Week 80: Temple Day

Wow I don't even know what to say about this week....

Filled with more miracles??? Yup :) God has been soooo good to us, and I don't know why. Sister Weaver is so sweet and she's like 'This is like the first time I've had success on my mission. I am just so grateful. We are so happy. And also sooo nervous for the transfer. I just am so so so grateful.  It was a confidence booster for me to see that I could be part in making a red area green.

Our investigators are doing great. Nancy was out of town this week so we didn't get to meet with her. She's the self contacted one who was just like "I just need a little push" and who is already following the word of wisdom. Yea she's incredible. We are excited to meet with her again this week. 

We met a SWEET new investigator this week. Who is basically our best friend. Her name is Jamie. Her english is really good. We met her at English class. She's taking us out to hike next monday. FUN! She set a baptismal date and is reading and praying. So awesome!!! 

We also saw some cool miracles in just meeting people. Like we were doing language study and I just started talking to this family next to us, and they set up with us and met with the dad the next day!!!! So so awesome. There were two little kids and they were both holding my hand as we crossed the street. Something I really love about Taiwan is that we call kids little brother or little sister or little kids will call us older sister or auntie. SOOO CUTE!!!!!

Then we met another really cool new investigator, named Zoe. She was a referral from the elders. She just got married and her husband lives in Gaoxiong. So she's living here alone. We talked about prayer and how it can help us to have a support and I really felt guided to say something I don't usually say which was just that other people don't really understand what we are going through. But God does. And then we prayed for her. And afterwards she said "When you prayed I really felt my heart at peace. My heart has been very unpeaceful recently and now I just feel at peace. And I agree with what you said. I feel like He knows how i feel. And I was really moved" It was really cool. She was really interested in our message (we shared the restoration) and she committed to praying and reading. We will set a date with her next time :) She's incredible. We told her whenever she feels sad about her husband being gone she can just call us haha. :) I love her already. 

I had a special moment during her lesson though. We were sitting in this family mart and Sister Weaver was talking and this American song came on. As I was trying to focus on Sister Weaver, I just had this overwhelming sadness come over me. My heart just dropped as I realized where I was, what I was doing, and how it was going to be over soon. Here I was teaching this precious women about the restored gospel. Teaching her about her loving Heavenly Father, in Taiwan, and I was speaking CHINESE. And I almost got teary eyed thinking about how my life was about to go back to normal. That I was about to be able to listen to music again, and stuff like that. I am so grateful for this time. For this work, and for Taiwan. I've met so many incredible people and I've been completely changed. I would do it over again in a heartbeat. 

Also, we did all our dying stuff with President and Sister Jergensen on Friday. We went up to Taibei and started off with our exit interviews. President is so inspired and basically he just taught me from the scriptures. 2 Nephi 5-is the blueprint to happiness. He asked if I had any concerns and at the moment I couldn't really think of any...which is ridiculous because I have a lot. But I just felt at peace. I told president I don't want this time to be up, and President said "But God does" And as soon as I heard those words I knew. I knew that this was my time. That it was coming to a close but that's what God wanted. My heart was at peace and everything was better. 

We then went to lunch. Sister Toronto and I were companions :) So we got to go to lunch together and just talked. And then we went to the temple with President and Sister Jergensen. And it was all in Chinese.......crazy. I had a very precious moment with President. I walked into the celestial room and president comes over and asks me a question. I then proceed to ask him questions about the temple and we just sad down together and talked about the truths of the gospel. Sitting there next to him was just so special and I'm so grateful for him and his guidance and knowledge. I know he is called of God to lead this mission and I know one of the reasons I came to this mission was to learn from him and Sister Jergensen. I remember Elder Evans coming to our mission last year and saying something along the lines of before this life, you learned from your mission president, and you prepared together to serve the Lord. Something like that. It was cool. Anyway. That's my rant. 

Afterwards, we went to dinner with him and his wife, and his twins, and the senior couples. It was delicious and fun to be together. Then afterwards, we went to his house and had a little fireside testimony meeting thing. All the dying missionaries (which was 4) shared experiences and shared about our mission. It was fun. Very special to be in the home of President and his closing prayer made me teary eyed. I felt prepared to go home. And then, still had two more weeks haha. I woke up the next morning and just kept doing missionary work. Best thing ever :) It's cool because I've thought a lot less about going home then ever before. Just focusing on the work and loving every second. 

I love this gospel with all of my heat. I don't know who I would be with out church, without Jesus Christ, and without my mission. 

I'll talk to you all next week........the last one.....scary!!!!!!

