Hou jiu bu jian? I have been on the mission treadmill 😛 and I am jumping off today to write! I guess I'm realizing that we too are truly are on a full-time mission. It is full-time and that time is FULL of something every minute. But it is a privilege and a great blessing to serve. I do wish I had the luxury of keeping in touch with you, my friends and family at home better, so I want to take this opportunity to tell you that I love you and I miss you more than I can communicate properly. I pray daily for you and for future opportunities to be together and share experiences. For now I am the Lord's and must be about my Father's business! In the mission president's seminar Elder Brent Nielsen jokingly yet seriously said --"you know the Primary song "I Belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints"? That's now more than a song-- it's a reality. Ha Ha. You do "Belong" to the Church and are Church property right now! He was also gently reminding us that we are consecrating all our time and talent to the Lord full time for this time. We couldn't do this without all the support and love we feel from home. Recently I received a package from my Pinegar extended family! Xie Xie nimen! Ai nimen! I can't tell you how emotional I got reading each little note from the children and adults too. I still have them out where I can look at them. Each word lifted me and the timing was incredible. It felt like a big group hug and I do know Family and Friends ARE everything! Being remembered as a missionary in the field is SUCH a lift. I now know how important that support is and hope that you my friends and family won't feel abandoned if I can't always communicate a lot. So please remember, I love you, no matter what I'm doing or where I may be! That love is yours, and has no time zone! 💌
Today we watched a few sessions of General Conference delayed and I can hardly wait to watch the rest! I know we are led by a prophet who receives revelation from Jesus Christ for this IS the Church of Jesus Christ restored in these latter days. I so appreciate all the changes and know they will help us individually and as a church. It touched my heart deeply to hear the choir of young women sing the Army of Helaman song because they are future missionaries! I loved hearing all the messages specific to women and our innate gifts to nurture and be sensitive to the needs of others. I wept watching this because I had just been with Sister missionaries for President's interviews and been able to sit in on a lesson and go chuan the jiao at a Seven with them. I felt like and I know I was among angels sitting and visiting with them and hearing how they feel their missions have changed their lives. It reminded me so much of the conversations I've had with Lauren and Anne about their missions and how they can't imagine what they'd be without those experiences that changed them to the core. I'm so grateful for their experiences that shaped them. I see how missions change each Sister and Elder in our mission here as well. Elder Brough's talk touched me to tears hearing about the courage his daughter had to decide to serve after serving with her family on a mission for 3 years. The sacrifice of these missionaries refines them. Our sweet Sister Love told me from her mission she now understands the Atonement of Jesus Christ and how to repent and how it blesses every aspect of our lives and brings us joy. Sister Phillips told me how coming on a mission has changed her in so many ways! She can't imagine how her life would be if she hadn't come on a mission and learned how to not hold back but to talk to people and share her light with them. She said she used to never talk to people and be inward. She now is so bold and I watched her go right up and talk with a woman at a Seven. She and Sister Love had asked me to help teach a lesson on tithing with a sister named Kate--mother of two who is investigating. because she was coming from work, she called and said she'd be a half an hour late so.....the Sisters said well Sister Peterson, we need to use this half hour to go talk to people--want to come?? So I walked outside with them in the dark in the pouring rain down a block to a Seven/11 or "Seven" as they're known here. It was perfect timing because we walked in and there was a woman there about 26 years old from Indonesia sitting alone