I am actually writing this retrospectively as today is actually January 9, Saturday... I just finished my first week back to BYU.
But if we take a look back at December 14-18, it was a great week. I was so happy, and I was not aware of the fact that I was going home that week.
In the mornings for exercise, sometimes I would think, I only have a 2 more times of doing this to continue to push myself.
Also we really needed it because we were getting fed left and right! We had people calling us all the time asking if we had plans, and we did, Monday was absolutely crazy!!! We were going to go out with Andy Wu, but then, while we were emailing, he called and said that his car broke!! Oh no! But it actually worked out for the best because we just went home and packed and packed and did stuff, and I filled out records and we just had a party. So it was pretty ok after all, even though we didn't get to go to the beach. We sent in the baptismal records and got everything all squared away so that we could focus the rest of the week.
That night we met with this former that Sister Cardon had actually met with before when she was in Nankan, it was so great! He set a baptismal date and seems golden! Really willing to read and pray, because recently he hasn't, just gotten out of the habit... it has been a while. It was an amazing lesson, we really did do it timely, and helped his needs! We focused on him and not just getting the lesson done. I felt the spirit really strongly. It was pretty cool (:
It was nice to start off the night smoothly but then we went to visit Jian Wei, and well, Sister Xie last minute... actually during our lesson she called and cancelled. So.... super awkward because we got Jian Wei and Daniel sitting there and we are like, we can't meet with you......... but I have the idea, lets try the Tong Family because they are doing FHE right now, and so they said we can come over and invite Jian Wei and Daniel. super nice!!! It was so insanely last minute. but things always seem to work out.... and that is kinda like the theme of my mission haha So we went over and had a great lesson! We talked about the sabbath and it was really perfect too because the Tong Family wanted to talk to their kids about being reverent in sacrament meeting. So we gave some suggest, finally they commited that they would listen and draw what they heard during the talks and then afterwards could show sister cardon and she would give them a sticker. Hopefully it worked! haha
Anyway.... then we speeded over to the Luan Family's house. We were super late, I felt so bad. But even though we were late, it was perfect timing because they had just finished the food. And also I had no idea that they had invited the bishop and his family and also the Guo family... oh well. It was so fun!! Just to be with everyone and then after we ate some of the best beef noodle soup I have had, the bishop and the Luan kid played the guitar and we sang Christmas carols. it is the best feeling ever! They are so sweet they got me this awesome puzzle and chopsticks and i was so touched. (:
Tuesday was so great too, of course awesome district meeting. I am going to miss our district! They are the best! We talked about how everything actually relates to potatoes.... haha how the area book is like the map of the field to get to see where they are.... finding from formers like using potatoes.... to grown new potatoes... haha
We visited a lot of people today, it was all so good, but everything was so crazy! We only got one lesson in, we kept on being diligent despite how cold it was haha
Went and visited with Bishop Zhao and his family and the Qiu family and Sister Xie and Jiu all from the ward to say goodbye to me and the other leaving missionaries, it was so happy. it felt like Christmas because it felt like we were just together with family having a great time (:
We stopped by and visited Brother Ding really fast.... and guess what song comes playing in the shop? The final countdown as we invite him to baptism (: haha That was a great moment. He still needs to pray and find the answer for himself (: We just felt the spirit that we needed to invite him as representatives of Jesus Christ. I know someday he will make it. But he was still unwilling to set a date. We invited him to ask God which date he needs, because we don't know.... and neither does he. ha
We dropped by this Vietnamese lady, she is soo nice. but her husband said that they are baibai and can't change, we said, well we have a book we want to give you and so we gave her a book of mormon, she was really excited because it was in Vietnamese (:
Wednesday!
We stopped by to say goodbye to Sister Ding and Brother Ding , and they gave me this sweet bracelet and the nicest note saying that this really is the best gospel and they are so grateful for me (: Brother Ding was so sweet, he was like, I don't need to say any compliments or beautiful words, you have given us the gospel. and thank you. so sweet! I love them (:
We visited Andy Wu and also Sister Hong, they were so sweet to give me gifts. The Taiwanese people are just so giving. it is so sweet.
Also we did a lot of really great finding. I hope these people keep progressing!! It is always important to remember the eternal perspective and even though I won't be there, that the effort I can put forth now will make a difference and I was meant to find those people.
We got fed again today and it was perfect, 6 pizzas from pizza hut, all weird flavors.
AND THEN IT WAS ENGLISH PARTY!!! CHRISTMAS PARTY!!!
we had countdown Christmas chains and snowflake stations, we had party games and lights and Christmas music and we were in charge of making chocolate chip cookies and then delivering them to everyone at the party. It was so fun, for the spiritual share we sang a Christmas song and shared the new video and shared our testimonies of Christ. Also very happy.
My mom is so sweet she sent me all of these Idaho pins and so i wrote notes to a lot of people i cared about, in the ward, at English class, investigators, companions, sisters in our zone, everyone. it was so fun to get them to everyone especially for Christmas (:
After English class I had to leave my bike at the chapel so the moving truck could come pick it up and take it to the mission home.
