Washington - 5/6/13

Hello family and friends!!!

What a wonderful, eventful week this has been!! 

So, I'm leaving for Taiwan tomorrow morning and am really excited to finally be getting there! It's been really bitter-sweet.  Today is the last day I have with Sister Huddleston.  We woke up early to begin packing, and we decided to have matching HAIR, so I did her hair and we modeled in the car on our way to lunch.  We know how to have fun, and we've really become sisters.  We have grown and learned so much from one another.  I LOVE SISTER HUDDLESTON!!!

Susan's baptism was on Saturday.  We were a little worried that she might run out of the building and never follow through with her commitment because of her anxiety, but she didn't!! We held her hand and helped her know that we would be there for her the whole time.  Even after she had been confirmed on Sunday, she was a little flustered, so I held her hand during the sacrament.  Susan is such a sweet lady, and she's been through a lot.  I have grown to lover her so much and am going to miss seeing her.

This weekend, we did a lot of service by going to nursing homes.  I played about 1.5 hours of hymn arrangements and classical music for the elderly.  It's great because when I start, there may only be one person listening to the music, but by the time I finish, a whole crowd of people have gathered and are eager to ask me questions: Where, how, and why I am here in Spokane!! - And guess what? - I tell them that I'm a missionary, and then I'm able to bear my testimony of our church!! :)

We also had to say good bye to Floyd today.  He's the recent convert that we always visit who lives in the nursing home.  He's such a sweet man and cries very easily, so when we told him we were both being transferred, he immediately started to cry, so we started singing, "I am a Child of God", and he began to feel better.  It's cute because he has the tiniest, wiener dog named Oscar.  Oscar's was even a little sad when we went to say good bye.  He's a smart dog!!! haha His head was down and his tail was between his legs when Floyd started crying.  It was so sad, but it was a little funny at the same time.  Floyd said he will write me letters when I go to Taiwan.

Anyway, those were some of the highlights of this week.  I also received a box from mom and dad full of the CD's I requested, so THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! 

Ok, picture time!!!!! 

The first picture is of me and all the foreign exchange students from China!

Jeff is the tall one on the left, Eric is the one right next to me who looks a little like Sam Hsiung.

The second picture is of me and Jimmy and Clarette. Jimmy is a magician and called Dad last weekend.  He's smart and is really funny.  Clarette is Jimmy's friend and her Mom Ping is over here in Spokane for a little while.  I taught Clarette how to pray last weekend.  

I feel so blessed to have taught all these people over here!!! Isn't it amazing that the Lord knows where we need to be at the right time?!

Third picture is of us and Susan at her baptism.  Her daughter Kylee is getting baptized in the summer in Utah where her Dad lives.  

Fourth picture: This is how beautiful Washington is!! I have so many pictures of the scenery here but won't be able to attach all of them!!! 

Fifth picture: While we were walking back home from an appointment, we ran into a man with a garden, and although he wasn't interested, he let us take home some flowers to plant outside of our apartment.  I planted two of them and took a picture of my stubby toes.  :)

Washington - 4/30/2013

Dear Family and friends,

OK!!! I have so much to say this week!!!!!

Shoutouts:

  

Aunt Humphries!!! - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I heard about your limousine and very fancy birthday outing with all the sisters, including my cute mom! Thank you for helping me choose all my missionary clothes! I get compliments basically every day on how cute and professionally I dress. - It's wonderful!! I also love the Mormon Tabernal Choir CD's you gave me.  They remind me of you every time I listen to them!

Ok, so this week was amazing! We had my first baptism.  Her name is Teri, and she is basically the cutest, kindest woman I have met.  Sister Huddleston and I were able to begin teach her and only taught her 4 times before she got baptized.  I extended the baptismal invite and put her on-date the first time we met. It was incredible!!! GAH. Seeing your investigators in white and ready to embrace the gospel is the best feeling in the world. 

This week, I was reminded that God really is aware of each of us.  He has shown me all the tender mercies every single day I have been out on my mission.  My companion and I missed the bus by a couple of seconds (LITERALLY) the other day when we were headed home.  We were DEVASTATED GAH!!! - BUT, we had the prompting to go to Walgreens just across the street.  When we were there, my companion and I saw these little bamboo plants that were on sale, so we both bought one and then headed back to the bus stop to wait.  While we were there, two people started talking to us about the bamboo plants, and we were able to tell them about our church and invite them on church tours.  - ISN'T THAT INCREDIBLE!?!?! haha

EVERYONE I have been able to meet and teach has touched my heart in one way or another.  I feel so much charity for each and everyone of the people over here.  When they choose to not accept the gospel, it makes me a little heartbroken because I just want everyone to feel the happiness and joy that I feel every second of my day out here!

So on Saturday, we had my first baptism in the morning that I was able to play music for (prelude, hymns, postlude, etc.) - Which reminds me, Mom, can you send me more CD's of my recording of all the hymns?! - I've given all of them away, and some people want copies.  - ANYWAY - after the baptism, we had a wedding in the chapel, so I played for that too. I played Canon in D and Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring by Bach (Ok.  I probably have the name of Bach's piece all messed up, but you get the idea.)  It was wonderful that I have been able to play so much over here!!

Last night, I met Jimmy, another foreign exchange student.  He's half-Taiwanese, half-Chinese, and he might call you today around 3-6 pm.  I emailed Vicky more information about him, so she really needs to check her email.  Isn't it awesome that God has let me relate to the people I have been able to serve over here in Spokane?!

