Sister Richards takes Taiwan: Week 14: THE LORD IS SO GOOD (November 7, 2016)

Well people I think this has just about been the best week yet! We saw so many miracles and really the Lord is just so good.

We started our week in beautiful Taibei to attend a choir practice for this Christmas performance thing happening in December! Coming up for the practice also meant we had some time to explore around the city, so we were not complaining. We got to go to Shang Kai Sheik Memorial, and see some other super beautiful buildings and places in the heart of Taibei! These were the places you think of when you think "Asia." Super super cool.

Things are starting to cool down around here, and it is making us a little scared for winter. I am currently serving in Xinzhu (pronounced Sheen Jew), and they don't call it "the windy city" for nothing. hah We had some fun biking experiences this week with skirts flying and us pedaling as hard as we can and not even moving because of the wind and all that fun stuff. Leg day everyday people.

As I said before, we saw so many miracles this week. We were able to find a lot of new potentials this week, get many new investigators, and commit many of them to a baptismal date! The Lord really provides. We are working hard over here, and He is really blessing us. Some of the most exciting things that happened this week are with Xu ("shoe") Jiemei, Chen Jiemei and Henry, and Ruby.

We met Xu Jiemei about a month ago as a referral from her mom who was investigating the church in a surrounding city. We started meeting with her and knew she was golden from the start. Long story short, she is on track to get baptized NEXT WEEK and we are so so excited! Even cooler, her mom is getting baptized the week after! She is so so awesome and seriously our bestie!

Chen Jiemei and Henry- Sister Cullen and I met these two while street contacting the other day. Chen JM is a single mom, and has 5 year old son Henry. Let me just tell you a little about Henry. He is this huge 5 year old that literally looks like a baby Buddah, and is SO smart. The first time we met them, we invited them to come to our English class at the church, and he says, "Before I say yes, I need to know something. Does your church have a parking lot?.... How many slots?..." hahah THE FIVE YEAR OLD ASKED US THIS. hah It was so funny. They did end up coming to English class, and because of that, we were able to set up a time to meet and we actually met with them yesterday! They have a pretty tough life without having a father, but they are so prepared to hear and accept the gospel. Henry calls us his sisters, and Chen JM has invited us to come to her house every Sunday for dinner because she knows we won't buy food on Sunday. They are the sweetest!

And the last is Ruby Chen. Ruby was another referral sent to us by some missionaries that met her in another area. She is so awesome and is on track to get baptized at the beginning of December! The miracle with her this week came when she decided to bring her boyfriend with her to a meeting with us. We didn't know he was coming, but within 30 minutes of talking with him, he committed to a baptismal date, and was just telling us how he needs to tell everyone this message! "People need to know how to be happy and how to get salvation!" I'm telling you people, Xinzhu is a blessed place full of SO many prepared people. It takes some work to find them, but the Lord will not disappoint.

We meet so many amazing people here everyday from 15 year old students, to grandpa's with "dancing queen" as their ringtone. Everyone deserves a chance to hear the gospel, and you just never know where you will find them.

This week, I've been thinking a lot about this particular line. "Choose to be happy." In our lives, we all face many trials and challenges, but we can choose how we react or respond to these things. Like Elder Nelson said in conference, we can choose whether to have joy or sorrow. Sometimes things are tough. They really are. But we choose how we want to feel. "Oh, it's pouring rain today and 70mph winds? GOOD. I'm going to get such a good workout and won't have to worry about sweating today!" "Oh, our investigator stood us up? Great. Now we can go and find more!" There are plenty of bad and hard things in the world already, let's not let there be any more! Let your attitude be one of joy, of gratitude, and love, and always remember God's plan for you. It is one of progression and growth, and this comes with being pushed and refined.

I know that God is so mindful of us. I feel it every single day here. I know that He has a perfect plan for each of us, and as we trust Him, keep His commandments, and endure to the end, we will receive all that He has promised us! I want you all to know that the gospel changes lives. I see it happening here every day with these beautiful Taiwanese people, and I see it with myself. I am being shaped and refined everyday. It is not always comfortable, it is not always easy. But everyday I am grateful for a Heavenly Father that loves me enough to chip away my rough edges, and help me become who He knows I can become. I challenge each of you to have this perspective. To have an eternal perspective, and remember that God loves you all so much. Choose to be happy. Choose to find joy in afflictions. Choose our Savior.

Have such a wonderful week! Love you all!

xoxo

Sister Richards

李姐妹

Lǐ Jiéměi

Sister Micah Richards

Taiwan Taipei Mission

4/F, #24, Lane 183

Jin Hua Street

Taipei, Taiwan 106

1- city hall

2- selfies