August 12, 2013

Sadie Hawkins’ Dance

Hello my dear family and friends!

This week has flown by. I feel as if so much has happened I do not even know where to start.

Last Tuesday was our zone conference! I loved it so much. It was the spiritual boost that needed. This month our mission president is raising the bar in a lot of areas!! It is really pushing me more and more to be a better missionary.

One of our goals is that this month our mission can have 80 baptisms!! Breaking it down means that every companionship needs 1 baptism. When you look at it that way it is not nearly as intimidating. Another goal is that every companionship every day can give away one copy of the Book of Mormon.  That has been a really good motivation to work harder and harder every day. I am grateful for the challenges that he has given us.

Wednesday and Thursday were a day of getting fanged  (not coming to lessons). In those two days we got fanged 7 times! I could not believe it!  It was really sad. Sister Koch said at one point "It is High School all over again. I ask a boy to the Sadie Hawkins and then he doesn't show. (This is her exaggerating not a real story) . When the Elders asked us how is your day going we just gave them he look of don't even ask. Our lowest point had to be when not even our cute 2 year olds came to English class. We were like not even two year olds want to be with us.

The good thing about Sister Koch and I is we handle disappointment really well. We can just laugh it off. There are moments that we are truly but overall we can handle it well together. we tend to make up song parodies to Taylor Swift songs. That is therapy for us. Laughter and chocolate are the cure for sadness. I totally believe it now with all my heart.

Elder Farrell told us that in English class he taught his students that ice cream can fix anything especially the broken heart. Sister Koch and I full heartedly agree!

Friday was AMAZING we were able to go on exchanges with the temple sisters!! The temple sisters are the top sister Training leaders in our mission. They go on exchanges with all the sister training leaders and first transfer trainees. I went with Sister Edger who was with me in Hsichun Zhu too! It was a blast from the past.

While on exchanges she helped me so much. I know that she receives revelation to know what counsel to give me. I picked her brain about training because she trained twice. I just told her I love it but there are lots of times I do not feel qualified to train. She then reminded me to relax and enjoy the ride.

We have seen so many miracles big and small!

I feel that one miracle is that I am finally willing to be humble. I always felt that i was really good with directions. Then God sends me to another country where I can't read the map as well because I can barely read the characters on the map. Then when I ask people for directions I only understand about half of what comes out of their mouths. Last week it took us an hour to get to one of our members house but on the way back it to 15 minutes. Humility is the key here.

Sunday we had an appointment at 6:30 with a member referral. We are sitting at the church and 6:30 comes and goes. I called her 3 times and no answer. I told my companion that we need to say a prayer. We say a prayer asking God that if it be his will she would remember her appointment and come. At 6:55 we decided that we had officially been fanged. Last night there was a single adults activity at the church which we were invited to. We went and started mingling with the ward members there. Then around 7:15 Wu Di Xiong comes to me and is like your investigator is here!! I was so surprised but happy all at the same time. We go out and see this beautiful mom with two kids.

We had a beautiful lesson with her. She is actually from Vietnam but moved here with her family.  She is divorced with two kids. Her kids are so CUTE!! They are 7 and 8 year old!

We taught her God is our loving Heavenly father, BOM, pray and Jesus Christ. When we shared with her about how she is a child of God and he loves her something clicked and her eyes just lit up. We originally wanted to give her a BOM but we did not have it in Vietnamese. We are getting one today. At the end we invited her to church next week and she said yes I will come!!!

We have not been able to get a hold of Qiu Xiao Jie. We talked with her member friends. She told us the mom is really confused about our religion. I then asked her to ask the mom to arrange to meet with us and her. I am afraid we will scare the mom off. The mom wants her to meet with us but does not want her to be baptized. Which is hard because that is our purpose as missionaries.

Zhang JM is doing great!! Sadly she is moving.. However, on the bright side she is moving to Hschin Zhu!! I was like can I come with you. She did not get it. I am sad to be losing her but hey it’s all team Jesus.

