Sister Rachel Caroline Edwards: Monday June 24, 2013

Monday June 24, 2013

Dear Family and Friends

This week has been so good! I've loved it! I really love Taiwan! The language is still a struggle, but I'm working on it and trusting the Lord will help me. And help me be brave! I'm trying to be fearless, but it is really scary! Sometimes I think its better I can't speak Chinese. I know I'm going to look like an idiot anyway, but since I don’t know the language they don’t expect anything better and so there's not so much fear about saying the wrong thing. I think I understand a bit more. Thank you, all your support really helps me so much.

So we usually wake up at 5:30 to email because p days are busy with lots of things to do. Last week I begged and got my wish-- more time at the computer (I ended up using 1:40), but usually we just pay for an hour, which includes reading emails, responding, and writing the required letter to the president, and I am a slow writer. So far my letters to the president have only been a few sentences-- I figure he probably is grateful since he reads all of the missionary letters. It stresses me out-- I want to stay in contact with everyone and tell them I love them, but there just isn't time.

So this past Saturday, June 22, one of the investigators we picked up from the Elders, when we took over part of their area, had her baptism interview, and will be baptized next week! It's exciting!! She is so strong. She is more involved and active in the church then a lot of members. She has two kids, and one is nine. Her husband doesn't want them getting baptized. He doesn't have a problem with her getting baptized, but I think he wants the kids to be old enough to make the decision on their own. This woman is so good to us! When we met with her earlier in the week, she gave us some bao2zi (this is like a white fluffy steamed bread with meat or red beans in the middle--really yummy), then she fed us and the elders dinner on Friday night, then on Sunday when she came to church, she brought us these little custard desserts (I'm pretty sure it was a form of crème Brule; it was all so delicious)

The ward members are SO good to us here. On Monday a ward member brought us over a big brownie, still steaming hot. During the week a young woman dropped off custard and winter melon tea (no tea leaf) while we were exercising. Another member poked her head in the door a couple nights ago and gave us croissants and drinks. These drinks look EXACTLY like beer . . . we laughed for a long time. Especially when we met the elders on the way home that night and were splitting the goods with them on the side of the street . . . it definitely looked like the missionaries were exchanging bottles of beer. We had three different people ask us for dinner this Sunday, June 23, and they fought over us in Relief Society! We ended up going to a different member's house last night for dinner than was originally planned. We have been fed once a day since Wednesday June 19, to today, and we have a dinner appointment tonight too! Needless to say, I'm already gaining the weight the missionaries say is impossible not to here. The food is delicious, but very very very greasy. Everything is soaked in oil, even the veggies.

This week we've laughed a lot--especially over the bugs. A couple of days ago we returned to our our bikes. A spider had been busy, and made a MASSIVE web very close to my companion’s bike. In fact part of the web was connected to her bike. It was actually kind of cool, but the spider was on it and freaking us out. We laughed a lot.

A cool story: a couple of days ago we were contacting and met these two girls who were interested--especially one of them. We met with them the next day (Sat) and taught the first lesson, and although I don't think they really understood everything, they were still interested to meet again. I really like them!! The interested girl, who's English name is Anna, is already Christian and is obviously very interested in God and religion. The other girl is her friend, and I think is still just kind of along for the ride, to be with her friend, but I have high hopes for them. Although I really just hope they can feel the spirit, because this week I've realized yet again how hard teaching is and just how REALLY bad I am at it! It’s so hard even when I understand the Chinese! Which I think might be getting a little better . . . it's hard to tell.

You know something about miracles? I think there are probably more than we realize every day. If there is one thing I know, it is that God loves all his children (and that the Book of Mormon is true :)), and I think he is looking out for all of them all the time. I think that implies having a hand in everyone's life, whether or not we realize it.

Another little miracle before I have to go-- We were teaching a lesson, and I actually understood more than usual. Not a ton, but some, and then I remembered a scripture that I really felt like would help our investigator. After I shared I kind of lost track of the subject of what we were teaching, but it made it more obvious to me the gift of tongues the Lord had given me. He allowed me to understand enough to share the testimony I needed to. It was cool.

Oh if you can send printed pictures mom I would love that!!

Love,

Sister Edwards