The work goes on!- October 28, 2014

Hello!

So stoked for today....one year later and I finally get the opportunity to go the temple!!!!!!!!!!!! The temple is the best place in the world. Everyone needs to go. Go today if you can. If you can’t go today, make time. Do what you need to do to go. If you don’t know what you need to do in order to go...talk to your bishop or the missionaries. EVERYONE, whether you are a member or not, NEEDS TO GO. 

Anyways, aside from that...this past week was good and this next week is going to be super busy. A few highlights…

Members from my first area (JiLong) came and surprise visited me on Sunday!

(the woman is my recent convert)

We had a super awesome experience with one of our investigators. She has an issue with a commandment and Sister Wu and I were a little nervous about teaching her this lesson. We felt like it was a "make it or break it" type of lesson. We knew after she heard this news she'd probably have two choices: 1. Have faith and keep the commandment 2. Quit and stop meeting with us. So we did A LOT of prep for this lesson. We met with a member beforehand and invited her to help us teach her. We prayed A LOT. We planned a lot of scriptures and back up plans. When we went into the lesson all I can really say was that the Spirit was the strongest I have ever felt. After we taught the commandment, it was clear that she would have to make a lot of life changes...She felt distraught and we all decided to get on our knees and pray. An immediate comfort filled the room. I know it was the Holy Ghost. After the prayer our investigator said, "Okay, I can do this." What a superstar! What an example of faith! It is going to be the happiest day of my life when she gets baptized! I’ve seen her life change right before my face. A life of someone who didn't know God compared to a life of someone who does know God is a very different thing. 

It's officially the start of my last full transfer now but I'm not going to let that get to me. There is still a lot of work to do. And even after the mission there will still be missionary work that needs to be done. Nothing is going to phase me, or this work.

My District

A trip to the meat and fish market!  

The work goes on!

Love Sister Tracy

Prayer- October 20, 2014

After an experience this past week, "hastening the work" has become more important to me than ever before.

After English class last week we set up with this exchange student from Mainland China. She's 20 years old, SUPER smart, and super duper awesome. We met with her last Saturday and had a really great lesson. The spirit was there. She said that she didn't believe in God but that she hoped He existed. We boldly invited her to read the Book of Mormon and pray and ask God for herself. She was super emotional and felt the spirit and even set a baptismal date for next month. 

Literally 15 minutes after the lesson we get a call from her. She told us that she asked her parents if she could continuing meeting with us and they told her absolutely not. They told her "our family does not believe in God." They told her to throw away the Book of Mormon,  never talk to us again, and that she absolutely could not be baptized. What got me the most though was when she told us, "And they told me I am not allowed to pray."

I don’t know what happened exactly but something in me just snapped. I was sooooo mad. No one has the right to tell her she's not allowed to pray to Heavenly Father. I grabbed the phone and I basically just bore testimony that there is a God and that she should feel free to pray whenever she wants. I hope it made a difference.

We can’t control others; everyone has the right to choose, a God given gift is our agency. But I just think about all the times I ever felt like I needed help: when I was a kid and I was scared when I got lost at the grocery store, in middle school when I felt discouraged from being teased, in high school when I was about to take my drivers test, the few minutes before the Rose Parade when I was nervous out of my mind, in college when I was about to take a test, or every day when I talk to complete strangers on the street in a language I’m still trying to learn...I live off of prayer. I cannot live without prayer.

President Day reminded us recently that we need to teach everyone about prayer. We should always invite people to pray. We should always ask if we can pray for them. Prayer opens up a gate for people. They talk to their Heavenly Father and they feel His influence. I’ve seen it! I’ve been out for 16 months now. Prayer is so simple but it works and I know that at any time and any place we can all stop for a second and tell our Heavenly Father whats going on, what we need, and He will be there for us. He is our Father. We are never, ever alone. 

Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct theefor good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto theLord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thourisest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day. -Alma 37:37

We are never alone. No matter who we are, or where we come from, I know that we really are all God's children. We can always pray. 

Love you all!

Pictures from the ZOO!

Sister Tracy

Don't doubt the Prophet- October 13, 20014

This past week was good! I hope everybody watched General conference and received revelation. I sure know I did!

This week was really awesome. I feel like the Lord is really hearing our prayers and helping us work effectively and find the prepared. Sister Wu and I have made a goal to contact all of our investigators, RCs (recent converts), and LAs (less actives), daily. This is an invitation in Preach My Gospel. Before I thought it was impossible to do...turns out it’s not. We made a chart full of everyone’s names and when we contact them through the call or meeting or text or whatever we check it off. We’ve been able to contact everyone everyday and WE HAVE SEEN MIRACLES. Most of our investigators are considered progressing because they’ve been keeping invitations. RCs are getting ready to go to the temple next week and a lot more LAs have been at church. We should never ever doubt invitations from the prophet. We need to make a plan to follow his counsel, say prayers of faith and do our best. I hope everyone is willing to do this especially after this last week’s general conference. Never doubt the prophet. I know he is a man of God. 

17 But a seer can know of things which are past, and also of thingswhich are to come, and by them shall all things be revealed, or,rather, shall secret things be made manifest, and hidden thingsshall come to light, and things which are not known shall be madeknown by them, and also things be made known by themwhich otherwise could not be known.

 18 Thus God has provided a means that man, through faith, mightwork mighty miracles; therefore he becometh a great benefit to hisfellow beings.

God loves us so He sent us prophets! This is my simple testimony. I love love love this work more and more every day. :) Dont forget to share the gospel with everyone! There is nothing happier!

Two girls from our ward borrowing my "Hipster" glasses

Sister Wu and I

Love,  Sister Tracy

This stuff is true and works- October 6, 2014

This past week we had the most POWERFUL lesson with an investigator that I have ever had. 

It was with Sister Keh (Ke Shu Yi). She is an investigator who we have been meeting with for a few weeks. Sister Fan and I contacted her during our last week together. She was running on a track and I had the feeling to jump in front of her and say "Stop!" So I did… hahaha. it surprised her so much! We started talking to her and ended up having a lesson and giving her a Book of Mormon. Shes been reading it and praying ever since!

This last week we decided to share the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (faith, repentance, baptism...) We invited her to be baptized (for the 3rd time) She paused and said, "I dont know..." She explained that her father might not be too happy and it would be a big change in lifestyle and she just wasn’t sure. We read 2 Nephi 31 with her and then my companion asked, "Have you asked God about baptism?" Sister Keh said, "No." "We should say a prayer right now. We invite you to ask God what you should do about baptism"

So we all got on our knees and Sister Keh started to pray and right after she asked God tears just started flowing and then she said in her prayer, "Now I know. I know I need to be baptized." After the prayer she set the date for 11/21...her birthday :)

This experience reminded me of a scripture I absolutely love in D&C 9:

 8 But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I

 Will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right. 

Life is all about making decisions. We need to ask our all-knowing Heavenly Father what to do. He wants to help us know what to do...but first, we must ask. He will answer us. I am soooo grateful I was able to personally witness Him answer Sister Keh.

I invite everyone reading this to PRAY and ASK God. He WILL answer you! Ive seen it, I’ve felt it, I know prayer is real and works!

This is my simple testimony.

Love you all!

Sister Tracy

Everyone asks about the food here.  Fried Squid!  (Also ice cream)

p.s. your prayers works! the 35 new missionaries arrived to Taiwan Saturday! The work in Taiwan is going to be BOOMING!

p.p.s. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY COMPANION SISTER WU!!!!!!! SEPTEMBER 30 :)

I cut Sister Wu's hair and she cut mine!  First haircut I've ever done!

p.p.p.s. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SISTER IN LAW TIFFANY!!!!!