March 4, 2013

Customs and Traditions

My dear family and friends!

I love you all SO very much.  Time is flying by here in Xin Zhu.  I am really loving this place. There is something about being out here that takes my breath away. I told Sister Cisney that my favorite part of the day is bike riding home. It is dark and you can really see the stars. It reminds me at how no matter where we are in the world we are all looking at the same stars.

This week has been one of experiencing the culture and tradition of Taiwan. Last Monday for Preparation day we went with two single women from Xiang Shan to Zhu Bei for the lantern festival. It was a little sad because we had to go during the day so it was not as cool. The Zhu bei district is lucky because they can go at night! However, we still were able to write our new years goals and hang it on the post. It was fun. I will try to find a way to e mail pictures home this week. I have so many to send you.  It was great to be with them, but also weird because it felt like I was just hanging out with friends from home.

Song Jie mei is doing good. We just brought up baptism with her last week and her first response was that's a big covenant and you don't just get baptized just to do it. We talked about setting a date with her and she was like iffy on doing it in April. I am hoping May?! She is super li hai though she has already finished 1st Nephi!

Lai Jie mei is chugging along. We mentioned the word of wisdom to her last Monday and kind of invited her to keep it. On Saturday we meet again and she told us that she is keeping it. She said that two different people have offered her tea and coffee and she has rejected it both times!!! it is almost too easy to get her baptized. She even announced her own baptismal service in Relief Society! My companion is sitting in RS thinking you still need to get permission from you husband and pass the interview. However, we both are confident that she will pass.

Ding Jie mei!! A HUGE MIRACLE! Last Wednesday we gave her a call to just check up and she told us she found a new job!! It pays better and most importantly she has 9 days off a month and she can chose the days. She told us that she wants to go to church with her son every week! We then went to her work Friday to say a quick hello and she was glowing!! My companion and I both knew right then and there that she is ready for baptism! We set a date for March 30. I am so happy! This has been a year in the making!!

Zhou jie mei is progressing. We called her the other night and she told us that she has been praying and it is becoming more of a habit. That is a huge deal for people in Taiwan. They are mostly Buddhist and so the only pray they know is Bai Bai( this is the pray to the ancestors). The first time we meet with her she was super nervous about prayer. To me this just shows how God is preparing people and I just need to find them!!! The work will progress because as it says in PMG God will lead them to you or they will be lead to you!! I have seen this happen.

One example of this is we stopped a lady in a neighborhood and had a nice 20 minute conversation with her. It turns out that she went to a Christian HS. We prayed with her and talked with her about God and families. We couldn't get her number but she has ours. I know that we planted a seed and that seed will grow into a desire.

Another lady we stopped on the street and she gave us her address. She told us over and over again you guys are so hard working. At first I thought that she was not interested but I was so wrong. I was glad to be proven wrong!

I have been thinking a lot lately about change! For these next fifteen months I only know I will be in a place for a transfer (6 weeks) then who knows where. I am not always a huge fan of change it scary and hard and things are constantly changing here on a mission. However, the change that I love to see the most is the change in the investigators. I have seen Lai Jie mei go from a very sad state to one who now has that light of Christ. The same with Ding jie mei she was unhappy and now she has the light of Christ and more importantly has a desire to be baptized. It is amazing to be a part of this change and see how much the gospel changes their lives!

Then I think it is doing the same to me. My life was great before the mission but every day I am coming to know my Heavenly father and Redeemer more. I am changing spiritually and socially. I am way more outgoing and comfortable in my own skin.

On Thursday I went to a funeral. It was really hard, but not all at the same time. All the talks at the funeral were about the plan of salvation! It is interesting in Taiwan when they first enter they sign a book and give an envelope with money! Standing at the door of the church was Sister Cisney, Elders Chen and Kattlemen and I. It was really great to experience. The night before the bishop told my companion and I to not wear RED and not bright colors he said dark. Afterwards we went to eat with the family. It was one of those course by course meals. Those to me are the worst because no matter how much you pace yourself it is never enough.

Sunday on my own I introduced in Relief Society the ward mission plan. I even think they understood the real test will be next week when I will see the results.

