Hello all!!!
What an incredible week! From two exchanges this week to two different areas to learning lots, passing evaluations (I passed my Lesson 4, Phase 1 Evaluation! Only one more lesson then the final pass-off with my zone leaders!) and a BAPTISM! this was probably my favorite week so far as a missionary!!!!
So, I'm leaving the baptism till last, since its the best =]
Events of the week:
*Exchange #1 to Tanzi with Sis. Fitzpatrick
*Exchange #1 to Tanzi with Sis. Fitzpatrick
*"Typhoon"
*Meeting where I got to see my elders from the MTC!
*Exchange #2 to WuFeng with Sis. Bryce
*New Missionaries coming!!
*Investigator Updates
*Week A Drop-in BAPTISM!
Here we go!
*Exchange #1 to Tanzi with Sis. Fitzpatrick!*
So the exchange happened at 10 AM on Tuesday morning. It was sister exchanges, so the assistants assigned us out and it wasn't only within our zone. I got to be with Sis. Fitzpatrick in Tanzi! If you remember, I had gone to Tanzi the week before, and it wasn't my favorite place, so I wasn't as happy to go back. But, I figured the Lord wanted to humble me, so I went happily =] And this time I was staying the night, and since it's a 4-man (meaning, two companionships) apartment, I knew we were bound to have a good night! And it turned out to be so great! It was raining because there was a "typhoon" coming, but nothing too crazy. We taught some lessons, I got to see one of the elders from my district in the MTC (that was so fun!) and we just had a whole bunch of fun! I loved it and it ended up being a really good experience.
* "Typhoon" *
So all day on Tuesday everyone was telling us, be careful! There is a typhoon coming! We were like, ok, cool. They said it was coming on Tuesday, but then that changed to Wednesday. So Wednesday came, we exchanged back from companion exchanges, and Sis. Lee was like, ok, we have a lot of English records to go through (when someone comes to English for the first time, they fill out a registration sheet). So she said, lets go home and organize and call as many as possible since there is a "typhoon" coming. So we did. And we felt super accomplished. And while it did rain a ton, and there was some crazy wind, lightning and thunder, it wasn't actually a typhoon, but just a small tropical storm. The crazy rain and such only lasted about an hour, but it did rain all day. And we still had english that night, but I didn't have any kids in my class come and Sis. Lee didn't have any people in her class. So she went to beginner English to accompany and get to know one of our new investigators and I called formers (people who were once our investigators) for 1 1/2 hours. While I only added one person (meaning we set up a time with them or they said they'd come to church - this lady said she'd come to church) I did give the elders 3 or 4 referrals, so that was good.
*Meeting where I got to see the elders from my MTC district!*
So on Friday after weekly planning but before exchanges #2, we had a meeting with all us "new" missionaries that the missionary department asked our mission president to have. And so, I got to see the three elders that came to Taiwan from my district in the MTC! I was so beyond excited to see them! I see one, Elder Terry, quite frequently as we are in the same zone, and I had just seen Elder Plate earlier last week, but I hadn't seen Elder Buckwalter since arriving on island, so it was so fun! Granted, we didn't get to really sit around and chat and see how everyone is doing, it was still really great to see them and to hear a few experiences about what's been going on in their different areas. I love those elders!
*Exchange #2 to WuFeng with Sis. Bryce*
So, normally, you don't have exchanges twice in a week, but I got lucky! This exchange was a Zone Scramble, so everyone in our whole zone (except our zone leaders) switched companions! It was way fun! I love Sis. Bryce and was so excited to be going with her. We started the scramble out with a Dan Jones and it was hai hao (like, ok...) We didn't have much time because Sis. Bryce and I needed to get back to our area, but it was still fun =] While it was an amazing exchange because I learned so much from Sis. Bryce, it was kind of lame because we left at 7 PM on Friday and exchanged back at 1 PM on Saturday. So we visited one less active on Friday night and then visited one less active on Saturday morning. We had studies till 10:30 Saturday morning and then had to leave by 12 to get back to the exchange, and lunch was before that. But, like I said, I learned a lot not about missionary work from Sis. Bryce and I'm super grateful I had the opportunity to be with her!!
*New Missionaries are COMING!*
This week! On Wednesday night! I am so excited because my beloved Sis. Taylor is coming! She was my companion for 12 days in the MTC and I adore her so much! I cannot wait to see her on Thursday when we do Dan Jones!!!!! And of course, seeing all the other amazing missionaries who were my "younger siblings" in the MTC =] It will be so fun! I'll tell all about it next week!
