Okay, well I just wrote my entire email and then accidentally discarded it. And it is absolutely nowhere to be found (how is that possible?!). So I'm planning on reliving my MTC days as I type my heart out as fast as possible.
Dear family and friends,
Zao an from Taiwan! This past week was so great. We saw so many miracles every day, I love my companion, and I love my district - about half of them are new, so everyone's on fire to make this place grow. Even though it's been pretty hot lately, I still am so in love with Taidong. It's a gorgeous place, and I feel so blessed to serve here.
I have a little bit to say about being senior companion, but that'll wait until the end. First, some funny stories from this week! So we have a little tradition here in Taidong where we hike up this mountain behind our apartment complex as a district for exercise time during the first week. When I say "mountain," I mean Amicalola status - without the little walkway but with twice the stairs. Then after we get to the top (and catch our breath) we introduce ourselves and say a prayer where we dedicate ourselves to building the Lord's kingdom here in Taidong. I love it. :) Well, this week's was extra-special! We were chatting at the top when this white guy (such an anomaly here - and yes, I just used the word "anomaly" and I feel so great) with grayish hair, big glasses, blue Hawaiian swimming trunks, and a giant SpongeBob shirt came up to the top of the mountain with a baby strapped to his front and a Taiwanese wife coming up behind. We asked him where he was from and he said he was from Atlanta - Decatur, actually. Talk about worlds colliding! I couldn't believe it. Anyway, he was very eccentric - it was hard to keep from laughing from the strangeness of the situation. The best part though was when he pulled out this giant wooden flute and said: "this is a Japanese flute - I go up to the mountain in the mornings to play it. Can I play it for you?" Well, how often have you had a random man from Decatur in Taidong at the top of a mountain asked you if he could play his Japanese flute for you? It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! I loved it so much - yeah, the flute playing wasn't that bad, but the real reason was just because of the hilarity and all-around randomness of the situation. That meeting on the top of the mountain kept me smiling for days afterwards. :)
The Taidong first and second branch had a softball tournament activity this past Saturday which we were able to attend. Since one of my biggest regrets in life stems from not taking pictures at the past few activities, I decided that this time my camera was a must. I was so glad I took it! I got some fun action shots from the day, not to mention a couple of secret shots of some of the members wearing their full-out baseball pants. Let's just say that some of the day's softballing was a little more intense than what I'm normally used to.
Sister Burton and I were talking about how on our missions we do so many things that our mothers told us never to do when we were little. Here are a couple of examples:
- "Don't talk to strangers."
- "Don't take food from strangers."
- "Don't go into sketchy alleyways with strangers. And don't talk to them there."
- "Don't ask strangers for their phone numbers. And don't call them."
- "Stay away from drunk people." (Okay, so my mother actually never literally told me that, but it was still a general rule that I followed.)
- "Don't eat berries that you don't recognize, especially when it's offered to you from a stranger."
Funny story about that last one - last week we were visiting this less-active family, which was good. We've been meeting with them for the past two months or so and I think we're making progress. Anyway, they always give us fruit afterwards, which I love (the fruit in Taiwan is seriously the best in the world). But this time was special - they brought out some pineapple, some mango, and then said: "Eat the mango first, then eat the pineapple. It's sour, right? But then eat this berry, and everything will be sweet! It's called the Dragon's Eye, and it's sacred here in Taiwan." Well, we did what they said, and then the pineapple was sweet! Apparently I could straight-up eat lemons and they'd still be sweet. Crazy. And also a little sketchy. Especially when our tongues started feeling all weird and tingly afterwards. I guess my mom was right - do not eat random berries you don't recognize. Especially when they have strange properties.
Okay, spiritual thought: I loved this past week. I loved leading, I loved finding, and I loved teaching. I remember with my past companions thinking: "how did they know where to go?", and then being sad that I didn't seem to have that ability. But this week when I was leading there were times almost every day where I was led by the Spirit to know where to go and whom to talk to. And sure enough, there were prepared people placed in my way. It was so wonderful! And I know it wasn't anything to do with me or strange abilities that I have that suddenly were realized last week - I just tried to be obedient, and Heavenly Father took care of the rest. I know for a fact that when the Lord calls you to a position, He will help qualify you. I also know that this work is His work! I've seen His hand in this work even more than ever, and it's been so humbling and so wonderful for me to feel this week even more like I'm serving as an instrument in His hand. I love this place! I love this work! I love these people! And I love the Lord.
...I also love all of you, everyone. Have a fantastic week - I'll do the same!
Love,
Sister Winters
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