Hello!
I am now halfway through my second transfer, the weeks went by pretty fast. This week went by pretty fast. So fast in fact that I don't have much to say! Ha.
I do have some things through. Since my companion is the coordinating sister we go on exchanges very often. At least once a week, and this week twice! It could get really irksome having to bounce around often, but I prefer the mindset of excitement. I get to see all the areas in our Zone! And I get to meet more of the sisters, some sisters never get to do that. So this week Sister Li went to Neihu on Monday and Tuesday and one of the sisters that was in the transfer ahead of me in the MTC came here. Sister Tanner is a load of fun, she is from southern CA and has an unending supply of energy. We English tracted on the corner of a huge intersection in the rain (that’s when you have the signs advertising our free English class and one companion stands and waves it and the other contacts everyone they can as soon as the light turns red.) With Sister Tanner it was a good experience. She Bounced up and down waving that sign and shouting to everyone. She really is motivating. She is only on her 3rd transfer and I am only on my second, so lessons were interesting. But we got through them unscathed!! it was a miracle.
The second transfer I went to Shirlin. And Shirlin is beautiful! I was with the adorable Sister Dowdle. She is someone that since coming on island and meeting, I have always wanted to be companions with. She is on her 9th transfer so maybe I won't be so blessed but I am thankful for the opportunity to exchange with her. She is a great example in her testimony, her obedience, and her vigor. She loves the gospel, and she loves to share it.
That’s pretty much all I have to report on. Sorry this week is a little lame. Next week I hope to have more miracles to share with you all.
Thank you all for the mail! and the letter-formed-Love! I got a ton of Christmas cards and letters from people this last week and I am grateful to each and every one of you. You know who you are! Yes you! Thank you! They brighten my week. Keep up the good work my friends.
Until we write again,
Sister Melissa Thiessen
Monday, January 24, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Danshui
Blog
This is the Beginning of the halfway point of this transfer! Wow that’s an odd thing to say isn't it. Well this week hasn't been too crazy, but there are a few things of note that I would like to discuss!
I really am loving my district. Saturday the Elders in my area of Danshui accompanied us to the temple for a wedding! (not ours...) Two members of the ward were getting married for time and all eternity. The hour train ride was actually a blast both there and back, swapping stories and tales. They are both very interesting young men, and we have a lot of fun.
Tuesday we cooked baked apples together in the chapel’s kitchen, rather I cooked and they brought lunch and we told tales. It was hilarious. I am making good relationships and good memories here. I feel more connected to the people, missionaries, investigators and members of Danshui than I did in Taiyuan, possibly because I understand more.
But back to that wedding! It was tons of fun and wonderful to see a couple that was so happy get married for eternity. Chinese receptions are interesting. They have everyone seated for a program of speeches and things before the food and the talking. They don't have gifts or a reception line either. But the food was in plenty and fantastic at the end.
This week we also went on exchanges for the first time this transfer. We will have exchanges at least once a week from this point on because Sister Li is the coordinating sister (that’s like the sister version of the zone leader) and has to exchange with all the sisters in our zone. It’s going to be nifty. I will get to meet a lot of sisters and maybe go see all of the areas. This time I went to JiLong, a city about 2 hours away.
Jilong sits on a harbor too, and is a thriving harbor town with high rise shopping and beautiful views, and just a little of that fishy smell that accompanies that line of work. Much like Danshui Jilong sits on a large hill, of which the sister apartment is half way up, so they divide their area like we do into an up and a down section. I loved that hill; it was vicious to the thighs.
Anyway, I got to be with my first purely American companion (even though it was only exchanges) a Sister Howell. She is a cute little red head. But the important part of this story, I saw my first real missionary miracle! It was amazing so I'm going to just tell ya all about it!!
So Sister Howell earlier in the week had been out working with her companion and suddenly had the misfortune of having an overactive bladder. So they tracked into a house on the pretense of really, really needing the bathroom. This crusty old woman opened the door and they gained a lesson, then a new investigator, even though she was a staunch traditionalist.
