A slow crawl out of the stone ages

I've decided I'm coming back. back to the blogging world. re-entry may be bumpy but why not take a whack at it? one. more. time. for the future you know- like my posterity.

love, bekah

Pics!!!

View from apartment

Breakfast...compliments comp!

Sister Tung

Hello lovelies!! So good to finally here from you... even if it was about the amazing trip :) It sounds like you all had a blast. And what... I didn't know Austin was along for the ride. Way fun! Oh and just to clarify I take pictures of your emails and then read them later so I don't take up email time to read them. Eek I just love you alll! And this work of course. I think good old HF might be sick of hearing me say thanks for letting be a missionary. I love this life so stinking much, the whole thing. Hearing how much fun you had on the trip, the legislature starting, its all so fun. Right?!

So! Wowsah am I on a whole new rollar coaster or what??!! Oh my having a native companion and having Sister Tung pure craziness. She seriously, of all the native sisters in our mission knows the least amount of english and has the most energy. It feels a little like I am serving with a 13 year-old boy. In that she is bouncing off the walls, not a huge fan of the rules and doesn't speak english. The only english she knows is quotes from Sandlot, Prison Break, Shrek, Harry Potter, church movies like Together Forever and she says "sucker" all the time but has no idea what it means and I'm not going to tell her (because its funnier to hear her use it in the most random situations). It's pretty much hilarious. So with that said now I hope you can believe the next part because it is SO true... she is a master teacher. She knows the scriptures better than anyone I have ever met. She is so good at creating personal metaphors with whoever she is teaching. Every lesson is tailored perfectly to the needs of the investigator. It's like she becomes a whole new person when she gets teaching. It's pretty rad to watch. Getting to serve with her- phew- I will never forget her example of pure love of the gospel.

Her conversion story: When she waw 13 her family was contacted by missionaries in a grocery store. The whole family went to English class but no one wanted to listen to the gospel message...except her. She wanted to get baptized but her parents wouldn't give her permission. So she had to wait until she was 18 to get baptized. From the age of 13 to 18 she rode her bike an hour to church and an hour back, often times having to sneak out of her house and tell her parents she was going to a friends house. Her parents don't approve of her serving a mission. When she calls home her mom won't talk to her but her dad will. Neither writes her- onnly her younger sister (she has 3 siblings). She is the only member and her family owns a breakfast place (so not much income but boy can she cook). She saved up money since age 13 to serve a mission. Is your heart bursting yet because this is my companion?! When I think/read about the noble and great ones...that's Sister Tung. In her odd 13 year-old boy personality. I love her.

Man yesterday was a cool day. I taught the first lesson in English to a miracle self-contact named Jessica Le. She is actually Vietnamese from Singapore who speaks perfect English- no Chinese. She is here on business and decided to wanted to go to church to have some alone time with God. She was amazing. After teaching her the first lesson - with my comp testifying in chinese and me translating- her prayer was amazing. One of the purest desires to know whether or not the Book of Mormon was true and whether the church was true. It was amazing. Unfortunately she goes back to Singapore Tuesday but I have her info and will refer her to missionaries in Singapore. I pray the missionaries will find her and help her. It was so neat.

Other than that life is good. Sister Tung cooks Taiwanese breakfaast every morning- potstickers, fried rice (learned how to make it- no worries), egg drop soup, noodles etc. (sorry claudia if you are drooling right now). Alright loves... this life is sooo good! Love you loads.

sister d.

One down...weird...

Well since my last email stufffff has changed..... I have a new companion! She is a native- from Taipei- on her last move call- so I will kill her here in Tainan (yep luckily I'm staying here because this place is still stinking golden- I will be here at least until April, perfect. love it.) Sister Tung. She is crazy- in a good way, doesn't speak much English. Welll actually like none so here I go. I'm pretty excited. This is going on hour 3 with her and so far we have cleaned the apartment like crazy and now we are off to buy food. Word on the street is she makes her companions Taiwanese breakfast every morning. I'm kind of exciteddddd! And hopefully my chinese will get a little kick in the bum and improve with a native. BUT it is so weird to be on my own, no mom (trainer) anymore. I mean of course I will continue to learn but the title "trainee" well that's no longer me. Sister Howard - I will miss her. I think heavenly father knew we had a little too much fun together, ha. Weird first transfer done, clearly all this change is still sinking in. hmmm. That will be one thing I will learn to like on the mish I suppose. Ok enough of this boring cheeseeee.

So last Saturday we had another baptism of a investigator -Tina- I have definitely never told you about becuase guess what... she met with us for two weeks and last time I wrote we had only met with her for one. Oh and she read the entire Book of Mormon in 3 days. Yes, kid you not. And pretty much ate up every lesson and begged to get baptized on Jan 1, 2011- they have a thing for cool dates here. And oh perfect she had been to church a few times before we met with her becuase oh wait her brother is a member who served a mission in Hong Kong. Holy it was amazing!!! She was beyond prepared! So at the baptism her brother shared his testimony and said that the entire time he was on his mission he prayed everyday that his sister would join the church. He referred her to the Taichung missionaries but at that time she had no interest. Then, just two and a half weeks ago a missionary in another area street contacted her and in their referral they said she wasn't really interested. But we still called her and set up a time to meet - she fanged (didn't show up) her first lesson but we re-scheduled. And then from the first time we met til this last saturday was two weeks. Yep baptized in two weeks, ridiculous. She LOVES everything about the church and asks outstanding, legit questions. Oh man! I tell you what Tainan is the land of milk and honey.

OH!!! Before I forget.... I got the Christmas package last Tuesday! Bah! I loved it! Seriously it was so great to get love from so many of my favorite people in Eagle!! Seriously, I absolutely loved it. The pj's- well I felt a little scandalous opening the VS pj's but they are oh so comfy and cute. And the food and treats was so good (yep pretty much gone :) )

So its a bit colder here in Tainan right now, this humid cold, its pretty cold and windy. But they say it doesn't last for very long. We'll see.

Ok so, we get to talk on Guonian (chinese new year) ya ya but this is something so annoying as a missionary here. So Guonian isn't for another month BUT a big thing is to clean your house before Guonian and SO when we are trying to set-up appointments with people we are starting to get a "guonian" excuse. Which basically means they have NO time to meet with us for the next month because they are cleaning. Are you kidding?! It's pretty dang annoying and it only gets worse as we get closer to Guonian.

Besides that I don't have much and we have to go buy fooood. This life is so good! And seriously this whole missionary work is SO dang awesome well that's one big secret that people kept from me. So here is a good little sentence of goodness "the only difference between a trial and an adventure is your attitude."

mmm i love you all soooo much! I hope Christmas break has been lovely- maybe you kissed someone on new years or something and mere mere i really hope you love being 19 (good news is I was in bed at 9:45, ohhh the scandal)

shout outs:

Ash dean/sestra dean: I LOVE that talk. Seriously, love it. thanks for thinking of me!

claudia and crew: the kids are ADORABLE thanks for sending the pics. love you!

mr.hangman: nice pic. 2 racoons and a cat+ your car tires=.....

A White Christmas

Christmas(ish) was amazing! Oh where to begin. So Christmas Eve Sister Howard and I decided to take caroling to the next level...at a night market that was hoppin. Holy there were oodles and oodles of peeps out at the night market. WE took along one of our favorite recent converts- Zhou Zhi Yi. She really is the most American Taiwanese person I have met and I love because guess what...she has a sense of sarcasm :) She is so great. Anywho she went with us and we went for about an hour. We basically would stand at one of the entrances and sing Christmas songs. Just the two of us and then Zhi Yi would pull people over to listen, or start talking to them about the church or take video/pics of us. Once we finished a song (mind you Sister howard can sing. like seriously she is good. so basically I just kind of sing along and do lots of smiling and sway my hips back and forth) we would start talking to the few people gathered around. Add 'em (set up to meet with them and give them a baptismal goal). and then move on to the next corner. It was SO fun. Bah! Seriously. I'm figuring out that being a missionary basically means you can do rad slash maybe ridiculous stuff and it works becuase people will talk to you. (plus with alll the asians around bunches of them just wanted to take pictures with us so there we were doing more add-ing). Very memorable christmas eve!

