July 23 Letter--Safe in Taiwan

Hello family! My other account was supposed to be up and working, but it
isn't... so my trainer said to just use this one.

I am safe and in Taiwan! Woot wo! It is amazing, overwhelming, hardest and best
time ever. I got here and we went to the mission home and they wasted no time
introducing us to contacting. The Mission President, his wife, and the
assistants took us to one of the most busy places in Taichung. They got out a
Dan Jones Box (a literal box that says Dan Jones on it) and put us up on the
box... I got up there and just kept saying the same thing over and over again. I
think I could feel my knees knocking as they were shaking. Pretty intense, but
amazing! After we were on the box, we got down and contacted into whoever had
stopped to listen. I got three contacts and one baptismal goal. (Sidenote: I
taught the man sitting next to me on the plane and he set a baptismal goal with
the Taipei missionaries- wonder if it was Elder Anderson. Another sidenote:
Laura, did you remember the boy named Joe I was dating from the Univ of Utah and
then a little bit over the summer when I went to Provo? He kinda went weird
because he was going on a mission. He is one of the Taipei Mission assistants to
the President. He was my welcomer to Taiwan. Crazy small world, huh? I was just
glad it wasn't Elder Anderson. We were supposed to take a picture together and
everything, but neither of us felt to right about that so I didn't get one.)

So now I am in Shalu and QingShui. It is a more rural area. We live in the
middle of rice fields. It is pretty neat. The people are awesome. I don't really
understand anything! In a sentence I might get out one or two words... it is
kind of hard sometimes. Church was really hard because the members kept making
fun of me and telling my trainer nanguo. Which is like I am sorry for the lot
you have. Lame! But my trainer said that is normal and by the end of the move
call they will all love me! We'll see... I don't really know. Church was good
though because I definitely felt a tender mercy of the Lord (twice actually).
First one, we sang Count Your Many Blessings for the opening hymn. When we were
in the MTC, my district would sing that song everyday. We would try to sing it
as fast as possible. It is a really fun song to sing in Chinese. I'll have to
sing it for everyone soon. And it made me stop and think of how blessed I was. I
fel the Spirit so strong and know the Spirit is real and the same whereever you
are and whatever language people are speaking. The second one was my teacher in
the MTC is from Maccau, China. One of the men in the ward just got back from his
mission to there. He knew my teacher and her husband. He, also, spoke English.
So I got to talk to him and he gave me a lot of helpful pointers. My trainer has
taken the hands off approach and just leaves me to figure things out for myself-
hopefully, I'll learn faster. Danshi it was nice to get help from someone else

I thought I knew a little bit of Chinese, but if you get me off of anything
besides the lessons in Preach My Gospel- I am completely lost. It makes
contacting fun because I don't understand what they are telling me --- it is
usually some excuse--- and I just keep teaching them! I got three referals
yesterday in our contacting so that was sweet. And we added two new
investigators with baptismal goals! Oh yeah, I almost forgot the best part!!! I
came the area Friday afternoon and Saturday night, we had four Sisters baptized!
I thought that was rare, but it is not at all. This mission is a baptizing
mission! They challenge baptism like the second sentence! I am still getting
used to that and learning better grammar to ask. Talk about a nice welcoming to
an area. It is crazy!

Let's see... what else? China and Taiwan are so so different. China is a lot
less modern than Taiwan. The people here are so so Americanized--- it is kinda
crazy. They look just like the people back home accept Chinese. The equivalent
of Sister Bennion is the Young women's president here. She calls me a baby and
tells my companion to babysit well... It is funny... when they talk about me
they even say my name and expect me to not even understand that. I think my
heart is still in China- I think it will come to Taiwan in not too long!

The invesitgators and non members are awesome. They all think it is so awesome I
am trying to speak Chinese. It is funny--- they all think I have been living
here for a year or two with the Chinese I know and my trainer for four or five
years. None believe me when I say less than a week. It makes for a good
transition into the blesses of the Spirit and the Gospel. I like bearing
testimony on that! Who doesn't?