Zhen li is doing GREAT!! We have gone through almost all the commandments. She is one of the smartest 11 year old I have ever meet. She was like I know what the Ten Commandments are and then started to list them for us. She has her baptismal interview next Sunday. I have no doubt in my mind she will pass.

Tina is a new investigator. The Elders contacted her on the street one day. The elders prayed with her and the next day all the things that were asked for in the prayer were answered. Then on Friday night we had just finished a lesson and were about to go contacting when I hear Lei Jie Mei. I turn and there is Tina with her dog. She was like you would never believe what happened today. I was like what. She told us another one of her prayers was answered and then told us. We then sat and had a lesson with her.

Last time we invited her to baptism but she did not accept.  We then talked about baptism again. She responded with I decided a long time ago I need three signs. I am thinking you have had so many! She then pauses and was like I have another sign. She then tells us this story afterwards she looks at us and goes I gave I had had all my signs. We then invite her to baptism and she was like one more thing. She told us open up the BOM to any page and pick a scripture. Which we do and we end up in 3 Nephi 12? It is the scripture about built upon the rock of my salvation. We were able to tie that into how baptism is the first step in building your rock upon Christ. She ACCEPTED!! I am so glad that we were able to see that miracle.

That's a wrap for the week! Miracles do happen we just have to look for them. I saw many more but no time to write them all.

I know this church is true! I know that we are ALL God's children. I know he loves us and wants us to return to him. I know that through sincere prayer we can communicate with him. I know that he hears our prayers and in his time answers them. I know that through Christ Atonement we can be healed spiritually and emotionally. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know that families can be together forever. I love you all!

Hurrah for Israel!

Love

Sister Latimer   

August 5, 2013

We’ll Jump and We’ll See, Joe

Hello family!!

I love you SO very much! I can't believe that this Wednesday is my halfway mark! I feel as if I am at the top of a volcano about to jump. I have no idea what to expect!  Everyone tells me the last half of your mission is the fastest!

I LOVE TRAINING!!!! I just want to train the rest of my mission. It helps you remember why you came on a mission.

Life is incredible! Everything is swinging up it feels like!  The area is just blooming with work. Sister Koch and I are just constantly running from place to place. I love it! She is still adjusting but is being a great trooper.

On Saturday we met with Zhen Li and set a baptismal date with her for August 24. She is a 11 year old girl that we have been working with for the past 3 weeks! We asked her if she knows this church is true and she said I think so I get this feeling when I pray and ask. We then took the time to explain the Holy Ghost!!

Zhang Jie Mei is doing awesome! We taught her a little bit about faith in Christ and baptism and took some time to ask some baptismal interview questions. She has such a strong testimony! We feel that she is really changing a lot! It's amazing to see this gospel CHANGE people’s lives.

Qiu is doing good. She has lots of questions and we are trying are best to answer and explain them. We usually also have a pei ke who can explain bai bai stuff.  She is really great. She just really wants to understand it all before she gets baptized.

Lin JM has had a complete change of heart! We set with her a new baptismal date!! I feel that now she really is in it for the right reasons! She has really re committed to pray and read every day.

Song JM one of our recent converts has changed so much since I have been here! Yesterday for the first time she stayed the whole 3 hours of church!!! It is such a happy moment to see your RCLA or investigators change and come unto Christ.

Weeks are just flying by. I don't remember at all what I do from day to day anymore. At the end of the day Sister Koch and I look at each other and say what happened today. Then both of us stare at each other and burst out laughing! All the days tend to blend together.

This week I have been reading in Jesus the Christ. I am in the week leading up to his Crucifixion. It has been such a joy to really STUDY the life of Christ. Through this study my relationship with Him has become really strong! I really know that he died for all mankind including me.

Being a missionary is the best! I love being able to share this gospel every day!

The church is true! God loves each and every one of us.

Love

Sister Latimer

July 29, 2013

Like Mother Like Daughter

Hello family and friends!

This week has gone by SO SO FAST!! I cannot believe it is Monday already! I love being a missionary. Every day is a new adventure and I love it.

