Taiwan Week 19 - No Transfer--Staying in Tainan

Sister Jarvis thought she might get transferred, but will get to remain for at least 6 more weeks in the beautiful city of Tainan.

Zao an!!!

Hello my dearest family and friends :) So move call has come and gone and I will be staying in Dong qu for at least another 6 weeks with Sister Liang! I thought that I would probably be leaving, but apparently the Lord has different plans :) There is still work for me to do, people for me to meet, and things for me to learn here in this wonderful white field. Move call always reminds me that our Heavenly Father knows us far better than we know ourselves :)

This week de hua........Our dear sweet ZJM (JM stands for Jie mei which means sister) is doing sooo great :) She is so humble, has so much love for everyone, and reads the B of M every day :) I had a really special moment with her this week. She invited us over for dinner on Wednesday night and made some delicious noodles for us. Sister Liang was talking to her daughter so I went in the other room to share a scripture with ZJM. I kept thanking her for making us dinner and she said, "Don't thank me.....we're Sisters right?" Ah, my heart melted....yes we are :) Then we read a scripture about the happiness and hope Heavenly Father gives us in Ether 12:32-34. It talks about the place which Christ has prepared for us in the mansions of the Father. After we read it, ZJM said, "Wow.....that sounds like a really big place....does He really have mansions for us in Heaven?" I told her He did and she just couldn't believe it....couldn't believe how big and wonderful the Celestial Kingdom must be and she just giggled as she thought about it. You have moments on your mission, just very small, when the eternities and heavens are opened for a brief moment.....that was one of them :)

Other exciting happy/miracle story.........the Ward Christmas Party on Saturday night! (Well first a cookie insert....so I attempted to make chocolate cake mix cookies without an oven......we have a little baby toaster oven so I covered it in foil and then used old oil to make them because we didn't have anything else, but it was ok because they were still eaten :) ) So Sister Liang and I walked in a little late to the Christmas Party and there were sooo many people! Members, less-actives whom we had not seen for a long time, our investigators, family and friends of members....it was so great!! Everyone was just so happy- eating, chatting, listening to Christmas music......it was just such an incredible feeling. It was a huge family gathered together and it made me realize that we are all the same, we are all from the same Eternal family. It doesn't matter if we are long-time members, less-actives, investigators, or a person on the street.....we are all Heavenly Father's children and we are really just one big Eternal family on Earth :)

I learned an important lesson this week.....Heavenly Father has specific work for each of His children to do. I think I have recently been trying to do every aspect of missionary work every day and it just doesn't really work that way. He has specific things for each specific companionship that He wants them to do for specific people or in a specific area. Even though I am still in the same area, I'm finding that the work that Heavenly Father wants Sister Liang and I to do is different from what He wanted Sister Gibson and I to do. This applies to every aspect of our lives too....the amazing part of the Gospel is that it can mean something completely different to everyone. We all have our personal testimonies, gifts, and callings......but we have the same Divine Savior to help us :)

Well I love you all so so much!! Thank you over and over for your prayers and support.....they are always felt :) I hope you have an amazing week of miracles and love! The Gospel is true!

Love you!

Sister J.