Me-"Wan An! 晚安!" Random Guy on bike-"Oh hey, Good Evening Mormon"

merry merry christmas!!! we opened presents!/ exercised haha the last story for christmas from the 12 days... was one about a little boy who wanted to get a present for jesus and he only had a few dollars..... he ends up using it to help others, but really that is the best gift to Christ we could ever give. 

We had so many miracles this week! It rained on Christmas, and seriously that is like the best time to be out... we met so many great people! one guy we were talking to and we were teaching him how to pray and asked him.... what he was grateful for that day, he said he couldn't think of anything..... later when we gave him a chance to pray he thanked God for a solid job and said the most tender prayer ever. asking, for peace on earth and for all. he is so humble. 

That is my invite, take some time to think about what you are grateful for... i have recently.... started a gratitude journal and each day i write down just a few things that i am grateful for. it really does brighten up your spirits. i am a firm believer in positive thinking. Also, doing service..... that makes you happy too. find a way to serve someone you love this week (:

oh ya! we also met this sweet girl... she is just graduated and she is so sweet!!! i was walking around with a candy cane and i was just like merry christmas! here you go. and gave it to her.... and i was like, "its from america" haha, oh man, i had no idea where i was going with that... but then i remembered the story that my family sent me about the "legend of the candy cane" about how it helps to remind us of the shepherds who went to visit jesus and that the candy cane shape... if you turn it upside down is actually a J! -for Jesus! And so i just basically told her that. ha, anyways, it was all the spirit because we just talked to her and invited her to read the Book of Mormon and find out for herself and come unto Christ... she set a baptismal date for the 24th of January. Wow. so cool. 

Whats awesome, is that if you read the Book of Mormon, with an open heart... and pray.... and ask God, Heavenly Father- who knows it all... well He will tell you whether it is true or not. Whats even better is that there is only two possible answers. yes. or no. but whats even awesomerrr is that i promise that when we do, the answer will be yes. and we will know why because we will feel good. (: 

isn't that what we all want? some more happiness? some more good feelings? the kind that comes from knowing that we are children of God and that He loves us. and that He has prepared a path for us. yes. i think so (:

Well love you all!!! and to explain the subject title thing... haha, yesterday we were walking and knocking doors and this guy on a bike was driving past... i said good night in chinese and he said, ''good evening mormon'' in english! so funny. made mine and sister anderson's night haha. it was just so a matter of fact. haha, and we were just like yup. hello! haha

LOVE, sister walker (:(:

oh you know...... we just found some water. insert epic missionary picture (:

This one makes momma walker tear up...so sweet.  She had me send her this pic so she can show her investigators. How time really flies!

oh and funny story... i was riding my bike on Christmas eve and we were going to be late getting back to the apartment... so we were speeding up.... and i had a package on one of the handle bars, so i was a little tipsy....then, well, my foot slipped on the pedal......and then right there in the middle of the road i just ended up on the ground. and i just laid there, just thinking to myself.... that wasn't even cool. i don't even have a cool story. this is so lame... oh wait, im stuck.... im in the middle of the road... i should probably get up... i was all tangled up in my bag and handle bars... some people ran over and helped me up... all of my stuff was flying everywhere, they got it all... i had lost my shoes too... so i went and grabbed them.. and picked my bike up to see what happened... it looked fine, except for the handles were completely turned sideways. haha i was gathering everything up and then the people helping me looked at my hand and there eyes got big and they just gave me these tissues and was like... do you want to go to the hospital? are you ok? and i was like its fine... got home and i had these huge scrapes on my knees. but HALLELUJAH, thats it. im safe and healing up really good (: haha sister anderson came back and we had to walk the bike home..... the next day got the handles straightened... but ya, we were really late getting home (:

the last story for Christmas from the 12 days... was one about a little boy who wanted to get a present for Jesus and he only had a few dollars..... he ends up using it to help others, but really that is the best gift to Christ we could ever give. 

you know... just a candid shot of me knocking.... (:(:

​

MERRRYYYY MERRRYYYYY CHRISTMAS!

祝你們聖誕節快樂!

Wow. christmas time is here...

Thinking about how many gifts i receive... i was thinking about something i could give back to Christ. well, im trying to memorize the Living Christ. Please see attachment (:

What are you all going to do for christmas? Hope you get to spend lots of time with family. 

