DECEMBER!! when did that happen? where did november go? time goes so quickly and i can't believe i've almost been in taiwan for 3 months. one part of me feels like i have always lived here and another part of me feels like i just got here. i love taiwan so much and i am loving serving the Lord and seeking to do His will. sister Vandegrift and i have rededicated ourselves to giving missionary work 110 percent. our days are so full of finding and teaching and serving and i love every second of it.
the thanksgiving party was wonderful :) it was so fun. wednesday night, we started baking with a bunch of women in the singles ward. the elders showed up for a time and helped us peel potatoes. we had some investigators come as well. it was so great to be in the kitchen again!! i really missed that this thanksgiving- i hope the turkey was less of a hassle this year at midway :) it was great to feel that sisterhood with the women here. i am learning that the most important thing is helping people FEEL something different. if they feel that love and that peace of the spirit, that's not something they will forget. i think the key is creating an environment where the spirit can come. mom just told me about her experiences teaching english and i am so inspired!!
we spent most of friday baking as well, with members and investigators coming and going, helping us pick things up and get things ready. we were blessed with so many miracles as we prepared for this activity. and then the party was that night :) we had about 100 people show up. everyone loved the food. i think they were a little scared of the stuffing at first and the green bean casserole, but once you pop you can't stop! they LOVED it. everyone was coming up to me and telling me how i am going to be such a great mom. i wish they could see my mom- she puts me to shame :) all things that are good about me i owe to my angel mother and her example. mom and dad have helped me become who i am and they continue to influence me. i love you two and i felt very close to you this week as i celebrated thanksgiving as we do at home (ok- not exactly similar. our turkey usually doesn't have its head STILL ON). after we were done eating, we all went upstairs and had a mini church tour. our relief society, YW leader, Bishop, and family history consultant were able to talk a little about the different organizations in our wards. it was great and when the bishop talked about the sacrament meeting, he read the sacrament prayer. i felt the spirit so strong as he talked about the cleansing power of baptism and sacrament. it was great and we met many of the member's friends. we ate leftovers with some members yesterday after church for dinner and that was super fun. i love the wards here. it's incredible the strength i have felt as i have tried to remember and get to know people in our three wards. they are so wonderful. we are trying now, under the direction of the bishop, to do some training with them about how to share the gospel with their friends. we invited them this week to pray for the desire to share. i know that as we pray for and seek missionary experiences, the Lord will give us the desires of our hearts. i have seen this in my family as they have had opportunities to bring others closer to Christ. the Lord is giving them opportunities to be examples of Christ in China, where they are not allowed to openly proselyte. surely, if He can help them have missionary experiences in a place where they can't even teach than He can help us have missionary experiences in a place that has religious freedom (taiwan, american, europe). nothing is more important in the world than this message of the Lord's gospel. i love the joy that comes from learning about and sharing these "glad tidings of great joy"
i was able to receive a blessing this week from an elder in my district. i felt so much love from my Heavenly Father and so much support. our district right now is really fun. we are supportive and service oriented. i love it. being a missionary is such a unique experience. i am so grateful for the power and authority of the priesthood. i want to help families see the blessings of this gospel. i want to help fathers see how it can help them preside and protect. i want to help mothers see how it can guide them as they nurture and teach. this gospel is for families!! i love it.
i am so grateful for sister Vandegrift. i have felt a deep love for her and a desire to help her continue to be the best missionary she can be. she has taught me so much about diligence and charity. we were able to have a really wonderful conversation about the spirit and the gospel of Jesus Christ. i am grateful that i was able to be her trainee and i am grateful for all the times i have been able to serve her. she has been patient with me and helped me smooth out my rough edges. i love her.
all my love to my family and friends. i love this missionary work and i am so grateful for your support. Christ lives and guides us. He is our Master.
yours,
sister Newman
No comments:
Post a Comment