Love,

Sister Roberts

羅姐妹

I put a pamphlet in my helmet to keep the water off my face and it stuck to my head

Stake Conference ... our stake is too big for the building so we met at a meeting center

Stake Center

Week 79: Easter Transformations

Well first of all HAPPY EASTER!!!!!!! In Chinese it's 復活節 (fu huo jie) which is just resurecction holiday. Or restore life holiday. Love Chinese!!! 

So this week was a week of transformations!!!! Our area went from being a red area to a green area in one week!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHH so proud!!! We found an insane amount of new investigators and had a lot of people come to church! All because we worked hard and just kept having faith!!!! Let me tell you some of these miracles... :) 

SO last week we met this cool women, Hong XJ and because it started to rain we actually didn't talk very long. But we got her number and called her later. She set up with us, and we gave her a chapel tour and it was really awesome. We taught her the first lesson as well and it's hard to explain but she is so prepared! She also set a baptismal date and said she would bring her son to church. Well hou lai (turns out) that her husband said no and that she couldn't meet with us. Which is sad and basically broke my heart but it was really cool to meet her. 

Then last week we also met a cute women going to eat food. We asked for her number and asked if maybe another time we could go eat together and share more. She said yes. Well we met with her this week, and what happened? She became a new baptismal date investigator. AHHHHHH what the heck? She is the cutest !!! Her name is Claire or Sister Lai. 

Then after we had a lesson with Hong JM, we get a call from the zone leaders saying they just had a women come up to them and tell them her family are members and she's not. But that she's ready to hear the missionary discussions again. *Sister Roberts's mouth drops* We meet with her and she literally is the most prepared person I've ever met! She met with missionaries in America but because she didn't speak much English she had her sister translate and it was kinda awkward. And she said she just didn't get an answer. SO yea. She set a baptismal date, committed to praying and reading, and also mentioned the word of wisdom and said she has been man man quitting but needed a push. So what did we do? We gave her a push! And committed her to following the word of wisdom. SOOOOOO CRAZY!!!!! MIRACLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There are so many more but just one last one. Sunday night, we were trying to figure out where to go because our qing ke went too long and our lesson just kinda fang\d us. But we prayed and decided we would go to this mall. But something Sister Weaver and I have been trying to do is just talk to everyone and really follow the Spirit. So we did, and it led us down a few random streets, and things like that. Well didn't talk to too many prepared people, but the timing was so perfect that when we got close to the mall place, Sister Weaver (who was leading) started talking to this woman. Turns out, she contancted this same woman about a month ago and we ended up meeting her whole family and they all set up with us!!!! Dad, son, and mom. 

We also had a lot of people come to church. All the missionaries spoke in church and Sister Weaver and I sang. It was beautiful!!! Such an incredible experience. We had a mom and her 11 year old daughter come from English class to see us sing and It was so fun sitting next to my cute little 11 year old english student. her name is Ivy. They seemed to like church and they said they want to know more. So :) Yea we'll teach them :D 

I think the biggest thing I've learned recently is just how to SLOW DOWN and follow the Spirit. Or follow what your heart is telling you. I've been so much more relaxed and more calm about everything. Just trying to do what God wants, and that's when the success came. Sister Weaver is so cute she's like "This is the most success I've had my whole mission!" I'm so happy for her and I just hope it continues after I'm gone. 

I love this gospel so much. I can't believe how fast time flies, and I really don't want to come home. I want to keep helping these people come unto Christ. I want to help these people and see them be baptized!!! AHHHHHH! I don't ever want it to end! But I know it has to and the only thing I can do is just keep being a missionary. Keep working hard and leave the area knowing I worked my hardest. 

I know God lives. I know that He loves us. I know that He is guiding us. In our personal matters and in this work. He sent His Son Jesus Christ to atone for us and to help us in our everyday matters. Through Him, we can live again. 

I love being a missionary and I hope you all know that. 

Love,

Sister Roberts

Making easter gifts for the young women

Zhua bing truck ... I love street food!

from one of our English Students

Ivy - English student

Angela

Ward dinner party

Learning to exercise from an 80 year old  Ama - she's incredible!

companion study!

Bike lane

Black Sesame noodles

Claire

Today or tomorrow is one of the buddhist God's birthdays, so they parade around Taoyuan blaring Chinese music stuff. And riding these floats

Week 78: General Conference, Exchanges, and Zone Conference

Well this week was fantastic! 

I don't even know how to describe how I feel right now!!!!! I finally admitted to Sister Weaver that I'm dying 

​(i.e. finishing my mission) ​

in three weeks....and she knew the whole time. Or at least suspected. And I knew she did. But I just never admitted it. I kinda had to cause Sister Bao, our mission secretary called me to schedule my dying dinner with President. He qings all the dying missionaries to this INCREDIBLE buffet with Hagen

​ Daz 

ice cream? So anyway I had to admit that I was almost dead. It's pretty easy to say, but doesn't really hit my heart you know? Like I've been here for so long. This is my life. I just am going to keep going forever.... it's just hard to comprehend.  