I WILL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS, IF ONLY IN MY DREAMS (:

What are you going to give Christ for christmas? Maybe you will serve someone, set a goal to be better, change your life around, heal an emotional wound, get rid of a grudge, mend a relationship, be a good example, think about the important things, like family relationships, being a better friend, give more compliments, theres so many options! (:

Some miracles from this week: 

I was craving some ice cream... so we popped into the 7 and i got a caramel ice cream cone. We were sitting there just making some calls... and we look out at this lady... and Sister Anderson says, she looks really sad, and lonely. So we like run outside and were like wait!!! Hey how are you merry christmas! Her face immediately lit up, it was so sweet.... we ended up sitting back down with her and saying a prayer.... shared some scriptures and that was a moment that i would say that by the time she left after talking with us. we had left her better than when we had found her. and thats the most important thing. Share the christmas gift. Be aware of people. There are so many people walking around you all the time, be a little kinder, smile, just say hi, say merry christmas, ask how their day is going, ask how can i help? (:

Also got to meet this super sweet kid. he is like 12 years old. and sister anderson asked him if christ came to him what he would say... and he was like... i think that i would be really shy because i wouldn't know what to say and i haven't ever seen him before! haha, that really got me thinking... well, if christ is going to come again... are we going to be confident? and guess what.... we can start to get to know Him now. through scriptures! and through service and prayer, going to church and you know. doing all the right things. following his example. we can become like him, so when we meet him again.... he will be familiar to us. wow. crazy awesome huh?

Also our elevator has been broken since friday morning....... and it won't be fixed till Tuesday. ughh. GUESS WHAT. we live on the 12th floor. (: yup.

Also funny story........

" Sister Anderson and i came up with this analogy that like people here are trying to live their lives... but lets say it was only with one chopstick... you can get along and eat your food.... and maybe this has been their "tradition" and maybe they don't understand "2 chopsticks" because it is different.... but if you have ever used two chopsticks you know that it works so much better than just one. ITS THE GOSPEL. we are just giving these people another chopstick. so that they can live their life easier..... its not that you won't have troubles or tests or trials... but you can get over it so much easier. its so much better. so much more convenient. and is better than one by a mile." (:

LOVE SISTER WALKER

HAVE THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER, GO PLAY IN THE SNOW FOR ME (:

I painted my bike. i know its sweet. and it looks really really good with my yellow coat. (:

one morning we were just making breakfast and i turn to look out the window and there the sun is.. just rising up over the mountain. beautiful. (:

Beautiful Sunset over Zhunan :)

yup, it was freezing. but i wanted ice cream. (: 

my family has been doing the 12 days of christmas present with coordinating christmas story... this was on the 5th day of christmas....1. a christmas tree 2. the gold coins 3. bike necklace 4. candy cane 5. reindeer!!(:

Always inspiring. (:

WOAH> another week. It started with $100

wow, another week. crazy. as always. ha.

(about the title... on monday we went to a $100 store... which is like 3 american dollars... and ya. we spent basically all pday there. so fun haha ya for cheap taiwanese things!)

Don't have a lot of time... so I am going back to numbering.... (:

1. today the water got shut off for the whole building. so in the white handbook... it says shower everyday when possible. sister anderson and i looked at each other... and were just like... this is one of those impossible times. (: ha. just in case you all wanted to know (: ha

2. Met this student... he is like 15... he was talking to us about english and then we told him that we also share with people about christ.....and i just testified that Heavenly Father and Christ love him. And pretty much the first time this has ever happened.... he said that he loved them back. WOW. what a powerful testimony to me. Right there we invited him to pray, read the Book of Mormon, come to church and be baptized. He was just like sure, he is getting baptized onJanuary 10th if he comes to church... he didn't make it this week. but What a huge miracle that is????? huge. 

3. We knocked on this house and this lady told us to come in and she just starting feeding us this yummy fish... she asked if we could eat hot... and i was like sure, bring it on.... well she put this sauce on it. wow. it was pretty hot. ha. my mouth was on fire. almost started tearing up. sister anderson was just laughing at me. but it was great. people are just so nice and welcoming here, ha she gave me some nice ice water too. ha. (:

LOVE YOU ALL> Keep sharing the gift of Jesus Christ. And then like show that you love Him by doing something about it. Start thinking about some goals. Lets change people. We don't need to accept that we are just a certain way. Through Jesus Christ. We can all change. Amazing.

