Week 71 - Taiwan - December 22 - Lead Thou Me On

Hi family!

Well here it is...........it's time to move onward and forward in the Lord's work........just in a different field :) Let's just say emotions have been all over the place, but I'm sooooo grateful for the enormous blessings I have felt from Heavenly Father to just be excited and have faith in the future......it's helped me sooo much! Truly as I ponder on what I've learned and experienced, how I've changed through the Atonement and who I am today........I just think of my Savior and I feel that through faith in Him, He has helped me to have so much hope and faith for the future and that makes me excited :) In my Reflection with the mission this week, I shared how my mission has prepared me for the future and Eternal Life. This week is definitely all over the place, but as I stay focused on my Savior, everything just seems ok :) We have been blessed past understanding in the last few days..........it has blown me away and my heart is so full of gratitude. CJM was able to have her baptismal interview on Saturday and she was more prepared then we even knew...............then the ward was wanting to have the baptism before Church on Sunday so badly and they were able to and it was such a wonderful baptism............so many ward members were there at 8 in the morning! Absolutely full! and then CJM was sooo ready and sooo happy and she bore her testimony for about 5 minutes.........with laughter and we learned even more about her testimony then we knew.........I truly had no idea she was so ready to make that covenant with Heavenly Father........she is incredible and that is all becaue of the Savior :) Then 30 minutes later she was baptized and confirmed in church.........with such a beautiful confirmation about her being married in the temple.........then Sister Grigg and I bore our testimony in tears (oh Sister Grigg is also moving!!! to Gaoxiong.........they are closing the Tanzi Sisters for 3 weeks because they are short sisters, but will open again in 3 weeks- so the Elders are taking care of all of our investigators, RCs. and everything!) and we sang O Holy Night with the Elders and we just love this ward with all of our hearts.......................then we had dinner with some members last night and they asked me to share some of my pioneer ancestor stories and what an incredible experience. Since the beginning of my mission, that has been something I have always wanted to do............we were all so touched and strengthened by their faith and I will for sure continue to read and share more about these ancestors that I owe everything to. Tomorrow we are spending the entire day with different members...........what a perfect day :) They always say the last weeks are full of tender mercies.............it's very, very true :) It may not always be easy, but it's absolutely miraculous :)

This week we also sang at three different schools for Christmas with some members and what a special missionary opportunity..........we also attended a funeral and all the speakers focused on the non-members there and it was incredible as they testified of the Plan to them...........we also had our Christmas Activity at Sun Moon Lake with an incredible devotional with Pres. Blickenstaff leading us along in an institute-like study of Isaiah about the Savior's Atonement. Wow.................and it just keeps going..................my heart is turned to the Savior in absolute gratitude. I am eternally grateful for this time to be on the front lines of building the kingdom of God on the Earth..........of experiencing true conversion in myself and others and seeing the Lord's hand in the lives of many. Words can't quite express.........I'll just have to live it the rest of my life :) Thank you for all the support you have given me this year and a half..........you have helped many souls that you have never even met...........I love you all so much and so excited to see you and hug you! May you have a marvelous Christmas in remembering your personal conversion and the power of the Atonement in your own lives..........I know the Savior lives, we are God's children and this is His eternal plan.........I love you!

Sister Jarvis

 With my hometown neighbor--Elder Anderson

By Sun Moon Lake 

 Reunited with Sister Schultz

 Taiwanese food.....yay!

 CJM's Baptism

With Sister Adams from Fruit Heights

Taiwan - Week 70 - December 15 - Merry Christmas...Almost :-)

Well fam so sorry, I spent all my time today getting the pictures for next week's farewell at the mission home ready so I'm pretty close on time!!

This week in a nutshell:

- Nitti came for dinner!!! She is doing soooo well, but really having a hard time with the mission decision in regards to her mom wanting her to wait, but feeling she needs to go.......so we cried together as we talked about the blessings that come to our families as we serve the Lord :)

- Etiquette Dinner! So great! not a lot of investigators there, but they are trying to do these consectutively so the youth can bring more and more friends!

- My companion is my angel, literally an angel from Heavenly Father and she is so intune :)

- CJM is still doing well, just helping her to have her own personal answer to rely on :) 

- This week is Christmas Activity and all!! We are singing in the schools and we have the ward Christmas party too :) Will be a week to remember :) So great to have felt Heavenly FAther's love so deeply in the last day or so............I'm so excited for the future and so grateful He has prepared me for it :)

I love the Savior and I love you all too!

Sister J. :)

Taiwan - Week 69 - December 8 - The Saviors Love

Hi family!

Well what a week :) So grateful for the love of our Savior and His example..........this week at our follow-up training meeting, the thing which President Blickenstaff emphasized the most was kindness, love, and charity. How amazing.......sometimes it's so easy to get caught up in the "work" part and the skills and all.........but what most importantly did the Savior do? He sacrificed for all of us because He loves us. Without love, we truly can't do anything well or really by the Spirit :) The times of my mission when I have loved my companion with all my heart, when we have felt such Heavenly love for investigators and members...real charity.......have been the happiest times of my mission!! and the closest I felt to the Savior :) This week I want to seek a renewed desire for love and charity for all..........to share it, show it, and live it. and that is only possible through the Savior- for He has changed my life forever!

The work is hastening! The members are so wonderful..............they are finding more and more friends who are being prepared by Heavenly Father to hear the Gospel :) We have an Etiquette Dinner for the youth next week the RS is throwing with us to help them also get more excited to bring friends to church!! So grateful for the miracles we see every day!

O and HJM got her Patriarchal Blessing last week! She wrote me and told me all about it :)

A scripture that I love to share after we teach the Plan of Salvation.......

"And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the Atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise."
-Moroni 7:41

O I love this scripture!! These words ring true! Because of Him, we can have hope, we can have faith, we can have joy.......in this life and in the life to come! The greatest joy and hope I have felt in my own life has all come from the changing power of the Atonement. It brightens our lights and we can truly be filled with His love and a fullness of joy! Believe in Him, trust Him, increase your faith in Him, and your days will ring with hope and joy.......for we will see Him again! I love you all so much!!!!! Have an amazing week!!

Love you!

Sister Jarvis

oh PS you can keep CJM in your prayers! She is doing well, just trying to help her really obtain her testimony and feel the power of the Atonement :)

Members took us to lunch and we ate sooo much!

Taiwan - Week 68 - December 2 - Happy December!

Hi my dearest wonderful family!!

Wow!!! What a week!!!!! Let's go through the play by play.........

First off! Mission Tour with Elder and Sister Funk!!! So incredible!!! Sister Blickenstaff spoke on perspective with the Plan of Salvation and invited all of us to study it and gain our own testimony of every part...........President Blickenstaff talked about working with the members and the best way to do so.......received a lot of inspiration for our circumstance right now! Sister Funk talked about the Spirit and revelatory experiences in such meetings as well as the importance of the Holy Ghost, Elder Funk talked about His talk from the Priesthood Session on having spiritual power as a missionary through humility, listening to the Spirit, and being obedient. He also talked about teaching the Restoration...........he talked about teaching that which was expedient......most importantly the Restoration and the Atonement. It was just so wonderful and it helped me realize how I can improve with our member efforts- really, really getting to know them first and then more natural ways of seeking their help with missionary work, such as PmF, etc. I have already seen a difference in the last week! I had a chance to chat with Sister Funk at lunch and they are former mission presidents from India so Elder Barlow served with them! Sounds like a super special mission........very grateful to Heavenly Father for the words and inspiration they brought to us.......that as we use, will change us, and help us become better disiples of Christ.