And and speaking of memories/memorable- so often I find myself thinking. Gosh! If only I could just take this little memory or moment bottle it up and save it forever. I just love it all and am a smidge worried I'm going to forget things...someday. poop.

So Christmas Day. We woke up at 5:40 in the AM to go to breakfast with a lady in our ward who treateded us to an "american" Christmas buffet at one of the hotels in Tainan. ha. Her husband turned out to be an American from Ohio who (huge cinncinati reds fan...shout out) is a none member. They were both great to us. Then we headed back to the apartment nice and early- had personal study and duhduhduh acted out the nativity for comp study. with pictures. I will send them sometime. two person nativity was pretty hilarious. I hope christmas day was lovely down there. tell the boys I missed them! The rest of the day was missionary mode.

The climax: White Christmas!! You Mei=Yummy got baptized. It was the most amazing experience of my mission thus far. I will try to describe why but I am sure I won't do it justice. So one more time, yummy is deaf. She can read english and chinese so all of our lessons have been a combination of both. We would write in english and her aunt, who is the member that reffered her, would write in Chinese. But becuase we were writing we taught her doctrine. The basic doctrines with lots of scriptures. She couldn't answer questions more then a yes or no nod or smile. She couldn't really ask questions becuase she signs in Japanese (she grew up in Japan). So we really didn't know if she was reading and praying everyday. We just prayed hard that she was understanding everything and that we were clearly explaining it all. She picked her own baptismal date - Christmas. The little meeting before her baptism was really neat. Her aunt (who is the institue teacher and really solid) spoke and tried to speak to Yummy with clear lip-reading ish (sorry I don't know if this is making sense). And then sister howard sang silent night and used american sign language to sign it. Yep its a miracle that she knew how to do that. Then yummy was baptized by her cousin. The coolest part was afterwards though. She had written down her testimony and her aunt read it. In her testimony she talked about principles of God and Jesus Christ and her relationship with them that we NEVER taught her. She talked about how she knew God lived and he helped her and knew her. She talked about how reading and praying everyday was so important. I promise we taught her the most basic of doctrine becuase we could only write so much in a 20/30 minute lesson. Both Sister Howard and I looked at each other as her aunt was reading her testimony and blinked back tears becuase oh my goodness the spirit taught her. The spirit taught her the the whole time. We didn't do anything. Like nothing. I feel so humbled to have been a small, tiney tiny part of whatever she learned. We really were blessed to just watch the miracle of Yummy getting baptized. And more than ever I know how important the spirit is in missionary work. We as missionaries really are nothing without the spirit. I will never forget this Christmas.

So that's about it. Oh at the beginning of the week we had sister exchanges. I went to Xi Tainan (East Tainan) with one of the native sisters, Sister Chen. She was great, like seriously awesome. It was kind of cool becuase she spoke Chinese the whole time and I had no problem understanding her. And I promise it wasn't me- the gift of interpretation is real. I can understand and follow way more than I should be able to. Another blessing. Man I love this life!

And the Mission Christmas Activity was cool. We had to wake up way early to catch a train up to Zhanghua where we checked out the big buddha and ate at the Taichung Steak House. All 150+ of us. Then we had a Christmas Devo and all the trainees were introduced to the mission. yep me, a trainee. It was great. But weird to not be a missionary for an entire day- didn't really love that.

Well I love this life! And I love you all and hope you are safe and loving every minute of the beach, ocean and sailing.

MEREEEEEE MEREEEE Happy Birthday!!! 19!! Oooo I just love you!!! like I said- check your provo mail box sometime next week. I hope it was a good one. I love you!!

Talk to you in 2011. weird. loves sister demordaunt.

Oh and Dean Family!! Thank You for the delicious granola! It is a treat to eat every morning!! Thank you!!

Merry Christmas

Christmas in Taiwan! Ooooo! I can't wait to talk to you ALL! It seems like we just talked and I was sitting in LA, weird. So here is the deal you said call at 10 AM my time but if its good I am going to call at 9:30 AM, maybe a smidge earlier. Same day... Christmas but just a smidge earlier because we have to get our the door by 10:30. I seriously am so excited, eek! I won't even know where to begin so have questions or something. I love you -seriously best family ever, go relax on the beach - put it on my tab. "You always good friend me" to quote a little note that I just bought at the local stationary heaven/mecca/store. Mom you would love it. seriously.

So seriously I don't even know where this week went. More miracles.

There is nothing I would rather be doing than sharing the gospel with the people of Taiwan...for Christmas! This Christmas will be a white one for Sister Howard and I. Our deaf investigator You Mei (we fondly call her yummy- it started on accident and now it is just stuck) will be getting baptized and we have a potential week A drop-in. Guan Ting is a 13 year-old who has been coming to church every Sunday for the last 8 months with her mother. They both know the church is true and have passed baptismal interviews. However, her mom has/had a really odd requirement for the both of them ... she wanted their faith to be tried before getting baptized. She wanted to see if the church and their faith could pull them through a trial. LAME! Like are you kidding me! But she wouldn't let her daughter get baptized until that happened. BUT this week it changed. During church Sister Howard asked Guan Ting if she could get baptized yet (we kind of asked her every couple of weeks) and her answer was YES! Her mom finally gave her the go-ahead. We don't know what changed but it did. Now it is up to Guan Ting. We talked to her last night and she said she was nervous so we told her to pray about it and we have been praying real hard ever since. We'll see, I can tell you what happens on Christmas. wooo!

Oh hey this week we had two Christmas activities. One was a stake Christmas activity at the government run hospital where yu jiemei lives. The one for the handicapped. Our entire zone came and we all sang a few Christmas song (close your eyes and cover your ears... sister howard forced me to sing with her and a gal from one of our wards- yikes. let's just say I pretended like the microphone was off. and then I thought hmm good thing I took choir at Eagle Middle School in the 7th grade. haha. we sang How Great Thou Art) We had a great turn out. 200+ people from the community/wards/ loads of our investigators and recent converts came too. It was so fun! It really felt Christmas-ee. We all wore lovely little Santa hats. real cute.

As the week started out we were worried that our number of progressing investogators was a little low but as the week progressed with had several awesome first lessons with people that were are so prepared for the gospel. They are now wonderful progressing investogators. Our little babies. One in particular, Tina, her brother is a member in Kaoshung but she was a street contact referral. We met with her for the first time on Saturday and then she went to Kaoshung on Sunday and got to go to church with her brother. She told us that he explained everything about sacrament meeting. Last night she called and asked when she could get baptized! I swear people are prepared for this. Daily I see how involved Heavenly Father is in this work, I just want to daily become a better tool in his hands.

Ok but at the same time... and I am sorry to admit ....yesterday I was kind of being stubborn in listening to the spirit. There were a few times when we were biking somewhere and I got a "turn around and talk to that person" feeling/nudge but I was stubborn and thought "but we are going to be late" or "but I will being going against traffic and there are like a billion scooters." basically I was being dumb, real dumb. Then last night we were heading to a good area to tract and I got one more big nudge to contact down a street which we weren't plannning on tracting. So I was thought"ok ok ok I'm going." I yelled ahead to Sister Howard and we headed down the street. The first person , the VERY FIRST person we tracted into - behind door number 2- was GOLDEN. Oh man! She invited us right in and said she was over her current Buddhist/baibai (which is the very mixed up religion here. where they mixed buddhism and daoism and decided to baibai or pray to their ancestors and thats basically all they do. thats what the mixed religion consists of.) beliefs. And just a few sundays ago had checked out a christian church but didn't really like how they sang really loud and prayed outloud together. By the end of the 10 mintue quick little lesson she basically asked how she could get baptized and when we could meet with her next. Oh and when our Christmas activity is becuase she wants to come. It was seriously so awesome and a good kick in the pants for me.