MERRRY CHRISTMAS TOOOOOOOOO <3

SIster walker

sister anderson's parents sent this cut out christmas tree, fire place and santa! haha

oh also we went to the huge MaZu this morning. She is a goddess, and they have a ginormous. temple for her. it was so cool.but also really crazy. because it is so not. well right. i just feel like ammon going to preach to the lamanites... because all these people are stuck on their traditions that are incorrect. while i really love those things that are traditional and part of their culture,...... many people were asking us if we were there to worship, and we were like nope, just looking. haha

sister walker王姐妹

My apartment

My Apartment

we got a poinsetta and we got sweaters (:

My apartment

sister anderson's birthday we went out with members and they got cheesecake (:

Check out this lady. Her name is MaZu and she is huge. and pretty much everyone around here worships her. Really different. But really cool.  In chinese if someone stood you up. It is called.... fang gezi. haha. so that happens to us missionaries alot. 

 look what we found today. it is a fang (placed) gezi (pigeon). ha chinese jokes. (:

 this is what i am talking about miao running.... it is just right there in the middle of the neighborhood this sweet temple. ha.

that is awesome you are using the "He is the Gift" pass along cards.... our companionship got 1,000!!! wow, it is hard, because we want to give out a lot... (quantity) but we want to watch it and talk about it and pray with everyone... (quality) so we are just giving huge stacks to members (: haha!

I love that video, I feel the spirit every single time. I almost want to cry. It is so great, I love the music... and it is such a great tool... because everyone is on their phones.... it is perfect just to go up and be like hey, we are sharing about christmas, lets watch this! (: haha  AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE 12 days of christmas thing. i am so excited everyday (: sister anderson and i read the stories together during breakfast and then i open up the present then or at night (: and wow, it is so great and tender and inspiring and SO GREAT> thank you thank you thank you thank you <3

big hug from me! you are the best!!!!!

HOPING FOR A WHITE CHRISTMAS.

hoping for a white christmas.... not because i am going to get snow. HA.

Because we are going to try and help as much people as possible come to christ this month!!! (: This month is CHRISTmas time. Use it to your advantage.

funny thing tho.... like no one celebrates christmas here in taiwan. haha, so they are always really curious. haha (:

i cannot believe it is already december, that is totally crazyy!!! haha, last week on december 1st sister anderson and i got tim tams and hot chocolate and did "tim tam slams" where you suck the hot chocolate up through the tim tams and then you stuff it all in your mouth before it falls apart into the hot chocolate, ahha (: that is the best. haha (:

so happy! and taiwan is more like idaho then i guess you would have thought..... last week, it was fine (weather wise) and then it just got fridge-d ha, it was soooo coolddd!!!! i was freezing! haha, but then yesterday it was sooo beautiful and nice again i didn't even have to wear a jacket.... so i don't know what to do anymore. 

so glad i had tights tho, those totally saved my life and so glad i had my orange coat too haha (: and my scarfs (:

there was so many miracles this week, so sad i can only tell you a couple..... well yesterday.... we had a special one... we were riding to go check on some potentials..... and i looked over and was like... should we go check on our investigator sister li? and I was like... well we just talked with her yesterday.... and i turned to sister anderson and was like what do you think? she was wondering the same thing, so we stopped and were like its the spirit, so we went and checked on her... she was there at home and we were like... how is it going? she said not good, and she was like come in, come in. the poor thing, she was in like the depths of dispair.... it was so sad, we just got to listen to her, show her the happiness and light especially from the scriptures and pray with her. it was amazing, her heart has been softened so much, we taught her how to repent the other day, it was amazing, she really wants to be better, but it also is really hard because she has depression, and she needs to see the doctor, but it has been amazing to see the change in her life just in the short amount of time that we have known her and taught her. that is the miracle of Jesus Christ. (:

Second miracle... we were just knocking and talking to people... and i saw this kid on the other side of the street and i felt like we should go talk to him.... so we went.... across the street, and come to find out, he is actually a former, he has a book of mormon, he reads and loves it! wow, so we are going to go visit him and his family next week (: soooo happy!!!!! wow.

my chinese is coming along quite smashingly if i say so myself (: haha, i realize that listening and understanding is a lot easier... but talking is coming too, so funny because i totally have a taiwanese accent.... and we had a member from beijing come to church yesterday.... it was so great... because he totally has a different accent.... it was amazing to hear him talk... and while it was different, i was able to understand what he was saying.... haha (:(: he is so humble, the members in china are really so sad. thats all i can think of how to describe it. they are happy, but their circumstance is sad. that is better haha, they are amazing and humble and their faith is so strong, just the government is so strict.... they have to be very careful when they meet, they can't be too loud, they can't have too many people... they can't talk with others about the gospel.... he came and took a picture of the chapel here and just starting crying, saying that he was going to take this picture back to the members in china, and just be like... someday we are going to have a chapel too. that made me so grateful so grateful that i can have a chapel, so grateful for amazing members here, and that i was able to grow up in the gospel personally. wow. so touching. 