A day or so later they returned and this old woman (she is so spunky) threw a fit because they had not called before coming. But she let them teach her, amidst the distraction of her grandchild screaming and throwing balls. She told them that her daughter wanted to meet.
Then I came. We almost didn't go visit this woman, she lived at the top of the hill and we were short on time, but something told us we should go. So go we did. We biked all the way up that hill! And when we got there, soaked with sweat and maybe a little red in the face her daughter met us at the door. She said "My husband has something to tell you." as we entered and sat down her husband said from the other room where he was assembling a book shelf, "I've been waiting for you"
They gathered, we met Joy and Greene (their English names.) and we taught the first lesson. I have not felt the spirit that strong in a lesson yet on my mission. It went very well; I even got to recite the first vision all the way through for the first time (with only a couple of pauses and mistakes). Then we got to the big question, we felt we should extend the baptismal invite.
His answer was definite and absolutely without hesitation. Yes. Then he looked at his wife expectantly "What about you? Are you ready?" She was a little slower coming but agreed as well. Then he told us his story.
He had never been religious. He had never had a faith. But recently his life was down and looking empty. He was not satisfied with the direction it was taking, or the person he was, or the father he was. He realized that he was lost. So for the first time in his life, he decided to pray. He prayed hard and earnestly, asking quite simply, is there a God? God, he said, if you are there I don't have the faith to go find you. But please send someone to my door. If you send someone to my door I swear to you that I will always follow you.
The very next day Sister Howell and her companion knocked on his door and taught his mother in law. When she told them the day following that the missionaries had come by and were teaching her he was completely floored. Not only had his prayer been answered, it had been answered the very next day. So he told us that no matter what he wanted baptism. The Lord had spoken to him, had shown him what was right and he was going to take it.
Wow, how much more direct can you get than that? It was a miracle, and it was truly awesome to see how we can be tools in someone's hand. I may not get to see that family progress and eventually receive baptism, but I saw the certainty in that man's eyes. And I saw and felt for the first time what it is to be the answer to someone’s prayer. An answer that will change their life forever.
That’s my sharing time for the week! I love you all and I hope that you are all happy and well. Have a great week and I miss you tons!
This is the Beginning of the halfway point of this transfer! Wow that’s an odd thing to say isn't it. Well this week hasn't been too crazy, but there are a few things of note that I would like to discuss!
I really am loving my district. Saturday the Elders in my area of Danshui accompanied us to the temple for a wedding! (not ours...) Two members of the ward were getting married for time and all eternity. The hour train ride was actually a blast both there and back, swapping stories and tales. They are both very interesting young men, and we have a lot of fun.
Tuesday we cooked baked apples together in the chapel’s kitchen, rather I cooked and they brought lunch and we told tales. It was hilarious. I am making good relationships and good memories here. I feel more connected to the people, missionaries, investigators and members of Danshui than I did in Taiyuan, possibly because I understand more.
But back to that wedding! It was tons of fun and wonderful to see a couple that was so happy get married for eternity. Chinese receptions are interesting. They have everyone seated for a program of speeches and things before the food and the talking. They don't have gifts or a reception line either. But the food was in plenty and fantastic at the end.
This week we also went on exchanges for the first time this transfer. We will have exchanges at least once a week from this point on because Sister Li is the coordinating sister (that’s like the sister version of the zone leader) and has to exchange with all the sisters in our zone. It’s going to be nifty. I will get to meet a lot of sisters and maybe go see all of the areas. This time I went to JiLong, a city about 2 hours away.
Jilong sits on a harbor too, and is a thriving harbor town with high rise shopping and beautiful views, and just a little of that fishy smell that accompanies that line of work. Much like Danshui Jilong sits on a large hill, of which the sister apartment is half way up, so they divide their area like we do into an up and a down section. I loved that hill; it was vicious to the thighs.
Anyway, I got to be with my first purely American companion (even though it was only exchanges) a Sister Howell. She is a cute little red head. But the important part of this story, I saw my first real missionary miracle! It was amazing so I'm going to just tell ya all about it!!