at a table who looked up and broke into a big smile as we walked in. Sister Phillips walked right over to her and said hello. They asked if she spoke Chinese or English and she spoke a bit of each and Indonesian. So without wasting a second Sister Phillips pointed to her nametag and I thought she was going to show her her name but instead she pointed to JESUS CHRIST on her tag and said--do you see this name? This is Jesus CHrist--that is who we teach about. Could we share a one minute video with you about Him? And we can show it to you in Indonesian! Within a split second, they whipped the video "Because of Him"open, changing the language with a smooth swipe and began playing it. The woman was mesmerized. After the video Sister Love asked her How did you feel as you watched that? You could see by the look on her face she was touched but she just smiled not knowing what to say. So I felt impressed to touch my heart and ask, Did it make you feel good inside? She then nodded and said YEs! I said "When we feel something is Good we can know it is from God." She nodded and I knew she agreed. Then the sisters asked her more about her situation and found out she is a caretaker for elderly here in Taiwan. They asked her if she had ever been to our church and if not if she'd like to come or learn more. The woman said yes she would be interested! SHE then asked the sisters, "Can I get your contact info?" It was amazing! IN the few minutes we had to spare, we met and "set up" this sister to learn the gospel. I marvelled at the way it all happened because the sisters used every minute to do his work. Just as we finished talking to this sister named Kaka, the sisters got a text from Kate saying she was at the church now and we could go teach her. I really couldn't believe how it all happened within the time they/we had before the lesson with Kate. It was as if the Lord choreographed the whole thing--and I'm sure He did because He loves all His children including these obedient missionaries. The meeting with Kate was a special opportunity for me to share my personal testimony of tithing. I shared with her something I've never really talked about but had pondered when the sisters asked me to share a personal experience about tithing. I told her that 15 years ago when we were in good financial times I wasn't working but felt an impression and a desire to do something to bless others and a desire to pay tithing from money I had earned myself so I could feel the sacrifice. So I started teaching piano lessons. A few years later in 2008 when the market crashed (including Mike's hedge fund), I was grateful I was doing something that could bring in income to defray grocery costs. Looking back at that experience, I know were blessed because of following that prompting and that the promised blessings of paying tithing are real. We had what we needed when we needed it. The Lord also guided Mike to get other employment that has sustained us well since. And this blessing of serving a mission right now is literally an outpouring of God's blessings to us that is a way I can understand the scripture in Malachi. I know paying tithing is one small way to give back to our generous Heavenly Father who has given us everything. I know He blesses us in return with blessings unmeasured not only financial blessings but temporal and spiritual too. I was grateful I could share this experience in English with this sister and that her English was good enough to understand it. She said she was touched by the part of the story when I told her I felt the Holy Ghost tell me I needed to teach piano. After I shared, she said that while paying tithing was going to be difficult for her, she was willing to commit to doing it! Aw! The Spirit is the best teacher and testifier! I love missionary work!
While I was with the STL sisters in Xsinchu, MIke went out with the ZL's--in the pouring rain on bikes! They were out for a few hours teaching teaching teaching! He came back soaking wet and exhilarated at the opportunity to share his testimony as well. The ZLs Cooke and Turpin took him up hills and onto college campuses for exciting lessons. I texted them afterwards to thank them for bringing him back alive. I got to DRIVE back to the hotel--my first driving in Taiwan! I was so proud of myself--in the dark and in the rain! But I did it! Baby steps!
