Well we are in Taitong for ZC and interviews! So beautiful here I feel like I’m in a
beach town in Hawaii! So for lunch we walked over to Sam’s had one of
their famous Kiki Burgers—an American burger š w peanut butter sauce ! Strangely it was š delicious! Oh my goodness and we had fries! And President treated the missionaries to an indulgent brownie a la Bing qi Lin! So fun to be
able to be with the Hualien and Taitong zones. They’re amazing and most of our
Bundiren or native Taiwan Missionaries are currently serving here. They’re full
of such love and work so diligently. So humbling to be with them and feel their
love! It was also fun to meet a brother Ho in the Hualien stake presidency who knows Momi Quereto Forbes! Henbang!
Zone
Conference was so gratefully blessed yesterday with a sweet spirit and great
setting of goals. We introduced our new “chuan dan” or tract on Family
History and bore testimonies of the power of Family History work and missionary
work and that they are One great work! Dad spoke about the gathering of Israel
and that it is the one thing that has to happen before the Second Coming of the
Savior and what President Nelson is keenly aware of and is wanting us to focus
on as we have heard! I spoke about knowing our stories and sharing
them w others as a finding tool and how Family history will bless Taiwan as it
is already part of the culture here to honor ancestors. Now we can give them
another way and opportunity to “serve” their ancestors, which ZL Elder Huang told us "they will love that."
I
shared with the missionaries about our ancestor Hannah Barber and how her story
gives me strength and faith to leave all behind to build Zion in a foreign
land. I’m so grateful for the baton of faith she so carefully passed on to her
son David Moroni Ellis who passed it carefully to Grandma Grace who passed it
carefully to my Dad who passed it carefully to me! My greatest hope and joy is
to have carefully passed it to my children and am so grateful for their careful
efforts to pass this to their children and our grandchildren. šššš
As I
spoke about Mother Hannah Barber and my other faithful ancestors, I was overcome with štears of gratitude. Talking about our families and remembering them, fills our hearts with the promised blessing and "spirit" of Elijah. As he returned to the earth appearing in the Kirtland temple to Joseph Smith, the keys of the sealing power"were returned to earth--that blessing prophesied of in the very last verse of the Old Testament in Malachi 4 which turns the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers! Learning our "jiapu" or family history helps us want to know our ancestors and love them
and love our children and grandchildren and provide them all w saving
ordinances! President Nelson said: what is sometimes called “the Spirit of
Elijah is a manifestation of the Holy Ghost bearing witness of the divine
nature of the family” and which Elder Bednar claims “draws people to identify,
document and cherish their ancestors and family members both past and present.” I felt such a closeness to our family and know they are surrounding me and strengthening me in powerful ways--unseen but very real!
It was touching to hear how the
missionaries are already trying to use family history and how it is blessing
both Missionaries and families as they do the work for their ancestors and take
them to the temple!
I
shared with the Elders and Sisters the video “Gathering the Family Of God” that
the church just released. https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2018-01-0080-gathering-the-family-of-god?lang=eng
Today as President (Ping
Huijang) was interviewing I visited with the waiting companions and several
shared w me miracles they’d already seen just after leaving ZC last night in
using family history as a finding tool. We wanted words of power on the tract
and so we have really prayed and labored over the tract. We have used words from Proclamation on the family, "The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave" and The Family is Central to God's Plan. Would you like to know more about God's plan of Happiness? We also used the scripture from Malachi and the Book of Mormon about the hearts of the fathers turning to the hearts of the children and the children to the fathers. We used the quote that they love here in Taiwan from David O McKay: "No success can compensate for failure in the home" and then some idioms or Chinese phrases talking about how can we bring honor to our ancestors? And the blessings of doing family history are that we will better understand who we are and strengthen our family relationships eternally. On the back we gave all the information about how there are over 40,000 Chinese Family history records (a collection larger than the Shanghai Library) and they can access this for free on Family search. We have missionaries who put a QR code on it for us so they can click on that and sign up with their information so the missionaries can go meet with them and show them how to log on with a family history consultant. It is very exciting!
One Sister missionary, Sister Meeks, could
hardly wait to share w me that they already had had a “family history set
up” from using the tract! She said after they left ZC yesterday they went to the bike repair
shop. They spoke to a man there and asked if he wanted to learn more about God.
He declined saying he didn’t believe in God. She asked him: “If you did believe
in God, what do you think He would be like?” He said “He would love us!”
