What a Saint Should Be

    Hello, Hello everyone!

     It has been a good week here in Yuli!

     We got some new investigators who live behind the chapel door! The chapel is on the second floor of our Landlord's huge house, and these people live on the same floor behind the door. They are so cute, they are a couple living together that come from broken families. They are super happy, love movies. We have been reading the Book of Mormon with them, and they love it! They even remind each other to pray, it's so cute. We really hope they can progress in the gospel. Please pray for them!

Exchanges in Paradise

   
     We had exchanges this week in Hualian (aka Paradise) with the Sister Training Leaders. I was with Sister Apsley who came to Taiwan with me last March, and my companion went with Sister Toronto, who is an American that grew up in Beijing, China. It was so different to be back into the city again, to be somewhere with more than three stoplights in

town. It was great, we got to eat steak, gave the other Hualian sister missionaries one investigator we taught while she was down here during Chinese New Year but is back up to Hualian for school, set up with a family I've seen before on past exchanges that Sister Apsley didn't know about, discussed our goals, ate McDonalds, then discussed which people were progressing.

     President Jergensen called us this week, and said he had some news for Sister Bernhardt. He proceeded to tell her that her parents were on the phone and wanted to talk to her. It turned out, her 91-year-old grandfather, who was already in the hospital, had pneumonia and was dying. He wanted to call her and say goodbye to her one last time. It was so sad, but she was very brave. She has a great testimony of the plan of salvation and the Spirit has given her peace. He's still alive as far as we know, but might go anytime. I will try to really help her out this week. 

     Friday night, some Hualian members treated me and my companion, the sister training leaders, two elders, the senior missionaries, and ours to some steak. It's not like American steak at all, just a smaller piece of meat on noodles. It was good though. it was so expensive Taiwanese wise, but I was so grateful for their generosity. They ordered us all some New Zealand steak. Mine was a little raw for my taste, very chewy, but it was good.  The host was walking around in a cow costume, while the waiters were dressed up professionally. It was so funny to be at a fancy, expensive steak restaurant and have this host walk around in a cow costume. 

     Cultural fact: for rare, medium, and well done in Taiwan, they just do a scale from 1-10 of how you want your steak cooked. 1 is rare, 5 is medium and 10 is well done. The elders told the waiter "7," which was raw for me.

     My recent convert Ding Jie Mei (Sister Ding) is moving to Hualian on March 1st. She told us that she was looking for a new nursing job up in Hualian or down in Taidong. It was kind of random now that she wanted a new job, I didn't understand why. She told us at first that she just wanted a better job since there's not many opportunities for small town Yuli. Yesterday as I was talking to Tang Jm the branch president's wife (the one who referred her to the missionaries), she told me she got the job in Hualian and wanted to move up there to be closer to her sons and help them out.  It was right then that it hit me - she wants to move up to Hualian is to be closer to her sons in order to introduce them to the gospel. From day one when we asked for her referrals, she told us she wanted her two sons to have the gospel. They are 19 and 18.  Ding Jm and her husband divorced a few years ago, and since in Taiwan kids go the dad when a divorce happens, the boys have been raised by

Ding Jm's ex-husband. Both sons have had some struggles, difficulty about the divorce and their family relationships haven't been good. One goes to high school in Hualian for the week and comes down to Reisui to live with his dad down in Reisui (they are Buddhist), the older son is a college student in Hualian and a Christian that sometimes goes to church.  Along with reading the scriptures, attending church, praying, learning about eternal family relationships, ancestors and the temple, Ding Jm started to realized that she needed to help her sons learn about the gospel.   The gospel has changed her, making her realize that she needs to fulfill her role as a mother and help her kids.  I will miss her (I will probably transfer to a new area a few weeks after that anyway) as well as the branch, but she needs to be where her sons are, plus it would help to be around more members who can help her get to the temple and adjust to life as a new member. Plus, she has a better chance of meeting a member she could marry :)

     I thought it was interesting in my brother's last email that he was the only white person in his district. Here, pretty much 85% of the missionaries are Americans, right down to the mission president. 24% are Taiwanese who serve here or are visa waiting (most serve either in Australia, the US, Canada, and I've heard of a few who have gone to Germany and France), and 1% are from elsewhere (Elder Falck from Sweden, half Taiwanese and half Swedish, and Elder Budd who is Honduran but grew up in the US, the only one in the mission who can speak Spanish).  As a result of this demographic, whenever we have mission conferences, it's all in English with the office elders translating. The Taiwanese missionaries' English is so good, they are super impressive. Most of the missionaries here are from Utah, it's kinda rare for missionaries here to not be from Utah. 

