"8 Companions This Week & Square Dancing"

Me with the temple sisters on our way to the airport:) Pres. said that I am the first sister to get transferred by flight:)

Hanging out with Sister Tan & Sister Knight at Taroko National Park!

Dear Family and Friends,

The craziness doesn't stop. haha

Monday- I got the call from President Day, packed up my things, said goodbye to a few people, and then I got picked up and driven back to Taipei with President and Sister Day. President Day told me that he would be putting me in the Taidong 3rd branch. But more importantly, he was putting me in a room with 4 other sisters. They have 2 new sisters who were visa waiters (who I was in the MTC with) and both are being trained by Taiwanese companions. President Day asked me, "Does that sound familiar?" I laughed at the time, but it's been scary how similar things are between this companionship and the time I spent in Zhubei with Wu JM :) haha Then I spent that night with the temple sisters, who are wonderful.

I love President and Sister Day!!!

Tuesday- We flew to Taidong. President Day said I'm the first Sister Missionary in our mission to get transferred by flight. haha I FLEW!! It was absolutely amazing. As we were taking off, I was thinking about how cool the world is as we looked at all the buildings and parks and lakes and things, then we hit the clouds. It was really hazy at first, but then we rose up above the clouds and I was overcome with the spirit. It was the most beautiful sight I had ever seen. It sounds super cheesy and geeky but it was like we were in a different world. The cloud formations and colors and lighting and just everything was so beautiful. I was so overcome with gratitude for the Lord and the things that he is allowing me to experience here in Taiwan. That day we had specialized Zone Training (which I had just barely had in Xinzhu). It was so interesting to see how the training was different for the different zones. President Day is SOOO spiritually in tune. 

Sister Oviatt and Mao Jiemei after a little bike accident:(

Eating at the Bishop's house

Wednesday- We had our awesome District Meeting. This zone is really invested in becoming a stake. We're going to make it happen. I feel bad because I'm just getting here towards the end of it, but we're not done yet :) This night, we split up and I got to work with Sister Oviatt who was actually in the MTC with me! She's training with Mao Jiemei right now and it was really good practice for me to go out with a trainee. I realized that I have developed a strange habit... I TALK TO MUCH! I've never had that problem on my mission until now. I've always been the more quiet one. It's a weird thing that I'll have to confront. haha Sister Oviatt also waited for her visa in Georgia! What do you know? :)

Thursday- We went to my new apartment! Well technically it's the old one but no one has been living there for a while. I actually remember Wu JM telling me lots about it. It's cool to be here :)

Friday- We split up and I got to work with a Jiang JM. She is an RC (recent convert) and she is a rockstar. I absolutely loved it. I was with her for most of the day and then I got to eat dinner with her and her mom. Her mom is not a member and mostly speaks Taiyu, but for some reason I just clicked with her. We were laughing and joking and it just having a lovely time. At dinner I felt impressed that I needed to sing for them. I've never just sung solo before so it was kind of weird, but the Spirit was there very strongly and I testified of it's power. I sang I Stand All Amazed. Then on Sunday, Jiang JM started telling everyone about our visit and that I am the only missionary her mother has ever liked! It was a miracle and I think we're going to open up her mom's heart this transfer :)

I had a wonderful day with Jiang JM and her mom:)

Saturday- We had a baptism! haha YAY! It's a high school student that Mao Jiemei has been teaching for a while. He's really awesome. He's the first Taiwanese guy I've ever met that smiled for a picture. They all do this weird "I'm too serious" or "I'm too cool" face. He's awesome  :) Then we had a District (soon to be stake) wide Relief Society Activity. Every branch did a little skit and guess what Taidong 3rd branch did? THEY SQUARE DANCED! Can there be a more fitting place for me to be?! I think not! Someone even sewed them aprons and bonnets and such. 

My new little branch, Taidong 3rd, square dancing! Aren't they darling!!!

Our District (soon to be Stake) Relief Society

Sunday- So I knew that I would be sharing my testimony on Sunday because I just got here and I was really nervous. I know how important first impressions are to the Taiwanese people and I really wanted to have a good one. I prayed that the Lord would lead me in my testimony and I felt that I needed to share the scripture about "small and simple things". I testified that I know that I am a very small and simple thing, but I know that as I humble myself and as we all humble ourselves we can accomplish great things. After testimony meeting I had 3 or 4 different members come up and tell me that they really appreciated what I had shared with them. President Hou (Our branch president) especially made a point to tell me that my testimony was awesome. The funny part of this story is that I took my cheater language study Book of Mormon on the stand with me and read the pinyin, but a bunch of the Relief Society thought I was reading characters... hahaha They thought I was super cool ;) 

I love being here in Taidong!  I miss the wonderful people of Zhubei, but as I've learned over and over again, I am exactly where God needs me right now. The Spirit has testified and I can't deny it.   

I love you all!!!

Gu Jiemei

The famous Beninan Baozi!!!