*Investigator Updates*
So we currently have two investigators who are progressing and have baptismal goals. They are Melody and June (we gave them those names =] ). Melody is so great, but we haven't seen her since last Sunday and she wasn't able to come to church yesterday. But, I'm not worried. Then June is our new investigator. She is a friend of one of our recent converts and she has a lot of potential. Joining the church would be a huge lifestyle change for her, but she came to church for a little bit yesterday and she has started reading the Book of Mormon. We are so excited to see what happens with her!
*Week A Drop-in Baptism!!!!!*
So, to start with, what is a Week A Drop-in? Well, when we give people baptismal goals, we give them a Week A, B, C, D, E, F or sometimes G name. This letters correspond with how far out their baptismal goal is. So, when you have a Week A drop-in, or someone who is potentially a Week A Drop-in, it is someone who is prepared to get baptized (they've had all the lessons, are keeping the commandments, have been to church 3 times and passed their baptismal interview) but for whatever reason have not, or don't want to get baptized.
So I've mentioned before about Tiffany. She was a referral to us from another sister companionship because she had moved to our area. The other sisters had already taught her all the lessons, she just needed a baptismal interview and to come to church a few times in our area (though she had already been to church 3 times). So she came to church the first Sunday we knew her, and then we couldn't get a hold of her all week because her phone was always off. And then, she randomly showed up for a baptismal interview that wasn't scheduled, but because the Lord knew that would happen, our Zone Leaders just happened to be at the chapel she showed up to (which wasn't their chapel) and they were able to do it for her. She passed and just needed to work on a few things. So, we planned on seeing her at church last Sunday but she didn't show up, so we figured she wouldn't be able to be baptized this past Saturday because she had only been to our ward for 1 hour. We tried all week to get a hold of her, but her phone was always off. We had her address, so finally on Thursday night we biked over to her house. We knew she wouldn't be home, so we wrote her notes and gave them to her guard to put in her mailbox. Friday was sister exchanges, and when I got back on Saturday, Sis. Lee was like, we got a hold of Tiffany! We are meeting with her at 3! So we planned a lesson and what to do if she hadn't been doing what she needed and whether she really could get baptized on Sunday or not. So when we met with her, she had been doing everything she needed to, and so the assistants said she could get baptized the next day since she had already been to church three times! We were thrilled! And even cooler was that her mom was going to be coming!!! So we got everything all set up, resolved a few more concerns that she had, and decided that it would actually be best for her to go to the English International Branch because she was taught all in English and doesn't understand the Chinese gospel words, and her chinese speaking ability isn't that great. She was totally fine with that. So come Sunday, I went to the English branch with her (it was so nice to hear church in English!) and she LOVED IT! Her baptism was right after church, and she got baptized with two little girls from the English branch. She was just beaming. Her mom made it and her mom loved it and was so excited to see Tiffany get baptized. This was her mom's first time at church and even though the baptismal service was all in English, she still loved it. We feel like she is very, very prepared as well and we can't wait to get missionaries over to her house as well!
Tiffany and her Mom before her baptism
Elder Badger, Tiffany and Elder Hermansen (our Zone Leaders and Elder Badger obviously baptized Tiffany =] )
Elder Badger, Tiffany and Elder Hermansen (our Zone Leaders and Elder Badger obviously baptized Tiffany =] )
Sis. Lee, Tiffany, and Me
Tiffany and I right after she was baptized!
So that was our super incredible, miracle baptism!! I was a little sad because we weren't going to be having a baptism my first move call, but, the Lord blessed Sis. Lee and I, and we are so grateful!
My time here in Taiwan is already going so fast! The days are slow sometimes, and I can't believe I am just finishing my first move call, but the weeks are really, truly flying by!!!
I hope everyone is doing so well! I miss you all so much, but am so grateful to be here in Taiwan serving a mission! I know I am here for a reason, and I may not have found that reason yet, and I may not know for years why I am here in Taiwan, but I know I'm here for a reason, and I have faith that the Lord will guide me to those who need me as long as I ask and act!
I love you all!
OH! Pictures!!!!!
Anyways. Love you all lots! Hope you are all well!
I saw this today at the bookstore and almost bought it. It is a camera piggy bank. I wanted to buy it so that when I get back and am saving up to buy me a new camera, I have some motivation. But then I looked at the cost and realized, that is $10 dollars that would be better spend being saved for the new camera then purchasing a piggy bank to save money in =] But, I really wanted it, so much that it made it into my basket and to the check counter =]
That is a bird. Yes, it looks like a small chicken, but no, its a bird. And its huge. And it does fly. And it lives in our mission presidents yard and at the church. I just thought it was fun =]
Anyways. Love you all lots! Hope you are all well!
--
Sis. Busath
Taiwan Taichung Mission
#498-11 Wu Chuan Road
Taichung, 404-46
Taiwan
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