Second off! We had the tri-ward Thanksgiving Party on Saturday and we weren't sure how it was going to go......but it went fantastically!!!! We had over 150 people there and everything went so well!!!!!! We made a gagillion chocolate cookies that were gone in about 5 minutes and some of the members helped us make them so that was fun :) The amazing part was we also had two investigators there and the members took great care of them :) Then the previous Sunday we had invited all of the Sisters to invite one friend, family member, neighbor etc. to the party and one sister brought her sister-in-law and the other brought one of the girls who lives in their apartment- so amazing!!!! They brought them up and introduced them to us right away and one of them came to church the next day too and she can feel the Spirit so easily!! At the party we had some football, hand-turkey making, and a whipped creme/ unwrap candy in your mouth contest that everyone loved!! It was just incredible! The Elder in charge did such a great job and I was estounded by how successful it was! The work is truly hastening!!!! The members and the missionaries are taking action together.........I came home that night so grateful to Heavenly Father for such a successful missionary activity.......I know that through our smallest efforts, the Lord will work wonders and the work will hasten!

Third off! Our investigator CJM is absolutely incredible.......because she works nights, it's sometimes hard to talk to her throughout the week, but we shared the Plan of Salvation with her yesterday and she was so prepared.........she had read the pamphlet the day before and she has consistently been praying :) She was adorable in church yesterday, as she introduced herself..........that she is in the baby stages of the Gospel, not baptized yet, but wants to share it with everyone :) She's an absolute miracle from Heavenly Father..........she is going to be such a strong member and be the means of helping many others ETTE as well.........again, all I can offer is Gratitude to Heavenly Father and my Savior!!!

I want you all to know I love you so and that Hastening the Work of Salvation is exactly what the Lord wants us to be doing........each and every member!! Whenever we get focused on it, pray about it, or act about it......miracles just happen and I feel the spirit so strongly guiding us along! We are seeing little miracles take place here in Tanzi- these members are incredible :) O how much I have seen my own weaknesses get in the way, but the Lord so miraculously helps me to work over them and know I will continue to :) The Atonement of Jesus Christ is real and there is no other means by which we can enter the kingdom of God or be near Him..........that I know to be true with all my soul. Have an amazing week and love you all!!

Sister J. :)

Our Christmas tree

Taiwan - Week 67 - November 24 - Happy Thanksgiving

Hi Family!!

Well happy Monday! We're all moved in.......well everything's in, but haven't had time to put it all away :) Kind of funny being in the Elders' old apartment, but it's closer to our area so that's a blessing! Our amazing new investigator still has her goal for Dec. 28th and she's so amazing! She has to work nights so we met really fast with her on her off day and she told us how much this Gospel is already changing her life......I had to keep reminding myself that she's only ever heard the 1st lesson because it sounded like she's been around it for much longer :) She has such sincere questions.....how can I be more confident? How can I overcome bad memories from the past? Ah! All answered through the Savior! She also told us Saturday night that she had shared the Gospel! We asked her how and she said she went to the store to buy stuff and told the people she met that this Gospel has really helped her! Wowee! She wants to serve a mission too! and we've only met with her 3 times! I know that Heavenly Father has prepared her heart at this time and she said she feels the Savior knew she needed help :) You can keep praying for her and the other amazing mother- how grateful I am to Heavenly Father for these Sisters!

It may not be easy, but it's oh so worth it!! We are beginning to see movement in Tanzi with hastening the work of salvation! We had dinner with a family yesterday who invited her nephew and his girlfriend over to meet us!! The sister shared she had before been nervous to do so, but after reading that missionary work was members' work too, she knew she could do her part and the Lord would take care of the rest! and then we have been asking members for names to pray for and they have been giving us names and then contact info and then saying they would invite them to the party this weekend! "By small and simple things are great things brought to pass"- this weekend is the tri-ward Thanksgiving party! Turkey, football, whipped creme pie eating contests and all! We are excited for the members to go out and invite their friends and family to come!

This week Elder Funk of the Seventy is coming for our Mission Tour and we have been asked to prepare a talk on his talk from Conference about how we obtain Spiritual Power. This topic just speaks to my soul! I have been spending some of my personal study time preparing our talk on how we receive spiritual power. It has been an incredible experience.........as I read Elder Funk's talk, the scriptures on the Atonement that have touched my life so deeply, and the PMG pages that have changed my life and faith in Christ.....Heavenly Father has just sent the Spirit into my heart and I have been able to pour my personal testimony into the pages! It has reminded and strengthened me of how much the Atonement has changed my life and the power that faith in the Savior and repentance have, especially how closely it has brought me to Him. I've come to feel more and more how much we have to consistently be strengthening our testimony of the Atonement, our Faith in Him, and sincere repentance and acknowledging our need for His help. As the third article of faith says......all can be cleansed through the Atonement through obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel- I love this....it means far more to me now then ever before! Love you all so dearly! Remember Him always!!

Love Sister J. :)

Packing up

 Whipped Creme Race--they loved it!

Pumpkin and choc chip cookies--all gone

Taiwan - Week 66 - November 20 - Another Temple Trip

Just want to say I LOVE YOU ALL!!


We got back from the temple a little late today and moved apartments to one in Tanzi so my email will be quite short today but I will write more on Monday :D

For the miracle, 2 Sundays ago, Sister Grigg and I felt impressed to have a special fast to find a prepared soul. We turned everything to the Lord and put all our faith in Him........met a mom on the street who was just searching for the truth! She is so prepared by Heavenly Father and she was in tears the first time she prayed with us..............THEN we received a referral from the Da keng sisters they had met on the road Friday morning, set up with her for that day and she was incredibly prepared by Heavenly Father too! Has already felt Heavenly Father's love and is working towards her baptismal goal! Words can not express my gratitude to Heavenly Father for sending not one, but TWO prepared souls to us who are incredible......pray is real, fasting opens the power of Heaven, and this is His work!

Sorry time is gone!!! But we had an amazing week last week!!! Love you all and I'll email again on Monday!

Sister J.

P.S. Temple was amazing. I love it! :D

 On the bus to the temple

The Zone

Love the temple!

Taiwan - Week 65 - November 11 - This Is The Time....

Hi Fam!!

Sounds like a lot of excitement at home this week :D Grateful for your emails every week! Well this was definitely a week to challenge our faith, but it only makes us stronger :) We had a number of investigators tell us they didn't have a desire to keep learning about the Gospel right now or too busy too meet.....even though I know the Lord has a perfect plan, and Sister Grigg and I personally have felt that one of them will be baptized in the future, it is still hard. When you come to love them so dearly and know how important this is for them, it really does cause you to rely whole-heartedly upon your faith in the Lord......that's all I can do many days :D We've got HOPE and that carries us along too! BUT we did still have so many miracles this week!

We have a new investigator who I met on the road about a month ago. She's probably about 50, single, had some hard things in the past, and has a heart of love :) Yesterday as we were meeting with her she told us that she had lots of missionaries talk to her on the road before and just turned them away. The night when I ran into her, she had just had a hard time with her friend and was feeling quite sad, but as I started to talk to her she thought that this must have been God telling her that He wasn't giving up on her...she thought we were angels sent to her :) and because of that she was willing to meet with us and is now coming to church this Sunday! Yesterday she was telling us a lot of her concerns and challenges in life (she likes to talk :) ) and I realized that everything she said can be overcome and she can be changed through repentance, forgiveness, and the power of the Atonement. It's a true fact.....every single soul needs the healing and enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. For this dear sweet sister, I'm so grateful for Heavenly Father's an pai and love for her, He knows her worth and potential.......she has a desire to be baptized and she can truly come to know her Heavenly Father and be healed by her Savior.

