On Tuesday we had a lesson with
Fan Zhu Song and when we were walking back from Akin's house since she
was our member present back to the church where his motor scooter and our
bikes where, I asked him if he was going home to his Toufen house or
his Zhunan house. He looked at me really confused and explained that he
only had a apartment in Zhunan. Sister Fisher and I looked at each other
because we thought he said he had a house also in TouFen but we didn't
have much time to talk to him because we had to go help Liu JM close up
shop but we had a lesson set up with him the next day where we would
discuss it to make sure he lives in our area. Tuesday night, I was so
sad...I cried so much...yes... I cried..a lot. I just sat on Sister
Fisher's bed and just cried. I was so sad. I kept telling her it was
selfish tears. Wednesday, we met with him in the afternoon and we
discussed the Book of Mormon with him and talked about obedience and
prophets. We then pulled out our map and told him to find the exact road
in which he lives. After a couple minutes, he found it and it is right
at the border of us and the Zhunan Elders, our Zone Leaders. We informed
him that he lives in the Elders area and that the Elders will have to
start teaching him. He didn't quite understand why and he started
crying! It was probably one of the most saddest moments I have had on my
mission thus far. He was so sad. I was also so sad and I also shed a
couple tears with him. What was the neatest thing was that he then
turned over and said, "Will you still be able to come to my baptism?" He
told him we would have to get approval but that we would try our
hardest to be there. So, sadly, Fan Zhu Song is not our investigator
anymore. He is someone I will stay in contact with. Having him as an
investigator taught me so much. He has so much faith and his faith truly
strengthened mine. The hardest thing was Sunday morning, we were
sitting by Liang Man Ting waiting for sacrament meeting to start and Fan
Zhu Song walked in and he was so happy! He found us and hurried to come
and sit by us. He stayed all three hours and absolutely loved it. But,
at the end of Gospel Principles, he turned to us and asked if we could
meet on Tuesday at 4 and we had to explain that we couldn't and he got
all teary eyed again. He said he was meeting with the Zhunan Elders at 6
Sunday night so we decided we should probably go to that lesson to help
him transfer over because the last thing I want to see is him not
getting baptized because of the boundary situation. Sunday night, we
biked over to Zhunan and met with him and the Elders. He expressed how
grateful he was for us and how much he talked to us. One of our Zone
Leader, Elder Huang, is from Taiwan and so he was able to explain it
more easier the situation to Fan Zhu Song. Fan Zhu Song told us that we
will always be his fuyin jiemei. Elder Huang insured him that we will be
able to come to his baptism and keep in contact with him through
letters. It was really sad, but it was bittersweet to see understand and
to realize the church is the same no matter where you live.
This
week, we were also able to meet with Qiu DX!!!! We haven't been able to
meet with him at all because he has been really busy with work. Tuesday
night, we met with him and Huang JM was our peike. We talked to him
about the Book of Mormon. He has actually read a lot of it but he
believes that only us as missionaries can help him and not the Book of
Mormon. He also told us that whenever we call him, he always has a
temptation to do something bad but then his phone rings and its us. He
said it is really weird. But we explained to him that its the Holy
Ghost. I can't exactly remember what was going on in the lesson, but he
was saying something and I flat our interrupted him and asked him what
makes him happy in life. He stopped, pulled out his wallet, and put a
picture of his daughter on the table and just started tearing up. (This
was a lesson right before Fan Zhu Songs Lesson) so yes, Tuesday was a
day of Tears. He explained how his wife cheated on him and how he wasn't
even a good husband in the first place and now his ex-wife is living
with her boyfriend and won't let him ever see his daughter. It was the
saddest thing. We bore powerful testimony though that if he has the
desire, he can change himself for the better and the only way to do that
is through building his relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus
Christ through prayer and studying the Scriptures.
Thursday
night to Friday afternoon, we also had exchanges with the Sister
Training Leaders. GUESS WHAT?!? SISTER SMITH CAME TO TOUFEN TO SERVE
WITH ME!!!!!! I got to seving with Sister SMITH!!! I love her SO much.
