3/2/14

Hello all!

Miracles this last week? I feel like the biggest miracle has been my attitude towards missionary work. This week we didn't have any incredible new finding experiences, we didn't have any baptisms. But we had incredible lessons. We worked hard and we tried. This week I gave my all to missionary work. I love weeks like this, where I can try and try. Where we're told more LAs we can go visit and work with. Because of it, I feel like the spirit's been with me even stronger, which means it's been even stronger in our lessons. That's always a miracle. When you can give the lesson over to the spirit and try to be an instrument in the Lord's hands. Overall, I feel like this transfer and this last week my attitude has changed tremendously. I'm still more or less doing the same things I did in XiZhi but my outlook is different which makes it a lot easier to keep doing the work and working hard. Always a blessing and a miracle, when you see yourself begin to change and to see your attitude change, so they're not the traditional ones but they're the ones that change the world the most because they help you to better change the world.

I also have had some really cool epiphanies based on scriptures shared in church and Elder Holland's talk this week. Yesterday in Testimony meeting, we had a brother stand up and share with us D&C 78:17. That scripture changed my life. It reminded me of Elder Holland telling us that we "ain't seen nothin' yet" that we have no idea the blessings Heavenly Father has planned for us. It was incredible. I also had another awesome epiphany riding my bike back from Yingge. It's a very long bike ride, at least half an hour. Well, I was thinking about Abinadi for some reason, and was just reminded that we have no idea the good we do. Our time as missionaries is very short. I think Abinadi's time as a prophet was very short. We don't read about him being around for too long. He had no idea the impact he would have. He may have doubted that he had accomplished his purpose, that he'd done any good. But at the end of the day, he had 1 convert. That ONE convert then proceeded to change the world by baptizing hundreds. We have no idea. Maybe as missionaries we have 20 baptisms, maybe just one, maybe we just bring an LA back into the fold. But that one person we impact because we will impact at least one can then go on to change the world, then go on to baptize hundreds. It was an incredible and humbling epiphany that I loved.

President also told us that Elder Holland put pictures from his mission tour here in Taiwan on Facebook so go take a look at his profile, you may see a familiar face!!! :P

I want you all to know I love you. I love this gospel. I know it's true. I know it can and will change lives. It can and will change our lives if we only let it. This last week I've really felt the love and power the gospel can bring. I want to invite you to read Ether 12:27. Think of your weaknesses and pray to Heavenly Father to help you make them your strengths. It really can and will bless your life. It'll change your life. And you will change the world!

Have a good week! Take care of yourselves!

Love, Sister Thomsen

2/23/14 Pictures

 Statue of Liberty

 and the "hobbit" bus stop right by it...

 Proof that it's the Republic of Chocolate! There's even "Chocolate Street"!

Also, meet my new companion, Sister Wu. She's adorable and I love her to death!!!

2/23/14

Hello all!

This week has been great!

One awesome miracle happened out contacting on Thursday. It was almost time for dinner but my companion turned around "this is a pretty good area, let's contact here a little longer." Well, it must've been the spirit since just after we found a new investigator! A student that neither of us is really all that sure how old she is. My companion thinks she's college, I think middle school or high school. Neither of us can tell, it's funny to me. But the lesson just flowed so smoothly! It was incredible! Another miracle happened on Sunday. We were at church and these 3 people came and sat just down from me in the row in Sacrament. So after Sacrament I went to talk to them, one is an LA that was baptized many years ago. Yesterday she brought her mom and her husband to church! Her mom wants to meet with the missionaries and really wants to learn more about the church. She's incredible. I was talking to her later and she was telling me how she's been wanting to come to church for so long but she didn't want to come alone and her and her daughter could never work out the time for her daughter to bring her. Such an awesome miracle! I strongly believe she will be baptized. It's also a point for Team Jesus since we found out she lives in the elders' area. Gotta love team Jesus :D I also just really love BaDe. As you know, I often struggled in XiZhi but I feel like it helped me to grow. It helped prepare me to come to BaDe and love it with all I have. It's been awesome. I feel like I'm getting my missionary fire back. Hearing Elder Holland didn't hurt that either though. Sister Wu also helps that. She has so much love and fire for this work and everyone around her. She's constantly serving me and trying to help me, it's been really awesome.

As I said vaguely, on Saturday night we got to go to Taibei and meet Elder Holland! So amazing! I shook hands with an apostle of the Lord! It truly was a once in a lifetime experience. He even did some of his usual pulpit-pounding and all. I loved it. Definitely exactly what I needed to hear. It was also incredible to see all my old friends, my former companions and roommates. I'll be sad when many of them leave at the end of this transfer.

An unorthodox miracle I was blessed to experience this week happened last night. I had a very strong epiphany moment. One that sort of started while listening to Elder Holland but it really came to me last night. We were running late all day and I was thinking of how at the end of their missions, sometimes missionaries grow lax. I feel like it gets worse as you leave Taibei. But it made me think even harder about how hard I've worked thus far on my mission. I realized that I've worked this hard for over a year (almost a year on island), 8 transfers, there's no way I'm going to slack off now. My last 3 transfers, last 3 months, really are going to be the best of my mission, I'm going to work harder than ever! So, when we were running late and there was the possibility of missing curfew, we were riding our bikes up this steep hill. I decided to push myself harder than usual. Then I realized, I could run my bike up that hill faster than I could ride it. So that's exactly what I did, I got off my bike and started running my bike up the hill. It made me think of a story I heard at some point earlier in my mission of a missionary who wanted to be exactly obedient and did all he could for it. One night they were riding their bikes on the way home from a lesson and would've made curfew just fine but then his bike tire popped. This missionary's desire to be exactly obedient was so great that he picked up his bike, put it on his shoulder and ran home with it. I want to be like that missionary and I've decided I'm going to be like that missionary. Exact obedience is truly important.

Another awesome miracle happened Saturday night talking to Elder Rayburn and Sister Beazer, who are still in XiZhi. One of my investigators there will be getting baptized this weekend. But more than that, another one of my investigators said that she wants to be baptized! This is the one that when I was there was saying how she wasn't sure she wanted to be baptized and such!!! So awesome! I'm so excited for her!

So yea, that's been my week more or less. So awesome! Hope this finds you well. Keep up the good work and jia some you! (add some oil)

Wo ai ni-o!

Sister Thomsen

2/16/14 Farewell XiZhi... Hello... Republic of Chocolate?! What in the world?!‏

Hello family and friends!