Well I must say that it has become even more clear as to why Sister Grigg and I are in Tanzi........to help in Hastening the Work of Salvation :) We came to Ward Correlation on Sunday and were handed a calendar with the names of some of the High Priest's wives' names. They have signed up for different times and we will visit with them weekly to do missionary work together......beginning with getting to know them and build their faith, and then with results of visiting their friends, family, or LAs together. The 1st Counselor in the Bishopric is incredible! He is leading Hastening the Work of Salvation in the ward- He has the faith, vision, desire, and drive! The question is that the members aren't sure how to do it, so we brainstormed with him for a little bit after church about how to help them act and it truly does begin with prayer and faith! He said the Tanzi Ward loves the missionaries and will listen to us even more than the Bishopric sometimes :) So we came home from church yesterday and I dedicated my whole personal study to how we could help the members live this. It was incredible!! I prayed with all my soul to Heavenly Father open the windows of revelation, opened my scriptures to Alma and verses just came alive on every page that I felt impressed that we could share with the members about the power of the scriptures, faithful prayer, the Lord preparing souls, and our own conversion through the Atonement. I started writing and then even more ideas came for speaking in church, firesides, hand-outs for RS and all! Then I opened up to April Conference and read a few talks on missionary work and received even more thoughts and impressions from the Spirit and soon an entire page was filled! Even as I prayed last night, I felt Heavenly Father just confirm to me over and over again by the Spirit that this is what He wants us to do here- this is our vision :) I'm so grateful for this incredible ward and their desire to hasten the work, so grateful for prayer and the Spirit that open the windows of revelation, so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father that speaks to His children constantly, and for this miraculous work :) My vision for the coming months.........to help Sister Grigg become the best missionary in the whole world and to help Tanzi get going in hastening the work of Salvation :)

Today I had a Costco hot-dog and it was delicious :) Also went on exchanges this week with Sister Jian from Taipei who is just stellar and learned a lot about giving your whole heart to the area :) My dear Fam, you are incredible :) If you don't have a vision for your life for next year, you should make one :) Pray, read, ponder about....make a vision, then set the goals and plans to accomplish it......my mission changed completely when I made mine :)...the Lord has great plans in store for each of us and with a united vision with Him, we can accomplish great things :) I love you all- have a stupendous week!

Sister J. :)

Taiwan - Week 64 - November 3 - Happy November

HI Everyone!!!!

How are you?????????? Love you like crazy :D Well this was a week of miracles :) So much love this week!

Our dear sweet investigator had a great week.....we had a very bold member (and when I say bold, I mean bold and animated and just tells it how it is! Love this sister :) ) come with us to visit her and after that lesson, she hadn't smoked for two days! Earlier in the week, we had set up with her and went over with a member, but when we got there her neighbors said she had just biked down the street so we followed! And I kept thinking why would she have left if she knew we were coming........then I was thinking what plan Heavenly Father had for today as well......well we followed her to a grocery store, we waited outside for a few minutes and then Sister Grigg and I decided to go inside and find her. We found her and saw a can of coffee in her hands and asked her what she was doing........then she walked over and put it down and checked out :) In that lesson that day, she shared with us that she felt she hadn't received an answer from Heavenly Father about the B of M or the Church being true, but then as we shared the wonderful Hel. 12:5 about the Spirit and our pei-ke shared a beautiful testimony.....she realized that the peaceful, happy feelings in her heart while she prayed were the Spirit and she had received her answer! Her face lit up and the biggest smile was on her face!! She had prayed and asked God, and now she knew He had answered her and she declared boldly that she knew it was true! Such a special lesson that I will never forget..........then the next day she told us we were her angels that Heavenly Father had sent into the store to stop her from buying coffee! I definitely believe it- Heavenly Father works in miraculous ways :D This sweet Sister is so incredible..........I know she can do it, by the power of God she can..........this is what the Atonement is all about.......it changes us, helps us to live God's standards and live up to our divine potential. I know she can do it!

I took Sister Grigg to get some good American Subway on Monday :) and in the mall we met a sister from the Philippines who is working here, a member from the Philippines since she was 14 and hasn't been able to find the church in Tanzi for two years until she saw a group of Sisters in the mall! We met with her later this week and she shared with us her story and testimony and her desire to be active again! She said she has been praying to Heavenly Father recently that she could find the missionaries or the church and she found us! Then she pulled out her old, worn-down English triple combo and we gave her a new B of M in Tagalog and she almost cried :) She is married, with husband and little boy still in the Philippines and she is here working here for another year........she testified of how much the Gospel has blessed her family as her parents are both members and how much the Spirit comes into our lives as we read the scriptures. I had a moment when I was sharing my testimony with her.......one of those moments when you know that that is exactly where you are supposed to be.......bearing testimony of the Savior and that you want to do it forever. She came to church this Sunday and bless her heart was so patient with my translating, but another Sister is going to take her to the English branch in a few weeks and she is just so happy! She wants to go through the temple and receive her Pat. blessing too :)What a miracle :)

My b day was wonderful! On the 30th, I totally forgot it was my B day the next day!! haha :D My dear sweet companion made us funfetti pancakes, visited a lot of wonderful souls, and we had McDonald's ice cream.......twice.....in one day :) Then we bought some cakes at 7-11, my companion stuck them all together and we made a party of it :) Wow 23........well this is about as far as I imagined my life when I was a little kid, so I've got no certain plans for the future! Let the excitement begin!

This week my studies were all centered on our covenants and the power and blessings that come as we keep them. This was definitely what my Heavenly Father wanted me to study every day because it was in a verse of scripture that I read every day :) I felt prompted to read the section on covenants in True to the Faith and I read that as we keep our covenants, we don't have to be commanded in all things. Then it led me to D&C 58: 27-28, the words of the Lord that we can do many good things of our own free will and bring to pass much righteousness. This is amazing to me!! What a powerful blessing, as we keep our covenants we have made with God, we don't have to be told by Him everything we need to do, but we can go forward and do the things we feel are right or desire to do.......we can ask for His confirmation and then go and do. We had an opportunity to share this message with the 1st Counselor in the Stake Presidency and His family and we talked about how it applies to missionary work. We don't have to wait for the Lord to tell us who's ready or who to invite, but if we are keeping our covenants, we can go and invite and share with those we want to and bring to pass "so much righteousness!" I know in my mission that I have progressed the most as I didn't wait to be told everything we needed to do, but as I prayed and then went and did! Our covenants are so precious.......and especially I know that as much as they were mentioned in Conference, the Lord truly wants us to be strong covenant keepers right now- so cool!

Well I love you all! Can I just tell you that love is the greatest of all the gifts of God? It truly is!!! I know that Heavenly Father loves us all immensely, the Savior love us so that He gave is life for us so we can overcome our weaknesses and become the brightest of lights, I love you all so much!!! Go out and spread that love!!

Sister J.

Taiwan - Week 63 - October 27 - Happy Halloween!

Hi Family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow, can I just tell you how happy I am right now??????????? TTTTHHHHIIIISSSS HHHHAAAPPPPYYY!!!!! I just love everything- every little bit.......Tan zi, the mission, Heavenly Father, the joy of the Gospel, miracles, prayer, my dear friends here, and my new companion!!! :D Sister Grigg!!! This is why I'm here now.......this is the why of the Dec. 27th return date!!! I'm so grateful for Heavenly Father's perfect timing and plan and for giving me such an incredible blessing to be her companion and know with every fiber of my heart that He wanted me here til the 27th for a very specific reason :) O my heavens I love this work- being with the members, new investigators we have met, and SO excited for this time with Sister Grigg because I know it is divinely inspired :) We both felt like we were going to be each other's companions when we saw each other and then we were!

