August 15 Letter

Family! WO AI NIMEN!

I AM SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO GOOD! I've never been this tired and so happy at 
the same time! It is such an awesome feeling. I was reading the Message from the 
First Presidency in Preach My Gospel and it said they challenged us to rise to a 
new sense of commitment and so I took that to heart this week. AND IT FEELS SO 
SO GOOD! But seriously, I am so tired. If I stop moving for a second I am out! 
Good motivation to keep me going. It is going to be nice when I am passed off on 
the language lessons so I can sleep in until 6:30 instead of 6:00. I am sure my 
companion is going to appreciate it too. I am passed off on 2 of 5--- tonight 
hopefully, will be the third. My zone leader told me he has never had anyone get 
passed off in the first move call and that is the path I am on right now, so we 
will see. Keep praying for me!

So I got nine letters this week from family and Aunt B! It was so awesome! Thank 
you everyone... it was so so nice to get your letters. It made me happy and made 
me grin from ear to ear. Mom, you remember how you were saying Meg practiced her 
smile to have gums show when she smiles... guess what? I have gums show! Never 
thought that could happen with my tiny little mouth- but it does. And people 
think I am Asian when I smile and then when I speak Chinese they ask if my mom 
or dad is Asian. Random, eh?

So guess what? I didn't tell you last week because no need to worry, right? 
There was typhoon warning last week. It was pretty cool. It started raining on 
Wednesday and has been raining off and on since. The rice fields were cut 
through were flooded. I was soaked... through raincoats, clothes, everything. 
Even my bed was wet from humidity... it has stopped raining now and I am slowly 
drying out.

I love the mission! I love the adventure! I love sharing the gospel. I love 
smiling and having no idea what the other person is saying. I love when I know 
they are saying they don't want to hear the message and I just keep bearing 
testimony! I love when they come up to me and stare... I love when the little 
kids come running to me screaming "mei guo ren" aka American. I love when the 
little kids take me to their houses and we then get to share with their parents! 
So in case you were wondering... I LOVE LIFE! I love the gospel! I love my 
family! I love the hope I can have because of the Gospel and the Atonement! I 
love the trials I am having! I love the learning I am doing! I love the Book of 
Mormon! I love the Bible! I love this life opportunity! I love it!

Well, I have a few questions for everyone...

One of the tools we have in this mission is an awesome family history book. It 
is so cool... it is Chinese/English! It works really well here because people 
are very interested in people's family history and people's life stories.  I was 
looking through it and need some things from you to get it to work. This 
includes everyone this e-mail is forwarded on to...
1. A picture that you want to be remembered by forever!
2. Your birthplace
3. Marriage place (if married)
4. A story that sums up your life.
I think that is it. So if you could mail these to me that would be awesome! And 
so so appreciated.

Before I forget, we are going to the temple in Taipei next preparation day. So I 
don't know if we will have time to e-mail or not. But I will have time on the 
bus to write letters. So if there is no e-mail next week don't worry! It is 
because I am at the TEMPLE IN TAIWAN TAIPEI! It is arranged so we will go there 
every other move call. That is way awesome especially since it is out of our 
mission boundaries. We are a special mission- we even have cell phones. 

Well, I love everyone. The e-mails this week were so awesome. I don't know why- 
but they were just right. Kept focus, but still let me know life was good for 
everyone and everyone was moving forward! Keep writing. I love the e-mails and 
letters. I am going to call Laura and Eric out for a second, I was looking 
forward to seeing another picture of pregnant Laura. Where are you two? Ok ma?

Mom or dad, I don't know how Ensigns work... but we only get one between 
companionship and for some reason all of us missionaries are Ensign hogs. Is 
there any way you can send me the Ensign? If you can, that would be awesome. And 
if it is do able maybe it in English and in Chinese. I would love to share with 
my investigators and the members from it. Don't worry about it if it is too much 
work. 

Wo ai nimen!
Be good!

Shao Jiemei!