below is a quote from sister fisher.... so funny!!! and so true (:(:

The scriptures are like a "How to Be Like Jesus" manual, but sometimes it's hard to kan de dong (understand) so the first presidency gave us PMG.  IT's like a "How To Be Like Jesus for Dummies"

KEEEPPPP DISCOVERING, EMBRACING AND SHARING THE GIFT, 

LOVE, 

SISTER WALKER

GO TO THE LINK IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT>>>>>

http://www.mormon.org/christmas?cid=HPFR112814529

we went to the beach (:(:

our member took us out to hot pot. so good (:

we made yummy sweet potatoes with marshmellos

taiwanese temple!

puffer fish we found on the beach

zhunan zone!

Sister Yang got baptized!

My old investigator in Hualian... got baptized!!! So happy (: 

this is sister george my old companion with her... and everyone else in our district, we all knew her so well (:(: so happy. she is amazing.

BABY SQUID part one and two!

ha, i ate it.... 

mostly it was just salty and chewy. ha

WE MADE PIE?

 Happy Happy Thanksgiving! Love you all. 

Well, this past friday I celebrated my 6 MONTH MARK, wow, can you believe it? I know i can't. CRAZY.

This week was probably one of the fastest ones of my mission so far, i literally feel like it was just yesterday emailing all you about last week..... crazzzyy!!!

Like I keep saying crazy right. Wednesday we realized that we didn't have anyone making pie. So sister Anderson and I went to the store running around looking for something that could be pie filling....... it was ridiculous, trying to describe to the people working there.... like we need fruit, you know like in a can... haha, and so they were like you mean like this? they took us over to the fresh produce and we were like no... not really..... then they took us to the dried fruit.... and then finally, found some canned peaches!!!!!!!! Then we grabbed some sugar and apples and cinnamon.

WE MADE TWO PIES. Whipped up the crust and made a peach and apple pie. Put it out with everything else we had.... then got the first taste. so good. within a few minutes it was gone and it was so sad because not everyone got to taste it. haha, they all said we had to make it again, so maybe we will for christmas! haha (:

oh man, we totally made hand turkeys with the kids and they wrote what they were grateful for, and we also had a "grateful tree" where everyone had a leaf and wrote what they were grateful for and then put it on the tree... haha, we are going to keep it up until christmas! so fun!

Wow, one miracle that was really cool.... we were going to visit a potential... and well, so happens... she didn't have anytime to meet right then... so we just walked around talking to other people... it was so loud though because well, these past few months they have been preparing for the election and FINALLY on saturday it ended. So anyways.... taiwanese people know how to party, there are parades all times of the day all week long all the time, they have so many fireworks, they are so loud! and cool, and they have these trucks that drive around a play music and say to vote for a specific person...... and ya, anyways.... it was really loud, and right when we were going to turn back... there was this guy that got out of his car..... we kept walking to our bikes, but we realized that he had followed us.... because that is where his house was! He was like are you christians? and we said, ya are you? He said he could count for one. We started talking to him, and while we didn't have much time, we got his number and we are going to come back and teach him and help him quit smoking! so cool. That was a miracle. 

I've noticed that, well, right when you seem to be going through the trial of faith... no one is interested... we aren't finding anybody.... whatever. maybe you are kind of doubting a little bit. maybe your faith is a little low, God always seems to be like, oh no, wait a second. Then we see a miracle. It has happened over and over again. I don't know why I could ever doubt for a second, I don't know why I could ever feel discouraged for a second. Right around the corner is the miracle. WOW. 

Everyone, keep pushing through. Rely on God. He always comes through. What a nice Guy (with a capital G) haha

Happened again... we got this sweet new investigator, she is such a sweet lady. She loves prayer, We found her at the last door, the last 5 minutes.... (:

LOVE YOUUU ALLL, I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR EACH ONE OF YOU.

Keep your head up, let your hair down, and believe in miracles. (:

LOVE SISTER WALKER

1. We went to tempanyaki.... or however you spell it.... so good (:

2. here is the feast we had! haha, we had chicken (turkey is too expensive), some people brought some sushi, clam chowder, the elders made mashed potatoes and gravy... we had corn on the cob, moji (taiwanese dessert), noodles, and some other soup and of course.. pie! 

2. pie!!(: yumm, that was the peach one....

SO BLESSED!!

