Tomorrow is the Big Day--Taiwan Bound!

Family and Friends,

I don't have much time because we are stuck inside (yes, today is the day I am supposed to travel to Colorado Springs)  because of the huge amount of snow we have gotten this weekend and my companions also need to email but my week went great. 

So here is what I know about my travels to TAIWAN tomorrow!!! Today, Monday Feb 23, I will be traveling down to Colorado Springs and meeting with the Mission President and AP's at 4:30 at a SpringHill Suites Hotel. We will be staying there overnight and getting up really early to go to the airport. At the hotel is where I will be getting my passport and flight itinerary. I will call home as much as I can :)

For those of you who I won't be able to talk on the phone with I'll give a quick run down of my week

Tuesday evening we had an appointment with a part member, less active family. We talked about the Good Samaritan from the Bible. We were able to bring Sister Bull, our Primary President, with us. Our lesson went very well. The family we taught are still a little bit iffy about having the desire to read the Book of Mormon and coming to church. But, they keep setting up return appointments so we will keep teaching them and getting to know them. 

Wednesday, Sister Grant was really sick and so we had to stay inside all day to get her better :). We did weekly planning and Sis. Cook went on Splits with a Young Women, Maryn, to teach our nightly appointments while I stayed home with Sis. Grant. Got in some extra studies. 

Thursday, we went to lunch with our investigator, Cami. She took us to this little local restaurant in Palmer Lake called Safeway. It was really good and we had a good conversation with her about our church and her church. We then had an appointment with Sis. Liggett. She is doing really good. She is excited to enter the Temple soon. She set a goal to have everything prepared and be able to get her temple recommend by April 1st!! I am really excited for her. She did explain, in tears, her fears about her family situation. She is the only active member in her family and her husband is a nonmember. But she has decided to go to the temple is a good step for her to take in her life. I hope that day comes soon for her! We also went over to the Allen's. There was a death in their family and Sis. Allen is the ward choir pianist and she asked Sis. Grant to cover for her on Sunday because she would be gone. While we were there getting the music, Bro. Allen showed us the weather report for this weekend….we were estimating to get anywhere from 10-24 inches of snow. It has been so warm and nice and then it turned to FREEZING!! We had a couple stop-bys, dinner with the McEwen's and then we went to this Neighborhood Bible Study with Cami and her husband Stefan. It was interesting…But I'll tell you more about it tomorrow on the phone. 

Friday was a great spiritual uplifting day for me! We were in meetings all day but they were really good! We had Specialized Training with our zone and the East zone. President Rehm talked about the changing mission and what changes are going to be made to this mission. The AP's, Elders Burton, Madsen, and Potter taught about becoming a consecrated missionary. It was really powerful. After Specialized Training, we went to lunch together as a district and a couple other missionaries to Panda Express. We were able to eat lunch outside it was so warm! It was our last day eating lunch as a district. Elder Wasden and Sister Grant go home this transfer (tomorrow) and Elder Diepeveen and I are headed out to Taiwan. After, we had District Meeting back in Monument. Elder Wasden gave a great lesson and we ended up basically sharing our testimonies. The Spirit was so strong and I learned so much from the missionaries I have been able to work with for the last 9 weeks being in Colorado. 

Saturday and Sunday we were stuck inside due to the amount of snow we have. The Mission has had cars parked and they are still parked today. No worries though…I'll get down to Colorado Springs one way or another :) 

AND CHURCH WAS CANCELLED YESTERDAY due to so much snow….how crazy is that?!?!?!?!

I will miss Monument, Colorado so much! I have come to love this area so much! the people here are absolutely amazing! I have come to be really good friends with some members here that I hope to stay in contact with while I continue my mission in Taiwan. 

I can't wait to talk to you tomorrow!! I sure love and miss you like crazy!!

LOVE YOU ALL!!

Sister Haacke

 All of my district with a couple of extra missionaries after our last district meeting together.

 We were able to also go over to the Castles and teach their kids a lesson. This is Quinn, one of their daughters. She was so cute and came and sat by me. She has red hair and blue eyes just like me :)

 The Monument Elders live just up the street from us and since our cars were parked, we decided to take a walk and meet half way. We were singing Onward Christian Soldier and Come, Come ye Saints as we were walking to meet up with them. We talked for like 5 minutes but it was so cold, we all decided to go our separate ways…this is what we do when we are stuck inside for two days straight :/

Brother Cook and sister Cook. Brother Cook has been our ward mission leader and they were so nice to drive clear over to our house and say good bye to me last night. I will sure miss them.

I am hoping to get together with Bro. Jenson to say goodbye to him today as well. He and his family helped me out so much!

  Sister Liggett and I.

 Our last heart attack was to the Sister Training Leaders, Sister Peters and Sister Fisher.