Shout outs:

Mere (check your provo mail box when you get home) asked about the weather... probably like 83 degrees. We have a cold day every once in awhile and I throw on a sweater or bust some tights. So yep, it feels like summer never ended (I am pulling a jake- hey buddy btw the pictures work, wow korea throw back that letter should be framed or something. check your eagle mail box in a week. mail is slow right now I just got your Dec 2 letter, BEES?) and listening to Christmas music in the middle of the year.

Ash! man I love you and I love that we are both doing the best work in the world at the very same time. Keep it up in the CR. And can you EVEN believe Adri is HOME! What the! Please don't let time go by so quick.

And Tawns!!! Happy Birthday on the 24th. I love you! Also please send me pictures of Heath! Hello I haven't seen a picture of that child since he was a newborn. word on the street is he is pretty stinking cute, of course.

Mom/dad- no package yet but I am pretty sure they are keeping most of the Christmas packages at the mission home until Thursday becuase we are all going up there for the mission christmas activity so no worries. And speaking of the Mission christmas activity ... I'm kind of excited. should be fun to see old MTC peeps. p.s. it feels like the MTC never happened- weird. serouisly a distant memory. I LOVE TAIWAN. Oh and yesterday in church I forgot that not everyone in the world has black hair and small eyes. freaky.

Well peeps Merry Christmas! How great is this life?! Bah! Bah! Bah! I love it! Talk soon (for reals-ees)!

You're Kidding...right?!

Sailing! You stinkers! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!!! traitors. me and tuffers- we really are getting the shaft this year. (well actually I can- I knew you couldn't make it 18 months without some awesome trip and I am sure this won't be the last one- I mean freak I haven't even been gone a full 6 months... ha. I love you all!! ) But really send me pictures, get tan for me, and love wearing a swimsuit for me. enjoy sailing!!

So yes the food. I like it. I mean I like some stuff more than others. The potstickers- so delish. The noodles and stuff delish. The bakery goodies- delish. Well really it's all good. There are some issues with texturey stuff- like gooey round things with processed meat in the middle- not a fan. And pig with layers (like skin+fat+meat) I wouldn't choose to eat it normally since I really don't think eating a 2inch chunk of pure fat is good for anyone but hey. BUT ok the fruit here is heavenly. Like really. I can't even tell you. I love it so much. And don't you fret they have all the bueno/kinder bars to last a lifetime. I'm good, real good, maybe fat and happy is a better way to put it. Ha (ok psych no weight gain yet- I sweat it out or run it out. or something). Enough about lame stuff how about missionary work- did I mention I've never been happier. Eek! Whoa! I mean I have been happy before but not consistently for weeks/months on end (oh this is weird- this week marks my one month on island- times flies). I just love it. One of the greatest things is when I am contacting or teaching and I look at whoever I am talking to and think in my head "i love you. you are my sister. like my sister." It really is a miraculous feeling. I'm not describing it properly. But it is something I hope will only happen more frequently.

This week's baptism was Guo Ru Jun. She is a mother of two adorable kids. She is wonderful absolutely wonderful. The lesson she decided to accept opur baptismal goal for her went something like this... We were asking her what she felt like when she prayed. We asked her how she thinks the spirit feels. And then out of no where she said "ok! When can I get baptized?!" Like in a louder than normal Taiwanese way. now she is baptized and really recognized the spirit. I loved seeing her at her baptism and watching her with her kids and just thinking about how this gospel and her decision will change their lives forever.

Also last week- remember Liao yi chun. Well she doesn't have much personality to her (i say that in the nicest kindest way possible) she just is very meh about everything. WEll she used to be meh BUT since getting baptized like just a week ago she has changed. She is so excited and happy all the time. I swear she is a completely different person. She told us that her mom and friends have all notcied. Haha and! when we saw her on Thursday she said "I hugged my friend at school today!" Like she was so excited that she did that! Its amazing to see how the gospel can change people- right before your eyes.

This week...no baptism scheduled. We are praying/looking/dilligently working on a miracle week A drop-in (one of our progressing investigators with a later baptism goal switches to this week). Li Dai Lin- her sister hasn't met with us yet, bummer. BUT she still wants to get baptized so badly so pray that her mom will get over her fandui (protest) and let her get baptized. She could be our week-a drop-in with a miracle. which remember they happen, eeeek! ilovethislife.

So a few odd things: Sister Howard and I decided to go caroling for a really you banfa (have way- you know mission motto- have faith, have way. yep and now I understand why chinese people speaking english is so absurd. i fear my letters will/are getting progressively worse in grammar, etc. whoops) way of tracting. It was pretty hilarious. So everyone we talked to was really uncomfotable. like really. they would ask questions like.. "wait you want to sing to just me?" or "you want me to sing with you?" or "no no, please no" my favorite was singing into the little doorbell/speaker things and having people say "bu yong" (which means no use) a billion times and then finally hanging up. There was one lady that was cool with it. We sang silent night and we all felt the spirit but that was the only success. We only did it for a half hour or so but we were pretty much busting up when all was said and done. PRetty hilarious to see the variety of reactions.

Also, don't worry everyone in Taiwan officially knows what garments/garmets/g- babies look like. bikes+skirts+"white biking shorts" super great. I try to keep it under control but its windy here, really! ha.

OHHH! Eagle Primary I love you! I got your package and loved it. The ornaments are hanging on all the doorknobs in our apartment. And getting to listen to the christmas songs knowing someone little kidos that I love were singing them, such a treat! I love you all! Keep singing Called To Serve because that song becomes a reality in no time. and its the best time ever. so sing it with gusto!!

And on that package note the address: I have no idea. Whatever address the eagle primary used got to me. and same with Grandma Demordaunt and coach j.drzayich. they've all made it.

Shout out to Molly i love you Huish! Happy Birthday LADY!!! 22 and still so hot and official adult-ish in DC... check your mailbox...soon?!

This life is SO good! I love you all oh SO much! Eeks!!

The God I Believe (definitely) worked on a Campaign Trai

So the title of this email is .... The God I Believe (definitely) worked on a Campaign Trail....

because there are miracles. Like real ones in the mission field. It's so beautiful you should all come join me, in a bit. This life is so good! Don't get tired of hearing me say that, mk.

So here are a few miracles and I hope I explain properly because I'm not sure if I can.

On Saturday we had another baptism which makes for 6 weeks (next week is Guo ru jun- she will make for 7 weeks- WHAT!) in a row that this area has seen a sister baptism. It really is an amazing area, the people here are so prepared. Liao yi chun got baptized on Saturday and she was much more calm and put together than I thought she would be. After being baptized she was beaming. Yi chun was investigating the church with her friend, Li Dai Lin. They both wanted to get baptized together but Dai Lin's mother has some major fandui(she is strongly opposed to the idea). We are trying to work with Li Dai Lin on this since she is 19 and doesn't turn 20(the age when they can get baptized without parental concent) for another 10 months or so. This past week we had plans to go over to Dai Lin's house in an attempt to meet her mother. On Thursday we had a half hour of time which was intially scheduled for a 1st lesson that fang-ed(means they were a total no-show) us. So our back-up plan was to go visit Dai Lin's mom. As we were heading over there, with a note for Li Dai Lin we pulled up to a stoplight and began contacting. Sister Howard, as fate would have it, started contacting Li Dai Lin's older sister. It was a miracle becuase as she talked to her she was able to talk about Dai Lin wanting to get baptized and her mother, etc. I mean really!!! Of all the TON and TONS of people in our area and who do we pull up next to but one of our most desirable baptism candidates. It was TOO good! Her sister even set up with us. Stay tuned becuase maybe we will have a family affair. It really was a miracle. Dai Lin wants to get baptized so very badly.

