First Bike Wreck

So yeah, sorry this email is going to be super short and not so informative. And that it's late. We are going to the temple today! So our PDay got changed and I had to wake up super early to get here and I'm not fully here and we have to go catch a train to Taipei soon.

 

But this week was awesome! We had exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders and I learned so much about how to contact people and how to ask inspired questions and that is something I'm really going to work hard on this week.

 

This week was also a week of miracles! Huang Jing hui got baptized! It was so great even though it was a little crazy. We had the baptism before our church started so she could be confirmed in sacrament meeting but the ward before suddenly wouldn't let us fill up the font, so the water was really low. And this guy who has only done like 1 baptism before was doing the baptism (which is fine, I'm all for converts helping in the baptism) but it wasn't successful the first time. Oh well. sall good. She got baptized and was super happy and bore a great testimony and has a goal to go to the temple in a year.

 

Another investigator who smokes and drinks said she heard a voice telling her she needs to get baptized next month. So she's going to be baptized on the 13 of November! And she read the whole Book of Mormon in 2 weeks! And we taught her about tithing and she saw that the scripture said it was from the book of Malachi and she was like, this is wrong. I read this. But Malachi isn't in the book of mormon. So she went and searched by herself and found the scripture that talks about tithing and I was like, wow! You're amazing! I love her so much.

 

I love watching the lives of investigators change. And Less Actives as they regain their testimonies. I love this work and I saw so many miracles this week.

 

Oh and also got in my first bike wreck this week. My comp ran into me...I was fine, I didn't even bleed. She had a huge bruise on her back and her elbow was bleeding. Whoops. But on the bright side, we got up and would have kept riding but I had to get my bike fixed. But we were all good. Lots of people stared. It was great.

 

And weird. My companion and I were searching for the house of a Less Active and we go down this tiny alley knocking all these doors to see if these people know our less active/to contact them. We look through this crack in the wall and see a woman in a kitchen. We ask if we can go in. She welcomes us, we were amazed! Then she told us to go into this other room. Weird. So we go in and there is this really fat huge guy in this chair sitting there. 2 boys smoking. A woman playing on her phone. And they pointed us to this couch and just sat there. We started chatting and talking about families being together forever and taught them how to pray when all of a sudden we find out that we are in a miao and we are in this room and the huge guy runs the miao/buddhist temple...and then this huge parade float with drums comes up as one of the smoking guys prayed. It was so weird/surreal. And it was so cool. But we will not be going to preach inside miaos again...it was accidental so I think it's a great story.

 

I love you all!

Love,

Sister Perkins

Psychopathic...Telepathic?

This week my companion told our district that we are psycopathic...what? Because we can communicate mind to mind. We all bust up laughing before she realized that psychopathic was the wrong word. It took about 4 minutes for her to think of the right word for telepathic.

 

This week was so funny and so amazing. So we had some bathroom incidents, doesn't need any further story telling since we are in Taiwan, sometimes we eat mystery food, and sometimes that mystery food gives your companion diarrhea because they just came to Taiwan. And this week was full of weirdness and miracles.

 

Weirdness:

We were wearing pants in a lesson because we went to go do service for this lady but she took us to another house to meet her two brothers. Our member who came with us helped us out a lot. The 3 siblings switched between 3 languages, Mandarin, Taiwanese, and some kind of other dialect that our member didn't understand either. So that was great. Then during this lesson (2nd time meeting with the woman) our investigator tried to give us 1000 kuai, we told her we couldn't take it. Then her brother was like, don't you have a Law of Tithing? And so he (not a member) taught the law of tithing, our member taught about priesthood blessings, and then our member gave the brother her glasses to keep so he could read the Book of Mormon, then the investigator said she didn't have any service for us to do. And it was crazy.

 

Another day we went to visit someone and they fang'd our ge zi, they weren't at home, didn't answer their phone, and only their Taiwanese speaking parents were there, so I exerted my amazing language skills and said in Taiwanese, "Whatever you're saying, I don't understand." I felt pretty cool and we left. My comp and I felt really strongly like we needed to stop at this one door. So we stopped and knocked and waited for like 7 minutes, we both really felt we should be there and we didn't know why. No one came and no one was home. And it was weird. So we walked through this small Miao (temple) to get to an alleyway, we go through and talk a little to this old man who walks away holding a bowl of curry. We feel like we should follow him, so we do. Somehow he got away from us even though he was like 70 years old and trying not to spill a bowl of curry. But we ended up talking to this dad who said he used to meet with missionaries from our church and that he had no time but that he would come to church. So that was really weird and pretty cool that he remembered meeting with missionaries when he was a kid.

 

2 days ago we rode our bikes and got lost for 2 hours to a REALLY far away place up a giant hill. We asked people for directions at like every street but everyone told us different ways to go and our map is a little outdated so that was awesome. Luckily Sister Anderson is a great sport.

