November 3rd, 2013

52 Things I Have Learned

Hello family and friends!

It has been a crazy last few days here in Taiwan.  I am grateful for every day I have here in Taiwan. I realize how short my time is with each day. As my year mark on a mission is coming up I can't believe it. It seems so long ago but also so close. I can still remember being dropped off at the MTC and thinking the time will be so slow. However, I feel as if time is faster here on a mission. I love the phrase my trainer has which is " It just gets better and better!" I really do like that because it is so true!! Each day, week, transfer gets better!!!

This past Saturday we were the Temple tour sisters!! That is always one of my favorite days because you see SO SO SO many miracles! It was true for this past Saturday. Originally there were no tours planned but we ended up having 6 tours! A lot of them were member tours.

We decided beforehand that with members we wanted to focus of member/missionary work. We ended up showing them the believe video! They all LOVED LOVED it. In our first tour it was going good but they were crunched on time. We told them we would stop it and then when they needed to go we would stop it. They did not want to stop it. You could see by their faces how into it they were. I always love and excuse to see that movie. It is so good. :)

We went around afterwards and offered to give tours to members. This one teenage girl was willing to give a tour with us.  She is so STRONG in the gospel. I was uplifted by her testimony. After watching the believe video we just talked with her. She told us her story. It turns out that she lived in Beijing while growing up. She talked about how for a time they were not able to meet as a ward so every Sunday her mom, brother and her would have they own church. The sad part is they did not have any priesthood holder to give them the sacrament meeting. She talked about how grateful she is for this gospel. She wants to go on a mission but has to wait a couple of years. She will be such a powerful missionary. I loved hearing hear testimony because it lit up my fire for missionary work more.

Sunday we meet with Charise and Yanita! They were busy last Sunday and had to cancel last minute. We has a great lesson with them yesterday. It is really cool to see them grow. It is weird to teach in English all these Chinese words kept coming out. Oops! :) We planned to teach them the 3rd lesson the gospel of Jesus Christ but as we asked our follow up questions we found out that they were having a hard time reading the BOM. They told us that they were confused and were a little hesitant to read it. We backed up and reintroduced the BOM. we then decided to read with them the 1st chapter. They were confused and so we explained some parts to them.

Yanita always has such good questions. She is such a seeker of truth. She asked us can you tell me a chapter in the Bible where it tells me I need to be baptized our member was like it's John something. It was the perfect scripture!! Yanita was like ok.

Charise is quiet but I believe she is soaking in more than she lets on. As we were reading out loud she was mouthing the words along with us.

We were getting ready to leave and Yanita asked us "How do you stay happy in a world like this?" I just wanted to hug her!! We all told her different things but the core thread was the gospel. I told her the gospel but I also included happiness is a choice. I expressed to her how every day I can decide whether or not I am happy. Choosing happiness is the best decision though!

Sister Jasperson is awesome! One thing I am really learning to appreciate about her is her strength in planning.  I have never been that good of a planner and it is something I have been trying to be better at on a mission. She is a really good planner. I have really been learning to be better at it with her by my side.  Another thing I love is she always is setting goals. Every day she is asking me, “What do you think we could be doing better?  It has really made me reflect and see bigger changes in myself and the way I do missionary work.  I love this quality because it helps me get out of self-pity.  Instead just expressing my feelings I am forced to think of a plan of action to make it better. One night I was really discouraged about certain things. After I was done talking to her she looked at me and said, “What goals do you think you can set to overcome this challenge? It was the first time a companion of mine has ever had that reaction. I was a little caught off guard but I thought and then was like, “I want to do these 2 things better.”   I want to take this attribute and use it the rest of my life!

I wanted this letter to be special because it is my 52nd letter and so I decided to write 52 things I have learned:

