Dear Family and friends!
Thank you for all your love, support and prayers you have blessed us with. We couldn’t do anything without you and the Lords strength which we feel through yours. How touched we’ve felt these last weeks as you’ve helped us clean and pack and sweep, fed us, loved us, and given us of your time and given me Bday gifts and celebrations amidst our move from our beloved Danville home. Truly we have felt blessed beyond measure to equal the stress beyond what we’ve ever gone through before.
What an amazing week and a half we have had at the mission leadership seminar and now as we have arrived in Taiwan and started our mission, presiding over the Taiwan Taipei mission. We have seen so many blessings and miracles already!
The setting apart with Elder Holland was truly heavenly. To have ALL four of our parents and ALL our children and their spouses there for that occasion was beyond words. Elder Holland grabbed us by the hand and hugged us and laughed with us and cheered us on in every way possible. He immediately said to Mike “now I know you’re Type A and you’re going to want everything done yesterday and that won’t be fast enough!” (He nailed it!!) and Shelley your job is going to be to try to slow him down and breathe and watch over his health! (yep!) I laughed and told him I had just told him the same thing! I was amazed he “knew” this about him already as I watched this amazing Apostle lay his hands on Mike's head and listened to him set him apart and bless him with every blessing. 😭. What an amazing witness of revelation and the power of the priesthood. He did a special thing which he can do because he is an Apostle and that was to invite my Dad and Mike's Dad to be in the circle with him. What a gesture of love that was and so special for them and for Mike and all of us. I was set apart by Robert Gay of the Seventy. My blessing was truly special too. He with Elder Holland invited my Dad, Eddie, and Matthew, Spencer, Clark, and Brandt to join in the circle. As they placed their hands on my head I began to weep. I felt so much power and strength and healed of any fears as I was blessed and set apart as a full-time missionary. I will never forget that nor how thoroughly I was blessed with every thing I could need and every concern I’ve had was addressed and was given. There I was given all I would need and I knew my Heavenly Father knows me and knows Mike and our needs and those of our family. I felt ministered to by these holy angels of God, ready to go forth and trust my all to His tender care. . 🙏
The mission leadership seminar which began one week before we came on island was an incredible privilege. Our prophet president Russell M Nelson, his counselors and the quorum of the 12 apostles were in attendance. We literally sat at their feet and were taught by and ministered to by them throughout the week. It is clear that they are very involved in the missionary work of the church and it is top priority. They were hands-on in every way. We were so touched that on Sunday we were invited to have a sacrament meeting with all of the 12 apostles and our prophet who spoke to us. He spoke about his hopes for us as we embarked on our missions and he said that “loyalty to the Lord and love for your family are not competitive commitments— they are synergistic”. He taught, The Lord said "thy duty is unto the church forever and this is because the family is eternal. The church is the means for helping families become eternal." Then he quoted scripture: “go away from them (on your mission), only for a little time, and declare my word and I will prepare a place for them (your families)”
Then he reassured, “that divine promise is yours”.
Throughout The leadership seminar we were promised over and over many blessings to our families which were so reassuring – especially as we leave our family. I know the Lord is blessing us as parents to be able to have the strength to leave them behind which would normally feel so crushing and impossible to do. But we are being lifted and strengthened to do so as well as to leave our beloved friends and home behind in Danville. It is as though we are being carried upon a big wave – a palpable force of strength that cannot be explained other than the power of God which we acknowledge with all our hearts.
We had many interactions that were so special – including meeting other mission presidents and their wives from all over the world who were doing the same things we are – selling their home and leaving their families and friends behind to labor for a short time in helping bring souls into Christ. One mission president—the Marshes—said when they sold their home and left their job and don’t know what they’re going to do when they get back that they are just going by faith and so I told him we were also in “the faith club” like him! It was such a strength to know we are in good company and more importantly in the best of Hands—the Lord’s!