Well, I am not sure what else to say... it is all so new and so different. One
more story... Mom, I lied to you I am far from the mission home. But don't
worry, I am totally safe. But since I am far away our area is huge! Last night,
we went on a hour bike ride to teach a lesson. It is not like a cruise- it was
like a fast as we can go ride. My legs are fine and not sore, but I think my bum
is broken! It is still getting used to everything. I didn't understand how
people could fall asleep driving, but I am pretty sure last night riding our
bikes home I fell asleep a few times. Getting into bed is like the best!

So my mission president is hardcore- take Rueben (yes, from Strikers) and
multiply him by like 2.  We have a mandatory workout schedule. It is getting me
in the best shape ever.  Pres Hoer and his wife are intense. We exercise for an
hour every morning. When we were in the mission home, we ran hard- one of the
sisters was throwing up- for 30 minutes. Those of us that did it were like
"Sweet, we did it!" Oh no, that was just the beginning. Then we ran bleachers
for 25 minutes. This might not sound like much, but keep in mind it is about 95
degrees and humid! My hair has not come out of the dinky little ponytail the
whole time I have been here! It is so sweet. We get to appointments just soaked!
The night we landed we came in at 11:00 pm and it was 84 degrees!

Well, my timer just came up! I love you all and am so happy to be on a mission.
It is taking a little of faith and prayers, so don't stop praying. Pray for me
to have the gift of tongues and interpretation. I know that I am on the Lord's
errand and can already begin to feel the blesses of being diligent!

I know this is the true church upon the face of the Earth. I know Heavenly
Father knows and loves each of us. I know he is aware of the trials we are
having and wants to help and bless us. All we need to do is ask. SO FAMILY ASK!
Ask for strength, help, peace, whatever you need. In my case, help learning and
remembering Chinese!

WO AI NIMEN! WU ER LING!

Shao jiemei!

p.s. Kate, wow, when I crawled into bed at the senior couples house your letter
was waiting on my pillow. Thank you! That helped me a lot and gave me that
support I needed! A good welcome to Taiwan!

Anna's day to travel and call.

I was at work today, thinking Anna might call from Salt Lake airport, around noon, or else from LA airport, about 4 or so. I called Mom to test the three way system and to see if my direct line to my office worked. Everything was ready. I ate in my office until people kept bugging me so I hid in the back with my cell phone. No noontime call. I had a biopsy scheduled at three, she went to her doctor's office so was late, and I was just needling her at four pm when my cell rang, I snappd out four quick cores and called Cindy's cell to tell her to try again. Luckily it worked and we had Anna on with us. She talked only of her missionary plane experiences with me. We didn't talk about anything I am doing, she is centered on her work and duty. I think she will have a great mission and come home with experience and wisdom.

Anna calls from the airport (Laura)

Today Anna left the Provo MTC for Taiwan. She was able to call from the airport. I only spoke to her for a minute, but she sounded great! Her SD (camera) card got to her before she left, so Eric was off the hook.

July 16 Letter--Last one from America!

Hello family!

So this is my last e-mail in Provo, UT. Tomorrow morning I wake up and head toTAIWAN! I can hardly believe it- this is
something I have been preparing for for LIFE! And it is here.

When we get there we have two days training in the mission home and then they send us to our area. I am hoping I get a
more rice field area than city to start with. The way my teacher describes the two of them- the rice field sounds better to me-
although they don't speak Mandarin- they speak Taiwanese. I figure if I don't understand either it will make no difference.

I am really so excited. I don't think I could even explain it. I just can't wait to get there and serve the people and love them.
I have been having China withdrawls so I am so excited to have part of that hole filled. WOOT WO!

So I am a little bit nervous because I don't completely know what to expect. But I know I am not alone and that I have the
companionship of the Holy Ghost and the prayers of many! Pray for the people of Taiwan and that they will be prepared to
hear the message of the Restoration. I have been praying for amissionary experience in the airport tomorrow, so we will see
how it goes!

