August 4, 2018: Adjusting to Chuan Jiao Shi Life!

Dear Family and Friends,

Yes we are still alive!!!!! Ha ha! 

These  last three weeks have been a whirlwind of ups and downs—we’ve had miraculous mission “reunions” with those Mike taught  and setbacks with sickness while preparing for our first Zone Conferences.  Now we know why the Church wrote the booklet Adjusting to Mission life!!!!   Today I determined though that the sun would not set without me sitting down and writing!   Thank you for your prayers and your patience in waiting to hear from us!

I am loving adjusting to Chuan jiao Shi Mission Life!  While it is the hardest and most exhausting thing I’ve ever done, it is definitely so sweet and rewarding.  I love discovering my surroundings! I love living across from the Taipei temple and the spirit of this place.  I love seeing the missionaries every day down in the “Bu” or the office and out and about on their bikes  drenched in sweat or rain and talking to everyone they see or meet.  I loved discovering Da ‘An park this last week and seeing it filled with all the older men and women doing Tai Chi!  Literally I was the only white person in the park and I was trying to follow along.  I had one older lady come up to me and correct my form ha ha! But I love seeing the people do this every single day and for the peace and beauty they start their day with and with each other. I notice as I’m walking in the park that no one is looking down at their phone or has ear plugs in their ears.  I saw maybe ONE person who did!  In a huge park filled with people!  I sense the reverence and respect people have for one another here that is why they are willing to be open to talking with the missionaries and why they look at you and smile and say Zao An as you pass by in the morning!  I love the people of Taiwan.  They truly are so warm and want to do anything they can to be helpful to you! Even to make sure you do the Tai chi correctly.:)  I had to admit I thought if my friends and family could see me right now I would give you the giggles in the moves I was mimicking.  But they are all fit so they have learned a great Chinese secret here!   I truly love the people, the food ( of course) and the amazing culture and beauty here.  How blessed we feel to be in Taiwan!

One of the greatest blessings we have received while being here is for Mike to learn of and reconnect with members he taught while as a young missionary here in Taiwan in 1981-82.  Because of the difficulty of writing Chinese, he didn’t correspond with any of the people he taught while on his mission.  He didn’t know if any he’d baptized had stayed active or if any he had taught had been baptized since.  The first Sunday night after our Meet n Greet week on island Mike received a phone call he/we will never forget.  It was from two of our missionaries serving  in Titong.  They said: “Hello President!  We have a family here that think that you taught them.  What was your Chinese name?  Mike said “Ping”-- Ping Ga Jun—(which fyi is a strange name they gave him in the MTC that many on island here said was a “bad” sounding name.  There’s a whole art to picking a “good” Chinese name.)  But when Mike told the Elders what his name “was” –since he has changed it—he heard the Elders say the name to the family that thought they were taught by Mike and then he heard a huge uproar!.  When they heard “Ping Ga Jun” the screamed for JOY!  That’s him! That’s him!  We will never forget that name (not only because it was a “bad” Chinese name) but because Elder Ping was the missionary who had found them and taught them the Gospel!  It was in fact Mike’s last area!.  He soon left and didn’t know that six months later, this family—the Chao family—would be baptized!  Oh the JOY!

  The following week he was traveling down to Titong—which is now in our mission—for interviews and set a time to meet this beautiful family who are now the stronghold of this ward.  Mike  sent a “Marco Polo” to the family showing this amazing reunion and meeting.  He couldn’t talk for several minutes he was so overcome with emotion.  He said: “That was such a special experience! So I taught the Chao family (and then I found the right family haha) in my last month of my mission in Titong and I never knew they got baptized. But they said they remembered my name and they said it was a real special name.  That was in November but they didn’t get baptized til June.  When they heard my name was Ping Ga jUn they all just screamed because they said “your name was special to us!  It was really tender.  Mike said: Sister Chao came to me and just gave me a big hug!  She just kept saying “Thank you Thank you for teaching us! And they wanted to show me their whole family.  They have 15 members of their family who are now members of the church.  They have a bishop, a stake RS president, a counselor and all the auxiliaries.  The current missionaries said “You baptized half of the Titong second ward!!” But I had no idea until then!  I’ve told our missionaries since that wow “You have no idea the impact you’re having. You have no idea that down the road you may find out that people you taught briefly will be baptized and start a legacy of faithful membership in the church!”  What an incredible tender mercy that the Lord would allow Mike to learn of this and also to learn of it so quickly as we arrived in the mission field.  The fact that Titong is now part of the Taipei mission is another tender mercy.  What great joy to learn of this sweet fruit from his young missionary labors and to come and find those who have always remembered him, though he didn’t remember their names but certainly remembered teaching them!