One day we got to sit at lunch with Elder and Sister Bednar. Those at the table were asking questions of him and so towards the end of the lunch Sister Bednar said does anyone else have any questions and I did but I hadn’t asked any because I didn’t want to take up the time of everyone. But I asked him at that opportunity that if we are to go out with the missionaries and I don’t speak the language yet how would I be best helpful to them? He looked at me and said "you are not going to be able to speak fluent Chinese Sister Peterson on your mission. But that might be to your advantage because then you will have to rely on the language of the Spirit." In fact he said "I do that as I travel the world and I don’t speak the language. I need to rely upon the things the Spirit teaches me and in many cases that is even better than being able to speak the language.” I thanked him afterwards and shook his hand and told him he had ministered to me with his reassuring words. The next day we happened to walk by him and he said to me, “Sister Peterson, did you sleep better last night?” (With a smile and a little chuckle) I told him that thanks to his reassuring words I had!
As we have come on island and I have had to remember his words and be comforted again by them. In my weakness with Chinese—tho I’ll continue to try to learn—I hope to find greater strength in learning the language of the spirit.
It was a joy to meet Elder and Sister Gong. They are simply amazing. Humble and yet so brilliant in their abilities and knowledge. They truly love Taiwan as they both served here on their missions. She speaks and teaches Chinese as well as teaches ESL and has been involved in that in many countries in Asia. They met with and trained and ate w us several days. What a privilege to learn from them.
He looked in the eye and asked Mike to do some specific things while he is here. Wow do we have work to do and we must be about our Father’s business as they the Apostles are!
One particular moment I will always remember was when Elder Gong met with the Asia area mission presidents and wives after the Sacrament meeting with President Nelson. He asked us this question to ponder:
“After having been newly set apart, how did you feel as you just partook of the Lord’s Sacrament”? After pondering I realized that each of us are being asked to sacrifice something for our missions and that it is a privilege to do so for our Savior who sacrificed all for us!
What a special time for our family to gather last week and to see our children and grandchildren enjoy each other and be a strength to one another. It was a special time for Mike to give each of our children a Father’s blessing and feel the great strengths and love of each one in our family and our overwhelming love for them. We couldn’t go on our mission without them. Each has been so kind in helping us with a video we put together for our Missionaries that we are showing our Missionaries this week as we meet and greet them. The children’s examples of service as Missionaries is such a great way for our Missionaries to connect with us as a family and they have wept as they’ve watched the video. We have already used experiences from their missions as we’ve talked to the missionaries here and are so grateful that we can “ bring” them with us to the mission here in Taiwan in this way!
The mission leadership seminar ended on Tuesday and we started our travels to Taiwan last Wednesday. Getting everything packed into the suitcases or into a storage unit was crazy but with the help of our parents and our family we were able to do it. Saying goodbye to each of our children was really hard but the Lord gave me strength not to fall apart! He knew I couldn’t do it without him giving me extra strength and I felt it with each goodbye. ❤️😘. I had the sweet the opportunity to have my dad give me a father’s blessing right before we went to the airport. That was so special to me and such a comfort to be with my mom and dad and to be able to give them one last big squeeze before we left. My dad even winked at me and said “our goal is we’re going to come and see you!” I know if anyone has the faith to be able to do that if it’s God‘s will, they’ll be able to do it! I don’t know how I was able to leave them standing on their driveway waving at us other than that the Lord was with us to go and do what we know we need to do.
Lauren was so kind to drive us to the airport and be with us up to the last moment with all our bags! Again so hard to leave her when she is great with child and ready to give birth to her first little baby. I had to remember the great blessing as promised by our prophet that as we go away for a little while to preach his gospel the Lord will prepare a place and great blessings for her and her little one as we trust them to His care. I couldn’t possibly go otherwise.
At the airport we ran into a few snags right away in that our luggage was not checked all the way through so we had to get our luggage once we got to San Francisco, dash 7 bags plus for carry-ons ha ha – and schlep them through the airport to the international terminal where we discovered that our international flight didn’t have any seats for us. They had been canceled for some reason. But fortunately we were blessed in that they were able to find two seats for us which they told us would not be together but which ended up being together and we were able to sleep eight of the 13 hours on our flight to Taipei!!! Miracle of miracles!!! Because of that – even though we landed at four in the morning we were able to last the entire day of orientation with the outgoing mission president and wife and stay up until 9 that night! And we haven’t had any jet lag since! It has been such a miracle!!!