Haha no, I'm not kidding. No, that's not the name of my new home but there's a place here called the Republic of Chocolate. Laughed so hard when I saw it Friday night. I'll send pics next week since my stuff still hasn't arrived and it has my USB stuff. I am in the land of BaDe and our area is HUGE! It seems like the majority of it is in YingGe, a 40 minute bike ride that is KILLER when you're riding home since it's back up a HUGE hill! Thanks XiZhi for preparing me for that. haha. My new companion is a Taiwanese, FINALLY!!! YEA! So happy. I'm already loving life with her. She's so incredible! Her name is Sister Wu and I love her to death. Yep, my new home is incredible. More or less back in the country and loving every single second of it. You should've seen my face Friday night, I was grinning from ear to ear and couldn't stop. Life really is good. I love being a missionary of the Lord. I love being a Representative of Jesus Christ. Is there anything better?

As for miracles, Thursday I was blessed to see a huge miracle and know that I was an instrument in the hands of the Lord. We did another little "blitz" for the last time in XiZhi and I was blessed to be with Sister Chen. We were out contacting and had a lot of people that didn't want to talk to us but it's true what Preach My Gospel says, that we need to believe that the Lord is placing prepared people in our paths. With Ye Jiemei all we did was say "hello! how are you?" And she stopped and just started talking to us, telling us about her life. She was talking about how she already believed in Christ and everything but her friend is Christian and said Buddhists can't get baptized. I simply don't understand some Christians. However, we shared about the Book of Mormon and she was SO excited to read it! She said she already gets little quotes on her phone from the Bible but when we told her we'd never heard of it she was like "oh. Ok. I'll delete it right away." We told her if it's from the Bible and helps encourage her it's probably a good thing so not to worry about it. Then we felt inspired to invite her to baptism. For the 22nd of March. Her reaction? Could I be baptized? And so fast?! It was incredible and humbling to be able to tell my sister how truly important she is, how much her Father loves her and how much I believe in her, that the missionaries will truly help her to come unto Christ and I know she could definitely be baptized the 22nd of March without any problems. So we were able to help a daughter of God come unto Christ a little more, to invite her to baptism, to give her a chance to read the Book of Mormon, and found XiZhi a new investigator. Definitely one of the best ways to end my time in XiZhi. That night we were also able to meet with an LA I've been trying to meet with my entire time in XiZhi. 4 1/2 months! And a miracle happened so we were able to meet with her. It has been humbling to me as we've met with people, handing off investigators or meeting with an LA right before I move, and as we've asked them who they would like to say the opening prayer, 2 of them have looked at me and said "Sister Thomsen because she wont be visiting me anymore." If they only knew how this touched my heart. It's a miracle to me that in a way, to me that's saying, "I will miss this Sister." And it's one last time I can pray for them where they can hear it. Of course, we always keep praying for them, but it's different when they can hear it. When they are reminded that you're praying for them, that you love them. Definitely a different type of miracle to me, one I am always grateful to receive.

I love you all and hope all is well in your neck of the woods. I was reading the Liahona today and read an article from an apostle about how he would always watch Finding Nemo with his daughter. Then he said "Missions are hard." and I can't remember what else but he always ended his e-mails with "just keep swimming." LOVED it! So my attitude is, "life is hard." So here's my advice to you...

Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. What do we do? We swim, swim, swim!

Jiayou! Wo ai nimen-o!

Sister Thomsen

2/9/14

Da Jia Hao!

 I wont lie, this last week has been rough! Literally, last night before we went out contacting I was sitting there thinking at dinner, wondering what on earth I would write this week. I felt like I had nothing to write to President and nothing to write home. I was disheartened. However, Heavenly Father really does find ways to strengthen and push us. No matter how bad I didn't want to go back out and contact, especially riding my bike in the pouring rain to the area we'd chosen that was about a half hour's bike ride away, and no matter how much my companion felt the same, we saw miracles come of it. My testimony has been strengthened that Heavenly Father really does answer our prayers and last night's contacting experience was a perfect example of that. It started out during planning on Saturday. We didn't know where to go. None of the places we thought of felt right. So, I did something I've never really done. I pulled out the map, pointed to a spot and said "let's go there." I've never done this in my entire mission. I don't know why it occurred to me but seriously, Heavenly Father works in mysterious ways. Then, last night as I concurred my lack of a desire to go out and contact and prayed with my companion, I felt a little more of the fire come back. So we made it out there and started knocking doors, the best thing to do in the pouring rain. At first, nothing came of it. I think all of 2 people even answered their doors but as my companion went up to knock another door, I saw a lady getting off her scooter so I went to talk to her. That was such an incredible contact since things just flowed perfectly. She has a lot of Christian friends and so when I asked if we could visit with her then or some other time she told me how they're "bai bai" and have an alter in their house. Apparently her friends can't visit her because they can't be in houses where there's "bai bai" stuff. It was incredible to explain how we respect other beliefs but we can still go visit people like that. To explain that we have members that have the same issue. It was truly incredible. I feel like her heart softened. She re-set to meet with us on Saturday, to let us visit her again. Sadly, we were unable to have a lesson last night because every time we tried she'd get sidetracked and we'd have to take care of a new concern before she'd let us pray and then we hit the point that we had to head home to make curfew. However, it was truly incredible. Definitely strengthened my testimony of the love Heavenly Father has for us. It's like the elder on the district talks about that when he felt like he couldn't even take one more step, he just had to take the one more step and that's when the miracles would come. That's how I felt last night.

So really, that's more or less my week. Sorry I don't have anything truly incredible to report. Don't have a whole lot to report in general. But I'm still working hard and trying to keep the faith.

By the way, transfers come this week so next week could be in a new area or with a new companion or who knows? Just to give ya'll a heads up. Love and miss you all. Hope this finds you well in your neck of the woods!

Wo ai nimen!

Sister Thomsen

2/4/14

Hello! Da Jia Zao!!!

