4-27-14

Da Jia Hao!

It feels a little weird to be e-mailing so soon again but I also know I've seen some really awesome miracles in this short time so I'm happy to share them nonetheless :) First of all, YingGe is really progressing! This last week we've gotten several referrals, almost all of which were for people who live in YingGe!!! Definitely exciting. But I think my favorite part was that at English class Wednesday night we had 2 new women walk in, both live in YingGe. Sadly, one is not ready for the gospel yet but the other seems super willing. She asked some really good questions too. I'm excited to set up a time to meet with her. Sadly, as yet we've been unable to do so but I definitely think it'll happen soon. It felt good to see our hard efforts paying off. I definitely feel that YingGe is where us sisters are meant to be focusing right now so I'm excited to see what happens from it. Another awesome miracle happened on Friday night. We went to visit an Recent Convert that has already gone more or less inactive sadly enough, she's from a family of LAs. As we were visiting her, her mom came in and sat with us. Usually she just goes into another room and shuts the door. This time she came out and sat with us then started crying. I could definitely feel Heavenly Father's love for us as she started to really share the things of her heart. Lately she's experiencing shame and guilt, a beginning of the repentance process because she's not fully keeping the commandments. She doesn't come to church and she drinks alcohol, she also can't read to be able to read the Book of Mormon herself. But it's true, the Book of Mormon has more power to change hearts than anything else! We were sitting there reading the Book of Mormon with her daughter and it led to her telling us how much she wants to change, that she doesn't have any peace. It was an incredible experience. Especially since right after, she looked at me and said "湯姐妹, I want you to come back every Sunday and read the Book of Mormon with me and my family. Will you please do that?" Of course we were happy to do so and went back yesterday and started on the title page of the Book of Mormon reading with her and her oldest daughter. I think they both have a lot of potential to come back. Hopefully it'll also help our RC come back too.

We had a really cool experience on Friday. We went to YingGe to visit and investigator who is doing so good. I definitely think she'll get baptized :) I'm excited for the day I see her in white. Afterwards we went to visit a referral the elders had found in their apartment. This referral was 5 years old and it's a letter a member wrote about someone she knew 20 or so years ago. Really interesting and cool all in one. His name is Mao Dixiong and he's older (obviously) but seems like he could have a lot of interest in the gospel if he only makes the time for it. But he also let us see the pots they make and oh my gosh they're soooo beautiful! I have truly developed a love for Chinese art here in Taiwan. I think I fell in love with it the first time I saw it here in Taiwan, haha. But many of his pots in this HUGE room had the chinese art on it. I loved it so much. As we went to walk out I also looked up and noticed a certificate on the wall. It's from CBC in Pasco!!!! What in the world?! Most Americans have never heard of Pasco or CBC and this sweet old man has not only heard of it but he's been there to speak or something. Super cool, rare experience. As we went to leave his daughter also walked up to us and handed us 2 boxes telling us they wanted to give us a gift. They're these beautiful simple bowls. Not much probably but still mean a lot. I love them. These people in Taiwan amaze me. I love them all so much.

Yesterday we had a really cool miracle in church. A man came in because the TuCheng elders (Yea, go TuCheng! :D ) contacted him on his scooter and gave him a pamphlet so he found the one closest to him. He lives in YingGe :) Sadly, he's in Danbing (required military service here) right now, over in Yilan. So not only does he not have time to meet with missionaries, he's living in Yilan at the moment. But he's super awesome and said he'd come back when he could. He also said he's more than willing to talk to missionaries in August when he's done with danbing. So I hope the missionaries here at that time take him up on it. I ensured to get his number and all so the opportunity will definitely be there for them :) Nonetheless, it was truly an awesome miracle experience.

I'm still realizing the power in the scriptures, and this last week I've seen it especially in the shortest ones. As I've been reading the Book of Mormon myself and with others, I've realized that some of my favorites are the short scriptures. Lehi is given the book then it says "And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord." In chapter 2 it says "And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him." In 2nd Nephi it says "And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness." These have so much power! They're so short, easily overlooked but they really tell you a lot about the scriptures, the gospel, and about this family that ensured they made a record. I've loved it as I've read this lately. Go find your own that will bring power into your life. I know it's blessed my life so much as I've really dug into the scriptures :)

Wow, I can still send a novel only 5 days later. haha. Who'd've thunk? :) anywho, I think that's about it for now. Hope all is well in your neck of the woods. Take care and Jiayou! Remember that I love you and miss you!

Wo ai ni-o!

湯姐妹/Sister Thomsen