Never let a day go by- October 27

Hey there fam and friends!

Wanna know something nuts? I have officially been a missionary for 4 months! And I have been on island for 2 months already. How is that even possible? This means that I only have 14 months of my mission left. And its almost Christmas...AHHHH TIME TRIP. Anyway...this week. So usually the night before I plan out what I am going to report on or say but I kinda forgot to do that...so sorry if this email is crazy sporadic. But I brought my journal with me so hopefully I can recollect all that has gone on in the past 7 days of my life. Here's a list:

1. This last Pday we really wanted to chill and take it easy. So we decided to explore the beloved city of JiLong. We found this bakery that sells the most amazing thing I've ever eaten in my life. PANDA BREAD. It's ridiculous (and I mean that in a good way). Its better than Costco chocolate muffins. That's how good it is. It's bread shaped as a Panda and it has nutella filling with walnuts. YUM. On Pday we also did something I haven't done in 4 months--we took a nap. It was miraculous. I woke up around 3 pm and just decided to enjoy my free time to myself in the apartment while my companion slept. Except the funny thing is--I had no idea what to do with myself! I hadn't had this free time in a while. So I decided to build a box haha. I built a box for my scriptures--so like a scripture case. I have yet to decorate it but I'll send you a pic when I'm done.

2. On Wednesday my companion played the piano at the hospital (for service) while in the meantime I made 1000X phone calls to formers and miracles happened. 1. I could understand them over the phone for the most part 2. A former said she would come to church and she totally did. 3. I explained to a lady what Kolob is kinda over the phone in the worst Chinese possible 4. I talked to lady who used to be in jail and she really wants to meet with us ASAP, WHOA WHOA WHOA MIRACLES LEFT AND RIGHT!

3. Our investigator didn't show up for a lesson so we decided to go English class contacting. We were in the middle of the city, super busy area, when suddenly my comp started running after someone. It was our investigator with her daughter and her mother (the mother does not like us at all). We were trying to figure out how to talk to her without the mom seeing us. We said a quick prayer for an opportunity to do so. Suddenly just completely out of the blue the mother took the daughter and walked into a store. Our investigator was about to walk in too but then she stopped and turned around. We jumped in front of her and invited her to church--guess what--SHE CAME. It was amazing!

Two special girls we are working with

4. We went to the temple on Saturday and I got to go on an exchange with my favorite person ever--Sister Brown! She used to be my Sister Trainer Leader but this last transfer she got called as a temple sister. I was so excited. She is the best. She gave me some of the best advice ever about the mission. We were walking back after a night of contacting in the area around the temple and I was asking her, "Sister Brown, do you think I'm doing okay as a new missionary?" She said, "Sister Tracy, don't worry, I am not worried about you. You are doing what you need to be doing." I asked her what that was. She said, "You are being genuine. You are a sincere missionary. Don't ever lose that gift." That meant a lot to me because that is exactly the type of missionary and person I strive to be. I never want to turn into a salesman or a robot missionary. I find that I am happiest and missionary work is a trillion times easier and my language is much much better when I am just being real with people. God made us all different for a reason. We each have a specific and different impact to make on others and the world. Don't ever lose that. It's a gift. Be who you were made to be.

My Companion

Taipei Temple

Sister Brown and Me

Me at the temple

Sisters in my Zone

5. Our apartment has a gas leak. Found this out two nights ago. We called the district leader and zone leader and President Day on Saturday night freaking out cuz out apartment is super ghetto and has no gas tank or carbon monoxide meter or anything. We ended up just opening all the windows and turning on the fan. So far so good. But it was super lolz because the next Sunday morning a bunch of people in the mission found out and were calling us, "Nimen hai huo zhe ma?" (Are you still alive?) hahah. Don't worry. its allllll good.



I am beginning to understand more and more each and every day why missions are so sacred. I am living in a world where suddenly things like grades, looks, money, the number of dates you go on, where you bought your clothes, where you are from, how many friends you have--they don't matter in the success you have as a person. The mission is like a dream social and spiritual environment where we are tossed into a corner of the world with a companion and told to serve. So we have to use and discover and develop all the good within us and figure out how to do that amidst all of the problems that arise. Thinking of that has really helped when I am feeling lazy and unmotivated to do missionary work. I ran into a girl at the temple  from the Taichung mission who goes home this Tuesday. I asked her how she felt and she started to tear up and said, "I feel sick." She looked me right in the eye and put her hands on my shoulders and said, "Oh sister, don't let a single day pass by where you're not grateful to be here. This is the place to be." I think everyone has those moments where they are not absolutely loving the work, but that's okay. Even Christ asked himself in the Garden of Gethsemanee, "Let this cup pass from me" "Do I REALLY have to do this?" In a sense, we are all going through our own mini atonements. But when we step back and think about what it is we're really doing and why we are doing it--if it's for a Christ like cause--it's worth it. Every second of it. And how great the opportunity it is to learn to be like Him--our perfect Exemplar.

Never let a day go by without cherishing it.

Have an amazing week everyone. 

Zaijian :)

Sister Tracy