Good morning! I'm very excited to go to the temple today!!! But right now I'm also very excited to tell you about our miracles here in Xizhi this week! I think my favorite happened on Thursday. We had a qingke scheduled at one of my favorite members' houses so during the day we were just out finding, trying to find those who are prepared to hear the gospel. We ran into one girl on her way to McDonald's to buy food but she was willing to talk to us! We had a full on lesson and invited her to be baptized and she accepted!!! The first time I've ever invited someone to be baptized on the street and she accepted!!! Super awesome experience! Sadly thus far we've been unable to set another time to meet with her but I'm working on it!
Later that night after our qingke, we headed farther out in our area to what is usually the busiest part of our area and I figured with the new year there would be tons of people. However, we get there and I've never seen anywhere in Taipei so dead! I was really worried but there were a few people around so we went to talk to them and walked around because I still felt like we were supposed to be there for some reason. Well, a guy walked up with a little boy in a stroller and my companion tried to give him a family tract. His response was that he's met missionaries before but they were Elders and were from the "mormon church." Then he told us he'd been baptized in that church but hadn't had time to go lately. I was literally floored, speechless! Thenwe talked to him some more and he's married to a non-member but is willing to let us visit with him and said he'll come to church next Sunday!!! Such an incredible miracle, especially since I've since looked at the member list and there is no record of him in XiZhi. A lost sheep that I think is ready to be re-found!

Really, I don't know what else to share with you all this week. I'm just working hard and trying to finish out strong. Yesterday at zone training they asked us to say a prayer and re-dedicate ourselves to our missions. Well, in the middle of my prayer it occurred to me that I'm down to 19-20 weeks. That is so short!!! Time flies by way too fast! No, I'm not counting down. It was literally just an epiphany moment that about broke my heart. I still have so much to do and it feels like nowhere near enough time to do it all!!!

Love you all. Hope this e-mail finds you well! Take care!

In the words of Su Mama, "Da Jia, jiayou!" Wo ai nimen!

Love,

Sister Thomsen

1/26/14

Hello! Da Jia Hao!

This has been a very good week. I wont lie, as our areas were being split, I had a rough time accepting it, mainly being that I have grown to love my investigators so much and all but one of them lived in the Elder's new area. However, I feel like I've seen so many miraculous blessings because of it and my willingness to do all I could to accept it. I was told ahead of time that it would be happening because someone spilled the beans to me and from the get go, I just asked that I'd be able to accept God's will no matter what it was. I feel like Heavenly Father really has answered my prayers because as I've been handing my investigators over to the elders, our investigators have said they have to come to church so they can keep seeing us! Also, because we have to have peikes to meet with men, we have more peikes than I've had since I came to Xizhi, which has helped our ward with their missionary work! It was amazing yesterday to see 3 of our investigators come to church but made even more amazing when we went to sit down and realized that the members had taken over taking care of every single one of them so I got to just sit and listen to and enjoy Sacrament, something I've never been able to do on my mission when I have an investigator attend church! It was an awesome miracle!
Another awesome miracle happened on Tuesday. We had a referral we'd gotten from the elders, they'd already set him up and everything and we just found the peike. I felt like we should ask a family that lives near the church since the elders had set him up to meet at the church and it was a truly amazing lesson. I felt like it was EXACTLY what Preach My Gospel talks about that we need to work in unity with the members! Not only were my companion and I in unity, but I felt like the whole family and the Spirit were also unified with us in helping this Son of God begin his journey on preparing to return to Him, that's 6 people (including the spirit)!!! It was an incredible lesson and I want more to be like it, I felt as we walked out that we had experienced what the scriptures describe church should be like, that we were all uplifted and edified together.

This week truly has been incredible! I feel like I'm refinding my fire as a missionary when the flame was slowly dying. Heavenly Father really has blessed me so much this week!

I hope this e-mail finds you all well and noticing just as many, if not more miracles! Love you all! Jiayou!

Sister Thomsen

1/19/14

Da Jia hao!

This week was fabulous! Going on exchanges is usually a great experience and this last week was no exception. I loved being with Sister Chen. I feel like she really helped me a lot in remembering why we're missionaries and remembering why I love this work. She helped remind me to see the miracles. I've been slacking on it lately and it was a blessing to be with her. The first day, before she even did the training with me, she just kept pointing out miracles of the next day. Then the next day, she did training and it truly was a day full of miracles. Her serving me and showing me love was a miracle. The two sisters we met while traveling to exchange were miracles. When I got back to my area, working for team Jesus and finding a new investigator for the elders was a miracle. Every day is full of them but lately I've been slacking in seeing them. So, this week was really awesome and FULL of miracles!

One of my favorites is that yesterday we had Zhu Jiemei come to church again. She's come to church every week for a month straight! The catch? She's not an investigator. She decided not long ago that she wanted to come to church so she just came. And she really seems to be opening up. I believe the church is changing her heart. Yesterday she opened up and told us that she's already Christian in another church. She has resisted all attempts for us to meet with her but I feel like she's really softening towards us sisters, mainly because of the love she feels from us and our members. It's truly incredible to see.

Another miracle was seeing Heavenly Father's hand. On Saturday night we'd had a lesson scheduled with someone from Indonesia that was male so we got one of our few members with really good english to peike. Sadly, we got fanged but I feel like it was the Lord's hand as we met with Hu Jiemei. I love her to death already, I feel like we've gotten to be really good friends but I felt that night that I really got to be a tool in the hands of the Lord in helping her to feel better. I've realized the power we missionaries have in that when our members trust us, they really trust and rely on us. They tell us things they wont tell others, they completely open up because they believe we can help. And the thing is, as we rely on the spirit, we can! I've seen that both times I've met with Hu Jiemei because both times things were said that were not from me, I know they were Heavenly Father trying to comfort His daughter. It's incredible. Just before that, we'd also run into a guy on the street who said he's really stressed out with work and such and was just looking for peace and comfort, a way to feel better. To share prayer and the Book of Mormon with Him was an incredible experience as well. Again, being a tool in the hands of the Lord, truly a blessing and a miracle.

In other news, there are BIG changes in the Taiwan Taibei mission! First of all, in any area there are sisters, it used to be that they shared the area with Elders. However, as of this week that has changed. We have our own individual areas where Sister Beazer and I will be encouraging members, LAs, and investigators of both sexes in our area and the Elders will do the same with their area. This means we are handing several of our investigators over to the elders and vice-versa. Heartbreaking as it is, I feel like it'll also get the members to step-up and truly help in the hastening of the work.

We also have a new restoration pamphlet! And a new contacting method to go with it! Every time we touch our name badges, we're supposed to introduce our missionary purpose, which then makes it easier to lead into baptism. I LOVE this method! It's really helping people know from the get-go why we're here and not wasting their time or ours when they're not yet ready for the gospel. Such a blessing.

I love life. I love being a missionary. I'm so grateful for this chance! I love to see these new changes and I can't wait to see what comes of it, regardless of the stress it may or may not add :P

Oh and heads up, our temple day is February 5th so I will NOT be e-mailing you on the 3rd. Apparently a lot of parents stress when they don't get an e-mail so now you know :P Don't e-mail President and ask why I haven't e-mailed, k? haha.....

