I was a little nervous but I'm just in a trio with the other sisters in our apartment until they can find me a companion. :)  So that's the interesting story for today!

 

Miracles for this week!...

 

We were so busy this week! Just going, going, going!!!!!! Especially Tuesday and Saturday. We were going from lesson to lesson. Saturday was full of miracles. So we hadn't been able to get a hold of Sister Xu all week. We kept trying to visit her but she wasn't there. Well Saturday morning we were at the church meeting with a new investigator and the Elders told us that they had seen Sister Xu the day before on the street so they stopped and talked to her. She told them that she felt that her faith wasn't big enough. That she just couldn't do it. She compared herself to Nephi's older brothers. That tried to help her and invited her to come to church. When Sister Wainright and I heard this we were so grateful and knew that our prayers had been answered. We decided to fast for her to come to church. We saw so many blessings during this fast. We visited a investigator and heard of her prayers being answered and her reading of the Book of Mormon. We went to the church to meet a new investigator who came hugging the Book of Mormon that the Elders had given her. Then as we were leaving a cute mom and daughter came and asked if they could talk to us for a second and see the church. We gladly gave them a tour and taught them about Heavenly Father and prayer. Then we had another lesson with a progressing investigator where she committed to come to church... Then on Sunday. We walked into the church... and saw Sister Xu. So happy to be there and so sorry that she hadn't contacted us before. I was so full of joy. Tears in my eyes. I just wanted to hug her and tell her how much we love her... so I did! Oh our hearts were full.... It was such a tender mercy. I know that Heavenly Father hears our prayers and He truly blesses us for our sacrifices. When we fast we truly become nearer to Him and can become more focused on His purpose and plan.

 

I love this work so much. Time is going by sooooooooooooooooooooo fast! I feel like I just got here to JiaYi but that was 6 weeks ago..... Time just keeps flying by.....

 

I wanted to show you a miracle from President Bishop's letter this week:

This week I had the wonderful experience of visiting a man whom I had taught and helped baptized almost 40 years ago.  He has not attended church for many years.  He is 90 years old, but still in good health.  At first he did not want to let me in. He said he did not want further contact with the church.  Then I showed him a picture of us together on the day of his baptism. He looked at me and said, “Are you 仲長老?”   When I said I was, he invited me in.  We talked about old times, shared a scripture, and sang a hymn. Although he did not accept my invitation to return to church, I was deeply touched that after all these years, he still remembered his 福音長老.   As missionaries, you have tremendous influence on those you teach and baptize. Please continue to write them and encourage activity in the church.  Encourage them to read, pray, keep the commandments, and attend the temple.  Help them to know that you remember them, love them, and desire their salvation.   (The attached pictures are of President Bishop and his wonderful convert)

 

Well I love you all so very much! You are in my prayers! I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Until next week!!!!!!!!!!

Week 60

Hello!

 

What a week... It was really different from last week... but good in it's own ways.

 

We met with Sister Xu this week and found out more of her financial problems. It is really so sad. She is so far from her family. She has so much faith. We are a little worried about her though. We had an appointment with her on Thursday but she wasn't home. Her phone is off and has been almost all week... We have gone to her house everyday but she either hasn't been home or we have no way of getting up to her room... We're a little worried about her but trying to have faith that she and everything is okay

 

We met with another investigator Sister Liu.. She heard about a few commandments last week at church so she had some big questions when we met with her... Well she said she has a problem with all of the commandments. We had an amazing member with us who bore a powerful testimony of all the commandments and the Spirit was really so strong. Sister Liu has a strong testimony of Joseph Smith and the Restoration and she said she would pray about the commandments... We are meeting with her again tomorrow and pray that all is well with her.

 

Other than that... we have found that with Chinese New Year approaching and everyone having tests before hand, everyone is busy... SO BUSY! So we are noticing a lot of investigators and new people we meet saying to wait until after New Years...

 

But we are keeping our chins up! We are still seeing miracles!

 

We had an amazing activity this Saturday... a tour of the church. A lot of people know where our church is and go by it all the time but haven't come in so we had a church tour. It was so good! There weren't a ton of people there but it was a good turn out. A sweet young woman, Sister Xiao, bore a powerful testimony of the Savior and how the teachings in Young Women's has brought her closer to the Savior. It was really powerful.

 

Today is Sister Wainright's birthday! She is now 22! I love her so much! She reminds me so much of Whitney Robb... It is so much fun serving with her! I love it! She is so sweet and easy going. She is awesome and I love her! To celebrate her birthday we went to an all you can eat hot pot with out district and some members. It was so much fun and we ate way too much... way too much! But that's what it's for... 

 

I am sorry this is so short... We got to email a little late so I don't have a lot of time.... but I'm sending some pictures to make up for it!

 

I love you all soooooooooooooooooooo much!!!!

 

Until next week!

Week 59

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

It was such a wonderful week!!!! So amazing! We saw so many beautiful miracles... including a baptism!

 

On Tuesday night we went to Sister Wang's house. A less active that is reactivating. She was so excited! We have been working with her and her son. Her son name is Jian Jia. He's 9yrs old and super funny and fun to teach. He has been wanting to get baptized for a bit but his dad has opposed... Well we walked in and she said "He wants to get baptized and his dad is okay it!" It was so crazy! We were in total shock.... we talked to him and he was so excited! His dad just talked to him more about it and heard of Jian Jia's desire and saw his example so he finally said it's okay. He choose to get baptized yesterday. The first day of 2012. It was a very spiritual baptism. Sister Wang bore a beautiful testimony. He had the sweetest smile on his face when he came out of the font. He was also able to receive the Holy Ghost and be confirmed a member of the church. In his blessing he was blessed that through his example his family would be able to go to the Taipei Temple and be sealed together. It was so beautiful. The spirit was so strong there. It was such a special baptism. There was a special feeling and reminder to become as a little child just like sweet 9 yr old Jian Jia. I love him and his family.

 

We dropped most of our investigators a few weeks ago and we were trying really hard to find new ones but we were not seeing the success we would have liked....BUT this week totally changed! Some investigators came back and we also received some amazing referrals this week. We really were so blessed. We are so excited to work with them. They all have their own miracle stories. There is one in particular that I would like to share about a Sister Xu. She is from Mainland China. She moved here for marriage but her husband later became abusive so they got a divorce. Her 2 children stayed with him. She is far from home and her family but she said that she continues to feel Heavenly Father's love. She came to church last week and loved the feeling that she had there. She loves the Book of Mormon and prayer. This week her best friend told her not to come to our church and gave her some anti-Mormon literature. She prayed about the church and she received an answer. She knows it's true. Her strength amazes me. You can just feel her love for the Lord and His love for her.... It is beautiful. She came to church again yesterday and the sisters just embraced her and our other investigators.

 

We saw so many blessings this week with investigators and the less active families we have been working with. It truly was a week to remember. So miraculous!

 

Also... today we went to a theme park near by called Fancy World. It was a lot like Lagoon but with no one there so we were able to ride over and over again. It was a lot of fun but we are low on time :)  

 

I'll send pictures next week!

 

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Until next week!!!!!