Anyway, here's an inspiring quote that my mission president shared with us: "Joseph Smith gives this great counsel: "...shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren (and sisters); and on, on to the victory!" (D&C 128:22) This applies to the great work of salvation that you are doing. "All victory and glory is brought to pass unto you through your diligence, faithfulness, and prayers of faith." (D&C 103:36)."

I'm super excited for everyone at home, ESPECIALLY VICKY.  I can't wait to hear from you all, and I'm so excited to head to Taiwan and be able to help the people over there.  My Chinese is slowly improving, and I learn new characters as much as I can every week.  It's wonderful being here.  I love my companion, too. We always leave little notes for one another, and she loves and is so grateful for Mom who always sends us matching packages. The fiber one bars were so great when we needed a little snack this week.  :)

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!! Keep your heads up and keep serving and loving the people.  I know Vicky is going to be on top of missionary work over there in the PV5 ward! Make sure you visit all the lonely people and bring cookies!!!

HAVE AN AWESOME WEEK, Y'ALL!! TAKE CARE!! And for goodness sakes, WRITE ME!!!!

  

Love,

Sister Verina Chen

 MY FIRST BAPTISM WAS ON SATURDAY!!!

Washington - 4/22/2013

Dear family and friends,

Thank you for all your support!!!

SARAH JENSEN, thank you so much for sending me that letter with all the sparkly stars that fell all over me when I opened the envelope.  haha I will write you today and try to send it sometime this week.  - You're the best and I can't wait to visit with you after the mission! :)

MARGIE/MARGARET emailed me this week.  - What a pleasant surprise!!! - I was super excited to hear from her and really appreciated the quote she included in her email - so much that I decided to include it in THIS email.  It's a quote from Elder Holland, and if you know me, you KNOW I LOVE inspirational quotes:

   

Here's a great quote from Elder Holland:

"Don’t you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and

happiness ahead. Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some

don’t come until heaven. But for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus

Christ, they come. It will be all right in the end. Trust God and

believe in good things to come."

Isn't it the best quote ever?! - I feel like it is so applicable to EVERY single person!!!

Ok, and this is a shout-out to everyone: HELP THE MISSIONARIES!!! - I've learned that the members are the main resource in helping people be truly converted in the Lord.  - Go teach lessons with them! Feed them!! Offer rides!! - Invite non-members over when you have them over for dinner! - Missionaries need all the help they can get, and when the members are ACTIVELY involved and supportive, the work accelerates even more. WE ARE ALL MISSIONARIES!!!!! - Also, BE BOLD.  I am so grateful for Mom.  She is SO BOLD and she is SO STRONG. 

I have learned to teach simply and lovingly.  In all that you do, be genuine.  Have CHARITY.  Remember that through small and simple things are great things come to pass.  - It's so true, and I know that everything we do - the way we present ourselves, dress, act, and LIVE - Some of the things we do may seem small, but they do impact more than we know. (The same is with bad habits.  If you start small, things add up and you find yourself engulfed in misery. - DON'T LET THAT HAPPEN!!!)  It's so important to be strictly obedient in life.

I know that when we are obedient and when we give our all to the Lord, we WILL see miracles, and we WILL be happy.  People become happy when they serve.  I honestly can say that right now, I am SO HAPPY because I am serving the Lord with all my heart, might, mind, and strength.

This week, one of our on-dates cancelled.  She decided to be baptized in the summer by her father who lives in Utah.  I know that the Lord has a time and place for everything and am so excited for her to go through with this decision. On your mission, not everything goes the way you planned, and that's the same in life. So, when you face downfalls or tribulation in your life, don't give up.  Like the quote says, "Don't you quit! Keep walking!..." Read it over and over again.  - Read your scriptures over and over again.  I have SO MUCH faith in those words and the things that are written in the scriptures and said by prophets.  We are SO BLESSED to be a part of this work today. 

Alright, enough of the "pep talk"! Sister Huddleston and I are getting along super well.  We are the super team and always work together and listen to the Spirit.  We have been able to meet with the ward mission leader and work out a plan to improve member support and get everyone involved in missionary work as much as possible.  That is why I was so happy to hear that Mom and Dad are supporting the missionaries, going with them to teach lessons, and befriending investigators and future members!!! - GO MOM AND DAD!!! - If China opens while we are alive, I bet our family will voluntarily go there and serve. - It's no coincidence that ALL of us so far have been sent on Mandarin-speaking missions!!!!! - I wonder where Jon Jon is going to be sent, though!! What an exciting thought!

We have been able to eat dinner with many of the members and other families we are teaching.  - I think I have more pictures of me and all the cute kids over here than I have of me and my companion.  haha It's the best.  The kids are great. They make us laugh and smile all the time. - I always make them little paper cranes and let them color and give them stickers when we are trying to teach a lesson.  - IT WORKS!

We also did a lot of service this past week.  I got to mow a lawn!! WOOHOO!

Also, I played "I Believe in Christ" yesterday in sacrament meeting.  Music is amazing because it gives us opportunities to meet new people and talk with them!!! 

OKAY, I hope you are all safe and happy wherever you are!! I love this gospel and I know that you can love it too!!!!

I'll include as many pictures as I can!

Love you so!

Sister Verina Chen