Week 72: Rain, Rain, Go Away ...

大家好！這個禮拜過得很好。我們每一個禮拜都會看到很多的奇蹟！

This week was great! We saw a lot of cool miracles and had a lot of fun:) We went on 3 more exchanges this week and only have one more left! 

We saw a lot of miracles BUT it basically was raining from Thursday to Sunday. No pause.... not complete downpour but enough to make you wet!!! We forgot to take pictures of us in our yu yi's (rain coats/ponchos) Sorry. 

But I really actually love exchanges!!!! The week started off with the SongShan sisters. Sister Reinhard and Kim. They are in training and Sister R is training Sister K. I love them both. We had so much fun and saw some cool miracles. 

Sister Kwan and Peck came on Thursday. And it was a blast! I love them both! I was Sister Peck's sister training leader when she was born and now she's breaking someone (is someone's second companion). It's just super crazy how time flies! Literally insane. I was with Sister Kwan and it was super fun. She's such a great missionary and just wants to learn so much. 

Then the week finished with Sister Austad and Chao. Who are also in training. I was with Sister Chao and I love her! She's pretty shy when talking to people but she's ABC and her parents are from HongKong. So she's picked up Chinese fast. But she's still shy about it. It was a fun exchange as well. 

Our investigators are doing great! We're still just working on talking to everyone. And finding the prepared. Huang JM and Leo are doing great! Guess who finished reading the BOM? Leo did.... haha crazy right??? We also met with the dad this week. Xie DX. But it was on exchanges so I wasn't there. It went alright. He's not really willing to read the book though. I talked to Huang JM on the phone the next night and she just was like "I don't know why but I was just so mad. I just told him, you have to read it if you want to know it's true! You pray and you ask and then you get  a nice feeling" She's sooooo funny and soo cute. She just told me how she believes it's true. Also her and Leo moved their date a week earlier and asked if we could teach them faster haha. I told them I was leaving on the 23rd of March (transfer day) and she wants to make sure I"m there. Cute. But we wouldn't have moved up their date if they weren't ready. We're going to start sharing commandments this next week. Xie DX has still been coming to church though. He's just more man man lai. Just a little slower. 

Liao JM is starting on her family history!!!1 She found her mom's name and submitted it to the temple and is going to go hopefully next week!!!! She's gonna be baptized for her mom!!! Maybe the week after cause she still has to do an interview!!!how incredible is that???? I'M SO EXCITED!!!! She's incredible :)

Dai JM is also working on her family history!!! Yay!!! I can't wait. 

So fun miracle that happened. On exchanges last week we met this man named Charlie. He's a nice man. I was crossing the road and this car almost (not really)hit me. We were on foot. I said hello to him because we were both crossing the street and he goes "Hey watch out!" And He's like "Are you not afraid of cars?" I said "No" And we just talked some more. Well he's Christian and he's just like "I try the best that I canto go to church" But he's busy and can't really. Well that was that. He didn't give us his number or anything and we moved on. But then a couple days later, I met him again on the street! I invited him to English class and he said he would try his best. Do you know who came to English class? Charlie did! :)Then we talked to him more and he gave us his number and we tried to set him up for a temple tour (because we're going to do temple tours this next week) and he's like "Ok I'll try" He talked to me about how he's met missionaries a lot and he just thanked me cause he's like "yOu're the only one I've met twice"I just told him I thought it was 神的安排. (God's schedule) and he agreed. He told us that he would try to go to the temple tour. Well we get a call on Sunday from the temple tour sisters and they told us that our english student named Charlie had come to do a temple tour and that he was super cool. They said that he just had a lot of questions about which church was true and yea! It was just really cool :) I love the name Charlie. He reminds me of my friend Charlie in Yilan. Good days. 

I have just grown such a strong testimony of faith on my mission. I know that our faith and attitude work hand in hand. And I can just feel a night and day difference when I have faith and when I don't have faith. I know that God works through our faith and if we don't have faith, He literally can't bless us (as much). I hope that made sense. I know God lives. I know Christ lives. I know that through Christ we can become complete. I have seen it in others lives and I have seen it in my own life. 

I love you all!!!!! 

Love,

Sister Roberts 

Week 71: Another week gone by

Well...

Another week has already gone by, and I just don't know where it went!!! Honestly, times flies. 