Sister Koch is a SUPER STAR missionary! I love her enthusiasm about the work. Interesting fact both her and I did all of our mission papers in the BYU H 1st Stake. This means she was also interviewed by President Hanneman! We plan to write him a letter this week. What are the chances of him helping both of us, both of us going to Taiwan Taipei and me training her. I can just see the Lord's hand in it all!

This week has been so busy and full of miracles!

We have been working a lot with our recent converts and less actives. I love being able to work with them and helping them remember the joy they felt at baptism.

Qiu Xiao Jie is doing super great! She is young but definitely wise beyond her years!  She marks her scriptures! She always has good questions and she has a desire to change! We are thinking that she will make her baptismal date!

Zhang Jie Mei was able to come to church yesterday for the first time. She loved it! That was a huge miracle! Originally she told us she would not be able to come but when we called her that morning she told us that she could come!

Lin JM is back on the board. We reset up expectations with her and taught her the plan of Salvation again focusing on being an eternal family. She loves that part! At the end we again asked her to pray and read every day. She said she would do better at reading and praying every day! This is a huge change for her.

Jiang JM is ok. We meet with her this week and she told us she does not want to meet anymore. We then talked about why. She then told us how when she first meet missionaries her heart was empty and she just wanted to feel love from God. She then talked about how the missionaries have promised her a lot of blessing including feeling God's love but she has been meeting with us for about 3 plus months and stills feels empty.

We then talked about how she needs to do her part. The Lord is there and willing to reach out to her but if she does not do her part God will not do his. We shared with her the faith without works scripture. Our member was awesome and did a good job at bearing her testimony of how we need to have faith and ACT. Jiang JM told us she needs time and then she will be willing to meet with us. We have been praying for her a lot these past few days. We know that God will answer her prayers she just needs to open her ears!

I love you all! The church is true! Joseph Smith did see God and Jesus Christ. Through Joseph Smith God restored his church.

Hugs and Kisses

Sister Latimer

July 22, 2013

What’s in a Name?

Hello family and friends!

This week has been a roller coaster of emotions! I don't know how to feel.

Last week was crazy! Sister Sun was busy packing I was busy preparing the house for my new companion.

Thursday was busy with meeting after meeting after meeting! Then at night we took the new missionaries out for "babysitting". Babysitting just means that we take them out for contacting. I was with Sister Porter and because I live so close she was able to meet with a real investigator. She really enjoyed it.

Friday Morning both Sister Chen and I were so nervous to train. It is scary waiting to find out who your new companion will be especially when you will be training.

My new companion is Sister Koch. Her dad is in the army so she grew up all around the world but home is Hawaii. She went to BYU Hawaii in 2010 so we just barely missed each other.  She is AWESOME! The first night we were going over lesson plans and she had a great idea for one of our new members. I told her could you take the lead in this lesson AND she did. She has lots of courage. She is trying so hard to learn the language and talk with everyone. I told her that just talk and I will catch you if you need it. My goal is to really just help her gain the confidence she needs to be a good missionary.

I am re-falling in love with Shuang He because of her. She loves it all. She is always asking me what's that and what's this.

Sister Sun actually left and opened a NEW SISTER area!!! She opened Bei Tou which is one of President Day's old areas. She is still in Taipei but kind of far away. I will make sure to get the package to her!

Training is a whole different world of missionary work. The Lord has given you this huge responsibility to take care of this brand new white eyed missionary. It's great and overwhelming all at the same time. I feel so inadequate but at the same time I know that God has been helping me so very much. I feel as if ear plugs have been taken out of my ear and everything is starting to make sense to me. Somehow what people are saying to me is starting to make sense in my brain. I know it is all because God is helping me so much.

For the title of my e mail is a cool story.

We were over visiting a family that has three kids. All the kids have English names. They are Peggy, Maggie and Ryan. I asked them how did you pick your kids’ English names? She told me that the girls they chose. The mom started telling me about how they picked the boys names. She said our "fu yin" Elder gave it to him. I then thought I know a Ryan who served in Taipei. I then asked is it Ryan Daniels? She told me yes how do you know him. I told her how I had met him in China last summer. What a small world huh?

