Getting Ready for Chinese New Year (Guonian)

Just a little picture of a busy intersection in Zhubei:)

Preparing some fun things for Guonian (Chinese New Year)

I love my companion:) She's the best!!!

She made me heart pancakes for breakfast:)

Dear Family & Friends,

So we just ate lunch and I keep finding rice all over me.... haha :) taiwanmissionaryprobs

你好家人! 我愛你們 :) 這個月是我第六個月:) 

That is about all the Chinese I can do :) haha I've recently learned how to work these computers and it's about the most fun thing I've ever done. I can't wait to really be able to write someday...:) haha Hopefully. 

This week has been really great. and crazy. In my journal I've started doing lists of the top 10 things that happen throughout the day. Here are some examples;

-I made french toast today! I've never made it before, but when I asked Wu Jiemei what she wanted to eat for breakfast she said, very dramatically, FRENCH ＴＯＡＳＴ. So I decided I would try it! It turned out pretty good. 

-I stole the ball from one of the Elders in our early-morning basketball game today

-I found a whole complex of people named Gu!! :)

Now... these things are really pretty small. But they're blessings no less :) I think this week I've really been able to find more joy in the small things. I have gained such a strong testimony that by small and simple things, the Lord will cause great things to come to pass. I know that I am a small and simple thing. 

In personal study today I was reading in 1 Corinthians 2;

 1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

 2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

 4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

I have a testimony of what Paul is saying. I feel it very powerfully.I know that right now my language ability is not excellent. But I have a testimony. And even if that's all I can hang on to at this point, it's strong enough to carry me to the finish line. More importantly, it will carry others back home to their Heavenly Father or at least help them a little :)

This week was pretty rough as far as investigators go. Most of them are leaving for Guonian (Chinese New Year) and won't be back for a week or two. This is hard, but I have heard from many different missionaries that Guonian brings miracles. I trust them :) We'll be visiting with a lot of members this week and I'm really looking forward to our spiritual share! We've been planning it for a while now and putting the final details on it today :) We've been fasting to be able to get it all worked out and I have a testimony of fasting! Whoot whoot.

So I really did meet a whole family of Gu's this week! MY ＰＥＯＰＬＥ！！:) What's more, I ended up talking with this guy for like 15 minutes all by myself. I almost completely understood him. The gift of tongues is real my friends! It was so funny because it honestly felt like I had known this man for a long time. Our personalities just clicked. We laughed and talked and... it felt a lot like home :) He said he wasn't interested, but I ｄｅｆｉｎｉｔｅｌｙ gave the elders his information so they can go find him. (He's in their area)

Here are a few picture from this week:

Train station, We were trying to get to a member's home and ended up at the wrong train station twice. It was quite the adventure, but once again I'm so thankful to have a native companion who can navigate and read the signs :) haha.

The beach. Dang... I just love the beach so much. I really get so filled with gratitude every time we go. This time we went and had some very traditional Taiwanese ice cream! (Wu Jiemei insisted) It was sherbet ice cream (kind of) and peanut powder with silantro. It sounds like the weirdest thing, but it was really so good!

This box is a part of 過年. IT's going to be cut and painted into a dragon head which we will then get inside of and use for our grand entrance for all of our member visits. We're pretty excited :) But it doesn't fit on our bikes, so for exercise one morning we got up, grabbed the box and walked it all the way to the church. Walking inside of the box actually was a lot safer so that's what I did for the most part...

Mom sent no-bake cookies and they made it and they were DELICIOUS!!!

I love you all so much. Thank you for the prayers and love. I can feel your support and love pushing me through the hard days :) THere's nothing like being on a mission. It is the hardest thing I've ever done, but I've never been more aware of my Heavenly Father. I learn more and more every day about my weaknesses, but I also learn more and more about how to overcome them. It's pretty miraculous. I stand all amazed. 

LOVE YOU ALL!

Gu Jiemei