We had a good week. Sister Yee and I went on two exchanges. One with the JingMei sisters(Sister Wong - my second companion, and Sister Munsee) and then the XinDian sisters (Sister McKim and her trainee Sister Wang - my previous companion Sister Wang's little sisters). FUN! I was with Sister Wong and Sister McKim. And they were both really fun exchanges! It was super weird being Sister Wong's companion again. It brought back so many memories! I'm really grateful that I can go on exchanges because I've learned so much from these Sisters. I've been so impressed by the amazing missionaries that we have in the Taiwan Taipei mission. 

Nothing too crazy happened this week. We had some lessons with some investigators, had some finding time, etc. Met some cool people, and yea :) 

Huang Jm and Leo and are doing great! Their dad came to church again this week (we didn't invite him, we aren't really in touch with him. Well at all) and he even came dressed up in a suit!!!! (don't know who told him, but he looked great). And stayed for all three hours! We are hoping we can start to teach him too. Huang JM is all about not pushing him and just letting him decide for himself. But basically Huang JM and Leo were like "Are you going to get baptized? Cause if not, we are going to be over here, and changing, and you won't be"Which I think I mentioned that last week but I just think it's hilarious. We just taught them the Plan of Salvation, and wanna know something incredible? Leo basically taught Sister Yee and her companion the plan of salvation. He's incredible. I think he has as p ergers... and it's been hard for his Mom and him, like socially at school and stuff. Which is why they are so interested in the gospel. Huang JM tells us all the time about how Leo's already changed, and how she's changed. And she prays about things and gets answers for it, it's absolutely incredible. She is so happy. After church, I turned to her and she just stood up absolutely beaming, and she just looked soooo happy. She also asked us if she could move her baptismal date up because Leo ha something going on that week at school. I'm so grateful that we have met them! 

Liao JM and Dai JM both came to church which makes me sooooo incredibly happy. And we are going to get them started on their family history this week and prepare them for the temple!!! Ya!!! 

Other than that, I really don't know what to say. Sister Yee and I are just focused on finding the prepared. We want more prepared investigators! :D 

This work is real. I can't say it enough. I have learned so much about the gospel while I've been here, and it's interesting because it's all things that I knew before, but didn't quite understand. The biggest three, are faith, repentance, and the Holy Ghost. And it's super cool because these things are three parts of the doctrine of Christ. And it's interesting because we talked a lot in MLC about the doctrine of Christ and how when we understand the doctrine of Christ our behavior changes. I've just been thinking a lot about how I can better understand the doctrine of Christ, And it's been really interesting because I realized the three biggest things I've learned about the gospel are three important parts of the doctrine of Christ. Something I thought I already knew. But didn't know how to apply. I know that this gospel is real. God loves us, and Christ is our Savior. 

I love this work and I love you all!!! Have a great week!!

Love,

Sister Roberts

Photos below from our trip to Yang Min Shan with Linda (my Dad's work colleague)

Week 70: Baptisms & Investigators ... what more could you want?

大家好！！！！

Hello!!

This week was incredible. Absolutely incredible. I love 永和。我愛也葉姐妹。(I love Sister Yee) and I just love everything about Taiwan. We had two baptisms this week!!!!!! Dai JM and Liao JM got baptized!!!! ANDANDAND Wang DX baptized them!!!!! Liao JM had to be baptized 3 times because she didn't go all the way under but that's ok. It wasn't anyone's fault. It just happened :)Then Dai JM's went really smooth.They both shared their testimony and Dai JM was terrified. That's like her biggest fear is being on a stage talking to people. But she did it and it was great. I love her so much. Liao JM is so precious and we were hoping that her husband would come but he couldn't. Or didn't. So that's a bummer. Dai JM before we went to bed, texted us and said "I just did something I haven't ever done. I hugged my mom and told her I love her" And then she said she told her she was baptized, and that her mom wasn't mad. Precious!!! This gospel is real and it changes people. 

They were both confirmed yesterday. And the ward was soooo excited about them. They flocked around them and just took them in. The ward is amazing. I love Yong He. I can't say it enough. 

