I think I'm really starting to get used to Taiwan now! I can feel my love for these people and this island grow more everyday! It's taken lots of prayer, fasting, and patience, but I'm getting there.
This week we had a HUGE miracle. We have one investigator who is in Junior High and is really smart. He's understood all of the lessons really well and has good fellowship in the branch. He's pretty much golden! His baptismal date is scheduled for this Saturday. Last Sunday at church his bike got stolen! He didn't lock it or put it in the church parking lot, but we still felt really bad for him.
On Tuesday we called to tell him we found a bike to give him. His Mom answered the phone and told us his Dad was really upset that his bike got stolen at our church. He said we're not a good church and he doesn't want his son going there anymore. We were both SO disappointed and heart broken! He needs parent permission to get baptized because he's underage, and we knew now that there was NO WAY he would get that. We prayed for him all week and stopped by his house on Thursday night to give him and his family a sorry note. We fasted on Friday for him as well.
Friday night we had a big Family Home Evening dinner for 2nd branch, which made it sooo hard to fast! Mao Jiemei just kept telling me, "Sacrifice brings blessings". So we just kept fasting no matter how many people asked us, "Chi bao le ma??" (Have you eaten?) Then on Sunday morning... HE CAME TO CHURCH!!! We were so shocked! Then we asked how his parents were doing and he said, "They signed the Baptismal Record!" WHAT?! It was so AMAZING! We didn't think he'd even be able to come to church, let alone get baptized this Saturday! We immediately said a gratitude prayer for this HUGE miracle Heavenly Father had allowed us to see. He passed his interview at church and we're getting ready for his baptism this Saturday morning!
The funny moment of the week also comes from an investigator with a baptismal date this week. She's this really cute Ama (grandma) who has been investigating for about 4-5 months. She's overcome A LOT to get to this baptismal date on Sat. She's had 4 interviews and hadn't passed them til this one on Tuesday. The sad thing is she won't sign her Baptismal Record! She's too afraid of the commitment and honestly Satan is just working on her. So after she passed her baptismal interview, we went in to talk to her. Mao JM encouraged her and strengthened her and tried to bear her testimony to her. She said something like I've seen you overcome so much the last few months and I've grown to love you so much. I know how much baptism will bless you. She even started to tear up! The spirit was so strong in that room! Then Han JM said oh don't make me cry! Then asked, "If I keep eating green onions and garlic and then have bad breath, will the people in your church still talk to me? Will they shun me?" Our district leader and Mao JM started laughing sooo hard their faces turned red and they were crying from laughter now, instead of the spirit! It was so hilarious, but of course I had no idea what was happening until Mao JM told me after the appointment. haha SO She still hasn't signed the paper, but we're praying for a miracle to happen just like with the boy who got his bike stolen. Our God is a God of miracles!
There have been a lot of other crazy things that happened this week, too. We just know that it's always darkest before the sunrise. From all of the weird things happening this week, we know that Satan really doesn't want East Taiwan to have a Stake. We have about a week left to get everything ready to make this stake happen! Both sides will be working very hard this week to either stop the stake from being created or to build Zion. We'll see what happens! If we do get a stake out here in Hualien/Taidong, the Taiwan Taipei mission will the the first mission in the Asia area to have all stakes and no districts/branches! It will be amazing when it happens! Stake conference is scheduled for June and I really hope/think I'll still be here to see that! :)
So that is what's going on in Taidong for me right now! The food is still really good! Biking and the language are still hard! ...but getting better everyday! :)
The gospel is true! The Atonement makes everything possible! He Lives!
Thanks for all the love and support and prayers! I really felt them this week especially!
JIA YOU!!!
-Sister Oviatt