Then last week, another miracle like this occurred.  In talking with President Liu, the Taipei temple president, Mike asked him if he knew of a stake president in the area that he had heard from his former Mission president and wife that Mike had taught.  The very next day after having this conversation, this man President Chao came to the temple.  President Liu remembered him because he was the Branch president in Taichung when Mike served there and taught this man.  President Liu told President Chao(who later became Branch president 3 xs in Taichung and then stake president after moving to Taipei) that Ping Huijang (Mike) had wondered about him and said to him “you should go see him right now!” And so he did.    He called Mike on the phone and came right over to his office.  Mike nor he was sure if he had been “his missionary” so he went to his mission journal..  He hadn’t recorded his baptism for some reason in his journal but he had recorded that they had interviewed his wife for baptism and she was baptized by her husband.  This matched their story exactly with the dates and everything.  They couldn’t believe that here was their baptizing missionary.  So last night we had the Chaos come over to our apartment with his wife and daughter and their three children.  What joy to see they are all faithful in the gospel as is their son and his wife and their family of I think two children.  He married a Korean woman he met at BYU Hawaii.  The daughter married a man she met at BYU but who was from Taichung!  Her parents knew his family and approved of this fine young man. They now live in Fremont where her husband works for Apple.  We went out to dinner at a great dumpling restaurant and loved getting reacquainted with this faithful family.  What joy to see Mike with these people he taught.  When sister Chao saw Mike she wasn’t quite a believer it was him.  She said I remember you were good looking but not  remember you so tall!  She said I remember your companion Elder Taylor and Elder Ping—but not you!  Mike said: I AM PING!  She said You are Ping?  YOU’re PING! YOU’re Ping!  It was the sweetest thing to see her reaction that this was the missionary who taught them!  How grateful mike was that he had recorded in his journal about these families and wish he had recorded more.  But he could show them where he had written their names and written down dates which confirm he was their beloved PING ga Jun! 

While Mike has had these amazing miracles, I have had others but as a result of things not so joyous.  I had my first dose of mission discouragement.  The humbling process which I thought couldn’t get greater--  increased to RAMMING speed (as they say in Ben Hur) when I got sick L.    I think after the month of moving and getting through the first two weeks of getting into the  Mission field with all the Meet n Greets and trying to get up to speed on Medical needs and get acclimated literally to the heat and the time change and trying to adjust to mission life and after traveling so much, my body finally said “wait for me!” and I got sick and was laid out! I couldn’t move for a few days—flu, aches, head cold with sore throat!  And as a result of “not moving” my back and neck then went into spasms when I did try to move.  Then I became extremely homesick! And there was all the pressure of preparing for our first Zone Conference that would be the following week!  I felt pretty alone, helpless, discouraged, overwhelmed and depressed.   There is no time to be sick as a full-time missionary!  I needed the power of heaven so dearly and I asked Mike to give me a priesthood blessing and prayed for help to know what to do.  Usually when my neck and back have problems it takes me a few weeks of physical therapy and I wondered what I was going to do.  But the Lord never deserts us and He blessed me with a miracle!  The next day was Sunday and I knew I had to go, even if I didn’t feel like it so I made myself get up and go to church.  As I was gingerly sitting down with Mike on the pew, a new friend—Wendy Jang—who has a lot of contacts through her job with the United Nations and  who has introduced us to a sweet new friend-- Eve (a lady we are going to be teaching which I will discuss later)   came up to me and asked: “Sister Peterson, how are you feeling?”  She knew I had been sick but didn’t know about the back and neck issues. I told her honestly that my lower back was really giving me pain.  She told me “I had a prompting come to me that I didn’t understand this morning.  The Spirit told me “You need to take care of Sister Peterson”.  She said I didn’t know what that meant.  But “Here”. She then reached in her purse and pulled out a small jar of ointment which she said is “Taiwan magic”.  She said “Quick! Run in the bathroom before the meeting starts and apply this to your back.  See if it helps you!”  And so I did!  And guess what?  That ointment –which is kind of like a Ben Gay but different—started working as I sat in Sacrament meeting.  I didn’t think I would be able to but come and take the sacrament, but I stayed all three meetings!  Not only that, I didn’t have to take any pain killer from then on!  It totally loosened up my back and neck! I’m so grateful Wendy listened to that prompting to come ask how I was.  She always keeps that ointment in her purse and wasn’t planning on giving it to me but  I know she was inspired to “take care of me” and that through her the Lord ministered to me in a way I still can’t get over.  Within a day I was able to start functioning again and that brightened my spirits and gave me the energy to finish my Zone Conference message and preparations—which were many! I testify that God was in the details of preparing those messages as well and gave me the strength I didn’t have on my own!

