IT SNOWED IN TAIWAN.

IT SNOWED YESTERDAY. IN TAIWAN. IT NEVER SNOWS HERE.
it was REALLY light, but it was still snow! My companion is from singapore, so she's never seen snow. Yesterday she was pretty excited, except today the sun came out and she was like. oh I like the sun better than the snow I decided. haha! It hasn't been this cold in almost 10 years I heard!

This week was really hard, because my companion was sick like I was last week, and it was SO COLD. But it also included one of the most memorable days of my whole mission. I am really amazed that we were able to have such a successful week, even with Sister Tan being sick from Tues. to Sun. We only worked full days on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. It really felt like we were in a lot this week, but when we were counting our numbers and looking back on the week last night, I saw that we actually were able to do a lot with the little we had. It just showed me how much potential we have when we're actually healthy and going 100%, not 60%, like this week. This week will be so great. Now that the infection has run it's course in our apartment we will be able to go 100% this week in this amazing weather. :)
Saturday we had a baptism! It was Xiao Su Qin from last week's email. It was the best baptismal service of Sister Tan and I's missions. The theme for her baptism was Alma 56:48 "And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it." She is exactly like the mothers in this story. She has shown so much faith in the Lord and has not doubted Him. At the beginning we were just focusing on her daughter, then she slowly started having interest and developing her faith. Then she had to overcome a word of wisdom problem, and had to learn how to repent because of a law of chastity problem in the past. She was so strong through all of these obstacles and met her original date! It was so fun to introduce her to the ward. When we were telling them about her and all the things she's been through to get baptized, Sister Tan and I almost started tearing up. She just kept looking up at us and saying, "I'm really just grateful to you two sisters, and to Heavenly Father for teaching me." We were taught by her. She's been a great example to her 19 year old daughter, Chao Wen Jing, who is on date for 2 weeks from now on 2/6. Xiao JM's husband died about 9 years ago, so it's just her and her daughter living together. Their life has been really sad, but we've been able to see how the gospel really changes lives and changes people. It's been such a blessing to know these two.
After the baptism, we met quickly with them to discuss with Wen Jing how she felt at her Mom's baptism. At one point in the lesson, Xiao JM said, "Can I share something I didn't want to share in my testimony before? When I was getting out of the font I could feel that my Mom and Dad were there, along with a lot of my other ancestors. That's why I was nervous and didn't say very much when I was bearing my testimony, because I could feel that they were there listening." The tears that we'd held back earlier in the day all came out when she said that. The spirit filled the room stronger than I've felt it probably in my whole life.
Later that day as we were biking through the 4 degree Celsius weather, I remembered something that happened one day as we were biking up to teach them. They live about a 40 minute bike ride up a hill away from where we live. One day it was especially hard to go up the hill for some reason. Then I suddenly had a thought come to my mind, "You need to go teach them. Xiao JM's ancestors are pulling for you and need her to get baptized. They are helping you get up this hill. They need you." I made it up that hill with no problem after that. I had totally forgotten about that experience until Xiao JM brought up her ancestors after her baptism. It was just one baptism. But the effects of the "one" are being felt for generations, in the past AND the future. What a privilege it is to be a missionary. "How great is your calling!"
I'm a little bit nervous for transfers this week, but I think because Sister Tan only has 1 transfer left, and we've only been together for 1, not a lot is going to be changing. We've got a lot of work to do out here in Zhudong. It's such a special place!

Pray for us to not freeze!! Taiwan doesn't have heaters like they do in America!

-Sister Oviatt