Hi family! i am now a resident of TAIWAN. i am loving it here! the work is so exciting and everything is wonderful
the plane trip was really fun. i sat next to one man on the way to LA who had just gotten back from a trip with his LDS friend to china. he was on his way to singapore now (fun). he was actually reading the book of mormon on his kindle and so we talked about it and i suggested some chapters to read. then at the airport in LA i was able to talk to an old taiwanese couple and we talked about God and church and temples and families. they xing Wang and i just love them. i gave them a pass along card and it was great. arriving in taiwan and meeting the president and his wife was great. i got a solid 4 hours of sleep that night and then we went running. they did the timed-mile. carli- i'm not going to tell you my time because it was disgraceful but be proud that i actually RAN the whole time :) i have a lot to improve haha the second night we went out and contacted at a night market. the dan jones thing was pretty fun (i think presiden bishop said he was sending out a video). anyway, contacting was really great and i love the language!! chinese is so wonderful and the people here are great.
ok.....here it is....my trainer is sister Vandegrift and we are in the nantun area :) dad- i think you at least got one half of that right, if not the whole thing. things are going great. we're working on getting more investigators right now- through the ward and through contacting. i love our wards. yes, we have three. we were at the church for so long yesterday just attending meetings and classes. i felt the spirit so strong and while i was learning so much, i couldn't help but think that me attending the ward is not enough. i need to bring others!! that is my purpose for being here. i am realizing how so many people need this!! i am learning the importance of getting investigators to church. the spirit is there and the members are wonderful at welcoming people. we are receiving tons of food and invitations. i was able to bear my testimony in 2 of the wards and it was so great meeting everyone. although i don't understand 100% (no duh) i am learning patience and seeking to know as much as i can. i feel like i am constantly rcieving revelation on how to help the members and what to say and who to talk to. i just really loved church yesterday. we set up an appointment to meet with one of the member families (the Li family) and visited them last night. we talked about how Christ blesses our lives and how he helps us. they gave us to referrals. those are precious to me. i love them and i'm excited to keep developing relationships with all the members in the ward. i wish i were asian hhaha luke- you're lucky. i am trying as hard as i can to immerse myself in the culture here. at church, the missionaries can tend to isolate themselves but i'm really trying to get to know as many people as possible. i have had two major things on my mind since i got here. 1. the chapter in preach my gospel about working with the members. it is the better way of doing missionary work. having member referrals is so wonderful. the members are willing to peikecheng and support their friends in learning about the gospel. its a goal to know 30 members in each ward. i was kind of overwhelmed yesterday with all the li and chen and zhou families haha but i was praying to remember and praying for the Lord, through the power of the atonement, to help me serve and love this ward. i love them already and again, i wish i were asian. haha it's a little hard feeling like an outsider but i know that as we serve them, we will have a great friendship. i am very grateful to grandpa for giving me all those paper and articles about missionary work. i am using those ideas and the spirit to guide my missionary work.
ok the second thing on my mind is a quote in PMG from ....brigham young. as i'm biking this quote often comes into my mind. it says something like: "how can we travel quickly from place to place when there are souls perishing on either side?" (terrible paraphrase haha) but that's how i feel. i am trying to contact as much as possible. i think i need to work on my contacting skills. i am not shy about approaching people but i'm seeking the Lord's help in better knowing what to say. i need both in order to bring souls to Christ. the people on the street are so nice and i love speaking chinese. i don't know if i can say that enough. i'm really trying to syl (speak your language). sister V doesn't really put an emphasis on it but i really know that as i strive to speak chinese as much as possible, the Lord will bless my efforts and i will be able to communicate with these people in a way that allows us to understand one another. i know that it is only when i give it my all will the Lord be able to bless me with the gift of tongues. i have felt that gift and power here. i am so grateful for my background in speaking chinese and my love for this language/culture. i feel so blessed to have you all living in china and studying and speaking and loving this language. it is wonderful. and so fun! if anyone has any advice about contacting that they learned on their mission, let me know.
our apartment is really nice. its on the 9th floor and i get my own bathroom :) it is good'n'hot here!! i've given up on my hair and most of the time it is sticking out/plastered to my forehead. i guess not worrying about myself is kindof liberating. i know i'm a dorky american riding a pink bike and wearing a helmet that slips back haha. but the work that i'm doing here isn't about me! i am able to talk to everyone about the wonderful joy of the gospel. i am able to help people feel the spirit. our first night here, we taught a first lesson about prayer and the book of mormon. i was able to bear testimony and i felt the spirit. this work is wonderful. today we're teaching this same woman (zhong JM) about jesus christ and the atonement.
i'm really seeking the spirit's guidance. i feel like there is so much we could be doing and i'm learning how to firgure out what is most important. i really feel like i have hit the ground running. i have really just been trying to throw myself into this work and let Christ guide my efforts. i left the MTC feeling like i didn't take complete advantage of that opportunity and i do not want that same feeling out here. i did work hard in the MTC but often it wasn't my best. i really feel like i have been serving with my heart, mind and strength (i usually collapse into bed haha) since i have gotten here. i need to improve so much. sometimes i am not as proactive about contacting and i get lazy in talking to people. every moment is another chance.
our first day as a companionship was full of miracles. we had a lady we contacted at lunch qing us, even though she really didn't have much interest in the church. we also were traveling and i prayed to find someone prepared and we contacted a less active girl and now we're arranging to meet with us and get reactivated (we're praying). every time i am able to speak in chinese it is a miracle. The language program here is called phase one and i'm working on passing off lesson 1 this sunday. i am very excited to continue learning and loving this language. my mtc teacher has had a great effect on me as a missionary. her chinese is amazing and she is the example of a driven missionary. i have too little time here to waste. i want this mission to change and shape me. i want to become asian!! haha i wish. even more than that though, i want to become an instrument for the Lord to use. i seek to let go of my pride and let Him guide and shape me. i want Him to use my skills to bring others to baptism and eternal life (3 nephi 5:13..i think)
biking is so much fun! i'll try and send a picture. of course my bike is small (i'm small) and it's got a little basket on the front. i get that feeling of amazement about once a day when i realize- oh. ok. cool. i am a missionary. riding a bike. in taiwan.
thank you to everyone for the support and love. i haven't heard from anyone yet but i look forward to getting an email next week and hearing how the lessons in shanghai are going. i am so proud of all of you and the wonderful examples you are to me. i know that we are building the kingdom of God here on this earth. i know that Christ is leading this work and this church. i know that the Book of Mormon is true and that we are an eternal family. i think of you all everyday. i love you all so much. happy birthday again to davis and dad. i had a moment of celebration for you on saturday. i love you.
mom dad blake kelly davis luke and carli- i love you. you are my best friends and examples. let me know how you are doing. i love you all. i pray for you everyday.
all my love,
sister paige newman
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