WE RUN ON SUGAR AND THE SPIRIT

ok everyone!!!!! hope your week was good, because mine was fantastic!!!! so good to hear from all of you too! ok, so hear are the top things that happened this past week (:

1. it finally happened. we were passing out flyers for our free english class that we teach on wednesday nights and well, this teenage girl came up and was like can i get a picture with you two? and i was like totally, only if you come to english class, she just laughed but i was serious. haha (: it was a party haha, she was from taibei, but i was like we have english classes there too! haha(:

2. sister george and i were at this night market and then all of a sudden she got really excited and bought me and her these things on a stick. she said it was really good, we took a bite and well, it was not what she thought it was...haha! she thoguht it was candied strawberries, but it ended up being candied tomatoes haha!!!!! it was weird. and well, we learned that we should probably start asking what things are from now on (: haha!

3. For all of you who have seen saratov approach... you know how when they are teaching english class.... well we were teaching about opposites this past week and one of our students asked what the opposite of good looking was, were were just like umm, hjmmm, well its just ugly. haha, english class is so funny. they ask some really funny questions and they are all so excited and nervous to speak english to us, it makes me feel good to say that it is hard and learning chinese is hard, so we help each other (:(: it is like half chinese, half english... chinglish (:

4. went to the night market for dinner one night and got this authentic chicken curry thing... it was like a burrito! and an indian man made it so it was authentic (: hahah and we just talked with him for like ever! about religion and God, he is a sikh and it was so cool, and we got to share what we believed and he just keeped saying what a good thing we were doing, and while i don't need to hear that from him, it was still good to hear that other respect and admire what i am doing here. support really helps so much from everyone. but even if i didn't have it, i would be here (: God helps me everyday (:(:
5. i was mistaken for a taiwanese person. and that was totally cool. i was standing in the sun and they couldn't really see me and i was speaking chinese... haha they asked me if i was and i was like no way im american and we just laughed, that was funny!

6. This week we found out that two missionaries from our mission passed away. I also found out that a fellow classmate Caitlyn passed away too. While it is so sad and it really shocked me. I am so gateful for the knowledge that we have about the plan that Heavenly Father has for his children. We know where we are going after we die, we know that there is a purpose to all things, that everything unfair is swallowed up in the atonement of Jesus Christ and that all will be made right. They have been called for another work in the spirit world, especially those two missionaries, they never left their mission. just continuing it in another place. While we can still mourn for those we have lost, let us take this opportunity to share with everyone we know about the wonderful plan of happiness and the joy and peace we can feel from our Savior. i love teaching the plan of salvation and what makes it better is that it isn't just some made up fairy tale. it is real and we have evidence. in the book of mormon (:(:(:

7. OK one last thing, we have a new golden investigator!!! we met her at church. like seriously. she came to church because she got a flyer from somewhere and one of the sisters in the branch came and got us out of sunday school and was like look who i found and so we talked with her a bit and she stayed for the rest of the church time and got to come to sacrament meeting! she is so sweet and awesome! she is in her early twenties and wow, golden we are going to meet with her soon and give her a lesson one!!! yayyyy!!!!!!

8. Read this liahona all about the Book of Mormon. my favorite part i wanted to share with everyone is about Moroni's promise found in chapter 10:3-5 This is what we must do to find out if the book of mormon is true. 1. read it. 2. think about it. 3. pray diligently. 4. ask the right questions. 5. don't miss the answer.

Such a good hard week, we were stressed, busy, sweaty and totally exhausted! yay! lets do it again! talk to yall next week (:

love, Sister Walker!!!!!

1. look at that sunburn! haha, first one that i have gotten so far, didn't hurt and it went away..... haha but had to get a picture of that too, also when i take my watch off, it is like super white, there is a totally huge difference! haha love it! my goal is to get it to be as intense as sister georges's someday! haha (:(:

2. this is Hualian, it is on the east coast and it is beautiful, the heat isn't bad at all befcause there is wind. love it! i am so blessed. i am seriously in the promised land right now.

