June 22 Letter--Still in Xinzhu

Hello everyone!

I am still in Xinzhu... I think all of the members were pretty surprised when 
they find out I was staying... the seemed pleasantly suprised for the record 
(dad, I could hear you snickering.) So I am excited about that and, also, a 
little sad. My new companion is amazing! She was the one I went on exchanges 
with this move-call, so she already knows me a little and knows our area a 
little, so that is a huge blessing. Her name is Sister McKinley. She is fun and 
guess what... she is a traveler! She has lived in eight different places... 
including Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore and many more... so we have a lot in 
common minus the fact I have never lived in any of those places or been to those 
places. She told me she is ready to be pushed and ready to be 100% obedient... I 
told her no problem with that! Ha ha... I am excited for a little push... I have 
been feeling tired this last move-call and just feeling like my body is 
quitting, so it will be good to have a little spark lit under me! Sidenote: her 
first name is Hannah... kinda like Anna. Cool bu cool?

Last night was the fireside for the Elders going home... it was weird to see 
them leaving... two of my previous district leaders went home so it was fun to 
hear their final testimonies. They have progressed a lot--- made me kinda wonder 
what I am doing. If I have progressed at all... it kinda doesn't feel like it, 
but at the same time I think that is silly. Speaking of progression... The New 
Era this month has an awesome article about deafeating our Goliaths by President 
Monson... I think everyone should read it. And in it it quotes a talk of 
President Hinckley Overpowering the Goliaths in our Lives. If someone has a 
second to look that talk up and could mail it to me that would be awesome! I am 
all about defeating our Goliaths these days! So mainpoint of this paragraph is 
to make sure we are progressing. I have learned a lot about goal setting on my 
mission.

The main lesson I have learned about goal setting wasn't even my goal, but I 
have benefited from it. So Kate made it a goal to write me every week of my 
mission and has done it... I was going through my old letters to send them home 
because well they are getting heavy and Kate had written me more letters than 
weeks on my mission... how that works I am not sure... there were a couple of 
Christmas stories. But really, I was thinking about it as a missionary it is 
easier to set goals and hit them because well, that is what 100% of our time is 
devoted to, but it made me think if Kate can do that just think how much more I 
can do and how much more we could do at home. I am so happy to have such an 
amazing family that has taught me the importance of hardwork. President Hoer was 
asking me where I learned to work and why I was so hardworking... I had to think 
and said that's just what you do, isn't it? You just do it. And he politely 
informed me that not everyone was that way I needed to be sensitive to that. He 
he... So pretty much, I learned I never want to lose work ethic and have been 
called to repentance in goal setting and how much we really can accomplish... So 
start setting goals! Anyone can set a goal and hit it with the help of the 
Lord--- just make sure they are righteous goals.

So this e-mail has kinda been random, but sometimes that is what you need... so 
hope it was bearable. 

Steve, thank you for the e-mail about earth science education... kinda sounds 
like fun... maybe a geologist... I could camp, hike, and study rocks! Doesn't 
get much better or dorkier than that.

We have been blessed to see the work pick back up again. I think we are going to 
see some mighty miracles this coming move-call. Lots of people who are prepared 
and are making all the right steps towards the waters of baptism. Yesterday we 
had a sister not come to her baptism. So I went with a sister to go find her. We 
found her at home in bed at 1:30pm. There was something missing in her eyes, she 
seemed empty and wasn't responsive to the Spirit at all. It tore me apart... I 
broke down and tears and told her how much Heavenly Father loved her and wanted 
her to be part of His family and she just flat out said I don't want to. It was 
very humbling experience to know we can't change people's decisions and to 
recognize that everyone has their own agency. How hard it must have been for 
Heavenly Father to know that by giving us the gift of Agency, He would lose some 
of us, but at the same time how exciting it must have been for Him to know by 
giving us the gift of Agency some of us would progress and prepare to return to 
live with Him again one day and enjoy all that He enjoys. His plan is truly 
beyond comprehension.

I am so thankful for this opportunity I have to be on a mission and to be 
sharing this plan with everyone. I know that Heavenly Father loves us and has 
sent us here to learn and grow and to return to Him. He hasn't left us... He has 
given us the gift of the Holy Ghost (as long as we live worthy of it) and the 
gift of the Atonement. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. I am 
beginning to understand how He really is my friend.  I know the church is true!

I love you all and miss you!

Sister Shaver