Dreams Do Come True When You Believe

Lunch Out

Thank You Note

Hello, everyone!

     It has been another great week in Yuli! Pretty eventful in so many ways! With God's help, we got 10 peikes ("lessons"), instead of four like we usually do! It is so hard to have members help with lessons since they are usually very busy, but with God's help, we did it. We try as a mission to get eight lessons every week. God really has been helping us and we are really grateful.  

     Last week, a member took us to Sanxia Shan bridge. It was a dream come true! When I came to Taiwan, I would see pictures of it in a lot of places, including stuck on train seats. I always wanted to go. Since coming to Yuli and seeing even more pictures at nearby train stations, I wanted to go see it. We could even see it from the members house that lived on the dream beach. My prayers were answered, and last Monday a member took us over the mountain to the beach house again really quick to give the members our brownies and district picture, and then drove us down the coastline for 30 minutes to visit it.

     It was soooo cool! It was an eight-arch bridge that lead from the island to some rocks. It was hot and humid, which is super weird for me in November. The area is super touristy. It reminded me of the opening scene in the movie "Despicable Me" with the tourists piling out of the bus to see the pyramid (my mom laughed so hard at that part, saying the way they portray tourists is so true). I was so glad to go when we did, because if it was busy on a Monday afternoon in November, I can't imagine what it's like in the summer.  We talked with some Taiwanese tourists, as well as some from Singapore and one guy from England who is here teaching English. Its funny, a lot of people who aren't from Taiwan that speak English don't speak a lot of Chinese, even though they have lived here for years. It was fun to walk up to people and have a conversation in Chinese, because they don't expect us to speak any Chinese. 

     Later that night, we visited the Wu family (In Taiwan, a lot of the time when people get married, the wife doesn't take on the husband's last name), which includes Brother Wu (Wu Di Xiong), his wife Sister Cai (Cai Jie Mei), and their one-year-old son. It was so cool! The wife wasn't too sure about the church at first, but she told us that she had a dream of seeing Christ praying, and she has been more solid since. Her prayers were so much smoother and with more intent. They still go to another Christian church, but hopefully that will change soon. 

     On Wednesday, we had English class in Yuli and then had a lesson with a girl from Oklahoma named Carmen. Her family is Romanian. She lives in Taiwan for a year-long program teaching English. She doesn't know a lot of Chinese. It was so weird, as my companion and I were preparing for the lesson in English, we both realized we weren't too sure if we had the First Vision memorized in English. We got it down in Chinese, but not in English. We then came with Brother Gunn (our American member), who served a mission long ago in the Mid-Western States which included a little of Indiana, to help peike for us. Let me tell you, that was a different lesson altogether.  When the elders first contacted her, she said she downloaded a free copy of the Book of Mormon the day before and started reading it on her own. She's already in 1 Nephi 10.  She asked us questions about why we needed prophets if we have the Holy Spirit guiding us, and about the Book of Mormon, and what we believe about the Bible. She would even check her bible for scriptural references. It was a good lesson, and Brother Gunn and God really helped us. It was different teaching a lesson in English to someone with a strong, solid Christian background.

     Last Thursday was transfers. Everyone in my district is staying here in Yuli. It seems like everyone else moved though. My trainer, Sister Bain, was moved down to Taidong, which is in my zone and which is exciting. I have spent, I'm not even kidding, half my mission with her, whether as a companion, as an apartment buddy/Sister Training Leader, and now as a sister in the same zone. Last transfer was the only one on my mission where I haven't been with her. She's the best. I love her so much and I am so grateful God allowed me to be with her for Christmas and before she goes home at the end of this year. I have learned a lot from her and she's really fun to be with. We have a race in Taidong on Saturday to continue the year-long celebration of the 60th anniversary of missionaries coming to Taiwan, so I will see her for that, since our investigator is coming. Looking forward to seeing her.  :)

     Last Friday, for a branch activity, we watched the

full length Joseph Smith movie. It was amazing, investigators who came told us how amazing Joseph Smith was to be willing to sacrifice so much. After watching the movie, I realized how much faith he had in God, and was willing to give up everything to God. I was so grateful for his example. He's is such an amazing person, his example has blessed everyone, even our investigators. His example of reading scriptures, having faith and saying a prayer (which lead to the First Vision) has been super useful for our investigators. 

Cai, our investigator and her baby

     Afterwards, we had a lesson with Ding JM who came to the movie. She is soooo awesome! She is getting baptized on December 17th!  She is doing so great, just overcoming the word of wisdom issue still.  She has blown us away by telling us that she already knows about the word of wisdom, the law of chastity, and the temple even before addressing those topics (her friend is a member and already told her these things, which has made things 1000 times easier. It was cute, at stake conference she looked like she already fit in. Even at church people were asking my companion if she was baptized yet. God has really prepared and blessed her. 

   

 At church, we had the primary program which was so cute which included about 8 kids total (we need more families in the branch). We then had church which was good, and then, afterwards, had lunch which included good cake to celebrate November birthdays. Next week, we will have a Thanksgiving dinner after church - Yay!  Brother Gunn says that they're not going all out like years previously, but that's ok, I'm just glad we are celebrating at all. So excited for that!

Spiritual Share

     "Dreams do come true when you believe"-Tiana from the movie the Princess and the Frog. If we align our will to God's and do whatever we can to make it happen, dreams really do come true. I  would add "in God" to the phrase: Dreams do come true when you believe in God. For me especially this past week, going to the bridge, having Ding JM progress, and having 10 peikes. 

     I remember last year right before Thanksgiving, I went to the temple. Inside, I was talking to a temple worker about her plans for Thanksgiving. While doing so, I wanted to tell her to enjoy Thanksgiving while she could, because I wouldn't be having Thanksgiving with her again in this life. It's a hard time in life when you get to the point where you can't spend Thanksgiving with your grandparents anymore, because they passed away. Last year I was able to go to my Grandma and Grandpa Brinkerhoff's house for Thanksgiving. I am so grateful I was able to grow up and go to Grandparent's houses for Thanksgiving. I invite you all to enjoy every single Thanksgiving while you can, because in reality there aren't that many.

     Also, when we have studies, I read conference talks. I read the Oct. 2015 talk by Elder Bednar about why God chooses older men to be His prophets. It made me think of my companion, who has had a lot of health struggles on her mission, as well as a large number of other sisters. I have been blessed with good health on my mission. As I read it, I thought about her and how she's such a great example to me of enduring to the end.  I loved how he pointed out what he learned from the prophets.  (See his talk for details.)

     I know what he said is so true, and I have witnessed it as my companion has continued to do missionary work despite a lot of health problems. I am so grateful I am able to see God's hand in our lives as we continue to do His work.

     Have a wonderful thanksgiving everyone! Take the time to remember God and His mercies and many blessings. I am so thankful for Heavenly Father and His love (even to the point of being willing to sacrifice His Son Jesus Christ for us), Jesus Christ and His love and atoning Sacrifice, this gospel that has brought so much happiness in my life as well as my loved ones and countless others, for people and their amazing examples, and other countless things in my life, big and small.

     Love you all!

     -Sister Brinkerhoff