Ok crazy story this one is...we were contacting on Thursday at the local university. I contacted into a mom - prego with a 2-year old son. I talked to her for a while on the side of the road. Bascially about how she is a daughter of God and she can be with her family forever and how the gospel can bring untold (nope can't say that in Chinese, don't worry) happiness. She set up to meet with us on Friday morning and all in all a super solid add. So Friday morning roles around and (we think) she fang-ed us. Not the case but thats what we thought. (oh and her name is Wu something something) So that night we called her and she answered and explained that she was about two doors down from the church and just got this scary dark feeling that she shouldn't go to the church so she turned her car around and went home but kept thinking about us/the church. When we heard this, oh man... Satan. Just kick him in the face real quick because for real. She is ready. We are meeting with her tomorrow morning and I really think she is going to come. I am so excited to see what happens with her.

Hmmm our deaf investogator, you mei, who we lovingly call yummy, is getting baptized on christmas. Wonderful Christmas gift don't you think. She is amazingly solid. She picked her own baptismal date and everything. Pretty amazing investigator.

Well I think that's about it. Every once in awhile it hits me that umm I'm living in Taiwan speaking Chinese and being a representative for the only true church. Seriously, how awesome is my calling! Man I love it! Glad you got the DVD from the president, haha that seems like eons ago. Weird!

p.s. Ash Dean It is pretty crazy to think of you all bundled and tracting and baptizing in pools. I love you lady! Check your mail there is a little letter on its way to you!

"I've Gotta Feeling"

Oh my goodness! So good to hear from you all! Yikes I just love it. Full week in Tainan! And it sounds like Thanksgiving was absolutely awesome and SNOWY. Wow pretty weird to think you are all surrounded by snow becuase I was just sweating a little bit on my bike.

So let me explain the title of my email before you start thinking "mmm Babylon, mmok Sister D, good one." So every Sunday we go visit one of the ward members who lives in a government run hospital for mentally and physically handicapped. She is a super neat lady. Her name is Yu jiemei. Really sad story- she is completely mentally compotent but physically- she is in a wheelchair and has a very severe speech impediment. She was hit by a bus 5 years ago and when the bus driver saw that she was still alive after being hit he backed over her in a horrible attempt to save on insurance costs. Terrible. The story, oh it is just terrible. But she joined the church before the accident and continues to come nearly every Sunday. But being in the hospital all day everyday we go visit her to cheer her up. We share a little thought with her, pray with her and sing with her. She is very animated and full of life. Anyways, yesterday we were there and the hospital was having a little event for all the patients. A few stores brought little knick knacks to sell and there was music playing. So the music is where my title comes in... you guessed it... they played "I've Gotta a Feelin" by Black Eyed Peas. Don't worry I didn't listen but it was on in the background (MOLLY- Lady Gaga and everyones fav Justin Bieber- yep all the way in Taiwan and I just busted up thinking of you. i love you molls) and I decided on the ride home from the hospital that being a missionary - for me at least- is like listening to "I've Gotta a Feelin" everyday. You can't help but be all excited when you listen to that song (ok Meliss especially at dance jam) and so being a missionary is like listening to that song 24/7. It's that good. umm hey this life is good!

So the area I am in- Tainan, specifically East Tainan. Is the second most densely district in our mission. Loads of people. Most everyone lives in apartments or like condo type things. People usually have a store or some business on the first floor and then they live above it. We - the sisters -Sister Howard(who is whoa the greatest) and I cover two wards.

Ok so I need to tell you about my Thanksgiving Dinner. Oh my. So two weeks before I got here we they had a three week baptism (which means this investigator was baptized in three weeks after she was "found") of Zhong Yun. She is from mainland so her Chinese is a smidge hard to understand but she is the most animated excited person in Taiwan. She is probably one of the poorer members since she just came from mainland. But oh she is so great. Wednesday we get to the church and there she is waiting with a gift of Chicken's feet. TO EAT. oh and we had already gotten the invite to come have dinner at her house on Thursday, mind you. So these chicken's feet-they were like an appetizer to Thursday, or something. Holy both Sister Howard and I gulped and decided we were going to pray real hard that night that our Thanksgiving meal didn't consist of other odd body parts. I was really hoping my tastebuds would disappear or my gag reflex would suddenly not exist. So Thursday comes and we show up at her house and to my great surprise we had hot pot. Where we all stick what we want in a pot of broth and cook it. Crab, clams, beef, tofu. It was surprisingly good. (sorry as I write this I realize the climax was the chicken's feet, oh well). So thanksgiving dinner was hot pot and the dessert was doublemint gum- my own personal pack. Then she let us color on her walls. Haha, nothing but white walls here so sometimes they get a bit creative and create their own personalized wall paper. Definitely an unforgettable Thanksgiving.

So first two baptisms on Saturday. Pretty amazing to see two people begin down the most impotant path of their eternity. It was different than I expected though. Baptisms that I have been to before the mission were such a family event and a really big deal ya know. But here, I think the ward has gotten used to having baptisms (they had a baptism here every week for the past 7 weeks) so not too many people came. And neither of the girls families came or even friends. Sister Howard and I were talking about this afterwards becuase it was a little hard for me to see, well surprising I guess. we came up with an idea that may help create friendships between progressing investigators and new members. Every Monday night we are going to invite our progressing investigators and new investogators/RCLA to a "family night." Each time we will have someone share their conversion story, we will share a spiritual thought and then play a game of some sort. We hope that this will help progessing investigators make friends with members. We will keep it short and sweet but hopefully we can create an environment where friendships can grow. I am sort of excited to see how it works.

Oh speaking of that- I need two recipes...muddy buddies and/or no-bake cookies. No ovens here but I think I could find all the stuff to make both of those.

OH ANDD I NEED Jesse Pugel's address. I have been thinking about her and I am dying to write her!

And one more request- a full family picture printed out? please. People love seeing pictures of our families and the one I have is old and in black and white which they don't like. Someone always makes a comment about it, its kind of funny.

So we have a really neat investigator right now. She is deaf and her name is You Mei. Her aunt is a member- she can read English and can sign in Japanese sign language AND can read chinese speaking lips (that sounds weird, whoops). But man she is so amazing. She could get baptized any day but her mom hasn't given her the ok. Each lesson with her consists of us writing things in english and reading the scriptures. Then at church her aunt sits on one side of her and we sit on the other side becuase her aunt will write things in chinese and then we write things in English. I don't know if this is making sense but she is amazing. I love it. I love this work. Jeepers sometimes I look back on a day and can't believe I made it all day without slowing down BUT I know it is becuase it is not me and my own strength. The lord really helps me every second of every day. I love it! And as I have said before- the people of Tainan are so ready for the gospel, everyday I talk to someone who the gospel just clicks with. You can see it in their face. We really are just reminding them of things they knew before.

I love you all!

Love boo!

Just preaching the best thing ever in Tainan, NBD

This is the official address I am not sure what you have so there you go one more time (sorry)

Taiwan Taichung Mission
498-11 Wu Chuan Road
Taichung 404-46
Taiwan, R.O.C.

I love this life, did I mention that!? So, here I am in Tainan and whoa it feels like I have been here forever. For now I am going to do a quick run down of the details.