So Sister Howell earlier in the week had been out working with her companion and suddenly had the misfortune of having an overactive bladder. So they tracked into a house on the pretense of really, really needing the bathroom. This crusty old woman opened the door and they gained a lesson, then a new investigator, even though she was a staunch traditionalist.
A day or so later they returned and this old woman (she is so spunky) threw a fit because they had not called before coming. But she let them teach her, amidst the distraction of her grandchild screaming and throwing balls. She told them that her daughter wanted to meet.
Then I came. We almost didn't go visit this woman, she lived at the top of the hill and we were short on time, but something told us we should go. So go we did. We biked all the way up that hill! And when we got there, soaked with sweat and maybe a little red in the face her daughter met us at the door. She said "My husband has something to tell you." as we entered and sat down her husband said from the other room where he was assembling a book shelf, "I've been waiting for you"
They gathered, we met Joy and Greene (their English names.) and we taught the first lesson. I have not felt the spirit that strong in a lesson yet on my mission. It went very well; I even got to recite the first vision all the way through for the first time (with only a couple of pauses and mistakes). Then we got to the big question, we felt we should extend the baptismal invite.
His answer was definite and absolutely without hesitation. Yes. Then he looked at his wife expectantly "What about you? Are you ready?" She was a little slower coming but agreed as well. Then he told us his story.
He had never been religious. He had never had a faith. But recently his life was down and looking empty. He was not satisfied with the direction it was taking, or the person he was, or the father he was. He realized that he was lost. So for the first time in his life, he decided to pray. He prayed hard and earnestly, asking quite simply, is there a God? God, he said, if you are there I don't have the faith to go find you. But please send someone to my door. If you send someone to my door I swear to you that I will always follow you.
The very next day Sister Howell and her companion knocked on his door and taught his mother in law. When she told them the day following that the missionaries had come by and were teaching her he was completely floored. Not only had his prayer been answered, it had been answered the very next day. So he told us that no matter what he wanted baptism. The Lord had spoken to him, had shown him what was right and he was going to take it.
Wow, how much more direct can you get than that? It was a miracle, and it was truly awesome to see how we can be tools in someone's hand. I may not get to see that family progress and eventually receive baptism, but I saw the certainty in that man's eyes. And I saw and felt for the first time what it is to be the answer to someone’s prayer. An answer that will change their life forever.
That’s my sharing time for the week! I love you all and I hope that you are all happy and well. Have a great week and I miss you tons!
Monday, January 10, 2011
This week has been interesting to say the least. I'm liking Danshui, the ward is full of very interesting people, so is the city itself.
Next Saturday there are two members of the ward getting married in the Taipei Temple and we are allowed to go because we are participating in the reception after. We are dancing...on Friday night we gathered with our district leader and his companion (an Elder who came in the transfer after me in the MTC, so I know him :) ) and the members of the ward to practice this dance...it was...awkward. But it is a service to the ward so we will bravely grin and bear this trial.
Sister Li was very sick this week, she was in bed all of the first day and the second day we were able to work but she still has a gut wrenching cough. I am doing all I can NOT to get it.
We have a Spanish speaking investigator! Its a very difficult situation. She seems to really really love the gospel, she seems to really, really want baptism, but we don't know what her motives are because we cannot really communicate. She speaks very little Mandarin, and very little English, mainly just Spanish. She has 4 children under the age of 10 and the oldest boy sometimes tries to translate but it's a difficult situation. I don't know how much of what we teach her gets through. She came to church on Sunday, but she pretty much refused to talk to anyone. She sat and read her Spanish gospel principles as if it were her only line to reality. She refused our help. I'm really not sure how to read this lady. We are praying about how to help her.
