Fumigated!

Fumigated! We are being fumigated! That means our apartment is being fumigated today because of all the mosquitoes with diseases.. We wrapped up all our stuff- mattresses, fridge, fans, silverware, shampoos, emptied the desks- and wrapped everything in plastic. Cuz apparently the stuff gets sticky if it touches the air? I dont know. We are staying at the Tainan 1st Sisters' tonight and then we will unpack in all Tuesday night and Wednesday haha. Fun times. 

I told other missionaries we were being fumigated and they said:

• it happens.. well no not really. but it happened. 
• oo fun
• furnished?? wow I'd love to be refurnished

??

We had a great baptism this week! She is so awesome! I will tell you the miracle story next week and we have another baptism this next week! Pictures coming soon! 

 My companion is a thoroughbred work horse! 

We dropped a lot more investigators, but they just didnt have real intent. We felt peace about it. 

sorry thats all I have time for!

Im Rude to Investigators

It was finally a little cooler this week. Thank you heavenly father...

I am getting a new companion today. Everyone loves her so I think it will be good, ya? She was just my trainee's companion so ya! Small world. And Sister Shen is going to be my trainee's new companion.

This week:

1. So I wathced conference with a dog on my lap Sunday (yes, at church). I'm just starved for physical contact and she was all I had. 
2. I told an investigator that I wouldnt change her date when she wanted to move it back. I'm not sure what came over me, but I told she was going to quit coffee. Then we encourged a presithood blessing,. which she was kinda wishy washy about. Finally I was like, "Okay so you've talked for 30 minutes, will you or will you not accept the help of God? Your choice" So rude! Cant believe myself, but guess what, she stopped drinking coffee immediatly and is now getting baptized in two weeks! And she loves me for helping her! ha.. go figure. 
3. I got out of bed at 6:30 to say my prayers. I woke up at 7:30, still on my knees. I had slept for an hour on my knees. . .
4. I added it up, and we spent 15 hours this week in meetings. shoot me. 

What I said to President
This week we had a great planning session, and after the last two weeks of success, we decided we could reach higher, teach more than 15 peikes and find more than 3 news and etc etc. All worthy goals I think. But then, as we got to the end of planning, we had a nagging lack of peace, and we had to stop. And we had to ask... "Okay. So we've got some great goals. With some great investigators that will go nearly double mission standards... but are we helping people come unto Christ??". Am I helping people come unto Christ? I wasnt sure I was all the time. Sometimes yes, sometimes I needed to improve. The thing is, we have such a great area that we should be able to hit the standards pretty easily... but there is one number that we don't count that matters: people converted to Christ. To baptism. So we had to correct ourselves, and help people actually come unto Christ. not just come to some lessons.

An investigator come and told us she had to change her date because she wasnt giving up coffee. I told her no, that we werent changing it. She was startled. And then we said that she had been active for 6 months, she knew everything and was really, she just needed to quit coffee and be baptized. And she said she couldn't because of headaches adn she couldnt handle the smell of her coworkers coffee. So we had a lesson a priesthood blessings and she was still hesitant. Then I said, "okay so these are the methods we have. Will you or will you not accept the additional help of heaven?" and she said yes! (so direct... who am I). and got a blessing. Then guess what, she called us after Monday and told us she didnt drink coffee! She forgot about it! And then Tuesday! Wednesday... finally by Thursday she asked her coworkers why they had all stopped drinking coffee for her. They replied that they hadnt.. infact they had been drinking every day. She realized she hadnt even smelled it and didnt even notice. So.. she's getting baptized next Saturday! Yay! 

Okay got to go! Love you all!

The Shortest Letter Ever

I am good. 

I forgot we had a typhoon until you all asked. Got used to it I guess! We went walking in the rain Monday night until it was time to go out. It was fine my Tuesday morning. 

Things are great here! We are so busy! Running around like craaaaaazy to get to all our lessons! We missed a couple dinners and had to eat during nightly planning. We have a baptism interview tonight and hopefully a few more soon. I'll send pictures soon. Its the best area yet! Tainan is the old capital of Taiwan and the oldest city here! Theres so much history and it is so cool. 

Funny moment for the fans: My companion has perfect English but if you talk to her first thing in the morning or late at night after fasting-- she has no idea what you are saying. Yesterday she just starred at me for a minute and then was like, "Ummmm I think you forgot that I dont speak French. Just English. Can you speak English?" To which I replied, "That was English. I dont speak French, what the?" 

haha. 