Tuesday/Wednesday: Travel/talking to you- which was awesome! I loved it. Oh! You all sound so good and happy. After we talked I got on a 14 hours flight to Taiwan- nothing too exciting just trying so hard to not watch the bajillion TVs that I was surrounded by. We got pretty creative using in-flight magazines and what not. Airplane food meets Chinese food, definitely not my favorite. But none the less ... we got to Taipei at 10:30 ish and then drove down to the mission home in Taichung and arrived there around 2. That night we slept at the office couples apartment and yes you guessed it...
Thursday: Woke up at 6:30 to run for a half hour- no stopping. So then comes in my first awesome story. So we ran for a half hour, which was fine- still not a fan of running but nothing killer right. Then we are running back to the apartment (with the AP's- Jake ->I was kind of cursing your name for two reasons- you like running and you were an AP who probably made new/jet-lagged missionaries run like me- yikes, go get your rope) and we stopped at a stop light and first morning in Taiwan and of course I am going to contact right, that is what I am here to do so why not. I turn around (all sweaty and out of breath) and start contacting a 16 year-old (ish) girl in my very broken Chinese. THEN as I am about half way through saying the (long) name of the church in Chinese I got super lightheaded and felt like I was about to puke, like really puke. I said "dong yi xia" which means wait a second, put up my finger like hang on and stumbled over to a wall next to the gutter and pretty much puked. Yep, not kidding. So awesome, so legit. First contact on island. NBD.
The rest of that day was just mission orientation- we had hot pots for lunch (google it) and then we had a really traditional Taiwanese meal with peking duck (brain included). THEN Dan Jones in a night market. I think they sent you a picture or two and perhaps a video also. Pretty awesome so be in a night market with "babylon" if you will, all around and preach the gospel from a box. I was on the box for 30 seconds or something and then ran out of things to shout in Chinese with a Book of Mormon in my hand. I still can't believe I did it, whoas. After that moment an old Sister from that area grabbed me and we started contacting. In a contact we try to "add" which means we get their information, set up a time to meet with them and then give them an invitation to be baptized (with date). That is what we try to do all day everyday at every stoplight or where ever and since I have been with my companion in Tainan we have gotten 70 "adds." Our goal is to get loads of "adds" and then see who shows up to lessons and find our progessing investigators from that group. (just fyi)
Friday: Another run, no more puking. Traditional Taiwanese breakfast which was like a Mcdonalds egg mcmuffin meets cabbage, hamburger patty and some sweet mayonnaise sauce. Plus soy milk to wash it down. It was suprisingly good. Then a smidge bit of touring around Taichung. And then dun dun dun my trainer. Sister Howard! She is amazing. Ok this is craziness but believe it or not I have actually met her before this mission life. She worked at a kibbutz in Jerusalem while I was there and she came to church at the Jerusalem center and I totally remember meeting her. Super crazy when we put that together. She is amazing! oh my goodness she loves missionary work and is always going. Her previous companion(sister bretzke) "died" this last transfer so she was with us for the last three days before her flight home to Canada. So it was kind of like having two trainers for a few days which was awesome. They were/are both so stellar. Sister Howards excitement about the work is contagious. She sort of thinks about missionary work like a game with numbers and people and appointments and trying to get everything done in one day. The first night in Tainan I got to partcipate in my first lesson with a real investigator who is getting baptized this Saturday- Pan Jiemei(sister). We also have another investigator getting baptized this Saturday- zhong an. People here in Tainan are so ready for the gospel, we have had two people just stumble into the church and have a first lesson.
Since Sister Bretzke was leaving we have been eating at members houses for like every meal which was interesting. I like the food, sort of. I am getting used to eating food that you smell on the streets all day. I have only kind of gagged (in a secret sort of way) once. So thats good. I got my bike which is awesome. Biking here is seriously like playing mario cart (ash I am going to dominate when I get home becuase this is so the real deal). There are literally scooters everywhere, you can't even imagine. They are everywhere. And no one follows the traffic regulations, it is pretty much a free for all with two little missionaries in skirts dodging and sometimes chatting with people riding next to us as we haul down the streets. Man this life is good! Sometimes in the mornings, like during personal study and comp study I feel a smidge like - ok here I go again - insert pep talk here. But the second I get outside the door of our apartment and start talking to people and fall in love with this work all over again. Chinese is coming I try to say whatever I am thinking with whatever words I know and its pretty makeshift but works.
The weather here is beautiful! Humid but 70 ish degrees. not too hot and not too cold. I love it, too bad it's not like this year round. Our apartment is big but sort of dirty. Nothing too gross though. Hmm I think that is about it.
Like I said- the people here are so ready for the gospel they just don't know it.

I love you all! And I love this life and seriously more than ever know that I am nothing with out Heavenly Father helping this work along. I just want to be a better tool in his hands. Love Sister DeMordaunt!

p.s. let tuffy out!

Final Weeks in the MTC

"This is how my comp, Sister VS studies in the classroom"

"This is the district study sesh. Not that exciting, but gives you a taste of what MDT (missionary directed time) in Chinese zone looks like."

"My desk--it is always a disaster."

"The san bang tuan or ... the Chinese triad."

"So Asian--for Matthew. P.S. Let's play a game...where are Sister DeMordaunt's eyes?"

"The token MTC map picture...Taiwan, here we come. These are the girls that I room with."

"So, I decided to take the scripture stickers out of my D&C and then proceeded to give myself a sleeve of tats. Here's a close up."

"My tattoos are so hard core. I know!"

Just give me a sleeping pill (Syd Haglund) and get me on a plane already!

OHHHH Lovelies! (Weenie when I wrote that I thought of the show you and I watched together this summer, wink wink- remember sorting the laundry- yep me too)

Family I love you and I am SO excited to talk to you tomorrow, everyone gear up emotionally, there will be no crying allowed- only the good kind becuase HELLOOO I'm going to Taiwan. I mean seriuosly let's go already. After 12 weeks in this place I am ready to just be a missionary and teach people and get rejected and all that comes with it. I am so excited bah! The MTC has been a million times better than I thought it would, really. I really loved my time here. I mean I honestly can't believe how quickly it went by, really. But at the same time to get to Taiwan and do the real thing... I can't wait, and yes I am sure I have said that several times before this email, ha.

So first off! DAD and mom but mostly DAD I can't believe no one told me Weston Juarez was coming into the MTC. I saw him on his first day (because my comps and I were pretend missionaries in this Live Teaching deal which is done infront of the new missionaries- it was pretty random). Anyways, oh my I really almost started crying when I saw him becuase of just all that family has been here for pretty much the last 7 years. To see him at the MTC and as a missionary, bah! Amazing. He looks great, and every time I see him I get one loud "Hello Sister DeMordaunt! (side-note- the first time I saw him was pretty funny because I am pretty sure that is the closest an Elder has come to hugging me. kid you not. He really went in for the kill (i mean a hug) and I kid of stuttered and said "whoooops Elder Juarez I can't hug you but I can definitely give you a handshake." pretty funny.

And mom you already know but for the rest of you... Elder Bednar came for Tuesday Devotional! Yep. I have been absolutely spoiled here. His talk was really straightforward and doctrinal. Well actually it was about how to study. He outlined how to study in preparation for pretty much anything- but he taught it specifically towards missionaries. the name of the talk was "the answer is in the doctrine." He stressed how we need to focus more on the doctrine of gospel principles rather than the application of gospel principles. Because if people understand the doctrine then the application isn't a burden, when it might be (like tithing for example). And that as missionaries we need to be answering application questions (which investigators will ask more often than not) with doctrine. It has been super neat to apply this new way of studying things to my personal study topics. This week I have been trying to study faith, becuase our mission war-cry as we call it in Taichung is you xinxin, you banfa (which means - have hope, have way- literally translated) so I am trying to gear up. Something that stuck out to me this week about faith was being diligent/consistent in exercising faith. there are times when it so much easier to have faith than others but it is in the consistency of having faith that it begins to build. I am realizing more and more that in order to really improve and work on improving you have been bring consistency to all areas. It is so the nat man (yep shortened natural- love boo) to be up and down and all over the place- well at least the nat bekah. I feel like that is definitely something I need to work on and will be required of me as a missionary. Oh but seriously, this life is SO good!

So here is the deal with writing in Taiwan- all family I can email but for friends YOU can email and I will hand-write you back, since emailing you would be mostly and yep completely against the rules, mmm them rules are so nice. and plus the address in taiwan is as follows:

404-15

Taiwan Taichung Mission

No. 498-11 Wu Chuan Rd.

Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C.