Last night we had a very interesting experience. My companion and I both had our very first run in with Jehovah's Witness members. Sister Li set up a lesson with one of them and she had no idea who they were, I warned her but as we arrived to the lesson (at a Mos Burger, a restaurant kind of like a McDonalds. What an interesting place to teach.) She realized that she'd forgotten her bible...great. This young woman had brought an older woman with her, and as soon as we sat down I knew where this lesson would go. They did not want to open with a prayer, they did not want to get to know us, they whipped out their bibles and their knowledge and the battle began. What a precarious situation! I knew where they were going but poor Sister Li had no idea. She didn't understand their questions and didn't have a way to answer since she had no scriptures and I couldn't understand the conversation though I had a general idea of what they wanted and how to deal with it. They loaned Sister Li a bible (they all carry around multiples?) and she later told me it was very very different. I did my best in broken Chinese and English to converse with them but it was painful, and the situation grew almost contentious. It lasted far too long, Sister Li tried to end it with the Book of Mormon but they refused even to touch it. They were Very adamant about wanting absolutely nothing to do with it. Almost seeming afraid of it. When we asked them for their testimony on the scriptures or on their church they could not give us one, they would repeat "let me show you a scripture." Sister Li and I decided that they had nothing but scriptural knowledge, they miss the essential testimony, the personal knowledge that makes our gospel unique.
After the lesson we were talking outside the restaurant and donning our rain gear. Our bikes were crammed into a row of scooters with bare inches between. I set my bag on the seat of a scooter nearby to handle my things and then we rode home up a huge hill then another. 20 minutes later we rolled into the parking garage of our complex and I opened the box on my bike and found to my horror that my bag was not in its place. I realized with more horror that I must have left it on that scooter and that this bag contained all of my most very important items, i.e. wallet with identification, visa card, money, credit cards, scriptures...yeah. We said a hasty pleading prayer and booked it back in a panic. We got back to Mos Burger 10 minutes later (it takes about half the time when you get to go down the big hill.) and miracle of miracles my bag was still sitting on that scooters seat. Untouched by the throng of people passing by who only had to hook out a hand and carry it away unstopped by anyone. I was massively grateful, so grateful that riding up that hill again wasn't so bad.
So that is my miracle for the week.
I hope you are all well!
Missing you from Taiwan!
Next Saturday there are two members of the ward getting married in the Taipei Temple and we are allowed to go because we are participating in the reception after. We are dancing...on Friday night we gathered with our district leader and his companion (an Elder who came in the transfer after me in the MTC, so I know him :) ) and the members of the ward to practice this dance...it was...awkward. But it is a service to the ward so we will bravely grin and bear this trial.
Sister Li was very sick this week, she was in bed all of the first day and the second day we were able to work but she still has a gut wrenching cough. I am doing all I can NOT to get it.
We have a Spanish speaking investigator! Its a very difficult situation. She seems to really really love the gospel, she seems to really, really want baptism, but we don't know what her motives are because we cannot really communicate. She speaks very little Mandarin, and very little English, mainly just Spanish. She has 4 children under the age of 10 and the oldest boy sometimes tries to translate but it's a difficult situation. I don't know how much of what we teach her gets through. She came to church on Sunday, but she pretty much refused to talk to anyone. She sat and read her Spanish gospel principles as if it were her only line to reality. She refused our help. I'm really not sure how to read this lady. We are praying about how to help her.
Last night we had a very interesting experience. My companion and I both had our very first run in with Jehovah's Witness members. Sister Li set up a lesson with one of them and she had no idea who they were, I warned her but as we arrived to the lesson (at a Mos Burger, a restaurant kind of like a McDonalds. What an interesting place to teach.) She realized that she'd forgotten her bible...great. This young woman had brought an older woman with her, and as soon as we sat down I knew where this lesson would go. They did not want to open with a prayer, they did not want to get to know us, they whipped out their bibles and their knowledge and the battle began. What a precarious situation! I knew where they were going but poor Sister Li had no idea. She didn't understand their questions and didn't have a way to answer since she had no scriptures and I couldn't understand the conversation though I had a general idea of what they wanted and how to deal with it. They loaned Sister Li a bible (they all carry around multiples?) and she later told me it was very very different. I did my best in broken Chinese and English to converse with them but it was painful, and the situation grew almost contentious. It lasted far too long, Sister Li tried to end it with the Book of Mormon but they refused even to touch it. They were Very adamant about wanting absolutely nothing to do with it. Almost seeming afraid of it. When we asked them for their testimony on the scriptures or on their church they could not give us one, they would repeat "let me show you a scripture." Sister Li and I decided that they had nothing but scriptural knowledge, they miss the essential testimony, the personal knowledge that makes our gospel unique.