1.         Always take your shoes off before entering a home

2.         Always eat all the food on your plate

3.         Always carry a water bottle with you

4.         Always look both ways before crossing the road

5.         Don't sit down until the host tells you where to sit

6.         Don't compliment something too much or else they might give it to you

7.         The best time to nap is from 1-3 pm

8.         Bicycling is a really fun way to travel

9.         My MTC teachers were the best!

10.       Each area is AMAZING

11.       Using the subways is fun

12.       I love long hair!! (My goal is not to cut my hair until I get home. I have trimmed it for health sake.)

13.       Taiwanese women are gorgeous!

14.       Chinese New year you will just have to stuff your waist

15.       TONES are very important

16.       They might just stare if you have a foreigner companion

17.       Bread stores!! That is all that needs to be said

18.       I still love my mom's beef noodle soup (niu rou mian)

19.       Cockroaches FLY!!!

20.       Learn the word adopted

21.       Have the beauty of America but customs of Taiwan ( I am still trying to figure out what exactly that means)

22.       NEVER EVER BE LATE

23.       I love the mornings! My inner morning person is coming out!

24.       Wear a smile( one in your heart)

25.       CHOOSE to be happy

26.       Don't forget to change the water filter

27.       just because the light is green does not mean that you can go

28.       I am a chopstick PRO!!

29.       Look on the bright side of things

30.       God has called you to be you not anyone else

31.       Laughter can heal the soul. Laugh even when it feels that nothing is funny. It lightens the mood and helps you think clearer to find a solution

32.       Stroke order matters

33.       I am lucky!

34.       God really does exist (How did I forget this story! Last Thursday there was an earthquake. We actually were in the middle of a lesson. We were singing “A Child's Prayer” in English.  We were singing the line “Heavenly Father are you really there?” and then BAM the earthquake starts.)

35.       When you fall pick yourself back up again

36.       Take a minute to enjoy the view

37.       It's OK to tell them you do not understand because you are not a native

38.       Look people in the eyes

39.       Act confident

40.       Tell your companion you love them every day

41.       Don't act shy in church

42.       Take a minute to see how far you've come but also look ahead to the future and make plans to improve.

43.       Low ponytails are the best way to go

44.       The BOM is true

45.       Joseph Smith really is a prophet of God. All the people that followed him are all called of God.

46.       God loves all his children

47.       Look at people and imagine all the potential they have

48.       Don't let your fears get the best of you

49.       With God on your side all things are possible

50.       I am in Taiwan!! More importantly I am a missionary in the Taiwan, Taipei Mission!!!

51.       I have a great family

52.       I get to share the Gospel every day

I love you all more than words can describe!

Hurrah for Israel!!

Sister Latimer

The Temple is a Holy Place

Family and Friends!

I love you all so much!!

This week has been long but we made it through! This morning we had the opportunity to go to the temple!! I LOVED IT!!!!!!! It was the energy boost I needed! I love being able to go inside and leave the world behind!

Sharice and Yanita are from South Africa! Unfortunately they were not able to meet this past week. We should be meeting with them this Sunday. They are definitely receptive to the message. It is so nice to be able to meet with them and share our testimonies with them.

I was finally able to meet with Wu JM this week at sacrament meeting, She has a baptismal date set for this month. She is so busy though and hardly has time to meet with us. We were able to set up time for next Sunday.  She really is scared to be baptized because she feels that she needs to know more. We are really trying to help her see that she knows enough to be baptized.

We have seen so many miracles lately! I am amazed at God's hand in my life! I am so grateful! We have playing a lot of team Jesus. We have contacted a lot of people who are Golden but they live in another area. That's OK because it is all team Jesus.

The language is really coming! I feel that this transfer I have learned how much I can push myself. I have been pushing myself more and more lately. I see the results and am loving the fruit of my work/effort and the fruit that comes because of that .

Sister Jasperson and I are really getting into a grove of things. We are really finding a balance between contacting, RCLA's ,  families and calling referrals. It feels really nice to find that balance. It is still a work in progress but it is getting better. Our relationship started out a little bumpy but it is getting better. I think that we both know that we want to make this a good transfer and are determined to do everything we need to do to make it happen.

I really am learning to love every companion. The good and the bad. Every companion is different and you will have to learn to work with each one of them despite your personality differences. I feel like that has really hit me hard this past transfer. I feel with each transfer that passes I become a better companion. I sometimes wish I could go back and be better for my last transfer companion.

It was so nice to be in the temple again! Each time I go I learn something new. I am amazed at how much I leaned this time. I was also happy because we were able to do sealings today!! It was so good to hear the sealing ceremony. It made me think of when i was sealed to you.

I know this church is true! I know that Heavenly Father loves each and everyone of us. I know that Christ atoned for all of our sins. I know that the Book of Mormon is true!

I love you all! Talk to you in a few days!

Sister Latimer

If I Had a Dollar…

Hello my beloved family and friends!

This week has been a whirlwind! I have seen so many miracles every day but it also has been super crazy at the same time. I wish I had time to tell you all the miracles that I have seen.

