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.