I love you all! The Church is true! I know that God loves each one of his children.

Sister Latimer

July 15, 2013

Typhoon and A BABY?

Hello family and friends!

I hope this letter finds you all safe and well! Things have been crazy here with the typhoon.

With the unpredictable weather we were constantly getting phone calls from our district leader telling us what President Day wanted us to do. Originally we were not going to go outside at all on Friday. Then during studies on Friday morning we get the call that we can go out. So we went and did missionary work.  Then around 3 we get a call telling us President Day wants us in by 5 pm. So that night we cleaned our house and organized our area and former books. That night was when the storm really hit. You could hear the wind and rain. We were told that night that Saturday we could leave our house after 2 pm but because the storm passed quicker than expected we were able to leave after studies! That night around 7 we get a call saying President wants us in by dark. I told my district leader it is almost dark and Sun JM and I have a lesson far away. We had a quick lesson then rushed home. He did not want us riding around after dark because there is a lot of debris on the ground.

Saturday night our phone rings and I see that it is from the assistants. I pick up the phone and it was Elder Bowler. He was like, “Hello is this Sister Latimer?” I told him yes. He then starts asking about how is Shuang He. I tell him that the work is going great! He then asks me, “Do you think that it is a good place to raise a family?” At this point I am super confused. I said, “This is a great place for families because there are lots of parks.” He was like, “Well I think it is great you think it is great for raising a family because you will be a mom next transfer!”  He was like, “President Day wants you to train this coming transfer!” I was like “Really?”

I should explain your trainer is your first companion out in the field. In the mission world we call it your mom or dad. Sister Cisney is super excited because both her daughters will be training so she'll be a grandma!

I am so excited and NERVOUS to train! I feel that I am still learning a lot about how to do this work and more importantly how to be a good missionary. I was talking with my district leader about it. He was like really the key to being a good trainer is to be humble.

I feel that this is why I had this transfer! I feel this transfer God has humbled me a lot! I have realized how much I need to rely on the Lord to do this work. My Chinese is still far from perfect. i have one investigator who every time I talk to her tells me she does not understand. So the member translates. That is defiantly humbling. It gets better each lesson but there are still sometimes she completely does not understand.

Whom the Lord calls, he qualifies. I guess that is what will happen. I could not sleep Saturday. I kept on telling everyone on Sunday, "My new companion is still in America!" I keep on thinking, “What is she thinking right now?” I reflect back on my last week in the MTC and all the fears and excitement I had.

I hope that I can make her first two transfers in Taiwan the best. That is what my mom did for me and that is what I want to do for my baby.

Our investigators are doing great!

We were finally able to meet with Lin JM this Sunday. I feel that we had a break through with her! She was telling us how she already and a lot f faith to start with. I told her keep growing it and you will know that this church is true! I feel once she knows that this church is true her kids will also grow fast. The kids already have a strong testimony they just need moms encouragement.

Jiang JM is coming along. She is reading and praying. She does not feel that she has faith and that is what is stopping her from progressing. We are praying to know how we can help her. She really is golden it is her own fear that is stopping her.

Qui JM is doing great! She is really progressing in the gospel. She is full of questions!! She has only had the BOM for 2 weeks and is already in Alma!! WOW! I was really impressed.

Zhang JM- She has such a sincere desire to change. There are things in her past.

Wang Jie Jie- We finally found a teaching method that will help her focus!!!! What a miracle. We sing to her about a topic and give her a book to read along while we sing. She then talks about the song and how it touched her. I am so happy that Sister Sun was inspired to teach Wan Jie Jie using songs.

I love you all the church is true! God loves us all! He wants to help all of his children overcome their challenges!

I can't wait to write you next week and tell you who my baby is.

Love

Sister Latimer

July 10, 2013

Temple Day!!!

Hello family and friends!

This week has been power week. Whenever we have temple day our preparation day gets moved to Wednesday so we call it power week because we have to push through Monday and Tuesday. I am so excited to be able to go to the temple! How lucky am I to have a temple in my mission!