 

And the day when we followed the old curry man around we set up to meet with an 18 year old Less active who moved down from Taoyuan. She is living by herself going to high school and has no friends and hasn't gone to church in about 4 years but she was the cutest. The miracle was that she agreed to read the Book of Mormon every day and pray to gain her own testimony of it's truthfulness. The weird part. We bussed SO far out and stopped in the middle of creepy no where in the middle of warehouses and cats (shudder) and finally found her house down this creepy alley. And I was like, "If I wasn't a missionary there is no way I would be here or do any of this. But since I know God is protecting me, it should be ok..." I'm so grateful to have a companion, and to be watched over.

 

Miracles:

We were talking about investigators getting ready for baptism and one will get baptized next Sunday! And the other one has a really big problem with cigarettes. She just quit drinking (she used to drink 6 bottles of beer a night) and we were trying to see when she could be baptized when my companion goes, "When would she have to stop smoking to make her baptismal date?" I said tomorrow. She said, Ok, let's call and ask her to quit by tomorrow." So we did. And at first she laughed and said it wasn't possible. Then my awesome companion says, "We have faith that you can stop, God has faith that you can stop, all that's left is your faith." It was silent and then she said, Ok. She'd do it. What a huge miracle!! She is amazing and she said she reads the scriptures and stays up late so she can read. In the past week she read from 1 Nephi to Alma 48. Wowzahs. She said she hears a little voice or like it's her own thought telling her to Hurry up and quit smoking and get baptized. So amazing. I love her so much. And she is already preparing her 6 year old daughter to be baptized when she turns 8.

 

A family of investigators who said theycould meet with us next next next week Friday showed up at our English class and said, "Can we meet with you tomorrow?" We have only been able to meet with them about once a month because they're so busy but this week we met with them twice and they are progressing so much!

 

We also visited a sick less active and a sick member and both of them told us that we are like angels here sent to bless them. I know that that feeling is the spirit working through us to help administer to their needs. God loves all of us and he usually shows his love through other people. For me that was this week through an investigator and a less active member. A member met my new companion and said, "She just got to Taiwan?? You're already training?? Did you email President Day and ask what was wrong with his brain? Just kidding." And walked away. Needless to say, I was a little put out. And a little sad. I was like, huh, yeah I've only been out here for three months. Then I remembered a General Conference quote that said something like, "When you criticize yourself, try to think, is this what God thinks of me? If not, change how you think." So I changed how I thought. God, through President Day, called me to be a trainer. So I know I can do it. It will be hard, it will take all I can to help her and to help our area grow, but I can do it. When we went to that LA and investigator's houses, they both told my trainee that she has a great trainer and that she will be so prepared in 3 months after being companions with me. That boosted my confidence a little and I was like, Yeah, I'm pretty cool. So I know that God answers prayers and helps us as we work hard.

 

I love this work, I love the weirdness, I love the miracles.

 

Love from your favorite psycho/tele-pathic missionary,

Sister Perkins

Craziness.

So crazy. This week I talked to a deaf guy on a motorcycle. Needless to say, the brief encounter I had with watching a choir sing in Chinese sign language (/boy band moves) wasn't enough for me to preach the gospel or even be nice. So I smiled and gave him a tract and felt awkward and continued riding my bike.

 

More crazy. Went "babysitting" on Thursday night. Which just means that all the new trainers take out a random trainee for the night and go proselyting for 2-3 hours. So I got paired up with a blonde sister. An Jie Mei. She was awesome and that night we had fun (she got my jokes), got mango slushies, placed 3 book of mormons, found 2 new investigators, had 3 other lessons, and found 5 potentials who really seemed like they wanted to meet again. So I was stoked. (And my confidence was boosted.) Then the next day I am SOO nervous to find out who my trainee will be. And An Jie Mei goes first and says what she likes, then President Day (aka Game show host) announces everything she likes and all her accomplishments then a slide pops up with a place name and a picture and I think I hope she's my trainee but don't want to get my hopes up too much and then my picture popped up! I leapt up, hugged/lifted her up and it was awesome. We're on the way home and chatting and she talks about her brother who went to Jerusalem this summer. Curious, I ask who he is/what his/her last name are and she says Anderson.

 

So...guess who my knew green fresh off the boat companion is? Sister Anderson. Have you ever noticed how similar "Siiissster Andersson?" is to "Missterr Andersson?" (Matrix). Because I have and I think about it all the time. And also, guess who she is! Spencer Anderson's younger sister! WHAT!?!? Craziness. Cool though. She's super nice and cool and thinks I'm awesome and laughs at my jokes and we go running together so it's awesome. But it blew my mind when I found out. She has tons of faith and is so willing to learn and try hard and I love it.

 

This week we didn't have her bike because she's brand new. So we walked everywhere and she was so willing to do everything and work hard and it was awesome. And It was a little rough with her jetlag and stuff and watching 10 hours of conference in 2 days, but it was great and I learned a lot. And last night we had a huge miracle. We go to find these LA's that we've looked for before and none of them answer/are there. Then Sister Anderson and I pull out our hymnbooks and I ask her if she felt like we finished the work we were supposed to do. She said no. We both felt like we should walk a certain way. It was 8 oclock at night and we scared this lady washing some stuff outside her house. After scaring her to death, we asked if we could sing for her. She said yes and invited us in. She proceeded to tell us all of her problems and we just let her talk, then we sang More Holiness Give Me, and she teared up. Then I said the closing prayer and prayed for her. When I opened my eyes, she was bawling. She thanked us so much. And we are going back on Friday to help her clean her house (it is like falling apart, she said when the house falls down they'll build a new one. She wasn't joking at all...haha).

