January 30th Letter--Almost February

Da jia hao!

Well, I am loving life and loving Taiwan... we had an amazing baptism this
weekend. It was about 6:15 on Saturday night when we got to the church to start
the font for our 7:00pm baptism. There was no one there... that is a little
weird we thought. My companion called the ward mission leader... he had
forgotten or never been told. We called the Bishop- he had no idea. Neither of
them could come and our investigator was on her way. She lives a little over
half an hour from the church. A little bit concerned we called our zone leaders
(cell phones are amazing.) They hurried over to the church and began calling for
a priesthood holder like crazy. We called the Relief Society rooster and one
lady said she'd come. Well, 7:00pm arrived and a prieshood holder had not been
found. The Elders said to start the service and a way would be provided. So
Elder Bastian began conducting. There was me, Sister Browning, Sister Chen and
her two kids, our investigator and the two elders. The Spirit was so strong. We
all sang and shared our testimonies. And then in walked a new member who on
Sunday had just received the priesthood. The Elders quickly ran out into the
hallway and explained to him that they needed him to be a witness. He politely
declined and said no Elders, I need to baptize her. That is why I am here. Well,
come to find out the Elders had called him and he said he couldn't come. But he
had felt uncomfortable about that and had prayed and knew he needed to use his
priesthood to bless someone us. So he had come... the Lord will provide a way!
You ban fa!

(The attached pictures are of the font--- yes, it is a blow up pool. The one
with the long hair is the baptism from this week. And the one with the short
hair is the baptism from two weeks ago.)




We had combined district meeting yesterday. It was really good. Got me all fired
up and ready to get back out on the streets. Meg had asked me if we are doing
anything special to remember President Hinckley and to answer her yes. We are
giving him our all. President Hoer has invited us to have a "power" week. Next
week we are going to get up an hour earlier, leave the door an hour earlier,
take as long as it takes to eat for lunch and dinner, and come home an hour
later. We have been promised that we will be exhausted beyond anything ever
before, but that we will see blessing beyond anything we had ever seen before.
So it should be an amazing week and a little thing we can do to remember the
Prophet and move the work along. So there should be good stories to come from
that.

Well, I know the church is true. I know that the Prophet Joseph Smith restored
the Gospel to the Earth because he was called of God. I find comfort in the fact
that the fulness of Gospel will never again be taken from the Earth. Oh what
reason to rejoice!

I love you all and miss you!

Sister Shaver

Another Letter

Our mission was a lot of baptisms short of reaching the number of baptisms they
had last year. President Hoer told us to become "there is a way" missionaries
and to do all we could to baptize prepared souls in December. As a result of
this we baptized 1243 souls this last year beating out last years record. We set
a record for the most baptized in a move-call this December. President has asked
us to write down one story and e-mail it to him so we can have these experiences
recorded and remember them. This is the one I choose to write. He said to keep
it short.

Our December Baptism was a Baptism to remember... it all started with a "crazy"
lady running me off the road on her scooter. Once she had me cornered and I
couldn't go any farther she asked if she could met with us. I told her I had to
catch my companion. So off she zipped on her scooter yelling "Teacher, Teacher."
The lady was a previous investigator who had been dropped because she wasn't
sure about baptism and had never felt the missionaries love before. We were able
to met with her, teach her, and help her prepare for baptism. She said she knew
my companion and I loved her. She knew that Heavenly Father loved her because of
the showing of our love. She was baptized the last week in December.

I truly know that as we do all that we can that the Lord will lift us up. I had
been praying and doing all I could to find someone who could be added in and
baptized in December. I had done everything I could and knew how to. The Lord
saw that and reached me up by putting Cao Mei Hui in my path. By having her run
me off the road, she literally ran me into the ditch. The Lord sees our efforts
and desires of hearts and helps us hit our righteous goals! Set righteous goals
for whatever point in life you are. Set them high and jump! You'll be amazed how
high you can fly!