Happy news from Xin Zhu! (Sister Cisney told me)

Ding Jie Mei went to the temple for the first time to do baptisms for the dead!! I am so happy that she is continuing to just grow in the gospel!

Song Jie Mei had a secret baptism. She went home and told her parents and they opposed but because she already had her own testimony she chose to get baptized anyway. Sister Cisney went to her baptism and told me how beautiful it was. In Song Jie Mei's testimony she mentioned all the missionaries that have helped her. She said that Sister Cisney and I taught her with power and Sister Edgar and Gruwell taught her that it was a good thing, It makes me so warm inside to know that I am able to touch others’ lives through the gospel.

I was super sad I could not attend just too far away! Sister Cisney told me look at all we did in our time together. It takes time for some seeds to plant but they will grow.

Jiang Jie Mei is slowly developing her faith. This week we changed her baptism date to allow her more time to prepare. Her biggest obstacle is church. Every Sunday something has always come us that has not allowed her to come to church. We are working on helping her understand the importance of church. I know that once she comes she will be able to feel the spirit and will have a desire to come every week.

Chen Jie Mei had to stop meeting with us. Her father found the Book of Mormon and told her she did not need that. She then told us she could not continue to meet with us. We meet with her one last time. She committed to keep praying. I now that we planted a seed and one day it will grow. Her time has not arrived yet.

This week I was able to go on exchanges with Sister Crofts! It was so much fun! I love her so much and was so excited to learn from her. I have realized that I have lost my personality when I teach. A lot of it is because of the language. I am so fixed on trying to get a sentence computed in my head that I get to serious. Sister Crofts then asked me what are 10 words you would use to describe yourself. Then she asked what are 5 words you would describe yourself in a lesson. I then realized the huge difference in personality. She started talking to me about how I should let my personality come out in my lessons! As I saw her teach I could see how her personality still came out in lessons.

Another thing she taught me was to take the lead in lessons, contacting, or anything else. I have never had a companion who would not take the lead in a lesson and so I have just gotten used to being more quiet in lessons. She gave me the confidence I needed to take the lead.

Yesterday we had temple tours training. That was a great uplifting experience. The temple sisters were able to talk with some Salt Lake Temple Square sisters and get their advice. They gave us a lot of tips on how to better give temple tours. They reminded us how when we do Temple tours we are just like the sisters at Temple square. We need to act like it. I am excited because this Saturday Sister Sun and I will be doing Temple tours so it will be a good chance to do what we have done.

Transfers are coming next week and we are all holding our breath to see what happens. With this huge surge in missionaries the missionaries already out in the field have to step up. President Day told us that 75% of our missionaries have been in Taiwan for less than a year! This transfer 19 Elders are coming and 8 sisters. President tells us that a lot of the younger missionaries will be taking on bigger responsibilities than an average missionary would. It will be exciting to see what happens.

Also exciting news for this coming transfer they will be opening 3 new sister areas and 4/5 new elder areas!! What an exciting time to be on a mission.

This transfer has been harder than previous. I feel as if God is teaching me something new every day. I have grown in ways I never thought possible. It is hard to realize your own shortcomings but it is necessary in order to change.

I love you all! The church is true!

Sister Latimer

July 1, 2013

Love and Laugh

Family and Friends!

This week has been filled with so many miracles! I feel that Sister Sun and I are finally getting in a grove of things and because of that we are seeing many miracles. I am grateful that the Lord has helped us so much this week.

Zhang Jie Mei was baptized this week! It was a beautiful baptism! She was glowing from head to toe! She is so golden. The ward was amazing at supporting her. She is a solid addition to the ward. She wants to help pei ke and she is already helping those in the ward who are more shy. I know that there are many more out there like her. It is our job to find them.

Jiang JM is doing great! She really loves hearing the testimony of others. The first thing she asked in our last lesson was what is your favorite scriptures! She just loved hearing our testimonies. She was going to come to church but then her parents came to visit and she had to cancel. That is the only thing that is stopping her from being baptized. We taught her the commandment of Sabbath day last time and this week we are going to touch on it again.