This past weekend was Stake Conference for all the stakes in our mission. There was a special broadcast for the Asia Area. It was broadcasted from Utah and Elder Evan's of the seventy, Sister Reeves, Primary 1st counselor, and Elder Holland and Hales of the 12 spoke. It was AMAZING!!!

Cool fact Elder Holland is the new apostle assigned to work with the Asia Area. Before it was Elder Oaks. Elder Holland talked about how excited he is to be working with this part of the world and how sad Elder Oaks was to give it up.

They made a video to I'll go Where You Want Me to Go in Taiwan. I don't know if you remember but in the broadcast of Hastening of the work they had one. It is the same idea just with Taiwanese people. 4 of our missionaries our in it!!! One of the natives that was in it is from my old area!! I got a little teary I must admit. I will send a link if/when it comes out. It is SO SO SO good!

We have had lots of finding time this week! Through it though I have seen so many miracles.

Last Monday night we went door knocking and it felt that no one was willing to talk with us. I remember one kid telling his mom as we walked away " I am scared of them" However, we did have one cool miracle. We were able to talk to this girl for a couple of minutes. We taught her prayer. Unfortunately her mom came and closed the door before we had the opportunity to say a prayer with her.

Thursday we meet with one of our investigators Jenny. Cool story I actually meet Jenny the day we went to do Temple tours. I can really see how God's hand was in that. Sad news Jenny is moving this week. :(  You would never guess where she is moving? Yep! Shuang He!!! I was like what are the chances. I am sad we are losing her but I know that Sister Koch and Chen will take good care of her.

Friday we had a HUGE miracle!! We were English boarding near the train station and we ran into a girl. She looked sad and tired. We were able to have a lesson with her. She was really receptive to our message. We exchanged number and hopefully this week we will be able to meet with her.

Saturday we had another cool miracle while door knocking.  We had just a little time before we had to leave for our next appointment.  The third door we knocked a young man comes to the door. We were able to talk with him a little about our church and then said a prayer with him. Sadly. as we were praying his mom came and was like we don't need this and shut the door. However, we  were able to leave him with a pamphlet and prayer. We gave his number to the elders and are anxious to see what happens!

Sunday we meet with Sharice and Yanita. They are doing great!!  We taught them the Plan of Salvation. We were able to have a member with us. We were nervous because all we speak is English. Then we remembered we have a returned Sister missionary with rockin' english. She was a HUGE help.

If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me " Are you a native" I would seriously be a millionaire. My companion was like I will for sure have the word adopted memorized by the end of the transfer! I was like yep.

This past week I have really reflected how blessed I have been. I am grateful for all the places I have served. This week I have run into a lot of people from all around Taiwan. I have realized how I can say Oh! I know where that is or is that near ( insert area name). All the while thinking wow I really do know this country. I LOVE Taiwan so much!!! I am grateful for the time I have to serve HERE and NOW!!!

That is just a few of the miracles we have seen this week! I wish I had time for more.

Love,

Sister Latimer

October 7, 2013

I’m On Top of the World!

Hey my dear family and friends!!

I love you all SO SO SO SO very much! Thank you for all the BIRTHDAY WISHES!!!!! It was the best birthday ever!

This week my faith has grown TREMENDOUSLY! I see how little faith I had and how much I needed to grow. I will give you a little background on this investigator. Her name is Zhang JM! She is what we call an internigator. She has been meeting on and off with missionaries for 12 years. She visited Utah a few years ago and took the eternal marriage class. Within the past year she has started coming back again because she wants her kids to be raised in our church.

So here is the story

2 weeks ago in Weekly Planning Session Sister Koch and I are sitting talking about the investigators who go to church part. I then look at her and say next Saturday Zhang JM will be baptized. Sister Koch looks at me and was like what. I told her I STRONGLY feel that God is preparing her for baptism. Sister Koch sits there for a minute thinking and then looks at me and says ok.  What do we do on our whiteboard next to her name we write Baptism then in parentheses she does not know it yet! On Friday we did a fast for her. The whole time it just felt so right. We dropped a note by her house letting her know we love her and to call us if she needs anything at all.

The following Tuesday we were able to meet with her. That morning I was reading this past August ensign about receiving personal revelation. We had already talked earlier about how we were not going to teach her the lessons over and over again but to treat her like a less active. We felt that teaching her personal revelation would be good and at the end invite her to be baptized.