January 21st Letter

Hello family,

This last week has been F-U-N!

#1. We had a baptism on Saturday for a woman named Xie Li Lin. She is precious.
She is about 45 and amazing. Her husband is a drunk bum  and she does
everything. She was feeling really down on herself and like quitting. Then she
met us, the missionaries, and now SHE IS HAPPY! She said since her baptism she
has been so happy with herself that she has been able to forget herself and help
her husband. Her husband invited us over for dinner tomorrow. We are really
excited for that... maybe we can help him come unto Christ!

#2. We had exchanges this week. I went to the "Dirty South" as they call it here
in Taiwan. It is a little little town called Huwei. It was an amazing day. I saw
more miracles in that one day than weeks combined. I met a less active mom on
the corner who wants to come back to church and have her two children baptized.
She told me she just didn't know how to come back or go about it. Then I met a
lady on the corner who goes to church every week and isn't a member. Everyone
just assumed she was. She accepted the invitation to be baptized this week. So
pretty much it was one of those days that is like YEAH! THIS IS WHAT IT IS
ABOUT! IT'S THE LORD'S WORK! My companion for the 24 hours was so awesome. Her
name is Sister Strong. She is from Hawaii. And crazy! She is really obedient and
yet really fun. It was really good to see the combination of the two together
and to see what success one can have off of it. The only bad, but then good part
of the day was the running in the morning. We usually run every other day for
thirty minutes. Well, the zone leaders decided for "training purposes" that we
needed to run for a full hour. Which meant waking up half an hour earlier and
running for AN HOUR. I don't think I have ever really ran straight without
stopping for an hour. I was a little nervous about it, but knew I had to do it.
Well, we ran for the full hour and I ran 25 laps- hence the 6 and 1/4 miles. I
think that might just be the farthest I've ever run in my life. And yes, I am
thankful today is preparation day!

#3. The Lord's work is amazing. He really is preparing people everywhere for the
Gospel. I am amazed when I met some of these people and they just get it. And
just understand and are ready to live it. One of these examples is one of the
baptisms we have this coming week--- her name is Candy Lin. She is about 45. She
has been to church every week since she met us, the missionaries. She is really
busy being a mom and a school teacher, so she has only met with us once. But
that is ok because she didn't need us. She has had no problem with anything.
When we were preparing her for her baptismal interview, we told her there is a
lot we haven't taught you yet that he will teach you. We were a little nervous
she wouldn't be willing to keep the commandments we had not yet taught her, oh
but no! She came out of the interview so happy. She felt like her prayers had
been answered. She had been praying to know to help give back to the church and
in that interview she was taught the law of tithing. And was so excited to give
back to the church and help build up the Kingdom of God. MIRACLE!

#4. I know without a doubt the Lord hears and answers prayers. I know He has the
power to change our hearts and our desires. I have really been trying to change
lately and I know the only reason why I have is because the power of prayer and
the power of the Lord. Of course, we have to be willing and have to do our part,
but the Lord will make up for so much of it. Our mission has a theme- probably
along with every other mission in the world- of "every second a progressing
missionary" (aka.ESPM.) The time in the mission field is oh so short and not a
second can be wasted. We really do need to be constantly progressing. I believe
that that is true in whatever phase in life we are. Every second we need to be
becoming better. I know it is easier said then done. That is why I am so
thankful for the Atonement and the opportunity to repent when I've wasted time
and made mistakes. The same is true with repentance we can repent at whatever
phase in life we are!

#5. I LOVE THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. I LOVE THE CHURCH! I LOVE THE WORD OF
GOD--- THE BOOK OF MORMON. I LOVE THAT WE HAVE MODERN PROPHETS TO LEAD AND GUIDE
US. I KNOW WE CAN FIND MORE HAPPINESS WITHIN THE GOPSEL THAN FROM ANYTHING ELSE.
KNOW IT. OWN IT. LIVE IT!

