Three

2/5/2012
Hello everyone! Its a wonderful Monday morning her in Tianmu, Taiwan. The city is waking up and the sun is shining...ok not yet because its too early but it will be soon. It will be a great day today. Last week was a great week too, it went by swiftly because of all the wonderfully full days we had planned. Things are finally starting to pick up in this area after much gentle coaxing and some frustrated mutterings. We had a good number of lessons and even some miracles this week.

This Monday was not p-day because we again had temple day on Wednesday. Tuesday all of our 7 lessons canceled miraculously as my companion got a migraine and we were forced to take it indoors and stay in our apartment all day. Wednesday we went up a beautiful gondola ride over the mountains of northern Taiwan with one of my favorite companions and her trainee. Thursday we had temple tours, and it was sister Daye's first time. We saw a lot of miracles and ended up with 9 referrals by the end of the day. Friday we had all of the people that canceled on Tuesday meet with us, and Saturday we had our Weekly planning session.

Sunday was the best day though. We saw many miracles. It seems to happen quite often as a missionary that the hardest thing to do is get your investigators to church. Saturday night they turn off their phones or even tell you they are going to come and then turn off their phones Sunday morning and don't show up. We were looking at another dismal Sunday where they all stood us up when three people unexpectedly arrived! And then two people that the Elders had found on the street and invited to church also miraculously chose to come as well. That doesn't really happen. It was beautiful and miraculous. Sister Daye who has only been here for three weeks and as of yet has not developed in the language to quite a fluent point was juggling three investigators in one ward by herself as I was in the other with the other three. She did amazing though and we got two new set ups who will hopefully pan out into new investigators.

But Sunday night was the best part. The first Sunday of every month there is a new member and investigator fire side in the chapel next to the temple (which is the headquarters of the church in Taiwan) and they are always amazing. Most of my mission (if they are within train-ride limits) try to come but you have to bring a New member or an investigator to come. Most people find one. We almost didn't last night but miraculously one came. It was good because that was my last chance to attend one of these amazing meetings. The speakers were a family that I knew in Xinzhu actually, they drove the 2 hour ride to come up to Taipei to speak at the fireside. The one that I know the best is the oldest daughter, her name is Zoe. She met the church through English class where she saw an elder sitting on the couch reading the Book of Mormon and was curious. She said, I've never seen that one before, only the bible, could you loan me a copy so I can read it. A missionaries dream come true. He said, no, I'll give you this one for free! She started meeting with the missionaries and soon was bringing her little brother to church, then her older brother too. Then she brought the missionaries home to meet her parents. Soon her whole family was baptized all together. It healed her family unit which before was falling apart, partly due to her fathers bad drinking and smoking habits. They are all such amazing people and I was so happy to get to see Zoe before I leave Taiwan.

Well that is all. Know that I love you people! I will talk to you next week
Sister Melissa Thiessen

Many new pictures will soon to be up on her blog. look back in a day or two. haha melissathiessen.blogspot.com