mgh Transfer 10: Week 3

chloe- i fail. i fail you. i'm sorry. oh no! this is a problem. i
cannot name the song. i know i know it, but i cannot find it in my
mind. it's lost behind the motab hits that i've grown accustomed to.
i'm sorry, so sorry.

family! you all sound so good. everyone has exciting things happening!
lauren and chloe met fall out boy! phoebe still likes me. naomi is
toothless. mom and dad are still kicking it! i miss you all, but i'm
glad to be updated.

taiwan is getting hot and humid. lately it feels like we're biking
through the world's largest sauna. today is a bit cooler, with a light
rain. i like it.
this week has had ups and downs. luckily, the ups are all tied to what
matters most right now- missionary work! and the downs, for the
most-part, will work themselves out in one way or another. i'm glad
that life is in the hands of one who's abilities far far far exceed my
own.

last week elder bednar came for our mission conference. the rules we
were told before the conference were so strict. i was not excited. i
mean, i was excited, but kept thinking we can have fun and be happy
and laugh and still be latter-day saints. then he came and was
wonderful and funny and cool and i felt horrible for judging an
apostle of the lord. who do i think i am? he didn't prepare any type
of talk, he just read a few verses of scripture with us and we
discussed it, then he answered any questions we had. it was so cool! i
learned so much from him. my favorite thing that i learned/observed
was the fact that the gospel is so much a part of him. everything he
said was evidence that his life is lived serving the lord. he has made
the principles and doctrines of the gospel who he is. i love that. i
want that. as he talked to us he repeated several times three things
that we must do to be successful. i think that this are the things he
has focused on to become who he is. -be obedient -do your work -keep
the covenants you have made. these things are so simple! they are
exactly what we need to do (as missionaries and members). i know that
every mission rule and every commandment is given for our good. if we
keep them we will be happy and safe and we'll have he holy ghost's
companionship. our work as members is simple: be disciples of christ,
invite other to him through our words and actions, strengthen our
families. i guess they sound complicated and doing them can be tough.
but if we keep an eye constant to his glory and our own
salvation/exaltation, we can do it. keeping covenants is obvious.
baptismal covenants, temple covenants. they give us power! he also
talked a lot about prayer. it was his answer to tons of questions. i
love the simplicity of it. it's true that we should turn to our
heavenly father first.

oh no time is short. i want to tell you about all of our investigators
but can't. we have some really great new ones. yesterday we found a
golden family! mandi and ben sent a play cell phone in the v-day
package they made. i made a goal to find a family with a child we can
give it to. yesterday we met with them for the first time! on sunday
they'll be at church!

oh i have to really quick tell you about a thing that happened.
yesterday morning i was feeling kind of sad and friendless. i have
friends, i know that, but things change, people change. i flipped open
a 1996 liahona that i found. right in front of me was a picture of
bjorg and olaffur from the icelandic branch!! it was an article about
their son binni, he was on a mission when i was there! it was weird,
but felt comforted and like part of my family was in taiwan! i miss
iceland.

time is up.
i love you all.
next week!
muah!

love,
s. jade o.