IT'S RAINING FAMILIES!!

It was a week of full rain! Really HUGE thunder storms and also MIRACLES from God. It was truly a miraculous week. I won't even get to write half of the miracles we saw this week. We really tried to work hard, seek the Lord's will for our area, and follow the spirit. It was one of those weeks where we were lucky enough to see some of the fruits of our labors and faith.
This weeks miracles involve 4 families. Yes. 4. I'll quickly explain why each of these families was a miracle to us this week.
--On Tuesday, we went to visit an LA family that has a steak restaurant. After we ate there, we were SO full, almost guo nian full. It was uncomfortable to even walk. And it was POURING rain all day, so we were soaked to the bone and freezing. But, we decided to stick with our plan to go finding around the LA's house. 30 minutes and about 20, "We're Buddhist" "Go home, it's raining" "We don't have time" 's later, someone let us in! She was a mid-20 year old girl living with her grandma and grandpa while she tried to find work. We sat down and taught all 3 of them how to pray, told them about our purpose as missionaries, and found out a bit more about them. The girl, Lu JM, shared about how a few years ago she'd met some missionaries from another church, but had a really bad experience. We were amazed that she still let us in! Then my awesome companion, Sister Xiao, did some great How to Begin Teaching, without even realizing it, to help her better understand how we're different from those other missionaries. Sister Xiao taught about how we are just there to teach her about Christ and His church, but she can choose whether or not to accept and act on the message. We aren't here to force her into doing anything, or to even get baptized. Just to guide her in learning about our message. It's up to her to use her agency to choose what she wants. It was amazing and I was just in shock. It really made Lu JM feel a lot more comfortable with us. The more we shared with her about the gospel, the brighter her eyes got and more interested she became. Then she said we could go back and visit her again later in the week. We were so grateful as we left her house that night that God had led us to find His prepared children.
--Next family, Zhan JT. 2 weeks ago, Sister Tan and I found a cute family with a Mom and a Dad, and 5 year old twin girls. We talked to them for a bit about their religious background, and found out that they were christian, but haven't been to church recently because of the kids and their work situations. They still pray every night, and occasionally read the Bible. Their home definitely had the spirit because of their righteous efforts! But when we found them they were going to Taoyuan for the Lantern Festival, and said they were busy for the next 2 weeks. Usually that means you call them 2 weeks later, they're still busy, and eventually they disappear. Fast forward to this week. I felt like we needed to go drop by and see if they would be home, but I had no idea where they lived, I only remembered the street name. Well the Lord really needs this family to be found because I was able to follow the spirit and find their house in just a few minutes. And, the Dad and twin girls were home! We prayed with them, and invited them to church, which they readily accepted. It was so amazing to be able to see them again. Unfortunately, probably because of the rain, they didn't come to church yesterday. But I know that God has led us to find them twice, so I have faith that everything will work out!
--Next family, Chen JT. Remember a few weeks ago when I shared about the son who had gotten into drugs and the mom who we started teaching, who was really worried about him and wanted him to learn more about the church? Well this weekend we were finally able to meet with the Dad, too! They both have so much faith, and really want the best for their son. We taught and testified a lot about how the gospel has blessed our families and could bless theirs if they kept meeting with us. They were just soaking everything up! At one point our member asked, "How do you expect God to help you?" Then Chen DX, responded, "I don't want to ask what God can do to help me, I want to ask God how I can serve him." I was just in shock. No words. He gave lots of great answers like that that really showed his desire to follow God. At the end of the lesson, I felt really impressed that we needed to invite them to be baptized on May 7th. Specifically for Xiao JM to do it, because that's what we've been talking about in 12 week lately. It took her a little while to get to it because she was nervous, but she did it! It was really great! Unfortunately, they didn't accept, mostly Chen DX. Peng JM was a little bit more willing, but still didn't fully accept. They started talking about how all religions are good as long as they teach people to be good citizens, serve others, and stuff like that. It was a little discouraging, but I know that it is NEVER bad to act on a prompting. I know that I felt an undeniable witness that we were supposed to be there teaching them. I know that God has his plan for them. I don't know what it is, but I know that as long as we keep following the spirit and doing His will everything will work out. It may not end in this family getting baptized, but as long as God's work is going forth, that's all that matters.
--Last family, and possibly the most miraculous. Xu JT. We're sitting in church and I'm getting a little discouraged by the rain, and the fact that the 2 families and some other investigators we'd invited to church all hadn't come. Then I looked up and saw a family I didn't recognize sitting in the 2nd row. One of the stake high councilors in the ward came up to me and said they had never come to church before and that we needed to go introduce ourselves to them after sacrament meeting. So we did! We found out that one of them was a church member from Germany visiting her family here. She invited her younger brother, his wife, and two teenage daughters to come to church with her and they all did! They all happily came to gospel principles with us, then the mom and two daughters came to Relief Society with us. They fit right in with the ward. It was so miraculous!! They really loved church and set up for us to meet with them this Thursday! The older sister from Germany told us that her daughter had just started her mission 2 weeks before, but was waiting in Germany for her visa to go to the SLC temple square mission! Just like Xiao JM, except different mission! Pretty cool! As she was leaving she gave us hugs and said, "Take good care of them for me." And we promised we would. So even though we only had 1 investigator at church, we still were able to have a miraculous Sunday!
God really loves Zhudong a lot. He is raining families down on this ward right now. And the elders have been finding more men lately, future Melchizedek Priesthood holders! I know that God is truly preparing the hearts of his children here to receive his gospel. I am so lucky to have front row seats to see these miracles happen! All of these people are being found right here at the end of my mission, so I may not get to see the fruits of these labors, but as long as these people are in the Lord's hands, it doesn't matter to me who baptizes them. I know that everything will work out for those who trust in the Lord.
Sorry for the long email this week! It was so amazing though. This week I've really been trying to be more humble, and believe and practice what this verse teaches, "And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him." (John 8:29) I know that as we always do things that please HIM, not man, He WILL NOT leave us alone.

Do the important things!

-Sister Oviatt