Let me tell you a little about her.......she's from Meridian, Idaho......youngest in her family with 2 Sisters and brother who all have adorable kids :) Super cool part.....She was born in China and then adopted when she was 2 and now she's in Taiwan learning Chinese and serving the Taiwan and Chinese people- super cool! Anyways, I just love her......she's absolutely adorable! She's 19, went to BYU for a year, sang in the Relief Society Broadcast when she was in the MTC, and full of so much love and already so focused and hard-working! My vision and goal for her.....help her be the best missionary in the whole wide world!! She will have to be able to lead the area a little earlier because of my leaving, but she is already going up on her own to talk to people! She has already prepared such inspired plans for some of our lessons and we also taught a 1st lesson together yesterday......it was her first time in the field and she did so great! Sometimes the member and her friend didn't really understand everything she said so it was a little frustrating for Sister Grigg.......as we went back to our bike she started to have some tears in her eyes and told me she was fine with a smile on her face but just needed a moment :) I broke out into "I am like a star shining brightly" with improv dance included which sent us both laughing and just let her know that we have all experienced those kinds of lessons.......she still never stopped smiling! She is a strong girl, strong testimony, and so ready to help people come unto Christ! We have also been fed by members about 4 times already and she has eaten it all! Except the mushrooms that she secretly gives to me :) She goes up and guan xins people on her own and is already trying to memorize all the members' names........I'm just so excited and so grateful to Heavenly Father for this huge blessing to have her as my companion!

LJM didn't make it to church yesterday because we couldn't get in touch with her to tell her we had a ride....she was sad she couldn't go so she said she read the B of M and Bible all day instead :) A member who came to her lesson last week told us that it was the most spiritual experience she had while attending an investigator's lesson........she said she could feel the Spirit so strongly as LJM prayed........it was way cool to hear what a powerful, converting experience that lesson was for the member. She felt before that her testimony wasn't enough to really help investigators, but this year she felt her relationship has grown closer with Heavenly Father and therefore strengthened her own testimony and conversion to the Gospel and therefore had a completely different experience being at the lesson......I know that lesson was indeed planned out by Heavenly Father.......my dear friends and family, if you ever get a chance to attend an investigator's lesson, take it! You may help to change their own relationship with Heavenly Father and it may change your life as well :)

One of the Elders' investigators brought his sister to church- super amazing girl with her friend- can't wait to meet with them this week!  Other really cool Ward Experience........last night at the ward FHE they had the leaving missionaries share their testimonies and what they had learned from investigators, etc. Then they had a Q& A session with the missionaries as a panel and they asked us any questions they wanted......it was way cool....they asked us questions from how to best prepare for a mission, for how the ward could improve with missionary work, to how our parents helped us prepare for missions and overcome trials in our young years.........we were able to openly share our testimonies with them and it also let us think a lot about our own families' faith and what things have strengthened and prepared us.......my dear family, you are having such an influence over here! I'm so grateful for you and your consistent faith in the Savior!!! Keep up the daily prayers and scripture study and temple trips!! Also.............cool member missionary activity!!! Some sisters in primary planned a Halloween activity on Friday with carving pumpkins and games, and made a big invite over Facebook and had 4 non-member families come!!! and they had us missionaries help with the activities so we could meet them! Super great idea :)

O and today we went to the mission home to say good-bye to 3 of my former companions!!! and HJm came up!!! She wanted to meet President Blickenstaff and she told him how she wants to go on her mission next year :) and then I hugged her forever and almost cried and then she said when she went to the temple that she kept asking to be baptized for more people so she was baptized for 26 in a row!! So amazing!!! O my goodness I love her so much........she has changed my life forever, will forever be grateful for Heavenly Father and to have her in my life :)

Well I love our new bright yellow vests that all of us missionaries now wear at night! and just sooooo excited for these months!! I love you all and am so grateful for your support!!! Praying for you always!!! You can bring someone closer to Christ this week :)

Sister J.

Frozen yogurt with Sister Grigg!

Taiwan - Week 62 - Happy After Conference

My Dearest Fam- Good Morning!

How are all of you today?? Conference was just amazing- every talk so unique and so powerful.........there was such a heavenly feeling in my heart as I listened to the Sat Morning session! I LOVED Elder Bednar's talk.....I was in absolute tears by the end. It will definitely change the way in which I teach about tithing, look for blessings in my own life, and there was so much power as he literally called us to repentance- it was as if he were one of the apostles right out of the scriptures. I also loved Elder Edward Dube about looking forward with faith, the fantastic exclamation points from Elder S. Gifford Nielsen's words on our personal Game Plan of missionary work!!! So many incredible talks on Missionary Work- O my family, we should definitely have our own Missionary Family Council! That was such an inspiring story!! It was amazing- as I was praying last night, all these names from home were coming to my head of non-members or LAs of people we could have- definitely inspiration from Heavenly Father! I loved how so much of the RS broadcast talked about our covenants and that by serving and helping our fellow brothers and sisters up the path we are keeping our covenants. Also loved Elder Eyring and Elder Oaks on a happy family with forgiveness and comp. of Holy Ghost and as well as looking at what is our ultimate priority. Also loved Elder David M. McConkie's talk on teaching!! Loved it so much know that what he said is true- just prepare, put the lesson plan aside, listen and let the Spirit guide. Also loved Elder Scott's on repentance and of course President Monson's words on kindness and patience through our trials and never stop praying :) I just love it all soooo much! It's the conference that is so united with heaven and you know it is the Savior's. I was really able to find a lot of personal answers as I used a different method for taking notes....I wrote a DO at the bottom after each talk and wrote what I personally felt I wanted to go and do, to change after hearing that talk. I realized I really havent' been a great studier of Conference Talks, I read them, but dont' really study- and I don't know why! But especially after hearing Elder Hales' talk about the greatest blessings of Conference come after it is over......I'm really going to study these words with all my heart, apply, and change my lives and those around me to draw closer to Christ. I love Conference!!!!!!!!!!!

This week was a special one in Tanzi :) Lots of mini miracles!! Originally this week we were not going to have another time to meet with LJM until Saturday and we were kind of bummed about that because we knew we really wanted to teach her the W of W before that. Well I know that the Lord works through small ways to bring about His work :) On Monday LJM was in an accident that could have been very serious, but other than her neck in pain with a neck brace she was ok. She had work off the entire week so we were able to meet with her a couple times and she spent her days at home reading the scriptures :) I was so grateful she was ok, and had this little miracle to see her often this week.  At the beginning of my mission, I may have been worried when people had problems with the Word of Wisdom, but now I just become so excited!!!! It's the best part! Because they are literally changing their lives to live in accordance with God's standards- it's so exciting to me.   I know the atonement is real, God's power is real, and that LJM can continue to prepare to be baptized. Powerboarding was pretty good too! Some members came and helped and actually the most interested people we met were from France and Africa! I don't think they came, but that's ok because we were able to tell the world about Conference and meet some great people! We had a less-active come, who has been coming back as well as an RC who has made great progress lately and they both just loved it :)

I LOVE you alll soooooooooooooooo much!!! My heart is just pounding with love for each and every one of you!!!!!!!! I love conference, I love my companion, I love these people, I love Taiwan, I love the Gospel, I love the Savior, I love Heavenly Father, I love this incredible time to share the Gospel!!! and I love my eternal family!!! Have a marvelous week!!