We went and taught her and the lesson turned out way better than expected. She brought up some really good concerns that she has. She expressed how she is not sure whether or not she could really get personal revelation. We then went through the steps of personal revelation. at the end of the lesson we invited her to pray about whether or not this church is true and baptism. She said she is willing.

You have to know this whole time we are telling our district leader that she will be having her baptismal interview on Wednesday. He asked us Tuesday so how is that baptismal interview going we said great. He was like sounds awesome.

We are praying this whole time for a miracle! We both felt super peaceful and that it would all be Ok because she is in God's hands! Wednesday came and still no call. We kept on praying and asking do we need to cancel the interview or what. The feeling kept on being don't cancel it will all be OK. It is 30 minutes before the interview and we both decide we need to call her. Sister Koch calls her and tells her we strongly believe that you have already received an answer. Then she was like if you want right now you can have your baptism interview. She was like no.

After that we talked and both felt it was not over. I was like the spirit is pushing us to call her one more time. I talked to her and boldly asked do you think you have received an answer. She said yes. I was like what is stopping you. She was like I don't know. I testified that I know that God loves her and that through baptism she can have that added light in her life that she desires.

I remember that at first I was really confused while we got all of those strong promptings. I then realized maybe it was God testing me. I get it now. God wanted to know how far down the half lighted path I would go. He only gave me a bit of the picture but as I learned to rely on him and the HG i was able to do all. I feel that maybe she needed us to be bold. One day I will know.

Tag line story

On Saturday (my B-day) we went on exchanges with the Song Shan sisters. I was sad because I would be leaving my area and go to theirs. Sister Crofts called and told me she had a big surprise for me. I was like what. You should know that Sister Crofts is also going home this transfer so last weekend was also her last weekend.  She was like her is the schedule and at this time I have a surprise for you. I was like ok. The surprise was an investigator wanted to take her and me up to TAIPEI 101!!! It was so cool. It was at night too. Sister Crofts was like why not have a lesson on top of Taipei 101. BEST BIRTHDAY GIFT by FAR! I was like nothing will top this.

I have learned how much I need to rely on the Lord. I cannot control everything but I can control if I trust the Lord. I know that he will lead me down the right path. I know that sometimes our faith lacks but we can develop it over time!

HURRAH for Israel!

Love

Sister Latimer

September 30, 2013

Hello Family and Friends!

This week was good! There have been a few break ups (when we stop meeting with an investigator) but you learn to remember that they each have agency. I have realized that even miracles do not mean that people will stay.

Last Monday night we went contacting at Ren Ai Park. We started out and as usual I was holding a BOM in my hand. We were walking around and our faith starts to fade. We pass this lady and say hi. Her reaction " I am Christian but I don't like that Mormon book". With that I take the opportunity to talk to her. She starts telling us how she is Christian. She reads the bible and this other small book not quite sure what it is. She then starts telling us about her health condition. The gift of tongues is REAL! I am not really familiar with medical terms but I really understood what she was saying. God opened my ears and mind. We were able to have a lesson with her and set up to meet with her in a couple of weeks. She has a LOT of potential.

Wednesday we were planning on eating with Chen JM. She was like I invited Wu JM the less active we are working with. It turned out to be a FANTASTIC lunch/ lesson. We shared with them Elder Cooks talk LDS women are incredible! We really just wanted to encourage them. The spirit was so strong in that lesson. The world is so hard on women and they already beat themselves up. They really just needed to know that they really are doing a great job.

The spiritual thought at English class was AMAZING!! There was a new family there. (we teach the kids class) That morning we decided to teach the 2nd lesson. We were teaching and the lady asked a question to make sure she understood. The spirit was there. I know that she felt something. This week we will finish it. We stopped at Jesus Christ atonement.

We were able to meet with Ashley a returning less active the other day. She is so strong. She shared with us what has been going on in her life. She talked about how when she shares the gospel with her friends they just do not get it. She said I know understand how you feel. I will tell them a great thing and they just nod their head. At the end she said I just wanted to share with you and encourage you. She is such a great member. She has such a desire to help missionaries! I am grateful that I know her. She truly is an example to me.

