Just vibing out in the boonies 🤙

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful and fantastic week :) Last P-day we had a zone picnic which was a lot of fun! We played ultimate frisbee :) Afterward we had a lesson with one of our friends and taught the Restoration! We don't teach that one nearly as often in Taiwan as we do in America (or at least it feels like it) so it's always refreshing to teach because it's like my favorite thing in the universe. That and the Plan of Salvation. And the gospel of Jesus Christ. And all of the things because they are just so wonderful and fantastic and bring people so much hope! 

Tuesday was good and busy! We had district council and a temple tour right after (my last one) and then went to the Sanchong chapel for DLC (which we ended up completely missing...whoops) and then did a zone music finding activity in Sanchong! It was super fun, Li Jiemei and Jiang Zhanglao and I just switched off singing while everyone else street contacted. It was a lot of fun, I got to do the easy part haha. 

Wednesday, we had a lesson with a friend before English Group, and she led a Book of Mormon discussion! It was good! Afterward I had my last english group with the kids :( they're all so cute but also really crazy haha. Then we had a lesson with Axiang and taught him the last few principles he needs to be baptized! Then I packed :) I'm honestly really sad to be leaving Jinhua and the friends I have met there, but Heavenly Father has a different plan for me now :)

Thursday was transfers! I said goodbye to my baby 黃姐妹 and met up with 姚姐妹，one of my past companions from Danshui! We headed out to Zhudong in Xinzhu! The Miaoli sisters left a phone at our apartment, so they came with us. Also, my luggage wheels are straight trash, and it feels like just dragging 50 pounds, and then when we got here I found out that one of the wheels was missing so I actually was dragging 50 pounds...that's nice haha. 

Friday, we had weekly planning and then went to a member's house for a visit! Afterward we went to a recent convert's house and ate dinner with their family. They are super sweet! Also, the place where they live is super pretty! I want to live there :)

Saturday, we didn't have much going on, so we just bounced around doing a whole bunch of finding activities! We added some lines and met a lady from the Philippines who wants to come to English Group! We also filmed a singing video for me :)

Sunday we had church and it was good to meet a lot of the members! Our ward is really small and probably had only 20 something active members, but Yao Jiemei and I are hoping to put some activities together to help some of our less actives come back and help members feel comfortable inviting their friends! One of our members did invite a friend to church which was a miracle! 

Spiritual thought for the week:

The other day I was thinking about the scriptures Mosiah 24:13-14. I love the comfort that these scriptures give. Something that stuck out to me that hasn't before was the part that says "And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.

   14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions." 

This part stuck out to me because I believe that everyone who seeks the Lord's comfort, will find it. But we can't just leave it at that. Our responsibility, after receiving His comfort, is to stand as a witness of Him and testify that He does comfort, and that He does love us. Are you standing as a witness to others that the Lord will help His children? Do you know? 

Love you all and wish you the best week!    -江柔安姐妹  

I Love to See the Temple

I will give you $5 if you can guess the song stuck in my head

Actually maybe 5 Taiwanese dollars :) I've had to give people money far too many times for that one. 

Happy P-day everyone! I hope you all had a lovely and fantastic week! Mine was good and went by really quick! This week was full of member meals for Chinese New Year. It was a dangerous week...too much food and they don't really let you stop eating haha. Luckily, we only had about one meal a day. The poor Xinan missionaries had two :/ it's too much haha. Other than that, not too much happened really!

Wednesday, we had a combined English Group activity with a bunch of games (including using chopsticks to pick up beans and an English charades game) which was fun! 

Saturday we were going to have a baptism for one of our friends but she ended up getting covid, so it had to be postponed :( please pray for her! It will be next week but that means I won't be there...which leads me to the next item of business, transfers! 

On Thursday we have transfers, and I will be moving to Zhudong with Yao Jiemei, one of my previous companions! I was pretty surprised we will be together again, but it'll be a fun transfer! Zhudong is in XinZhu, outside of Taipei. It'll be fun to get out of the city for a bit and experience more of Taiwan! 

I love you all and I'm so thankful for your support! Hope you have a fantastic week!  

Spiritual thought for the week: Something I feel like I always say when people ask how the Savior has changed me is that He has lifted my burdens. This includes burdens of mistakes, hardships, worries, etc. I have always recognized that as one way that the Savior has touched my life, but sometimes we as people get into grooves where we forget how He has personally changed us. Recently my companion asked me "How has the Savior lifted your burdens in your life?" This really made me think and changed my perspective, that instead of a general answer to the question "How has the Savior changed you" and not deeply pondering on my own answer, I can refer back to the experiences I have had that testify of Him and show me how PERSONAL He is. The best way to teach people is to do so in a way that allows them to answer questions and therefore teach themselves. I'm grateful that we can ask ourselves questions and take time to remember Him and the very REAL impact He has had on us. How has the Savior influenced your life? And then, WHEN have you seen it?

Chinese New Year!!

