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