I think I told you a taught a real investigator last week...? Well, we did and this week, we had another one. Except this time,
I was the senior companion and had a new young companion and we taught the first lesson. It was an amazingly humbling
experience. Our investigator had never heard the missionaries before, but our teacher had convinced her to come to the MTC
TRC and help us practice our language. Well, our language practice was teaching the first lesson. My companion and I were
speaking and I don't even know if a word of what we said was right, but you could feel the Spirit! And if you could see it, you
could see it radiating from her. Halfway through we stopped talking and told her to just to sit and think about what she felt.
She did and then I told her in my awful broken Chinese... I know that you may not understand me, I know that my Chinese is
no good, but I know that you can feel the Spirit now. And I know that what I am saying is true and I know you can know for
yourself. She got a little teary eyed. And we asked if she would meet with the "real" missionaries. She first called me to
repentance and said, "Shao, you are a missionary." And then said she would meet with them! I am so excited and it was
awesome to have such an amazing experience on Saturday! I think it will help me SPRINT INTO TAIWAN! I AM A MISSIONARY!
But let me just tell you, I am so thankful that I will have a senior companion. I hope that I can learn so much from them! I need
to!

We went to our in field language plan meeting and realized how little we know. We are below functional in Chinese on the
scale. I think we could probably communicate with a 3rd grader. The man teaching us informed us we weren't smarter than a
fourth grader. He thought it was hilarious! He then realized, we have been twelve weeks without TV and we didn't really get
his joke. So I have so much to learn and realize I am never going to stop learning. Like Pres Hinckley says, "None of us ever
knows enough." I don't know enough!

Well, family! I think I will get to talk to most of you tomorrow. I am going to call mom and from my understanding and she
will conference call everyone! I love you all! I am excited to bear my testimony to you in Chinese!

Be good! Pray always! And D&C 6:36!
           Wo ai ni men!
            Shao Jiemei
           Sister Shaver

Leaving the MTC this week...

Hi everyone,

Please note Anna's address has changed. She's heading to Taiwan on TUESDAY! A regular letter will now cost $0.90.

If you're in Provo you have one more day to mail her at this address:
MTC Mailbox #124,TAIW_TCG 0717,
2005 N. 900 E.,
Provo, UT 84604-1793

Otherwise, use the new one.

Lots of funny faces

These pictures are nice to see, the Sisters are into posing with their mouths wide open. Thanks to Laura for adding all the information.

MTC Pictures

July 9--Letter Flight Plans

I've got them in my hand and am reading them... HA HA!

Suoyi, Tuesday, July 17, We leave the SLC airport at 1:55pm. We arrive in LA at
2:54 pm. And then we leave the LA at 5:30pm and get to Taipei at 9:55 pm the
next day! I am so excited. But we get to call home from the airport either
before our flight in SLC or the one LA. So have phones turned on and ready. I am
excited to bear my testimony in Chinese. What number should I call? I will check
this next Monday, so maybe have a plan for me then. I can't really think too
much about it. I am so busy and trying to learn the most chinese I can.

So I had two awesome experiences this week! The first one is... We go to a place
called the TRC and teach there once a week in our mission language. Our teacher
always tells us to be serious about it because sometimes there really are
investigators there. This week we went and began teaching the second lesson in
Chinese. We have never had an investigator before so the thought really wasn't
something I was even thinking about. Well, my companion started to talk and I
got a firm prompting to stop and just simply talk about Joseph Smith. So I
whispered to my companion and we rewound a little bit. We testify and shared
scriptures. Our Chinese was probably the best it has ever been. Well, our
"investigator" had teared up while we were teaching which was nothing new. Well,
when we finished, she told me I want to give you my number and address in
Taiwan. I will be back there at the end of this semester. I was so excited to
have contact with a member there and to get referrals from her, but not really
thinking too much about it. And then she told me, I want you to send the
missionaries to me. I want to hear about the church! SHE WAS A REAL INVESTIGATOR
AND I HAVE MY FIRST REAL CONTACT! She lives within my mission boundaries, but I
don't know if I will serve in her ward right away or not. So whether it is me or
someone else who gets to teach her, I don't know- And I don't care as long as
she has a chance to hear the Gospel and come unto Christ. It got me excited for
the mission field. Only a week away!

