July 29 Letter--Hello!

First things first... Next week e-mails will come on Monday, so if there is an
e-mail send it before MONDAY! Thank you!

This week has been amazing... we have been blessed to see so many miracles. With
have three solid baptisms this weekend! I am so so excited. I love each of them
so much and they each have a special story.

Story #1... Heva Moises... I have been meeting with her for four months plus
now. She is the Branch President's sister and has decided to be baptized. She is
from Argentina so English is her second language. And she didn't really start
progressing until she got a copy of the Book of Mormon in Spanish. When she
started to read it in her native language the Spirit really worked in her and
now she is ready to be baptized. ( I am learning to bear my testimony in Spanish
so I can bear it at her baptism. She doesn't know yet, so hopefully she will
like that.) It really just strengthened my testimony on what a blessing it is
for everyone to hear the Gospel in their own language. What a blessing... and it
made me pick up my Chinese language study more so I can give others a fair
chance to hear. Heva told us at our last meeting with her that she feels like
she is going to help the church in Argentina and she said it with the most
humble of humble feelings and left me so touched.

Story #2... Xiong Mei Hua... she is a little girl who just turned eight. Her
mother was a previous investigator who really needs the Gospel, but isn't
finding the faith or strength to change. Alice, the girl, often sleep outside of
her house at night because her mom is drinking and doing inappropriate things.
Alice is so happy and full of love. The first time I met her she hugged me and
told me she loved me which is unheard of for Taiwanese people. She has such a
strong testimony and because of her testimony she has a bright hope of the
future. I don't know how she does it... She doesn't know how to read yet and is
very neglected. But she has memorized I am a Child of God and Love at Home so
she can sing them when she is at church. She just has such a strong testimony
and I am so thankful for the Gospel and the hope it can give to all of us. Here
is a child with NOTHING... and NO ONE... yet she knows that Jesus is her friend
and that it will all work out. At the start of the move-call things were rough
and we would always jokingly quote the promise blessing that "All that is unfair
in this life will be made right through the Atonement," but Alice knows that
this is indeed a promised blessing from Heavenly Father and that it indeed will
be fulfilled and at the age of 8 only. What a humbling experience for me...

Story #3... Sun Yu Ling... Wow, she is amazingly prepared for the Gospel. She
has had a little bit of a rough spell. Her parents fight and blame it on her and
tell her that she has caused them to lose face. She is 35 and is still suffering
from things as a child. But she has progressed so much. The first time I met her
she was so quiet and very shy. She would get shaky and what not. Now she jokes
around with us, has friend at church, no longer shakes around people, and is so
GOOD! She tells me it is my fault because I am naughty, but in a good way.
Aka... I think she thinks I am annoying, but finds it endearing. I am sure no
one in my family knows would understand that at all. So she is being baptized on
Saturday and is so excited to get the Gift of the Holy Ghost on Sunday.

It is pretty amazing to see how the people here need the exact combination of
Sister McKinley and I so that they can truly feel of the Spirit. And they can
truly have an opportunity to accept the Gospel.

Dad, what part of the e-mail did you forward? Sister McKinley thinks that is the
best thing ever. She says that Pres Hoer is going to love that!

So things in Xinzhu are good. I am getting a little nervous that I will be
moving on Monday. I am not sure I am ready to leave Xinzhu, but I have been here
for 6 months now. It still feels like just yesterday I got here. If I do leave,
there will be tears and then a new excitement to be in a new place with new
people to find, teach, and baptize. And moving makes time go even faster... and
now I am getting to the Sprint phase... so we will see.  

Well, I love you all. And pray for you everyday! Be strong! As President Monson
says, "my young friends, be strong!"

The church is true. The Gospel gives a hope for the future... but make the
future brighter by what you do today!

Sister Shaver