Anyway, back to missionary life :) This week we saw some cool miracles. I realized that I haven't been talking to everyone. I've been trying? But not really. I had a sad experience where were were biking to the train station to go finding. And we passed by this big 7, and I had the thought to stop and go find in the 7 for a little. Well I rationalized with myself and just kept going.............do you realize how mad I am at myself? The thing is

​, that

 this decision was literally a split second decision and I just chose wrong. BUT that's not even the worst part. We weren't feeling the train station was where we were supposed to be so we prayed about where to go. I thought of a quan lian (it's a grocery store) on the left side of the road. I thought it was the one by our house. So I told Sister Weaver and we went. As we were biking we passed a quan lian and I thought "This is it" 

​a​

nd then just kept biking......it's such a split second decision and looking back it's super clear that I was supposed to stop but it's so hard in the moment. Anyway

​,​

I've changed and made goals to follow the Spirit quicker and just better. And we saw miracles on Sunday. We were biking to our house area because that's where we felt we should go, and as we were biking, Sister Weaver said 

​"​

Let's go visit a potential investigator" 

​s​

o we went and she set up with us!!! Then we went to the place we had felt to go, and we talked to this man, who also set up with us. All because we biked slower and tried to talk to people. I just know that God puts the prepared in our path but we have to listen to his guidance. Funny how that works huh? 

I was also really touched by the Korean Brother 

​in General Conference ​

who shared about him following the prompting to bring more missionaries to the specific missionary meeting, even though it wasn't designed for lots of missionaries. If you don't know what I'm talking about it was in the Sunday afternoon session of general conference. Go watch it :) But what I really loved was that everything rationally said that he shouldn't invite the other missionaries. BUT he followed the original prompting that he had and that's what he went with. And then they were blessed. I know that God speaks to us through our thoughts and our feelings. I know that if we have a thought of any kind, that will lead to good. We need to do it. Always follow the prompting on the first time. So that's what I'm going to be working on this next week. :D 

Our next week is packed so far. We had a lot of good set ups this week. I don't know what changed but I really think it's our comp unity. My companion has changed so much. From the first exchange I went on with her, and the first week we were together, she talks, and sometimes more than me!!! I don't know how it happened! It's incredible and I'm so proud of her! Next thing I want to do is just to back off more. And let her take more of the lead! I tend to just take over....I'm working on it. Ha. 

Also!!! We went on exchanges this week! Let me tell you it's a very strange feeling not being the sister training leader. Just being on the other side of exchanges. It was a lot less stressful, and I just learned so much. Not to say that I didn't learn when I was the sister training leader, it was just nice to leave my area and take a step back and see miracles. Sister Cullen and Armstrong are our sister training leaders. It's just a strange feeling. But it was good. I learned a lot. I was with Sister Cullen and she's an incredible missionary. :) 

Right before exchanges we had zone conference!!!!!!!!! And

​

 again

​ I​

 learned so much! Sorry that I'm going backwards in my week. But it was sooooo great. President and Sister Jergensen are absolutely incredible. Funny story too. President asked to come inspect our apartment because he heard it wasn't up to par so he was going to drive us over to check it out. But then he goes to start the car and he realizes he doesn't have the keys cause sister 

​J​

ergensen left early because she wasn't feeling well and accidentally took the keys with her. I laughed but it was pretty xin ku for him. :) He survived. I love him! A lot. I'm a fan girl for him. 100%. 

I know that this church is true. I know that I am being led by God and even though it's been harder these last couple weeks I know that God is going to and is blessing us. We already have 6 people set up for next week (potential new investigators) and I don't know how but I just know that once we set goals and plan how to fix it, that God blesses us. I love you all so much. I love this work with all of my heart. 

I think one last thing I wanted to share is just I feel like my desire for sharing the gospel has changed. At conference I realized more fully that all of these children are God's children. And as I've been talking to people, I've been trying to look in their eyes and imagine the love that Heavenly Father has for them

​ ...​

it's changed me. I love these people

​,​

 I love this work, and I love sharing the truths of the restored gospel with these people. I also love speaking Chinese. I had multiple people tell me this week that if they weren't looking at my face they would think that I was Taiwanese because of my accent. WOW grateful. I love you all so much and I'll talk to you next week!!!!

Love from Taiwan,

Sister Roberts

also thank you Lucy Meyer who sent me a letter!!! Best thing ever!!! 

Exchanges

Exchanges

This sign we see every day on the way to the church

Vietnamese treat

Our District minus 2 elders plus the zone leaders

Add caption

Watching general conference