“I’m a member”

Hello!

Can I say the process of getting Zeng JM to her baptism was smooth?…no. BUT we truly did have an amazing baptismal service and she has also received the gift of the Holy Ghost. She also has one of the strongest testimonies of any recent convert I’ve ever met!

When asking her about her baptism she will tell you about how she was so afraid to be entering the water (almost every Taiwanese is afraid of the water…yet they live on an island…how does that work?) But when she entered the water she just felt like she was being held and carried by a force greater than her own. She then proceeds to tell me that she had felt that feeling before when passing through certain challenges in life. That there always is a force greater than your own helping you through.

I personally know that “force” is our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. They do carry us through those moments that are too hard to bear on our own.

It reminds me of a poem called “Footprints in the Sand”

One night I had a dream.
I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Across the sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
one belonging to me, and the other to the Lord.
After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that many times along the path of my life
Especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.

This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it:
“Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
you’d walk with me all the way.
But I have noticed that during the most
troublesome times in my life
there was only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why, when I need you most 
You would leave me.”

He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and
will never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering,
when you see only one set of footprints, 
it was then that I carried you.”

There are some other friends we have been teaching who have begun to see this power in their lives as well.

One is a family who has been on vacation down here visiting family for 3 weeks. We found them their first day here, and have been teaching the mom and two kids (currently the dad is in China). They love this Gospel, and even though they head back to Beitou today, they are excited to keep learning with the missionaries up there.

The other is our friend Wu JM. She has already started to see the Gospel improve family relationships and help her be brave. She has set a temporary baptismal date of September 7, and is doing her best to start living the commandments!

Funny things that happened this week:

1. I taught some of the youth and primary kids in our ward how to lead music. Then we had a cute 9 year old lead the music at our baptismal service. Even though I only taught them the basic key signatures, he got up there and lead the music like he was conducting a big time orchestra Haha it was cute and so funny! All the ward members were chuckling while singing, “I know when I am baptized”

2. We were waiting at the church to meet with a new friend (ended up not showing, but God helped us see miracles instead). This cute lady from the Philippines comes running inside and goes, “I’m a member!!” Haha Sister Concardas and I were so confused! Turns out she wanted our help to tell her boss what time church was. As she sat in the chapel the next day waiting for church to start, she was literally bouncing out of her chair hahaha it had been four years since she had been to church and she was so excited to be back!

3. We got caught in some great rainstorms as a side effect of the typhoon hahaha

Well I hope you all have a great week!

I love you all so so so much!!!

安姐妹