Tuesday, January 26, 2016

So Grateful!!!!

So Grateful!!!!
Baptism of Lin Dixiong!!!
Celebration:)
Preparing the font before the baptism
Dear Family and Friends,

Happy 11 months until Christmas! Woohoo!

My biggest lesson/story of the week would be called the Lin Dixiong story:  
So this story has a lot a lot a LOT of details that I will have to save for a few weeks from now when I can re-tell and re-inact fully, but the basics are these...

 Lin Dixiong as you all know has stage 4 cancer. He also has a particular Stevens-Johnson's disease thing which I don't completely understand. Anyways, he super super sick all the time and always in a lot of pain. 

Also this week has been the coldest Taiwan has had in about 10 years. It snowed. It doesn't snow here... but it did. haha.

Also, Lin Dixiong failed his interview last week because he drank Coffee. 

So all of these things were making us very very anxious about the upcoming week and all the things scheduled for it. We also had been praying for humility every day. Through lots of prayer and spiritual wrestling, we got Lin Dixiong a priesthood blessing on Thursday and after the blessing we had his interview. Originally he was thinking we would have to change the interview to next week because of the cold. But after the interview we had a feeling that we needed to have the baptism the next day. So we proposed the idea to him and he said "sure!" So we called the MM Leader and the bishop and we got everything set up that night to have the baptism the next day in the afternoon.

The baptism went so smoothly and we actually had a TON of members there. The only problem was that the water was cold. haha :)

So then we just had to wait in nervous anticipation and prayer for Sunday. We didn't know if Lin Dixoing would be able to make it for his confirmation, but we prayed with all the faith we had. It was the very coldest day of this week,but he was able to make it to sacrament meeting to be confirmed a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and partake of the sacrament. It was the biggest sigh of relief my spirit has ever had. 

What I learned this week, we are all SOOOOOO important to God. Lin Dixiong's baptism has required the faith and prayers of countless people, but it happened. He's now covenanted with God. And that is worth every sacrifice and prayer and sleepless night. I also testify that baptism is not an ending, but a beginning. It begins a life of repentance and hard work. But it is worth it. 

This week Sister Meyers asked me to write a poem about rain. Here are the last two stanzas :) 

I remember a time when all I could do was smile at others,
Now you dance right next to me and we laugh and talk like brothers.

When I got here I never knew what God would make me do,
But now I thank Him everyday for sending me to you. 

I love my mission. I think I realized that my days are numbered so this week when we went outside I was just thankful!!! I was thankful for the pouring rain and the freezing cold. I was thankful for the people who said no. I was thankful for my nametag. I was thankful for my companion. I was just... so overwhelmed with gratitude for the many blessings I've received on this mission.

I know this church is true. I love you all so much. Thanks for everything :)
Gu Jiemei
Some amazing missionaries!!! Sister Kunzler, Sister Cutler and Guo Jiemei
It doesn't snow in Taiwan, but this week it SNOWED!!!
I love getting to see my Taiwanese family!!! These men are amazing leaders and friends:)
District lunch
My absolutely amazing companion!  I'm so grateful for her every day:)
English class!!! Aren't they cute, and aren't we lucky?:)

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