Temple!

October 26, 2013

Dearest dear ones,

Well, this is the last time you'll hear from me as a full-time missionary in Taiwan. It's a bitersweet time, I'm sure you understand. The last year and a half have been rewarding beyond measure. I feel like I am finally starting to understand a tiny piece of the gospel. I feel so blessed to have been able to serve here in Taiwan among these people I love so much. Today I get to go to the temple with Liang Mama. I dont know if you remember, but she was baptized just over a year ago. If not, let me refresh your memory :)

Liang Mama is one of my favorite people in all of Taiwan. She is the most sarcastic, funny, loving, ama you will ever meet. She makes everyone smile and always serves others. She also felt she was far too old to change her ways, however, Liang Mama was 78 years old when she was baptized last year :) It started off simply, Liang Mama would pay attention for about 1 minute before she would try to feed us more food or tell us about her neighbors, or say something sarcastic . We'd steer the conversation back to the gospel, and eventually got more and more creative, bringing pictures and making big murals to keep her attention. We would invite her to be baptized, and she'd say "Sisters sisters, I'm about to die! Don't worry about me." However, we never gave up. We kept visiting her, helping her meet people in the ward, and could see her testimony growing each day. One day we walk in and she goes, "Sisters... I would like to be baptized tomorrow. Can you arrange that? Alright, thanks." We helped her prepare instead for the week after, and she was baptized last year in September.

Now, the last week of my mission I will be going through the temple with her. I'm grateful from head to toe! This last week has been a wonderful one, visiting the people I love. Riding along the beach with Cynthia as we chuanjiao'd together, helping Pan JM, seeing Mibo, Yuli, throwing the best haunted hause ever for our english party, seeing Zhuang Bei bei, and so many more.

I love you all! I'm sad to leave but I promised Heavenly Father that I'd go where He wants me to go, say what He wants me to say, and be what He wants me to be. I can't wait to see you!

Love, Sister Smart