Spiritual Share

     There was this song on my companions ipod that is called, "What a Saint Should Be." The song is talking about looking to past saints examples, like the Apostles in Jesus's time to everyday church members in our lives, how through their examples of being faithful to Christ has reminded us of "What a Saint Should Be," even until judgment day. 

     

     This week is my Grandpa Barrus' 92nd Birthday. He has had an awesome life, traveling to 54 countries around the world, raising a family of eight kids, about 31 or grandkids, and I can't keep track of how many great-grandkids, being a BYU professor, helping countless people in need, serving four missions, serving in the Navy during World War II, growing up in the great depression, being a silver beaver boy scout, living in countless places around the world, photographing everywhere, coming to kids' and grandkids' school events and having so many adventures and life stories.  I think his crowning accomplishment in His life is being faithful to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and helping countless others in doing so, including me, especially in serving a mission. I am so grateful for his example to me. His life and

example is always "reminding me, of what a saint should be." He has done so many amazing things in his life. I am so grateful he was a big part of it, from going to his house all the time growing up, going on countless trips, having fun memories spending time together, and for living with me  and my family in Indiana. He has such an amazing and honorable life, I hope I can be half as amazing as him one day, because let's just say, it's impossible to be as amazing as him. 

     Also, I was just thinking about our branch members. It's amazing how in the church, we all take care of each other's children. I know my companion sang in the MTC choir at the last general conference. I can imagine in my mind's eye all those parents standing on the sidelines as the missionaries get on the buses back to the MTC hoping to catch a glimpse of their child. I then thought of the members in our branch who are taking care of us, as well as missionaries all over the world being taken care of by members. It's so amazing, how in Christ's church, not only do we entrust the care of each other's children to members all around the world, but we care for each other as well. I have really seen that in the branch here in Yuli, and I am forever grateful for the members examples.

     I know that the Book of Mormon can help and bless anyone. I read an article in the April 2016 Ensign about a man who was a branch president of a struggling branch in Switzerland. He prayed to know what to do, and the revelation came that if every member diligently read the Book of Mormon, the branch would thrive. The branch leaders helped everyone do so, and the branch began to thrive and prosper. There were baptisms, families joined the branch, and even a young man from the branch decided to serve a mission (the first one in 15 years). The Book of Mormon is a powerful tool, because it helps us remember who we are and what God wants us to do.  

     I've noticed that the Book of Mormon is all about missionary work. Over and over and over again, once people know about the gospel, have faith, repent, and receive baptism (all are intertwined, not step by step), they were commanded to preach the gospel. It was interesting 

     Always find people to share the gospel with! Even share it with faithful members, family members, and less active members. We all need someone's help and support, and we can do so through sharing some spiritual thought and helping others feel the spirit. 

     I like in Alma 24 where the Anti-Nephi-Lehi people were going to be attacked by the Lamanites who weren't converted. Their new king, King Lamoni's older brother who changed his name to King Anti-Nephi-Lehi, after giving orders to not prepare for war (the people weren't preparing for war anyway) gave a speech to the people about being grateful for the Nephite missionaries. Because the missionaries invited the Spirit in their lives, the Anti-Nephi-Lehites were willing to listen to their message, realized that their ancestors did wicked things and traditions (which is a hard thing to realize, that growing up everything you knew was wrong), repented and received baptism. He then talked about how Christ's Atonement took away the pain from their hearts in knowing that they murdered Nephites before, and that they won't take up weapons again, otherwise the Atonement won't be as easy to cover it, they would have a harder time being forgiven if they even are. So the people were willing to bury their weapons as a testimony that they would rather die than betray Christ and His Atonement. As the Lamanites came to slaughter them, they just knelt down and prayed while the Lamanites killed them off. After a thousand people or so were killed, more than a thousand Lamanites felt guilty and became converted through the Atonement and joined the Anti-Nephi-Lehites. I also really like how later, when the the people were going to be attacked again, joined the Nephites, and the Nephites forgave them for their murders, allowed them to live with them, and even defended them when they were being attacked again, since they promised not to go to war anymore. 

     It was so cool how it all started with the missionary Ammon following the Spirit, as well as his brethren. By small and simple things, great things came to pass-Ammon served King Lamoni, Lamoni saw miracles and wanted to know more, was converted, then the people were converted, and this huge snowballing effect occurred. I know that if we all shared the gospel with people, even something as simple as inviting them to church or sharing a scripture, can go a long way.

     I am so grateful for this gospel, for my wonderful family and friends, who are great examples to me of "what a saint should be."