So she told him. I can tell you, God does love us and that’s why He gave
us families. Then she pulled out the family history tract that has the quote
from the Family Proclamation that says: “The Family is central to God’s Plan. “
followed by the question: Would you like to learn about God’s Plan of
Happiness? To which he replied yes! He was impressed that this
American girl knew Chinese so well that she could explain what was written in
characters to him. He loved the scripture about the hearts of the
children turning to the fathers. ❤️
She asked if they could set up
a time to come teach him how he could do his family history and he accepted!
I wanted to cry not only for
joy that using family history was a successful tool in finding and setting up
this man to learn more but also cry that these Missionaries didn’t hesitate a
moment to go try what they were asked to do and had faith to try it.
This is just one of many
stories. We have such Lihai Missionaries! ❤️ As I got to visit with the sisters while they waited for their interviews, I just loved hearing their experiences and my heart filled with so much love I thought I would burst. Sister Chen then asked me, Sister Peterson, Can you tell us why you came on a mission? It took me off guard, because we were called of course, but I told her that there were five amazing reasons right in front of me ! I teared up telling them how much I love them and that I know my mission is for them--to serve them and love them and as I do I am helping the Lord's work go forward in Taiwan. It was such a tender moment feeling their love for me as well. I just can't express how dear they are and how my heart explodes sometimes with love and joy for them. They truly are the Lord's emissaries and humble servants. His work could not move forward without them and what they do every day. What trust the Lord has in them and how worthy they are of it! It's a huge responsibility they bear and they love and valiantly do! I just adore them and feel so much love for each one. I am so grateful for this opportunity to share my humble testimony with them and feel so proud of them and tell them every time I see them! What a privilege it is every day with Mike to serve and love these amazing missionaries! We have some with serious health issues but they schedule doctors appointments and go work all day afterwards and never skip a beat. They truly wear themselves out and don't want to miss a day. We plead in prayer for their safety and health every day and would love your prayers in their behalf too! God bless these angels of light!
Last
Wed thru Saturday we had the great privilege of attending The Asia Area Mission
Leadership Seminar in Hong Kong with the Asia Area presidency and their wives
and All the mission presidents and wives (except one home w children) serving
in the Asia Area, most of whom we met at the MLS in June. It was wonderful to
be reunited and be taught together and also to be treated so graciously and
even pampered. I’d never been to Hong Kong and what a gorgeous island! We got
to tour the Asia church offices there and meet all the staff. So many people who
work so hard behind the scenes! Impressive, ever yone! We then traveled up
Victoria’s peak (on the bumpiest windiest rainiest bus ride of our lives haha š¤¢)
to see where Elder Matthew Cowley dedicated Asia to missionary work. At the
time he was accompanied by the one Asian priesthood holder in Asia! That was in
1949! We then dined at a beautiful restaurant there and returned to our hotel. How pampered and loved we felt and honestly we haven't hardly had a minute to relax nor have social interaction outside the missionaries so to get this kind of opportunity felt amazing! (Though we of course missed our missionaries just like parents missing our kids when we are out on a date! haha!)
When we first arrived in Hong Kong we had a few hours before our first meeting and so we got to skype with Anne and finally "meet" CHANDLER BRUCE--this amazing boy we've heard so much about. When I asked Chandler what advice he might have for us as mission president and wife having just returned from his mission and having served closely with his mission president and wife in Colorado, he said something very wise that I've thought of every day since: "Just remember you're always teaching" which is so so true! As a MP and wife you're always "on" just like as parents or any time you have others watching you. I so appreciated that advice and it inspires me to try to be my best and be better each day! Thank you Chandler! We're looking forward to meeting you in person soon!
Thursday
we were instructed with great spirit by our Area Presidency: Elders David F
Evans, Elder Peter Meurs and Elder David Homer of the Seventy. So many times as
they testified I received a witness of the divinity of their calls as Especial
Witnesses of Jesus Christ. They spoke to our needs in answer to our prayers!