3.This is the Taipei Temple...I know Sister Walker feels at home, because it looks just like the Boise Temple, minus the palm trees :)

4. this is the dragon that i drew!!! yyup, i am awesome haha, every single week we have a competition with the 8 other missionaries who teach english to see who can draw the best dragon, the winner gets a prize. lets just say this week we crushed the competition (: this is the first time sister george and i have won too! so it was exciting, it was even close (: haha, but last week these elders like made a dragon sculpture that breathed fire so lets just say that this competition is for real (:


Sister Walker and Sister George (companions)

We will find out where this is next week...no explano :)

#ridethatbikeuntilyouaredead #doitthenextday #ilovethegospel #ilovetaiwan

Hello everyone!!! I hope your week was absolutely fantastic!!!(:(:(:(:(:

Oh man, I just can't even. Every single second I am here, I just never want to leave!!!! Ok, I will keep this email short (:(:(:

1.just a few miracles: I had the amazing opportunity to go on exchanges with Sister Edwards (sister training leader) and then with Sister Miao (temple sister) this week! And wow, I guess everyone is right, you do see miracles when you are on exchanges. 1. We were riding our bikes to an appointment and Sister Edwards turned to talk to the person behind us, gave him a track and started talking... the light turned green and she asked if we could just come over to the side and keep talking, he said that'd be fine.... We find out that he is already Christian... totally not common! But cool, and so prepared too! He already has a relationship with God and we were able to testify and add a little more...Gave him a Book of Mormon and set up (I hope it goes well, he isn't in my area) but then at the end he said a beautiful prayer and said that was the first time he had prayed out loud in front of people, but he felt so good! Wow! 2. I was with Sister Miao and to be honest we were dying in the heat and we needed a toilet too. We just prayed that we could teach one good lesson and find an awesome investigator. We found just that, she let us come into her home and we just gave the first lesson right then, never has that ever happened to me before! So cool, she just really needed some comfort in her life and we were able to provide an opportunity for the spirit to comfort her heart.

2. people give us food. like bananas, mangoes, apples, peaches, crackers, cookies, water, juice, guava. i love it (:

3. Everything in taiwan is so cute. We seriously go into any store and I just sit there, and I just want it all. But then I think I get a little overwhelmed and I end up not buying anything haha, my family knows (: but ya. seriously. everything is so cute. and most of the time i don't know what i am going to do with all of these notebooks and book marks and pens and boxes and paper but thats ok (: haha! also they have these strips of paper that you make into  stars! wow, that is what I do during studies... i just read my book of mormon and make stars. they are so cute! (they have cats on them)

4. Our air conditioning was broken this week. We died. But its ok now (:

5. OK, so when you hear music playing down the street...don't look for the ice cream truck, because it is the garbage trucks that play music here!!! its a party every single time you take the trash out! They go down the street and everyone comes out of their houses and throws the trash in. so fun!

6. night markets. that is all i must say. on friday we went with the temple sisters, the sister training leaders and well... ourselves and went to the night market. we got there, said a prayer on the food that we would eat and went out.... trying everything! we mostly just split everything, its all so good tho. especially these one potatoe fry things... covered with plum powder wow. and also this waffle batter stuff filled with chocolate cream and cheese. wow, that sounds so unhealthy. but it was good and hot. haha!

7. My knees are healing from praying on that awful carpet at the mtc... i swear i had rough patches from praying on that ground all the time!

8. Ok, so Kuha'o Case came to taiwan!!! look him up on the internet, and his first place was Hualian!!! yay!!! so that was yesterday... he is so cool! Also this crazy flute playing kid went up and played this long complicated traditional song and then Kuha'o played the piano with him... and let me tell you this was a song that Kuha'o had never heard before and he just played it!!! wow!!! amazing. look him up! He also got to share with us his testimony and he played some really nice hymns, it was so touching! you can feel the spirit so strong from music!

9. OK so every morning basically... sister george and i get up and go excersice at this park and wow, there are so many old people there just doing yoga, stretching and tai chi and stuff! so cool!!! haha, i want to do that when i am old, haha they are always looking at us doing our workout and saying "xingku" which... i don't even know how to translate... just like "hard work" i guess haha, i don't really know if it is like a compliment but we always say "meiyou" like "no, no, really" haha idk. chinese is so fun tho!!! its weird to hear it all the time.... and it really is coming! slowly but it is coming! 

10. FINISHED THE BOOK OF MORMON. again that is (: it is such a good book, let me tell you. first, it is so clear it just lays out the plan of salvation, the doctrine of christ second, it gives comfort and answers our prayers third, it increases our desire to do good and when we read it with our family, it increases the good atmosphere in the home. fourth, it tells us what we need to do every single day (follow christ, keep the commandments, etc! etc!!) so good (:(:(:

love you all, please take some time everyday to read the book of mormon, it is awesome!!!(:(:(:

Also, always remember that God loves us and wants to help us. We just need to give everything to Him, our pains and suffering, weaknesses. and Jesus Christ understands. He has gone through everything. Love sharing Alma 7:11-14 with people. It is so touching to think about Christ's sacrifice for us and so humbling.

