April 29th Letter--On Fire!

Hello family!

Well, this week has been amazing and the hardest ever!

Sunday morning on my way to church, I got a phone call from our investigator's
daughter. She said her mom was looking like she wasn't going to be living
through the night and we should probably cancel the Tuesday evening baptism. I
cried through all of church and just kept thinking about Sister Huang and if
there was anything we could do to help. So as soon as church was over we booked
it to the hospital. Upon our arrival, I had an overwhelming feeling she needed
to be baptized and really needed the gift of the Holy Ghost. Call me crazy, here
laid our invesitgator with three IV's, a blood bag, and oxygen. I felt a little
ridiculous, but could not deny the Spirit telling me this women really needed to
be baptized. I talked to the family and the doctor in English to find out what
was going on. It turned out she had stomach cancer and was losing blood like
none other. She been throwing it up and now it was just leaking out of her. I
asked the family what they thought we could do to help. They looked at me and
said you are the missionary. I asked to be excused for a minute. I went into the
hall and just cried and prayed to know what to do. Here was a women who was so
excited after so long to accept the Gospel and now it was looking like it wasn't
going to happen. As I was praying I had the feeling, if the Lord wants it to
happen He will provide a way. I called my district leader and he came to the
hospital. He told me Sister Shaver she is your investigator--- think of a way.
We ended up calling President and finding a portable baptismal font an hour car
drive away. Her son went off in his car to go get the font not knowing if she
was going to pass away before he got back or not. He got the font and two hours
later was back at the hospital. Now where to do a baptism in a hospital. One of
the Elders said in the bathroom. So off they went filling up the font in the
bathroom sink. I stayed and helped Sister Chen change Sister Huang's clothes.
She had three IV's and a blood bag, so it was a very careful process. We got her
clothes changed. We said the opening prayer still not knowing how we were going
to do it. It was amazing to see how the Lord was leading every stage (even
changing the clothes.) It ended up taking four Elders and us carrying her into
the bathroom. Two were in the font and performed the baptism. We got her back
changed her clothes and did her confirmation. After the confirmation she said
she felt good. She said she knew that she was supposed to get baptized. We went
to the hospital yesterday and visited her and she couldn't stop talking about
Jesus. She said she is at peace and is thankful she had the chance before she
got sick to hear the missionary lessons. And how thankful she was that we never
gave up on her. She is no longer on the oxygen and only has two IV's. She isn't
going to recover, but I can see how much the Spirit is comforting her. She asked
her nurse to get baptized and meet with the missionaries and she said ok. So she
is still planting seeds. I have a feeling one day this week, we will need to go
say our goodbyes, but how much a blessing it was to know her and be able to meet
her two months ago and to help her be baptized. That is one reunion I look
forward too.

On another note, Elder Richard G Scott came and met with us! It was amazing. He
seriously is a man of God. He is pretty funny. He talked a bit about marriage-
said a wise man will look for a missionary wife. And that us as Sisters should
remember that. He taught us so much and bore such amazing testimony. Wow, the
Spirit was so strong. I don't remember what he said in his testimony, but it
changed the room. You could see and feel it. He taught us the importance of
learning from what we see, hear, and feel. He focused on the seeing and feeling.
He told us that anything we feel in a meeting takes precedence over anything the
speaker feels- no matter who the speaker is. So he challenged us to not write
down what he (the speaker) was saying, but to write down our feelings and what
the Spirit was saying. I learned more from doing that then I think I ever have
before. He told us to keep it under key and lock what we were learning. He said
it was that sacred. It amazed me. He talked about how the Brethren don't know
each other's experiences. They just know that they know that Jesus Christ lives.

Made me think about how sacred it really is. It really was sacred to me the
things I was learning and feeling. He, also, said he keeps it under key and lock
because he said a lot of the time the Lord is reprimanding him and he didn't
want people to know all that- he he. We all got to shake his hand and it was
just an amazing peaceful feeling. He even used my scriptures for a minute. Later
in his talk, he talked about how he loves looking at how people marked their
scriptures, I quickly flipped back to the scripture he had read out of mine to
see if it was marked- he he.

Today was the temple trip. AND I LOVE THE TEMPLE! It was such a peaceful
feeling. I didn't want to leave. it just amazes me the Spirit that is there.

I am getting a new companion tomorrow. And I think that was a tender mercy of
the Lord. It has been a hard move-call. Not only with my companion, but with
situations. It is hard because she doesn't understand what it means to me when
someone we have been meeeting with drops or stands us up and what not. So that
adds pressure and she thinks it is my fault. Which sometimes it probably is, but
as a missionary we already give ourselves enough pressure that it is hard when
you don't have your little junior companion's faith right there next to you
smiling and sayin we'll get her! Satan knows how to work on us and knows if we
are discouraged we are useless! so I am excited for a little bit of a burst with
a new companion! I have no idea who it is or anything. I just know that
President called yesterday morning and said help your companion pack we are
sending her home and you need to be here Thursday morning to get your companion.
Should be fun. Might be another duan chuan for the next week and a half- I don't
know, but it will be an adventure.

I think this might be one of the longest e-mails I've written in awhile. I hope
everyone has a minute to read it. Sorry, it is a novel. Just a lot happening.  I
hit my six month mark this week too and got a kick in the pants. Realized how
much more I want to do and how I need to get on it now! Shi jian kuai dao le!

So yes, I am good and loving the mission! Loving the work! Even the hard days,
who would've imagined. Sometimes when we get home at night I just giggle at
everything that has happened and think to myself- only on a mission and only on
a mission in Taiwan. The Lord knew I needed to be here in Taiwan and here
especially here in Xinzhu at this time. Oh how He has it planned!

I love this Gospel. I know the church is true because the Book of Mormon is true
and is the keystone of our religion. I know Joseph Smith is a prophet of God.
And that President Monson is as well.  I know this Gospel has the power to
change! So let the change begin. I'm trying to let it change me... trying to not
be so intense... hehe. We will see.
I love you all and miss you.

I am not sure about my phone call and when it will be. I am going to have to see
who my new companion is and figure it out with her. I am thinking that I will
call on Monday morning here at about 7-10am. Let me know what time in there
works for you! I love you all!



Wo ai nimen!



Sister Shaver