Monday, October 26, 2015

簡姐妹受洗了！！！！

Jian JM got baptized!!! 

It was awesome. As soon as the meeting started she just started crying.  After she got baptized she went up to share her testimony and shared how awesome us missionaries are (cough cough) and shared how one night she had a bad dream and so she prayed and got this feeling like she needed to come to church.  She promised God that rain or snow she would come to church. 

You know what's weird? I only have a little over a month.  I'm kind of freaking out about it.  But not cuz I'm not a drama queen ;) but seriously though. I've been doing this for so long I don't know anything else.  My life isn't my own.  I've gotten a small glimpse of what the Savior's life was like. What a mother's life is like.  Never thinking of yourself.  Constantly turning outward and reaching out to those who need to hear or who need a friend to lift them up.  You all are like a dream to me.  

I left you a year and a half ago and you're still like that in my mind.  Emily and Ethan and Rachel are still 17 getting ready for their senior year.  Hailey's getting ready to go to Beijing.  But you've all changed and so have I.  Weird.  I'm trying to prep myself for a huge culture shock.

Oh, yea...and we had a baby!

Last Tuesday we were knocking and got a call asking us if we could fit another person in our apartment.  You know something's up when the AP's call you.  That night they called, "hey so you know how you're getting a new companion tomorrow right?" ...um. no.

So now we have a BRAND new missionary with us.  Her name is Sister Hu and she's never even been to the MTC. yep. So me and Sister Johnson are in a trio and speaking a LOT of Chinese.  

So if any of this doesn't make sense, it's because I've been speaking Chinese for the past week straight.  

We saw some amazing miracles this past week.  A couple of weeks ago we had about 15 minutes before the Elder's baptism so we went street contacting.  Literally, everyone was really not interested.  Well, I know that the Lord blesses last ditch efforts.  When you're all out of energy, nothing left to give and you still try you get a lot of blessings.  Literally, the last lady we met had a prayer with us and mentioned that her dad had died the year before and she's been looking for missionaries.  

Yea. so we met her this week. The day we met her she had been on the way to see the doctor and was really down.  She's divorced and hasn't had a hug in FOREVER. When we met her on the street...two white people...we were her first hug in a LONG time. 

We taught her the Plan of Salvation and it changed her life. 

This is God's work. When we're at that point where we want to give up if we just keep pushing.  keep going the Lord will bless us. He will increase our faith. 

have hope. have faith. believe. 

God loves you :) 

Sister Fisher

Temple work for family name

Sister Hu

Jian JM got baptized!!

Monday, October 21, 2015

So it's a Wednesday :) guess what that means?! TEMPLE DAY!!! YES! That also means we woke up early this morning so we could get everything done.  But it's worth it because the Temple is AMAZING! 

Wow, this was a crazy week and a half. Our investigator Jian JM(簡姊妹）is getting baptized this next Sunday!!! It's super exciting.  We talked to her about Temples yesterday and she was super excited to go and is working really hard on her husband to help him start meeting with missionaries. She really wants to be sealed in the temple. HOW CUTE!!

Cool story of the week.  We were on our way to President Interviews on a bus. While I was waiting in line I started talking to the girl next to me and we started into this huge conversation that just went straight into the Book of Mormon...it might have been because I'm a missionary or something like that ;) She was Christian and we seriously talked for 45 minutes straight about the gospel.  She had some awesome questions and misconceptions about our Church.  I got her phone number and we'll be calling her back to try to set up a time to meet.  I've learned in my mission that the people around you were placed there.  We don't know who we're supposed to talk to but as we open our mouths we will be able to help those who need our light. A lot of times God will place people right there in a spot they can't run from so you can share with them the hope that is this gospel.  It's beautiful.  God is great! 

I taught my companion how to make chicken alfredo this week.  She's getting there :) 

It rained for a whole day straight and there was some grease or something in the water that got ALL over my legs and so now it looks like I have man legs...thank you very much

We learned that you just don't go to hole in the wall places and order curry....it'll taste like a whole bunch of canned nastiness.  

