Chen Yi Juen got Baptized!

 This picture describes her personality perfectly :)

My companion wrote my name is Soy Sauce...she really loves me! 

Our adorable Chen Yi Juen! 

You can tell when the missionaries go to dinner together!! #allthebikes

Hello Friends and Family! 

This week has been an amazing one. (I mean how could it not be? I'm a missionary and I'm in Taiwan!) I'm loving it here and while my Chinese is slowing coming, I feel like I'm beginning to develop relationships with everyone I'm working with and life is good. While we saw a lot of miracles this week, the biggest one is...

Chen Yi Jun got baptized! I can't express how happy I am for her and her decision to follow the example of Jesus Christ. She is so amazing and I am beyond grateful to be a part of her conversion experience. The baptismal day started off with me and my trainer going to Taipei for a 6 weeks follow-up. Afterwards we rushed home, set up chairs, and after a failed attempt at filling up the font, the Elders came and rescued us. Chen Yi Jun was crying even before the meeting started so let's say the whole thing was a cry fest. After two amazing talks, Chen Yi Jun walked into the font. She was so humble and you could feel the spirit so strong. My companion and I watched from the top of the steps and greeted her as completely perfect person as she walked up the steps. My companion and I then performed "I Know My Redeemer Lives" and gave Chen Yi Jun her favorite flowers. The entire experience was totally perfect and I can't wait to see all of the amazing things she will do now. Love her! 

We also got to meet this awesome lady named Xu Jiemei. We met her at a Waffle House last week and we set up to meet with her, but she didn't come! We were super bummed but we decided to call her anyway. Turns out she totally got the day wrong and felt so bad about missing it! We set up with her for the next day and she showed up this time. We got to know her better and we couldn't be more excited to keep teaching her. It's also really special to me because I was the one to start the contact with her and she actually wanted to meet with us! So pumped ! 

Another interesting experience was we got taken out to dinner and I experienced my first "being forced to eat an unnatural amount of food meal." I can't even tell you how many dumplings she ordered. Lets just say we prepared by not eating lunch and we still left never wanting to eat again ! We are a little relieved because she said she was going to invite the Elders next time so they can just eat whatever we don't :) 

Also has my first real rainstorm here! Literally SOAKED! I came home and had to squeeze the water out of my skirt. Also wearing glasses is a blessing and a curse. You don't get water in your eyes as much but you also can't see very well. Yaaayyyyyy! Actual was pretty fun to just bike around looking a little silly, we for sure get people's attention.

Other than that, just wanted to share some fun things I've learned about Taiwan:
1. Trash trucks blast Fur Elise by Beethoven to let people know they need to bring their trash to the street. 
2. You can't eat or drink of the MRT (kinda like the subway or metro) and it always happens to be that time when I feel the most thirsty. 
3. People think you're crazy if you don't wear a jacket during the winter months...even if it is like 70 degrees. 
4. My life is all about the double look. People look at me once...Then turn back quick again because I'm a blue-eyed, light haired, white person. I wave to a lot of people who just stare at me :) haha 

Just in closing, I want to bear my testmony of living prophets. When I heard about President Thomas S. Monson passing away, I was devastated. I have grown up listening to him and his words have inspired on more than one occasion. But his passing caused me to think about how important prophets are. Our world is full of craziness and temptations of every kind, but through prophets, we can face this challenges with revelation straight from our Heavenly Father. This is such a huge blessing! With all this in mind, I would invite you to take our beloved Prophet's last invitation to us; to read the Book of Mormon. He said, "I implore each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day. As we do so, we will be in a position to hear the voice of the Spirit, to resist temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, and to receive heaven’s help in our lives." I know that as we do this, we will come closer to our Heavenly Father and better understand what we need to do to become successful. 

Well, I love you all and hope you have a good week! I miss you all so send me pictures if you get a chance :) 

我愛你們! 
-Sister Meeks (毛姐妹)