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.