November already?

Hello Family!!!

Happy Halloween!!!

Alma sent me an email saying that Danika's brother just died in a car accident from drunk driving with friends. Please pray for their family. Tell Danika through FB or something that I'm thinking about her! I can't believe that happened. It is so sad. so guys...dont drink and drive!!! 

Anyways, on a happier note. SHI JM is getting baptized on SUNDAY!!!! Mom and dad, thanks for all your help! She loves mom. DAD why did you say that you might be here for it if she got baptized in December?!?! ARE YOU COMING TO TAIWAN? Let me know!!! But I probably will not see you since I'm all the way down in Taidong. weird. okay. well MEGAN...i got your package! thank you so much! You are the best! Cinnamon toast crunch cereal?! whattt. so good. and reese's? you cant find that here. We used the fangs for our halloween pictures. thanks meg for the fun break we had during the 3 hour weekly planning sesh. it was much needed. we couldn't stop laughing because one of the sisters kept druling. haha.

We had a million missionaries in Taidong this week...well just ten extra, but still. it was chaotic! our apartment and showers were crazy. But it was fun to have them here. They are awesome. It was a week filled with phone calls and more!

Here is what went down. sorry...just copied and pasted from mission president's email. no time!

Not going to lie, this week was crazy!!! The missionary tsunami was awesome. It was so cool to see so many missionaries here in Taidong. The nights were filled with endless phone calls from Elder Tay and others, set-ups/double set-ups, finding peikes, getting numbers, and more phone calls. These missionaries were so hard working. A lot of the investigators that we met with don't have much interest but we are planting lots of seeds. Their time will come! I'm grateful for the missionaries' efforts.

Shi JM is getting baptized next Sunday before church! I'm SO excited! Finally a baptism! It has felt like forever, especially for the sisters. I feel like the end of the year will be filled with baptisms. Shi JM seems really happy and came to church on Sunday. Her and another guy the Elders are teaching are getting baptized at the same time. I feel so blessed to be apart of this.

Chen JM, the gangster, is still really excited for baptism and interviewing with you. She really respects you. I told her that she may not be able to get baptized on the 23rd but she is still really hopeful. I love her faith. I learn so much from her. I told her that you needed to get permission first from the area president. Does that take a long time? I've never seen someone so excited.

We met with Tsai JM this week, who is related to Tsai Huizhang's wife. She is so sweet and great. We taught her the 3rd lesson and she has been praying and read a little of the BOM. She didn't go the church this week because she was busy but i'm hoping she will come next week. If she keeps it up, I know she can make her baptism date no problem.

Liao JM is the person we set a baptism date with on the first lesson. We had a peike come with us and apparently they know each other. Zhang DX and his wife came with us. They know her less active son. They talked forever and it was a really awkward visit because her and her son were fighting about him having his cell phone for about 20 minutes. Then our peike just tried helping her after, so again, we didn't get to teaching the Restoration because we were almost there for an hour. But she still has a desire to get baptized. We talked a lot about prayer and her setting an example for her son and praying with her son. Even though we didn't teach a lesson, i felt like we helped her a lot and helped her realize the importance of prayer and the BOM and her helping her son. Her problem is is that she can't come to church that often because she only gets one Sunday off a month. I'm praying for a miracle that she will be able to get baptized in December.

Meeting with Becky and having Sister Day peike was great. I think Becky was not expecting that at all, but I'm glad she didn't leave. She actually answered my questions more this time since I think she felt a little pressure that Sister Day was there. The temple sisters talked to us a lot about Becky's situation. We concluded that we just really need to focus on the Atonement and Christ with her. Also, if she doesn't show up or has a bad attitude to just ignore it. We think that we need to back off and give her less attention and then she will realize how much she needs the Gospel. This has happened before and when I don't call Becky, she will end up calling me in a few days. It is really hard to set up with her to meet with her since she doesn't like putting us in her schedule just incase she has something else or better come up. The temple sisters told us that we did everything we could, along with the other missionaries, and all we can do now is wait for her to make the decision and choice to change her attitude. Even with you there on Tuesday at the church you could see her attitude towards the Elders. I'm almost embarrassed about it. She also wasn't really happy on Sunday and wouldn't talk to us. I dont really know what her problem is right now. But all I can do right now is pray for her. Thanks for lunch on Tuesday!!! Sister Day is too nice!

Hope everyone is doing well!!!! love you all!!! keep me updated. i cant believe i hit 9 months this month!!!

wo ai nimen.

ZHAO Jie mei