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