Hey y'all. well just some funny things...... so this week we went to this investigator's house... and guess what... they are watching "i am legend" with the chinese subtitles. wow. it has been a long time since i have seen that movie. and wow. crazy. haha. ps. i didn't watch it just so you all know (: haha

Also. funny, a lot of days we have just random stuff for dinner... like the other day we had sweet potatoes...... and steamed bread and green bean soup and a candy bar. ya, i don't know if that is healthy. but i don't know what i am going to do without sevens and family marts on every corner to get this stuff. ha.

Also! this week i have been studying about prayers... and faith and God's will..... i just really want to make my prayers better and my mom sent me this page about Enos and his story...it was so cool, because it just put it in 5 easy steps....i always seem to really like the applicable steps... of you want a goal..... but how are you going to do it? like the steps here... can be done 1. receive gospel truths 2. let them sink into your heart (ponder) 3. have a desire! 4. obey the commandments 5. endure the trial, it is gonna take time and its not going to be easy 

and thats it! you will get an answer to your prayer, and you will be prepared to receive it and act on it! (:

Our investigators are doing good, over the past weeks that i have been here we have found....23 new investigators..... its just sad that most of the time... they don't end up progressing, and we have to drop them. but! well, right now we have some really solid ones. not a lot. but the ones we have are pretty good. we are trying to focus on setting baptismal dates, the first time we meet with them. because when you have a goal in mind... and they know where this is all going... it is so much bettter. we have this really awesome kid... his name is Cai DiXiong, he is sooo cool. he just turned 18 and we meet with him at least twice a week. I know he can make a december baptism. its just that he needs to come to church! we don't know what his concern is...... we know he has time.... there is something holding him back... today we are really going to try to rely on the spirit to help him overcome that concern.... other than that, he has been reading and praying and he loves it!!! the other day he asked if he could come..... well "chuanjiao" with us.... just like do missionary work with us... haha! we were like... sure of course you can!! but, well you need to come to church first.... haha, but he is great, he is already seeing the blessings in his life and is having a desire to share it with others. so cool. he really wants to be baptized and get the gift of the holy ghost. haha, he loves when we do analogies or draw something. but ya, we have some other miracles, but here is just one!

We are going to have a thanksgiving ward activity on thursday! i am super excited... and somehow the missionaries are like the head people for doing it because we know all about thanksgiving and no one else does... hahaha, super funny! we are making mashed potatoes and gravy and they are going to get turkey and hopefully we can find someone to make us some yummy pie or buy one from costco! (: haha

ALSO!!! PLEASE SEE THIS>>>>>

On Friday, November 28, the Church will begin a worldwide initiative for the Christmas season. Titled “He Is the Gift,” the initiative is built around the truth that the first gift of Christmas came from a loving Heavenly Father to His children with the birth of Jesus Christ, His Only Begotten Son. The initiative invites people to discover the first gift of Christmas, to embrace the gift by becoming more like Jesus Christ, and to share the gift with those around them.

Foundation

“Christmas is a time of reflection on what we can become because of God’s sacred gift. As we discover the gift, we learn of the immeasurable love of God and our absolute need for a Savior. As we embrace the gift, we strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ, and desire to become more like Him. As we share the gift, we follow in the Master’s footsteps, who invited all to hear His message” (Elder Russell M. Nelson, December 2014Ensign).

Framework

Help your missionaries apply the following framework in their daily missionary efforts:

·  Help others discover the gift by speaking with as many people as possible each day about God’s love and the sacred gift of Jesus Christ.

·  Help others embrace the gift by inviting them to learn more about the restored gospel, leading to their increased faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.

·  Help others share the gift by asking them to invite their family and friends to meet with you to learn more of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

Initiative Components

·  He Is the Gift video presented in 20 languages: [including Chinese]

·  Extensive worldwide Internet and social media promotion.

·  Promotion at select visitors’ centers.

·  New York City (Times Square) promotion.

·  Christmas.mormon.org in the 20 languages listed above.

 

Using the Initiative in Missionary Work

The ultimate objective of the initiative is to find, teach, baptize, and retain an increasing number of God’s children. There isn’t a more exciting and natural time than the Christmas season to testify of Jesus Christ and to invite all to learn more of His teachings and salvation. Invite your missionaries to use this inspired Christmas initiative to help the people of your mission discover, embrace, and share the greatest gift that has ever been given to the world.

LOVE YOUUUU ALLLL!!!! BE HAPPY AND THANKFUL> AND EAT A LOT OF PIE FOR ME (:

LOVE SISTER WALKER

1. crazyyy huge statue scary guy.

2. a beautiful flower i found (:

3. miao running!!!