In our missionary surveys we had our missionaries fill out to get to know them while they are getting to know “us” we asked them what we would love about Taiwan.  Most of them said—the people and sharing with them that they are Children of God!  We felt impressed that this is the doctrine—the doctrine of our divine identity and destiny that we needed to focus on for Zone Conference.  Because while we have amazingly smart and capable, diligent missionaries.   many of them are so driven, they also drive “hard” on themselves each day.  We felt impressed to remind them of their great worth and to have them read in preparation for ZC the two talks “Am I a Child of God” by Brian K Taylor from the most recent GC and the talk “Approaching the Throne of God with Confidence” by Elder Klebingat.  

Elder Taylor said “Coming to know this truth for ourselves with certainty—that we are sons and daughters of God--  helps us overcome trials, troubles and afflictions of every kind.  When asked, “How can we help those struggling with a personal challenge?” then Apostle Russell M Nelson instructed: “Teach them or (remind them) of their identity and their purpose!”

Read the Book of Mormon:  Pres Nelson said, “Nowhere, are those truths (regarding our divine identity) taught more clearly and powerfully than in th eBook of Mormon.  Open its pages and learn that God does “all things for our welfare and happiness, that He is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, long-suffering and full of goodness, and that “all are alike unto Him.”  When you feel hurt, lost, scared, upset, sad, hungry or hopelessly abandoned in life’s extremeties—open the Book of Mormon, and you will come to know that “God will never desert us.  He never has, and He never will. He cannot do it.  It is not in his character to do so.”
 

  I have found this promise from Pres. Nelson to be so true in my life.  To illustrate I shared this personal experience with the missionaries:

I went through a difficult time –rather a sort of IDENTITY CRISIS  when my children started leaving the nest, realizing that soon all my chicks would be gone and what would my role or importance be if I wasn’t MOM any more? Having given my all to this role, I prayed for comfort and poured my heart out to the Lord.    I was dreading this time of parting with our last child (Anne) and thought it would be more than I could bear and the changes that would come with it.  One day as we were having family scripture study, reading in the Book of Mormon in First Nephi I received the comfort I had been seeking.  As we read, into my mind came a clear voice with these unforgettable words from the YW theme I had memorized as a YW leader and said each week with the Young Women:  “You are a daughter of your Heavenly Father who loves you AND THAT ROLE WILL NEVER CHANGE!!!!”  

I marvel at the Lord’s ability to bring comfort in an instant with the reminder that no matter what changes in our lives, our roles as HIS daughter or HIS son will never change!! 

I marvel that this witness came to me while I was studying in the Book of Mormon.  Because truth is one eternal round, by studying this book of truth, I was connected to this TRUTH through the witness of the Holy Ghost.  I can testify w PMG that the Book of Mormon truly helps us answer the questions of the soul—not just by the words and stories on each page, but because when we open it, we are opening ourselves to TRUTH which connects us to all truth we are seeking.

So for when you going through personal struggles with weaknesses and sin—let us be reminded of our divine worth, identity and  purpose by Daily READING THE BOOK OF MORMON.  I promise the blessing of our modern –day prophet’s counsel that you will be able to know God will never desert us an you will  overcome the efforts of the Adversary to doubt your identity.

So while this topic was the main topic of Zone conference along with choosing to be happy,  an amazing miracle happened with a lady named Eve that let us know perhaps we were to pick that topic for her as well!   We had a meeting last night with Eve who was introduced to us by Wendy Jang ( the miracle ointment lady.) Eve has an amazing story in addition to an amazing influence she has in Taiwan.  She became Christian has been the person who has created all the TV channels for the various religions in Taiwan and has always been fascinated with Mormons since she was a young girl!  She remembers always watching the Mormon missionaries on their bicycles and being impressed with how handsome they were and glowing and wished she could meet them but never did.   She has a sad childhood that Wendy shared with me.  She was taken from her parents and raised by some other family and they were abusive to her.  She has always felt alone and sad because of this even though she was able to break away from that family and find success.  She also has a very interesting jia pu (family history)  Her great aunt (Chinese) married a Danish prince.  She has always been fascinated with this part of her family and so we had the opportunity to have her in our home to tell her about our church last night! Because of her interesting family history Mike shared our family fan chart with her and told her we could get hers for her too.  He opened the scriptures and taught her about the hearts of the children turning to their fathers.  This is a witness of the divinity of the eternal family and that we need to see that they can learn of the gospel of Jesus Christ and be baptized for them. As we looked out our window at the temple we told her this is where families are united forever through sacred ordinances.  She looked at Mike and said: I have heard every preacher of every religion but in these two minutes of listening to you I have heard the best! When you were talking I have goose bumps all over me!!!  This is truth!  And then her driver said truth is so simple but beautiful!  Then Mike turned to me and whispered Shelley  why don’t you share with her the story you shared at Zone conference about knowing you are a daughter of God.  Mike didn’t know what Wendy had told me about Eve’s sad childhood.  So I felt he was inspired.  I shared with her the story about reading the Book of Mormon and while reading hearing the words that I am a daughter of my heavenly Father who loves me and that role would never change!  She teared up as I shared this!  She said:  “I want to read this book so I can know this too!!”  Then she said: I want to do a Mormon TV channel.  Everyone needs to hear this, what you have both told me! 

