Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Arrival in Taipei! Dec 17, 2012

Sara and MTC Companion arrived in Taipei on Dec 13!
We got a call from her to say she arrived safely!
We were able to talk to her from SLC airport before she flew out
and during a layover in Seattle.  Happy Day!!
A quick tour of the city!






























New Taipei Missionaries with the Mission President
6 Natives and 6 from the USA
















Sara welcomed by a sister missionary
from our neighborhood
who had been there since April















Sorry mom I literally have two minutes left :(
Time went by so quickly, but I just want to tell you all I am doing great.  I am in the Neihu area.  It is named after the two great lakes that are here.  It is really beautiful and fairly warm here still.  I am about 45 min away from the temple and mission office.  It is great.  My companion is a native from Taichung.  She is so great.  This is her first time training and 3rd time with a foreign companion.  She has taken such great care of me though I can tell this is a very different experience for her.  I was so exhausted mentally from translating all day, but it is definitely getting better.  The Lord has been helping me so so much!!!  I am so glad to be here.  My companion is named sister T.. and she is great!

I meant to send the first part earlier today, but my time cut out on the computer... I had to buy another hour.  I just wanted to let ya know that though we have an hour now we have to use that time to write our branch pres too, so I don't really have any more time at all and for some reason I had a bunch of email updates from other missionaries.  I can't email them back, but anyways I will figure out how to use my hour better next time...  My companion and I agreed it was better to send something today then wait a whole week cuz I knew you would be worried.  Oh I also wanted to ask you to email before 4pm on Sunday too because I will be getting on email really early in the morning on P-day.  If I hadn't got back on I wouldn't have received your emails.  We can also set up times to call 12-? our time on the 25th or same time on the 26th.  I forwarded the email on that said the times I think.  Let me know when you would prefer with the time changes and everything and I will try and work something out with my companion.

Wen Jie mei in front of the Church in her new area
Besides that - yes, I am so tired, but not as much from time change as from trying to translate all day.  It takes a lot of brain power to try and think in Chinese as fast as they speak.  Luckily I am a missionary and I don't have to do it alone.  I have had some very earnest prayers.  Yesterday after church we had personal study and companion study.  I was so exhausted from trying to translate the sacrament meeting that I just thought I would die.  I thought there was no way I could have the energy to do what I was supposed to.  I prayed earnestly to have my headache go away and have energy to get through the rest of the day speaking Chinese   As I studied the scriptures and the life of my savior I learned so much and I felt re energized to face the rest of the day.  I have seen little miracles like this everyday!  My area is a little slow on the baptisms.  We have a lot of investigators and less actives, but now it will be seeing how we can really help these people come unto Christ and receive baptism.  I am so excited to be apart of the work.  I can't say a lot of small talk, but I understand most of the gospel things and people can see how sincere I am in trying to understand them.  It is great and I know the lord will continue to help me learn quickly.  I want to pass of Phase 1 of my language in 6 weeks so I am going to need some earnest prayers.   I don't learn quickly and it is going to be a big push for me, but I know I can do it with the Lord's help.  I love you all and am happy to hear from you.

Her companion, investigator, and
some members at a nativity activity.

Sorry I can't write more... my email time is already over :(  but I will definitely have a letter on it's way to you and Matthew too :)

Love,

Sister Gummow

1 comment:

  1. cute sister i have been called to serve in taipei as well and am trying to compile clothing and shoes. can you help me? thank you! congrats on your call. see you in taibei!

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