Ok so I love you and miss you and pray for you! And just love this life and can't wait to get to Taiwan. Becuase you know what- I am letting you all take care of Tuffy for the next 15 months so that cute Taiwanese people with peace signs can be with their families forever. how awesome is our calling?! I mean really! I love this work and this gospel. wo ai ni (yep chinese- google it, or something)

Notes from the Elders & Sisters of Bekah's District to her Family

Sister DeMordaunt is so wonderful. She helped me feel extremely welcome at the MTC when I arrived here last week and jumped into her district and COMPANIONSHIP. She studies hard and is an inspiration to me of perseverance. She has a STRONG spirit about her and I’m very impressed by her depth of faith and hunger for the Gospel. She has a deep love for and desire to share the gospel with the people of Taiwan and that genuine love will be able to reach people in incredible ways. Thank you for letting her serve. Love, Sister Morey

Your daughter is an excellent example of Christlike charity. Sister DeMordaunt has taught me a lot about kindness, as well as faith. She brings light into the life of the district. I am happy to have been called to serve in the same mission, and you should be proud to call her your daughter. Elder O’Brien

Sister DeMordaunt is a power house!! She has such a great love of the gospel and wants to share it with everyone. She is a hard worker and will do very well in Taiwan. Elder Field

Dear Mr. and Mrs. DeMordaunt: Thank you so very much for your daughter’s service. Serving with her is a delight. She is very loving and accepting. She is also obedient and an amazing example of the believers. I know she will do very well in Taiwan. Thanks for raising her the way you did. Elder Maxfield

Dear DeMordaunt Family—Thank you for sending Sister D. on a “mish” (her own word). She truly has an uplifting spirit. Some days I wonder what I would do without someone equally as joke-oriented as myself, but before I even finish the thought, Sister D. has usually said something HILARIOUS!...So the problem goes away! Sincerely, Elder Badser.

DeMordaunt Family, I’ve been with Sister D for 49 days now and it has been incredible. She has helped me through a lot of hard transitions from normal life to mission life. Her faith is something I hope I can have some day. She is passionate about the gospel and its contagious! You’ve raised an awesome missionary. Elder Turk

Dear Sister D.’s Fam: I’m so privileged to have the opportunity to serve with your daughter in the MTC. What I love most is to see her willingness to always try her best. She is always willing to try even when speaking Chinese is hard. It motivates me to have that same attitude. Elder Ostvig (AKA Sundance)

And lastly…I feel very blessed to be Sister DeMordaunt’s companion. When it comes down to it, we are so similar, yet have so much to learn from each other. She has a very tender heart and it is beneficial to missionary work. She is a great communicator and can easily connect with people. Her Chinese has increased SO MUCH since we got here. One time we were teaching and afterwards our teacher told her that she sounded like she’d been in Taiwan 6 months already. I know she is receiving so much help from the spirit as she prepares to go to Taiwan and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know she has a testimony of Jesus Christ and His Gospel. I’ve been privileged to share many spiritual experiences with her. She is changing for the better and is such a blessing to see her learn and grow while helping everyone around her to do the same. I know we were put together for a reason. Thanks for preparing and supporting her in serving the Lord. She will bless many people in Taiwan. Sister DeVictoria

Three weeks and counting...

Dear Family!

I love you! boom and three weeks left, can you even believe how quickly it has gone by? whosah! I can't. first off let's begin by saying once, in a rousing fashion "this life is good." eek! I just love it so much. I can't really handle it most of the time.

So first let me describe what could have been the most exciting/hilarious personal study at the MTC yet. I was sitting on one couch when I:

- saw two elders get stuck in the elevator for a good 45 min. haha. and some worker man came over to the shut elevator door and said "elders just sit down and study and someone will get you out"

-an elder gave me a bouncy ball

-it was kitty-corner to the bathroom and there was an elder sitting outside the bathroom waiting for his comp to come out for I would say close to 30 min AND finally his comp walks out with his head hanging down low and a what bag in his hand (yes the notorious white bag test continues to torment missionaries at the MTC)

-Sister VS has a friend John who works on our floor and he VOLUNTEERED to "sneak" us in In'n'out. I swear we didn't even con him into it, he volunteered. AND of course how could I resist. So Tuesday is the big day- I will be eating In'n'Out- you can think of me then. :)

So that full hour was had me and sister VS in stitches the whole time. We were dying. perhaps this is not funny to you but believe you me after 9 weeks here it was all funny.

On to much more missionary type things:

Tuesday night. drum roll please. Elder Russell M. Nelson came! The first apostle since I have been at the MTC and it was amazing. Wow. So powerful to have an apostle of the LORD speak directly to you about your job for the next 18 months. It wasn't the traditional talk it was more just several things that we need to improve on. Like how important it is for people to understand in the first few seconds we meet them that we follow Jesus Christ. And how important it is to remember people's names. He also (several times in his talk) said "we thank your families. we are grateful to them for sacrificing you." He said "you need to know you follow Jesus Christ. feel it in your heart, who you are and why you are on a mission, and what your message is...your purpose is to teach doctrine of christ and bring joy to those who will eventually follow him" "be armed with righteousness and the Lord will establish his church by your hand" "we need to be like doctors who ask their patiences where the pain is" he also emphasized how important it is to build lasting relationships with our converts. he said "the church cares about people and the blessings their recieve from baptism, those kind of numbers can't be recorded" It was a very neat exeperience.

Lately I have come to a realization. OK so I appreciate you and the encouragement about learning Chinese, really I do. But I have realized two things. First off, Chinese is simply a means to a much greater end. In that getting hung up on my chinese and my ability/inability isn't good because really I can speak but it is the spirit that teaches. Second, that the blessings I received before leaving -none of them spoke specifically about my Chinese and learning Chinese. Which at first was sort of tough, especially when people around me are saying things like "my ____(fathers, setting apart, etc) blessing said that I would master the language" etc. BUT here is the thing I have realized with the help of the spirit. Whoever the Lord is preparing for me to teach and bring closer to Christ doesn't need me speaking perfect or even coherent chinese. (because if I am really honest with you I'm the slowest in my district) but that is so ok. And I'm not like resigning myself to that or something it excites me because I can use other talents and abilities of mine to help the people of Taiwan understand how awesome this gospel is and what a blessing it can be in their life. I love it. I really love it. Bah! See didn't I tell you this life is good!

here is something hilarious an elder (sundance) said the other day in class "people's concerns are like squash. I don't like them but sometimes they end up on my dinner table." (ok clearly there is not truth but it was just funny because we have been focusing on how to better address and understand peoples concerns.

So in other news- the threesome is getting along just great. It takes us like 2 more minutes to get everywhere BUT it is worth it because Sister Morey really adds a lot. She is exactly what Sister VS and I needed in the home stretch. she is seriously awesome, she likes rules more than me, for better or for worse sometimes but still its good because obedience is good. I have the cafeteria menu almost completely memorized. gag me. please. Two lovely friends of mine from BYU arrived at the MTC last week and it has been so fun to run into them every once in awhile. Ok awesome scripture discovery- the book of 1 John is packed with great things. Read it.

Congrats on the Idaho Statesman endorsement, that is awesome. You all are in the home stretch too and I am praying for you!! (jeepers but I am not jealous of you) Dad you have this and Mom you are the best campaign manager ever. Ben/Liv I just got your emails and don't have time to respond today, sorry! But i love you both and thank you for writing. Mere- write me stat. I will look for Jamo on Wednesday it is going to be so great to see him. AND can you believe it has been a year since I got carbon monoxide poisoning how crazy that time goes by so quickly.

Well I love you all dearly and miss you to itty bitty pieces. Please let tuffy out for me. And OH Nana your addition to the Halloween package phew that was the best- leaves plus an army man- I want nothing more in a package. Oh and I got the Ross's package (our home teachers, so wonderful).

the rest of you shout outs: i love you now check your mailbox . and adrianne davis I can't believe you get home in dec. WHAT!!!

MTC almost halfway pics

"The morning we became 'old.' You know how I love getting older...BUT mission 'old' is sooo good. Early morning pic mind you..."

"Cupcake Party--with love from Mom, Colemans and Cocoa Bean! MMMM"

"Yep...New missionaries at 5 weeks...hmmmm...six more to go!"

"Britt Barney's surprise visit. So excellent. (Note glasses) And yes, Matthew, SO Asian."

"Ohhhhh Flat Stanley--so hot these days!"

...please...someone let Tuffy out...