Other than that me and my companion have been working on getting baptismal date investigators.  They're easy to get but not easy to keep.  

So this last week was interviews.  I've kind of gotten over the fact that that I moved to Jilong and I'm actually learning to love Jilong.  So I get into the interview and President Jergensen looks at me and just starts crying.  He goes on to say how much I mean to this mission and how much of an extraordinary missionary I've become.  He then tells me that I stand out and people look up to me and he put me in Jilong to give that district. that zone a big shot in the arm.  By this point I had tears going down my face too which doesn't usually happen.  The spirit was so strong and I knew it was what God wanted me to know.  

Remember I love you! You're fantastic and know that God is watching out for me and you all!

Love you all!

Sister Fisher

Monday October 12, 2015

My legs hurt

Conference was great

Look for the light

Don't drop raid bottles

That was my week in a nutshell :)

So Jilong is famous for its hills and rain, and it's getting into winter/fall season so there are going to be even more. yipeee!!!  But all things aside I'm learning to love it. It's awesome and the members are sweet. 

We have an awesome investigator named Jian JM (簡). She told us she's been trying to read the Book of Mormon.  We've been trying to help her develop her scripture reading so we send her a text every day with the next 10 scriptures she had to read and we started at 1 Nephi.  So my comp sends her the next scriptures 1 Nephi 1:21-30 and she responds to tell us there is no 21-30...it stops at 20. Awkward!! At least she actually reads scriptures :)

Did I mention it rains a lot here and there are tons of hills?  Yea.  There was one day it rained from exercise in the morning all the way until we went to bed that night.  WET.

General Conference was awesome! I think they're really pushing the back to the basics and putting your foundation in Christ.  Three big themes I got are Sabbath day worship; this life is not easy, but it's worth it, and moms are superheroes.  Love you mom :) 

Lately, I've been pondering about our lives before this one.  Just think how strong and steadfast everyone was before this life.  We still have those skills and gifts with us, we just forgot.  Pray to know what your gifts are.  They are meant to bless you and those around you. They will help build the kingdom of God and keep out the evil of Satan.  We are strong

Cool story.  We were contacting and we saw these two girls walking so we start talking to them.  One is Catholic and the other Buddhist.  So we watch #BecauseHeLives. That movie has power.  The Buddhist girl got this light in her eyes as we started talking to her.  We gave them Books of Mormon and they wanted to learn more.  It's so amazing how the gospel brings that light into the eyes and faces of those who listen.  The gospel of Jesus Christ literally allows us to take the countenance of Christ upon us...through baptism. this gospel is amazing! I love being a missionary :)

Last but not least. Last night we found a cockroach on the wall and went to get the Raid and my companion dropped the can of Raid.  Bad idea!  So it disconnected from the top from the bottom so now we have this bottle of pressurized poison spraying nasty smelling Raid ALL over the place. I grab the bottle and run for the door to throw it into the hallway but then remember we still have a cockroach on the loose, bottle still spraying I turn back to see if it's still there but my companion stops me. So I throw the poison bomb into the hallway for some unsuspecting victim, just kidding. there was no one there. 

Well, that's all folks.  Keep being awesome kick butt people.  Go out and find miracles.

LOVE YOU to Taiwan and back!

Sister Fisher

Monday, October 5, 2015

"How could you do this to me? I was growing so much and now you've cut me down! All the plants in the garden will look down on me now, how could you do this to me?!"  "Look little currant bush, I'm the gardener here. And I know what I want you to be. One day little currant bush, when you're laden with fruit you'll say, 'thank you Mr. Gardener. Thank you for loving me enough to cut me down'"

Sometimes we feel like we're doing amazing and growing so much and loving life. We're on fire! Then God comes along and cuts us down.  In frustration and anger, we ask why. Why would you do this to me?! But we have to remember that God knows our potential and sometimes it is necessary to cut us down so we can grow faster and stronger the way He wants us to grow so we CAN reach our full potential.  

Trust

Hope

Be still and know that I am God.

