Sweating Through December

Ya it's still hot.  Are you worried?  I'm worried.  Omgsh it's like the words, "summer is coming" is whispered in all my nightmares.  I am dying already.  I'm going to be boiled alive! 

So this week was elections.  It was intense.  Parades and people running up and down the street in trucks with blow horns. I even saw some of our members in the parade waving at us on our bikes. haha. 

Hey so this week we had a General Authority, Elder Gong come.  It was so cool.  He made me get up and bear my testimony!  Scary.  And hey guess what!  A new stake was created in Taiwan yesterday!!!

I think this week can be summed up into 5 Short Crazy Stories:

1. The Critter

So, we are sitting in this woman's house trying to teach a lesson, when I see out of the corner of my eye something moving... I casually try to look over (and they arent watching me anyways, because they know I don't understand most of what they say) and there. it. is.  A lizard!  At least eight inches long!  And it's just running up her wall and along her bookcase!  And I keep watching it, and she sees me!  Looks over, and is not the least bit concerned.  She just shrugs, turns around, and keep talking. 

2. The Feeder

So there is this member, she's great, but we went over and saw her, and she invited us over for lunch the next day. Cool.  I love food.  Then we get there and it is soooooo much food.  So much as in the whole table is food.  Just for us.  Not in bowls!  Just piles of food. It's so good, but she fills a HUGE pot of boiling meat and vegitables SEVEN TIMES and has us eat it.  We are dying.  Dying.  I wore an elastic wasteband skirt and it was of no help.  Just when I started to see black spots, she leans over and puts her head on my stomach, listens to it, and determines there is still a little room. . . She says, "When the sound stops, you will be full.”  No no no. 

Then Sudnay at church she says, "I have some food for after church!"  And we are like. great, sounds swell!  But after church she find her and she says, "here!" and starts to pull out a pot FULL of rice (oh no) and seven more bowl of food!  I try to just take a little so I can fill my bowl with veggies and ske said, "nooo no fill bowl with rice first".    *sigh*

She just called and asked to feed us again this week.  It's delicious, but I wont be eating breakfast or lunch in prep for it. 

3. The Conversation

So, yesterday I was talking with a member about school and what we were studying and all of the sudden she switches to English.  And I went... omgsh, she jsut SWITCHED to English.  I understood what she was saying and replied without realizing it!  Mission accomplished. 

Jk, I have 13 more months. 

4. The Triumph

I officially passed off the first lesson!  And hopefully will pass off at least one more this week. You have to pass off them all before you can start learning any "real life words".  Gospel words first apparently.  But whoo!  I studied way too hard; It was way easier than I thought haha. 

5. The Miracle

Okay so, listen, I am a big believer that there are specific people the Lord has in mind for us to find.  So, my companion and decided to go where we felt like we should go.  We started with a prayer, and then both picked the same place in our huge area!  So we were tracting there last night and taught two great lessons.  We also asked everyone for a referral and... everyone referred the exact. same. person.  Is that not crazy or what???  That person was not home but we are going back to them.  I don't believe in accidents. 

Oh! I've also been successfully bike contacting!

Thank you so much for all your prayers on my behalf as I try to learn this language and do the Lord's work. I can feel it and I love you all for it. 

God bless you! and remember- attitude is half the battle! 

Love you! 

My first note in Chinese! don't look - there are mistakes

People were painting our apartments... and so we did weekly planning on the balcony