May 8, 2013

Anniversaries

Hello family and friends!

Wow another week come and gone! I celebrated my 6 month of being on a mission Tuesday! It does not seem nearly that long! I feel that I just got dropped off at the MTC! Time flies when you are on the Lord's time!

This week( and a half) has been full of miracles!

One day Sister Briggs and I had about an hour for contacting. We said a pray and then we both decided that we wanted to do door knocking. We started walking and slowly decided which way to turn and what doors to knock. Our goal was to have one lesson and one new investigator.

We were almost about to switch and go to a different area until we came to the last door (so cliche I guess it is true though). This mom comes out and talks with us for a minute. We tell her about who we are and that we would love to meet with her again and share our message about families. She said OK what day. We told her any day that works for you. She was than like what about right now. We both looked at each other shocked and happy and told her definitely we could teach her right then. She told us how the other day she was praying that she could find a good church for her son (2 yrs old). Then who comes 2 days later the missionaries! She has meet with us twice since and has been praying! She says that she does feel the Holy Ghost. Her name is Wang. I am very excited to meet with her!

The second miracle was also with Wang Jie Mei. We arrive at her house for the following lesson and to our surprise her friend is there. I was thinking oh no she forgot and will cancel. To my surprise she let us in. We had our lesson and at the end invited her friend Wang to also start meeting with us. She said yes!! Wow investigators helping us find those that are ready!

Yang Jie mei is doing spectacular! We taught her the gospel of Jesus Christ this week. I feel that she is like a sponge in the way that whatever we say she absorbs! She always us good/ interesting questions! We were teaching the plan of Salvation. We were telling her about the spirit world and the happy state of those in Paradise. We then asked her if you could choose where would you want to go? She thinks and then says I want to experience both. We then read a scripture to help her understand that she does not want to go to spirit prison.

I can really see her growth through her prayers. Every time we ask her to pray she is like OK. Then she tells us she needs to think about what she is going to pray for. A minute or so passes she says OK I'm ready then she gives one of the most thoughtful prayers I have ever heard! I just love her and am glad I can be a part of her making this good change in her life.

The ward members are so great to us! I am blessed to be in a place where the ward members are willing to pei ke (lessons with a member present) and are so good about thinking of people they want to share the gospel with.

This week we meet with one of the primary Presidents You Jie mei. We talked with her about some of our kid investigators. At the end she told us that she wants us to start meeting with her nai nai (gma). We were able to set up with her for the next day. She is so funny because she tends to forget easily and so we repeat a lot in the lesson. She will be more slow but will still get baptized!

Being a missionary is the best! Every day is an adventure with challenges you have to overcome. However, through it all you grow and learn so much! I am grateful that I can have this short time to be a missionary.

Hurrah for Israel!

Hugs and kisses!

Sister Latimer

April 29, 2013

Still Here

Hello family and friends,

Transfers came and went and I am still here in Xin Zhu but am only covering two wards and have a new companion Sister Briggs. She is from a very small town in Vegas. Sister Cisney is with her first native companion. This is lots of fun to have a native in our house. She is also only 19 years old! She is from the small island next to Taiwan. ( I forgot the name)

My companion and I cover the Zhu 1 and Xiang Shan ward while Sister Cisney and Chen cover Zhu 3. I am really sad because they are some really great investigators in Zhu 3 I will not be able to continue to work with but at least I can see them. I was able to see Lai Jie Mei yesterday at church.

This week has been so busy. I don't feel like I did that much because a lot of it was spent in meetings.

Zhang Jie Mei is doing great. She has forgotten a lot since she meet with the missionaries last year but she wants to be baptized and is willing to re learn. She has had a special experience about knowing that God exist. That is to me the real pull in why she wants this gospel in her life. She got and answer to her pray. It crazy to thing because that is how this church was re-established. It was a simple prayer with a sincere desire.

The Chen daughters are slowly progressing. They are going to pray this week about getting baptized and report back to us next week. I know that it will be a slow process.

Sister Cisney and I were sitting at English class and Emma one of the students comes up to us and is like I want to have a lesson with you. Sister Cisney and I were way happy. Emma has been coming to English class for a year and has showed no interest until now. She told us that she knows pray works. Emma is 12 and really is childlike in a lot of ways. Her parents were fighting one night. She prayed that they would stop fighting and get along. She said a week later they stopped. Sister Cisney and I were so happy that she was able to get and answer to her prayers.