So that's it for the week. Hope this finds you well! Love you all! Jiayou!

Wo ai ni-o!

Sister Thomsen

1/13/14

Da Jia Hao!

I hope you are doing well today. This last week was really good. One of my biggest miracles was being able to be an instrument in the Lord's hands and realizing that I was able to do so. On Wednesday we were at Jin Hua doing temple tours and the Temple Sisters had scheduled to train us at 4 but they weren't there when we waited and then didn't answer when I called so we decided to go out contacting and I really feel like it was God's will since we walked by the university right by Jin Hua and ran into a foreigner. Her name is Alecea and she was sharing how she's more or less grown up between here and her home in Johannesburg, South Africa but how she'd started school at the university only 4 days before and she was really struggling. She was talking about how she's a Christian but not very open about her faith. I enjoyed being able to share one of my favorite scriptures with her about Christ healing the people in America and telling her that I knew he would heal her because homesickness and discouragement are also ailments he desires to heal us of. I think it helped her but as I said, it made me feel as an instrument in the Lord's hands which also really helped me.

On Thursday we also had an awesome miracle. I think I failed to mention the sister we met the week before at McDonalds. I'd had to use the restroom while finding and the only public bathroom nearby was at the McDonalds. Lo and Behold, I think that was also God's will since my companion ended up contacting a sister that was babysitting there at the McDonalds and Thursday afternoon she called to see if we'd be willing to meet with her that evening. It was a really awesome miracle. She's already praying a lot and has started reading the Book of Mormon. Sadly, she said her schedule is kind of uncertain so was unable to re-set with us but said she'd be willing to keep meeting and that she'd keep reading and praying. Truly and awesome miracle. I felt really blessed to be able to witness such and incredible miracle.

Also, lately we've had some incredible miracles from working with the members. One of our members invited us to her house for FHE next Sunday with a lady that keeps coming to church but seems unwilling to meet with us at the moment. It was awesome to see how much Zhu Jiemei was willing to open up because of it. We also have members more willing to help peike and help with the LAs so I feel like the work is starting to pick up a little more here in Xizhi!

Also, I decided today I'd like to share some of my recent funny contacting experiences with you... Last week we contacted a lady who is very devout Buddhist who kept telling us how we shouldn't eat meat because animals are living things that have feelings as well. She also kept telling us how we're meat-eating robots because eating meat is not a choice, it's not something we should do. Definitely a very interesting experience that I can't help but laugh at now. Gotta love those moments!

Another one happened the other day. Buddhists often say "Amitopho" (most likely spelled wrong, sorry) as they greet or leave. Well, the other day I contacted a lady, just saying hi and asking how she was when she started practically yelling "Amitopho, amitopho, amitopho." As she walked by my companion she did the exact same thing though my companion was already contacting someone else. Definitely an interesting experience and one that I look back on and laugh...

So yea, that's my life for now. Hope you caught a few fun glimpses of my life as a missionary and hope all is well in your part of the world!

Wo ai nimen! Jiayou!

Sister Thomsen

1/5/14

This week was a good week. As I told my district leader last night, it's not improving much in the area of numbers and maybe nothing absolutely fantastic has happened in the eyes of others, but being that I've lived in and was part of it, it was a good week. This week we had miracles of people actually approaching us themselves. On Saturday we were contacting a guy with his daughter when a waiguoren walked up and asked "Do you speak English?" "Are you members of a church or organization or something?" We told him we were missionaries and gave him one of the restoration tracts in English to which he responded "thank you." and just walked off. I don't know why he did it but it was really awesome. Then, later on that same day, we were out finding and another lady walked up and asked where our church was and when we met. Not even an hour later, our phone rang and it was someone wanting to know what time church started and to get the address again. Such an incredible experience. As far as I know, nothing came of it. I didn't see any of them at church but seeds are being planted in miraculous ways! I will forever be grateful for the days that happens! We also had a miracle of a new investigator this week! We met her at the end of last transfer but she finally set up and said we could go back to visit this week! So exciting! The famine is over and we're going to keep working to finding new investigators! Life is good as a missionary :)

Really, life is just the normal lately. So I guess that's it for the week. hope all is well in your neck of the woods!

Wo ai nimen!

Sister Thomsen

12/29/13 Pictures

 Last week for p-day we went to the Maokong Gondola! So cool! I love my district, such a fun district p-day!!! :)

Yes, my mission president loves us! The last part to having a missionary study version of a triple combination... President Day is incredible!

12/29/13

Hello! Da Jia Hao!

This week we have had some truly incredible miracles here in Xizhi! One of my favorites was watching our ward, especially our young women, start to really develop a love for missionary work. On Tuesday night we went caroling as a ward and we missionaries did what missionaries do and were talking to people, inviting them to our church and to hear our message. I think it helped our members realize we really are working hard though they don't see the fruits as much as they'd probably like to see them. I couldn't help but laugh as our bishop's wife (and first counselor in the relief society) looked at me during it and said "Tang Jiemei, why is it so hard to get them to take a piece of paper and a gift?" I just told her "good question, Li Jiemei. Wish I knew." Which is true. But I think it helped our ward to see us out working hard.

Wednesday was incredible since we had our awesome zone conference! But that night, we also had another awesome miracle. Since we didn't have any baptisms scheduled here in XiZhi, our MM leader put it together for us to have a "hot cocoa night" where it was a small gathering to invite our investigators since we have an investigator that doesn't like large groups so she wont really attend anything. Well, on Wednesday not only did she come but a former also came. This former is interesting since she's met with missionaries and she's come to church but when we asked if we could meet with her she told us that when she wanted to read the Book of Mormon, she'd call us. Well, Wednesday night she came and I think the spirit really touched her because she asked me what the Book of Mormon says about divorce (she's going through a divorce right now) so we met with her on Thursday to discuss it. I feel like, once again, the spirit really touched her. She didn't seem happy as I shared what the scriptures say about divorce, but then I felt inspired for us to share our favorite scriptures, which are both about Christ blessing people in 3 Nephi 17. Really good chapter, if you haven't read it recently I would advise you to do so. It really seemed to touch her since she took a copy of the Book of Mormon and said she'd read it!!! definitely a miracle.

Also, this last week I have had countless moments where I'm reminded of the love Heavenly Father has for each and every one of his children, including me! There have been so many little moments of it, in things people have done for me and such. I felt such a love and peace because of it. Never forget that you're included in that. Heavenly Father knows and loves you personally.