     So, "What should a saint be?" My answer: Christ-like. 

     Thank you all for your love, thoughts support and prayers.  Remember, like Christ, serve everyday like it's your last day!

-Sister Brinkerhoff

I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go

          I'll go where you want me to go, Dear Lord,

          I'll be what you want me to be

     I am still in Yuli for another transfer, probably my last. I have asked Heavenly Father, Christ and my mission president, and they have accepted my request. I wanted one more transfer to keep up the work here in Yuli. 

     I have been here since last October, and I even watched conference here. I will be here until two weeks before April General Conference starts, how crazy is that?!

     I really love it here. I remember my mom telling me a story about how she was in a branch for six months, and when she left, the branch members came and said goodbye to her at the bus or train station, and she cried a lot when she left. I remembered thinking, Wow, six months in a branch is a long time, about 1/3 of a sister's mission. And now I'm in the same position, being here for about 1/3 of my mission.

     I have to say, I have learned a lot here:

1. Patience.  Having a dog-sick companion, a struggling branch (they're better now), no progressing investigators (except Ding JM who got baptized, a complete miracle honestly), and breaking a companion for the 3rd time (being with a companion who just got out of training) has taught me patience like crazy. 

2. Like Christ, knowing and serving people one by one. It makes it a lot easier to do it in a branch, I can personally get to know all the members more. I have really learned to love the people here. 

3. Humility.  It's seriously the most rural and beautiful areas in the whole mission. These members have such hard lives and they just really amaze me. They really look out for and care for us missionaries and other members. I've never had such a family feel for the members than any other time of my mission. They have taught me and given me so much, I wish I could give more to them. 

As well as:

     Be nice to missionaries in your ward, you never know when you, your kids or grandkids will serve in their ward. #chenmengxin Example: Chen Meng Xin/ Elder Chen, the first Taiwanese missionary in Indiana, and now I am serving in his parent's branch here. 2014.  I eat with him and his family, we see each other share testimonies at church in Chinese, I see him on pdays with his family, he's the member and I'm the missionary. Plus, my comp and I are teaching his 12-year-old sister, she's super cute, reminds me of my sister Lydia. 

     The last week of Chinese New Year is kind of awkward. Still no school (love it), some people work and some don't, people just chilling. The last day, we had a special food like a soft dumpling with either a sesame or peanut butter filling.

 

     Sadly, Ding jie mei said she is looking for work in Hualian or Taidong. I am happy for her but so sad at the same time. She has been such a big help and strength here in the branch, I really would hate to lose her, the branch really needs her, we have such few strong members like her. Her testimony is so strong. I would say that out of all the RC's I've ever seen on my mission, she is the strongest one. She is so amazing. But if God needs her to grow somewhere else, I understand, and the harder my comp and I have to look for a new member.

     Please pray for me and my companion to find a good, strong family that the branch can have. We really need one at this time. Please pray for us that our members will have missionary opportunities, that we can find someone strong for the branch, someone who won't visit only or move away like some strong members did. Someone who will stay here to strengthen our members.

     I love my mission, it's the best thing in the world, I never want to leave.

     Our new elder here, Elder Robbins, came and shared a simple testimony during sacrament meeting. This is his last transfer. Then, a 17-year-old member gave a talk about loving God. Then, her mom got up and spoke about how hard it was tk have three less active children and have a non-member husband. While doing so, she was crying the whole time. It just broke my heart to see her be so sad that her family wasn't strong, which is the case for everyone except three young families in the branch. It made me so grateful that my whole family has the gospel.  It is such a struggle here. This branch wants a new, strong member family so much. My companion and I will work hard this transfer and with God's help try to find one. It's been years since the last family was baptized, and even then that family fell apart. Please pray for us to find one family (or more) and baptize them. 

     Ding JM usually has really amazing dreams. Up until I met with her the first time, I didn't think she read the Book of Mormon everyday. The last time I asked her, she said she would sometimes read it. I was worried she still didn't have a testimony of the Book of Mormon, even after her baptism. To my surprise, she said she reads it everyday and she feels like she needs to (she is hungry spiritually). In the lesson, my comp Sister Bernhardt talked about Lehi's dream, then Ding JM told us of another dream she had.  She said one day a while ago (I think while Sister Scharman and I taught her or after she got baptized), she prayed and asked to know if the Book of Mormon was true. She didn't get an answer right then, so she went to bed. That night in her dream, she saw my companion Sister Scharman and her great-great grandmother, and they spoke great Chinese. Sister S's great-great grandmother, with her hand was on Sis S's shoulder, introduced herself as Sis S's great-great grandmother, and testified to her that the Book of Mormon was true, and then Sis S also testified that it was true. Ding JM woke up. After that experience, she had a testimony of the Book of Mormon then. 