On Thursday I had the opportunity to go on splits with a dying missionary. It was a really neat experience. As I sat watching all the people tell her how much she meant to them it really hit me that missionaries do make a splash. One of them was a sister that is a recent convert. She told me that this missionary was her fuyin jie mei ( her sister missionary). Tears were rolling down her face as she talked about how ever indebted to her. I realized that our investigators will forever be our responsibility.

This transfer is going to be full of miracles. I can feel it. Sister Briggs is super hard working and is helping me learn new ways of missionary work.

I love you all. The church is true!

Sister Latimer

April 22, 2013

Moving!

Hello family and friends!

It is crazy to think that at this time last year I had no idea that I would be serving in Taiwan. :) How time flies and things change so very fast. Things in the work are changing fast to accommodate the rush of elders and sisters coming in this week. We will be getting 13 sisters and five elders.

Sisters will now be called as Sister Leaders training at it will be a companionship. They will be like zone leaders and go on exchanges with the sisters in their zone. I am excited to see how this all goes. I love being apart of this! This is where I am supposed to be and I could not be any happier!!!

This week has been a extra busy week but many many many miracles!!! First off it is official Xin Zhu is splitting!! On Friday night the office elders called us and told us that we will be moving to another apartment!! Sister Cisney and I both screamed. I am so glad that we are splitting the work here is so much it will be nice to have an extra pair of hands! Sister Cisney will be training again because she is just that AWESOME! I will hopefully be staying in Xin Zhu. Who knows next week I could be emailing you from a new area!

Our zone invite for the month is that every day we are to read the sacrament prayers every day and try to think of Christ all day. Doing this has really made a difference in the work. Sister Cisney and I have noticed how doing this helps us put our investigators first.

It seems as if people are coming out of the word works. The work is hastening and Sister Cisney and I are always biking at the speed of life. This is defiantly the way it is supposed to be.

There are so many miracle stories from this week.

I'll start off by saying one of my personal goals for my mission is to find and teach people from China so when they go back they can build up the church there.

I was going through our phone referrals the other day. I felt that I should try this particular person. I then looked at the comments written by the missionaries and saw that she was from China. I called her up and she was willing to set up for this coming Friday! I am so excited and pray I will still be in this area.

Zhang Jie Mei is former investigator. She was taught all the lessons and even had her baptismal interview but her mother opposed and she then stopped meeting with the elders. She then moved down to Xin Zhu and the elders gave us her number and told us to get her baptized. We meet with her last Wednesday and set with her a baptism date for next month!

Yang Jie Mei is a former that we contacted on the street. She told us that what she remember about meeting with the sisters was the peaceful feeling she had. She wants that again. WE invited her to be baptized last time. She said yes and is set for June! It was so cute all of her questions were about trivial things. She was like I don't want to drown, and do you stay in your wet cloths after! I thought if that is her only concern then I can deal with that.

Ding Jie mei is doing great! She pei ke'd for the fist time yesterday. The investigator was also from Vietnam so Ding Jie mei was able to bear her testimony in her mother language! I could not help but grin because this church has made all the difference in her life. I am so proud of how hard she works for her and her son.

This week we passed Liu Kang Quan over to the elders. Sister Cisney and I both felt that there was something that we could not offer but he needed. Thursday night Elder Montalto and Cheung went with us and did a group lesson so he could slowly transition to them. Watching them interact with them truly confirmed to my heart that it was the right thing! I will miss working with him but it is the right thing.

One of our less actives came to church with her kids this Sunday. The kids come every Sundayon their own! The kids’ faces were beaming as they proudly sad next to their mom.

I know that this church is true! I know that the Plan of Salvation is the best way to have happiness in this life. I know that we need to rely on the Lord. I know that being happy is a choice and that every minute you need to decide whether to react or act in any given situation. I know that God loves ALL his children.

Well that's a wrap from the Xin Zhu sisters. Soon to be four! or hen kuai si wei jie mei!!! Yes we are a little excited!!

Sister Latimer

P.S. Sister Cisney and my preparation day will be spent cleaning our house in preparation to move!

April 8, 2013

Angels Watching Over

Hello Family and friends!