Okay got to go! Keep our investigators in your prayers! Love you all! 

Sister Wawro

It's Zoro, with a W. 

Sleepless in Taiwan

Hello to the city of Tainan! My favorite city yet. 

So, there is a Typhoon today. Just misting and rain right now, but we'll see how the day goes. 

Also, Lately I've been so frank with investigators. I dont know if its a sign of the times, or a sign of an old missionary, or if I've been particularly cheeky the last ten days but... ya. meh. Dont regret it so ya. 

New Companion:

So my new companion is my new hero and the most interesting man in the world.. I mean woman. But really. First of all, she has cancer. But she's on a mission. So thats cool. She is also like my best friend and super sweet. Every time we are laughing really hard she goes, "no no no. We cant have too good of a relationship. President said if we had a good relationship, then we have to move." Oh no. She's my 14th companion. Is this why I always move? Im not sure...

Also, her family has THE COOLEST conversion story of all time. So cool that it was in the Ensign! Thats right. Basically, her parents started living in seperate houses (weren't divorced yet but ya) and her dad wanted to fix their relationship, so he entered a random church to pray. There he met our missionaries! And took the discussions, and set a baptism date. Well, to get baptized you have to have espousal permission, so he called his wife to tell her he wanted to get baptized. She told him it was okay, because she had a baptism date for the following week! ! ! Long story short, they got back together and were sealed a year later. The gospel changed their whole family. 

That's right, I'm living with a super-star. 

New Area:

Is the best. Downtown city #itsabouttimepeople. It only takes 25 minutes in heavy traffic to bike to one side to the other. Also, the traffic is like a horror film, but it's kinda fun. It is the second smallest area in the mission and its golden. We dropped in another baptismall date, and I did not allow an investigator to drop her date (she can drop coffee, she just cant be so soft on herself. She can do it). There's a huge college here! So everyone thinks Im here to study Chinese. Which is ironic, because most of the foreign students cant even speak Chinese. We even have a "Dream Mall". Its likea mall and disneyland but together into one massive building. And all the homes are HUGE- so tracking isnt too successful, but it does give us something to look at. 

A member took us out to eat for the Mid-Autumn Festival (basically like a second Chinese NewYears.. but with moon cakes and BBQ). So, I originally didnt know where were going but it turns out we were at THE RESTERAUNT of Tainan- the restaurant in the tallest building of the tallest hotel here. whoooooah swanky. We walk in and the restaurant has a reservation, because they only let like 30 people eat at a time. It looked like star wars- that part where they go to the conference and have those floating booth things and all the leaders of difference places vote and Queen Amadalla says, "So this is how freedom dies, with thunderous applause" (ya, I cant remember English, but I remember Star Wars #raisedright). anyways, we ate at a place that looked like Star Wars and the food was the best food I have ever eaten in Taiwan. It was like eating at the African Lodge Buffet at Disney World, but it was all Chinese and Japanese Style. When we walked in I turned to Elder Tatton and was like, "So... do you feel as out of place as I do?" He said, "Yup. I'm wearing a tie and ... still." Like two democrats in Dallas. 

Food was good though. 

I'll keep you posted on the investigators after their upcoming baptisms. Then I can talk more about them! :) 

Love you all!

Emergency Transferred

So guess what. 

I got emergency transferred. [Not my emergency, some one else's]. 

So I get to go to paradise :). 

Or so I hear. I think PingDong is pretty sweet but the I'm replacing my MTC companion in TaiNan. TaiNan is famous for having the best food in Tainan, Its a big city, andthis area and district is ON FIRE! I think we're having three baptisms in the next month. Yay. Party! And my companion is Taiwanese, cuter, and I hear everyone loves her. And, small world, Elder Teasdale is my district leader. Which means he\s my district leader for like half my time in Taiwan haha. Good thing we're friends. 

But ya I was sad to leave PingDong. Heavenly Father gave me so many littel miracles my last 48 hours there. For example! My favorite family of investigators started having family scripture study and studying as a couple! We had a less-active rescue that Sunday.. she is now a ward missionary! And a recent convert came down all the way from Taibei! Our eternal investigator asked me what questions there were in the baptismal interview, the bishop was actually sad to have me go, and we hit the mission standards with flying colors. I got to see and say goodbey to everyone that I love, and last but not least we had a ward activity saturday for the MidAutunm Festival and the members wer SO GOOD to our investigators! And there were so many new people we were gunna start teaching! It was like a little piece of heaven, a little pat on the back. 

