A Week Full of Miracles:)

This week we found a Giant Pikachu:)

This picture is me on a very Chinese street ripe with cultural experiences and colors... where we bought McDonalds. You can take the American out of America... but you can't take the America out of the American. 

P day in Danshui and giant ice cream cones:)

Hanging out on the pier in Danshui

Dear Family and Friends,
It was an amazing week:) It was a week full of miracles!!!! Here are a few of the great things that happened this week:

Miracle #1 --and one of the most amazing miracles of this week was when I got a priesthood blessing. I'm so thankful to be around worthy priesthood Elders on my mission. This week I got pretty sick. We took things easy for a couple days and then I decided that I needed a blessing. So yesterday morning we called the APs (who are the Elders that serve in our district) and got it all set up. It was really strange hearing someone say my full name. As this Elder started the blessing it seemed to just burst out of him. I have never had such a fluid and specific blessing before in my whole life. I almost felt embarrassed at how personal everything was. It was almost like this Elder was reading my journal out loud and expressing all my personal prayers. It was absolutely incredible and something I'll never forget. I'm so thankful that God allows us mortals to access his power on earth. 

Miracle #2.--This happened just last night as we were finding on the street. We contacted a very sweet Ama (little grandma)  and just started walking with her. We ended up at a park near our house where there was a large gathering of Amas! So... naturally we offered to sing for them. Our singing was a hit! And, as it turns out, a lot of these Amas and Agongs were professors! And Christian! This woman told me to call her Kang Mama. She was very sweet and kissed me on the cheek about 4 times. She is a pretty devout Christian and so full of love. I can't wait to go and visit her again at the park by our house! :) We're hoping we can start meeting with her family!! :) 

Miracle #3.--We were street contacting when we saw this cute couple. We started talking and gave them a restored gospel tract. The husband told us that they were buddhist and they gave us free depictions of the God they worship. I didn't really feel that they had much interest until we asked the wife to pray. She said "Well... what God am I praying to?" I thought for a minute and then I told her, "A God full of love. A perfect father." She started to tear up and prayed very sincerely for me and my companion. After her prayer she told us that about 6 years ago she and her husband had actually met with the missionaries! She said they would take them out for pizza all the time. It was such a miracle to re-find this family. We got them referred within 12 hours and we are praying that they are continuing to take the lessons in Danshui :) I know that God does not forget about us.

MIracle #4--One of our new investigators came to our YSA FHE! It was a big miracle and I think he was very confused... because we've actually only met him on the street once and then we threw him into a room full of Taiwanese YSAs ranging from ages 40-20 all talking about the importance of converting unto Christ and sacrificing ourselves for it... but I have a lot of faith in him :) haha 

I want to thank everyone for the prayers and support. I'm so thankful for my amazing family and the blessings that this gospel has brought us. I know God loves his kids. 

Thank you for everything.

I love you so much

Gu Jiemei

One of the great things about being in Taipei is that I get to see lots of members from my other areas:) This is Cai Jiemei from Taidong!! It was so great to see her!

This is another fabulous Zhubei member. I have always admired Fan Jiemei so much. I honestly hope that my future family will be just like theirs. They are so strong in the gospel and so full of fun and life. Fan Jiemei was also able to comfort and help me in one of my harder times in Zhubei. It was so sweet to see her again a few months down the road. 

It was so fun to be reunited with some of the Zhubei members last Saturday. It was their temple day and so the youth came and did a tour while the parents went and did an endowment session. It was so fun to see everyone again. 

This is Hu Jiemei! She is going to the temple square mission!! :) She is our MM Leader in Zhubei's little sister and it was so sweet to talk with her about her upcoming adventure. It was also so touching because missionaries sent is an indication of growth in the church. Taiwan is growing up my friends! :)

This is our neighbor and perhaps the happiest Chinese man you've ever met. He's always smiling and telling us how pretty we are, even when we haven't done our hair or makeup or even showered on some days. He's always so cheery and has something nice to say. He has absolutely no interest in the gospel... yet. But he's coming :) haha

As we continue our tradition of sharing a special song for each visiting sister who stays with us, we were especially creative this week and had an Aladdin themed one.