12/7/14 ~ Sprinting to the Finish Line!

1). Are you going to be able to write next week?  If not, tell me today who you want at the airport picking you up.  If you can write next week, you can tell me then.

I don't know.  They haven't told me anything really.  I may be able to email.  But I don't mind if you keep the group small.... Because it's still a school/work day.  You can ask around and see who wants to go.  You can surprise me.

2). Did you get the card that I sent along with the pictures of your brothers and sisters?  Did you like the card?

Yup! It was cute, it made me thing about penguins. :D

3). How was the Christmas party?  I was this week right?

So good! I'll post pictures maybe.  :D

4). What are your plans for the day?

We are going exploring.... Since there isn't much to do here in nantun.

5). What is you and your companion's major goal for the week?

Have a week of miracles!!!! And on Friday we are hoping Liu JM's baptism goes smoothly! :D

6). We you going to be able to attend a baptism before you leave?  Are the other investigators progressing?

YES! :D Nope...

7). Did you get fed this week?

Yes, The Relief society president fed us a TON!

9). Do you need me to do anything for your?

Nope! I'm doing well! :D

10).  KEEP CALM AND STAY STRONG

Keep Clam and carry on.

*************​

Dearest Mum, Regan, and Everyone else,

Well, here I am again, sitting at the computer and wondering, how in the world has one week already gone by.  It's crazy! So crazy!​  How is it that I only have one week left?  I don't really like to think about it.  It makes my heart race.  I'm excited to go home, yes, but I'm going to miss it here so much to.  And now, I have a cousin, Elder Andersen, who just began his service in Australia.  Lucky him!  I pray that he does well.  Just thinking about not being able to see him for another two years or so is hard, but I'm sure that he is going to learn a ton and have a good time preaching the gospel.

So, I guess the highlight of this week was on Thursday.  We got to go down to Gaoxiong and have our mission wide Christmas Activity.  They lovingly did it rather early in the season, so we leaving missionaries could attend.  It was so great to be able to see everyone!  I saw all the missionaries I've been missing for a long time.  It was so good to catch up.  And the timing is perfect.  Not every missionary can have the chance to see all of their mission friends before they leave.  Most of the time, once you've split up and gone to separate ends of the mission, the next time you'll see each other is back at home....

So for our activity, we missionaries from Taizhong had to travel 2.5 hours down to Gaoxiong by bus.  Then we went to Fuo Guang Shan, which translates to Buddha Light Mountain or something like that.  We learned a lot about the Buddhist culture, which was cool and different and just wandered around for a couple of hours.  Afterwards we went to a restaurant on the 43rd level of a building in Gaoxiong called the Harbor and ate wonderfully delicious food.  And then we concluded the evening with meeting up at a chapel and listening to 20 leaving missionaries do their Farewell Reflections testimony thing..... Which means everyone could hear me give my cry/talking for two minutes.  Haha! Right before I had to give my reflection, I had a feeling that I shouldn't use what I wrote beforehand and just talk from the heart.  So much better.  But as always, I get so teary eyed when I have to bear my testimony, and not to mention it was pretty much me saying good bye to everyone I loved here in the Taiwan Taizhong Mission.  They had asked us to all speak for no more than 2 minutes, which is really short.  But we all did it.  It was such a spiritual day!

As for the work, we got Liu JM's baptism figured out.  She chose 12/12 for her date, and she has been super good on doing everything she needs to do.  We are so excited for her!  She is so excited!  It's going to be great!  I really do believe the Lord has blessed us by being able to know her.  She is every missionary's dream investigator.  Golden!  Just because she truly wants it for herself.  She was so prepared, that we only had to share with her the teachings and our testimonies and she just drunk them in and started forming her own testimony.  She is one of my best friends here.  I am so excited that she has made the decision to be baptized.  I only wish I could stay and see what an influence she'll have on others.  She already invited people to her baptism without us asking if she had any one that she would like to invite.  It's already become something that she wants to share.  Sooo coool!!!!

As for our other investigators.... we are still praying for miracles.  We had an almost miracle the other day,.  A lady came in asking about church and was very interested in becoming very active in the church activities and meetings and such.  But then she talked to her other Christian family members and they told her bad things about us.... I don't like it when people judge.  Most people who say negative things about the church don't even really know the church.... I wish people would be more open to just understanding what our perspectives are, and not just listen to gossip.... Ah well.... God has a plan for everyone.  Everyone will have chance to know truth one day.

I really am going to miss it here in Nantun.  The members are awesome!  They really try to support each other as well as us missionaries.  On Saturday we had a huge dinner with Chen JM and Chen DX.  So much food! They also invited other ward members over to eat with us.  We were all so full!  And silly members, once they know a missionary is leaving, the first try to stuff them with food.  And then they keep asking when the missionary will be getting married....  I keep telling people that I still will have some time before I get married, but everyone says I'm going to get married fast..... scary thought... I just know that God has a plan, but I hope that he lets me grow up a little more before I have to deal with the responsibility of having my own family.... Ha-ha!

I am truly very grateful for this chance I have to serve.  I am trying to do my best before I leave.  I'm trying to make sure that I've done everything I can.  I have been so blessed here.  I don't want to leave! But I know my time is almost up, and the Lord has more blessings waiting for me at home.  

I love you all!  Keep being awesome!  I may be able to email again next week.  But until then, may God be with you.

Love, 

Sister Nicholle Peng