Hello everybody!
What a week! I don’t even know what to say about it! Never did I think about how much love I had for the people of 新竹 until I had to leave them. Saying goodbye was really sad– especially saying goodbye to Hong Jia Jun.
Hong JM was actually in the hospital this week with her little girl and they were both super sick. So on Wednesday, we went to the hospital to visit her and say goodbye. We shared a video with her called “Stand Ye in Holy Places”, that is focused on the temple. She started to tear up and tell us how she wanted to have an eternal family. The ward and other missionaries are all working really hard to try and start teaching her husband. I love her so much and am so blessed to have the opportunity of meeting her!
BUT…
I am absolutely in love with 台東(Taitung/TáiDong) already! It is the farthest South you can get in my mission and considered to be “the boonies”! Literally everyone refers to Taidong as the boonies haha and it truly is. Our area is huge! And also about a 20 minute bike ride from the ocean. BUT! The people I have met here already have a very special place in my heart! Everything is so much slower paced down here, so everyone just wants to talk for forever. It’s so easy to talk to people and they just love you as soon as you walk up to them. They definitely have the Christlike Attribute of charity, and that is something I will be trying to learn from these people!
I also have some amazing companions!
First up: Sister Kirie Smith!
She is from Draper, Utah and has been on her mission for exactly a year. Her mom is from Taiwan and her dad served his mission in Taiwan, so yet another companion with Taiwan history. She is an awesome missionary! This is her 4th transfer serving in Taidong, and I am so excited for all I have to learn from her! I love her!
Second up: Sister Sarah Wang
She is from 台中，台灣. (Taichung, Taiwan) and has been on her mission for 10 weeks. She is in the process of learning English, is obsessed with cats, and she makes me laugh so much every day. I love her and have so much to learn from her too!
I’ll share one quick experience since being down here. On Sunday night we had a ward party for one Sister to open her mission call. It was filled with food and dancing and it was so much fun! The Sister will be headed to Melbourne, Australia and she is excited to be coming on splits with us in the next few months in order to prepare for her mission!
Spiritual thought for the week:
I just want to bear my testimony that Christ lives. He knows us, He loves us, He wants all of us to come unto Him. Christ will heal us in our brokenness. I heard a song the other day that said, “I’m convinced God loves broken things.” I know God loves us no matter who or where we are. He wants to help us become whole. It is through Him that we can receive true healing and happiness. Come unto Him. I love this Gospel, and I love our Savior. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Funny things that happened this week:
1. We taught Sister Wang the word “squad” this week. When she was trying to say it again the next day, it went a little like this: “he is a part of the squat…squid…I don’t get it…I don’t remember haha“. We all proceeded to die of laughter. Being in a trio is so fun!
2. We went to a cafe to do language study one day that’s decor happened to be cats. Sister Wang loved the decorations so much that she took pictures with absolutely everything Haha it turned into a photoshoot in the cafe featuring some stuffed carrot and broccoli dolls haha we don’t know why it was so funny, but we were laughing so hard we couldn’t breathe hahaha
Sorry it’s kind of short this week.
I love you all so so so much!!!
安姐妹
Sister Kara Andersen 