We loved our visits and interviews in Zhubei with Elders Beus, Sorensen, Nielsen and Zhung. Such an inspiring miracle they had just experienced the night before we saw them for interviews that they shared with me. Elder Zhung has only been a member for two years and is one of our brand new Bundi-ren missionaries from Pingdong. So amazing to find out he was prepared by a great missionary named Elder (Jackson)Wightman from the Danville Stake back home in California. He and his siblings and mother joined the church but his father has not joined yet. Unbeknownst to President Peterson, Elder Zhung's nonmember grandfather lives in the Zhubei area. The Zhubei Elders live in the same apartment as Elder Zhung and so E Zhung told Elders Beus and Sorensen about him. Unfortunately where the grandfather lives is an hour and 45 minute bike ride up mountainous hills! But these fine Elders --determined to go find Elder Zhung's grandfather, rode an hour and 45 minutes in pouring rain on bikes to the farthest point of their area to do so. When they arrived at the home, it didn't seem anyone was even home, but they were not going to turn back or give up after that long ride or disappoint Elder Zhung! They walked through a jungle like back yard (even past a huge banana spider web! with spider in it! ) to see if they could find him in the back of the home and they spied him through a window. So they went back around and knocked on the door! The 87 year old grandfather answered, very surprised to see them. They told them who they were and that they live with his grandson. They phoned him and got him on skype. Elder Zhung was able to share his testimony about what his membership in the church means to him and how it has changed his life and that of his family's with so much joy. Elder Zhung thru skype invited his grandfather to be taught and to come to church. Grandfather agreed to come and not only that but to bring Elder Zhung's uncle with him! Miracles!!! I am so excited for Elder Zhung and I know the Lord leads and guides His servants to do miracles. We can expect them as we do his work. That is a quote from Sister Johnson who told me that is their District's chosen theme: "Expect Miracles!" She told me of a miracle she had had. When she learned she was getting a new companion at transfers, she had a prompting to send her companion Sister Cajilig a copy of her over 100 contacts for her to start calling while she was in transport so they could hit the ground running when she arrived. The next day some malfunction happened with Sister Johnson's phone and ALL her contacts on LINE app were deleted and not retreivable. She said she shuddered at the thought that if she hadn't obeyed the prompting to send those in advance to Sis Cajilig, all those people and all those contacts --from hours of missionary work--would have been lost! The Lord has our backs! As we listen and obey his promptings. While we were visiting with Sis. Johnson and Cajilig, they asked Pres. Peterson to "perform a miracle"--to try opening a can of jam that they'd had for six weeks and no one--no other Elder had been able to open it! With a try or two, and with their faith in President Peterson, the jar popped open! :) PHew! They were elated!
After the last zone conferences we welcomed two new batches of missionaries: a group of Bundi-ren all from Taiwan from the Phillippines MTC (they go there for 3 weeks) and a group of American missionaries--all but a few had been Visa waiting in other missions for a transfer. Because they arrived on two different days we did the New missionary training/train the trainer trainings twice in one week! Then we bid a fond farewell to nine lihai missionaries: Elders Hyde, Donalson and Lin and Sisters Birch, Nolan, Christensen, Nielsen, Keeney and Jensen. We will miss them all! Elder Lin has been an amazing assistant. He is 26 years old from Tainan Taiwan--has already served in the military and finished college education. His welcome and training to US with the other assistant as we arrived on island and in these first few months will forever be appreciated. Sister Nielsen was a STL whom I spent my first real day as a missionary with in Danshui with her companion Sister Hurst. They will always hold a special place in my heart as I watched them that first day in awe of what they do here as missionaries. Her leadership in the mission has been amazing and such a great example as I've watched her be joyful no matter what challenges she was facing personally on her mission. We will continue to pray for these amazing missionaries as they adjust to returned missionary life and pray for the new ones as they adjust TO mission life. The trainings I get to do with the new missionaries and follow up six weeks later are about that Adjusting to Mission LIfe and using the inspired booklet with the same title. I highly recommend using the principles in the book to all of us and you can find it on the LDS app under Missionary. I love the breathing and relaxation exercises on PP. 18-19 (highly recommend) and the self assessment pages on pp 12-13. I love the General resources for managing stress Pp 17-22 and the section on resources for Managing emotional Demands. I love the admonitions to think of scriptures and hymns that will uplift as well as seeing the humor and the miracles in each situation. I love that the overall principle taught is Ether 12:27. Bring the Lord your weaknesses and He will turn them into strengths. We can't do His work without being humbled and recognizing where we are weak. As we do and as we bring those to the Lord, recognizing our dependence on Him, we seek and access the power of the Atonement in our lives.