And then at the end of the night, as we are walking into the apartment uilding, I feel a little tug on my skirt. And the, I look down to see a little someone hugging my legs. Our little neighbor girl who is a former! then her mom comes over, and her sister, and then her dad, and her brother! And they are all super excited to see me! And so my companion gets a chance to meet them and set up with them and it turns out.. that their relatives all live in TaiNan so they will be visiting! And they asked what ward so they could come to church! It was such a tender mercy. 

And then my companion stayed up half the night packing with me. I've moved again and again and no one does that... bless her. 

In other funny news:

1. My companion mixed up discuss and disgust a lot when talking. Its confusing. but funny. 

2. Elder Ludwig was contacting this person at the stoplight. And he said, "Hello I'm- *reaches for the name tag*- oh.. ummm." *realizes the nametag is not there and says*- "I'm sorry, I forgot who I am today."    The person freaked out and ran a redlight haha. 

Thats all for now folks! Sorry I cant remember beofre two days ago because I'm working on like no sleep! But, I love you!

The Perfect Missionary

Hey FamBam,

and fans,

This week has flown by. I cant even remember what happened other than a lot of meetings and then stake conference that president came to, and average missionary work. And ya. 

Sometimes I look at all the stories of these epic missionaries and Iｔｈｉｎｋ... like.. I gotta step it up. but step it up to what? Im not sure. Because I am doing my best. Im just not as awesome as I always imagined missionaries to be. Im pretty much just doing ordinary missionary things. I talk to people. I bear my testimony. I try by best to keep the mission schedule and rules. I could do better at all of those things, but I really strive to do it all. and I dont feel this rapid rush of spiritual guidance a lot. sometimes, but mostly, no. Mostly, investigators drop us, or stand us up, or drop their baptism dates, and normal stuff just goes wrong. I'm not baptizing throngs of people, heck, I'm just trying to stay afloat with the ones I have. I hit some mission standards every week, but I often to fail to hit them all.  

as Im typing this out I realize how ridiculous I sound. 

Because the idea of the perfect missionary I have in my head isnt even a real person. Its not a person with weaknesses, and who has to lean on Christ daily. Its a person who can do it all himself, with the spirit at his side. 

I want to be a good example to my cousins and kids about what it means to really be an awesome concentrated missionary, but at the end of the day, I think I'm a pretty average missionary, just trying to do the day's work.

But I guess the miracle in it is that we are still the voice-piece for the spirit,even though we all have cracks. That's now the light gets it :) 

Here is part of the letter I sent president this week

Miracle of the week. We were teaching a family, a family we love, and who.. just wasnt progressing towards baptism. Or maybe they were, but at a glacial pace. He finished reading the Book of Mormon last week, and believes its the word of God, but we always lose them with authority. Sister Liao and I just didnt know what to do. And we just prayed so so hard before our lesson with them, and asked people to pray with us. And we started teaching lesson three again, but somehow the lesson got to the temple. Brother Jian said, "sometimes when I read the Book of Mormon I feel my ancestors around me, reading with me." At that moment I just felt a spiritual rush and.. I just really felt like they were there. And that there were so many on the other side of the veil who were praying for them too, because they needed the Jians. We talked about the temple, and they didnt take a date, but they started to attend all three hours with the whole family. After the lesson my companion said, hey when he said that about his ancestors did... you feel that? Them all around us?" And I did. I think it was one of the most spiritual lessons I've ever had. 

Love you all, 

bye bye!

I'm in Polynesia

So our milk was fine in the fridge at Seven Eleven. No one bought it at least haha. 

This week I had a lizard in my helmet. It was kinda like that scene from Parent Trap where the mean lady freaks out and then the lizard crawls in her mouth. Except it didnt crawl into my mouth. thank goodness. 

So, my companion has  a British accent when she speaks English. I cannot figure out why for the life of me. 