Taiwan - Week 61 - October 6 - Family Prayer and Scriptures

Hello my dearest, darlingest fam!!

Well this week was great :) We had some great exchanges, lessons, and all :) We met with an investigator family on Saturday, mother and 11 year old son, who is so great!! and shared the Plan of Salvation. The mom seemed to really like this life and how we study and learn and also the importance of the Atonement to overcome mistakes. At the end we asked the son what is favorite part was and he said the Celestial Kingdom because he wants to be with Heavenly Father, the Savior, and His family forever! ah it was the most innocent, pure, and truthful answer and you could just see it in his eyes. At the end of the lesson, the son Jack, gave the prayer for us and prayed that he could be with his family forever :) This family is so special......they haven't come to church yet, but I know they will :)

It's been really incredible.......in the last three weeks I have been able to meet with 3 different active/less-active families and testify of the power of family prayer and scripture. It took some time into my mission until I realized really how important it is and because of my parent's example in having us do so, it changed my life as well as my family's. With these families, we found out they weren't having family prayer or scripture study and we were able to share our personal experiences and testify of the power that comes from this sacred family time. Each family was so touched by the Spirit and committed to start having prayer, scripture study, or both! It was amazing! It has been something we have been able to testify a lot of up here and I am so grateful for the verses in 3 Nephi 18:19-21 in which Christ teaches us to have family prayer. I'm so grateful momma and baba for the example you set for our family to always set aside time......and now because of that, you are able to help families here to obtain the same blessings and have the Spirit in their homes :) LJM is still doing well :) Just keep her in your prayers.

O great news! My wonderful companion came up with best idea! On Thursday night we are going to a night market with some ward members to advertise General Conference!! The member will bring his notebook and play some Mormon messages and music and we are making some posters and such! Super excited and feel it will be a great way to find some of Heavenly Father's prepared souls to hear the words of the Prophets!

In other words, when I was on exchanges, one of the sisters shared with me a great bi yu that my old MTC teacher had shared.........our missions are like an hourglass, or life for that matter. We have to have little slumps/drops to build us up and become higher. I loved that! This is our journey of life and it's all possible because of the Atonement...we will indeed have those dropping points but only because it's time to learn something new and the Lord will provide the "meat" for us to make us stronger (1 Nephi 17:2) :D Love you all so much!!!!!!!!!! Let's go forward in faith- can't wait to chat about conference next week!

Sister J.

Taiwan - Week 60 - September 29 - Happy Monday!

Hi Fam!!! Happy Monday!

This week was mission meeting week!! We had DTM on Tuesday, Zone Conference on Wednesday with the Blickenstaffs about conversion, the B of M, and repentance and then Mission Leadership Council on Thursday. President Blickenstaff has been focusing a lot on true conversion- helping our investigators to be really converted to the Gospel, and specifically through the B of M and repentance. With HJM, it was such a powerful conversion process that it really taught me a lot. if they are converted to the Atonement of Jesus Christ, or actually if we all are, we can not fall and when the hard times come, we turn to Him and it changes us. True conversion really only comes through the Atonement of Christ- of faith, repenting, and becoming more like Him. We watched a new PMG video on teaching repentance with the pamphlet and then we had a great training on it- so powerful! We have a new office couple from Idaho too- they have a son and daughter on missions too! Mission Council was really great on Thursday as well- I have learned so much about church leadership and council from participating in these councils. They way in which the Lord guides His work is quite marvelous. So specific to the area and the people and the missionaries..........President Blickenstaff counseled with us and has given the mission some really great direction in teaching, obedience, and vision.

We had another miracle with our LJM this week! We went to visit her Thursday night and her son and boyfriend were both there. She shared with us that she hoped we could share with her some scriptures or teachings that could help them teach and raise their son. Her boyfriend expressed his concern and love for her son as well......he said he has really noticed a difference in her as she has been reading the scriptures. We shared 3 Nephi 18:20-21 on family prayer and I shared my own experience of family prayer and how much it has changed our family. We invited them to have family prayer nightly before they go to sleep and they said they would! Then......when we were finishing the lesson her son and boyfriend joined us in prayer!! It was the first time her boyfriend had ever prayed with her and she was so touched! Sister Christensen and I both feel that this isn't just about her.....Heavenly Father has plans for the entire family :) She has a lot of faith in God and came to church with her son! This ward is also incredible at taking care of investigators and RCs.......they all guan xined her immediately and then we were trying to find our RC to have a lesson with her after church, but her visiting teachers had already grabbed her and were having a lesson with her! So we were two empty missionaries in the hall with no one to meet with because they were all already meeting with the members! So awesome :)

This week I read an amazing scripture about how Heavenly Father will purge those branches that bear fruit so that they will bring forth more fruit (John 15: 1-2).....I definitely experienced this this week! Sometimes we have to have these rough patches or little times of challenge that Heavenly Father has given us to make us stronger and to once again have us rely upon the Atonement and become brighter lights :) Two incredible experiences with exchanges this week: went to Shalu and shared with a very faithful LA about my pioneer ancestors. As we sang "Come, Come ye Saints" she was in tears and said she hadn't felt that feeling since she was baptized which was more than 10 years ago. The Pioneers bring a Spirit that is unlike any other and I am honored to be of their posterity. I also went on exchanges with a Sister who suffers from insomnia and whose Mom died early on in her mission.......she's still here and she's still strong- as she shared her story with me, tears were in my eyes.....what an incredible example of faith and sacrifice. Incredible people all around us........I love this work and I love you all!!

Sister J.

Taiwan - Week 59 - September 22 - Tanzi!

Hi FAM!

Well Tanzi is such a wonderful place!! I'm already loving it so much! The city area is a lot like Zhang hua but there are beautiful green mountains too!!! The sky is beautiful! The chapel we attend is in a near-by city and it is the newest built in Taiwan- it is absolutely beautiful!!!! It was finished in June and is such a blessing for the members here :) The members are incredible.....they are literally living the Work of Salvation......they have a schedule for missionary dinners weekly where we can bring investigators, RCs, etc.....they will call and guan xin our investigators on their own and are so willing to help them! There is a Sister in the ward who has a free Ukulele class for Moms on Friday morning that lots of the members as well as her non-member friends go to and her whole purpose is missionary work :) She shares B of M stories and they are going to start learning hymns- so great! Ward Correlation was great......ward mission leader with Bishopric member and ward missionaries......and then at the end they have the missionaries give a little training from PMG- so good! They are such wonderful examples to me! Their desire to serve and kindness just emulates from each of them :)

This week was Zhong qiu jie (mid-autumn) festival which means the kids are out of school, parents don't have work, and everyone is out BBQing! On Friday we had to kao rou (BBQ) activities......definitely had our meats worth for the week :) They BBQ sausage, corn, vegetables, chicken, pork, mushrooms, tofu, everything and then they put some delicious sauce on top- yum! We also went to a member's house on the mountainside and had hot pot outside with lots of members and they had the Mormon Music Channel playing- it was marvelous :) Their son reminds me of little Jackson.......if you say Michael Jackson he will do the Beat It dance or if you say Michael Jordan he will swoosh it...absolutely adorable! We have a really incredible investigator right now named LJM. She is a single mom with a 7 year old son who has had a pretty rough life....the Sisters met her a few weeks ago while tracting.......she has a Christian background but she started to read the B of M and just loves it, marks it all up and everything! Due to exchanges, I haven't had a chance to actually be in a lesson with her....but miracle, she was worried about her boyfriend's opposition, but then she prayed that he could come to the ward BBQ and he suddenly didn't have work and so was able to come!........the members talked to him a lot and started talking with everyone too! We gave them both a church tour and she was telling him about Sunday and everything that happens.....then at the end Sister Christensen and I had a chance to talk to him and he said that he is Buddhist, but how he thinks the church is great and was so touched by how happy we were that they had come to the BBQ. He said he has to work on Sunday, but if he ever has time he will come to church and is more than happy for LJM and her son to come!! Absolute miracle!! He now has invited us over to their house for lessons- she was so happy! She has a baptismal goal for next month and so excited to share more of the Restored Gospel as it has already blessed them so much! The Spirit truly softens hearts and prepares the way for the Lord's work to take place.