We challenge our missionaries to remember the three H's: Humor, Hymns and Holy Writ and to BREATHE. It's amazing how these tools given the missionaries are tools we can use for LIFE! One of the rotations we do is the "happy cup" station with President Peterson. He talks to them about a principle he taught the missionaries at the first zone conference--to drink from the "happy cup" daily. He says we have two cups we put our thoughts in and drink in daily--some of us fill our negative cup and drink from that all day--My Chinese isn't as good as my companion's, it's so so hot outside, that lesson didn't go well, etc. We need to put a hole in that cup or we will always feel discouraged. Rather we need to drink from the HAPPY Cup. He reminded them to think of Scrooge drinking from the cup of human kindness and how delicious that was and how it changed him--we need to put good thoughts and happy thoughts in our cup and drink from that happy cup all day. We need to remind ourselves daily we are beloved sons and daughters of God, that our mothers and fathers love us, that we are doing a great work for the Lord, that He will always be with us, we need to look for the miracles and rejoice in those and we need to sing happy songs in our head or whistle away the negative thoughts. It is now a catch phrase in the mission to "drink from the happy cup" or simply say"happy cup" in zones and district text reminders. I love that !
We also go over Safeguards for Technology and commit them to live by those safeguards with their phones. As the missionaries help each other stay obedient, great sorrow and sin are avoided. Missions teach us such amazing habits of happiness and of reliance upon the Lord.
For New Leader training of District Leaders and Sister Training Leaders I get to share thoughts on effective exchanges and for MLC I give a spiritual share on a topic I feel is needed. With all the speaking assignments I've been preparing for on Sundays, I had been so busy I hadn't had much time to prepare for these trainings. I had had a lot of medical needs of missionaries to manage with phone calls/follow up with them or the Area Medical Advisor. I literally didn't know what I was going to say when I went to bed the night before the meeting with the new leaders and for MLC. I prayed and begged the Lord to help me know. In the morning I woke up early and turned to the scriptures. I knew the one I needed to share was about Christ's example. "He who would be chief among you, let him be your minister/servant." I shared about thinking about our exchanges as ministering opportunities and based our discussion on specific ways to minister as we do effective exchanges. I know the Lord truly blessed me with that and I remembered training I received from Elder Brent Nielsen and his wife in our pre-mission trainings that whenever you wonder what to talk about, always talk of Jesus Christ and you can never go wrong. It is true. He is our Supreme Exemplar and Teacher in every way. I loved Sister Michelle Craig's talk about ministering and her story about Camilla Kimball telling the woman bringing her husband a tie to "never suppress a generous thought!" I know as we have those "generous thoughts" those are the Spirit's whisperings to urge us to minister and do good. I loved the counsel by Joy B Jones "to do all things with an eye single to the glory of God." I know when I try to do this, I feel so much joy and at peace.
Yesterday was the topper! Missionaries on Parade! We were invited by the Danshui missionaries to participate in a cultural parade there. The Danshui ward was invited to make a float and have up to 20 missionaries come walk or bike along with it! What an opportunity to give exposure to these amazing emissaries of light! One sweet brother who is a ward member commented to me about the float that looked like a new MRT train (which was part of the celebration) with a Book of Mormon and Bible on top and said "Ping Jie Mei" did you know ONE person designed and made this whole float? I responded: "Wow" that's amazing. I want to meet this person. Can you introduce me to them? He smiled and said "That person was me!" Ha ha. So cute. He had every reason to be proud. Picture all these darling ward members dressed in Book of Mormon type clothing! They walked beside us too and their children--also dressed up, were in the float! As we walked along or some were on bikes as music was playing, it was so amazing how the people clapped and cheered --just looking at these missionaries! We had wondered if we should hand out tracts but as people looked up at us and smiled, we HAD to take that opportunity to share what we know! so We high fived and handed out a few hundred tracts --nearly all we had! Some inviting to English class, to receive a copy of the Book of Mormon, find out how to do jiapu/Family History or other messages. I teared up watching all the faces of these beautiful people just looking into our eyes and I kept hearing these words in my head from President Nelson: "Let the Love and the Light of the Lord beam from your eyes!" I told the missionaries that as we started and truly they did it! I saw so many people literally light up as they saw the missionaries coming and they wanted whatever they were giving because they could tell here comes something very special down the street! I told the missionaries, it's not every day that people will line the streets to meet you--what a chance to let hundreds of people feel the love of the Lord and hopefully respond to an invitation to learn more about Jesus Christ. I felt so much joy walking as one with this band of missionaries, trying to let the love and light of the Lord beam from our eyes. I felt the Lord's love so powerfully I couldn't help but smile and beam!! I can testify these missionaries are the Lord's angels here on earth sharing His gospel with all their heart, might mind and strength and with the Love and light of the Lord beaming from their eyes and their smiles. I invite all to hear the glorious message of the Restoration of Jesus Christ's gospel to the earth that they share and learn how to Come Unto Christ through the grace of His atonement. He lives! and while it is so hard to be away from those I love, I know I'm having experiences here that I couldn't have anywhere else or in any other way. Wo hen ganxie you chuan jiao de jihui!.