Love,

Sister Walker

1. this is our beautiful wall in our room, gives us motivation and these are the desks where we study at. so blessed! i love my apartment!

2.Sister Edwards and I on exchanges. finally got my waffle!!!!!!!!(: yum!!!(:(: and yummy papaya milk too!

3. Sister Edwards, Sister George, Sister Hibbert and I getting some breakfast..... it is a family picture too because... my trainer is my "mom" so Sister George is my mom and Sister Edwards trained Sister George so she is her "mom" and my grandma! haha, Sister Hibbert is my "great aunt" because she is my grandma's sister..... or something... she just might be a distant cousin.... haha!
Idk,mission lingo is so confusing!!!!! (:

"THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD MA'AM AND I AM PRETTY SURE HE DOESN'T DRESS LIKE THAT."

Well!!!! to describe the title of my email..... a lot of people here are buddhist... and haha! during practice teaching with my district leader... i asked him what his relationship with God was... and he replied which god? and  the only funny thing that came to mind was that quote..... haha (:

I don't have much time... I really should write this email at the beginning of my email time.... but that is ok (: I can just get the important stuff....

1. I am loving it here in Hualian with Sister George!!!! It is a party.

2. I bought my brand new bike!!! It is beautiful. I don't really want to spray paint it... and it is a miracle it all worked out. it was the perfect price. it was the perfect size. it came with everything i needed. it was the last one. i needed it right then. WOW God watches over His missionaries. I love my bike. it works so well and it is great to be able to ride all over! haha, I am starting to get the hang of where we are all the time, things are starting to become familiar to me.

3. Saying prayers work.

4. Sister George and I had our 1 week/ 1 year celebration, we got pizza and cake and celebrated and remenisced... (i don't remember how to spell that but you get the jist)

5. I am over my jet lag!! finally!!!! (: i can be a happy, awake missionary now!!

6. Fasting works. I fasted this last week for calmness. Felt it. It was there. I am calm. I feel completely at peace even though I have no idea what is going on or what anyone is talking about. (: yay!

7. there is so much good food here. here is a picture of some night market food and some mango ice!!!

8. Also.... I was going over a bridge this week and looked over... just thought the sight was so beautiful... and there was like 5 water buffallo just standing there in the river... took me a second to figure out what they were!!! haha, that was cool. (:

9. Funnies: we were knocking on some doors and came to this family.... got to talk with them and share a bit... the mom is buddhist (fojiaotu), the son is christian (jidutu) and the dad said he was (shuijiaotu) haha, never heard that one before! (that is like... sleeping is his religion! haha,

also! people do the siwang finger thing... like if someone died they just bend there index finger, crazy! kinda weird the first time i saw it... but sister george told me thats what it means haha (: also.... someone asked me how i got here and i said i was on an airplane.... what they really meant was by what means... and that was my mission call haha (:

10. Everyone here is so nice! The work is going forward.... (: and I am so glad to be a part of it!!! (:

love you all, Remember God is our Father. He loves us and wants to communicate with us. Let us all pray and read our scriptures more earnestly (:

Love,

Sister Walker

I MADE IT TO TAIWAN> IM ALIVE AND LOVING IT (:

Alright everyone. I know you are use to like 4 line emails... so prepare yourself.... (:(: I am sitting in Taiwan right now in an internet cafe and it smells funny and i love it. and it is hot and great.