I went on exchanges with Sister Park from Korea this week and I just love her to a million pieces!!! She just finished training this week so she was really stressed this week with trying to lead her new companion around and plan everything, but she felt the exchange helped her to feel a little better about everything.........she is incredible and let me tell you why.......she couldn't speak English or Chinese before she got to the MTC and now she can speak both! She comes from a family of 5 kids, all members, and her two oldest brothers are also on missions in Korea- her mom also served a mission- super strong family! She is really shy, blushes super easy, always bows to anyone when she gives them a tract, cares about her investigators so much, and has so much faith and love for Heavenly Father. Loved that exchange- we had about 3 self-contacts come to the church while we were there.......love Sister Park :)

This week we have 3 meetings!! yay!! Sister Christensen is just wonderful, so kind, happy, hilarious, and super strong....love her :) She's only been here one move-call so we are working to build up the area with investigators.....I know this is exactly where I am supposed to be and it's an incredible feeling.......I found myself praying the other night and realized the only things I could really think to say to Heavenly Father were words of gratitude! My heart was so full of joy and gratitude to Him and for the Savior.......in placing me here with these people, these Sisters, and these experiences. I love you all so very, very much! Last night at the ward FHE we watched the Tyler Haws video- if you haven't watched it on lds.org, you should watch it!! I know that the light in each one of us has the power to influence and help people all around us- that's exactly why He gave it to us. Service is incredible........finding the smallest ways to serve or help others feel the love of the Savior can make all the difference in the world. So pray for opportunities and I know Heavenly Father will definitely provide them :) I love you!!

Sister J.

Taiwan - Week 58 - September 16 - A New Season Begins

Hi Family!!!

Hope you all had a marvelous week! Thank you so much for your deep heart-felt emails.....it means the world to me and it always seems to be the thing I needed to hear, so thank you :) P.S. I haven't talked about my companion Sister Chua that much, but just wanted to mention that she is absolutely incredible! She is the kindest person ever- so full of love and service!! HJM's conversion and being in the temple with her was the best thing ever!! So divinely inspired :) We've been planning her trip to come to Utah next year :)

Well the news.........I have left Zhang hua! I got the call on Sat night that I would be moving up to Tanzi in Taizhong with Sister Christensen! So I am here in beautiful Tanzi today! Wow.....I really haven't moved for a long time, about 6 months! But I have just been so excited to come up north- I'm soo grateful to Heavenly Father because one of my missionary dreams has been fulfilled! When I first got on island, I desired with all my heart to serve in every area of the mission...Tainan, Gaoxiong, Middle-Zhang hua, and Taizhong and now I will have! I'm also so grateful because I will still be serving as a Sister Training Leader.....last week we didn't go on any exchanges and it was killing me! I was missing our Sisters so badly, and I honestly, truly missed being there to help and serve them......so I know that Heavenly Father heard my silent prayers and I am so grateful to move up north and now serve these Sisters here. I have come to love this incredible experience to be so focused on the Sisters and their welfare........it's brought me so much more joy as a missionary to forget my own worries and be focused on helping these Sisters in their areas. I definitely still have lots of room for improvement and still trying to overcome my own weaknesses, but Heavenly Father has truly helped me to do all I need to do for them :) So excited to serve with Sister Christensen (from Logan, going home after this move-call, Sister Fitzpatrick's old comp, tall and super cute!) in this wonderful area!

Was it hard to leave Zhang hua? Most definitely..........felt like I was leaving home again- really truly! The members, RCs in Zhang hua literally are my dearest friends and family :) But was my time there finished and I am needed elsewhere? Yesiree........I felt like I was going to move all week....Sister Chua asked me on the road if I felt like there were still things the Lord needed me to do there and it didn't feel like there was at all.....kind of a really special feeling. It's amazing.......I arrived there 6 months ago as a young, still trying to get her hands on things missionary and now I leave as a really different person. It's hard to explain all my feelings about Zhang hua in words........it was there that I truly came to understand what missionary work is all about, it was there that I came the closest with my companions and realized how heavenly sent they were, it was there that my self-confidence was low and then felt the love and confidence of Heavenly Father that He had for me, it was there that I truly came to understand repentance and forgiveness through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, it was there that I came to understand the potential of divine light we each carry, it was there that I saw and participated in some of the greatest miracles of my life, it was there that the members became family, it was there that I was the happiest I had ever been on my mission, it was there that I came to realize my own weaknesses and how to really live the Gospel and put it into action, it was there that I learned what faith in the Savior really means and the power of it in our personal lives, it was there that I realized my own potential and vision, it was there that the scriptures came alive to me and spiritually impacted my life each day, and it was there that I came to feel the closest to the Savior I had ever felt on my mission. In small terms that is what Zhang hua means to me :) It changed my life forever and I will never be the same...........I know that we will all have places, people, and times in our life that will open our eyes to what we've been missing, realize our personal need for the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and then change us forever as we work to live up to that potential of divine light. It's been an incredible journey and now it will only continue on forever........I'd like to share the scripture I chose for my mission plaque scripture :) It came to have very personal meaning to me in Zhang hua.......

"But Ammon said unto him: I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God."
"Yea, I know that I am nothing: as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boat of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever." Alma 26:11-12

I know that I am weak, so very weak, but with God I have been able to do anything! He has lifted me to new heights and changed my perspective....I want to testify that I know as we have faith in the Savior, pray fervently, and boldly follow Him, we will truly come to know the power of the Spirit and our own divine potential. We are spirit children of the most powerful being in the universe and that is amazing! His light is in each one of us and as we open it up- it beams and will change others lives and help others to do the same!! This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I love it with all my heart!! I love you all so very much and each of your lights have played a huge impact in my own life........I know that we will only continue to grow and that life only gets better until we are with Him again! I love you family! I love these people, I love my companions, I love the Savior and my dear Heavenly Father and I love this work!!! Have an incredible week of faith!!

Sister J.

After a fireside with President and Sister Blickenstaff

The 1st Ward Relief Society (Zhang hua)

 The 2nd Ward Relief Society (Zhang hua)

My dearest Liang Mama

Me with Sister Chua 

I love the Xu family!

Taiwan - Week 57 - September 9 - Long Time, No See (and a Baptism!)

Hi all!! I felt like I just emailed you, which I did, but I'm happy to again so soon because we had a marvelous weekend of baptism, Mexican party, and just the goodness of members and the Gospel! Hope you all had a splendid weekend as well!

