Tender Mercies and Happy Birthdays

Yesterday was Annie's 20th birthday. Last night Ashley and I received this email and picture from a member of the 1st quorum of the seventy. A tender mercy on a special day. It was the first April 18th in 20 years that we haven't spent with Annie. It means a lot to us to know that she is doing well and being watched over. We know she is where she needs to be and doing the things the Lord needs her to do.

Elder Paul and Sister Lisa Pieper
Brother Ashley and Sister Eleisha Oviatt

Greetings from Taidong Taiwan where we have met a wonderful companionship Sister Kaitlyn Pieper and Sister Annie Oviatt, two fine Preach My Gospel missionaries in whom you have much to be proud of.

President and Sister Day have great confidence in and love for these two wonderful sisters, who are healthy and well, speak beautiful Mandarin, and love and are loved by the members.

Gospel best wishes,

Gerrit and Susan Gong
Asia Area Presidency

East Coast Miracles

So this week we're having computer problems and we're only emailing for an hour because we're going to the beach again sooo short email this week! And my camera is having issues uploading pictures :/ Sorry!!

Conference was really amazing and I wish I could write about all my favorite talks! I'm probably just like everyone else and really loved Bednar's talk on Godly Fear and Holland's talk on the Atonement. Also Dale G. Renlund's talk, too, about how we should always keep trying. :)

2 huge miracles this week! First we're teaching a man in his 40's who suffered a stroke a few years ago and smokes. He's kind of slower because of his disabilities, but is very humble. This week we went over the Baptismal Interview questions with him. We asked him the first one. "Do you believe that God is our Eternal Father?" Then he told us he didn't believe and that there is more than 1 God because God needs to rest. God gets tired with all that he has to do. We tried really hard not to laugh as we tried to convince him that God is perfect and doesn't need to rest and doesn't need help doing his work. He was still having a hard time believing us, so Mao JM asked him to say a prayer right then and ask God if he really existed. So he did! He's always in the past had to read a prayer that we wrote in the back of his Book of Mormon because of his mental disabilities. He folded his arms and started to say his personal prayer. Mao JM and I waited and waited and kept looking at each other not knowing what was going on. Then he finally raised his head and said, " Wo xiangxin." "I believe." It was SO AMAZING. Just that simple statement of someone saying that they believe God exists was a huge testimony builder to me. It's something that I've never questioned. So to see someone overcome that was just so great to me. Then to close our lesson with him he said an awesome closing prayer, also not using our prayer for him in the back of his Book of Mormon. He was so humble and said, even though I'm still a little dumb, it's no problem. It made me tear up so much! He's been making a lot of progress lately! Miracles happen!!

Next miracle is that Han JM is getting baptized this week! We had a great lesson with her last week and really tried to help her figure out her problem. Then we met with her right after conference to see what she thought about it. She said she felt so peaceful and calm. She's finally realized that this is the spirit telling her the Church is true. Then she told us she knows this is what God wants her to do AND she's willing to get baptized! She also said a great closing prayer after our lesson. She's had to overcome so much to come to this point! Mao JM and I both were so so grateful to see her make this huge step in her life and get baptized. We both cried a lot after that lesson too! We're so grateful to have been able to see these miracles this week. The work is really progressing in Taidong!

Thanks for all the love and prayers and support! :)

-Sister Oviatt

#eastcoastforlife

This week went by really fast! It was a really good week though! I had lots of opportunities to go finding this week with Sister Giles, which let us see lots of miracles. We also gained a testimony of find when you teach, teach when you find! 

