September 2nd Letter--Hello!

Hello family,

How are things going? Things are going well here. We had three precious souls
get baptized on Sunday! They were really good baptisms. The Spirit was so
strong. One was a mom of a new member. The new member is a 21 year old HUGE
Taiwanese man. I didn't think they existed until I met him. He has been a member
for a year. And has been sharing the Gospel with his mom the whole time. His mom
comes to church every week and everyone just assumed she was a member. So me
being naive and new in the area had no idea her situation--- at church two weeks
ago I asked when she had got baptized and she said oh I haven't. What!?!?! I
said well, when do you want to get baptized and she said next week. Well, we had
to set up baptismal interviews and so she had to wait one week. But she is
BAPTIZED NOW AND AMAZING! Her son gave her such a good example and she decided
to follow it. How exciting for their whole family. Happy day!

We have a another baptism service this weekend and I am really excited right
now. My new companion, Sister He, meet the missionaries 2 months ago and was
baptized a little less than a month ago. And it is amazing to see the miracles
we are seeing because of her new and fresh HUGE faith! I have to do most of the
teaching, but that is ok, because she relates so well to our investigators and
she can do the fellowshipping and really tell them she understands. I am a
little bummed because she goes home on Monday. Hopefully, my next companion will
be as cool and good. She reminds me a lot of someone... I haven't figured out
who yet. Maybe Meg.

Well, today one of my new members from Xinzhu is coming up to play with us
because well it is preparation day. I am excited. I am not sure what we are
going to do because well there is nothing in Zhunan. But I heard there is a
flower garden not too far away. So I think we will go over there. It should be
fun. I love seeing the members from Xinzhu. I am pretty sure the most part of my
heart is still there. So it is fun.

Wow, that is crazy how fast missionaries seem to come home and go out of your
ward mom and dad. Time seems to fly... ahh! We had a couple just get home from
their mission to China... it wasn't really a mission at all. They can't
proselyte and they couldn't even take their own copies of the Book of Mormon
with them. They just went, made friends, and then pretty much invited them to go
down to Hong Kong with them and then proselyted in Hong Kong. I can't even
imagine how hard that would be. Meeting a person and then telling them to go to
Hong Kong with you and not really telling them why. Those who did go must have
been so prepared and in tune with the Spirit to know to go with them. My mission
has been so blessed. It is has been hard, but not that hard. It has been hard in
different ways. But I wouldn't change it for anything. No nothing. I've learned
too much and learned so much more quickly. Quite the experience.

We had interviews with President Hoer on Monday after combined district meeting.
He stressed to me the importance of righteous goal and the greater importance of
having plans. And having the plans include what I am going to do and when I am
going to do it. He stressed the importance of having a specific time set. If
there is no time set it will never happen (for the most part.) So I am working
on better goal setting now. That is one thing that has hit me so hard on my
mission. I think I would have been able to do a lot more before the mission if I
had known the importance of goal setting. Glad I can have this chance to learn
and repent, so that I continue to set and achieve goals which leads to
progression! And can stopping wasting time. How much time I wasted before...
sometimes I think about before how lazy I was and wonder what I was doing...
Poor mom and dad. He didn't really say anything else in my interview. He did ask
how my English was coming... he he. Better jia you there! Not my Chinese, but my
English... I used to love to hear missionaries talk that just got home because
it was funny to listen to their English... ha ha. I think my last move call will
be an English speaker, so no need to worry.

Well, I love you all and miss you! Hope everything is going well. I love this
work. It is busy busy, but wouldn't want it any other way! I love this Gospel!

Wo ai nimen!

Sister Shaver