She's Home

Anna arrived in Boise last night at 9pm. She is happy, healthy and still pretty pumped up. We stayed up until the wee hours talking and then up to meet the Stake President at 7am for her release as a missionary. She has found housing at BYUI for the winter semester starting in January. We are now off to buy a pair of jeans at Target and get a TB test done. Thank you for all the prayers in her behalf. Sure is good to be able to hug her again.

She's Home!

Anna (Sis. Shaver) returned home safely last night from her 18-month mission in Taichung, Taiwan. She arrived at the Boise Airport at 9:00 p.m.


Morgan hadn't seen Anna since she was a couple months old, so she took a little getting used to.


She was anxious for some Mexican food after a year without it, so they took her right from the airport to Taco Bell. Nothing but the best after a year and a half =)


Anna remembered to come home bearing gifts.

October 21 Letter--The Last One-Ai Yo!

Hello Family!

I can hardly believe how fast time has gone. There won't be anymore e-mailing
from Taiwan... how crazy is that? It is pretty weird. I have been trying very
hard to not think about it and it doesn't quite seem real yet. I am sure it will
seem real only once I am on the airplane and maybe not even then.  

We have had a good week. We had our two sisters we've been working with get
baptized and then another mom and daughter get baptized. The mom is so good! She
has read the whole gospel principles book. We only met her three weeks ago. She
was one of those souls that was so so prepared. So pretty awesome to see her and
her daughter get baptized. This coming while should be pretty quiet and go
really fast unfortunately.

On Saturday morning there is a self defense class we are going to go to with a
couple of investigators. I am excited for that... it has been awhile since I've
done anything like that. (Sidenote: the other day at lunch, we ate at a park
with swings. I tried swinging and it hurt my head. How boring am I?) So it
should be a lot of fun. And then on Sunday night is my going home fireside. I am
not too excited about that except that a lot of my new members and friends are
going to come! So that should be good to see all of them one last time...
probably will tug on a lot of heart strings. Hopefully, I'll keep it together.

So we pretty much have something from here on out to keep us busy. Should be
good.

Well, I am so excited to see everyone- I can hardly wait! It seems so unreal! I
love you! Be good! See you in less than a week!

Wo ai nimen!


Sister Shaver

October 14 Letter--Hello

Hello family!

Things are so good here!

LIN XIU ZHU is baptized! And so are her two beautiful children! I have been 
working with her since I first moved here to Zhunan and after more prayers, 
tears and laughs than I have ever experienced before she is now on the path to 
the Celestial Kingdom! I have told Sister Price she needs to make sure she stays 
active. And keeps those kids in primary! Sister Price has willing accepted the 
invitation so that makes me so so happy! The new members will be in good hands 
with her. 

We have a mom and a daughter and two more sisters who are going to get baptized 
on Sunday. The Lord has really blessed us this move-call. I feel like He has 
tried us in so many different ways that now He is just piling on the blessings. 
I really have a strong testimony that you must sow before you can reap. We did 
lots of sowing and we will have the opportunity to see ten people baptized in 
this last move-call. What a blessing that is! 

Wow, I think this is the hardest e-mail I have ever written. I don't really even 
know what to say... it is weird.

They say when you don't know what to say as a missionary either bear testimony 
about the Restoration or the Atonement. So maybe I will try that.

Aha! I know... we had district training meeting on Monday. My district leader, 
Elder Bowen, asked me to speak about focus. (Don't worry, I learned a lot and am 
a focused missionary... hehe) So as I began to write my talk, I wasn't really 
sure where to start. So I started to think what is a focused missionary? And 
then I thought of the section in Preach My Gospel (p 10-11) that says you will 
know you are a successful missionary when... and then lists several different 
bullet points. Three of them clearly stuck out to me as having a direct 
correlation with focus.

 The first one was developing Christlike attributes. Of course, you would have to 
be focused to do that. How could you develop attributes of someone if you 
weren't focused on them? Think of it this way... whenever we go on trips to 
Minnesota, we all come home and Laura and mom always get on the Minnesota 
accents. It is because they have been submerged in grandma and Aunt Gin and 
Sharon speaking. And they naturally have picked up on it. The same is true with 
developing Christlike attributes- if we submerged ourselves in studying, 
learning, and living all about our Savior we would start to develop Christlike 
attributes because of His Atoning Sacrifice. So the first thing we need to do is 
to be so focused on the Savior so we start to develop Christlike attributes such 
as patience, charity, hope, faith, knowledge, diligence, virtue, etc.  