Oh, yea. Last Monday we had a typhoon.  Like a real typhoon.  And me and my companion got caught outside in it riding home.  We almost died getting to McDonald's to pick up dinner...classic I know.  And of course Oreos :) It was fun, but I got a little wet.

So I left Xinzhu. I left Sister Jenkins and all our amazing wonderful members, recent converts, and investigators.  And I got sent to Jilong. My new companion's name is Sister Johnson.  She's from Utah and has been on island for about 4 months.  It's a port city with LOTS of mountains.  LOTS of mountains.  My legs are going to beautiful when I get home. 

Last Saturday I did Temple Tours :) It was pretty fun. I just got to show people around the visitors center all day.  

So I moved to Jilong.  It's really rough.  My whole mission I've been a leader and now my last two transfers my wings got cut and I got demoted to a normal missionary.  And then I got sent to Jilong.  so many hills kill me now.  so right now I'm just trying to fill our pool of investigators up and be happy. find joy in the journey.  

That's pretty much all for this week.  I hope everyone enjoyed Conference :)  I'll be watching it this next week because they have to translate it.  

PS: Last Saturday I met the guy who is the voice of President Monson in Chinese.  So yea...I met the prophet ;)

Getting wet

New companion

This is after I rode home in a typhoon...I was a little wet. 

Monday, September 28, 2015

So many miracles.  Not enough time!  Okay. This week I learned to NEVER give up on anyone. give everyone a second chance.

We met with this couple that we found last week and we didn't think they would go very far, but they had really good questions and one thing led to another and now they both have baptism dates! what?!

We asked one of our LA's if we could teach her son because he ALWAYS COMES to church. She agreed so we set up a time to meet. Friday arrived and we were sitting in a 7 waiting when he runs into us and whispers, "I WANT TO BE BAPTISED!" before running back out to get his mom. When we gave him a date he got really frustrated and told us that was too late. where did this kid come from? 

This week was the Mid-Autumn Festival which means EVERYONE is kaoroaing...BBQ. So it smells soooo good. Also, there's this fruit called Youzi that they peel and put it on their head :) the fruit is super magic stuff and has all this white stuff in it that turns your tongue and anything it touches numb. so my mouth was super numb last night...stupid me :) 

Who remembers Ling JM? well, she has been on and off for weeks. wavering...almost dead. We had a lesson with her this past week about why we go to church and it really helped her. Afterwards, my companion asks her if she believes the things we've shared with her, our church is true. She paused and then said YES!!! We then gave her a baptismal date for next month! SHE'S GETTING BAPTISED!!!

I've really learned how to listen to the small, steady, whispers of the Holy Ghost.  Last week we had an hour of LA finding and then a planned hour of finding.  We got to the end of our hour of LA finding and still had one more name we wanted to find.  So we decided to pray about it and we both felt like we needed to go finding in the place that we planned for the night before.  We went and started with a prayer and saw this family walking into their house.  We started talking to them and they had such a great desire to know. If we don't listen when the Holy Ghost prompts us we may miss the opportunity.  Literally, everyone that was out that night needed to hear our message.  This work is amazing!

We met quite a few animal friends. turtles, cats, rats. 

Remember to keep your chin up! 

Nothing can fall below the power of the atonement! No matter the mistake you can change :) 

and if all else fails drink some grapefruit juice! 

LOVE

Sister Fisher

Monday, September 21, 2015

So this week seriously flew by. I have NO idea what happened.  We went on two exchanges with a tricompanionship...so confusing and then we went on exchanges with the Temple Sisters.  So every time we exchange with the Temple Sisters I stay in my area so you'd think this time I would actually go to Taipei right?  Nope...Heavenly Father has a sense of humor. and is smarter than I am. 

Last Monday we went to the BEACH with Zhunan zone. it was a blast! Tuesday night as we were coming home that night I had to go to the bathroom SOOO bad.  As I was getting out of the bathroom I hear Sister Beeston start yelling.  I run into the kitchen to see baby cockroaches running all over the kitchen.  so we raided it. everything. (I got a little trigger happy) cockroaches are seriously the devil's spawn.  