新年快樂! Happy Chinese New Year Everyone! I hope you all found a fun way to celebrate and ate some pig stomach like I did! Good times :)

Here is a fun interaction with our president this week... 

US: Go to mission office to print stuff out... PRESIDENT: "Hey Sisters come see this remix video of a Chinese Grandpa teaching his granddaughter how to sing Chinese opera!" 🤣

Last Monday we had a qingke and went to lowkey the fanciest restaurant I have ever been too! It was a good time! Tuesday, we had interviews with President which was so good! He actually told me I'll be moving. I'm not surprised though; I've been here for a while now. Other than that, we had apartment inspections, district council, and some temple tours/lessons! 

Wednesday was fun, to celebrate Chinese New Year we gathered as our full mission and ate at a restaurant! We also got to do a dragon dance (to every native who keeps correcting me: yes I know it was a lion, not a dragon, but everyone at home would be confused if I said that) which was super fun. After that we had English Conversation Group that we help run every week! 

Thursday I and the sisters in my apartment decided to do an English (or Chinese for the natives) fast. This means that we would go a whole day and try not to speak English. I hadn't tried it since the MTC (and had never had a successful one) but I chose to do it again! It was fun! I definitely still spoke English, but it was fun haha. We also did some service and had a temple tour and a lesson which was good! 

Friday was the first day of Chinese New Year! Basically, we just join the members for their really big meals! So, we did that and weekly planning and that's about all that is worth mentioning haha. Saturday night we ate with members and then went to President's house after to do some fireworks! It was a lot of fun! Not much happened Sunday either haha.

Spiritual thought for the week: Today I was thinking a lot about the priesthood and this scripture in D&C 121: 41: "No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned." I thought about the purity of the priesthood and the gospel of Jesus Christ. It can only be handled upon principles of righteousness, and it cannot be corrupted. Throughout the dispensations it is clear that if the people in the church became wicked, God would remove His power from them. His gospel cannot be corrupted. If this scripture shows the qualities of someone using God's power, and the purpose of His power is to become more like Him through ordinances and covenants, what does that show you about the character of God Himself?

 

  

Soarin, Flyin, There's not a star in heaven that we can't reach 🎵

I couldn't think of an email title so therefore I did the first random think that popped in my head, as one does. 

Hello goodly people of my email list! I hope you are all doing amazing! My week was pretty good :) I had a little kid ask me if I'm an alien...that's nice haha.

Monday, we went to a Buddhist temple which was cool! Tuesday, we had two member lessons and the power went at the church in one of them which was fun! It turned back on pretty fast, don't worry haha. We also had an on-the-spot tour which was good, and a lesson with one of our friends that night! 

Wednesday not too much happened, we had ECG which was good! We learned about fruits :) Thursday we had exchanges! I was with Sister Bailey in Jinhua for the day. We were kept busy and had a couple of lessons and an on-the-spot temple tour which was good. It was fun! Unfortunately, because of all of the lessons and tours we didn't have lots of time for other things and didn't have a lot of time for our evaluation, but I hope she still got something from it!

Not too much happened Friday! We had weekly planning, and we also went street contacting at Daan park for a sec which was good!

Saturday, we had a temple tour with a member who is preparing for her endowment which was good! After that we went to go meet with a less active member, who told us when we got there that his female friend couldn't come (we have a rule where we need a third female with us whenever we are with men) and then it turns out he wasn't even our member...the whole thing was pretty awkward. We shared a scripture and got out of there pretty fast. At least it was in public haha! Later we had a drop lesson with a friend which was sad. She just wasn't willing to progress and straight up told us she doesn't want to/need to improve as a person. It was really sad, and my poor companion was really sad about it. It is sad because we know how much this could help somebody's life and they still choose not to. But the Lord loves His children, He will give them more opportunities to feel His love! 

Sunday, we had so many miracles! We met with one of our friends and got to see her baby and before we had invited her to think about a new baptismal date (she already has one set for March but we knew she forgot it so we were hoping we could get it sooner) and she told us she is thinking the end of January!! Yay!! That is at the same time as Chinese New Year so we're not really sure what's gonna happen with that but it's progress! One of our other friends has health problems and I've never actually met her in person before, but she came to church yesterday!!! Yay! And then we had two potentials who we had just met come to an FHE activity! Blessings, the Lord is aware of His children! We can trust that He is aware of our efforts, whether or not we see results from it. Maybe He's trying to shape us instead :)

Spiritual thought for the week: Everyone go watch the young adult devotional by Elder Holland, it's so good! I love that Elder Holland talks about the importance of being cheerful throughout challenging times. He brought up the Savior, and how His ability to remain cheerful as He volunteered to take on more pain than we can imagine deserves our reverence. He did it, and He provides a way for us to do it too. Trust that no spiritual blessing is withheld from the righteous, and the Lord will never deny you blessings for something that is out of your control. 

I love you all and hope you have a great week! 新年快樂！-江柔安姐妹