The Jergensens couldn’t have been kinder nor more accommodating. They brought us to the offices on Jin Hua where the temple, church and mission offices and our apartment are located and gave us a bit of time to shower and unpack before taking us to the markets and showing us around the neighborhood, hospitals, etc and how to drive in Taiwan which is going to be very stressful but they reassure us is doable! (I still say we shall see!) the Jergensens were amazing so we have big shoes to fill but they have left this mission in amazing shape for which we are deeply grateful. I got blisters on my feet walking all over all day! That’s typical when you have new mission shoes right? It was a bit embarrassing when my feet were bleeding and President Jergensen had to ask the people at the hospital for Band-Aids for me! Haha. I guess I am beginning to walk in Missionaries shoes already ha ha. The Missionaries we’ve met are driven and hard working and loving. We feel so blessed!
We met the assistants- Elders Jorgensen from Provo and Lin (25) from Taichung. so sharp and such incredible resources for us. We also have good office Elders and got a tour of where everything is.
The apartment is nice. We have two floors and we are on the 6th with the kitchen and dining upstairs in the 7th. There’s also a piano! Yay!
Saturday was the moment of truth. We had been admonished by all the brethren to go out with the missionaries when we get into the field and to not delay so that they know that we want to be part of the work. It took all the faith I had in the world to go out with the sister training leaders. We took the MRT which is like Bart and road for an hour out to Dan shui. I was just amazed as could be to watch Sisters Herst and Nielsen talk with everyone and end up giving them invitations to be taught or to come to English class. I’m not surprised that so many responded positively because they are so full of light and joy. They are smiling, they are laughing, they are emanating the love of the Savior through their faces and their eyes and everyone who sees them wants to know who they are and why they are so happy. It was amazing to be with them and to experience a day in the life of these missionaries. I was so impressed not only with their Chinese but with their ability to connect and be effective at helping people want to know more! I love the opportunity to talk with them about what they need and what would be helpful in trainings with them. I love sharing with them about our daughter's experiences and sharing things from our personal lives with them. I loved getting to know them and being able to talk and walk with them and experience what they were experiencing. I felt so much joy to be there and to be on a mission! We walked down this little alley where
they took me to a member’s restaurant who rolled out the red carpet for us and made all kinds of yummy food including a lychee nut bean and some potstickers—the real deals! That bean was the most heavenly thing after we were walking around in that humidity and heat for hours! 😇. God bless the Ye family!
Sunday was amazing too we went to our first sacrament meeting in the Taipei ward which is an English word. We met so many kind and welcoming people there including the Frost family who are moving back to America but who have been here many years. He was in Mike’s mission and remembered him well.That evening was a Why I Believe fireside where our Missionaries could bring recent converts and have them share their testimonies of how they came to hear of the gospel and comfort. It was all in Chinese and so I listened in on an earpiece where an elder was translating. I had to keep from giggling because there were times where the elders said I can’t understand what this lady is saying. But I was so proud of Mike because he stood at the end and bore a powerful testimony in Chinese. I couldn’t understand the words but I could definitely feel and understand the spirit and actually if you have the phrases he was saying I could understand and that made me happy. Afterword it was so joyous to meet so many of our missionaries and to love them and to see their excitement to meet us.
Yesterday Monday was our first meet and greet in the mission. We have been preparing for this for months and we’re so excited. We traveled with the assistants down to Taoyuan and then over to Xinju. In these meetings we introduced our family through videos and talks. We are so blessed to meet these amazing young missionaries and a senior couple – yay – who are so willing to serve and who are so valiant. We had many come up and tell us that they felt they were meant to be with us as we had felt that we were meant to be with them.
If there is anything I have learned and have felt these last few weeks it is that Heavenly Father knows us personally. There is no doubt in my mind we are led by a prophet of God – Russell M Nelson. There is no doubt in my mind that the Lord is leading his servants to lead his church in miraculous ways. This is the church of Jesus Christ. He knows the way. He is the truth and the Life and the Light.These missionaries are evidence of what the gospel brings – joy, light and truth. As I have stated and shared my testimony in Chinese a few times, I have been overwhelmed with the spirit I feel each time. I do know that the Mo er men Jing is true and is the tool that God has given us to gather the elect and in preparing for the second coming of our savior Jesus Christ.
I know this was long but I had so much I needed to express. Thank you for your prayers and your love which we feel as close to us as if you were here with us.
Women ai nimen!
Ping Jie Mei (Sister Peterson)
With the Jergensen's!
View of the Temple from our apartment
Sweet Sister Training Leaders and the Ye Family
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