After the lesson we were talking outside the restaurant and donning our rain gear. Our bikes were crammed into a row of scooters with bare inches between. I set my bag on the seat of a scooter nearby to handle my things and then we rode home up a huge hill then another. 20 minutes later we rolled into the parking garage of our complex and I opened the box on my bike and found to my horror that my bag was not in its place. I realized with more horror that I must have left it on that scooter and that this bag contained all of my most very important items, i.e. wallet with identification, visa card, money, credit cards, scriptures...yeah. We said a hasty pleading prayer and booked it back in a panic. We got back to Mos Burger 10 minutes later (it takes about half the time when you get to go down the big hill.) and miracle of miracles my bag was still sitting on that scooters seat. Untouched by the throng of people passing by who only had to hook out a hand and carry it away unstopped by anyone. I was massively grateful, so grateful that riding up that hill again wasn't so bad.
So that is my miracle for the week.
I hope you are all well!
Missing you from Taiwan!
Monday, January 3, 2011
Second Move Day!
Friday was move call day, as we neared the very end of the transfer. Everyone was all a flutter wondering where and who would get moved. I had predicted to Sister Li that I felt like one of us would be moved from Taoyuan, she was very much not wanting it to be her. Senior companions tend to stay in the Taoyuan area for a very long time though. Usually Sister's don't get moved too often so we were told that it was possible neither of us would be moved. But, I still had that feeling.
Friday night rolled around, that magical call could come anytime between 9pm and 12pm. I retreated to my dressing room (yes, I had my own room to dress, but not to sleep because we must sleep in the same room as our companions.) and caught up on journal writing planted firmly in front of the heater. One of those tall tower-esque ones because the Chinese do not believe in central heating. When the call came I listened though the door as Sister Li spoke rapid Chinese to our district leader, punctuated by laughs and "zhende ma?" (really?). As soon as she was off the phone I was questioning her.
I was moving! To Danshui! A city in the farthest northern point of the Island that a sister may go! Also the coldest point on the island, at the coldest time of the year. My new companion is the other Sister Li. (two sister Li's my first two transfers...a little odd me thinks.) I am only the second missionary in a very long time to be transferred from Taoyuan to Danshui, so the members tell me.
I spent all of my very short free time packing over the weekend. New years passed without too much celebration for us. However on Saturday, actual new years day Sister Li (the first) and I went to a steak house about a block from our house. Why did we discover this steak house so late I have no idea! It was great! All the steak houses here have enormous buffets that are included in the price of the meal. I paid a total of 250 Taiwanese Dollars, that's about 6 or 7 dollars US for a 6oz steak, noodles (the often serve noodles with their steaks here, weird right?) and the buffet, which was sizable. Mmm... I then went home to call my parents, since I could not call them last week due to an Egyptian excursion. But! Disaster! The phone cards I had been planning on using from my mother wouldn't work because the toll free number was out of the US! Not international! So we ran downstairs to the 7-11 and bought me a phone card then ran back up to the 16th floor (via elevator of course) to try to figure it out. But! Alas, every number I had, which were all of two (My mom's cell and Monti's cell) were not being answered, even after 50 calls. So I left a message and hung up the phone, rejected.
Fortunately, I tried again yesterday and got through, my mom finally picked up her phone, but! My father was at church, it being Sunday and all. So I talked with her briefly and have organized a call back tonight when my Dad is in residence.
This morning Sister Li (the first) helped me organize all my stuff and clean the room...Her situation is somewhat of a pickle. She doesn't have a companion! Somehow there was a shortage of sisters and she got the short end of the stick. They do this thing here where members can volunteer to be missionaries for a certain period of time and act as official missionaries, living and working as regular missionaries. But they didn't have one of those set up either!! Not yet anyway, so fortunately one of the members has a daughter that just returned from graduating at BYU and is putting in mission papers and volunteered for the next three days. Poor sister Li.