Chen JM is good! She was just smiling an giggling the whole time we were there. I know that it is from prayer. She does not realize it yet but we will help her see that. She is getting into the habit of prayer which is a great start! I am so proud of her!

We have been working with a less active Li Jie Mei. Miracle this week she came to church! She was not able to stay the whole time but she did come to sacrament meeting. We found an unconventional way to help her. She finds the BOM boring and hard to understand. We realized she loves pictures so we gave her the kids BOM picture book. She has read every week since. She has a lot of questions and we then turn to other verses in the BOM to answer her good questions. She told us that she is grateful we gave her that book. She says it is easier for her to understand!

On Monday we visited a less active family and the dad was there. We were able to have a FHE with them. It was really good! We shared about the words of the prophets!

We had a new investigator this week with the help of a member! Fan JM has a friend who wants their daughter to go to church to learn more. Fan JM was like I will bring her to my church. Qiu JM is a cute 13 year old girl! She has so many questions. She is super golden! We gave her the BOM and at first she said I can't take it I will buy it. We then told her it is free. She jumped and giggled. She was so happy to receive a BOM. I am excited to see what questions she will have for us next time.

On Saturday we had a ward activity in Shuang 2. A young woman in the ward brought 3 non-member friends. One of them has interest and we were able to get her number. We will be meeting with her this week.

On Sunday we went with some ward members to go contacting. A few ward members did balloon animals and while the people were waiting we along with other members handed them English and family tracts! It was a huge success. We got 2 numbers and gave our number to 2 or three people. One lady is already a Christian! We gave her a family tract and she told us she would look at it. We gave her our number and she said she would call if she has interest. I really believe she will call us!

Another lady went to a church activity of ours before and really enjoyed the family feeling. She does not want to meet but told us that if we ever have an activity call her. We are going to call and invite her to church this week.

As we head into July I am excited. July and August are supposedly the two hottest months. I feel that all I do is sweat all day long. I wake up sweating and go to sleep sweating. I told my companion will it really be that much different in July and August? I will find out.

I love you all! The church is true!

Love

Sister Latimer

June 10, 2013

Hello family and friends!

 This week has been a roller coaster of emotions! I don't even know where to begin so I will start from the beginning.

Elder Montalto wanted us as a district to spend his last preparation day together. We all went to one of his favorite pizza places and then went to big city and shopped! There has been this watch that I have been staring at for the past few weeks. He told me if I get one he has too. For this reason I have been holding off because he does not need any more watches. However, last week I gave in and we both now have new watches.

That night the whole district went to Pei Pei's FHE! It was a party not a FHE. I could not stop smiling that whole night! I even shared the spiritual thought that night which is something I never thought I would do. I went home that night beaming. I told Sister Briggs this is going to be a good week!

Tuesday night our Zhu yi ward mission leader invited us over to dinner because he knew that move calls would be coming the next day. It was DELICOUS!! We then did the normal correlation meeting.  Another happy day full of memories I will never forget.

After daily planning I was calling the Xiang Shan elders to coordinate a lesson. The home phone rings and I pick it up. It is the zone leader Elder Gong. I was assuming that he was calling for the Zhu 3 sisters because they are in the same district. However, I was wrong.

He asks me how my day was. I told him fantastic. He then asked what wards do you cover to which I responded Xiang Shan and Zhu 1. He previously served in Zhu 1. He was like those are great wards. I was like yep. (I was really confused at why he was doing all this small talk. I was in the middle of coordinating a lesson here!) He then was like well I just want to tell you that I know President Day is ordained of God! (at this point it hit me. They did move calls a day EARLY! This was my move call!) He started off with well I have good and bad news for you! He told me that God was pleased with my service in Xin Zhu and that I have completed my service there. He then said those words "You're moving. I was like OK. I hung up the phone and screamed. I could not believe that I was leaving my precious Xin Zhu!! I grew so much there. That place will always have a special place in my heart. I owe so much to members there. Xin Zhu will forever have a piece of my heart.