Speaking of cockroaches Friday morning dawned early and bright because we had to get up early for an outdoor zone conference.  Sister Jenkins was deciding if she should wear pants when this HUGE cockroach crawls over her foot.  She responds to screaming and jumping on her bed along with another sister who was in our room.  Me being the only sensible one at this point (Hailey I blame you for all the times you made me kill the bugs) grabs the raid to go after it.  The cockroach tries to take cover in Sister Jenkins bag but I'm way to fast for it :) Unfortunately, the raid gets ALL over Sister Jenkins bag...ooops!

I LOVE HIKING! The outdoor zone conference was GORGEOUS and beautiful! There were quite a few banana spiders but they were only about as big as your hand, so not super big.  

I've been really focusing on connecting with people here.  Trying to focus on the Spirit as I teach especially on the street.  Lessons are easy, but I've been really focusing on trying to tell them what God wants to tell them so if not now then later the Holy Ghost will bring it to their remembrance.  Love the people. It's so important.

So we met with this LA this week who has such a twisted way of taking care of children.  She's LA because she won't bring her kids to church (they are 6 and 3) because she wants them to be able to make their own choices.  She wants them to experience the darkness before they experience the light.  She said God told her to do it this way and she kept telling us she trusts God will keep them on the right path and won't let them go too far.  We tried teaching her but she said her kids need to experience it and I was like your poor children.  The oldest is 6 and she just lets him do whatever. Drinking tea being one of them.  I learned the importance of having balance.  Rules are important.  Guidelines are important, especially when we don't know what is bad and good. That's why commandments are so important because they keep us safe.  We trust them.  

We met with Ling JM this week (吳姐妹).  She knows this church is true she's just scared of change...as most of us are.  We shared with her "the will of God" and invited her to pray about her baptism date.  

Well, that's all everyone :) Remember God is in charge.  Change is hard and most of the times painful but as long as we rely on God we will come out better for it.  God loves us and doesn't want us to fail:) Keep going strong!

Sister Fisher

PS: happy 14 months!

Monday, September 14, 2015

So this week was crazy! but then again it always is. 

Wu JM for some reason does not want to come to church.  We haven't figured out why.  She loves when we visit her and she always says she gets excited when we come over and she has this really good feeling, but she won't come to church and is nervous about baptism.  but we're still working on her.  

But along with all our long term investigators that are slowly killing themselves we got this referral from a member in another ward and the referral (Xu JM) is ADORABLE.  We met with her the first time and she just wants to know what the gospel is all about and wants to not feel lonely.  Afterward, we gave her a hug and she commented about how warm our hugs are :) The next day she came to church with us and the ENTIRE MEETING was about the law of chastity.  We were a little nervous but afterward, she came up to us and said she LOVED church and the lessons are exactly what she needs, so kudos to Heavenly Father.  He knows each of us and our needs, desires, and wants.  

Saturday me and Sis Jenkins were biking to an LA's house and I got caught at the light so I tried calling for Sister Jenkins to stop but she didn't hear me.  So I started talking to the motorcycle next to me and the light turned.  I started biking expecting to see her stopped on the side of the street but no sister Jenkins....So I lost my companion for about 7 minutes.  It was pretty terrifying. It's like losing your brain! Finally, I found her and she looked so white from the shock that she'd lost me.  Once we got back together it was fine and we went on our way.  

hey, if you want to you can send me a name to take through the endowment with.  I could probably take her through initiatory as well.  
So I went back to Toufen and all the members thought it was wildly cool I came back.  They kept cracking jokes about me getting married and they told me to be sure to come back with my husband and little baby... I was like that's going to be a while...looooonnnng time!

LOVE YOU !!!!! 

Also, we were given about a billion waffles by our LA (less active) who just dumped the whole mix into a container and didn't realize that it made over 60 waffles.  God loves us :) 

Love you all and have a FANTASTIC WEEK!

Look who got her predeath letter....it's asking which airport I want to fly into and if my parents are going to be at the airport.  So hope you'll be there because I already checked that you'll be there.  

Got my going home questionnaire

This is xu jm...so cute! 

Sister Jensen, Xu JM, Sister Fisher