One of the members kindly volunteered her service to shuttle me, and my ton of baggage up to Danshui, but we got lost because it is apparently way up here. Danshui is right on the ocean, it is a harbor city north east of Taipei. I think we can see the ocean from our apartment, which is pretty nice really. Sister Li (the second) tells me that all the sisters say Danshui sisters live in luxury. Danshui at first appearance, through the rainy haze, looks pretty green and it is surrounded by mountains. I hope to b eable the make friends quickly with Sister Li (the second) through the language barrier. Her English is not fantastic, and my Chinese is not either, so hopefully we will find a system. I will hopefully learn really fast with her.
I've been out three whole transfers already! I only have 10 left. People tell me they will go even faster. Hmm...Well Danshui, here I come!
Love Sister Melissa Thiessen
Friday night rolled around, that magical call could come anytime between 9pm and 12pm. I retreated to my dressing room (yes, I had my own room to dress, but not to sleep because we must sleep in the same room as our companions.) and caught up on journal writing planted firmly in front of the heater. One of those tall tower-esque ones because the Chinese do not believe in central heating. When the call came I listened though the door as Sister Li spoke rapid Chinese to our district leader, punctuated by laughs and "zhende ma?" (really?). As soon as she was off the phone I was questioning her.
I was moving! To Danshui! A city in the farthest northern point of the Island that a sister may go! Also the coldest point on the island, at the coldest time of the year. My new companion is the other Sister Li. (two sister Li's my first two transfers...a little odd me thinks.) I am only the second missionary in a very long time to be transferred from Taoyuan to Danshui, so the members tell me.
I spent all of my very short free time packing over the weekend. New years passed without too much celebration for us. However on Saturday, actual new years day Sister Li (the first) and I went to a steak house about a block from our house. Why did we discover this steak house so late I have no idea! It was great! All the steak houses here have enormous buffets that are included in the price of the meal. I paid a total of 250 Taiwanese Dollars, that's about 6 or 7 dollars US for a 6oz steak, noodles (the often serve noodles with their steaks here, weird right?) and the buffet, which was sizable. Mmm... I then went home to call my parents, since I could not call them last week due to an Egyptian excursion. But! Disaster! The phone cards I had been planning on using from my mother wouldn't work because the toll free number was out of the US! Not international! So we ran downstairs to the 7-11 and bought me a phone card then ran back up to the 16th floor (via elevator of course) to try to figure it out. But! Alas, every number I had, which were all of two (My mom's cell and Monti's cell) were not being answered, even after 50 calls. So I left a message and hung up the phone, rejected.
Fortunately, I tried again yesterday and got through, my mom finally picked up her phone, but! My father was at church, it being Sunday and all. So I talked with her briefly and have organized a call back tonight when my Dad is in residence.
This morning Sister Li (the first) helped me organize all my stuff and clean the room...Her situation is somewhat of a pickle. She doesn't have a companion! Somehow there was a shortage of sisters and she got the short end of the stick. They do this thing here where members can volunteer to be missionaries for a certain period of time and act as official missionaries, living and working as regular missionaries. But they didn't have one of those set up either!! Not yet anyway, so fortunately one of the members has a daughter that just returned from graduating at BYU and is putting in mission papers and volunteered for the next three days. Poor sister Li.
One of the members kindly volunteered her service to shuttle me, and my ton of baggage up to Danshui, but we got lost because it is apparently way up here. Danshui is right on the ocean, it is a harbor city north east of Taipei. I think we can see the ocean from our apartment, which is pretty nice really. Sister Li (the second) tells me that all the sisters say Danshui sisters live in luxury. Danshui at first appearance, through the rainy haze, looks pretty green and it is surrounded by mountains. I hope to b eable the make friends quickly with Sister Li (the second) through the language barrier. Her English is not fantastic, and my Chinese is not either, so hopefully we will find a system. I will hopefully learn really fast with her.
I've been out three whole transfers already! I only have 10 left. People tell me they will go even faster. Hmm...Well Danshui, here I come!
Love Sister Melissa Thiessen
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