 

God loves us and He is a God of miracles. I know He knows each one of us and His hand is in our lives everyday guiding us. I promise if you look for how God's hand was in your life today, you will notice it and as you continue to do it, you will continue to notice blessings that you were taking for granted, and that you will be more happy and see more miracles in your life. I know this because I did it too.

 

I love you all and hope you have a fantastic week!

Love,

Sister Perkins

"It feels like the first time"

This was a week of firsts: First time I have done Taiqi at 6:30 in the morning with random old ladies. First time I have had an investigator talk about Arnold Schwarzenegger (is that how you spell his name?). First time an investigator dreamed about Jesus talking to her. First time I have gotten a phone call to tell me that I will be a new trainer. First time I realized what a strange land I have come to (I realize I lived here before, but now I suddenly realize how amazingly different it is from the Taiwan I lived in in 2006.). First time in Sacrament Meeting someone read aloud a printed list of the people who visited them while they were sick and said, "I'm not mad if you didn't visit me. Just mad if you said you would and didn't." (Us and our investigator were cracking up.) First time I've gone on splits with the Young Women. First time I've been let into a house when we knocked doors. First time a random guy on the street goes, "Mormons? Joseph Smith is a prophet." And walks away. First time we're given popsicles (peanut and passion fruit flavor) while knocking doors. First time a lady walked up and said, "Hey, I read half the Book of Mormon but can't find it. Can I have another copy?" First time we handed out 10 Book of Mormons in 1 day. First times are awesome. And I know with a new trainee there will be a lot more first times in the weeks and months to come.

 

Welcome to the land where anemics eat apples, hitting oneself counts as exercize, a food called stinky bean curd is widely accepted and loved, and no matter how hot it is, you wear a sweater, pants, and facemask so the sun doesn't touch any part of your body. Obviously, I have a lot to learn still. But I love this strange land so much. And I know they think I'm stranger than I think they are, but like the scriptures say, we're a peculiar people. It's strange that I like to eat instant noodles, and that I eat ice cream when I am on my period, and that I don't wash my hands after every single time I go outside whether I am going to eat or not, and that I sing while I ride my bike, and that I enjoy saying hi to random people and smiling at them. But they'll laugh at me, I laugh at them, and we all love each other.

 

This week was a week of miracles. Most of them happened on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. On Wednesday we had the best spiritual share we have EVER had in English class. Usually people talk and don't listen. And Wednesday's class was especially bad. People talked so much that the other teacher had to raise her voice and tell them to be quiet. 2 people in the front row started fighting over a pen. And it was awkward and we didn't know what to do. But when we started sharing about the Savior and the importance of the sacrament and how we don't have crosses on our church because we celebrate his life and his resurrection, not his death. We don't have Christ's Deathday! Let's celebrate! We have Christmas and Easter. "He was resurrected on Easter moron."  (Cheaper by the Dozen.) And everyone listened and loved it. It was awesome.

 

Thursday we met with the dream and Arnold Schwarzenegger investigator. So funny. She said she had a dream the Jesus told her to come to church to play and that before she could join our church, she has to get my companion a boyfriend, and Jesus said that he would give her member friend a white husband. So I'm not sure if this dream was a good or bad thing. Then she started talking about the actor/mayor from New York and I was so confused until she started acting out how strong Arnold Schwarzenegger is and I finally got it. But she agreed to pray and knows that our meeting her was a sign from God.

 

Friday was the first day that our day actually went according to our plan! We had 6 lessons. And they were all great! We had an investigator whose family can only meet with us once a month say, "But if, or when I get baptized, how will I get a hold of you to let you know so you can come back and watch?" One of the happiest moments.

 

On Saturday we went on splits with the Young Women and we had so many miracles. A lot of the firsts came from this day. The young women shared their testimonies on Sunday in testimony meeting about how many miracles they saw, and they were like, "I dont' know why people say missionaries get rejected a lot, so many people accepted tracts, Book of Mormons, and agreed to talk to us." They saw someone accepting a tract as a miracle. Maybe we just have a skewed perception. Maybe the Young Women are right. Everyone who talks to us, or says hi, or smiles is a miracle. If those things count, then life isn't just for trials, life is for seeing and noticing the miracles. Because there are miracles all around us everyday if we just take the time to notice them.

 

And yesterday night we finally met a Less Active who we've been wanting to meet for ages. And she told us she'd take us out to dinner tonight! I love this work so much and being on a mission is the happiest I've ever been. When people choose to change their life for good, there is nothing better. I know the Lord hears and answers our prayers.

 

I love you all!

Love,

Sister Perkins