Thank you SOOOO much for such a wonderful birthday package!!! I was like a little kid in a candy store opening up all the little gifts and getting everything I asked for! You can see in the pictures how particularly happy I was from getting the magic afterbite stuff, hahaha :) SO useful as a missionary! I also got an amazing birthday package from the Christensens too with pancake mix and chocolate chips! We're definitely having chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast one day! And there were a whole bunch of other goodies too, like burrito fixings, cheerios and lots of treats! I just love the Christensen family so much :) And I even got a letter from Joey the same day! What a wonderful birthday!
The other reason why my birthday was so special was because I practically got to celebrate it the whole week. I told you in my last letter that the ward threw a September birthday party. Then on Monday, Sister Smith and I went out shoe shopping with Zhuang jie mei and I took the liberty of buying some new birthday shoes :) They're super cute, and one pair is even water-proof for the rain! Sister Smith has a matching pair, and so does Zhuang jie mei :)
On the way home we stopped at an elderly home that Zhuang jie mei's sister works at and I instantly fell in love with one of the amahs there. I wished I could spend all day there, but we had just enough time to sing I am a Child of God for them, and then on our way out I wanted to hold everyone's hand and look into their eyes and give them a big smile and let them feel Heavenly Father's love. It was a really special experience as I got to take a few seconds with each one of the amahs. I just love the people here. I got to feel a little bit of what the Savior feels for each one of those sisters there.
Tuesday was perhaps the biggest surprise because one of my best friends, Xiu, came down from Tai Zhong just to celebrate my birthday with me!! One of the members down here said she had a present to give me and asked if we could meet at the chapel for lunch and a little after we sat down to eat I heard this soft voice say, "Hey, Sister Morey." I looked over and there was Xiu, peeping out from around the corner of the church building with a big oreo cake in her hands! I just about died and screamed as I ran over to see her and give her a hug! I was so touched! The present (besides her coming down to see me with a birthday cake) was a big piece of cardboard with a whole bunch of pictures of us and Sister Weinheimer and lots of other companions and missionaries that I've been able to serve around holding a happy birthday card and wishing me a happy birthday! I could hardly believe it! Ahhhh! I just love Xiu and all the people here that love me so much!
Wednesday morning at the meeting with the Relief Society Presidency they sang Happy Birthday in English for me, which was really sweet, and then they sang it in Taiwaneese, which I had never heard before (it wasn't even the usual tune). What a special wish from them. :) That night was another celebration as we had English Meeting with all the missionaries in the district that teach English. Sister Sterling decided to sing Happy Birthday as the opening song, and they had brought moon cakes to have a little party with afterwards. Oh, I just love the missionaries here! They're so loving and thoughtful!
Thursday (my actual birthday day) was also great, but kind of crazy. I got to enjoy it mostly because I made chocolate cookies with oreo bits in them to share with everyone, which of course were a big hit. I just couldn't go a year without making birthday cookies! And of course the packages were a big highlight. As well as the 5 letters I got, which I guess makes up for about the 4 months I haven't gotten much in the mail, haha :) It was a happy day for the mailbox! And for me :) There were also a few members who came to the chapel with cards and gifts. Man, I didn't know so many people loved me that much!
The craziest and biggest birthday present of the week was...... A TRAINEE!!!!!!!! Yep, I've been called as a Trainer, which I NEVER expected this time around since I just went Senior, and because Sister Smith just got here 2 weeks ago! But nope, she got moved to Jia Yi, and I got to go pick up a brand new missionary from Tai Zhong on Friday! The cool thing was that Sister Fleming also got called as Trainer too, so we got to go up on the same train and just loved spending that extra time together, with our trainees! My wonderful new companion is Sister Gibson from Connecticut and she is just the BEST companion anyone could ever ask for. She isn't afraid to talk to anyone and teaches with power. Even though she just started learning Chinese at the MTC (had absolutely no previous experience) she's already able to speak competently and loves to teach. I just love her to death! We've seen so many miracles already and I know there's more just waiting to happen. I just feel so incredibly blessed to be her trainer.
Well, my time is up, but I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for helping make my birthday so special. I know Heavenly Father loves me because of the the people around me that show that love. I love you Mom, Dad, Jake, Adam and Jordan. Thanks for all the birthday wishes! It indeed was a special week, and the Lord just made it even happier by sending me the best companion anyone could ask for. I just love being a missionary. I love the Lord. I love the gospel. I love life! I LOVE YOU!!!
All the love a 22 year-old sister missionary can send,
Sister Morey :)
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