HJM's baptism was absolutely wonderful!! It was a double baptism with the Elders investigator from the 2nd Ward so the room was full to capacity! She was SO excited and everything went just great.........she has been preparing her testimony for a couple of days now and had it all written down :) It was so her, so sincere, and so spirit filled............she shared how much she loves Heavenly Father and has felt His love for her, that she knows the most important thing is Enduring the End, how she desires to obtain the Celestial Kingdom so she can be with Heavenly Father and become like Him, and how much she has felt the Spirit.........after she sat down she turned to me and told me that she hadn't even said all that she had written down. She said that as she was bearing her testimony it wasn't even her....just felt a very strong feeling guiding her thoughts and words.....The Spirit! So incredible!! She has already felt the influence of the Spirit in guiding our words as we bear testimony........Heavenly Father has great plans for her! She is going to grow to be a strong and spirit-intune mother and wife who raises a righteous family in the Gospel :) She was confirmed and received the Holy Ghost on Sunday.........I'm just so grateful for this move-call and to be a part of this.........just sitting in the Celestial room last week, I was thinking of all these precious RCs and how elated and excited I was for them to come there too.......especially HJM......the temple...eternity....Celestial Glory.....Eternal Families....that's what it's all about :)

Tomorrow we are having a ZTM on repentance so I have been specifically asking Heavenly Father to help me learn more about repentance from the scriptures each morning and He has really been answering my prayers :) In these last few months or so, it has become the principle that has really changed my life. I have been so touched and desiring to learn more about mercy as well........the mercy of God is so real! I would just love to share two scriptures I read this morning:
Alma 42:13,15
"Therefore, according to justice, the plan of redemption could not be brought about, only on conditions of repentance of men in this probationary state, yea, this preparatory state, for except it were for these conditions, mercy could not take effect except it should destroy the work of justice. Now the work of justice could not be destroyed; if so, God would cease to be God.
And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also."

God's plan is perfect........repentance is needed in order to obtain His mercy and He is just waiting to give it to us..........I have seen others change, including myself, because of His mercy.......I know that our dearly, beloved God is merciful, is all loving, all charitable!! The Savior is my rock and support.........His love guides me through each day and I will boldly stand and declare His name for the rest of my life. I know that we can all change and become more than we ever though we could through Him.......your potential is endless! Just remember that :)

How do you make members happy? Teach them the simplest Mexican recipe ever and they are elated :) Our Mexican Fiesta consisted of Costco Tortilla Chips, Costco Salsa, Homemade Salsa made by the Elders and Members, 2 mountains of grated cheese, Costco bought tortillas, and meat brought by members........then wabam! You've got yourself a delicious Mexican meal! The cheese lasted approx. 15 min or so before it was all gone.......dearly loved in Taiwan as well! A wonderful member got us great Mexican Restaurant Music- old style and then we taught them the Mexican Hat Dance and the Macarena- sooo fun!! I think the missionaries may have had the most fun ;) But the members loved it too- o my heavens I love these Zhang Hua members so much........I don't know how I'm going to depart, but I know that I will have to........I will love them forever!!

I have come to absolutely love SOY! The Strength of Youth Pamphlet is so incredible- read it:) God's standards are real and help us become exactly who He wants us to be! My dear Fam, I just love you :) I'm so excited every time I get to talk to other about you or our own experiences that have changed our lives together or personally...........you've had a great influence on the people here without even knowing it :) Yesterday a Sister was telling me about how she is worried about her teenage sons who are sometimes not so obedient.......I shared a little of our family with her and how our parents never stopped loving or teaching us.......they always kept us surrounded by the Gospel and we have become who we are because of that. She was really touched and I think it gave her a little more hope for them :) I love you all so dearly!!! This Gospel has changed our family forever and because of our Savior, we will only get stronger and tighter :) I love you!! Share your light with someone new this week!!

Sister J.

HJM's Baptism!

Mexican Party!

Taiwan - Week 56 - September 5 - Happy September!

Hi Family!!!

Just returned from the Temple.........it was absolutely wonderful :) It truly only gets better and better and just means more and more to me :) Today during the session things just really connected with an eternal perspective and how the things we learn there have so much relationship with our lives right now. You can just feel the presence of the Savior, Heavenly Father, and even the pioneers so much in the temple. We had the incredible privilege to do initiatories before the session.......and I did them for sisters from China 200 years or so ago. I love the temple........I know it is the House of the Lord- you can feel His presence there.......and I will forever continue to return there for the rest of my life :)

How is it that this move-call is almost done??? Things are starting to hit a little more that my time is getting a lot shorter, but it's still a lot, and we are just going to keep that eternal perspective! I am super excited for the work, miracles, and people that the Lord still needs me to meet :) I didn't get a chance to mention it last week, but I had a completely different plan in mind for my last two move-calls......when I found out it wasn't going to happen as I expected it really caused me to hold on to my faith in the Savior and trust in Heavenly Father's plan because I know it is perfect. I prayed over and over again in my heart that I would follow His plan for me and put all my trust in Him. It has made all the difference in the world! Although I don't know at all what He has in store in the next few months......I am elated because I have all the faith in the world in the Savior and I know as I trust in Him and do His will, everything will work out exactly the way it should....I know it :) I thought I understood faith before my mission, but I had no idea! Faith has come to mean SO much to me personally........it brings light, power, the Spirit into everything we do and it most importantly brings us very close to our Savior.

Well it's a miracle......HJM is getting baptized on Saturday! and she is probably one of the most excited people I have ever met! I remember the first time I met her at church....she immediately hugged me! and I was kind of surprised but it felt so comfortable and then when I asked her later about it, she said she didn't know why she hugged me, she just did! :) Before every single lesson I would get so excited to share it with her because she was so prepared, so willing, and it felt like we'd known her forever.........it was so real. We just opened up our hearts to her and she opened up hers with us.........and the Spirit was SO strong......especially every time she prays. One of the most incredible things about her is how early on she was able to recognize the Spirit........I have found that this is so key to conversion. She describes the Spirit for her as a very "man" feeling.......it feels that the room and her heart are full :) I love it so much! She always pauses after the prayer and just sits there............she just sits and feels it.......it's been so key to her conversion. I know that she felt your prayers this week and helped her find her own answers :) She has always known it is true from the first time she felt the Spirit, but she had still not received a specific answer about whether the B of M and the Prophet Joseph Smith were true. She LOVES faith and so we told her about Ether 2 and 3 on Monday. On Tuesday night we called her and she said she had gotten her answer and she was so excited! She read the entire book of Ether twice in two hours! and then in Ether she found a reference to the Three Witnesses....she remembered the first pages of the B of M with the Testimony of the Three Witnesses- it clicked, she said a prayer in her heart and she got her answer :) She has so much faith and she can not wait to go to the temple.....she was dying she couldn't got with us today :) Heavenly Father has prepared her so much and she has truly come to know Him........it is true conversion and it's incredible.

Well we are having a make Mexican food party for the ward on Saturday! We are doing super simple Quesadillas and teaching the Mexican Hat Dance.......I have been praying about it and everyone seems really excited so it should be lots of fun......and we are hoping that the members will bring their family members and friends as well! Exchanges have been great.......one was an adventure in Taizhong when Sister Wadsworth's handlebars were stolen from her bike at the train station so we became walking missionaries for the day! Incredible members helped us out too :) I was with Sister Walbrecht yesterday who was in Tainan with me......she goes home in two weeks and so it was a very "Sons of Mosiah" experience as she said.......just as the Sons of Mosiah were reunited on the road as they had not seen another in a long time and shared their mission experiences....so did we :) Every missionary companionship is so incredible....in their own unique way.....they are each so inspired and you can feel their connection to Heavenly Father....so incredible to see the lives they are all touching!