Also, the third day we are together, she points to the menu and says, "Chicken!" and I nod... like.. ya I know... And then she says (in Chinese and Enlgish) "This one is Chicken... *points to her leg* and This one is Chicken... um um.. " and then she starts beating her chest. Like a monkey. I try not to laugh, and I'm like, "I'm sorry what? I didnt quite catch that." So she does the gesture bigger, and seeing the exasperate look on my face, she does it again bigger. People are watching at this point. Seeing the puzzled look of my face, she jumps in the air. At this point I cant take it anymore and I bust out laughing. She says, "Do you understand now?"

I replied in Chinese, "Ya- I read the sign, it said Chicken breast. I cant read a menu, but watching you try to act it out was way to fun to stop you." She hit me haha. Her other companion didnt read menus I so she thought she had to explain haha. 

But my chinese isnt really that great because this week in a lesson in stead of saying, "When my companion was talking, Iｒｅａｌｉｚｅｄ　Ｉhad a similar feeling", I said, "When my companion was talking I realized I had a trashy feeling." My companion said oh.. no.. and then I realized what I said, corrected it and then we all laughed for awhile. Dumb Americans. 

Speaking of which, we went to the mountain and basically found out that it is mini polynesia. No joke. And it is now my favorite place in the world. We have a lot of new investigators and some even came to church yesterday. They are really special people. When I'm there and teaching them I this feeling that I really do know them. And the weird thing is that one of the husbands looks like a polynesian/chinese version of my dad.. its weird. I know... Iｃａｎｔ　ｆｉｇｕｒｅ　ｉｔ　ｏｕｔ　ｅｉｔｈｅｒ．　

But more on that latter as it develops. Because my companion and I　love going there. 

This week we had an investigator drop out of her baptism in two weeks. She is a really special person. We are gunna meet with her one last time this saturday. I really love this investigaotr, so if you could pray for her... thank you. 

Okay that's all! Sorry I　had so much to talk about but no time. 

We Store out Stuff at Seven Eleven. We Own this Place

So I am still in PingDong. for now. What the?? No one trains and then stays in an area. Except me. Always the exception, never the rule. 

Kinda like always the bridesmaid, never the bride, but .. not. 

Ok, so. I said goodbye to my little trainee and sent her to the first apartment I ever lived in. What the?? Crazy. Im all nervous for her. Then a member and I literally sat there like all day waiting for my companion... because she was supposed to get off an incoming train... but she didnt. and then next one? She didnt. And again, nope. After nearly an hour I start calling the zone leaders and other sisters until I get to her last companion, who said, "oh she should be at the Feng Shan station."

Feng Shan?? We live in Ping Dong!

Oh no. 

So then I start begging sisters in GaoXiong to ride to FengShan. Before they get there my companion calls from another phone! She is at GaoXiong Main station! She got off at the wrong place. We arrange for her to get a ticket down here. So thats another hour of waiting. The Elders headed south show up and say that they lost her on the train! How do you loose somone on a sitting train? *face palm* So we all wait. She then calls me from another number to say she is on her way. 

Then about 40 minutes later we get a call, from another number! It is her. She is in PingDong!　but we are standing by the only exit from the train... she she had to walk past us! She agrees to back tract. 

Then another phone call from another phone number! It occurs to me that she is making friends along the way and using all of their phones! She then pops up around the corner and immediately gives us both hugs. 

I like her. 

She may be the most expressive and direct person I have ever met haha. 

Anyways, we go grocery shopping as fast as we can, and then we have to go home to put the frozen stuff in the fridge.. but then we'd have less time to email... so we start looking around to see if the food could be left in the bike box until 9pm. 

The conversation (translated) went like this:

Me: So everything but the soymilk can be refrozen and be fine. How long does it take for soymilk to go bad?

Her: Uhhhhhh.. it will go bad by 9pm.

Me:Then we gotta go back

Her: Oh. ya it definitely will go bad by 9pm. 

Okay then. Home it is. 

Her: Or...

Me: What?

We could go to seven eleven. 

Huh?

Ya, and ask them to put it in their fridge. 

What the... Can you do that????

Her: Well... no. But I do unprecedented things all the time. Lets try!

So then we marched into seven and she smooth talked the cashiers into letting us store our milk in the seven eleven fridges until 9pm tonight!!!!!

Hopefully no one tries to buy it... 

Who is this chick? Hehe , its gunna be great. 

Okay that's all for now folks. I wont be on air next Monday, but tune in the following Monday for the next broadcast for a premier special. Until then,