I hope all is well in your half of the world! Love you all! Have a safe and happy new year! I will be sleeping through THAT holiday. haha.

Love,

Sister Thomsen

12/23/13

Hello!

Yes, welcome back to Xizhi, the land of never-ending rain. No joke. It's probably rained every day for close to two weeks now, at least. So hard to stay warm and dry! Yuck!

This last week was really good. It was hard since we lost an investigator, but Heavenly Father blessed us with a new one and another former that came back! Such a blessing! The former that returned is Chen Jiemei. She has apparently met with missionaries several times through the years but always leaves. However, we had an incredible lesson with her on Friday, which was a miracle. I'd called her the night before and she said she could come. However, I called her Friday morning when she was late. She told me she'd be there in 10 minutes. But after 15 minutes came and went, I decided to go contacting. I was really sad since this is the second time she'd fanged us. So we contacted for about 15 minutes since that was all the time we had left before lunch and headed back to our bikes. I was sad to look at my watch and see that it was still 2 minutes to noon, I felt like I'd wasted 2 minutes of Heavenly Father's time since there was no one in the vicinity to contact. Well, I put on my raincoat and turned around and a woman walked up. Lo and behold, Chen Jiemei showed up! Just 45 minutes late! But we had an incredible lesson with her. I said the prayer and when I finished I looked up to see her crying because lately, she's feeling like she's not "enough." Exactly what Sister Brown shared with us in Temple Tour Training! It was so incredible to see her countenance slowly change as she began to regain some hope. We will meet with her again this Friday and I'm so excited for it!

We also found a lady that hit a really soft spot in my heart. She's ill and now physically handicapped. Her name is Xie Jiemei. I felt really bad when we finally went back to see her last night because she said she was just waiting and waiting for us last week since I'd said we'd probably be able to come back last Friday or Saturday but time got away from us and we never had the chance. She's already Christian and loves reading the bible. It's been interesting both times we've gone to visit her...

Also, on temple tours, I feel like Heavenly Father really answered prayers I didn't even know I was praying. We ended up talking to a guy about serving a mission. He wants to go but feels like he can't for many reasons. It was amazing to me to be able to share the amazing miracles, blessings, and experiences I've received. Also, to once again be able to talk to Sister Brown, one last time about everything. I feel like we've truly cleared the air between us and all that we have left is love. Yes, we had a hard companionship. No, I don't want to repeat that experience, but it's good to know she'll be going home with love in her heart for and from me, that we're just good friends now. I feel like that companionship taught me so much. It was hard, but also probably the companionship that has taught me the most. Such a blessing! So many blessings this week!

Hope this e-mail finds all of you well and happy! Merry Christmas!!! Jiayou!

Wo ai ni!

Sister Thomsen

12/15/13

Hello!

I hope ya'll are well! This last week has been good. And hard. That's the life of a missionary, right? Or just life in general, trials that are hard but having good moments when you notice what you really have. This week we had a few awesome miracles, and I had a lot of moments I've doubted and beat on myself again. But let's focus on the miracles, shall we?

Tuesday we met with Geng Jiemei, the former that came back to us the week before. We reviewed the Restoration of the Gospel with her and shared the fireside video about "message of the Restoration" with her. I felt the spirit so strongly afterwards. And she could too, I know she could. But I think my favorite part was at the end when she turned around and said "you really love this gospel." Music to my ears! I love that she could tell I love this gospel. No, I'm still not perfect. However, that's what I want, for these people to know how much I love this gospel and how much Christ and I love them so that they can also grown to love this gospel like I do.

Wednesday we had a couple cool miracles. We were slightly disobedient since we didn't take a full hour for dinner. However, it's because at the end of contacting, right as we were heading to dinner we ran into our investigator, Lin Jiemei, who told us how she's having a really hard time. She found out on Sunday that her husband was cheating on her, for the 2nd time in their marriage, and that she was getting a divorce. I loved being able to share with her how Christ understands and will help her. That the Atonement can help her overcome this. I hope she got it but I don't know, especially since she cancelled on us yesterday because she was too tired. But we'll keep working on it. She needs this gospel, now more than before I think. Then, on our way to english meeting, we had a former call us! She'd cancelled on the set up I'd made with her the week or two before but she called to see if we could meet that night. Awkward lesson but she wanted to keep meeting with us. Her name is Yang Jiemei and she's an interesting character. She has a lot of walls. I hope we can help her to lower them, help her to see this is exactly what she needs. Being that I've had a lot of walls up, I hope I can use that to help her more. Saturday's lesson went better with her. We just can't ask how she feels apparently. So we're now meeting with 2 formers :)

We also have an awesome member so on fire for this work. She's just been called as a ward missionary but she was already doing it before she had the calling. I can't tell you how many times I've talked to LAs in the last 2 weeks that at some point in the conversation it came up "I saw Yuan Jiemei the other day and she asked where I've been." She's an awesome missionary. Then yesterday, she was asking about our investigator that came to sacrament and came to sit by her in Gospel Principles. Sadly, she'd had to leave because of class, but I love that we have a member working to take her calling so seriously. Definitely a huge blessing.

Last week's temple tour training and Elder Packer's visit were exactly what I needed. I needed Sister Brown's sharing of President Monson's talk. Sadly, I needed to be reminded that where I am, I'm already "enough" to Heavenly Father. I've been having a hard time remembering that lately. Then I needed Elder Packer's visit to bring the fire back out in me. To bring back my love for this work. Being rejected so much had taken its toll on me but I'm slowly building back up and my fire and love for this work are back :)

In other news, President is implementing a new rule start of next year that we can't e-mail until after studies. My companion and I have started to follow this already so we will not be e-mailing until after studies from now on. And I need to warn you that next week, p-day will be on Christmas Eve, the 24th. That will actually work better because I can tell you any final details for my phone call with you on Christmas. I also found a member that will let us use her house for skype on Christmas, we'll just have to work around her schedule because her son is also serving a mission, in D.C. she's super excited to see all of you though! haha.

So yea, that's life from Taiwan, Taibei mission Xizhi area at the moment. Hope all is well in your part of the world!

Love you!

Sister Thomsen

12/8/13 Pictures

 My first trip to Costco... believe it or not, their muffins are now too sweet for my tastes. Who ever thought this day would come?!

my sweet package from the teachers and miamaids of Prosser Ward

12/8/13

Hello family and friends!