One night we went to find one our recent convert's house, but I'd only been there once so we got a little lost. We decided to ask a random lady on the street if she knew where he lived. She didn't know exactly where he lived, but we found his house within a few minutes. As we were trying to find his house we explained to her why we were in Taiwan and what we were doing. We found out she's on a break from her job out in New Jersey as a programmer right now and will be going back at the end of the month! She was really interested in the gospel and has been to christian churches before. She said a great prayer with us so after we asked how she felt during the prayer. She said she felt a lot of peace and that the 3 of us were in a different place during the prayer. So cool! Then without us even asking her she said her Mom and her brother might be interested in the church, too! It was such a miracle! We were really put in exactly the right place at the right time to find her that night. We want to try to meet with her a lot before she goes back to New Jersey, but obviously she wants to spend as much time with her family as possible. We'll see what happens with her! 

Our challenge of the week was that we have 3 investigators who have passed their baptismal interviews, but don't feel prepared enough to actually get baptized! None of them seem to have a real strong desire to get baptized. It's like they don't see the need for it or how it applies to them personally. They can easily answer all of the Baptismal Interview Questions, but just don't think they're ready for it. This week we're really going to focus on helping them develop the "Vision to Baptize". This was a letter from President Corbridge to President Harding in the Georgia Atlanta Mission. It talks about how we need to help our investigators develop this vision to be baptized for a remission of their sins and to unlock all of the blessings of the Atonement. It's a really powerful letter and we hope we can help these 3 investigators find their own personal "why" of baptism. Praying and fasting to see some miracles this weekend!

The other challenge of the week was that we have to wait until next weekend to watch General Conference! So sad! ... But I'm so excited! A few days ago we were on Facebook, (yes I have a missionary Facebook. It's so weird!! Sister-Annie Oviatt ;)) and a member posted an article that said they're doing a Sunday Evening session of conference starting this conference. As missionaries we were of course SO EXCITED! Then we realized it was April Fools Day and we were so disappointed. :( haha Oh missionary life... :) But. Even with "just" 4 sessions I know it will be great and I hope you all had a chance to listen to the words of our prophets. They're truly inspired of god.. at least I really really hope so or else I don't know what I'm doing in Taiwan! :) haha I've gained a testimony of that for sure on my mission. Thomas S. Monson is truly God's living prophet on the earth today. He receives revelation for our church and for us. Follow the Prophet! :)

Super excited for our plans this PDay! One of our zone leaders is going home in a few days, so members are taking him to the beach and we get to go with them! Definitely will have some cool pictures to send next week! :)

Super grateful for the prayers and support! I couldn't do this without my amazing family! My companion is the only member in her family and I don't know how she does it!! I would die! So thank you!! <3 Talk to you next week!

-Sister Oviatt

Adventures in Taipei - Pictures

We got our english/chinese nametags so obviously selife time!!

And obviously selfie with the temple, too! I realized this morning that this is the farthest away I've ever lived from a temple! SO WEIRD!

Me and my cute Mao Jiemei outside the temple after training! :) She's super great <3

Taiwan is so Beautiful!!!

Mei guanxi! Ta huozhe!

Hello Everyone!

Fun Fact of the week.

I'M IN TAIPEI RIGHT NOW! We have a follow up new missionary/trainer meeting in Taipei. We had to come up here early today because they were the only tickets they could find! Thank goodness my awesome companion is from Taipei! PDay in Taipei! WOOO! 

Also my 6 month mark is on WEDNESDAY! WHAT?!?!

Next crazy thing from the week is that I'm in a trio for the next 2 weeks until the end of the transfer! Her name is Sister Giles and I LOVE HER!! She's going to be taking over one of our 2 branches with her greenie companion! We've been helping her get to know the area, the members, and our investigators. It's also pretty crazy because she's only a transfer older than me, so I knew her in the MTC! Also she got reassigned to Georgia like me, and she had a native companion when she got to Taiwan! She understands my situation so well!! She's been such a blessing for me this week! She's helped me know what's normal when you first get here, and what's weird and what's good about having a native companion. Literally such a blessing. We've had some pretty funny crazy times this week:) And some miracles of course!