Compared to last week this  week seems way more calm. Big news President might be possibly splitting the area. More importantly Sister Cisney and I both have a big possibility of staying!!!! He called us last Tuesday and asked about the apartment situation. We told him that the 4 elders should be in one apartment in Zhu 1 and one sister set in Zhu 1 and the other in Zhu 2. He still says it is not for sure, but our zone leaders are like if he is asking about apartments then it's a way bigger possibility. Sister Cisney and I are holding out a candle.  I don't want to leave Xin Zhu!!! If we split I could be here for at LEAST 6 months!!!!

This week was a particularly hard week.  On Thursday night we get a call from one of our ward members that Lai Jie Mei's husband passed away. We knew that he was in the hospital that day and we were very surprised at his sudden passing. The ward has been great! On Friday the Sister Dong the bishop's wife took Lai JM and her family dinner. Then on Sunday our relief society president gets up and announces then tells the sisters in the ward to call and visit her. We wrote her information on the board. The sweet sister sitting next to me asked if it would be convenient to visit her I told her just to call ahead. I am amazed at how great this ward is at fellowshipping and INVESTIGATOR! They are just as great with members.

On a happy note Ding Jie mei got confirmed Sunday!! She is way happier. We meet with her on Thursday and she just talked about how she wants to be a better mom and all other things. She then told us that she does feel different just does not know how to express herself in Chinese. This gospel REALLY does change people's lives from night to day. It is amazing what a difference the gospel can make in their lives. This church is TRUE!

A really amazing experience came about from this. The accident happened Friday night on our way to dinner. I know thought that it could have been a lot worse and that angels were watching over and protecting me. Saturday morning I did not feel good. I went through the day but was in a lot of pain. That afternoon I decided that I needed a blessing. We called the elders and they had time that night to meet at the chapel to give me one. Elder Cheung gave me a blessing of comfort and healing. A lot was said in that blessing that I needed to hear. I am so grateful for a heavenly father who is always aware of us and finds ways to answer our prayers.

It is amazing to be constantly around worthy Melchizedek priesthood holders. Who at any time of the day can come and use their priesthood. I am grateful for the priesthood and I am grateful for you dad. Your example to me as a young girl helped me appreciate the power that you have.

I am grateful that EVERYDAY I have the opportunity to wear Christ's name and testify of his love and atonement. I know that we all can have mini mission miracles if we pray for it. I love this gospel and I love you all!

Hurrah for Israel!!

Sister Latimer

April 15, 2013

Funerals, Meetings, and Conference

Hello Family and Friends!

Wow! This week has been crazy! I have no idea where to start.

Well as you can tell from the subject of my email a lot of this week was spent in meetings of one kind or another. Total this week I went to 2 funerals, 1 zone conference, one specialized training and conference. I am amazed at in between all of that we were still able to have so many miracles and lessons.

Last Wednesday I was able to go to a traditional Taiwanese Funeral and more cool was that I was able to give a little talk about the plan of salvation. What an amazing opportunity I have to where ever I go stand as a witness of Christ at all times, all things, and places.  This was the grandma of our young man president in Xiang Shan ward.  He is the only member in his family and he wanted us to go speak. We went and I was astonished at the beauty of the funeral. In the front of the room there is a huge flower display! GORGEOUS!!!! We then walk in with some members from Xiang Shan ward and line up. I then gave my talk. Then we all sang Lead Kindly Light and Nearer My God to Thee. It was beautiful. Afterwards we lined up and did the customary bowing then left. I am really enjoying about the culture of Taiwan and being able to take part in some of it. In this culture they truly honor their ancestors.

Thursday was a specialized training in Taoyuan. For specialized training President & Sister Day come with the Assistants. In the beginning we talked about not being an over perfectionist. It was really good to hear. Sister Day announced our new English PROGRAM!! Us and the Taichoung mission will now be using the same program which will make it better because if someone moves to their mission from our mission they can still go to the English class there and be on the same wavelength. I cannot wait this will make English class more attractive and be a way better finding tool.

In our Zhu San ward we now have a new ward mission plan. Sister Cisney and I came up with it so we are pretty happy about that. In that ward there are a lot of part member families and we want to focus on helping them share the gospel with their families. We decided that in order to share the gospel they first need to have the light in them. This led us to think we should focus on the Christlike attributes found in chapter 6 of PMG. Each month we will pick one and the whole ward will focus on that attribute. As missionaries we will talk about it in Relief Society/ priesthood on how we can attain this attribute.

