November 6 Letter

Hello family!

Well, this week has been a quiet week- if those exist on missions. We have been
working really hard and seeing lots of tender mercies. We have three sisters who
are getting baptized this weekend. I am so excited for that. They are amazing
women and are making the most important decision ever... wow, I am amazed by
their faith and courage.

The first one is Wang Xiu Zhu. Well, first let me say, I met all of them with my
last companion, S Kang. We met Sister Wang's daughter at English class. Her
daughter is a member, so we asked her for her mom's number and asked if we could
share the Gospel with her. She gave it to us and said the missionaries years ago
tried and she wasn't interested. Well, we decided to try again. It is amazing
how the Lord's timing is so apparent in missionary work. This time she was ready
and waiting. From the first time we met with her, I knew she was going to be
baptized. I could feel it and see it in her eyes. She would come every time with
questions and scriptures she loved. She prays and reads everyday. She really is
going to add to the building of the kingdom of God. She is already helping our
other invesitgators... so good! She has really taught me the importance of
studying it out in our minds and then turning to the Lord and asking Him for His
help.

The next one doesn't like her Chinese name- it is a boy's name- so she goes by
Wendy. She is amazing. She was a referral from the Elders. She is so awesome. We
have hardly taught her anyything because she is self motivated in her learning.
I really have seen the truth behind Elder Holland's statement that we
(missionaries) are not teaching anything new just bringing things to
remembrance. Every time we met with her, I leave feeling on fire... I feel the
Gospel burning in me. I love it when we have a contacting time after we met with
her because then when I am contacting I really feel the Spirit and feel the
boldness in sharing. She just strengthens my testimony so much. I feel a little
bu hao yi si ( I am not sure how that translates in English) because I feel like
I am learning so much more from her then she is learning from us.

The last one is a fourteen year old girl. Her mom is an inactive member and we
have been working hard with her mom and that opened the door for her daughter.
She is so excited to get baptized and her excitement is contagious. The YW love
her and she is just so happy. I am really happy for her and her mom. She is
helping her mom so much--- it is so good especially, when you think of the
covenants her mom made and the blessings she will now be able to receive because
of her daughters excitement and desire to learn about the Gospel.

It has been raining and freezing cold here. I somehow overlooked the fact that
Taiwan would be cooled and forget to bring a jacket on my mission. No problem,
right? Wrong! We have been looking for one the last few days and I am just too
fat and my arms are too long.  (I am not complaining about the long arms though
because when the Taiwanese built all their fences they underestimated the length
of my arms. And that makes for whole new buildings (apartment complexes) of
racting...ha ha.) So sidenote: mom, if you could mail me my Northface jacket
from China--- the one without a hood that is tan: it is in my big tubberware---
that would be amazing.

Let's see... not much other news so I will tell you a little about Taiwan and
the random thing I have come to "love" on my mission--- The music playing ice
cream/garbage trucks. So one of my first days in Taiwan, I heard an ice cream
man... I was so excited. I remember thinking, "wow, they have ice cream trucks
in Taiwan. It doesn't get much better than that." Well, I quickly learned that
in fact the ice cream man -even playing the same exact music- is actually the
garbage man. BLAH! The Taiwanese don't leave their garbage out on the curb. They
leave it in their house and then when they hear the "ice cream man" coming, they
all run outside with their garbage and throw it into the garbage truck. It kinda
makes sense, but I don't think I will be able to buy ice cream from the garbage
man for a long time... the sound now immediately brings the smell to my nose and
it is not a nice smell.

Well, my time is up! I love you and miss you.
Love life. Be happy, worthy, obedient, and diligent!

Wo ai nimen!
Sister Shaver