With that news are plans changed. The next two days were going to be jam packed with goodbyes. (Between the two days we visited 15 families and still had other lessons)

I wanted to share a uplifting message with each family. I chose Alma 17:2-3. In this section it talks about the sons of Moroni reuniting after leaving for their missions. They talk about how happy were to see each other again but what added more to their joy was that they were still strong in the gospel. I told them I am sad to leave but I know that we will see each other again and I hope that we will all still be strong in the faith. I told them don't worry I will come back to visit in this life.

Wednesday I was able to say goodbye to Pei Pei, Huang Jie mei, Du jie mei, Jiang Jie mei and that night was English class, lesson with May and then one last goodbye to You Jie mei! I was never good at goodbyes. I feel as a missionary I have gotten worse!

Thursday was even crazier! I visited Wen Jie mei lunch with Chen and Zhou Jie mei, LIn nai nai (grandma), Lin jia ting (family), Zheng Jie, lesson with Peng JIe Mei, diner with Huang Jie mei (same one from Wednesday) DIng Jie mei ( my recent convert) and then one last good bye to the Zhous, this time the whole family. They have a missionary goodbye book that I needed to sign. I don't know why I told her that I am going to come back.  She does not believe me.

Huang Jie mei is so great! She is Zhu yi bishop's wife. I get there just thinking I was going to say goodbye but then she was like wait I have jello stuff and cake. I was like what! How sweet! At the end we took a picture. Her son did not want to come in the picture. I was like it's ok. Then sister Huang was like she is going to send this picture to her family and they will ask her why are they missing a kid. I just laughed! Needless to say he joined the picture.

Saying goodbye to DIng Jie mei was the hardest. I did not want to leave. She asked me why missionaries have to move so much! I was just like I don't know. I don't like it either. While there Zhou Jie mei was like where are you we are waiting on you. I was really confused because I have told her 8:30ish and who was we? I said goodbye to Ding Jie mei and then rushed over to the Zhous. Thank goodness it is only a 5 minute bike ride. I get there and to my surprise the elders Montalto and Perterson are there with Becky and her mom. Sister Zhou just wanted to take a group picture. I will have to get a copy for you. There are some really good ones. I didn't want to say goodbye but it is something I will have to adjust to as a missionary.

Friday came way to soon and it was time to leave. Elder Montalto and asked Zhou Jie Mei to drive him up to the meeting since he had all his luggage. They allowed us to tag along. It was me and my companion with Elders Montalto and Peterson.  We had some good laughs. I did not want to think that in less than two hours we would all be separated.

However, the time came and we arrived in Taipei. We took some last minute pictures. ( I need to try to get a copy of all these pictures! ) Then came transfer meetings! Sister Briggs guessed I would go senior companion in Zhong li. Elder Peterson guessed Shuang he and Elder Montalto guessed Nei hu. and I ended up going to...

I am in Shuang He as senior companion. A little fun fact. There are two towns in this city: one is zhong he and yong he. So the city is shuang he because shuang means twin. I am in Taipei County? ( I think that is how you say it in English?) On the MRT (subway) from Jin Hua Jie ( temple) it is 20 minutes. Way more convenient! I feel like a little girl who grew up in the country who leaves home to go to college in the city. A complete 360!

My companion is Sister Sun. She is a native of Taiwan born in Ping dong.

Her family is not at all supportive of her on a mission but she is still here. Her mom is from Indonesia and her dad is Taiwanese. She grew up Muslim! She met the missionaries when she was 16! She investigated the church for 2 years before being baptized.

A cool story about her elders. To get to her house it took 3 HOURS!! Talk about devoted missionaries! Every day I am amazed by her faith and commitment to serve a mission. I know a mission is hard and not having the support of family is even harder.

My Chinese is going to sky rocket. She is only on her third transfer so her English is not the best. I speak Chinese all day every day! I love it. It is hard because I realize the little words that I don't know but this is how you learn.

God has blessed me with a good companion! I am grateful for the opportunity I have to work with her to help build Shuang He.