Then my second experience was... yesterday in sacrament meeting I was choosen to
give my talk! I talked in Chinese for like 9 minutes and gave a real lesson. IT
WAS AWESOME!My talk was on testifying frequently! So that was awesome because I
got to start off by inviting the Spirit more strongly by testifying. Cool, huh?

Well, this week has been a good week. We got to clean the Provo Temple today. We
cleaned for 3 1/2 hours and those little old ladies had us working so hard! It
was a neat experience though. We got to go into rooms that I didn't even know
existed in the temple! Guess what room they had me and my companion clean
first...the bride's room. I thought that was rather entertaining. The lady told
us we could stand in front of the mirror with our tags on and pretend we were in
wedding dresses. Don't worry my companion and I didn't do that... we thought it
was a little bit different.

Dad, Liz said she was sending me my watch, so it should come. I I have gone
through three watches and if this one breaks- I give up! The lady at the
bookstore where I bought my last two and took it to see if they could fix it
said that a good watch was a good investment... I just giggled and said oh no
thanks to buying a new one.

Well, we have to get back to studying and packing. We are supposed to be pretty
much all packed up tomorrow. Laura and Eric I am send a package to your house.
It just has some random things in it I want to keep, but don't need in Taiwan.
Is that ok? It is just cheaper to send it there and one less thing for mom and
dad to have to deal with. It isn't too big!

I love you all! Much much love! And figure out some way so I can talk to the all
of you on Tuesday! I am rather excited. Pres Boone said call all family, but no
friends... So I am glad to be able to have permission to talk to all of you and
not just some. Send me telephone numbers or whatever! MU HAHA!

Wo ai ni! Wu er ling!
Shao Jiemei! (wo de mingzi shi Yi Ming--- My first name is Yi Ming--- it means
quick to know and quick to go! and something else. Cool, eh?)

p.s. I had my exit interview yesterday... My branch president wants to know who
gave me my obedient spirit, boldness with much love, and my knowledge... mom?
dad? which one? Wo xiang dou keyi! I think both!

Anna gets a package...

From her most thoughtful sister Kate!

July 2nd Letter--Sister Movie Star

Surprise first...
Wow! I am going to be famous in the MTC. My district was chosen to do a
demonstration with the new mission presidents about planning (daily/weekly). We
were filmed while doing it and it will be shown to all the new missionaires and
new mission presidents. Pretty cool, eh? They gave us a mock investigator and
told us we needed to plan a lesson complete with scriptures and everything. I
was amazed at how once we prayed we just new everything to do and say for our
investigator. Even things thet weren't normal things to do. And I know we only
knew through the spirit- there was no other way.

Hmm... it sounds like everyone is doing pretty good! Glad to here baby Amos is
growing well so far. I got pictures this week from Liz of... one of the cutest
little baby girls ever, Morgan. And one of the saddest looking kid ever getting
love from her long lost dog, Ali and Squirt. It was fun to see those.

Speaking of pictures, when we met our new mission president he gave us an
assignment. I am to obtain a wallet sized family picture and carry it with me
always- it is a good lead into the Gospel blesses families. Can someone shrink
down and print out the picture of our family from when I went to the temple- I
know it is easy to do on walmart.com. Thank you so much!

Liz, quick question... did you find my pink watch in the girl's shower by the
high window? The one I have here broke... so if that one is still in existence
I'd love it- if not, I am sure I can find one in Taiwan.

We are get our flight plans this week! Can anyone else not believe that? I have
been in the MTC for two complete months and have 15 days left! WOOT WO! I am
getting so excited to ge to Taiwan and share the gospel with the people there. I
seriously can hardly contain it sometimes. It is a good thing that we have so
much to do and no time to just sit and waste. Our message is too important to
sit down and put our feet up. I am learning more and more ever day. I can hardly
believe how much my testimony has grown. And it grows even in Chinese. 

I love you all! WO AI NI MEN!

Shao Jiemei- Sister Shaver!