I love you all and miss you much. I am glad to hear everyone is doing so well.
Be good!

Sister Shaver

January 15th Letter--Out of Taiwan and into Nantou

Hello everyone!

I am absolutely in love with my new companion and my new place! I am loving this
move-call and am so excited to see miracles. This is the first companionship
that I haven't had to push, but we've been able to work together! We have a
baptism this coming weekend. And really have been able to see the fruits of our
labors.

I made it a goal to add a baptismal goal everyday last week and through the help
of the Lord and the guidance of the Spirit I was able to do just that. I have
really tried to stop and listen to the Spirit more and just let it lead me.
Before I was pushing so hard and working so hard... I forgot to rely on the
Spirit. As I have put the will of the Lord first, I have become happier, more
able, and more effective. The Lord has been able to really use me... sad, it
took 6 months to figure out.

We got to go to the temple today. It was nice. We had a long long bus ride. I
got to take a nap and kinda just sit and relax so that was nice. Minus the
waking up 4:30am part. The temple is so beautiful. I really know it is the house
of the Lord and that no other place on Earth compares. We can receive answers to
our prayers and receive knowledge from on high. What better promises than that.

Sister Smith one of the sisters that was in the MTC with me was there. I love
being able to see her and talk to her. Because we are going through the same
things at the same time and really can strengthen each other. I remember when we
first got on island and neither of us could speak or understand and the first
time we saw each other was such a relief--- there might have been a few tears.
Today though was all laughs and excitement. Things are starting to click. I am
starting to feel like a more able missionary!

Well, time is short today. But I love you all and you mean the world to me. I
pray for you nightly. I miss you and love you!

Wo ai nimen!

Sister Shaver

Pictures from Anna--Jan. 7th

So these pictures are pretty self explanatory... the first is the tough decision between a squatter and a western toilet... which would you choose? And the next is of our baptism. Cao Mei Hui. She is so little and cute. Yes, I am a giant. And then the next is of the pinata I made for our English Class Party. I felt like I was a little kid again making it. It took almost all of one preparation day. It was fun to watch the kids try to break it and even more funny when it was still intact and the men tried to break it. It finally broke with an Elder. Maybe I will make pinatas for work! Ha ha.

Mom, just two of the shirts (the purple and green) were stolen and a bunch of
food from our apartment. It was weird. CD players and everything else of worth
still there.

January 7th Letter--New Place

Hello everyone!

Wow! I am in Nantou now. It is the most South you can get in our mission. So I
have  been North, Central and now South. It is so beautiful here. BUT THE
MOUNTAINS ARE HUGE. I have only ridden to do e-mail and my legs are sore. You
would think living on my bike for the last six months it would not be that way,
but oh no it is! One of the elders here last two move calls has lost 36
pounds... so this just might be the place for me... haha. I don't need to lose
quite 36 pounds in case anyone was cringing...

So I have a new companion. Her name is Sister Browning. She is from Morgan,
Utah. She is really nice. Small and quiet. This is her first move call senior so
it should be pretty pretty interesting. A lot like the last, I think. I'm
excited to be South. They have two week B's (so soon to be baptized) that are
looking really good. So I am excited to meet them and get to work!

We had a baptism on Saturday! She is a nut! Cao Mei Hui- she is like 40
something and just so crazy. She thinks I am fake. She sometimes asks me if I
really exist or if I am an angel. I quickly inform her I am just a you ruan ruo
de ren (a weak person.) But the thing is she is completely normal besides that.
So she is going to be an amazing member and move the church forward! Those are
my favorite baptisms.