So, this last week I've had a cold. Talk about wiping me out. My body does NOT handle being sick well! I was so tired all week to the point on Saturday that after dinner I called for permission to stay home and sleep to try to help me get better. I think I'm doing a little better though I've developed a cough over the few days when it was just my nose before. And my head's been thundering all week because of the pressure, sadly enough. Nothing slows me down in missionary work quite like a cold, makes it hard to think in Chinese but also to keep working since it just makes me so tired all the time...

My favorite miracle this week was meeting with a former. I have been calling formers and old contacts like crazy lately, trying to find some new investigators. This last week it did pay off once since on Tuesday we met with a girl that was a former. She's willing to keep meeting with us and said that she'll read and pray! I just hope she actually does it!

I've also been trying to work for a white Christmas. Tonight we'll bring it up with the only investigator we have that could be baptized on Christmas. It'll take some effort on both of our parts but I sincerely feel like she could be ready if she chose to. She even came to church for the 3rd time yesterday!!! That was also a miracle. As I was sick Saturday night and unable to make calls, my companion did. She told me Zhang Jiemei said she'd come to church but I didn't see Zhang Jiemei at all and I was so sad but towards the end of Sacrament I was looking for someone so I turned around and there is Zhang Jiemei! And one of our RC's that's already an LA came to church again yesterday! She came towards the end of Sacrament :( But she still came and stayed for the rest of church!

Saturday afternoon we saw an awesome miracle. We were on the outskirts of our area because our MM Leader had given me the name of an LA he wanted us to try working with but we don't have her phone number and she lives way at the edge of our area. So we rode out to visit her but on the way back I got confused on where to go since I'm never that far out and this lady was riding on her bike and saw us and just stopped, obviously knowing we were having problems. So she showed us how to get back into the main part of our area that I know. During the course of this, we had a few red lights and just started talking. Well, towards the end of it, she told me she'd already gotten a pamphlet but she didn't know where our church was. So we led her there :) She said she'd be willing to meet with us too, she's just not sure when right now since today she goes to TaiNan and she also has to go to TaiZhong and GaoXiong for work and said she wasn't sure when she'd get back :(

In other news, this week will be busy. We're going to Taibei almost daily... So much traveling!!! Not fun really... But on Saturday we have a mission devotional with Elder Packer of the 70, Boyd K. Packer's son or grandson or something like that. I'm excited for it. It should be good :)

So yea, life is good. Still just working hard and loving being a missionary! Hope all is good in your neck of the woods!

Love you!

Sister Thomsen

12/1/13

This last week might not have been full of miracles in a lot of people's eyes. We didn't find anyone new, we didn't help anyone get baptized, our numbers aren't that impressive. But I felt like this last week was full of miracles. It was in the fact that almost daily we were able to give someone a copy of the Book of Mormon, give them a chance to read this incredible book that will change their lives if they only allow it to do so. It was being able to go visit the family of our MM leader that I'd had yet to be truly acquainted with since I came to Xizhi. It was in our investigator having a friend come visit and inviting her to meet with us. Then, as we're there and meeting with them, hearing my investigator more or less share her own testimony of how her friend should go to church and how it can help her, that the gospel really will help her. What missionary doesn't like that? To hear their investigator share how awesome church is and that it can help their friend's life. That truly is a miracle! On Wednesday, it was in hearing another investigator once again share her testimony with me, as she does every time we visit. But every time we visit it strengthens my own testimony. It was definitely in our temple tour day, getting to invite many people to come to the gospel, but most especially in the only tour we gave that day. It was for the WanDa Elders. They called Wednesday night seeing if we'd be willing to do it since it's earlier than usual. Well, Elder Teshima didn't not paint the guy in the best light, saying how the guy had no interest in the gospel and tends to be really unpredictable. But their investigator, Xie Dixiong came! This is the first time he's ever met with the elders. He asked good questions downstairs at the paintings, about Christ and about Church! Then we went to share the Temple Book with him and as I showed the baptismal font picture and started to talk about it, he turned around "should I get baptized?" (Rough translation...) So then and there, it was a miracle as we missionaries all worked in unity to help Xie Dixiong really have the desire to be baptized, and right then and there he set a baptismal date! For my mom's birthday! Super cool :) Probably my favorite miracle this week. On Saturday, the biggest miracle was that we only got fanged once of our 5 lessons, 4 of which were with investigators. And the 4 lessons we had were incredible. I truly felt the spirit in each and every one of them. It was also being able to try to strengthen an LA, help her want to come back to church. I still don't know her reasons for not coming to church, but it's always good to share my story, to try to help others with it. I really want her to come back, especially since she has 2 daughters that have not been baptized and a husband that's also LA. She can change the lives of 4 people right there, including herself. Who knows how many more she could change? So no, I probably didn't do anything impossible this week, anything that some people would be like "oh, you're so blessed, look at your miracles." But this week, I saw my miracles. This week, I've been blessed with miracles. This week, I'm still a Taiwan Taibei missionary, to me, that's always a blessing and a miracle!

Hope all is well with everyone! Jiayou!

我 愛 妳!!!

湯姐妹

Sister Thomsen

11/24/13

 Peng Jiemei's last night in Xizhi :( poor thing!

 The Xizhi fantastic 4. I can't believe they split us up!

not the best pic, but it's my new companion and I... Meet Sister Beazer

11/24/13

大家好!

This last week has been good. Had its ups and downs as it often does. But we were also blessed to see some really cool miracles. On Wednesday night we got a call from a Former in the phone, a Zhuang tongxue. She wanted to set up to meet with us, so she did for Saturday. The phone call couldn't have been more than 2 minutes. I was in such shock I didn't know what to say or do, I've never had miracles like that. Then we met with her on Saturday and set a baptismal date! It was awesome, when I asked her why she called she said she just had time again that she'd stopped meeting because she didn't have time. But according to her record she never set a baptismal date before or anything, it was a cool experience, a cool miracle. She also said she knows the Book of Mormon is true! She usually just opens it wherever and reads so that's cool but hard for me to accept that she still knows it's true. I still encouraged her to read it from cover to cover.

Transfers were also last week. I'm still in Xizhi but Sister Porter has been moved to WanDa with Sister Zhong, my old companion. My new companion is Sister Beazer. I'm also her breaker. Obviously there's something I'm supposed to learn that I just haven't learned yet. Sister Beazer is from West Valley, UT and her family has 11 people. crazy! So cool at the same time. She was actually trained by my MTC companion, Sister Steed. She's really different from Sister Porter so I feel like this will be an interesting transfer. Oh! I forgot, Sister Beazer is also 19 so I also get to celebrate her 20th birthday with her! 2 companions in a row! It's so cool and weird to see all these younger missionaries. Makes me feel like I'm ridiculously old as a missionary sometimes.

