Jan 7, 2013

A curious woman is capable of turning around the rainbow just to see what is on the other side. ~ Chinese Proverb

Hey family!

So unfortunately the bad, cold weather here has been a damper on everyone's spirits.  My companion has been really down lately.  The whole communication cultural gap makes things a bit difficult sometimes too.  Plus having someone practicing Chinese all the time probably doesn't help her mood.  I am definitely improving, but trainers have to have a lot of patience to endure the learning curve I think.  It is my trainer's last transfers so she is a little burned out.  I am doing my best to help, but I am so new there is only so much I can do.  I feel like a baby a lot of the time... very helpless and unsure of myself.  It is ok. I am trying my very best everyday.  I know that with the Lord I can do all things!  I think I am also experiencing a bit of what they call "culture shock".  I love Taiwan and the people, but some of the things I do not necessarily appreciate... I have eaten some of the grossest food in the past few weeks (Taiwanese especially like this weird gooey stuff, and the fat part of animals).  I loved all the Chinese stuff I had, but they aren't as big on the fatty gross stuff... Taiwan is.. so I will do my best to learn to appreciate it.  The language barrier is really frustrating to me sometimes, but I know, like Matt said, that the spirit crosses all barriers.
 BTW... I am not getting Matt's emails so I would love that! :)

Luckily the lord knows each one of us personally.  Last night I was just hoping for a small change of pace to lift my and everyone's spirits.  We went to a new member fireside and at the fireside the theme was "Joy in the journey".  I know this is so true in all of our lives.  My new goal is to help other people see the little miracles I see everyday.  Like how on a cloudy, cold and rainy day how the city lights are so beautiful and how the next day the air is so clean.  How beautiful all the forests are around us, the small child playing with her mom, the family running across the street to eat dinner, how the lord opened an opportunity for us to give a book of Mormon,  how that person felt the spirit, how I had the words to share my testimony, how I had the courage to talk to that person and they were actually nice... there are so many tiny miracles I see EVERYDAY.  This is what I wish everyone could see.  People get so caught up in the numbers... in the everyday stresses of sharing the gospel... they forget the message we are bringing to the world.  Who cares if they reject us or not... at least you gave them a chance to hear.  It is a miracle to me everyday I can open my mouth and have a conversation in Chinese... that I can bear my testimony to these people in Chinese.  I may not understand everything, but I know this church is true.  I know the Lord knows us and hears our prayers.  Each trial is given for a reason.   The faster we work to change ourselves and the situation through our attitude, the faster we will become the person Jesus Christ wants us to become.  Jesus was the perfect example of this.  He couldn't control the things that happened to Him all the time, but he was able to make every situation into a teaching situation, a learning situation, and a chance to show Christ's love.

Thank you for all the updates on home.  I really enjoyed reading about it.  Tell Daniel Jia you!  You will finish the Eagle project and it will be worth it.  You are so great!  I hope the start of a new semester goes well.  Mom tell my primary kids I said Hi and I love them!  I still look at their cute pictures and stuff and it brightens my day.  Tell my friends I want to hear from them ha ha :)   Oh a girl J.... in my Neihu ward is going back to Provo for school. I am attaching her picture.  She is great and helped me so much in our ward!
 the other picture is one or the recent converts and a member.  We were visiting her and it was her birthday :)

Oh and thank you for the money!  You are so great!  I am excited to get a new outfit or something :)  Right now I am very tired of all my clothes ha ha.  Keep up the prayers.  I really need them this week!  Oh the Temple was amazing by the way!  I appreciate it so much more now.   love you all and remember to find joy in the journey :)  Each stage has amazing things in it.
Love you!

Sister Sara Gummow