We had a BIG miracle Sunday. In our weekly goals we wanted 2 people at sacrament meeting. We knew one for should be there but the other one we were counting on a miracle. The Xin Dian sisters called us Saturday night and said that they called a potential and it turns out she lives in our area. They told me she said she would come to church Sunday. We called about 30 minutes before church that morning no answer. As we were sitting outside waiting in walks in another investigator. She came all by herself. She had told us she was busy and to call her next month. To my surprise her she is Sunday morning at church. She was only able to stay for sacrament meeting but she came and set up to meet with us later. That was a tender mercy from the Lord.

I have started to read Our Heritage!  I am learning so much. I am gaining a new appreciation for the pioneers and all that they sacrificed. As I read their stories I see how my 18 months is so small compared to what they did. I left but know when where and to what I will go back to. They on the other hand left EVERYTHING and knew that more than likely they would not go back. They also did not know WHERE they were going. I am so grateful to the pioneers. They truly understood how much this gospel would bless them.

Every month there is a missionary activity in Shuang 2. Our ward mission leader is so dedicated to his calling. They make balloon animals, swords, hats etc. while missionaries and members go around talking to people. This has been going on for a while now. This has caught the attention of Brother and Sister Baird who are in charge all of Taiwan media affairs. They wanted to come observe and see if they could do anything to help. Brother Yi was beyond thrilled!  I am grateful for all his hard work. He really wants to help his ward.

On a side not I taught myself how to type characters on the phone. I had to first teach myself bo po mo fo. Then I started to learn how to type on the phone. It is nice because now I can type in our investigators names into the phone. Next goal learn how to type on the computer. That could take more than a week.

That's a wrap for the week. The work will go on. No matter how much Satan is trying to stop it. I know that God loves all of us.

I love you all!

Sister Latimer

September 23, 2013

Sometimes You’re Ammon and Sometimes You’re Aaron

Hello family!

I finished Jesus the Christ!! It was AMAZING to read. I can see now why it is in the mission library reference. I have felt my relationship with Christ go stronger because of it. I really feel now that he is my brother and I can rely on him no matter what life brings.

In my BOM reading I am in Alma and it just so happens Sister Koch is also in Alma. A lot of our companionship study is talking about these two great missionaries. We talk about and dissect these two great missionary stories. That is where the tag line for this letter comes from.

When you read Alma you remember a lot of Ammon because of all the success he had. He converted King Lamoni. You think wow that is the kind of missionary I want to be. Sister Koch and I in the beginning of the week talked about how we want to find our King Lamoni. In other words a person who is so ready that they are willing to accept the commandments and change. We have lots of investigators but none of them are totally ready to change. There are a couple of things that are stopping them from progressing.

Then a chapter or two after Ammon you read of Aaron and the struggles that he had. He gets thrown in to prison and all other kinds of things. We talked about how no one thinks I want to be Aaron because his mission was harder in different ways.

As I was about to report last night I reflected on this week. I thought how would I describe it in one sentence. Sister Koch and I talked for a minute and she is like well we are the Aaron this week. I looked at her and was like yes.  That's what I feel "Sometimes you're Ammon and sometimes you get to be Aaron. On the bright side as Sister Koch puts at the end Aaron is the one that converts the kings of kings. I told her that is a good way to think of it. We will all have success on a mission.

Last week we were able to have a special Zone conference. The reason it was so special is because it was an OUTDOOR zone conference. President Day told us that he wanted it to be special and he wanted us to see the beauty of Taiwan. We went on a BEAUTIFUL hike!! There are no words to describe the beauty of Taiwan. It is steals your breath away. What made it even more special was the rain. President Day told us from the get go “Rain or shine we are going on this hike" What happens the day we go? YEP! Pouring pouring pouring rain. President Day tells us before getting off the bus “Elders and Sisters think about why God gave you this rainy day. He could of given you sunshine but he chose to give you rain." As I was hiking I realized how pretty everything is in the rain. God has given us SUCH a beautiful world to live in. How lucky am I to be here in Taiwan??? I thank his every day!

Last Thursday was Moon festival!! I have never eaten so much!! They just keep giving you more and more and more food to eat!! It is crazy. We went over to the Yue family's house to Kao Rou (BBQ but on a smaller scale). You sit talk, eat, talk, and eat some more.

This week has been hard but OH so worth it. A mission is rewarding even on your hardest day.

I know that God is closer than we know. I can feel him at my side every day. He is pushing me when I don't feel that I can do it anymore. I am grateful for his mercy. I know that I do not always deserve it but he will still give it to me. I know that we are all his sons and daughters.

Love you all!!!

Sister Eliza Latimer