They and their sweet wives ministered to us with their love and inspired
messages. Truly we are blessed and so humbled to be taught and trained by such
prepared leaders. We came back feeling lifted and inspired and loved. On a
personal note it was truly special for me to think of Mom and Dad serving in
this same capacity from 1995-98 in the Asia North Area. Seeing what this Area
presidency and wives did made me appreciate my parents in a new light. I
could feel the direct blessing as a mission president and wife here and could now more fully understand what they did
in their service in Japan many years ago. Wow! It's a huge assignment and I know how much they labored and loved it. I'm so grateful they shared so much of their experiences with us. I could picture Mom especially on Friday when the wives spoke. (And I thought of her a lot when they took us shopping at Stanley Market!) Sister Homer spoke about keeping our marriages strong and to work together in doing so. So wonderful. She told a verse in the Army of Helaman story that mentions in Alma 56: 27 "that there was brought unto us many provisions from the FATHERS of those my two thousand sons." She pointed out that we think of that story so much in honor of the mothers who taught their sons that if they did not doubt they would be victorious. But the fathers who couldn't fight also gave service that often goes unnoticed. They made food and brought provisions so their sons COULD fight and have the strength they needed. I loved hearing that. She also showed a picture of her son in law feeding her daughter cold cereal while she was nursing their baby. So sweet. Wonderful message on loving and serving each other as couples. Sister Meurs spoke about how we can stay in touch with our families while we are serving and wrote a darling version of My Favorite Things all about how to keep in touch which we all sang while Pres Meurs accompanied on the piano (impressive!) (Reminded me of our family musicals:) It was really timely knowing we were missing Graham's baby blessing that Sunday and made me cry as we sang the words together of the last verse: " Praying, caring, crying, sharing--missing them like mad, But then we remember the blessings that come, And then we don't feel--so bad!!! Then amazingly as the last talk, Sister Evans used a poem Kristen wrote that Mom had left in the file of
things in Japan for when the Evans served as Mission president and wife. One
day when she was feeling discouraged Sister Evans came across the poem and it
lifted her. She said she carries it in her wallet to this day. What a tender
mercy to feel the love of my family and their righteous influence in such a far
away place and in such a personal way. Reading the poem was an answer to
my prayers too! I told Sister Evans afterwards how grateful I was for her talk and to have such a "Nephi" for
a younger sister and to be born of goodly parents. I’m sure this poem will be
sent throughout the missions of the world!
Truly
His net has gathered me too, Kristen, and I’m so grateful for the blessing to be here. I
truly feel humbled and so full of gratitude for this privilege and know I am
nothing without Him!
We
flew back to Taipei in time to greet Ping Mama and Ping Baba at the airport who arrived safely to
serve here with us for a year! They were swarmed by all the Missionaries
at the Recent Convert fireside Sunday! They’re are so loved already! How amazing they are
to come!
Love
to each of you! Women ai nimen!
Ping
JieMei
Sister Meurs wrote new words about our fav things and Elder Meurs accompanied on the piano while we sang it at the ML seminar. It hit close to home and all the MP wives teared up including me!
My “tien” comp!
Riding “missionary style” to Interviews from our hotel in Taitong
Hualien Zone Conference lunch in Taitong at Sam’s burgers!
Ping Huijang treated each companionship toBrownie a la Bing qi ling for dessert!
The incredible Kiki burger with peanut butter sauce! It was soooo good!
Loved enjoying Sam’s w our happy darling Missionaries in Taitung!
Views from the plane approaching Taitong! My first visit there! So beautiful!
Loved our family Skype on Sunday with “all the kids” and cutest grand kids in the world. Charlotte was already in bed so we loved seeing her video reading the next day! Hard to miss cute Graham’s baby blessing! We heard it was a beautiful blessing and so many family came to support!
PICTURES FROM HONG KONG
Loved the Lotus and heron theme from the Mission Leadership Seminar That is prevalent in Asian art which is akin to President Nelson’s admonition to us to stay on the covenant path.
Kristen’s inspired poem
Our last night in Hong Kong we took a boat ride out to the famous Jumbo floating restaurant and had dinner
This beautiful mural of the Ming dynasty was all mosaic tile!
Pres and Sister Phillips from the Hong Kong mission and Mom and Dad’s former Stake President. We love them!!
Views near Stanley Market
Mike w Presidents Chiles (VietNam, Hanoi) and Pres Hammond (Thailand). Such great men and their wives!
Hong Kong evening light show!
With Sister Chiles (Viet Nam), Sister Harper (Mongolia) and Sister Mackay (Indonesia)
Dinner at the Victoria Peak restaurant
Hiking up to Victoria’s Peak to Asia site
The date of the dedication of Asia etched in rock at Victorias Peak
Went on a needed mango“Bing fling” on Pday back in Taipei to cheer up two Sisters in need of extra TLC who are going thru big health challenges. Oh how they inspire me and how I love each of these amazing sisters and pangyous. 
️
Pres P with Taitong Missionaries
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