It has been so long since we were roommates but it was as if we never
left each other. I learned so much from Sister Smith during our
exchange. She has changed so much and she told me how looking back on
her life, she doesn't know how she even lived before her mission.
Thursday night, we met with a new investigator, Lai Ming Jin, and she
made me talk like the whole time and she would come in when she felt
like she needed to. Wu JM was also our peike and she helped so much. The
lesson was really good but our investigator wants to believe in both
our doctrines and Buddhist beliefs. He asked if he joined our church if
he couldn't bai-bai. so, We explained to him that he can't bai-bai his
ancestors. He kept telling us he believed both things. Wu JieMei has
such a neat conversion story and was able to help Lai Ming Jin
understand. We probably won't be visiting him very much though.
On
our way back to the church, Wu JieMei drove Sister Smith and I in her
car, she explained a little bit of her conversion. About 10 years ago
she joined the church and she had a little daughter. It is just her and
her daughter in her family. Before she joined, she bai-bai her ancestors
and was I guess you could say and active Buddhist...when she heard our
message she thought a little bit the same as Lai Ming Jin--like why can't
I believe both? But she took the missionaries word, and started to pray
herself to ask Heavenly Father if the church was true and she came to
know for herself. She had such a neat experience that she wants so bad
to go on a mission but she couldn't after she was baptized because she
had a daughter. Her daughter now is 11 or 12 and Wu JieMei is still
preparing to serve a mission one day when her daughter is grown and
moved out. What a neat example to me. Friday we knocked doors pretty
much all day till we exchanged back. We didn't have much success but I
learned so much from Sister Smith. Some doors, If they shut the door on
us, we would sing the first verse of I am a Child of God. The neatest
thing was we were walking down a street and we went to go talk to this
mom and her about 3 year old daughter. The mom said she talked to
missionaries before and asked her little daughter if she had interest in
Jesus Christ. The little girl, chi1 yu4 jie2, looked at us and nodded
her head so we sat in the middle of the street and taught this little
girl how to pray. It was one of the most precious things I have ever
seen. We planted a seed in that little girls heart for one day when she
is older, she will remember the missionaries.
Sunday
was a crazy day! Other than Fan Zhu Song, our landlord's daughter is the
only member in her family and she just returned from her mission in
Canada. She heads back to Utah this coming Wednesday though for school
but she gave her homecoming talk in our branch and it basically doubled
our numbers in sacrament meeting. There was about 80 people there! And
two of our less actives came on their own! So, we were able to set up a
family home evening with them tonight! Zhou JM homecoming talk was so
powerful! She learned so much on her mission--a lot about faith and the
importance of families in the church. It was amazing! After church, we
had a lesson with Liang Man Ting and taught her the Plan of Salvation.
One
thing I really learned this week was how many people are prepared and
ready to hear the gospel. it is just our job to find them. There are
days, where there are no success, but those days are the days that I
learn probably the most about myself and the love our Savior has. Those
days are the days that give me the encouragement to try my very best
the next day to find the prepared.
Just like
Bryan said in his email last week, being a missionary is an amazing
opportunity. I loved what he said, "I have come to know without a doubt
that there is no better work than sharing the gospel of helping people
come closer to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ." That is so true.
We truly do have an amazing calling as missionaries! I know with out a
doubt this church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is
true. It provides answers to our questions, comforts us when we need
comforting, and allows us to know what our earth life purpose is--to
prepare to return to our Heavenly Father's presence.
I love you all SO much!!!!
Love,
Sister Haacke
Next
week, our preparation day is on Wednesday. Wednesday is temple day so I
will be able to travel up to Taipei and go to a session Wednesday
morning! I'll be emailing Wednesday afternoon my time!
Pics of Sister Gabbitas, Sister Lindsay, and I.
Sister Knapp and I.
Pictures of Fan Zhu Song, Akin, Sister Fisher and I.
Sister Smith and I on exchanges!!
Sister Fisher, Lu Pei Ling, and I. Lu Pei Ling is progressing well. She
still has an issue with creating the desire to come to church but we are
working with her!
Love you all!!
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