Another cool story we stopped by the YW president's house for a moment to talk about her referral and how it went. We usually share a message. She then tells us do you want to see  my lesson on the plan of salvation for the young women and of course we said yes. She has a cute little two year old boy! She is doing the lesson as if she was teaching her son. She would say dui bu dui (yes or no) and he would respond! Always correct to. It's a great example to me of how even at a young age you can teach them the gospel. Her lesson was simple and you knew that he knows he is a son of God!! I want to be like her when I am a mother. I told my companion this that night!!

Live life to its fullest! Love as much as you laugh and all will be will! It is easy to get stressed out as a missionary work because this work is stressful. I have realized though God does want us to have fun too!

This church is true! Thomas S Monson is God's living prophet on the earth today. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. As it says in the introduction "a man will get closer by reading this book than by any other book". I know that God answers prayers. Remember to look for the little tender mercies and miracles every day. I know that they are there. We just have to look and then thank God and he will give us more!

Kisses and hugs to all!

Sister Latimer

February 25, 2013

Miracles and Tender Mercies

Hello family!

 Wow what a week it has been! I don't even know where to start.  I loved the beach! It was fun to be with all of our elders!  We played Frisbee and played in the water. Oh how I miss being in the water. I told my companion I wanted to jump in. It is a nice bike ride out there too. It is pretty ride and quite relaxing. I never thought I would say that about bike riding.

 So Tuesday we had a special training up in Taipei with Elder Evans who runs the missionary department of the church and Elder Watson a seventy over Eastern Asia. Sister Cisney and I were a little annoyed at first because it would eat up most of our day. However, the bigger problem was we had to get up at 4:30 AM to go. Yes that is a time of day. We got up then met up with our elders at the train station. We even beat them there. They were quite impressed! It takes about an hour and 20 minutes to get to Taipei. So we arrived in Taipei around 7:30. We then went and had breakfast. I had juabing!!!!! That has to be one of my all time favorite Taiwan breakfast!  Then we went to the Taipei chapel. We took a mission picture.

Then we reverently walked in the chapel and shook all their hands. I got to Elder Watson last and he was like Sister Latimer your parents live in Beijing. I was a little caught off guard. It was not until Elder Peterson got up and introduced both I realized that he worked with my dad. Elder Evans talked first. It was an amazing spiritual experience. He opened it to questions and there were some really heartfelt questions. We all felt the spirit really strong.

After Elder Evans finished Elder Watson gets up. He starts talking about how he works with China and how one of the district president in China emailed him before he came. He then goes his daughter is here. Can Sister Latimer please stand up. I am completely surprised. I stand up but then quickly sat back down. He then proceeded to read the whole letter! It touched not only my heart but everyone's heart! My eyes teared up and I cried for happiness. I imagined you saying all those things to me. it was what I needed to hear.

A confession I expected something to happen. Earlier in the meeting Elder Watson was talking to Elder Peterson then points to me and they both looked straight at me. I felt that something would happened but I never imagined a letter from dad!! After a lot of missionaries came up and talked to me. It was a fast way to get known by all those in the mission.

Ding Jie mei is progressing again! This week she called us telling us she really wanted to meet. She told us how she wanted a new job because then she would be happier. This would allow her to keep the Sabbath day holy. We then decided to teach her about fasting. So yesterday we all fasted together for her to find a new job. We called her in the morning to start our fast, then called her at night to do our end prayer. I feel that this is a huge step on her part. She is really ready to start by taking the small steps of faith to prepare for baptism.

Song Jie mei is our of our new/progressing investigator. She is awesome and is a member referral. She is in her 20's and is very sweet. My favorite thing about her is her questions. This week we finished teaching lesson 1. She then asked us if the Holy Ghost has a personality.

Lai Jie mei is doing AMAZING! Tonight we are having FHE with her and her kids at a member's house. She told us that if we can ride our bikes in da feng (big wind) all the way to her house then she can read her scriptures every day!!! What a blessing!!! Her date is March 9th but we might push it back to the 24. It will happen this month for sure.

On Sunday we meet with another member referral Zhou Jie mei. She is a college student. I believe she has a lot of potential.