We had a great couple of days... but oh man i have been so tired. it is so weird.... i didn't know when to sleep on the plane and when not to and i was awake for a while then the last 3 hours we were all asleep. every single missionary haha (:(: and then we didn't get hardly any sleep just trying to get everything that we needed to do... today i am feeling a little better, but it comes in waves.
ALSO, i think this might be a normal time for me to email... it will always be like sometime sunday night for you all.
OK, so yes the flight was long, but it was good and everyone made it safely and everything and thank goodness and it was all good (: that was totally a miracle (: we always had time to talk to people. we got to have an awesome transfer meeting, it was soooo fun haha we all went up and introduced ourselves in chinese... if we were foreign and then if you were a native you did it in english... they are really trying to stretch all of the missionaries here, the foreigners to speak chinese and the natives to speak english. then president day said some stuff about us and then in his best announcer voice... he was like, sister walker you are called to serve in the beautiful east coast city of Hualian and your trainer is Sister George!!! woohooo (: (: it was so fun, then we just hugged each other and got a picture (: (: it was so exciting, and really i think sister george is just perfect, she has never trained before so we are just learning together, she has been here for 10 months in taiwan and this is her second transfer in Hualian, she is great and haha, before we had gotten a chance to meet the trainers and while i didn't really get to talk to her... secretly i was hoping for her (:(: she reminds me so much of myself!!! haha it is so exciting!!! haha, her chinese is really good and she is always helping me, saying this is my new companion and then letting me introduce myself haha, but if i don't understand then she helps me (: we rode the train from Taipei to Hualian... it was a 3 hour train ride and we were pretty much standing the whole time, haha, the elders that bought our tickets didn't get us seats... haha it was really hot and we were sitting and standing by the luggage making sure that it didn't move or anything.... i gave away my first book of mormon while we were waiting for the train to come.... anyways then we took a taxi to our apartment... which is totally cute and i love it!!!(:(: then we heated up some bao zi which are like... dumplings i guess (: haha, it was good, then i unpacked some stuff and totally crashed. we were trying to do weekly planning but ya, i was like falling asleep i was sooo dead, and ya i went back and looked at my planner... i couldn't read anything!!! oh well (:(: then yup, we woke up, rode our bikes to the beach and then came back to study then we went out looking for people.... haha, we had a couple lessons and knocked doors and planned things and went to the church and wow, it was cool (: haha!!  we need to work on our companionship dynamic. it is hard though, totally different than with sister jex. oh man!!! i totally forgot to say... so sister jex is on the west coast and i am on the east coast(:(: and i miss her so much! but we both need to be trained and then maybe in a couple transfers we can get the power duo back together (:(: anyway church was really good, couldn't understand a whole ton... but basically i got the jist of things... haha! i was the first to go up and bear my testimony, everyone said it was so good (: they are all sweet! it is sooooo totally different than in the states..... wow, not a lot of people at all, but they are all so sweet, haha i have only seen one other white person here besides the msisionaries... totally crazy huh??? and ya, what else... we had a "FHE" with a return missionary and some youth and the elder's investigator. it was fun, we played signs, it was cool, because they totally explained it and everyone got it... haha, i can't even do that in english!!! hahah (: it was good though, today is pday and we are going to buy me a bike (: and ya. that is really important. we bike all day, so i need one of those (:
Also!! i totally forgot to say... but while we were staying at the mission home we had a... well they call it a babysitting night... where the trainers take all the new missionaries out and we go contact for 2 hours then they buy us a yummy drink. hah. it was so cool (: we gave out so many "pamphlet" things... and taught 4 actual lessons!  we got a lot of referrals for the missionaries there too, it was awesome (:(: and such a cool experience, we just went out and prayed to know where to go.... then we were just led to talk to people... we met Samuel, he is here in Taiwan studying but he is actually from Singapore and is actually Indian, he had grown up going to church before but we were able to share with him that this is what he is looking for and that it really is going to help his life. he said the most beautiful prayer and then we got his information... but we couldn't give him a book of mormon because we didn't have an english copy and his chinese wasn't so good. it was inspired that i would bring my study book of mormon that had english so that he could read a little bit though (:(: amazing, we all saw so many miracles that night!!(:(:
welp, i know that God is our Heavenly Father and that he loves us. He wants us to communicate with Him and Jesus Christ's gospel can help everyone's lives.
Also, the food is really good. i don't know what it is most of the time, but it tastes good (: haha! oh and the mangooooooooooooo yum (: haha, it is really hot and i am sweating constantly. all the day. unless we are inside. like now (: most places have air conditioning (:(: haha
love you all and will talk to you next week (:
love,
Sister Walker

ALSO ALL YOU IN THE MTC KEEP ON KEEP IN ON (:(:(: I LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU THE MOST OUT OF EVERYTHING AT THE ENTIRE MTC> ROCK ON (:(:

OK, so the pictures are

1. me and my trainer!!! Sister George is great (:(: like right now.

2. that is the ocean haha, i was on a train (:(:

3. this is the Grand hotel, where Taiwan was dedicated for the preaching of the gospel and I am with my temporary companion Sister Peng who is from Taichung!! (: