Week Accomplished!

Sister Fernley's message from Feb. 8, 2015:

Dear Family,

Well we did it. We got through the week. It was a miracle, but we did it! Honestly the three areas isn't working out very well. They have so much going on in the Tainan 1st and 2nd wards that my area was getting somewhat neglected. I ended up having to cancel several lessons and the lessons we did have ended up having to change times, but because we had to be in the other area we couldn't accommodate to their schedule. The first few nights I had a hard time sleeping because I was worrying about my area and our investigators. I tried to call them everyday, but there's only so much you can do over the phone. For a little while it was feeling like all the hard work Sister Chang and I had put in the move-call before was getting swept away and I couldn't do anything about it.

BUT we miraculously ended up running into the assistants at our chapel this week. They were on exchanges with the elders. As we walked past we asked if we could find part time missionaries to help us out. They gave us permission and said if we could find members to help us to go for it. We were a little nervous because coming up in the next week is Chinese New Year and most people go out of town to be with family. 

We ended up asking our single adults after our Book of Mormon class if they knew anyone who could help us out. (None of them could do it because of work or lack of funds.) About an hour later one of them sent me a text saying they had found someone who could help who was from the Tainan 2nd ward. 

She called us later telling us that earlier in the week she had a strong feeling that she needed to go on a mission. She talked with her mom about it, but her parents didn't agree (I don't think they are members). She said they gave her permission to serve a part time mission, but wouldn't agree to full time. However, the mission hadn't publicized a need for part time missionaries, so she was worried that she wouldn't get the chance. A few days later we started looking for part time missionaries to help us out. 

Heavenly Father truly answers our prayers, especially when our desires are to do His work. I'm excited to meet and start working with my new companion!

I may be getting a new companion this week, but I've been so grateful for this last week and for the opportunity I've had to work with Sister Jiang. This was my first time working with her, and she is an amazing missionary. She is so willing to serve everyone and so willing to learn. She is on her fourth move-call, so she's still in her first area, but is handling everything just fine. We had a good week, didn't die of exhaustion, and saw some incredible miracles!

First one was our miracles part time missionaries!

Second: When I got put over the Tainan 1st and 2nd wards I also got put as their English leader. An English leader basically just sets up when we go English proselyting (for our English class) and leads the meeting we hold right before English class to plan the party etc. So Wednesday night we had to be in that area. Anyway we were eating dinner before we had to head over and start our meeting when the elders called and said someone was waiting at the church for us. We went over immediately and met Abby. She said she remembered we had a church there and wondered if we could help her with some trials that she was going through. We talked to her for a minute, exchanged numbers and talked about a time to meet. She wasn't too sure about her schedule, so said she would call us and let us know. The next day she texted us and asked if we could meet the next day.

We ended up meeting and she told us about some of the trials she was going through and how she hoped she could find some direction through our church. She's having a hard time accepting that she can have faith despite the influences around her, but she is definitely willing to try.

Third: Our other big miracle for the week happened while we were tracting. We had some extra time so we found a street nearby and began to tract. We had been tracting for a couple of minutes when we ran into a man who was hauling some old appliances that needed to be recycled from the houses nearby to his truck. We said hello, but he kept going about his work. I remember thinking that maybe while he was hauling things back and forth he would hear what we were sharing with everyone and have interest in our message. I had decided that next time we saw him we'd go contact him. 

Unfortunately we didn't run into him again, and didn't know where he had gone. I actually forgot about him after a while until we went to go get our bikes. He waved and said goodbye to us as he was driving his truck out of the neighborhood. I went to go give him a tract, but was stuck between several bikes. Fortunately, Sister Jiang had the same thought and ran over and handed him a tract before he drove off. He took it and drove around the corner. We continued getting ready to leave when not even a minute later he came walking around the corner to give us his business card. He had driven around the corner, parked his truck, and came back to give us his contact information. 

We gave the information to the elders. Hopefully he agrees to meet. People are prepared everywhere. You never know when or where they are going to show up.

I could probably think of others, but those are the ones that stick out for the week. It was great working with Sister Jiang and meeting members from the other wards, but it is going to be really nice to be able to focus completely on AnPing. I know that we can see miracles and help this area grow even more. 

Dad asked about the new missionaries. They haven't come yet and we have no idea when they will get here. Elder Gong of the area seventy is going to meet with the Taiwanese consulate today to try and resolve the matter, so we are all praying that everything will go well and we can the missionaries that we desperately need to Taiwan. 

As far as the people we taught this week, honestly it was all kind of a blur. We did meet with this cute almost eight year old girl who is getting baptized this Saturday. Apparently she walked into the church on her own at the age of six and wanted to learn. She is incredibly strong and reads and understands the Book of Mormon on her own. She is really excited to get baptized on Saturday. She's been waiting for in since she learned about the church.

We also went to one of the hospitals for the elderly and disabled and met with one of our members. The sisters go over twice a week. She is really sweet and has a strong spirit. 

One thing that I love that they do in the Tainan 1st/2nd district is they go with one of their members and some of their youth and RCs and sing at the hospital or the old-folks home. It was so fun to see everyone so happy and see how happy the members were to share the gospel. I was so glad that I got to participate in their service activity for the week.

That's pretty much what went on this week. We met with a ton of their RCs, LAs and investigators, but didn't get much of a chance to meet with ours. I'm hoping that we can get back in contact with them this week and help them continue to progress.

I hope you all have a great week! I miss you and love you all so much! I know this gospel is true. I know that there is no greater message and no greater work on earth. I know that this life isn't the end. We will have opportunities to continue growing and continue learning to a greater extent than we could ever imagine.

look for the miracles!

Sister Fernley