Saturday was Lai Jie Mei's husband's funeral. It was way different because it was at a Catholic church. It really felt like a mass. A couple nights before the funeral we were able to visit her but more important listen to her and lift her hopes by reminding her about the plan of salvation. It is really hard to see her so sorrowful. She really did love her husband and misses him a ton.  The bishop and relief Society president were both able to come to the funeral. It was great that they are supporting Lai JM right now. She really is touched by all the ward members reaching out to her.

Saturday and Sunday we spent watching conference at the chapel. The missionaries watch together in the kitchen in English while everyone else watches in the chapel in Chinese.

WOW! The work is truly hastening! I love being a part of this work in these last days. It will be great to have more missionaries to touch the lives of more people.

I really loved Sister Dalton's talk!!! I was shocked that she got released but then I realized she has been in for a while.  What I got from her talk was knowing who I am helps me stay on the straight and narrow. To me she will always represent my years in Young Women! I told Sister Cisney this really makes me feel old.

Elder Holland’s talk was perfect for ALL. I loved how he talked about letting your little seed of faith grow. When he said lead with what you know it reminded me a lot about our investigators. A lot of the times they focus on what they don't know and how this is why they could not be baptized.  Sister Cisney and I then help them remember what they do know and I love seeing the smile creep on their face as they start to realize just how much they do KNOW! We all need to lead with what we do know!!

Elder Bednar's was a good talk. In our specialized training we did practice teaching of Law of Chastity. We all joked that he taught the law of chastity plain and simply. It was very bold to. I really loved how he tied it into the Plan of Salvation.

President Monson is such a good story teller. I loved how his was focused on obedience. As a missionary now understand obedience better. I know that through obedience God blesses us. I know that commandments do not enslave us but set us free from heart ache pain and suffering.

President did confirm that he will be splitting  Xin Zhu. I am not certain if I will be staying or they will be opening/white washing one of our wards. I know that wherever I go it is in God's hands.  There is a huge possibility that I will be training. Everyone in the district thinks so but I am trying not to think about it. I will probably know by this Friday. I know that God qualifies those whom he calls.

Ding Jie mei is doing great! The ward has really stepped up and fellowshipped her. Her home teacher has set up that every Sunday she can come over to their house for family home evening. This is such an appropriate fit because Ding JM son is around the same age as their kids. I am so happy!!!

I love you all!! I pray for you daily and you are never too far from my thoughts. This church is true! The only way to be happy in this life is to live by its principles.

Sister Latimer

April 1, 2013

Earthquake and A BAPTISM!

Hey Family and friends!

Wow! This week has flown by! It seems as if mission time is like a movie sequence. I don't even understand how time is going by so fast. This week has been full of ups and downs but all worth it because on Sunday after church DIng Jie Mei got BAPTIZED!!!!!! She was glowing! Sister Cisney and I looked like proud parents!

Sad news when I sent you the pictures last week all got erased and the memory card does not work. Apparently at the Internet cafe sometimes when you put your camera card gets put in it gets a virus that destroys the chip. So sadly I will not be sending any more pictures. : ( I will mail you some at the end of this transfer. Wow that is in 3 weeks! So soon!!

Yes we did feel the earthquake! It was so weird. On the scale thingy in Xin Zhu it was a 3 so not really bad at all. It happened during companion study. Sister Cisney and I are on the third floor and all of the sudden we both start to feel the room move. It was kind of like being on the tea cup ride at Disney land. We both look at each other and have a look of confusion. It only lasted 20 seconds. I felt a little dizzy afterwards but it was not that bad. Our elders had a much more kuazhang (ridiculous story). Elder Cheung and Montalto (Xiang Shan elders) were on splits with the zone leaders. Elder Cheung was in Zhu nan and their apart is on the 8th floor. The earthquake starts and Elder Cheung runs to the door to get his shoes on and then Elder Zou was like the keys. They start running out the door to go down the stairs and Elder Zou (he is a native and speaks a little English) said

Deng yi xia (wait a second)

The earthquakes stops. Then he continues and says

Yinggai meiyou zenme kuazhang (Why so ridiculous)!

We got a good laugh at this story at district meeting. Elder Cheung is definitely a good story teller.

Apparently in the Xiang Shan elders apartment things fell off the table.