Then we invited her back  Tuesday to read the Book of Mormon with  her and she accepted!!!  Then another cool blessing happened.  When I spoke at ZC I prepared my testimony at the end in Chinese for those natives to at least hear that part in their language.  I had prepared how to say:   Wo jidao women de Tianfu ai nimen.

Wo jidao women shi Ta de haizi.  Ta de erzi  Ta de nuer.  (I know that Heavenly Father loves you.  I know we are His children, His sons and His daughters. 

So I felt impressed to share this testimony with her now.  I felt it was a miracle that the very message we had prepared to share with our missionaries was the one we felt to give her now and that I knew how to  say it to her in her language now.  I felt so much joy! I could actually help teach! This was such an answer to the desire of my heart! 

The Lord will always hear and answer our prayers—and I believe especially in helping us find those who are lost.   Nothing is lost to Him and No one is lost to HIM.  . IN testifying of this to the missionaries I shared this most amazing miracle we just experienced:

When we recently sold our home in California, we had movers pack all our things into pods and transport those pods to Utah where our daughter and her husband have kindly offered to store them in their basement.  We had promised them the use of our kitchen table in gratitude for this huge help to us.  Sadly when we unpacked the table at our daughter’s home, the  legs for the table were strangely missing! We realized they must have gotten separated and unfortunately that mean they must be packed somewhere amidst all the things  that had already been packed 8’ high to the ceiling in her basement.  It would be like finding two needles in a haystack in the dark!!  I felt sick inside.  I could see my daughter’s and son’s disappointment and I was frustrated that this made it so they couldn’t use the table.  We tried to search but again because of the density of the packing, it would be nearly impossible to pinpoint which package the legs could be in and there’s no way we wanted to unpack the entire basement of stuff!  The morning before I was to leave Utah I prayed.  I prayed with all the fervency and faith I had that if it were possible, I could find the legs of this table.  I knew this wasn’t a life or death situation, but one that was important to me and to my family.  I counseled with the Lord and begged for His intervention if it were possible.  I went down in the basement, not knowing where to even start but knowing that if God wanted me to find those table legs, he would lead me to them.  I turned the corner and saw some items packed in a row.  I picked up one item that wasn’t in a box.  Some of the brown paper was pulled back and I could see white paint on it—the paint of our kitchen table!  It was one of the legs!!!! I couldn’t believe it!!! I started digging through the pile of furniture and wrapped storage items hoping the other leg was near by but to no avail.  Something told me to keep looking.  I turned and walked to the back of the basement by their window well where there was a bit more light.  Again I just started picking up wrapped items randomly amidst our storage and then before I knew it I had picked up the matching table leg! Because I had found the other one, I recognized the shape of the package was a match!  I couldn’t hold back the tears!  In a matter of just minutes I had been led to find these two loose pieces in literally a house full of brown paper packages that all looked alike.  This was no coincidence.  This was a personal hug and blessing from my Kind and merciful Father in Heaven who knows me and my needs and was a miraculous answer to prayer. I wept for joy and couldn’t wait to run and tell my daughter and son-in-law.  We all knew it was an incredible miracle!  It was also a great witness to my daughter and son in law of Father in Heaven’s love for them that He would help me find the legs so they could use the table!

I testify that when lost things are found like the legs of our table, our Heavenly Father is teaching us that nothing is lost to Him, especially not us!  And If He can help us find something as small as a lost button or table leg, He can help us find those souls who are lost! We are all lost and then found through our Savior’s merciful and amazing grace. 

  At this Zone Conference we introduced and sang the song we learned about from the WATAC mission: “Amazing Grace/My Chains are Gone”.  Hearing and singing this song with our missionaries brings tears every time.  The Savior’s grace truly is amazing and is how we come to know our divine worth and identity. 

We can’t believe we get to be with this amazing Army of missionaries and learn from them and cheer them on.  We are seeing amazing miracles every day ourselves and hearing of theirs.  I’ll share more of theirs next week!

I know this is where we need to be! If there is anything I have learned this last month it is that God is in the details and that the Lord serves alongside His servants in His vineyard!  (See Jacob 5:70-72).  He helps us Jia You (Add oil/keep going) when we run out!  “God will never desert us.  He never has and He never will!  It is is not in His character to do so!” 

Women ai nimen!

Ping Jie Mei