Typhoons and Qingkes!

Qingke with Duan JM at her store

Danny got us ice cream! 

大家早安 ! 

To explain the subject line, we had a typhoon this week and it was crazy! It wasn't as bad as we originally thought it was gonna be...but still pretty crazy! The wind was strong and we got soaking wet! We hadn't heard anything about permission to go home yet so we stayed out, but when we saw a construction cone fly through the air...we decided to stay inside the church ! Haha crazy times in Taiwan! 

The other part of the subject line is qingke! Which means someone taking you out to dinner or making dinner for you. Since transfers are this week, all the members have been taking us out to dinner and we have been stuffed! So kind and so generous! 

This week started off with the best Pday ever! My recent convets Xie Jiemei and Austin came all the way from Banqiao to come see me! I love them so much and have been looking forward to this day for almost a month now. They got up early and took a three hour train ride here, and later in the afternoon took it back. We had such a fun time all day! We went to the beach (sadly it was raining) then went to this cool historical building in Hualian! We then had some amazing curry, and went to this cool art museum where we got to make our own wallets. Such a fun day. 

As I was with them, I couldn't stop smiling! I just love them so much. I know they are one of the very big reasons I was sent to Taiwan, and specifically Banqiao. They have already gone to the Temple and have progressed so much! I met them just a little more than two months ago. It shows that God knew they were prepared and sent us misisonaries to find them and help them get baptized. These stories are the reason I am on a mission! They are now going to be together forever and their lives will never be the same. The Gospel is true ❤️❤️

Another miracle this week was with our investigator Zhang DX. He has a hard work situation so he isn't able to come to church right now but he already knows when he will be able to and we set a baptismal date for that time. He loves the Gospel and recently has changed so much. Over the last 5 weeks, his countenance has changed. As he has been praying and reading the Book of Mormon each day, he said he has seen his life change! So awesome. 
We met with him on Thursday and got the feeling we should share the story of the Restoration with him again. The Spirit was so strong throughout the lesson and when I finished saying the first vision, the room felt so peaceful. He had a special facial expression so we asked him what he was thinking. He said "I'm not thinking, but I'm feeling a lot." He said he hadn't had a feeling like this before but he really really liked it. I got very emotional as I explained that this was the Spirit testifying to him. He said he was going to write down this experience after the lesson so he wouldn't forget it. 

I've been thinking a lot about this experience and how powerful it was. As misisonaries, we often share Moroni 10:5 which says, 

And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

I've heard this scripture so many times but in the lesson with Zhang DX, I saw this promise be fulfilled right in front of my eyes. The Holy Ghost testified to him that what we were sharing was true. I know that God loves and he will always keep his promises. If we seek the truth and ask him with a "sincere heart and real intent" he will give us an answer. I know this is true! 

Anyway, love you all! Have an incredible week! 
Sister Meeks