This week we had 7 new investigators!!! Which is also unheard of. The standard of excellence is 4. We've been so so blessed. 4 of those investigators are 2 families!!! We got this referral from the computer system (ARPS) and we called her. She said she wanted to read the Bible because she thinks it will really help her son. Well we met with her and her son (Huang JM and Leo) and we shared the Book of Mormon and she was hooked. Her and her son read and discuss it every morning and they also have baptismal dates!!!! What??? So incredible!

Then the other family is Lu JM and her son Jason. I met them last transfer at a stoplight. I turned to talk to the mom on her motor scooter and asked if we could use 5 min to talk to her. She said "I'm already Christian"and I said "just 5 min" and she said "OK!" Then we talked to her, and it was great. Well she gave us her number and we set up with her and then things happened and she kinda disappeared but we kept her on the board and kept calling her. I called her last week telling her I was probably leaving and that we wanted to meet with her. She set up with us and now is a new investigator and incredible. Her and her son. They don't have a baptismal date yet but we are hoping to talk to them about it tonight!!! YAY!!!! Incredible!!!!

Then we found some other really cool people :D I love this work!!!

We had some sad things happen too. We called Nancy trying to set up with her, and she kinda ma'd Sister Yee. (Ma means to scold) and just told her that we were giving her stress and trying to force her when she didn't believe. So we just told her we were sorry and that we weren't going to keep meeting with her. I just don't understand because she comes to church every week and then says that she doesn't believe in God and doesn't like that He thinks He's number 1.... it's ok. 

Then Grace also dropped her baptismal date because she thinks it's too fast and gives her stress. She's already Christian and she brought up a lot of concerns with us about the differences in churches and yea. So we will continue to work with her. BUT it's all good. 

We also had MLC this last week and I just walked away feeling so excited to do the work. I feel like I just have more direction on how to be a better missionary and just feel so happy!!! I have really felt different this week because I think I narrowed down what I wanted to improve, and I just feel like I've been working even harder than before and it just feels good. I haven't been thinking about going home, I am constantly thinking about these people and our Sisters, and I just am really focused on being better.  

We are starting exchanges again this next week so we will be going on three exchanges this week, and then three the next week!!! YAY! I'm excited :D 

I know this work is real. I can't explain how much I've grown from my mission. I've learned so much and just gained so much confidence in myself. I remember one of the first interviews I ever had with President, he said "Not to give you stress, but I think you're incredible and I expect great things from you" And I just hope and pray that I have lived up to that expectation. I hope I have pleased God and hope that I can always do better. 

I love the Savior. He is our Redeemer. Through Him, we all will receive eternal life. I know that baptism is the door to eternal life, and that it can bless our lives beyond our wildest imagination. I have seen seen people's lives change, and I know that it's through the Savior. And it's through baptism. I love this work. This is God's work. His hand is in our lives everyday. I'm so grateful for be here. Words cannot express how grateful I am. I love you all and hope you have a great week!!!!

Love,

Sister Roberts

Sister Wang and her sister

Twins!

Our church building in Yong He

Week 69: Transfers!

SO FIRST OF ALL THIS WEEK IS TRANSFERS AND I THOUGHT FOR SURE I WAS LEAVING BECAUSE I'VE ALREADY BEEN A STL FOR 4 TRANSFERS BUT I JUST GOT A CALL FROM PRESIDENT WHO TOLD ME I WAS STAYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 AHHHHHHHHHHH I GET TO STAY IN YONGHE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHH THIS IS LITERALLY THE PROMISED LAND AND EVERYTHING IS JUST GOING RIGHT AND i AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That means I get to be there for Dai JM's and Liao JM's baptism!!!! I'M JUST SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

This week was again, full of miracles!!!!!! Absolutely full of miracles!!! We had 7 people at church. We've had so many set ups for this week, and things are just going soooo well!!!!! I can't believe it!!!

Liao JM passed her baptismal interview on Sunday and she's all set to be baptized on Saturday!!!!!!!!!! She's so amazing. She was helping out Nancy after church. Nancy asked her some questions and Liao JM was just like "You should read the BOM, it will really help" And then she was telling us this last week about her husband and her relationship. About how before she met with the missionaries, her and her husband fought a lot and that now, they don't. And she was telling us all about how her friends have even noticed her and her husbands relationship. There's more love and just how he's changed too. She said he usually waits outside while she goes grocery shopping but he came in with her and even helped her pick food. And she was so happy :) This gospel is real!!! She was also telling me about how she just randomly had a thought in church about how she could improve. Aka revelation and the Spirit. What???? I can't believe how incredible she is!!!!!

