This week was an awesome one, but what is new. SO MUCH HAPPENED. Alright woo...here we go.
First of all, this past week I hit my half-way mark out on my mission! So so so so crazy. I have no idea how I have already been a missionary for 9 months! Time has gone too quickly! These past 9 months have truly been the best of my life. Nothing is more satisfying or happier than doing the Lord's work 24/7! I have met more life long friends than I can count, and had so many experiences that have truly shaped me into a better person and servant of the Lord. Serving a mission is such an incredible blessing!! Do it ya'll. I promise you, you won't regret it.
But, just naturally, to help me celebrate this big day, I got a nice call from the assistants that went a little like this. "Hey, Sister Richards! Would you be willing to train a new missionary next transfer?!" . . . . . Of course! Again, how am I at this point?.. I feel like it was just yesterday that I was following my dear trainer, Sister Cullen, around the streets of XinZhu, relying on her for so much, and now, somehow, I am going to be that person for another missionary! I am so excited for the task ahead and know I will learn to rely on the Lord like never before!
So, there you have it. I am comin' to you live as a new momma (mission lingo;)) of a new incredible missionary Sister Birch! She is from Idaho, but was born in China and adopted at a young age! She didn't learn Chinese before her mission, but she is already killing it! Everyone here thinks she is Taiwanese when we first meet them and so they try to start talking to her thinking that I don't speak Chinese, and, always think it is really funny when she looks to me and they realize it is the other way around! She is adorable, such a hard worker, and we are already having so much fun and seeing so many miracles! Though it was SO sad to leave Sister Zang, I am so excited for this next transfer ahead of us! Sister Birch and I are going to have a blast!
The miracles have already started rolling in. We met with some awesome people this week and saw some great great progression in old and new investigators! But, one of the biggest miracles this week came on Sister Birch's first real day in Taiwan. We were at the church planning for our English class Saturday morning, when we got a call from a member saying, "Hey, I have a friend that wants a BOM. We are coming to the church right now, are you there?" hah um OK YES. So the back story behind this is that this member family has some kind of a hostel in their home? They have a place that people who are passing through can come and stay for short periods of time. So, they had this lady from China, Linda Jia, staying at their house for one night to rest because she was riding her bike all around Taiwan. She was walking through their home and saw the mom and daughter sitting together reading the BOM. She asked them if they were reading the Bible and they said no, we are reading the Book of Mormon. Linda then said, "Oh no way! I have two friends that got baptized into your church. One in Germany and one in America. I have always been very curious about your church because my friends are very logical and scientific people, and have never been interested in religion before. And, then one day I just hear that they joined the Mormon church! They have told me that your church just makes sense and they like it because it is very strict and straightforward. Do you think I could have one of those books?" The family was so surprised and so happy and called us right away! They said, we don't have any extra BOM's at our home, can we come get one from the church? So, they came over right away and we gave her a BOM. As we were talking for a sec, we asked if we could sit down with her and start teaching her a little about it. She said, "oh definitely." The dad of the family went and bought us all lunch, and we sat down with our lunch boxes and started sharing about the gospel. We learned very quickly that she was VERY interested and frankly wanted to know EVERYTHING. She was only in Hualian for that ONE day, and only in Taiwan for 4, so our time was limited, but we just started teaching her everything. We started at the first lesson and after her asking many more questions, decided to just teach her everything. We spent most of that day just teaching her all of the lessons, simply and clearly, trying to answer her questions at the same time. There was a point in the middle of us teaching that she said, "ok guys, I really love this and want to hear more, but I biked 75 miles yesterday and need to get up and walk around a little so I can focus and remember what you are saying." So I said, "ok go and take a break. We have a baptism this afternoon, would you like to come back for that?" She agreed, and ended up coming back. She loved the baptism so much and afterwards, we finished teaching her literally everything. It was so crazy. Sister Birch did so well and was trying so hard to contribute without any planning or preparation for the lesson and was doing so well. In the end, Linda Jia loved what we taught her, but had to head back out to pack up her stuff and get ready to go. Because of all of the crazy rules in China, we had to help her learn everything here because not only are there zero missionaries there, but you can't even talk about the church there. SO, we helped her get in contact with the right people, and that is probably the last that we will hear of her. But, I know those people there will help her continue to find the truth that she is so desperately seeking. Can't wait to see her again some day in the Celestial Kingdom:) Such amazing miracles.
Lately, I have started studying the New Testament in my personal study, and have been loving reading about so many of the miracles our Savior performed when He was here on earth. It has been a wonderful reminder of where all the wonderful miracles we see here everyday come from. They all come from Him. I read many this week from Christ healing the blind, raising the dead, calming the storms, casting out devils, etc. But one thing that I read that I loved in particular this week was about Christ's purpose. In Matthew 9:35 it says, "and Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people." Christ did all of these amazing things, but His main purpose was to teach, preach, and heal. As I was pondering this, I realized that His purpose is the same as ours. We as missionaries, and we as members. We teach our families and friends and loved ones about the truth, preach the gospel, and heal the wounded soul by helping them come unto Christ. We don't have to be raising people from the dead to be performing miracles like the Savior did. Helping one soul to know of the saving powers of the Atonement is a miracle. It is healing them. It is saving them spiritually. It was a cool thing to think about this week, and I encourage each of you to do the same this week. Remember that all of our purpose is the same here, and think about ways you can help the Savior bring forth His purpose.
I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!
xoxo
Sister Richards
李姐妹
Lǐ Jǐemeì
Taiwan Taipei Mission
4/F, #24, Lane 183
Jin Hua Street
Taipei, Taiwan 106
1- bye bye sister zang:(
2- hello new baby!
3- first night in taiwan and the struggle of no bikes- thanks to the STLs for biking us home hah
4- linda jia!! she kept calling us "her angels" to teach her the truth.
And a shout out to my dear sister MORGAN! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 15 never looked so good! Seriously though, stop growing up. You look WAY too old and mature. LOVE YOU!
BBQ...Taiwan style.
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