I am still in a two ward area! I can't seem to get away from them. This keeps me on my toes on Sundays! The wards are great!

WOW that is a long letter!

I know that God is looking out for each and every one of us. Right now I feel as if I am in the refiner's fire and it hurts but I know that the end results will be worth it. No one said that it would be easy but they did say it would be worth it. I know that if we allow challenges to perpetuate us not stop us we can be molded into the person God wants us to be but more importantly who we wanted to be ALL along!

I love you all!

Sister Latimer

June 3, 2013

Tracting and Transfers!

Hello family and friends!

Wow! It's already been another week! A lot has happened and I don't know how to express it all. First off this week is transfers so who knows where I will be emailing you from next week??!! I really hope that I will stay but either way I feel calm because it is all in the Lord's hand!

This week has been a hard week. All of our investigators are either not answering their phones or dropping themselves. In order to get new investigators Sister Briggs and I decided that we needed to get new investigators and that would mean finding finding finding! On Wednesday we decided that we would do 2 hours in Xiang Shan finding and 2 hours in Zhu 1! We picked a certain area that we would go finding in.

In Xiang Shan we picked our bike and decided we would walk from there to this college (on bike it is 20 minutes).  We did not have any success in finding any new investigators but we had lots of small miracles/ tender mercies.

We had been walking for a while and were a little discouraged... then all of a sudden I hear Lei Jie mei Lei Jie mei. I turn my head and see one of the Zhou's kid in their car driving by. My face lit up and I waved back. I love that family SOOO much. They will hold a special place in my heart forever! I call Sister Zhou my Taiwan mama.

Our second tender mercy came a little later. We were near the college when we saw one our less actives on her motorcycle. She saw us and a big grin appeared on her face.

The miracle in all of this is that members saw us working! That is the best thing members can see us do!

Sad news!!

Yang Jie Mei has decided that she no longer wants to meet with us anymore. It is really sad to see her chose not to be baptized but agency is given to all. That is hard to see your investigators chose to reject the gospel.

We did a lot of work with families and less actives this week!

In Zhu Yi the focus for the families was the wards 21 day mission plan. The plan is to help prepare members to know who of their friends is ready to receive the gospel. First you make a list of names. second you start the 21 day plan. The 21 day plan is a list of 21 scriptures and if you stop or forget a day you have to start over. I will be starting this today along with some ward members! I am excited to see the result. I know that the Bishop was inspired to receive this for his ward.

Less actives are sometimes hard to work with because they had a testimony. It is helping them re find that testimony is the key to helping them re light the fire that was once there.

We went and visited Du Jie Mei this week. One of our relief society presidency members Gao Jie Mei wanted to go with us. We get there and do our hello's and then Gao Jie Mei says well the message I would like to share is about temples. I was really surprised because I was not expecting her to teach the lesson. The lesson turned out great! This is what she needed to hear. She has a desire to go to the temple and now we have a goal to work towards.

Ding Jie mei is doing good. She is coming to church regularly and starting to make friends in the ward.  Every week we meet with her we have decided we would go over the Gospel principles upcoming lesson. She refuses to bring her Vietnam book to church so half the time she sits there confused. We decided she needs to better understand the basics. We had her with her Vietnamese book her son with his Chinese and me with my English. We then went around the room and each read some paragraphs. It made her feel better to have us read our English. In that moment sitting there it again hit me that no matter what language we speak God understands all. I was grateful that Ding Jie Mei can read the scriptures in her native language.

Yesterday was Elder Montalto's last Sunday! It is crazy to think how fast time flies. He was able to bear his testimony in church. All the people were so sad. He has been here 11 months! (7 transfers)  Missionaries really do make a splash wherever they go. I love seeing the impact of dying missionaries.  While in the work it seems as if you are not making a difference then as we reflect we realize the waves we made.

Life is so unpredictable. I have learned this week I just have to love every moment. I cannot change my situation but I can change my attitude. I do not know what this week brings but I am going to be happy with whatever happens.

God loves all his children! I love you all! I know this church is true. I know that if we earnestly pray God will answer.

Love

Sister Latimer