     I firmly believe that in the pre-earth life, Sis S volunteered herself to be sick so that Ding JM would listen to the lessons and be converted. It was a huge sacrifice from Sis S.  I know that this work is so important. I am so grateful for the gospel in my family, my friends, my neighbors, and even in my own life. It is the biggest blessing in my life, I don't know what to do about it.

     I am so grateful for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and all that they do for me.

     I love you all! Happy Valentines Day! (almost forgot about it)

-Sister Brinkerhoff

P.S. Happy Birthday Grandpa Barrus in a few weeks! 92 and still going strong! 

If I only had today: Hamsters, Crashing a Buddhist Funeral

     Life has been SUPER amazing lately! Lots of miracles and great stuff! Transfers are this week. I hope I get to stay for so many reasons. But I know that if God needs me to go somewhere else, I will be willing to go. 

Hamsters:

     

     So one day we were biking, and the Spirit prompted me to turn down a street and go into a certain house. Inside we meet a Daoist grandma with a really long thumbnail (6 inches, no kidding, pics coming soon). We met her 13-year-old granddaughter. She brought out her and her 3 year old sister's hamsters, which we played with. It was fun, as I was playing with her hamster, I was

talking to her about the gospel and life. I really enjoyed getting to connect with her and playing with her yellow male hamster, Dodo, while she played with her sisters female, dark colored hamster. We hope we can help her into the gospel. One of the girls in the branch is her classmate, so we hope it goes well introducing her to the gospel.

Crashing a Buddhist Funeral

     We were visiting a girl in an aboriginal village 20 minutes away (pretty much the Native American version of Taiwan) we met a few weeks ago only to find that her grandpa had passed away a few weeks ago and they were having the funeral. 

     In Taiwan, they block the street with a huge tent right outside the house of the deceased, lots of flowers inside and circle signs on the outside warning people that the street is blocked because of the funeral. Also a mug shot of the person who died is on display.  It looks like a nice version of a driver's license photo. There is lots of incense, sometimes idols, sometimes some sort of mourning music faintly playing, and fruit. Everyday after the death, the tent gets more flowers and the tent gets bigger. Most of the time the person is cremated. The aboriginals, who are Christian, like to do the full body burial, and since there's more space and less people down here, it's possible. 

     We say hi to her, and asked if we should come back another day, she said Saturday was good, but then she ran and asked her grandma, and asked to do next week. She then wanted us to meet her younger cousin, we were like ok. We meet him in the back of her house, then saw her mom, then her grandma came out and asked us if we had eaten yet. Then she invited us inside their house area out front where the tent was. 

     
     We walked in, us two white American girls and sat at the only table standing with some food. Everyone who just finished lunch and were chatting away and drinking beer stopped and stared at us. It was kind of awkward at first, but Betty and later an older cousin of hers thankfully came to the table and talked with us, so everyone else then went back to their activities.

     At one point, some stray dogs ran in and out one room in the house, and some people got kind of upset (guess some dogs are considered dirty, so it might've been disrespectful to the dead to have the dog in the room). The room was dark with pink hangings covering it. I was guessing that was where the body was lying, and my comp said later she saw the coffin in there. 

President Jergensen Buying us Peanutbutter Burgers

   

      Last Wednesday, we took a train and taxi to Taidong for interview with President Jergensen. Mission presidents are now required to do it every transfer. He showed us some cool things in Helaman 10:1-5 about why God gave the missionary Nephi power and success right after declaring the murder of the chief judge, everybody left him and he was left on his own, so he went home and PONDERED what had just happened, and God told him then that he was blessed with sealing power and success because: 1. He obeyed God's commandments 2. He did God's will no matter what, even over his will 3. Feared God, not people 4. Did missionary work with unwearyingness. Since he did those things, He gave Nephi tons of gifts and miracles and success. President said we all can have that too if we did those things. Then Sister Jergensen did some training about CO2 detectors and cleaning our apartments. They mission has really been cracking hard about CO2 detectors lately, 2 elders in our mission a few years ago died in their apartment because of CO2 poisoning, and a week or so ago a sister's house also had a CO2 leak, but they were ok.

     Since everyone was being fed lunch by members, they all

had to go pretty soon, so me and my comp were the last ones to get interviewed. Just us two, the Elders, President, his wife and two twins sons about 17 years old came and ate peanutbutter burgers with us. Usually, it's us and the whole Taidong zone, but that day it was just us. After eating the burgers and milkshakes, President went to the counter, looked at us, and asked if we got fed a lot by members during Chinese New Year. We said

no, not really, since there are only a few members in the branch, and they were pretty much all out of town. He then said, "Happy Guonian, I'll qing you". Meaning I will buy your meal. It was so nice of him, he's the best!



