Sister Cheng

8:40 pm

8:46 pm

WEEKLY UPDATE: It Rained. It Poured.

This week was a very wet week. It rained, it poured, and it stayed about 10 degrees Celsius for the majority of the week. Regardless, it was a pretty awesome week. We were able to help a less active remember exactly why she joined the church in the first place and help her to find her testimony again. Her story is actually pretty cool and her son is now our Elder's investigator.

Taiwanese people do not like the rain. They believe that if you don't cover your head when it is raining then slowly your hair will fall out. (The rain here is pretty dirty)They will do anything not to get wet. So when they see us missionaries riding our bikes in the rain they willingly take us to a 7-11 and buy us a poncho or raincoat or give us their umbrella. Although most people we talk to are Buddhist and usually are not interested in talking to us, they do have a soft spot for helping us out.....

As I am sitting here in the internet cafe typing this email and half listening to the Britney Spears that they are blasting from the front counter, I can't help thinking about how grateful I am for our Heeavenly Father. He knows us. He loves us. He has a plan for each and every one of us. And although we may not know what exactly that plan for us is right now, we know that it is good. I am so thankful for this opportunity to be here serving a mission. I am grateful for all the love and support from family and friends. I am grateful for this Gospel of Jesus Christ and His atonement. It allows us to change, repent, and be better. Well….I'm sure the weather is super nice back home! (Mom, I saw the pictures from the hiking that you all did.....) Until next week!!!

-Sister Goo

A Huge turtle!

its a huge turtle, made entirely out of sticky rice, sesame seeds and chocolate. 

7:56 pm

7:57 pm

Sister Cheng's Signature Face

My companion's signature face.

9:28 pm

1:15 pm

3:06 pm

Cynthia's B-Day Party 2/22

9:31 pm

9:35 pm

9:54 PM

Cynthia's B-Day!

skating and bouncing

11:22 am

12:42 pm

12:44 pm

1:03 pm

4:03 pm

4:05 pm

4:07 pm -- with Sister Cheng and Sister Wong!

4:12 pm

4:16 pm

WEEKLY UPDATE--I've Got a Feeling....

Zhang Bei Bei! He is 91 years old.   Rides his bike to church,
and serves at the temple  three days out of every week. 

The Holy Ghost plays a HUGE part in every aspect of missionary work and is always with us. However, its influence was particularly strong this week. It is because we were able to listen and act upon the enticing of the Spirit this week that we were able to see success, we were able to go places and meet people that we would not have if it not for the guidance of the Holy Ghost. I can not even begin to explain how INCREDIBLE this gospel is! It makes me so HAPPY! And I have seen the influence that it has on our investigators. It makes us change. It allows us to know what we can do and how we can change to be better. To be more like Christ.  IT'S SO AWESOME!! So those of you who are preparing to go on your mission, take note on what is printed on the front of your Preach My Gospel. Underneath the title it has in parentheses, (D&C 50:14).

On another note, HAPPY BELATED VALENTINES DAY! Did you know that in Taiwan, they celebrate Valentines Day 3 times in a year?! Once in February, once in March and once in August. I don't exactly know why, but they just do! It is custom during these times that instead of giving out roses, you give out ferroro rocher chocolate truffles. Back home, I can not recall a time where I ever ate those things but this past week I probably ate like 50! People are just handing them out like crazy. 

Since my companion was called to the Seattle Washington Mission, English speaking, our language study isn't just one hour but it lasts an entire day. Every day we switch off speaking languages. One day it is ALL CHINESE and the next day it is ALL ENGLISH. It's been a blast and it has also made me realize that my english has regressed...not that it was very good to begin with...haha.

Also! one coool thing that happened this week. We found out that there are SO MANY FAMILIES from Israel, Jordan, and Damascus that live in our area. They speak Arabic! For those who have never heard the language spoken before, it is BEAUTIFUL! I think it is pretty SICK how we are able to meet people from so many different countries and that come from different backgrounds. My plan for after I get home, start learning more languages.

Anyway, today for p-day we are spending the entire day exercising! Im so STOKED!! Love you all!!!!

-Sister Goo

WANG FAMILY

5:07 PM

This is what Sunday dinners with the Wang family look like. 

5:08 PM

5:08 PM

Zhang Bei Bei!

Zhang Bei Bei! he is 91 years old. Rides his bike to church, and serves at the temple three days out of every week. 

4:09 PM

CALLIGRAPHY

My companion SISTER CHENG trying her hand at 書法calligraphy. 

6:20 pm

6:21 pm

THE SUN IS OUT

9:37 am -- The sun is out, we do studies outside.

TINY TURTLE

9:39 PM

9:39 PM

9:40 PM

Pretty Pink Flowers

1:24 PM

1:26 PM

1:26 PM

1:34 PM

2:55 PM -- if the sun is out, we do studies outside.🙆

3:42 PM

7:12 PM

Wasabi

Normally, they dont give me this much wasabi.

a truck full of pigs!

11:59 AM--WASABI MUCH

12:33 PM --  "Namo Omito-Fo" or "Namo Amituofo"

12:43 PM -- NAME THIS PLANT.  GO!

1:51 PM--CUTE DOG AT THE PARK

WEEKLY UPDATE: Through service other's needs are met.

Man, talk about pressure...Never have I been so grateful for the gift of tongues and the constant help and companionship of the Holy Ghost. Last week I offered to help a member in our ward. She said one of her customers were flying in to Taiwan from Dubai and she needed me to help translate. Little did I know that I was not just translating a friendly conversation between two people but an actual business negotiation. The Business Man from Dubai and his assistant Natalie and our ward member, her friend (who owns really large production factories in taiwan) and the facotry owner's friend (a nutritionist). The topic of negotiation, drugs, vitamins, nutrition supplements and how to mass produce and sell to Taiwan, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. It was all very exciting.......😓

 Anyway.....I am going 5 in Bade!! To all who don't understand....transfers came and gone but I didnt. Yes, I am still here in Bade and guess, what?! I am TRAINING which means I will be here for TWO MORE TRANSFERS! My new companion is Sister Li Ya Cheng, from Taizhong (the other side of mission) she is 21 years old, loves to play volleyball and has PERFECT Chinese! Her older sister went to BYU-Hawaii. Sister Cheng got called to the Seattle, Washington mission and is currently waiting on her Visa.

 In addition to the excitement of transfers, we were able to celebrate Yuan Xiao Jie, eat tang yuan and rice alcohol with the old folks and talk about how cold it is going to get soon....

 I LOVE my mission!!!!

 -Sister Goo

korean food

 ...............and here's some korean food 

1:12 pm

1:16 pm

3:42 pm -- and a place where Taiwanese go to practice driving!