I Love Being a Missionary!

Oh my goodness, I cannot tell you how much I LOVE being on a mission!!! I know these past few months have been a bit of a trial, but it's nothing compared to the blessings that come. I'm finding more and more joy in the work every day, and am loving the scriptures more and more. AHHH! Missionary work is SO awesome! It feels incredible to know that you're helping someone in a real, lasting, eternal way. We had some lessons this week that were really led by the Spirit, and really made a difference in people's lives. That's the best feeling in the world!

We also had a family get baptized this week!! They are soooo awesome, and when they shared their testimonies afterwards, the Spirit was really strong. After the baptism I told them that if they prepare to be sealed in the Temple on their year mark that I would be able to attend. Sister Peng was really happy, and we're going to work really hard with them so they can meet that goal.

I forgot to tell you about my new area and companion last week! My new companion, like I said before, is a Native, Chu(3) Jie Mei. Dad, I know you were wondering how my Chinese was improving now that I have a native as my companion, and, funny story, she's actually an English Major... so needless to say, we've been cheating a bit. :P BUT I've still been learning really fast, and people are always astounded at how well I can speak after being on-island for only 2 months. AND, I've also been working on my Taiwaneese :) I already know how to say about 5 basic gospel phrases, as well as "your hair looks pretty!" My companion says all the amahs (old ladies) love that one!

Chu Jie Mei is awesome! Our new area is great, and part of our area is a huge hill that takes about 40 minutes to ride up and it's a fun 10-minute ride down. My legs are getting waaay strong, hehe :)

Dad, thank you so much for your letter. Every time I read your letters they really touch my heart. I've been feeling so much better this week as I've been learning to fight my feelings of discouragement. The Lord has been teaching me so much, and I really have been growing more than I thought through this experiences. I have hope and trust in the promises that have been made to me. They are marvelous, and I will NEVER quit working towards them in faith.

I love you all SOOOO much, I can't say it enough! I know you're in the Lord's hands, which is the best place you can be, so I'm not too worried. :) Missionary work is the best, and my testimony is getting stronger and stronger. I KNOW this gospel is true, with all my heart.

Love,

Sister Morey

Family Baptism!

Sharks and Stinky Tofu!

Oh my goodness, I LOVE being a missionary!! I've never felt so much opposition in my life before, but there's nothing the Lord can't overcome. I've been learning a lot about that lately. It's always Him that helps me fight the battle and helps me win each time.

So, my worst fear about serving a mission in Taiwan has happened... a member took us out to eat chou doufu!! AHHHH! One of my first days in Taiwan Sister Weinheimer and I were riding down a street and there was a really rank smell that I thought for sure was a public bathroom gone rancid. Without knowing what I was thinking, Sister Weinheimer yelled from her bike in front, "By the way, that was stinky toufu!" I just about died... I yelled back, "Are you serious?! I thought that was a bathroom!" We both laughed, but in my mind I was NOT looking forward to the day when I had to eat it. This week one of our new members asked if I had eaten it before, and of course when I said no, they took me to eat it. Luckily, it wasn't as bad as I thought! As long as I didn't breathe through my nose or think too hard about it, I got it down to my stomach :P Oh, and I got to eat shark today. Kinda like a mix between tuna and pork. I just love Taiwan :)

I thought this week that I'd share some of the small things that have brought me joy, since it's usually the big experiences I write about.

• Getting the AWESOME Valentines package Mom sent me because she knew exactly what would make a holiday special for me--sharing it with others! I actually got it last Monday on move-call day so I got to share it with the whole mission office, as well as write some cute cards to people. Thanks mom :)
• I also got a package from Sister Chiles with my favorite soap (sneaky, Mom!) AND fajita flavoring, refried beans and tortillas!! :D YAY for a special meal!!
• Yesterday when we were meeting with the Peng Family (who will be getting baptized next week!!) we were trying to keep their 4-year-old boy pre-occupied so his mom wrote "Jesus Christ" both in English and in Chinese on the whoteboard for him to copy. It was SO cute to watch him copy the characters so carefully, and even with (mostly) correct stroke order! He's a brilliant little kid, seriously. Then, afterwards I asked him if we could sing a song together. But since he didn't know the tune, he just read the words of "I Am A Child of God" and made up his own tune, pausing occationally for me to fill in the words he couldn't read :) That DEFINITELY brought a smile to my heart.
• I found out the Chinese name of my most favorite flower... yep, I have a new one! Well, at least it's my most favorite scent in the world! It's called gui(4)hua(1)... and I think it's called a laurel flower in English, but I'm really not sure. Anyway, it's a tiny white flower that grows on trees and bushes, and luckily, they're ALL over Taiwan, so I catch their scent often. It always brings a smile to my face, and if I get the chance, I stop to smell them up close :)

Thank you SO much for your letters. Yes, I've been getting them... they're starting to catch up to me now :) I love you all TONS!!!!

