ELDER HOLLANDS VISIT

FEB 23, 2014--Well this week was pretty crazy! It was packed filled. Monday was p-day! that was great! The whole district went out to lunch to a stake place for my birthday. Then on Wednesday we had interviews with president! It was so great. I love interviews so much. It's just a cool time to be able to just talk to President Day and set goals and just chat. He is amazing! Then on Friday we did a missionary Tsunami to help the yangmei elders find some investigators. So we were in Yangmei all day. Then on saturday we had a missionary devotional with Elder Holland.

 

It really was so amazing. So we got to Jin Hua chapel at about five to get ready to take a picture and shake his hand. So we all lined up in the culturaly hall to take a group picture. Then as he walked in we all sang Hark All Ye Nations (which president had us memorize) and he walked in with his wife, president and sister day, Elder Wilson and Sister Wilson, Elder and Sister Haulstrom. And he listened to us sing for him. After he said Bravo! haha  Then they all went out in the hall to shake our hands as we walked into the chapel. So I finally got to shake his hand and look into his eyes and thank him. The spirit was so strong. He really is incredible. He put his hand to my head and held it for a second and looked into my eyes while shaking my hand. I can't even describe the feelings I had being in his presence and all the people that were with him. It was really incredible. Then we went in and they all spoke. Elder Holland is so funny. Also pretty intense sometimes. The spirit was so strong though.  But just some personal revelation I got was how short my mission is. It isn't a lot of time and I really need to give it EVERYTHING I have. Because I can rejuvenate when I get home. Now is the time to give everything I have. All my energy, thoughts, time, strength, and efforts. He just was amazing and set how proud he was of us. He gave us some great counsel. And I just want to be better after it.

 

Sorry my time is so short. But I am so greatful for the chance to serve here. I love it here, I love these people, I love the culture and the language, I love being a servant of the lord. It is literally the hardest thing I have ever done in my whole life, I am sure everyone who is or has been a missionary can testify to that. But I know it will be worth it. I love you all a whole lot. Keep serving the Lord(:

 

Love Sister Megan Smedley ( Sister Smredruily: as chinese people try to read my name... yikes. Hahaha I tell em it's right no matter how they pronounce it.)

GUONIAN AND ELDER HOLLAND IS COMING!

 Guonian: Everyone is out of school and so happy! Haha there is more food that we could eat in a week in one meal. And we would have to eat as much of it as we could. Haha everyone get's fat. The floating lantern festival is next week, that is not part of guonian. There is also a lot of red everywhere. And there are lanterns everywhere, it is really prettty! Also the Buddhists temples are usually swarming with peole and food and fruit and stuff to give offereings to worship. But it's a pretty happy time of the year for them! It is six days long of being with family and eating more than you should in a week for every meal(: 

I have started trying to read the Book of Mormon in Characters and it is hard. I can't read it but I'm still learning... Haha slowly but surely. So then we had to pick up some stuff for our zone leaders and sister training leaders so all in all, it made today pretty jammed pack! Also I am going to be sending my scriptures home soon. I bought some new english ones in taipei to have as mission scriptures because mine are literally falling apart and I don't want to ruin them more and more.. So today was really great! Got to see president and sister day and some other missionaries. IT was fun(: Met some really cool people on the way and on the way back. It was cool(: Also I got your package mom. Thank you! I am getting old fast... yikes!

 

 AN APOSTLE IS COMING ON FEBRUARY 22!!!!(:(:(:(:(: I am so excited! Guess who it is?? I will give you a hint: Dad will be preeeeetttttty jealous he isn't here. Did you guess? Haha Elder Holland is coming!(:  Also a president of the seventies is coming,I am verrrrry excited! also member of the presiding bishopric. So it is a big deal.  

 

The work is going well here. We have lots of investigators and are just trying to get them progressing towards baptism. Thanks for prayers and love. Til next week(:

 

XINNIAN KUAILE!!!

Xinnian Kuaile! (HAPPY NEW YEAR!)  February 2, 2014

 

Well this week has been crazy! I am pretty sure I have gained 500 pounds like I said I would last week. YIKES! We have eaten ssoooooooooooooooooo much. Feasts for every meal. From last thursday until tomorrow, members are feeding us for lunch and dinner! That is 10 feasts in 5 days!!!!!!!! SO MUCH FOOD. Today we went to Shi Jiatings and they wanted it to be American for us.. Haha (usually when people say this they buy us pizza, so we have had a lot of pizza) so we get there and there is mashed potatoes! Theey were like mom's funeral potatoes, they had fried rice, meatballs, banana cake, and marble cake. And fish and pasta and "pumpkin" pie... it wasn't pumpkin though. I don't really know what it was. But it was so good! Also Bishop's house made us American food as well. They made mashed potatoes (this is rare in Taiwan), Chicken, and brownies and salad. It has been so much fun getting to be with our ward members and spend time with them. I wish we had more than an hour with them, but alas, we don't:

 

Anyway's. This year is the year of the Horse. Just so you know. I was born the year of the dog. There is a story about animals racing to heaven which is how they know what the years are. So every twelve years it starts over.

I hope you are all doing good! Lately we have been sharing Mosiah 24:13-15 a lot with the members. Read it. I think it is a good reminder to know that the Lord will visit us in our afflictions and he will help take the burden from our shoulders. He wants to help us. I love you all a lot and I'll talk to you next week!

 

Love, Sister Megan Smedley