Tuesday we had a Zone Conference! President & Sister Day and the assistants came down. It was a really AMAZING! It was the booster shot I needed. Dad you will possibly know this but we learned about the Asia Area vision plan. They really want us to work a LOT with Less actives!! Which we are super excited about! YEA!!!

That night Ding Jie Mei had her interview with President Day AND more importantly she passed. A baptism is a lot of behind the scenes work I have learned this week. It's so great that there are people in the ward who are willing to help with the behind the scenes work. We missionaries really do appreciate this.

Sister Cisney and I were standing at the top of the baptismal font stairs. Ding JM was really nervous so adorable right. A young man baptized her and he just got baptized 3 weeks ago. It was amazing to see her come out of the water! It was really like she was a new person!! I felt the way God felt for her. A proud parent who is glad that now she has this gospel in her life. This is only the beginning step, but she is ready to take this step.

We had a really cool miracle last night. We wanted to find 2 new investigators and we had a dinner appointment Sunday night. We decided we would leave 2 hours early so on the way we could street contact. We get half way to our destination and decide to park our bikes and contact. We lock up our bikes and say a pray. The first people we stop are a couple. It turns out he is from Poland and she is a native. We spoke with him in English which is so weird. We talked for a while and found out that he is a Christian. He finds out we are Mormons and then talks about how much he LOVES Brandon Flowers (from the Killers). He was saying he respected Brandon Flowers. We then gave him an English pamphlet with an overview of the first lesson and gave him our number. He told us he has interest and will call us next month!

After the dinner we were on the way home and my companion gets the feeling to stop and talk to this one girl on the side of the road. She starts talking to her and it turns out she is a former. She actually is a former of Sister Holmes (She and I went to BYU Hawaii together). Her name is Yang Xiao Jie (If Stephanie is reading this). Yes Elder Montalto is district leader. Xin ku women right?

She and I are the only two sisters who have been born in Xin Zhu.  Mission term birth place is your first area and last area is your dying.  What a miracle!

Each of us have a special gift we have to offer and that is all that God asks of us. He wants us to use the talents he has given us to bless the lives of those we come in contact with. I have been thinking a lot lately about why God sent me here to Taiwan. I have decided that it is because I have some untapped potential. I don't know what it is yet but God does. I know that it is the same with each of you! I know that God loves each of you! I love you lots too!

Sister Latimer

March 25, 2013

Butterflies and Bliss

Hello Family and friends!

Wow! This week has been full and my mind seems a blank at all the things that have happened.

This week has been a crazy week of lessons, interviews, and member missionary work! Yeah for members! You guys are truly the best at finding people who have a better chance of staying.

Sadly Lai JM has decided to wait a couple of weeks to be baptized. She is still developing her faith and that is the important part. Life is really busy and it is sometimes hard to remember what is important. I hope that we all remember that church should be one of our top priorities.

Ding JM is doing AMAZING!! We meet with her Friday night for her baptismal interview. My companion and I met with her before. she seemed a little shaky and we were maybe thinking of pushing by the interview to another day to give her more time. Then when we mentioned this to her she told us "no I have been preparing my heart for this interview!" How could we say no to that? This just shows us how much her faith is growing. She just kept on telling us how much she NEEDS baptism to improve her life. She truly understands the covenants of baptism and wants the blessings that come from being baptized. Her baptism will more than likely be this Saturday!! I will for sure send pictures next week!! There will be some at Ding JM baptism!

Liu Kang Chen her son is doing great. His mom told us that he is constantly reading his scriptures! Ding JM told us morning and night he is reading his scriptures. The primary president told us that he is being way better in primary. He is enjoying it and wants to come now!! He wants to see his mom be baptized and then he thinks he will. I am glad that Ding JM is setting the example for her son!

Ward members were miracle workers this week in finding! I am so grateful for the ward support, love, and care! They truly take care of us here.

One day my companion and I got this call from the relief society president in one of our wards. She told us that she meet this lady in seven (7-11) and this lady is interesting in the gospel. She then told us her number. Our Relief Society president is so precious! She also took us out to eat on Friday. She is the only member in her family. Her testimony is so rock solid though. A lot of sisters in the wards here are members and their husbands are not. I am awed at them. Every week they come with their sometimes screaming, grumpy, sad child. They are truly the pioneer women of Taiwan. I am thankful to them that they are setting the example for their kids.