I don't think I have much else to report for this week... Sorry this e-mails shorter than normal, but it's still a novel compared to most missionaries, haha. Hope all is well in your neck of the woods!

我 愛 妳!!!

湯姐妹

Sister Thomsen

11/17/13

Jiating! 大家好!!!

This last week started off pretty good. It started on Monday night with meeting with 2 of our investigators. One, Zhang Jiemei wasn't progressing. She's read out of the Book of Mormon before but hasn't been very renzhen about it. And she hadn't read at all recently when we went to see her. Well, I felt prompted to read 1 Nephi 1 with her, get her to truly start reading the Book of Mormon from the beginning. Reading it is good, reading cover-to-cover is even better. Well, apparently when we left it lit a fire under her and when I talked to her on Friday she told me she'd already most of 1st and 2nd Nephi and is almost into Jacob! Though she said the beginning is boring so she doesn't understand why I want her to read the whole thing... I hope someday she'll understand. Then we met with another investigator that has been around since around the time Sister Porter came to Xizhi but she doesn't meet with them very frequently. Well, she's been meeting with us the last two weeks and will meet with us again tonight, so it's a start that she's meeting regularly and more than that, she's started reading the Book of Mormon! Not a ton, but she's reading! Definitely a start! I feel like she's definitely progressing, wanting to see more of what this is all about finally. She also said an incredible prayer at the end of our meeting together. :) I love miracles of progressing investigators!

We had another really cool miracle Friday night. We were out contacting by our church and I went to give a pamphlet to a lady. Well, she started to tell us how she's Christian but she has friends that are LDS, one even married an R.M. that served in her ward when he was serving his mission here in Taiwan. Then she started talking about how she'd really like to know the difference between our church and other churches. She really has a desire to know. So we gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon and set up to meet with her this Wednesday. I'm excited to see how this goes :) So we have a few potentials set up for this week, I'm so excited for it! Especially when they seem to have as big of a desire as she does.

What is possibly my favorite miracle this week was the member-missionary work that happened with an LA. We had a few extra minutes before an appointment on Saturday so we went to visit an LA in the area. Sadly, they had a guard and guards don't let us just stop by to visit anyone :( Well, we had a ward activity Saturday night and our Bishop came over and was encouraging us to talk to the "investigators" to which I responded that none of them came. He told me that's okay, there's still a lot of investigators for you here, that we had about 100 people there and quite a few of them weren't members. Sadly, I still haven't gotten to know our members well enough to know this for myself... But he pointed out one on the front row and was like, she's not a member, go and talk to her. Lo and behold, she's just an LA that's been an LA for awhile! Just about as exciting to me. She said her friend who got baptized at the same time she did has kept in touch with her and invited her to come. It was so great to see that part of member missionary work. So we're now going to visit her later this week too. It was awesome to see the instant connection I had with her when I was able to tell her I understand, I used to be an LA too since she was really sheepish when she told me she's actually a member. She opened up a lot more almost instantly, especially when I told her I know how awkward it is to first come back, you feel like everyone's staring at you when they're usually not. It was great, we're already instant friends. It's been a blessing to see how I can use that experience to instantly connect to quite a few investigators and LAs. I love it. Who knew it would come so in handy?

In other news, winter has arrived in Taiwan. I have been soooo cold these last few days! I don't know how to stay warm as a biking missionary, in the rain, in a skirt. Seriously seems impossible to me right now. But "you xinxin, you banfa" (where there's a will, there's a way). I'll just be forever grateful to my trainer who gave me her coat, gloves, and scarves since she wasn't taking them home and didn't want to pack them when she was leaving Tu Cheng. My response to it is thank heavens :) Helps me now. Haha.

I know everyone's wondering how I'm doing. I'm really not so sore lately, just still bruised up pretty good on my legs. They're a fun combo of green and purple but really, I should've been hurt a lot worse. I'm lucky I just have a few bruises. So I'm happily taking it and trying to hide them from my ward because members tend to freak out at those things... But really, I'm fine. My bike's still in good shape. I am truly blessed :) Thank heavens for guardian angels.

Weird to think I also hit my 8 month on island mark this last week. And tomorrow I hit my 11 month mark on my mission :( Time really does just go way too fast! 7 months is NOT enough time. Guess I better get my butt in gear and make the most of every second of it.

I think that's about it for this week's novel. Hope all's well in your neck of the woods!

我 愛 妳!!!

湯姐妹

Sister Thomsen

11/10/13 Pictures

 Annie! And Liao Jiemei!!! I miss TuCheng!!!

 The last time I get to see Apple as "Apple" and not as "Mao Jiemei"! Yay for Tucheng Members and being missionaries!!!

 Cai Jiemei's baptism! Yay for miracles!

Cai Zhanglao after the baptism... all the places to change were in use and he didn't want to drip all over the floor..

 it's fun being a biking missionary and having to fix your chain on a hill in the middle of nowhere, can't you tell?

the other fun of being a biking missionary... before the huge accident. These are some of the bruises I had...

11/10/13

Hello! Zao'an!

I wont lie, this last week was rough. My miracles are more unorthodox than usual. The first one was seeing the evidence of Heavenly Father's angels being around us. I was in a bike accident. Luckily, I walked away more or less unscathed. And more than that, I know that there's no way I should've gotten through that bike accident as unscathed as I did. I know there were angels protecting me. So for the story... there were taxis on the side of the street, next to a line of cars that I thought were parked, I still don't know if they truly were or if it was just a red light. Well, there was a blue truck coming at me in the other lane after I decided to go all around said taxis and of course, the blue truck intimidated me because they are huge! So I moved slightly over, just in time for my bike to clip the mirror on the taxi right next to me. After that, the actual accident is a blur that I don't remember. I just remember hitting my face on the pavement, my hands catching me and right after, before I started moving thinking, "I'm alive. How on earth am I still alive?" Sister Porter is incredible because I know it scared her but she took the time to comfort me. I seriously went to the side of the road and just started balling my eyes out (it was already a rough week, getting yelled at, emotions on the fritz, the usual) and she just comforted me. Poor thing is probably traumatized for life from this last week...