Well I love you all dearly, I love the temple, I love this mission, and I love my Savior. I just have to say.........my scripture study has changed me forever......as I have re-started the B of M I have been reading it very closely with the footnotes from the Bible and it is incredible!!! I have such a testimony now that they go hand in hand....and we truly do need both to understand the word of God. I highly recommend it as you read! I would like to share a scripture from the Bible that touched my heart this week in Luke 15:7:
"I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance." The Savior's words of the parable of the Lost Sheep........how merciful He is! The joy of Heavenly Father and our Savior as we make mistakes, repent, change, and turn unto Him......I know that repentance is real and so is the mercy of our Savior. Whatever guilt or burdens we still carry, whether new or old, they can all be lifted and erased! I felt it sooo much! He lives and loves you!! and I do too!! Have a wonderful week!!

Sister J.

Taiwan - Week 55 - August 28 - Love You All

Well I just love you all :D  I pray for you all daily and I have been overwhelmed by how much Heavenly Father has blessed you--truly one of the greatest blessings from my mission :) This email is a little shorter this week because I was writing lots of other things today and sending pics :)

Three exchanges in the last week or so!! So great!! I love exchanges with these Sisters- I love being able to listen to them, their conversion stories and goals, also to help them let their light shine as bright as it possibly can :) Each exchange is so uniquely it's own and these Sisters are so dedicated to this work- it's amazing!

HJM is still doing incredibly :) She had her faith trial this week.........with everything she has just been great- understanding and keeping commandments. We shared Tithing and Fasting with her......tithing was great, but for some reason she just couldn't understand fasting. We tried explaining it again, sharing examples, personal experience, other books, but she just couldn't understand it. It was frustrating her........she couldn't believe that she couldn't understand it, we didn't know either but we invited her to fast this Sunday to try it for herself and that she would be able to understand it a lot more. We sat down on the floor with her after the lesson and my companion at the time, Sister Chang, shared a great story of how the adversary tries to get us when we are at our peak- on the right path. She said she would just keep reading and praying an we told her that was the best thing to do! I know this will strengthen her so much and Heavenly Father will help her to have even more faith :D Keep her in your prayers!

Time is almost up!!! I will write more next week but I love you! The Lord's mercy is real!!!!!

Pictures:   We finally went to ba gua mountain last week which is a super famous mountain with a big buddah on top in the middle of Zhang hua city!

Near Big Buddha with Sister Chua

Love Taiwan!

Jumping at Ba Gua Mountain

Some fountains that made me happy because they played "Under the Sea"

Taiwan - Week 54 - August 18 - This is REAL :)

Some neighbors of Sister Jarvis visited Taiwan and surprised her by coming to an event at the Church where she was at.  She was very excited to see them.  

Hi Family!!!

Wow- I still can't believe I saw the Andersons yesterday, it was definitely a taste of home! And then the pictures that you sent......I can barely recognize my brothers!! Zach and J- you look way to grown up! Sometimes you just don't realize how much everything else is changing there while you're changing here......o man, not quite ready to face that yet, but I know I will be when the time comes :) Anyways, you all look great with so many adventures and all- Sister Chua and I had some pretty good laughs last night with the cardboard cut-out wedding pictures :D So funny! Jackson looks like long-time drummer and Zach looks like a service missionary in Fiji.....so cool!

This week was great! It was really special to me........I felt myself change a lot this week, really deeply. I look back on all of my most recent experiences and Heavenly Father really has been helping me to become the missionary He needs me to be right now..........just not for these incredible people in Taiwan but for the Sisters too. As a leader last move-call, we had so many great experiences and we were able to help the Sisters a lot, but it has already been so much more this time. On our exchanges on Friday in Taizhong with Sister Adams, I literally felt a higher power that was with me the whole day......more than I have ever felt in my whole mission. Now I feel that I am making a difference and really helping people.........through my Savior I have found a greater light within me and He has helped me to take hold of it and let it glow. Not for my personal benefit in any way, but for all those around me and interact with. On Friday I had two experiences while contacting people, one on the bus and one on the road, that were very special. The girl I sat next to on the bus told me that she could see from me how how happy and good this Gospel was. The one on the road, although she wasn't interested at that moment, told me that she could feel from me a special feeling that let her know the importance of what I was sharing. It wasn't until I returned back the apartment that night that I reflected on these experiences and realized how strong the Spirit was working through me for these two sweet sisters to share what they could see and feel. It was incredible. This is why I love missionary work and would do full-time forever if I could, but I will do my best to continue sharing the light which God has given me for the rest of my life. I'm truly finding what it means to be a vessel of the Lord in a way I never thought I could. This is the realest and truest thing I know.

Funny story of the week: In Taizhong on exchanges we had the coolest experience sitting with all these members and their incredible investigator at KFC- everyone was bearing testimony and it was so great! Well there is this great members named Shi Baba (Dad) who loves to buy food for the missionaries and it was insane! I have never seen so much KFC in my life and then we had to eat it for breakfast the next day and then we had it for lunch the next day with another investigator! I am definitely getting large in stature ;) ( ha o man such a missionary joke!)

HJM, the incredibly prepared soul, is doing incredible! We were with her almost every day this last week! We had the most incredible Plan of Salvation lesson (on exchanges with Sister Anderson from Dance Company so that was incredible!) so focused on the Atonement and the steps back to Heavenly Father and HJM said all she wanted was to return to live with Heavenly Father :) Word of Wisdom was also amazing.........she only drinks water and milk! She actually used to drink alcohol but gave it up in January.........Heavenly Father has prepared her for this all year :) The most amazing part of the week was the fact that she came chuaning the jiao (doing missionary work) with us on Thursday and Saturday! She wanted to come with us to all our appts and it was incredible! We visited LAs and new, hard investigators and every time she shared her simple but powerful testimony that she has felt it for herself that this is true and they could too.........even when one of our investigators was throwing lots of doubts at her about it--she looked at her and told her she could get an answer too and it changed that investigator completely. I almost cried 3 or 4 times that day as I witnessed this precious daughter of God who had just known the Gospel for over a week, share her testimony with such conviction and humility.....it was incredible. I love her sooo much it just about makes me cry!

Our 16 yr. old short term missionary, YJM, survived the week! She was the opposite personality from the last one I had so it was definitely a different experience but it was great :) I'm so grateful for my patient and loving parents through my teenage years ;)  She was just a bubbly 16 year old with a great testimony :) she shared the lessons so simply and so faithfully :) She also wants to serve a mission so that is so cool! She got along great with HJM and our recent convert ZJM so it was way fun and then last night we sat down with YJM and had a little share about what she learned.........it was cool to hear all that she learned and the changes she wanted to start making in her own life- o I love her so much! In the testimony meeting she shared one of her favorite spiritual experiences of the week.....which was also one of mine, of my whole mission :) On Saturday night we watched the Testaments with two RCs and HJM. As we watched, I felt such a strong spirit and truth and faith of the Savior's life, more than I have before when I have watched. After the movie finished, no one said anything and then we asked everyone individually about their feelings after watching it.........with "This is the Christ" playing in the background everyone shared such pure testimonies and the Spirit was sooooo strong. Sister Chua and I were in tears! The Spirit overcame me and bore testimony to them that we would all see Christ again and I KNEW that with all my heart. The Spirit touched us all and you could feel the love of the Savior.........and then as we went home I was talking to HJM and told her this is true, so true and she said "It really is!" :) Awww so incredible...........this week my heart is open up in full gratitude to my Heavenly Father and Savior! I KNOW with every ounce of my heart and soul the Savior lives! This is His church and it is REAL..........we will all see Him again and I can not wait for that day! I love you all so much!!!!! Have faith in Him in all that you do :)

Sister J.

Cute picture of our short term missionary napping as we email :-)