I love you and I assume you are all tanned and vacationed out. right? Well, welcome back from the vacay great family. From what I heard from both Mom and Liv it sounded fun! Oh and I just got the package of cupcakes today, delish again and thank you! So here we are again. One new exciting thing in my life- I mean besides being a missionary- is that we (sister VS and I) and getting a third comp on Wednesday when the new bunch of chinese speaking missionaries come in. 7 new sisters! Can you believe that?! We are stoked. I must admit I am a smidge nervous about having three of us because what's that saying about three's company or three's a party or something. Well it should be good though, she is going to Taichung also. boom! Ready to dominate the heck out that place. I didn't tell you this last monday BUT last monday (we do the 10 o'clock sesh at the provo temple every monday) and we were walking back and it started to rain and there we were in our skirts and what not running back to the MTC in the rain. It made me SO pumped to get to Taiwan. Apparently we will be getting there at the end of the rainy season. Eek!

Ok so I'm not going to do the rundown again but just throw some stuff out there.

First interesting thought: If the gospel is to be spread throughout all the earth then why did God confound langauages at the Tower of Babel? We had a class discussion this and basically came up with this answer. First, opposition in all things right? Opposition requires more faith, more humility and more obedience. Then what really hit home for all of us struggling to learn Chinese was that when the people of Taiwan see me (us) struggling to speak their langauge they will be grateful. They will see how much the message we have to share with them means to us. Basically it helps us help them know how much we love them. Neat huh?

On that note... We did teach our first lesson in Chinese this last Saturday. It went well, started off rough but by the end it was good, good stuff. Amazing how the spirit doesn't need us to be speaking coherent sentences to help our investigators. WE taught God is Our Loving Heavenly Father (my favorite- if we are allowed to have a favorite), prayer and the Book of Mormon. By the end I was just bearing my testimony about everything and how it is true. And I remember saying something like "I want you to have this book. I want you to read this book. Because this book will help you find happiness because this book helps me find happiness. It answers all questions no matter what." Pretty simple, pretty bad chinese but I think the spirit was there. And when we left we both felt like the investigator felt the spirit, which in the end is all that matters. (oh btw- the MTC is putting a huge focus on that. not so much us teaching by the spirit- I mean that is critical of course but essentially we need to facilitate environments and opporunities for the investigator to feel the spirit. we were told that in the sunday night fireside by the admin director of the MTC).

Last Tuesday Elder Neunschwander (emeritus general authority) came and spoke to us on 7 ways to be a succesful missionary. The first was that we decide/determine the success of our mission. And ya know what, I have really noticed that to be the case. The days I start off by saying "alright today is going to be a good day" really do turn out to be good days. No matter what. We decide and I like that. Sounds like me right? To like a sense of control to life. :)

This last week as a district we have been working on SYL (Speak your langauge) and wowsah what a difference that has made. I go to sleep thinking of chinglish sentences in my head. And as I write you peeps I often times think of a Chinese word before an English word. ha, its real great. Plus SYL-ing is hilarious. So you know how I shorten words in english like appropriate to approp and stuff? well I have started doing that to chinese words and oh boy- my teachers get a real kick out of that. I am determined to take two things to Taiwan- sarcasim and shortening words. they are in for a real treat those Taiwanese :) ha.

So at the beginnning of every relief society a Sister shares her conversion story and HOW COOL IS THIS .... the first sister form Jordan (yes the middle eastern country) shared her conversion story. She is the first sister EVER from Jordan and (EMILY SSSS She will be serving on Temple Square- look for her- she is j'adore) it was amazing. I bawled the whole time. Her conversion story was such a miracle. She and her brother were walking down the street in Amman and picked up a piece of paper from the ground with a telephone number on it and called the number. It just happened to be the branch in amman. So they talked to the man on the phone and he invited them to come to church and they came and now her whole family (minus her dad) has been baptized. Her brother is serving a mission in Brazil and she is here. Whoa! I am getting teary eyed just thinking about it right now. The lord's hand IS in all things. Don't you ever doubt that. Oooo I just love it, yikes! This life is good! Oh so good! Then Sister Jean A. Stevens - first counselor in the primary general presidency spoke to us on how to teach so people become "converted" to the gospel not just baptized. Great quote: "your voice will be his voice to those you teach, your hands will be his hands to those you love and serve."

Alright so item of business... ummm can missionaries vote ABSENTEE? Because of course I would like to vote for my dear dad. Let me know on that.

Shout -outs:

Aunt Chris I got the cookies- they were delicious and such a treat! I need your address to I can send you and the whole family a letter or two!

Kris Pattee/ The entire Young Womens- you spoiled me! I can't even believe it. To get notes from everyone was the best. We are going to have a little "welcome" party for the new sisters on wednesday with the candy, etc. thank you so much.

Quinn & Steph! the package was oh SO perfect! Our room is festive and FINALLY smells good! check your mailbox soon :)

Slace- I just got your letter off today- sorry it is late but it is coming.

Meremeremere- i got your letter, i love you lady. just know that. and of course I am writing you back.

Grandma DeMordaunt: you should have a letter from me BUT I am wondering if you could send a 4 generation pedigree chart when you write back. apparently that helps us get in the doors in taiwan because they are so focused on ancestors.

I love youALLLLL!!! Like I said before this life IS good! We can make it good.

Oh and melissa demordaunt I anticipate seeing you this sunday! woooo!!

New pics...

"Sisters of room 323--We do the 'Ching Chang Chong' nightly. All headed to Taiwan."

"Best Surprise Evers! And cutest BYU co-ed"

"All the Chinese speaking sisters in our zone."

"She is adorable and I'm so Asian. Loves."

"Poop in a bag (required stool sample)--thanks Taiwan Visa Service--it provided a real companion bonding experience in the bathroom."

Seriously So Blessed

HEY fam!

Real quick... did I mention how much I love you! Ok I am slightly jealous of your current vacation status, but don't worry Mere and I will hold down the fort here in Provo.

And another real quick- umm hello Mack Drzayich works at the MTC and I JUST saw him. Hmmm it seems a few of my friendly people did NOT mention that he was working here. thanks. He looked great though, he is tutoring Senior Couples in Russian. Awesome!

So instead of doing the run through I am just going to share some neat things that I have learned this week/weekend. In other words this might be a bit all over the place.

First off, think about this. First think of the time when we all lived in heaven and 2/3 rds of us decided to follow Christ and come to earth. We chose to come here to have trials and hardships but also joy and happiness. then think of all the people that have lived on this earth trillions I am sure, more even. Since Adam and Eve came, all different times of this earth's history. And then think about how we were all born into this, the last dispensation when the restored gospel is on the earth. Think about how many other different periods of time YOU could have come to this earth and then think about this one. the last days. We know that this dispensation will end with our Savior returning to the earth in all his power and glory. Then think about the country you were born in. The freedoms we enjoy here, particularly religious freedom. then think about the family you were born into, for some it was a family with the gospel already and for many others it was not. then think about the importance of the gospel in your life. Think of how the plan of salvation changes your life and the choices you make. How the ability to repent changes your life. How the knowledge that you have a Savior changes who you are and what you know about your self. think about the knowledge that you have that YOU have a loving Heavenly Father who loves you and knows you.

then think about all the people who have ever lived on the earth or who now live on the earth that don't have that knowledge, that has literally changed your life.

think of the responsibility that gives ALL of us to live what we believe, to share what we believe through our example or through or simple ways of teaching or simply loving as the Savior loves. Every person we come in contact to is a child of our heavenly father and he desperately wants them to return to him. How can we not share what we have? I mean really, how can we not. AND then we are promised that if we bring but one soul back to the kingdom of our father how great will be our joy? Our joy? Really! He just continues to bless us.

Ok another thing- a living prophet. With conference this weekend and after teaching the first lesson a few (so under exagerating) times the fact that we have a living prophet on the earth today is amazing. It really is another sign of God's love for us. He wants us to return so badly that he calls men and women to dedicate their lives to helping us and others return to him. they help us find joy and make our way through the difficulties of life but it doesn't stop there they help us reach eternal life (with our families) in the life to come.

Did I mention that this life is good? Oh wait because it is. It is suppose to be hard be those hard times make the sweet times that much sweeter.