Sister Yee and I have felt so bad, because Dai JM really really really wants to be baptized on Saturday. And just because of how things worked out with Chinese New Year and me getting sick, we weren't able to share the Word of Wisdom with her until last week. So she committed to living the word of wisdom and she is quitting her coffee addiction of like 20-30 years!!!! She's sooooo incredible. She works at a coffee and tea shop too which we didn't know.....so it's super hard for her. Please please pray for her!!!! She's doing her baptismal interview this week. So hopefully she can get baptized on Saturday. If not Saturday, then the next week I think :D I'm so excited!!!! She's incredible!!!

This gospel is real!!!!! There's no other way to say it. We went to the temple with Wang DX on Friday, and it was one of the sweetest moments for me on my mission. First of all, I love him a lot. Second of all, he brought his own family names to do baptisms for. So just being there, and seeing him in white, was one of the most precious moments. I really can't describe it. But it was incredible. Also, a bunch of members from our ward were also helping out in the temple so it was super awesome to see them all there. And I was just overcome with gratitude for these people, and for the temple, and for my missionary calling. I feel like I just got a taste of exactly why I am here. Wang DX was baptized, and then he helped about 20 of his ancestors be baptized.... and has a lot more. Absolutely incredible. 

We are still adjusting to the new schedule.... our days are pretty full so it's hard to fit study time in in the afternoon, and if we can't do it in the afternoon then we just do it in the morning like usual. 

OH I wanted to share another incredible miracle with you. But first some background. So the week before Christmas, Sister Tinsley and I were in the are of this restaurant called "Worldwide famous dou jian" And we decided to eat there for dinner. Well we get there and this lady who works there gives us a discount on the meal and says "I used to go to your church, and haven't been there for a long time" We said 'REALLY?" And started talking. From what it sounded like she was a LA but we invited her to come to church for Christmas, and she came!!! While she was at church, we found out that she wasn't LA and she was a former investigator. WELL We love investigators :) She had been talking to a member a lot during church and she ultimately said I want to be baptized. So we tried to set up with her and she was too busy that week. But I kept calling her. (Her name is XieJM)  Well she doesn't answer. This week, we picked a general area to go to on the map and went there to go finding. We went the right way but the area turned out different than what we expected ( it ended up being a highway) so we turned around and as we go back, i realized we passed the restaurant that Xie JM works at. I hop off my bike and told Sister Yee just one second. I go up to the front desk and ask if Ms Xie is there. This lady calls someone on the phone and so I talk to her on the phone :) And she's like "Yea I can come on Saturday at 10:30" And I was like "perfect" then we say goodbye and I go back to sister Yee and I"m like "we just got a set up" And she just stands there like "what?" Haha fun. Anyway, we met with her on Saturday, and she's incredible. She's like "I've already read the BOM and am reading it again. I really like it. Whenever I have any problems. I just read it" And then she set a baptismal date for April :D And she came to church on Sunday and was like "Wow it just feels like I'm coming home" And she was telling all these sisters that she is getting baptized. The only problem is that she rents out a room in her house to this 50 year old man. So right now she can't get baptized. BUT we're praying for a miracle. She's too bu hao yi si (feels too impolite) to kick him out so she's hoping he leaves himself. But just pray for a miracle. She's incredible and it's a miracle that we met her!!!!! 

I know this church is true. God's hand is in this work and He loves these people so much. I know that's He's leading and guiding us everyday and half the time if not more than half the time, we don't recognize it. But I know He's there. I can't believe how fast time has gone, and I'm just so excited to give me all these next two transfers. especially staying in YongHe!!! I'm so so so excited!!!!! I love this place!!! I love you all and hope that you have a great week!!! 

Love,

Sister Roberts

OH yea, we also have mold growing in our house...because they repainted a part but it never dried. The Bailey's looked at it and said that there's probably a leak in the wall that is preventing it from drying completely. Hence the mold.... we cleaned it today... 

this is called rice cheeks ...after you eat too much rice :-)

My favorite restaurant in YongHe

My favorite restaurant in YongHe

Wang DX ... we went to the temple with him!  So amazing!

our mold