Monopoly!

Hey all,

 

So, this week was great, had some tummy troubz for a few days but luckily it was just during study time in our apartment so I pretty much just studied in the bathroom for a few hours, but as soon as we went out God helped me not have to go (seriously, on a bike in a skirt far from home with not many sanitary bathrooms except for mcdonalds, I was so happy).

 

This week my companion saw my legs for the first time. And by saw I mean she noticed them (because let's be real, I wear skirts all the time and shorts every morning for exercize); and so funny. She goes, "WOW! You have luo bo tui!" I was like, what? She didn't know how to say it in English so I looked it up and it means radish legs. She said my calf muscles were big and defined (in broken English) and that I have radish legs. So I said, "I'll take that as a compliment." And she says, "Some people feel that's a compliment, but most don't." Hahahah I love my comp, so funny. And then she asked what we called arm fat and I said Relief Society Arms, then she said in Asia they call it Butterfly Wings. Which I think is a much more beautiful name, if a child asks why their grandma has so much skin there, they can just say, I have butterfly wings. So much prettier.

 

We were knocking doors and going down this street when we went around this small corner and it suddenly got dark, super sketchy, and scary. My companion said in Chinese, I'm scared. And I felt the spirit prompt us to leave (although common sense probably would have too). I know the Holy Ghost can warn and protect us in all we do, and I am so grateful for the power of the spirit in my life.

 

Last week I learned the importance and power of praying a lot. By saying prayers in faith we were led to multiple houses and people who were very interested in our church or God or just needed help with something. Since learning that I can't do anything by myself, I need the power of God and His spirit to guide me in order for me to do anything or convert anyone to a belief in God, I have been praying all the time. In fact, I have been praying so much that I have started to get arm zits. Really gross, but when you're so sweaty all the time and you fold your arms to pray and sweaty arm goes on sweaty arm, zits are inevitable. I think I'll just hold my hands together when I pray now...haha but I really do know that God listens to and answers our prayers as we ask in sincerity!

 

To address this week's subject matter. Monopoly. Yamaha has a monopoly here in Taiwan. They have a corner on both the Scooter/moped markets as well as the electric piano market. Those are the two things that every Taiwanese needs the most. A scooter to get around and a piano so they can become musical geniuses (no joke, they are all so talented!).

 

Another funny thing this week, we went to visit someone who was baptized a long time ago but hasn't been back to church in a while (a less active) so we go to her house and this boy answers and with the glass door closed, tries to talk to us but we can't really hear each other. So he goes to the back of the house to a small group of people and talks to them. They all come to the door and my companion says, "Does Ms. Dai live here?" The mom says, "No, no one here is named Dai." At the same time a little girl says, "You la!" (Yes there is!) And then a little boy goes, "Wait, aren't you Dai Ying Xie?" And the woman kept insisting that that person had moved. So funny.

 

This week our mission president asked us to focus on giving out copies of the Book of Mormon, my companion and I gave out 10 (instead of the usual 3 we give out) and I realized that as we focus on the Book of Mormon and the simple power and comfort that can come from reading it, others can feel the spirit and are inspired to continue meeting with us. We have gotten most of our new investigators through giving out the Book of Mormon. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that if anyone takes the invitation to "read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the bessage it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost." I also know that it "tells men what they must do to gain peace in this life and eternal salvation in the life to come." (Introduction to the Book of Mormon.) It's a great book and has helped me feel love and peace through some of the hardest times in my life.

 

If anyone thought I would come back more humble from my mission, they were definitely wrong. How could I come back more humble when everyday on the street people are complimenting me? (Granted, usually I get complimented because I'm white...) But this old woman who I'm pretty sure has alzheimers told me like 15 times in the 20 minutes we talked to her and walked her back to her house, that her skin is so wrinkly but mine is so beautiful and white. And a few other ladies told me how beautiful I am and how good my Chinese is, and how skinny I am and I'm like, wow, I'm pretty awesome. Haha. But I know that humility is placing our trust in God and giving Him the credit for our success and that all we do on a mission is only made possible through God's power.

 

I love all of you and I am praying for you everyday! Thank you so much for your prayers and support. I know that God will bless you for every good thought, word, and act you do. He's a nice guy.

 

Love,

Sister Perkins