June 10th, 2013

hello everyone!

it has been such a wonderful week! we've had so many meetings and exchanges and we are staying busy and it is wonderful. the Bishops go home at the end of this month and the Blickenstaffs come on island so we had our last mission meeting with him. i love president Bishop. I have learned so much about love and charity from his example. i am so grateful that i was called to be his missionary. i'm also really excited for the Blickenstaffs coming. President Bishop talking about change in the church and the callings that we are given. he told about how he was called to be a mission president and how that process went. it was really tender to see him reminisce about his time as a mission president. time goes by so fast. i have been thinking about the grace of God recently and how we only can do the best that we can. i read a quote from president Uchtdorf that really motivated and comforted me- he said that the Savior will support us and love us as we strive to follow Him, taking one imperfect step after another. i think about my mission and the assignments i've been given. i really don't know what i'm doing half the time as a missionary or a leader. but i love it. and i'm grateful that God accepts my imperfect attempts to do His will and follow. i just hope i can keep going about cheerfully doing good :) i love being a missionary and just being able to lift and serve and love.

we had a really interesting experience when we were on the way to a first lesson with a new investigator. well....she ended up not being there and not answering her phone. BUT we were tracting in her area and this lady pulls up on her scooter and says: hey- i used to be a jiemei at your church! and we were like really? she said she had gotten baptized like 30 years ago and had a ton of pictures of the missionaries. so we go into her house and start looking at all these pictures of missionaries from like 30 years ago. oh wow. it was just so interesting to think about how that's probably about the same time that dad served and think that there are people in taiwan that probably have pictures of dad that they are showing the missionaries now serving in their area. and then i started thinking about how one day, 30 years from now, i'll just be a memory and a photo in the lives of the people that i've served this. it just really gave me an eternal perspective and just really inspired me. our influence is so small sometimes but it is so important. every chance we have to interact with people should just be a chance to help them feel God's love and faith in them

Sister tanner is doing great. she's so different than me in so many ways but i am so grateful for this time to be best friends with her and learn from her. in president uchtdorf's talk, he said that we each have different talents and gifts and the joy in life comes as we encourage and inspire others to develop THEIR personal divine nature. i am so grateful that my mission is teaching me to find joy in the differences between people. the Atonement is meant to change us but it is not meant to make us all the same. we are individual and special and loved by our Heavenly Father. sister Tanner has really helped me find some of my gifts and talents and i'm so glad for her support. if she was jsut sent to nanzi to be my companion, it would be worth it :) i can't believe how fast time goes by. i'm almost finishing up my 7th move call. i'm so grateful for all the experiences i have had. i am loving my mission and living with no regrets.

life is so good. there was a quote from Thomas S Monson said that reminded me of you all. "appreciate the sacrifices your families so willingly make in order for you to serve. their labors sustain you, their faith encourages you, their prayers uphold you. a mission is a family affair. though the expanse of continents or oceans may separate, hearts are as one. i'm so grateful that i'm a part of our family. i am so grateful for your labors, faith and prayers. i know it is blessing me more than i know. i'm praying to be worthy of your support.

i love you all so much! carli and luke- YOU LOOK SO GEWD!! the cruise looked fun. BLAKE IS GETTING MARRIED! well that's crazy. jump in the ocean for me. i love you and i'm praying for you. davis- i'm praying that you will have a great experience with patriarch West. you are so lucky to be receiving your blessing from him. kelly- you know i love you. look for my package!! happy birhtady in a week!!

love you all

Sister Newman