Love,

Sister Morey

My First Transfer in Taiwan

Hello my awesome family!!

This week has been awesome! I got to go on Sister Exchanges with Sister Howard and we had so much fun. She taught me a lot and perhaps changed my whole mission from the things she helped me with. What a blessing it is to serve with such incredible people.

I had a few special experiences this week. The morning that we were returning from Sister exchanges we met with a mom and her two daughters for the first time. Little did we know they were going to be a golden family. The mom was so prepared it was crazy. She asked all the right questions and really had a desire to learn, as well as the discipline/care for her children to help them learn too. The special part was when we taught them about Joseph Smith. I have heard SO many times that reciting Joseph Smith's First Vision can be the most powerful part of the lesson, but I had never felt that before, and I've always had a desire to feel it like that. Heavenly Father loves me--I know that-- and this time as I recited Joseph Smiths First Vision to this humble family, the Spirit washed over me and brought me to tears. Even though I've known for a long time that Joseph Smith was a prophet of the restoration, that was a special experience where I felt it with all my heart. I KNOW that without a doubt now, and Heavenly Father will give a witness to anyone who asks and persists in faith.

The other happy thing is that we have an investigator getting baptized this Saturday!!　We've worked so hard for her, and it's such a blessing to see that miracles really DO happen, and the Lord answers people's sincere prayers. Hong Zi Yan is a wonderful sister who has been Christan for a long time. She had questions about authority and baptism, etc, but it's been incredible to see her humility in finding out for herself that the Restored Gospel is the Lord's one and only true church established here on the earth, with the fullness of God's blessings! When we called her on Friday morning to check up on her she said, "I've been preparing for my test!" Sister Weinheimer asked, "What test?" and she said, "you know, my baptism test!" We're all so happy to say she passed her baptismal interview :)

Guess what? I'm moving today to a new area! I'll be serving in DongHai with Sister Chu, who was actually the Sister that was with me on Dan Jones night. I'm going to be with a NATIVE!! Wahooey! I'm so excited for my Chinese to explode :) It was crazy to hear that I was moving since I've only been in my area for 2 months, but I'm excited for the adventure. President Palmer (Mission President in Idaho) said that when you leave an area you should want to cry because that means you've put your heart into it. And I must say, I want to cry! But I have every confidence that Sister Weinheimer, her new companion, and the Lord will take good care of NanTun. I LOVE being a missionary.

Well, I've gotta go move now :) But I love you all SOOOO much. Thanks for all your love, support and prayers. They've been holding the mail because of transfers, but I think there will be a host of them waiting for me since I haven't gotten your letters that you sent 2 weeks ago yet. But I know they'll get here eventually! Oh, by the way, HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!

Love you all with all my heart!

Sister Morey <3

Happy Chinese New Year!

I'm SO, SO sorry I don't have much time to write today, but I have some great news to share!

We have an investigator that will be baptized this month! This week was incredible as we saw her finally get her answer.  :D

Chinese New Year was awesome this week! A lot of members invited us over to their houses for dinner so we ate lots of good food! I was scared that I would have to eat a lot of scary things, but the members were so mindful of us and cooked things they thought we would like!  :) There were a few things I was nervous to eat, but at least I avoided eating pig’s feet... which was on the table, by the way :) This week is called POWER WEEK to get the work back up and moving again after a slow week, so we're leaving the door an hour earlier than usual. I'm so excited to get back on fire!

Thanks for your updates, and ya, I knew the snail mail would take some time to catch up with me, but I'm so excited to be able to read it sometime this week.

Oh yeah, last week I couldn't finish telling you about our adventure last P-day. We went on a 2-hour bike ride to a bat cave and a pretty waterfall. SO awesome :) The computer is not letting me send pictures this week, but I'll send them as soon as I can. It was way fun to get some "real" biking and hiking in, and to enjoy some nature since we're in the city a ton. Today was also one of our member friend's 2-year "re-birth (baptism) day" so we tried to make a cake for her... in our toaster oven! Haha... it actually would have worked, if we hadn't forgotten to put the eggs in the cake mix :P ...Oh the adventures of being a missionary in Taiwan :)

I love you so much. Please don't get worried about me. Know that I'm in the Lord's hands. Thanks for all your love, encouragement and prayers.  I know they work. :) And I know the church is true!! Nothing can rob me of that!

Love,

Sister Morey