Miracle!

     Afterwards, we took the train home in time to eat with Brother and Sister Gunn, the American husband and Taiwanese wife in their 60's. They were some of the only ones home for Chinese New Year. My RC Ding JM, who is really good friends with Sister Gunn also came. 

     After dinner, my comp and I talked with Ding JM. It was so cool, she really wants the gospel for her sons. We then called her oldest son, who lives in Hualian (hr long train ride away for school) and asked if he wanted to come to church, he said yeah, which was so exciting! He hasn't been to Yuli in six months, so he was fine to come down. His younger brother also was fine to come down from Reisui even though it was his 18th birthday. It was so exciting!

Church- A Taste of Heaven

     They both came for Sacrament meeting. It was also fast Sunday. Last minute, Ding JM had to go to work, so the elders had to help with her sons at church. We shared testimonies. I shared mine about Christ and His Atonement, it was so cool, when I have the Spirit, my Chinese is smooth, clear, and powerful, and my voice doesn't crack. It was probably my best testimony at church yet. Afterwards, my comp said that she could really feel the Spirit in my testimony. While looking at everyone, I felt like that they felt the Spirit strongly too. 

     Also at church, I conduct the music while everyone sings. Since it could be my last Sunday, I was trying to enjoy every moment of it. It was such a blessing to see these members at church, some who come and go, all together at church. Seeing Meng Xin was so special too. I had to fight back my tears. It was the greatest blessing to see my loved ones, these branch members at church. It made me so happy to be with them all together, I think it's a taste of heaven honestly. 

     After sacrament, we had the Elders teach gospel principles class. They taught about family history just for Ding JM's sons, because they are so interested in their ancestors. They really enjoyed it.  After church, we went to go bless Ding JM's house.  She was home from work as a nurse around noon.  She has such a huge desire to go to the temple, it's awesome! She really loves her ancestors. She prayed and blessed her house to have the Spirit and she said the Spirit told her she wasn't abandoning her ancestors, but instead helping them through the gospel. She's really excited to do her family history work and do temple work for her ancestors.  She's the first one in her family for thousands of years since Christ came to have the gospel. She's so special. Her ancestors are pretty excited and I think eager, because she and I have been getting antsy lately about getting it done. After that experience yesterday, I'm really anxious for her to get to the temple do her family history. 

     Her sons are so prepared. After praying to bless her house and talking a little about family history and temple work, we asked him if he had any questions, and he said, "So many," which is music to missionary's ears. He's the elders investigator now.  I am so happy to see this family draw closer to God. Now all I need is patience and time.

Spiritual Share - If only I had today!

     My comp has a great song on her ipod called, "If I only had today." It's a song about after seeing a thousand sunsets, a million full moons, about time being short and long, then she sings:

          But if there were no tomorrow

          and I only had today

         One day, there will be no more

         If I only had today

Then it talks about holding close to our loved ones, not letting little distractions like dirty dishes or the phone ringing get in the way of showering our love.  My comp's ipod played that while we cleaned today. It hit me, realizing it might be my last few days here in Yuli. It's so far down here, I don't think I would ever see these members and people I have grown to love and care for, again, especially my RC Ding JM. I hope I'm here for one more transfer, but if I need to go, I will. 

If I Only Had Today

     I also like the song, "I see me through your eyes." I think of Christ and how He sees the potential in every one of us and how His gospel really blesses us, especially this part:

         Your love shines the way into paradise,

         So I offer my life as a sacrifice.

         I see me through your eyes.

      I also like this quote from President Monson in April 2010 of General Conference:

"How grateful we are for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and for all the good it brings into our lives. The Lord has poured out His blessings upon us as a people. I bear my testimony to you that this work is true, that our Savior lives, and that He guides and directs His church here upon the earth."

     I am also so grateful to know Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and have the gospel for me and my loved ones. I am also so glad to help introduce the gospel to so many people. I love it, nothing brings greater happiness than to see another come unto Christ and have God's love, which is the most desired thing and the most joyous thing for our souls (2 Nephi 11:21-23).

     My district leader was inspired one district meeting to say, "Serve every day like it's the last day of your mission." I would like to add to that and say,

     "Like Christ, serve every day like it's your last day."

     Love you all! Have an awesome week! Thank you for your prayers!

-Sister Brinkerhoff