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!!!!!