Sister Cisney is awesome! She was born in Arizona but has also lived in Cali, Washington, Michigan and Utah. She went to the Utah State. She is a psych major. So how perfect a psychology and social work major together! She is at her half way point but we don't talk about that. Whenever people bring it up she says hao jiu hao jiu ( long time long time)

Well family and friends! The church is true! God is aware of all of us. He will always answer our prayers. It may not be on our time table but he will answer. He wants us to have joy in this life but we have to remember that happiness in a choice. Always smile that is sharing the gospel.

Love all you come in contact with!

Sister Latimer

February 18, 2013

Hey family and friends!

 

Oh my goodness this week has been crazy. I have never been so exhausted in my life. I don't know why because all we have been doing is eating and bike riding and eating! I did not realize how much Taiwanese people can eat. It still blows my mind.

 

Well guo nian is over and we will resume back to our normal schedule. I am super happy about that.

The Taiwanese people are so great. At 4 out of 10 of our qing ke they had pizza. (It should be noted we had 12 qing ke's but could only go to 10) They were like you are probably eating a lot of Chinese food here is some American food. However pizza flavors here are not the same to let you all know. I have to say my favorite thing to eat here is still pot stickers! I don't think that will ever change. Also a lot of members now know that I love niu ro mian ( beef noodle soup) so they could possibly be making that for me! :) I ate a lot of good food but I never ask what it is so I can't tell you. It is a little sad but at the same time I am afraid to know because what if it is really weird.  I ate some really good hot pot but I have no idea what is in the hot pot. :( Next time my companion and I have decided we will ask. I will have to keep you informed on whether or not we regret it. 

BTW the snapfish book is a HUGE hit I brought that to a lot of our qing ke's. The people loved seeing me go from baby to now. They all say my face has not changed. I agree. It is still round with big checks but that is just my genetics. They also tell me you two are very tall and that dad is shuai and mom you are mei li. So one of our elders was looking at the book and came to the picture of us at the Forbidden City and asked me how old I was. I told him to guess and he was like 12!! I was like umm 17 18. He was really surprised. I look younger than I am apparently. I truly am Chinese. I love having that book. It brings home to me and it lets people see the other side of me not just my missionary side.

 

It is not for certain if Ding Jie Mei will be making her baptismal date :(  It's really sad. Sister Cisney and I are bummed about that because we want her to have this gospel but her desire in not as strong as ours it seems like. It really is hard because I know how much this gospel will help her, but she doesn't so it will just take time. I have faith that one day she will be ready even if I am not here.

 

Lai Jie mei is doing great! She really is a golden investigator! She is taking everything in like a sponge. She is loving everything she is studying and can't wait to be baptized. We might push her Baptismal date a week or two back to get all the lessons in but it for sure will be next month! I am so excited because not only will she by my first baptism but she is also Sister Cisney and my first investigator too. Happy day when I can send you a picture from her baptism. :)

 

So apparently we will be fasting the next few days. JK! All the women in the world tell us they biande pang de (get fat) over guo nian and then the rest of the year they work on jian fei (losing weight)  from guo nian. Sister Cisney and I joke that we will go on a fast. We really won't, we bike too much. We need energy.

 

God loves me and is so aware of me! My district area has a beach!! My whole district is going there this afternoon for P day!! I was so happy. The weather could not be more perfect. A little sad because I can only go in knee high but I will still enjoy that. I just need a little beach in my life!   We have a soccer ball so we are going to do that and build sandcastles! I will make sure to take lots of pictures.

 

India  and Nepal sounds amazing! I am so jealous but there is nowhere else I would rather be!

 

This gospel is true! It can bring so much joy to your life if you allow it. Baptism is the gate by which we enter but it is only the beginning. We must endure to the end of every day. Some days it is hard but we need to. I know that God will help each one of us endure to the end. I know that he is mindful of each one of us. I know that God's hand is in each and every one of our lives every day. We don't always see it but his hand is always there.

A mission is hard but the reward is more exquisite than the challenges. Every trail in life is worth it. Don't forget there are rainbows all around us.

 

Love,

Sister Latimer