typhoon? too fun! Transfer 5: week 4

I feel like i don't have a lot to write. things are good here, but kind of slow. time seems to be dragging a bit. i keep telling myself that i still have nine wonderful months ahead, and that this time will be gone before i know it even if it feels kind of slow most days.

so, this week. i swear the world is falling apart more or less. between the american economy and the fact that there are people dying from chemicals in food. pmg says something to the effect of "only the gospel of jesus christ can save the world from it's own calamity." i believe that. i know that the atonement turns us into new creatures. look at me! a. i'm on a mission. b. i want to have a family more than a psych clinic. c. i crave baking. can you imagine this three years ago. no! i'm so grateful for the gospel!! and for the fact that we can always change and always do better. it's a beautiful, wonderful, happy thing.

last wednesday we ate lunch at pizza hut with a member. then, on friday we visited a less active that gave us a list of things we should and should not eat at this time. she said pizza huts is taiwan and mainland are being closed temporarily because of harmful food from china. sister fan and i returned home and waited for something to happen. of course, nothing did. we told ourselves we would avoid chinese cheese and milk powder (things we don't eat anyway) and we'd be okay.

the miracle girl from last week is still a miracle. but, we're not sure what is underneath. we met with her on thursday and it went well. she met with missionaries before and even had a baptismal date. she stopped meeting with them because of changes in work (and probably some other things) and said she has missed church a lot since then. i think she could set a date soon. but there is something a bit strange about her. we can't figure it out. we are trying our hardest not to assume, but we think she may be or have been a lesbian. if it were just one of us thinking such things, i would disregard the thought, but both sister fan and i have the same impressions. the fact that she knows a lot about the gospel and knows our purpose as missionaries and is still willing to meet with us is comforting. i think it will all turn out quite good.

grace is falling apart already. she has friends at another christian church telling her bad things about our religion. last time we saw her her qusetions were really weird and caused us to be discouraged. for example, "how do you know spirit world exists? do you have church members who have been there and back?" strange, right?

no worries, that's okay because we have four baptismal dates! my favorite is yuci. she's so cute! when we met with her on saturday she started talking about preparing for a mission! she was disappointed to hear that she has to wait until she's 21 (she's only 18). she's spectacular. hearing her testimony reminds me that this is the lord's work and he's the one doing it. really, i feel like with a lot of our investigators i haven't done a thing. they would not have a desire to follow christ if all that were encouraging them were the words out of my mouth. there is so much more pushing them along. i love that. i love knowing there are unseen forces helping them and helping me at that times i'm inadequate (always!!).

sunday was a crazy and boring day. in the morning elder richter called and said church was probably cancelled because of a typhoon. then called again and said that president hsu wanted us to take the sacrament, so we had to be at the church by eight. i thought the elders would bless the bread and water adn then we'd be on our way. no, we had a sacrament meeting! it was fun (and spiritual). i felt like a little make-shift branch. there were only six of us, so we all took on different roles. sister fan had prepared to speak in one of the wards' sacrament meeting so she gave her talk to us.it was great. after the sacrament meeting we all lingered and chatted, then had an impromptu meeting to plan same upcoming activities. during the meeting the zone leaders called and said we were to proselyte from 10:30 to 2 then go in until further notice. we stayed at the church sharing family photos and pre-mission stories until 10:30 then worked in the rain and wind until 2. at one point sister fan and i were riding and came to a standstill because the wind was blowing so hard. it shifted directions and we both toppled to the side laughing. at two we went in and ended up inside until 12 the next day. i've never been so bored in my life. we did a lot of reading, a lot of studying language and some sleeping. around 6 elder richter called. we could tell he was bored out of his mind! he asked when i was planning on doing my next character card pass-off. i said thursday and he said, "elder kitterman is doing his on tuesday, i know you can beat him." elder kitterman and i are on the same pass-off. the last two we have done on the same day, i have beaten him by an hour both times. of course, being an ozawa, i couldn't back down from the challenge. elder richter said he thought i could do mine by monday. so i worked hard and did it. i memorized 300 characters between friday morning and monday afternoon, with help from above and the motivating forces of my father's competitive spirit which dwells in me. it was a wonderful feeling. (in honesty, i'm grateful that my competiveness has wanned since junior high. i would be unhappy out here if i still had the same drive as i had back then.)

my responsibilities for the upcoming activities are refreshments. i'm so excited. i found an import store with mini-pies crusts. on monday sister fan and i made the filling for lime meringue pie. i think i messed it up a bit, i couldn't completely remember the recipe, but it turned out alright. tomorrow we're making pumpkin pie. i want to do apple but don't know how to make my own crust for the top bit. i seriously love baking lately. like a lot. it's weird.

that's all i can think of. obviously, with mention of the pies, i was getting desperate for more to tell you. now i'm drained. i love you all!
muah!

sister jade