So I am sick! I have to wear one of those Asian masks or everybody loses their minds when I sneeze. It is an adventure. 

 

Down to business with all the stuff you want to hear about... 

New Companion: 

She is relaxed but hardworking! Basically, the best kind of companion. This is her first time being a senior companion, and I think she is kinda nervous about it, but she felt relived that she didnt have to "teach me chinese" so now she feels less stressed. Except for the fact that there have been no sisters in this area for at least a tranfer so we are basically whitewashing... ya. 

Clearly she is mistaken about my Chinese because this langauage is like the unobtainable dream and I'm drowning lol

But! I am living in a fourman! Thats right, I am living with another set of sisters and every day is a straight up paaaaarty!  This is the most fun I have ever had on a mission, and I have had some preeeetty good times, let me tell you. 

Taiwanese Disneyland

Thats right. This week I mentioned in passing to the mission office that we would love to volunteer for the lantern festival. Mostly because orgiannlly I thought the lantern festival was real life tangled. Unfortunately, it was not, BUT Elder Jiang gave us the BEST JOB. He had us "patrol" this park to look for foreigners who would need English assistant and had us wear the helping hands vests around for publicity.  Basically, I got to go around looking for giant lantern floats and spreading goodwill for the church. It was THE BEST.  I took tons of pictures for the office too!  You can check them out below. 

Also, I got PERMISSION FOR WORKOUT VIDEOS from President!  Insanity and T-25 are coming back into my life.  

About Taiwan

I do love Taiwan. Honestly, I love how hard it all is. 

Someone asked me my favorite part of Taiwan and missionary work last week.  And you know?  I think it is the language and how hard it is.  I seriously love learning Chinese and talking to people, having to bike everywhere and it being hard to find people that are open to the gospel. I just love that it is all hard. I love that we are all working together so and how much we have to rely on God. 

My aunt wrote me and said this today, "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away."  I think on my mission I've seen both extremes, but I look back and already every trial I have had has made me so so grateful because... it has helped changed me, or my perspective.  Sometimes I don’t know if I have really changed on a mission, but my perspective has changed.  And maybe perspective is everything. 

Teaching: 

Well, there aren’t alot of people we are teaching right now because of white-washing, but there are some people I got to see that I have loved and missed.  And it got me thinking this week.  I think 

through our close relationships with other people we can feel more of God's love for us.  If we feel in our families God's love through each other, we are far more loving and better people.  I think , and that love changes us and gives us the strength to live up to far more. I've been blessed to see a lot of families on my mission. I've been blessed to see a lot of choices and their consequences by looking at how people's lifes ended up. And you know what?  I think we all pretty much have the same trials.  All people had the same turning points.  But they choose to react differently.  And that made all the difference in everything, but mostly in their happiness. 

The world really is a reflection of us, and who we choose we literally become.  The real question is, at the last day, will we have chosen God and the ability to be like him?  Will we feel comfortable around him because we are like him?  Or will we want to leave because we feel unclean.  Either way, we will get whatever we desire most. 

Another random thought:  

When I get home I am going to start two projects. 

I just barley thought of this two minutes ago, but I think I am going to do it. 

1. I am going to make a cookbook of all the family recipes from all the aunts and grandmas and mom and yadda yadda and all the best things we've brought to family dinners.  Sorta of a fun ways of doing family history and put in photos of old family dinners and make it a big family history project. 

2. I am going to GO-PRO our next Disney World vacation. 

The Asians are super good at documenting everything and every family experiences, so I am going to get good at it too. 

My mom sent me this this week and I really like it: 

Remember you can turn to your Father in Heaven who loves you so,   for anything.  I have felt his love so many times and felt peace because of it.  What a great blessing to know of his love and concern for your welfare.  I know herwatches over you, is aware of your concerns both temporal and eternal and is there for you always.  Rely on him, he who dwells in the heavens above and loves YOU as his choice, beautiful and beloved daughter.  It is hard to imagine that anyone loves you as much as I do and yet as I’m writing this, I know that it’s true and that he loves you the most.  For you have been his daughter much longer than you have been mine.  He knows you much better.  How lucky I am to be your mom.  How blessed we are for our testimonies and the knowledge of his kindness and love for us.  He wants us to be happy and successful.  He wants this to be an incredible experience for you my daughter.  Move forward with faith.

I think it is true. Anyways, that was my week. 

The next letter will have more stories and less rambles I promise. White-washing has left me a little scatter brained haha. anyways. I love you all! Have a good week.