On Tuesday for devotional L. Whitney Clayton (Emily S. yes you dated his son, weird oh wait and so did Berit Greene, bizarre) anywho, he spoke about the stone that was cut out of the mountain which will roll to fill the earth. here are a few quotes that I especially liked

"No cause under the heavens can stop the work of God."

"People will ridicule us, people will call us names- don't worry about it. The day WILL come when this miracle will fill the earth."

"What we are apart of (missionary work) is the greatest miracle since the atonemnet." AND the work going on right now is ONLY the beginning. amazing.

D&C 138. I was prepared for this calling before I came to this earth. We were all prepared and taught for the work (not just missionary work- all work, like raising a family, gaining knowledge, supporting friends, being examples to co-workers) we are doing and will do here on this earth. All of us! So get to it :)

So in other news:

The cupcakes were delicious! Mom really, you spoil me! They were such a treat so thank you. We had an apartment cupcake feast :) also, one of the sisters in my apt is majoring in dance education at BYU so she and I have started doing a 45 min ballet class with grand battemas and all. It makes my day! Gramma Lynne would be proud.

Meliss! I got your package and I am wearing the earrings right now! I love them, such a treat. thank you! I'm still trying to get over that Ash saw BROOKE Larson in Prague. What are the chances? (if you don't know what I am talking about read ashley dean's latest blog post).

Peggy! Ok so thank you again for getting that address. It turns out that Elder Randall got a package from Andrew (and wife) before he even got to write him on p-day. a sister in his district described him getting the package and opening it as being "a holy moment for him." he comes from a totally inactive family who aren't every supportive of him being here.

Mom- I was just walking to class the other day and I thought about Janae Neyman and how much I love her. Please text her as soon as you get this and tell her. She is an amazing women, wow.

SARAH GGGG Stinking abrielson! UM I got your dear elder and there was no address SO send it STAT because I have a letter here waiting for you. Quick quick. p.s. you are practically living in Step UP 3. i'm obsessed. i love it.

Boom!

Hello lovely fam!!

I miss you all!! And let me just say a big stinking I LOVE YOU!! Oh and go let Tuffy out for me:)

Ok... so this last weeks run down:

Monday: p-day- you received an email from me. Also, mere please confirm that you got my letter sometime this week. I got you mid-week pick me up which was brilliant and delish so thanks to you and your roomie however you said you hadn't recieved my letter.. mmm what? Also, I wrote other lovely people out there and really if I come home with premature arthiritis in my hands- thats why. Because I love you and I write you on Monday. boom. That night we had a lesson on humility in class- the focus of it was accepting God's will in our lives and putting our trust in him. As a missionary this seems to be a major lesson I am here to learn. I am working on it, I suppose that is all I can say for now.

Tuesday: OK I love Tuesdays because on tuesday night we have a fireside and they are always super great. This weeks was Bryan H. Richards who has had a variety of different callings, including mission pres in England. Anywho a few favorite quotes:

"never before and perhaps never again will we(the missionaries in the room- 2,600 ish or so) stand in a group that has all be endowed with a power from on high."

"never before and perhaps never again will we stand in a group that has all recieved a call from a living prophet."

He mostly spoke on knowing who you are and who you represent and becoming the message.

Oh and Tuesday morning (sorry back-up) we had what's called a Large Group Meeting where several different zones of missionaries have a big meeting with one teacher. This week's was on the restoration: a foundation of faith. The teacher shared a really neat quote with us from Elder Bednar on becoming a disciple of Christ "Its not just in the doing and the knowing that leads us back to God it is in the becoming and who we become."

And shout out to Meliss and Kirsten Shelley (whom I LOVE seeing every week- bah! mom she makes me cry every week- I know I have said this before but really.) thank you SO much for the package. The cookies and gourmet carmel apple was delish especially at 10:25 after a long day about on my way into bed. I love it! Meliss- can't wait to see you! Also on Tuesday I decided I am obsesed with the Book of Mormon, folks it is possible. I read it for a full hour during personal study and I swear to you it is not enough. I just love it. Someone should make a real movie about the whole thing, ok not really but I do love it. Read it, seriously. Boom.

Wednesday: I got a bit discouraged about chinese. The language is straight up hard. Don't get me wrong, it is coming, but slowly. And at the MTC they have this theory about first not comparing yourself (which is difficult to get used to because hello we compare our selves everyday in this day and age) and second that they have no real plan as to what you should learn while you are here. It is all about self-application. I want to say- give me a syllabus and I will be on my way. But no, they don't do that. So that I am gettiing used to but it will come. I can teach someone how to pray in chinese so that is good. And I am getting more comfortable with my tones and reading the pinyin. Also I discovered another fantastic quote by Elder Holland:

"Don't you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead...for those who belive in the gospel of Jesus christ, [blessings] will come. It will be alright in the end. Trust God and believe good thins will come."

It's a good pick-me-up. Also I discovered (i'm sure most people reading this already knew this but...) some people say that 1 nephi 1:20 is the theme of the Book of Mormon. chunk it.

Thursday: Not too exciting. We just practiced extending the baptismal commitment in preparation for our teaching on SAturday. It is so neat to be direct about asking people to accept baptism. I mean- it changes their life and we ask them to chagne their life in one simple question "will you be baptized?" such legit missionary work.

Friday: We practiced teaching seriously like abillion times in prep for Saturday. And we had an intense discussion on obedience in class. There is a learning curve that comes with becoming a missionary and some in our district have struggled more than others so we are trying to work on that. It is nothing intense, just singing "worldly" songs and such. Learning curve for sure.

Saturday and Sunday= the best days of my life in the MTC. Saturday we taught AND we taught the same Chinese lady from last week who is amazing. Seriously so beyond good to us. She teaches us, its out of control ANNDDDD WHAT THE she lived in Japan when we lived there (yes she is from taiwan but then she moved to Japan) she was in the Yokohama 3rd ward. Same years and everything, how bizarre is that? Our teaching went well- we really judge it on whether or not the investigator felt the spirit and not whether or not we felt like we did a good job and both sister VS and I walked away feeling like she had felt the spirit. It was good stuff. this week on sat we have to talk to someone in chinese for 15 min about whether or not they kept their commitments. phew- it is going to be a doozy.

SUNDAY- ok I lied, sunday is the best day in the MTC. Highlight= Brittney Barney absolutely surprised me at the temple. (again let me remind you all that I did not arrange for it so no rules were broken in the process). I just LOVE her. Oh it was so good to see her, eek! She was/is so encouraging. I don't know- someone tell her to write a book about how to encourage Sister missionaries because she has it down pat. Everything she says is good stuff. (BRITT there is a letter coming to you TODAY!) Also our zone leader (one of them) sang this song (my shepard will supply my need) look it up. It is beautiful. And I memorized the first two lines of the first vision in Chinese.

Ok odds and ends/shout-outs!

slace gabe (sarah gabrielson) I need your new address lady! and i hope work is going just fantastic.

Sestra DEAN! save those souls. October 16 is going to be a good day and I love and miss you. check yor mail box in a month because apparently that is how long it will take for my letter to get to you.

OHH all those that live in BOISE listen up: ok there is an elder from new zealand in my zone (elder randall) coolest ever and he is learning chinese and then off to canada, toronto to teach and he has such a thick accent its great BUT he was baptized/his missionary who converted him is from Boise and elder randall wants to find him to tell him he is on a mission: this elder's name Andrew R. Yorgason he lives (or lived) at 5000 fifeshire Place Boise, Idaho. If anyone knows this family please send some contact details for them. This elder randall would love to get in contact with him.

I will look for elder Ryan turner on wed.

Caitlin Davis's homecoming sounded awesome! I want to hear more- tell her to write me or something.

Candice Wood Steele- send me pics. I heard it was beautiful. I love you and I am so glad things are good. I love you!! you married lady (finally).

Weenie- write me and BEN I am writing you back today. Matt I am not asian, i promise, not yet at least. Nana- them's is a good idea and i love you.

And real quick can we talk about how I will be the older district here in two weeks. what? time. gone? crazy!

I love you. all.