Not a whole lot has happened lately. Just working hard. This last move call was
a little bit different. I hit the point where my Chinese was better than my
senior's. It wasn't because mine was good. So I took on a lot of
responsibilities and had to do a lot of the work myself. Can I just say I am
thankful that I am still junior companion. I am hoping this move call is not the
same as last, but it is good preparation. And taught me a lot about humility and
what a hinderance(sp) pride is. There were times when I would be feeling good in
my Chinese and then was quickly humbled by a "ting bu dong"  (I don't
understand.) I've learned a lot about following on my mission. And I am pretty
sure everyone that knows me will be grateful for that. I didn't really quite
realize how much of a pusher I was and how I have the "I'll just do it myself"
mentality. So I am becoming a better leader by becoming a better follower. Isn't
it funny how things work those ways?

Well, I know this church is true. I am thankful for the testimonies of my family
and friends that have helped me develop my own testimony. I am so thankful to be
serving the Lord! I know that Jesus Christ is there waiting to lead our lives.
Turn it over to Him. I was reading the Ensign awhile ago and really liked a
quote... It was a story about a lady and her husband and the lady was just
pushing pushing her husband. Just always correcting him and what not. Well, it
was tearing apart their marriage.  So paraphrasing the quote was... I just
learned to relax and when the pain became too much I became familiar with the
distance from my pain to my knees. I would say this is the quote of my mission
up until this point! I really have a testimony of prayer and of relaxing... I
know right you are thinking. Sister Shaver relaxing, but it is getting there.
You can be 100% obedient and relaxed... who would've ever thought?

I love you all! You all are so amazing to me! Keep going strong... as the
Taiwanese say "jia you" add oil!

Sister Shaver 

January 1st Letter--Happy 2008

Hello family!

It was so good to get so many e-mails and to hear how everyone is doing. I was
so excited to talk to everyone, so thank you for taking the time to wake up
early for me! (Mom, p.s. it is in the white handbook that they should be no more
than an hour... so it shouldn't vary from mission to mission. I would have
talked longer if I could have!)

We had a baptism on Saturday. It was nice. A couple sisters from Relief Society
came this time and we sang a musical number together so that was good. It is
usually just the missionaries at the baptismal services so we were thankful more
people came this time. We have about five investigators right now that any day
could get baptized- they just need to exercise the faith and do it! So we've
been praying a lot for them lately.

I am glad you got the package and that the pictures opened. I didn't think I was
making funny faces in all of them. In fact, I think that might just be my face
now. I am starting to look old. People try to guess how old I am and 40ish is
the most often guessed. I think that might also be because people here who are
30 look like they 16 years old. They all look so so young. I think it has to do
a little with the fact that they are terrified of the sun... speaking of
terrified of the sun. Apparently, some Taiwanese person really liked my long
sleeve shirts and stole them! My Christmas present- gone. I was a little sad,
but now someone has nice protected arms from the sun.

I finally went to the doctor after being sick for about four months. I wasn't
going to go, but it got to the point where investigators were telling me that if
I didn't go they weren't going to meet with us because I needed to rest. He said
he thinks I will just have my cough and low voice for the rest of my mission. So
I guess I just need to get used to it--- qi guai! He said it is cause the
weather changed--- it is now freezing here. One day it is hot hot and the next
cold cold! I am really good at layering collared shirts now- I think it is
official I dress like a sister missionary and have no sense of style anymore.
You all will have to dress me when I come home!

We heard something about not being able to mail envelopes anymore? What is that
about? We have to fold the piece of paper or something? Does anyone know about
that?

Mom mentioned a quote about the adoption that was in the January Ensign. The
lady, Rachel, is Carolyn's neighbor who I would nanny for when she had to run
errands. I was there the day they brought home the youngest of the two. I
thought that was pretty cool0 I know her, te hehe.

Well, I know the Church is true. I know President Hinckley is a Prophet of God.
I know He can lead and guide us and as long as we heed to His counsel we will be
following the will of the Lord.

Wo ai nimen!

Sister Shaver.

p.s. email next week is on Monday because it is move-call... I don't think I am
moving but it will still be Monday nonetheless.