August 27, 2012
Ello hello cello jello.Congrats to Crystal and Jared and little baby Ryan!!!!! I am so excited and can't wait to meet him next year! I hope all is well with their family. Does Shari know if she is having a boy or girl yet? Or am I asking way too soon...haha It's good to hear about all the things going on back home. Keep updating me! I love you all so much.
I want to start off with a really great miracle story that could totally be found in an Ensign or something like that. President Bishop told us that Taiwan had a youth conference scheduled in Nantou from August 23-25 (this last weekend) There was also a typhoon bearing down on the middle of Taiwan, so they were going to cancel it. However, the youth sent out a mass notification and 1000 youth all throughout Taiwan fasted and prayed that their once-a-year conference would be able to go on. Then, to the suprise of all the weather predictions and government agencies, but not to the youth, the typhoon abruptly changed direction (never happens) which allowed the youth conference to go on!This miracle will go down in the memory of the history of the church as a clear example of divine intervention so that the purposes of God could go forward. How cool is that?! Okay, as if this story wasn't great enough, guess what! I was at this conference! President Bishop asked some companionships from our zone to go and work with the youth for a few hours. We were able to go and help them understand the importance of sharing their testimonies of the Book of Mormon with their friends. We started off with a "Dan Jones" activity. I don't know if you remember, but my first night in Taiwan they gave us all Book of Mormons and had us stand in the middle of a night market on a stool and testify of its truthfulness. That's "Dan Jones" ing. So in a huge auditorium, we grabbed about 15 youth and invited them to each share their testimony Dan Jones style. Then we watched a really cool video clip President Bishop had put together of youth around Taiwan doing service and sharing the gospel. In a country where morals are mocked, chastity is laughed at, the word of wisdom is thought of as impossible, and many people choose to worship statues and idols, the youth in the church really have to stand strong. They are so incredible and have such strong testimonies. Some of them have other family members in the Gospel, but many are the only members in their family, yet their testimony is an example to everyone. It was so refreshing to see so many strong examples in the same place and hear their stories. Then we split into groups and my companion and I had about 10 youth. We practiced sharing the gospel with their friends with them, specifically a Book of Mormon scripture and how it has blessed your life. I wish we could have stayed longer, but I'm so grateful I was able to go and see a little piece of it. Sister Wainright was able to see some of her recent converts that she hasn't seen in a year or so! Also, tell Mary Gibson that I saw one of her recent converts! She came up to me, telling me that Mary told her I might be there, so she came and found me. She is doing great and she seemed to be having a great time :) Thanks! It was just a wonderful experience all around. Not to mention the fact that it was at Sun Moon Lake... yep! Literally the most beautiful place I have ever seen. We were driving up just as the sun was setting and words cannot describe it! Sadly pictures can't either because we aren't allowed to take pictures outside of preparation day haha. Drats.
Welllllll, let's see. Have I ever mentioned that a mission is more than an emotional rollercoaster? It's like flying up into space and then dropping into the earth in 3 seconds. We build up so much emotion into these people that we love so much, that when they either choose not to be baptized or cannot because of an objection, it hurts so bad. I know the happiness they could feel and that they have tasted of, but it doesn't always work out the way you wish it would. One of the hardest things I've dealt with so far happened this morning during our personal study. We have an investigator Liu Jiemei who has been meeting with us for the last month and half. She has 2 precious little boys and wants to be baptized so bad. Her baptism was scheduled for this wednesday and all was set except for a little huge part. She had yet to ask her husband... We had a huge lesson on faith and courage yesterday and how everything is possible with the Lord's help. She was excited to go home and talk to her husband and tell him her desires to be baptized, and said she would call us in the morning to let us know how it went. We've been praying for her for weeks and weeks and continued last night and this morning. She called us and said that her husband won't allow her to be baptized. He doesn't even want her to come to church or meet with us anymore, but she said she still will do those 2 things. We told her we still have faith that it will work out, gave some suggestions of how to soften his heart, hung up and burst into tears. We love her so much and all she wants is to be baptized and make a better life for her family, but he will not let her. It's so heartbreaking to hear things like this, because husbands often object to their wives getting baptized. However,I absolutely know that the Lord's plan is better than ours, and that one day she will be baptized. The Lord has His own timing and I am just grateful we are able to be a part in her conversion process. We have experiences like this often and my emotions are all over the place haha, but I can't imagine it any other way. I'm being pushed far beyond my limit and the Lord is carrying me the rest of the way to do His work. I could not be more happy or lucky! I love the Taiwanese people. THEY ARE SO WONDERFUL!
Ah, well my time is up. I love you all so much. Ooh next week we get to go to Taipei temple!!! Very exciting but I won't be able to email until wednesday. Just wanted to let you know. I love you soooo muchhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHhhh!!!! It's unreal how much I love you all! Please know that you are thought of and prayed for all the time by a little white girl in asia.
Love, Sister Smart
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