5/4/14 We are biking, biking, biking, and more biking......

1)  What fun things do you have planned for today?  Have you had a chance to try some mua wan yet?  I absolutely love that  stuff!!!  eat pizza and buy stuff.  this week we'll eat mua wan. :D

2)  What is the best thing about being able to serve with sister Fullmer?  Is it nice to speak some English again?  She is always so spiritual! And sooo funny!  It is great to speak in English.

3)  Have you received the package of photos yet?  If so, do you like them?  How about the other stuff that were sent with them?

Nope...

4)  Are you learning to love Zhang Hua?  What lessons have you learned from this place that you haven't been able to learn before?

Yup.  Patience.... but i've learned that before... idk... being more diligent as well....

5)  What has been your favorite thing to eat in Zhang Hua?  Any good restaurants?

There is a good Hot Pot place in He Mei (secondary area) in Zhang Hua there is a good restaurant that they cook in front of you.  I like the pizza place we go to...

6)  Any luck on getting more investigators, LA and RC's to teach?  We have been praying for you on a daily basis.

Nope....

7)  Have you given more thoughts to your major when you return to school? Umm... let's see... job choices that have went across my mind since being in Zhang hua:  Journalist, Chinese Teacher, Nurse/doctor, Psychologist, Owner of a cafe/ mango ice shop called Yong Yum (yong as in yong yuan as in forever)... etc.... 

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Happy Cinco De Mayo everyone!  I know I'm in Taiwan, and we don't celebrate that here, but perhaps you all are eating yummy Mexican food.  I like Mexican food. And I really miss it... (The burritos in Tainan weren't the same...) but, there is a place here with Mexican flavored Pizza, so we are going there to get us some yummy, yummy pizza.  We must really like pizza.  We go there almost every Monday. Haha!  But it's seriously delicioso! They also have a four cheese pizza that is to die for!  Yum!  I think it may be my favorite pizza in the world. :D  

Anyways, Zhang Hua is... well... it's still has a pulse... a very slow.... slow... pulse...  I mean, the people are thriving and there's a busy world passing by... but as to missionary work... we are still feeling like we are a fishing in a pond with the wrong bait.  We keep trying new things and keep trying to focus on different areas of the work, hoping and praying that something will give... but... no success yet.  Though, tracting this week wasn't as "zao gao"/bad as it was.  We still got rejected by a TON of people... but we had people who were willing to let us in or take a few minutes to talk on the door step.  We are working on going to all of our secondary areas to contact people, since we feel like we need to get out of the city (no one here seems willing to listen...).  

Anyways, in Shen Gang (about an 45 minute of fast bike riding away from the city) we met a nice lady who gave us bananas and seemed to really feel the spirit.  Though, she said she has been Buddhist too long to change, and so she wasn't willing to set up again.  Then we also met a grandma, mom and daughter who let us in, to sit for a bit, but weren't really willing to talk about anything regarding the gospel.

We also met this guy in He Mei (about 30 minutes away from the city) who invited us in, though we couldn't go in since it was only him and his son at home, but he seemed really interested to know what us missionaries where up to, and he seemed pretty cool.  He also wasn't willing to let us have the elder's call him or visit him though....  We also met with an LA and her two kids, who are all really wanting to come to church, but the mom is super busy with her 3 jobs....  but hopefully we can have a member take the kids to church. They are AWESOME!

Then we also went to Lu Gang twice this week (about 1 hour of fast bike riding away) and met with an LA, who is very sweet but doesn't go to church because she is afraid of being in the same place as a lot of people.... Also, what else... we ate some red bean ice while we called phones.... yum... :D  

Other than that, I have felt completely dead this week!  We've been biking and biking and biking.... But, we did meet some kind souls. :D  So I guess that counts for something.  We are working hard to plant seeds in Zhang Hua along with our other areas and we are hoping that the rains of blessings will come and we'll be able to harvest soon...  

Oh, talking about rain, it's been really rainy this week... like really rainy... Last night I woke up to a clashing of thunder and the flashing of lightning....

Hmm.... What else....  Oh, Sister Fuller and I have been working hard to keep our spirits bright and happy.  Or, we are just going a little bit crazy.  Who knew playing with the ants in the apartment at 10 pm could be so fun (Sister Fuller gave one a "magic carpet ride."  And then this morning, while discussing what we could teach our little kids during English we had a very happy excitable moment of singing "Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree."  Also, we've been eating yummy food (all the while thinking of new things we could try to lose weight... Cuz, being in Taiwan really works against you if you are trying to lose weight....)

Something that I've learned here, as well as in my other areas is the impossibility of doing the work without members.  I am so grateful for the members here who are helping us with this work.  Sometimes, I feel, as a missionary that our true purpose is to help members become missionaries in their day to day life.   It is so important for everyone to be a part of this work.  Did you know it was a part of our baptismal covenant to share the gospel?  When we are baptized we promised to stand as a witness of the Lord in all things, and to help others.  There is no better way we can help the people around us, than by sharing with them the gospel and allowing them to have an opportunity to find everlasting happiness.  And by fulfilling our covenants that we made at baptism we can more fully obtain the promises that Heavenly Father gives us. The windows of heaven will be opened to us, if we are willing to be faithful and steadfast.  

So, as a missionary, I ask you members to get to know the missionaries in your area.  Ask them how you can help.  Help them teach investigators.  Pray about those around you to see who you can introduce to the missionaries.  Invite people to church or other activities.  Pray for the missionaries.  I know that through these simple things, you can be a part of the hastening of the work.  We missionaries need you members!  And the Father needs your help in helping your spiritual family come unto him.

View from Sister Peng's Apartment --- See the Famous Big Budda in the distance?

This has not been Sister Peng's favorite treat

I love you all! I hope you have a great week!  

Love, Sister Peng