First the miracle. We had some extra time one night when Mao JM was at another lesson. So we decided to go visit these 2 adorable sisters we knocked into a few weeks ago. They haven't been home since our first visit, but that night they were home! They remembered my name and maybe more importantly how to pray! ;) They loooove to read, so we gave the both Book of Mormons. We taught them about the Book of Mormon and why prayer is important and they were really receptive. Then they wanted us to come back the next night, so we did! We taught them the first lesson about the restoration and they loved it! They are 10 & 11 and just love meeting with us. :) ...the only problem is their Mom is VERY Buddhist and won't let them come to church! She might not even let them meet with us anymore. :( It's so sad! They have so much potential and they have a real desire to learn about the gospel. We're definitely praying really hard for their Mom right now. You xinxin you banfa! (Have faith, have a way!)

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday all had bike problems for me! On Thurs. I ran over a screw so we had to go get my tube replaced, then on Friday out in Zhi ben, riding super old missionary's bikes, both of the tires were just really flat after a few hours so we stopped to get them aired up, then Saturday was the craziest one.... Do you remember the hill I talked about a few weeks ago that I REALLY didn't want to go up so I was praying all the way up it? Yeah. So Saturday we went up that hill again and I was just so proud of myself for how much easier it's gotten for me to go up that hill. So I put my hands up and said, "KEFU LE!" Which means overcame! ...but then I kinda lost control of my bike and crashed... :) I scraped up my right shin pretty bad... pictures to come if you want to see them.. :) So. Basically. Don't be prideful. I kinda forgot where I'd been before and the only reason I've been able to make it up that hill before. It obviously wasn't my power that's gotten me through before! :)

Last funny story of the week. We were at 3rd Branch President's house last night for dinner and we were sharing the #becausehelives video with him and his family. Then me and one of the elders and President Ho got in a debate about when Christ actually died. We didn't know if it was the Thursday and Friday before resurrection Sunday. Well as we were debating I could feel the spirit of the meeting leaving really fast. So I just put my hands up and said, "Mei guanxi! Ta huozhe!" "It doesn't matter!  He lives!" I meant it just like, who cares when He died, He's alive now! :) We all laughed about it for a while. 

Though I said it kind of flippantly and a little sarcastically, I know it's true. HE LIVES. Because He lives he can help us overcome anything. Anything we've done in the past can be cleansed through His Atonement.  We can be strengthened through any hardships or trials we're going through Because HE LIVES. You might get sick of me bearing my testimony of this every email, but I think it's the thing I've gained the biggest testimony of so far on my mission. HE LIVES. I want to encourage all of you to go watch the new Easter video onhelives.mormon.org. Then go share it on your Facebooks and Instagrams and everything. It's a really powerful message for EVERYONE. :) He sacrificed for ALL OF US. He loves ALL OF US. 

I hope you all have an awesome Easter next week and enjoy Conference! We won't see it until the week after when the Chinese translations come out. :( But It's all good! I'm so excited! :) Anyways! Have an awesome week! Thank you for everything!!

-Sister Oviatt

P.S. My birthday is in ... 3 weeks and I really love MoTab soooo yeah there's a good birthday present idea if anyone wants to send a package to Taiwan! :) hahaha 

Pictures Week 5 in Taiwan

On the bus ride up to Taipei  

And my selfie at a 7-11 fixing up my leg! Shout out to Sister Mao for cleaning my leg and putting bandaids on it and to Sister Giles for holding my hand through it all! :) hahaha

 And this is all of us at Ho Huizhang's house last night.... except President Ho.. :)

 Last week we went to Luye again for PDay and it's still SO PRETTY! :)

This is Wang DX who I wrote about last week! He got baptized! :) MIRACLE! It was so awesome! First baptism! I only taught him once though... so I don't really count it...

Finally found food I don't like in Taiwan! Stinky Tofu!

We had a District Relief Society activity on Saturday where some branches dressed up like pioneers and did skits! SO FUNNY! Then others did cool island dances! LOVE IT HERE!!