It was kinda the saddest moment. And so sister cardon let me ride her bike home while she rode with an English class student Cherry, aka Sister Qiu, it was so wonderful, i was tearing up, but it was wonderful. That is one of the top things I will miss. Riding fast. In Taiwan. On my bike.
Thursday we woke up and I finished writing notes and we took my luggage out and went to transfer meeting. Transfer meeting was so so wonderful we opened with TRUTH REFLECTS UPON OUR SENSES, Sister Haacke will be taking my place which is so happy because I love her. And Sister Cardon was also companions with her before. I really did feel peace, I knew that everything and everyone was in good hands (:
And then well, I didn't show up on the transfer power point......... and all the missionaries that were going home went up.... and I got the perfect spot in the middle of the first row, so I went pretty close to the beginning. I shared my 3 points,
#1 ecclesiastes 3:1-2, a little on how there is a time to die but we keep on living
#2 our mission is a family and we play for team Jesus mosiah 18:21 there is no jealousy, only sharing, do it for everyone else, do it for our God and your mission will be more full
#3 Mosiah 18:30 Taiwan is beautiful to me because it is the place that I came to know my redeemer
We went and ate food with some Jilong people, Sister Fisher and Sister Zhong, Brother Wu, Elder Stewart, Elder Dehtloff and Brother Zhang. It was so fun to see them, we ate beef noodle soup. so good. yum (:
After we went to the temple to do a session in Chinese. It was the best thing ever!!!!!! I totally understood it all and they helped us through everything, it was so fantastic. What a really cool experience that was. I really did feel a connection to it. It was really special.
Afterwards we weighed luggage, mine was overweight. by a lot!!! i think it was only suppose to be 23 kg and mine was like 45...... oops. so i parted with a lot of things, but its ok, because they are just things. and i didn't feel bad about it.
Then we had this most amazing feast!! And afterward we shared talents, and told stories and it was amazing. We were all so tired though at about 10 pm. We split up for the night and some of stayed at the mission home.
Sister Fisher and I had a beautiful moment that night. right before we went to sleep we went out on the balcony, it was cold, and dark but the temple was lit up and we talked a bit and we said goodbye Taiwan. It is so interesting how this place just became so familiar. It really was home.
We woke up early the next morning, packed up and got on the bus, said goodbye to President and Sister Jergensen and went to the airport, just in shock. WE get there and get all situated, so fun a lot of people were coming up to me saying, hey I know you! I see you running every morning before I get on the bus to come to the airport for work. That was really special.
And then we did it, we traveled......... the plane left at 11:30 and I got home to Boise at 6:30 am Taiwan time (2:30 pm Boise time)
on the same day.
time travel.
it was amazing talking to people and sharing about the gospel, we gave out tracts and books of mormon and had discussions, i usually had a missionary on both sides of me, but at the end I sat by this one man on the way from Portland to Boise and was able to share with him about the gospel. very cool discussions.
My favorite was in the Japan airport though, we met up with some missionaries from the Japan, Hong Kong and Philippine missions and so we were all together but there was a lady a couple seats down just by herself, so I strike up a conversation with her. She is so amazing! Her name is Chananan Sutsadang from Thailand but she was adopted by Americans and she was going home for Christmas, we became instant friends, and she was so happy that I started talking with her. We had a nice conversation about Christ as well, i got her contact info so I will be sending that information along (:
And so we touched down in Boise. and thats when i cried for the first time the whole trip. it was really real. I was completely exhausted from being awake for more than 24 hours and only like an hour of rest on the plane. We walked out and it was so freezing!!! I didn't have a coat.... so i grabbed my carry on... and we walked really fast..... some sisters had to go to the bathroom and I was like, I can't wait for that.... and so i just went..... and they caught up... and i just started tearing up when i saw them, my family. They were so beautiful and different, but familiar and i just sobbed and hugged. and it was great. i just dropped my luggage and we took some pics and i just remember we got out to the car and my teeth were chattering, and i was so confused, but it was so amazing. I don't even know how many times I had prepared myself for that moment when i would just run and hug my momma. it was wonderful. almost like i reached the celestial kingdom.
Later I got released but my stake president didn't say I had to take my tag off, so I kept it on (: haha... got home and I just slid into the carpet.... changed my clothes (i kept my tag on the inside) and we ate chicken enchiladas and had a mini party with souvenirs and pictures and i sang songs and we drank winter melon tea, it was wonderful
And for the past christmas break it has been like i have lived in heaven. And now its back to reality at school.
The mission was so amazing. Coming home, its like I blinked and it is gone. But it has changed me forever.
Now I can continue to truly keep living.
Love, Sister Walker (aka Lindsey)
FHE with the Tong Family
Sister Hong! She is so sweet!! She gave me this awesome necklace!
This is Sister Huang, we met her by an amazing chance the elders gave her as a referral! she accepted the baptismal invite and was soo soo sweet. she got us hot chocolate and a cookie (:
On Our Way HOME!!
This sweet little lady who works at the airport recognized us from our runs every day..we lived near the airport :)