The second bullet point talks about working effectively... (sidenote: sorry I am 
doing this all from memory so if it doesn't make sense just ignore it.) As we 
work efectively, we have to be focused so that we can prepare, plan and act. If 
we are just running around wasting time here and there it is probably because 
there has been no thought as to the preparation, plan, goals, or actions to be 
made and taken. So in order to be focused we must plan, prepare, set goals, and 
act effectively.

The last bullet point talks about how we need to be anxiously engaged in a good 
cause. I am pretty sure how everyone can see that that would be directly be 
connected to being focused... so I will let you all think and draw your own 
connections on how the two could possibly be related... 

So I might add that this could apply to us as people as well... A focused person 
is a successful person... and in order to be a successful person, we must 1. 
develop Christlike attributes, 2. work effectively (that is found in the 
planning, preparation, goal setting, and action), and 3. be anxiously engaged in 
a good cause. Not sure if they made any sense to anyone... it does to me. 
Hopefully, something made someone stop and think. And then let the Spirit teach 
them more.

That is something I have learned a lot on my mission. What converts the people 
isn't what we say, but it is what gets the person to stop and think and then 
INVITES THE SPIRIT TO REALLY TEACH THEM and helps them to feel the truth. My 
Chinese isn't any good, but the Spirit is better than good! So it all works out!   

Well, I love you all and can hardly believe only one e-mail left.... ai yo! 

Where is the time?

Wo ai nimen!

Sister Shaver

October 7 Letter--Hello!

Hello family!


Things are really good.  This last week was fun and so so tiring! The Lord is 
not giving me a second to get complacent or distracted. Poor Sister Price... 
last night we didn't even get dinner! We ended up eating sweet potatoes when we 
got home at nine. But it is good, we are seeing lots of miracles and trials... 
wouldn't want it any other way.

Sunday we had a baptism. It is the little sister of my new member. So that was 
exciting to see the two of them. The older sister is struggling a little bit, so 
we are praying for her. But her little sister is great! She adds a little spark 
to the primary! 

I have made it a goal to baptize every week of the move-call. And it is looking 
like we will do it. We have the sweetest little mom and two kids for next week. 
Her husband is a loser. He just drinks and lays on the couch all day. It has 
kinda made her a homebody and a little depressed. We have been meeting with her 
since I moved here and she is making huge progress. Last night, we went over 
there with the Elders and she got a blessing of comfort for her baptism and also 
about her husband. It was a neat experience. I love that family so much. The 
little boy's teeth are really bad. So he drools because he really can't help it. 
He loves to give me hugs and he only comes up to about my waist. So right at my 
waist there is always a little drool mark from his hugs. At first, I thought it 
was a little gross, but now I LOVE IT! He has taught me a lot about charity. He 
gets picked on because of the drooling yet he is the sweetest happiest little 
boy ever. I don't even know how to explain how sweet he is. So they are next 
week and then the next week is a mom and her daughter. When her son who is 7 
found out he couldn't get baptized her cried! So they are pretty awesome too. 
Full of lots of energy and will help the church a lot! So we are keeping busy 
making sure they are all doing what they are supposed! It is pretty fun!

We had combined district meeting this week. That is where our whole zone is 
together and then after we have interviews with President. He told me that in 
three weeks I am going to a far far away distant land. Wasn't quite what I was 
expecting him to say. And then he just talked a lot about how he is proud of 
Sister Price and I this move-call, but since she is probably going senior next 
move-call that we need to make sure we set up the next move-call for her. So we 
decided we do a power week my last week. I am not sure what the times will be 
yet, but probably out the door at like 7:00 and home at 11:00... sure to run me 
right down into the ground! And Sister Price! YEAH! We are excited. 

So good to hear from everyone.

Kate, that is so exciting about the temple. I haven't gotten to watch conference 
yet. But I am sure excited for you. That makes such a difference and that is 
just so awesome! You're pictures look like fun... I was confused at why there 
weren't seas of black hair behind you.

Liz, thanks for the diligence in teaching Morgan who I am. Even if she thinks I 
am Ali that is ok as long as she doesn't scream and cry every time she sees me. 
Oh her little cheerleading outfit. I am sure that is just too cute! She sounds a 
little like Ali strutting her stuff... is she more like Ali or Carrie? And Oct 
31st sounds like fun!

Carrie and Ali, glad to hear you don't miss Nachos! Wouldn't want you to miss 
Nachos! And we are going to Taco Bell! So get ready!

Laura, mom told me about Amos and the recorder... that is funny. He sounds too 
cute. Can't wait to squeeze him. And then to hold the new one!

