And a big box of pig dongxi

On the third day of Guo nian a member gave to us, three cold pizzas.

two plumb candies

And a big box of pig dongxi

On the fourth day of Guo nian the elders did to us, 40 minutes late

three cold pizzas

two plumb candies

And a big box of pig dongxi.

On the fifth day of Guo nian Heavemly Father gave to us, ONE BAPTISM!!!!

40 minutes late,

three cold pizzas

two plumb candies

And a big box of pig dongxi.

*dongxi=stuff

** Guo nian = chinese new year

Ok that is pretty much it... I will have you all know that I spent so much time on my bike trying to figure that out. haha.  But really.. wow.  Guo Nian is crazy!! everything is closed.  like everything.  If the members hadn't been feeding us, we would have died.  Taiwan is all about work and their jobs but once Guo nian comes, everyone just drops everything and goes partying.   All you hear is fireworks, all you smell is inscents, and all you see is food.  I have never been so full in my life.  Every meal we ate was HUGE and we were fed everyday twice a day.  The best thing about taiwanese meals though is they never eat dessert. Their dessert is fruit ( I am in heaven). 

It was really beautiful to see so many families together and that they allowed us to be in on all the fun.  They treated us all just like family and were so excited we got to share the event with them.  I even got a hong bao!! Their guo nian is like all our holidays put together.  Thats why it lasts 6 days.  The missionary party of Guo Nian was so hard.  Thyere was NO ONE on the street.  like literally no one.  Everypne goes to their home towns during guo nian and no one really lives in Taipei because it is where everyone commutes to.  But we saw so many miracles.   Sister Wood and I decided that this week we would be defeated:) 

So we made specific plans and got creative.  it was a wonderful week full of beautiful miracles.  We got to go to the temple this week and do Temple Square tours.  For tours we walk them through the chapel next to the church and teach from the pictures there.  It is incredible because every hallway has a different theme.  When we go to do tours, we just go out on the street and invite people in.  but this week we literally saw two people in two hours.  it was crazy.  But we had decided we would get three tours so we just kept praying and pushing on.  We ended up finding two american families that just walked up to the chapel! Their tours were in english (which was so incredibly weird) but the spirit was so powerful as we saw the families bear testimony to one another.  With each family, It just hit me once again how important families are.  How much I love my family, and how excited I am to one day go to the temple and have my own little family.  A family brought up in the truths of the gospel is strong.  they will have challenges but with Christ as our rock, we can find peace.  the gospel makes our relationships more rich and beautiful.  I love you all so much and am so grateful for you.  I am also so grateful for the experiences that we have had like that as a family.  To talk about gospel truths and build our testimonies together.   

Also, in those tours we talked about Jesus Christ.  As we testify of him, our own testimonies are strengthened and the Holy Ghost really helps us come to know him as our Savior.  As I looked at those pictures and taught the stories of Jesus I felt my heart over flow with warmth.  I love the opportunity I have to testify everyday of our Savior.  

Another thing that we did this week since no one was in Taipei is we surprised our investigator by scrubbing her house! Her name is Irene and she is sooo cute! She works at 7/11 and is studyinbg really hard for a huge test.  She is so stressed out all  the time and always appologizes for her house being messy.  Sooo I put my skills to the test and scrubbed her house.  She felt so bad that we were doing it but once she finally let us start, I know she was so grateful.  She kept trying to help but everytime we just made her go back and study. haha.  I haven't scrubbed the floor, tub, walls, ceiling... that hard before in my life.  Poor girl, she has no time to take care of her house and so it was really really dirty.   But Sister Wood and I just hummed hymns and prepared her house for the spirit:) 

After it was all clean, we sat in her nice, organized, spotless living room and had a lesson.  It was incredible how the spirit just poured into her house.  It was a great experience for us to be able to serve how the savior would have served.  As missionaries, we everyday get to serve people by talking about the gospel but sometimes I think the greatest things we can do is act as Christ did and so what he did.  

As a missionary, what you say and teach isn't nearly as important as who you are.  I love being a misisonary and I LOVE IRENE.

The last thing but the GREATEST THING that happened this week is LI MING YAN IS GETTING BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY!!!!

I can't remember if I have told you about him before but he is a former from ten years ago.  He has a mullet and he is a big hippy that protests the government and writes books.  He fasted for four days this week against the gov. hah.  anyways, they have been teaching him since october and he hasn't missed a sunday at church and hasn't missed a day reading his scriptures and praying.  he is seriously so awesome!! he often calls us to make sure we are doing ok and that we are safe.  He even gave us chocolates for valentines day :) ha he has the biggest heart.  but anyways, he was having the hardest time because he kept saying he wasn't getting an answer.  he said he couldnt feel the spirit and he didnt know if he was going to get baptized.  well, last week we were very serious with him and very stern and told him he had to follow the word of wisdom and do some other things in order to know and then we promised him that he would... last week he told us his faith was growing!! and then yesterday he had his baptismal interview and HE PASSED!!! He was so excited:) I haven't been able to stop smiling since then.  It was beautiful to see how Heavenly father really stepped in and helped him know.  The whole ward is so excited for him.  We called him yesterday and he was just so light and had so much joy.  

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY. 

^^that pretty much sums it up.  I met with President Day this week and he asked how I was doing, all I could say was that I am so happy.  I have never been happier in my life.  This is REAL joy.  

Here I feel like I have so many weaknesses and I feel that sometimes I wasn't made to do this, but Heavenly Father helps me see miracles and he helps me become a better tool in his hands.

The transfer ends this friday!! That went by crazy fast!! I don't know what is happening until wednesday.

I love you all so much!!  

You all look so great and I am so proud of how well you are all doing, 

Gong xi fa cai!

 Buying Guo Nian dongxi!!

Hong Bao