"i like them asian girls. and i like ozawa girls." transfer 10: week 7

i cannot believe it is already the last week of this transfer. it has
gone by so fast! on friday we'll find out if one of us will move. i
feel like it is totally up in the air. it would make sense for me to
stay here, but hsu huizhang always does crazy things. on monday you'll
know (remember to email me before sunday!!!!).

i have so much to report. two weeks worth. the date is for sure the
15th of june. kuai dao le!!! will my homecoming talk be on the 21st?
i'm assuming yes. let me know.

first let me say that it was amazing to hear your voices. you all
sound almost the same. chloe's is deeper (manlier?), phoebe and naomi
sound a lot older, but you are all still you! i'm grateful for that. i
love ozawas.

so the last two preparation days have been filled with excitement.
last last p-day an english student took us out to "a surprise
location" which turned out to be the local distillery. yes. we toured
the distillery and learned about the history of alcohol in taiwan. it
was pretty interesting. we saw lots and lots of expensive spirits. she
also took us to this guys house who collects art and antiques. it was
kind of strange. a special day to say the least.
last p-day we went to the southern tip of taiwan. (we woke up at 4 to
get there!!!) the aquariium was super cool. one of my favorite parts
was the squid ink flavored ice cream. apparantly it's really popular
in japan. that's probably why i liked it so much.
speaking of culinary delights... last week su jiemei, a member that i
love, took us out to eat. she knows that i'm willing and eager to try
anything, so we ate... frog, soft shelled turtle (including the
kidney, shell, liver and penis), whole bird (she gave me the head),
and pig spleen and kidney. it was all so good! my companion, who
doesn't eat meat, was a good sport and tried a bit of each. she thinks
i'm nuts. this week we're going to find snake soup and go to a place
that serves live shrimp! i cannot wait.
speaking of people i love... there are so many great people here in
jiayi. we are seeing miracles!
my new friend is named terry. he's in fourth grade and talks to me at
the track we run at daily. today he ran with me for half of the time.
we discussed languages of the world and my improving feelings towards
running. his english is amazing and he's really funny.
as of now we have two baptismal dates, and plan to have two more by
the end of this week!!
-yu peizhen is back! and getting baptized in august. she's going to
have to find a new job and a new house, but she's willing to. we
hadn't met with her for a while, but found out in our lesson last
monday that she's been keeping the law of chastity since we taught it
to her in february! amazing. she's good. i love her.
-zhuang wanting. she's new and great. she reads the book of mormon
like a maniac and will get baptized on june 19, her birthday.
-chen huirong is still spectacular. on friday we invited her to start
the book of mormon from the beginning, by tuesday she had read through
2 nephi! she is always quoting scripture and strengthening our
struggling members. she has changed so much. when we told her she said
that she could feel the confidence heavenly father and christ have
given her. she is a living testimony that "in the strength of the
lord" we can do anything. she used to be so shy and unsure of herself,
now she makes friends on her own at the church. she's praying about a
date. she has mentioned mid-june. maybe the same day as wanting!
-chen yulan. also new. also amazing. on sunday she wasn't able to come
to church but called us to say that she's so grateful that we've
introduced her to the book of mormon. we hope to set a date with her
tomorrow.

-hong yunling is still good. did i tell you about her mom said that
she needs to wait until she graduates from college before she can get
baptized? that's in two years! we're still working on this.
-zhai jiemei is another new one we love. she's actually a taichung
investigator and is getting baptized there this week. but she is in
jiayi every weekend, so she comes to church here and brings her neice
and son and daughter. we're going to start teaching her neice! i'm
excited!
-chen yihua is one we're struggling with. we love her and want to help
her, but she's terrified of everything. she's scared to come to any
activity. she's always questioning herself. we're focusing on LOVE
with her. LOVE is becoming the focus of my mission and the focus of my
life. i know that it's the most powerful principle in this work and in
the work of god. look at what his love has done to me! LOVE. it's all
about LOVE.

time is almost up. i still have so much more.
i know that the temple is the house of god. i can't wait to get myself
back into one!
i know that joseph smith restored christ church. it's true!
i know that keeping a journal helps us to recognize blessings.
i know that god's hand is in our lives daily, we choose to see it or not.
i know that keeping the sabbath day holy is super important.
i know the book of mormon brings about conversion. look at our amazing
investigators. they are progressing because of that book. it's true!
i know the gospel brings peace. i feel it.

i love you all. i miss you!

love,
sister jade!