Mom, you think riding in the typhoon is bad... just wait till I get home! Then 
you'll understand why you only heard about the typhoon... he he. And don't worry 

I am in good good hands. And I am a little more responsible these days. (A.K.A. 
I am old and can't ride my bike as fast so by default I am more careful.)

Dad, sounds like your little car is coming good. I am excited to see the 
progress when I get home. When is your hunting trip? 

Meg, I hope you are feeling better. And that your test went well. Being sick is 
miserable... I have a good sick story to tell you when I get home... it includes 
seeing lights and falling off of my bike.

Well, everything is good here. We are going to go to the morning market today 
and then we are going to have a picnic on the beach with Sister Smith and her 
companion. We are pretty excited. Just nice relaxing fun. Trying to get as much 
energy back as possible. He he!

So that is all of the news I have here! Things are going well. Time is flying 
and we are doing good!

I love you all!

Sister Shaver

Pictures from Anna

The first one is me and the Chen family. Their mom is the one that was baptized in the hospital. They live in Miaoli which is really close to Zhunan so they come up a lot to see me. In fact, they are coming up today! Woot wo!

The one of the three sisters is at the temple. Those are the two sisters I came
on my mission with and will be going home with. So Sister Smith in front, Sister
Stenquist and me in the back!


The next one is Sister Price and I... aren't we cute.


The next one... Sister Price, me, Vincent, and Amy at their baptismal service!


Nothing better than hearing the running water of the font and people dressed in
white!

Typhoon day... stuck inside... we weren't sure what to do with ourselves.
Calling dead stack for three hours needed a little break.

September 30--Good, good good!

Hello family!


Wow! This last week has been good. I am not sure why we are being so blessed or 
why I have been so lucky as to be so busy! It is making time go way too fast, 
but it is, also, not giving me a chance to get distracted. So it is bitter sweet. 

We had Zone conference last week. I did my death speech. It went ok. I made it 
through without crying, but then bawled through the closing song. We sing Army 
of Helaman every single time. And they have gotten permission to change a couple 
of words so it focuses on TAIWAN and NOW! So that hit me pretty strong. Gave me 
the last little push I needed. It is only going to be now for a little while longer. 

Amy and her son got baptized! And it was a good baptism. The only problem was on 
Sunday there was a typhoon so we did not have church. So they had no way of 
getting confirmed. So my companion and I got to thinking and were determined to 
find a way for her and her son to get confirmed because well, Satan is real and 
we didn't want him to have a weeks worth of tempting time. The Branch president 
drives a car so he said it would be no problem to drive him their himself. But 
he said we as missionaries would have to ride our bikes because their was no 
room in his car. So Sister Price and I hoped on our bikes and began our trek. It 
usually takes us about 30 minutes to ride from Zhunan to Toufen, but we decided 
to give ourselves an hour and used every second of it! It was intense. We were 
pedalling as hard as we could and were not moving. My SHOE got blown off of my 
foot and flew across the intersection. It was fun. Well, we got the confirmation 
done and then decided to head out to the church and just make calls inside 
because well it seemed dangerous. So off we headed to the church. 

We made it right to the Elder's intersection when I looked across the street and 
saw people literally being blown right off their scooters. I didn't take this 
into consideration before but that intersection is right off of the ocean so the 
wind was moving. My companion and I quickly were hit by the wind and bailed from 
our bicycles. We ended up just throwing our bikes on a hill and tried helping a 
few people get their scooters stable. I could barely stand up the wind was so 
strong. We ended up getting to the other side of the road and tucked into a 
little flod on one of the buildings and decided to just wait it out there. We 
saw a bumper get ripped off of a car when it turned and caught the wind. Well, 
little to our knowledge the Elders were still in their apartment. So when they 
came outside they only saw our bikes thrown up on the hill with all of our stuff 
in it. And they started to flip out. We heard them yelling. And as they walked 
towards us we realized it was not safe at all. It might have been the fact that 
our zone leader couldn't stop and slammed into a pole. Or the fact that you 
could lean forward and not fall over because the wind was so strong. So needless 
to say we got on the phone with President Hoer and he told us to ge thome as 
soon as possible. So the Elders ended up walking us home so we didn't fly away.

So this was our second typhoon in the last couple weeks. And you will never ever 
believe this they say there is another one on the way! 

We are going to go play with one of my new members today. She wants to take us 
hiking. So I am pretty excited! So I am going to send another e-mail with some 
pictures. And then I will talk to you later! 

I love you all! I miss you!

Sister Shaver