And I know this last week, as I've had a rough week, that Heavenly Father has been there for me every step of the way. In many ways, to me, that is a miracle. This last week, I've been blessed enough that I've had an awesome companion that comforted me every time I broke down and didn't seem to get upset about it. I have such a genuine love for her! She's truly incredible. The rest of the week was rough for various reasons. It really was a huge roller coaster week. I feel like Satan was beating on me pretty good in every possible way. Monday, I had to go to the hospital for the stupid PFT and you know how that is. I hate hospitals and don't like doctors much either... Tuesday I had an awesome miracle that I saw so many of my TuCheng members! One of my RCs, Annie, came to see me. She put everything aside for the express purpose of coming to visit me, it was awesome. Just what my heart needed at the time. Liao Jiemei had also shown up, one of my good friends there. Then later, I saw Jason again! YAY! And Apple, I got to give her one last hug as Apple, since next time I see her she will be Mao Jiemei. She comes to our mission this next transfer, yea, she worked the system a little since she lives in our mission boundaries, haha. But not too long after I got yelled at by a guy because he can't go in the temple and his heart was hardened too much to really understand or even try to understand what I was telling him. It was rough on me. Wednesday I had a migraine all day. Thursday had its own various reasons for being rough. Friday we knocked doors when no one wanted to listen to us for hours. Then Saturday, I had my accident. So yea, it was a rough week...

As for the other miracles, we have an awesome new investigator. The elders found her the Saturday before while they were knocking doors and she's awesome. I'd tried calling to make sure she could still do it but she didn't answer so we decided to try anyway. She let us in and we shared with her about the Book of Mormon and prayer and she is so awesome! Lately we may not be finding a lot of new investigators, but the ones we get tend to be quality investigators, so that in itself is another blessing. Last night we also had another lesson where we were so in sync as a companionship and so in sync with the spirit, it was an incredible lesson.

Of course, every baptism is a miracle too. Cai Yu Pei's was no less of a miracle. Especially since she hadn't answered her phone for about a week, so I hadn't talked to her since the Saturday before. Well, Thursday we called after WPS and she finally answered, YAY! And she got baptized Friday and confirmed yesterday! Also a miracle, especially since this is the first time she's actually attended real church since I moved to Xizhi. Her work's just crazy busy, poor thing. But she's working on changing it from what I understood.

So yea... that's life. That was my week. Hope things have been better in your neck of the woods! Until next week...

我 愛 妳!!!

湯姐妹

Sister Thomsen

I love waking up in Taiwan!!!

This last week was incredible. I feel like it was incredible. Last night as I was reporting from last week, when Elder Anderson asked what went bad last week (not in those exact words) really all I could do was count my blessings. I feel like this is an answer to my prayers, to be able to love Xizhi and to try to be happier. I feel like as missionaries, we're often focusing on the downside of things or focusing on where we have to improve but this last week I could see how far we'd come. Yes, I still see how far we have to go but it was almost like Heavenly Father was telling me, "湯姐妹, yes, you still have far to go, you still have a lot to improve on. But look how far you've come, let's focus on that for a time. Look at all the blessings you've received. We'll work on the rest later, but we'll keep doing it together." It truly was a blessing. Last night I really was overwhelmed again with the love Heavenly Father has for me and the amazing people of Xizhi. So no, maybe in other areas our numbers aren't incredible. Maybe we don't see the same miracles, but I feel like this last week, one of my miracles was being able to find joy in the journey and being happy with the blessings and miracles Heavenly Father saw fit to give me. And last week, we did improve some, always a miracle.

An awesome miracle was our one new investigator. She's so incredible, hard as she often is for me to understand, I know that this gospel can help her and she seems willing to at least try. She's had a hard life, especially since she came to Taiwan earlier this year. We've only found out the tip of the iceberg but I feel like the other night helped her to start to chip it off. Last Monday night we were english boarding at Xizhizhan and our time was coming to an end but there was a lady that walked up so I decided to give it one more chance for us to find someone with interest. We had a full-on lesson right there with her. I loved being able to use the Book of Mormon and share with her about the atonement, that Christ knows exactly what she's going through. I think it touched her. It was an incredible lesson. Another miracle stemmed from that since I firmly believe we were supposed to still be at Xizhizhan at that point and time because right as our lesson was wrapping up, our district leader came walking down the stairs and he doesn't know how to get to the church from Xizhizhan, just Xikezhan so he was slightly panicking. His train didn't stop at Xikezhan and they were already running late so he was going to be late for our investigator's baptismal interview so he was really stressed, but we were able to help him out. Then, our investigator called and was going to be late anyway so he could calm down even more, another miracle. Then she passed! A huge miracle! Elder Anderson said she was quoting all sorts of awesome Bible and Book of Mormon stories at him, it was cool.

This last week really has been the little miracles, the tender mercies of the Lord, like one person listening to us when we're contacting for hours on end all day. Or having our prayer of fast answered yesterday and we had 2 investigators come to church, one of which is the one we met this week, the other has a baptismal date and has been saying since she met the sisters that she'd come to church but this was her first time actually doing so. I truly feel like Heavenly Father's hand was guiding and blessing us here in Xizhi and it's truly been through the small, tender mercies and miracles that we've been blessed enough to see.

Haha last week President sent a Tsunami of 22 missionaries (11 companionships) to the east coast (That's what he's calling it, a Missionary Tsunami) and it's cool to see the results. I also got to see other interesting facts/results. Elder Teshima, one of my zone leaders in Taidong is now training and white-washing WanDa. He was blessed enough to be one of the missionaries chosen to go to Taidong (Not fair he got to go back!!!) and since our district leader went as well, he asked our zone leader to come conduct. Well, our zone leader and Elder Teshima's trainee (mission lingo, we say his "baby") were companions for the week until their actual companions came back. I have never seen someone so influenced so fast! Oh my heck! As Elder Lee (Elder Teshima's trainee) was talking, I seriously felt like it was an Elder Teshima mini-me, he was saying so many things I could totally see Elder Teshima saying. It was weird. It'll be interesting at zone training on Tuesday to see how much alike they really are... haha.

Our members are "catching the wave"!!! They seem to be opening more to us missionaries all the time! It's awesome!!! Good relationships are building, I love it! We hope to go get real brown sugar from Costco next p-day since I have to go have a follow-up appointment at the hospital today so no time to do so and make cookies and take them around to people. I'm excited for it. We tried the other day but Taiwanese brown sugar is not the same as American and it tainted my cookies, I was not willing to give them to any members... So yea.

Anyway, I think this novel is long enough. Hope all is still well in your neck of the woods and that you enjoyed daylight savings! haha, Taiwan doesn't have it...

我 愛 妳!!!

湯姐妹

Sister Thomsen