On Sunday I was sitting in our afternoon ward when our ward mission leader from another ward comes in with a referral.  It turns out that he saw this woman on the street. This woman's child was being a handful and the mom was stressed. Then he told her go to church and it will be better. She came and LOVED all three hours! At the end of Relief Society she turns to me and says wait it's over. I sadly had to tell her yes. We then set up to meet with her this Saturday! I can't wait!

I think that in my mind my success is really not mine but watching my investigators. Two of them had their baptismal interview. I was amazed to talk with Elder Montalto afterwards and hear him talk about how amazing they are and their strong testimonies. It is a humbling experience to be a part of these people conversion story. I see their life go from black to white. I can see the change in their countenance. I am so grateful that God has answered their prayers in helping them find answers to their questions.

I love you all! All the blessings we have in life are from God. I know that he is aware of each of us. He does know us by name and wants to help us overcome whatever obstacles we face in life. I know that he hears and answers prayers in his TIMETABLE.  I know that it is hard to wait on his timetable but it is this trail of faith that makes us who we are.

Saturday will be a day of smiles, laughter, and memories!!!! What an exciting day!

Hurrah for Israel!

Sister Latimer

March 18, 2013

Temple Tours, Tithing Troubles and Transfer Two

Happy St Patrick's Day! I did wear green the other day.

What a crazy week it has been for us here in Xin Zhu as you can tell by the title of this e mail. I can truly see how the Lord is preparing the people of Taiwan especially here in Xin Zhu. I am grateful for the opportunity that I have to serve here. There are so many people who are touching my life. I sometimes wonder what I am doing for them because I feel that they are helping me way more.

Lai Jie mei is just blooming in the gospel. Sunday me and my companion were not sure whether or not she would be ready for her baptism this coming Saturday because we had not finished all the lessons. We set up with her to meet before church and talk with her about possibly pushing back her baptism a week or two. She comes in and is like this afternoon is my interview right and we were like yeah but we were thinking about pushing it back a week or two. She was like no I am ready. We then finished teaching her throughout church. We ditched Sunday School and Relief society to finish all the lessons. It's ok because she... passed the interview!!!! One thing I was worried about was tithing because her neighbor (who is a member) was telling us how she is nervous about that particular commandment. Her neighbor who was only trying to comfort her told her that when you get baptized you don't need to be keeping all the commandments. Further told her that she could even pay 7 or 8 %.  The neighbor told us when we were on our way to do a daily follow up. My companion and I were VERY surprised and tried to keep a straight face. I could not show her my “what in the world” face. On Sunday we cleared it up and she said she is willing to exercise her faith and do it! Phew dodged a bullet.  Another crazy member told her that gambling is part of the word of wisdom. Oops still haven't finished teaching her the new member lessons. We will make sure to talk about that. What do we learn here if the person is really ready no matter how crazy your member is they will still develop their faith!

Ding jie mei came to church for the first time in a long time!! She really is striving hard to prepare for baptism. The only hard thing with her is the language barrier. She is Vietnamese and so at church it is really hard for her to understand and focus. My companion and I are trying to find ways to help her understand the importance of church and how she can receive revelation at church.

Chen's daughters are finally talking to us! They are 9 &11. Their mom is a returning less active. The mom told us how she wants them to be baptized. A date was was originally set for June 6. We wanted to give them time because their parents just barely divorced and have a hard time trusting adults. This past Sunday they asked when the older sister asked us when they could be baptized! What a miracle! The ward is being a good help at pei ke because the mom has a job and it's hard for her to always be at the lessons.

Friday we went and did temple tours! I always love going to Taipei! It is such a treat! I absolutely love doing temple tours. It is just a taste of being a temple square sister missionary I feel. The cool thing here every transfer we go up once. If you are in the Taipei zones you go twice a transfer. When we come back and visit we should go on one! I love it! 

A cool miracle was when we were at the temple on Friday. There were no set ups and so my companion and I decided to go finding. We said a prayer and then talked. I suggested we walk toward this certain park area. Right outside the park gate was a teenage girl. We talked with her for a minute and invited her to walk back with us and do a tour. She came and we were able to share with her a lot about our church on the walk to the temple. After the tour we asked her if she would be willing to meet with the missionaries. She set up and I know that she is ready!

I have made it to my second transfer. Oh how time flies! It just seems like yesterday I was stepping off the plane to meet my mission President! Now I am an "old missionary. Not really though. I feel still so inexperienced. 