Ai nimen!
Ping Jie Mei
Senior missionary FHE group! Last one for temple Pres and Sis Liu. How we will miss them!
First missionary package from family! Yahooo! Sent by my Sisters and nieces and nephews and their families w the saying Distance means so little when family means so much!
And this Apron kristen made w all our family’s faces on it!
Family IS everything!
We had all eight stake presidents and their wives and families over for dinner Sat night. It was a true test of our cooking skills and our Chinese! 
What amazing people we are so blessed to get to work with here!
Welcoming our 11 new Bundiren (native Taiwanese)on 9/20!
Two darling sisters—Lin Jie Mei and Chen JieMei
Dedication to the work at the Dedication spot
Huanning Breakfast at the Mission home w President
Chen Mama comes to welcome new Missionaries and give them all gifts. Her generosity and love for the Missionaries is Lihai!
American group (#3) arrives two days after Bundiren.
Singing Called to Serve at Dedication spot
Awesome group! Elders Engel, Ciminski, Morgan, Brady, Nelson, Davies, Gonzalez and , Young
With darling Sisters Hayden, Jensen and Crockett!
President’s home for Breakfast!
Shanghai Friends reunion—Sisters Hayden and Larsen
Chen Mama was back for Second welcome in one week!
Xie Xie ni Chen Mama!
Trainer Trainee training—always exciting to see their first meeting of their trainers
Jensen and Larsen
Hayden and Psieh
Then we had to say Zai Jian to this amazing group 
Early morning departure!
Sister Nielsen’s Parents came to her!
Sweet reunion!
Gonna miss this sweetheart! Spent my first day in the mission w her and her comp In Danshui! Never forget it.
Saw this tree and had to photograph it. Looks like arms are wrapped around it to give it a hug. This is what I call a tree hugger tree!
The three amigo Assistants! Elders Raley, Lin and Petersen. Amazing each one! Hard to believe Elder Lin is leaving us. We appreciated his warm welcome to the TTM!
Mike was thrilled to reconnect w old friends James Wei and his wife Yang. They came over for dinner and brought us this Ana ing cake from Sunmerry bakery. Yum!!
James Wei Chinged us at a famous dumpling restaurant at the base of Taipei 101!
You could watch how they make the dumplings. So intriguing! So perfect every one!
My Morning exercise on top of the world on roof w great views
Look at this fun pic that came across our family pictures screen! Oh how we love to see Graham’s grins!
Skyping w our 2 cute 2 be 2 yr old Charlotte on her bday!
Family Skype make our day! Love and miss everyone!
Missionaries on Parade in Danshui
Wonderful sisters Elliott, Hurst, And Lin w President at the parade
Amazing lesson with Kate and Sisters Phillips and Love
Getting sisters into a sweet jam!
Cute sisters Cheng, Oh and Harmer
Danshui parade
Cute float creator
Field is white and ready in Miaoli
Elders Nader and Merrill
Shelley my heart swells with joy and love as I read your experiences! What a blessing you and Mike are to the people in Taiwan and the missionaries are SO blessed to have you there to teach and love them. Thank you for your amazing examples of Christ like love and service. I love and miss you! Debbie F.
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