Sanchong District - Week 23 - #SanChongFamStrong

#SanChongFamStrong 

Everybody is buzzing like crazy because of General Conference this weekend! Here in Taiwan, they don't broadcast the conference until the following weekend because they have to translate it into Chinese. So all the members go to their stake centers to view it. Apparently all the missionaries will get to watch it together in English, so that's good, hahaha. Until then, we have been hearing news from our families and friends and reading about all the exciting changes on lds.org!! I am telling ya, Jesus Christ is directing His church through His living apostles and prophets! How exciting. There is honestly nothing more exciting. There is no greater reason to rejoice and have hope than that God made a perfect plan for us and our families and Jesus Christ is at the center of it all!

This week was a special one. It was my last full week in Sanchong because transfers are this Thursday. I mean, I am pretty sure I am leaving because I have been here for four transfers which is usually the longest anyone stays in an area. On Wednesday I will find out where I'm headed off to, who my new companion is. It felt really strange and nostalgic as I attended my last church meetings in Sanchong and Luzhou yesterday. Like a huge chapter of my mission is ending. Dizzying to think that it was about five-and-a-half months ago late one night when I stepped off the plane into the humid Taiwan, eager to receive the letter that would reveal my first area of service and who my trainer would be. Now it's coming close to the day of goodbyes in Sanchong and I have had the most amazing experiences. I would trade these past months I've spent here for nothing in the world.

I am so grateful for all of the missionaries I've been able to serve with in Sanchong, especially my two companions, Sister Clyde and Sister Maynard. They're both incredible people with a deep desire to do the Lord's will and help His children. I haven't met another who works with as much urgency as Sister Clyde. One of the things I learned from her was what it means to never waste a second; to always be doing something to accomplish our missionary purpose. Among other things I've learned from Sister Maynard, I have learned about having meaningful prayers and really relying on Heavenly Father's help. This is what we must always do, not only in times of struggle and hardships, but also when things are going all right.

This transfer has been a blast because of my district. We have had so much fun working together. We love to use silly yet extremely motivating hashtags in our group chat, such as #SanChongFamStrong and #patienceprevails. In district meetings, everyone has been randomly assigned a specific role to carry out each week. To give you two examples, there is the "prayer picker" (the one who chooses someone to say the opening and closing prayers), and "dance" (the one who literally has to get up in front of everyone and perform a short dance they prepared). I have danced, conducted the warm-up stretch, and chosen the closing song in my time. Sister Maynard has somehow always been responsible for bringing treats. And our meetings have their fun bits, it's true, but the best parts of each meeting have always been when we bear testimony to each other of the truths we know. When we discuss how we can help our investigators and areas progress, how we can better Teach Repentence and Baptize Converts. The cool thing about working with missionaries is it really makes you feel like you are part of a strong army, fighting for the truth. Like the army of Helaman.

Lastly, I think I couldn't have asked for a happier end to the transfer than what happened on Saturday, March 31. Our district was able to hold two baptismal services. The Sanchong elders' long-time investigator, Brother Wang, was one of the baptismal candidates. And after seven years of meeting with missionaries off and on, facing troubles and fighting through it, our dear investigator Sister Jian also finally entered the waters of baptism. It's bringing me to tears as I write. As she was in the font, Sister Maynard and I sat watching in the front row just holding each other's hands so tight. Then yesterday, during sacrament meeting, Sister Jian received the Gift of the Holy Ghost and was confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To see the smile on her face and the peace in her countenance is one of the greatest joys and I just can't describe it. Hers is a story of finding peace in Christ. I'm grateful I was blessed with the opportunity to watch her journey from a place of loneliness, sorrow and uncertainty into Jesus Christ's open arms, which is the safest, surest place anyone could ever be. D&C 19:23.

I love being on a mission. It's crazy to be concluding this Sanchong chapter of my mission, but it's not over yet! I still have like three days and we're gonna go ham.

Love you all so much. See you next week from who knows where!
-----------------------------------------------
I love these sisters!!!

 Beautiful Taiwan....

 It's always great to see my trainer Sister Clyde from time to time!