This week success is I feel that my relationship with Christ has grown a lot. I rely on him more than I have my own life. I am not one to feel that I need a lot of help or like to ask. I like to feel that I can do things on my own and not need someone else's help. Being on a mission has really humbled me and made me realize I can't do any of this on my own. It is only him! And even with all my faults he will always forgive me and will reach out his hand to save me when I am sinking.

I love you all more than words can express. The church is TRUE! There is no better way to live your life than the principles of the church.

Hurrah for Israel!

Sister Latimer

March 11, 2013

When the Wind Blows, the Work is Moving

Hello Family and friends!

Wow can it really be another week already! This is the last week of the transfer! My first two months on the island are almost up.  Time truly does fly! This week has been busy with so many good things!

Our investigators our just golden. They truly are making a change in their lives and you can see it in their countenance.

Lai jie mei is doing great. In all of her prayers she thanks god that her kids our being more well behaved. It is great because she notices it and is thanking God for it. She went to a baptism the other day in her ward. She liked the feeling. She then started talking about her own baptism and asked all these good questions. She even talked about how she wished her husband was doing this with her. This is a huge change from what she used to feel. The gospel has really made all the difference in her life.

Ding Jie mei is doing great! We had awesome pei kes who were able to help explain better. We went through the baptismal interview questions yesterday and for our pei ke we brought the gospel doctrine teacher. She was super great. You could tell that she really cared about her and took the time to explain to her. She did it in such a clear and simple way. I was so grateful that she was there.

Zhou Jie mei is slowly coming. She told us how she just feels so overwhelmed and how she feels that every day she has so many things to do and she always feels like she never does anything well enough. She then asked why everyone in the church is so happy. We were able to talk with her in depth about the atonement. We read with her the sacrament prayer and just talked about why we need to partake of the sacrament meeting. She has so much potential I hope that we can do a good job of expressing that to her. .

A miracle was on Saturday. We had a lesson scheduled for 4:30 and then we had to go to a baptism at 5:30. Our investigator did not come until 5:15. We gave a quick lesson then we told her about her the baptism and invited her to go. She came and told us she liked the feeling there. She also thought that there were so many young people. She was like I am too old to join. We explained that this person was a youth so a lot of his friends came. She was not able to come but told us that she will read the BOM.

Last Thursday was the temple tour training for all the sisters. A little background. There is a temple in my mission and the sisters do a tour there just like any other temple mission. We don't know who will be there but we all get trained every so often. Also once a transfer every companionship goes for a day and does the tours for the day. Sister Cisney and I go this Friday!!! It was a great training. A lot of it was about passing the spiritual ball to your companion. They talked a lot about companionship unity and how you should switch off every 2-3 sentences.

Then Sister Day talked! I love this women she is great! She gets up and does a quick change into sweats and tennis shoes. She then told us I am not doing this to be disrespectful I am doing this because I just want to be me and when I am me this is what I wear when I want to relax and be me. We then talked about how there are days on a mission that are hard and all you want to do is be you--which would be getting into a nice comfy outfit and sitting and watching a good movie for me. We talked about the joys and trials we face as sister missionaries. It was really great and just what I needed to hear. At the end though I came to the realization I am always me whether I am in a dress with a name tag or in my jeans at the end of the day I am me and that is all anyone else can expect of me.

I really feel that I am growing in ways that I never thought were possible. My heart is being molded by God and at times it is hard but at the end of the day/week I realize that I am becoming the person God wants me to become and that is what matters. I have been able this past week to really reflect on Christ life through my reading/ studying of Jesus the Christ. I realize how much he really does love and care for me.

We saw one of our recent converts yesterday. I meet with her my first 3 weeks on island. I was so happy to see her. She turns to me and asked has your Chinese progressed a lot. I was happy to turn to her and be like a little. I feel for the first time that this is true. I can see how much more confidence I have in lessons and with members. I am no longer afraid to talk to people. If I don't understand I just ask them to repeat.

It will be interesting what changes lay ahead with transfers. Four of us are locked in here because of training! Which I am really happy about I do not want to move. I told everyone here I want to be born and die here. (mission terms) This is the place where God wants me to be and I truly feel that. The wind is constantly here but the work is also constantly moving here.

I love you all! Hurrah for Israel! The work is hastening and it is such a joy to be a small part of it here in Taiwan.

Sister Latimer