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