1/16 Email

Hello!
First things first, Sister Zhang (She might have written it chang) wants me to ask you if you received her letter--she sent Madeline a letter a couple weeks ago and wanted to know if she got it :) It's probably something to the effect of: I think you are so cute and you should meet my son, he is the same age as you :) I love her. She is the most fantastic member missionary ever. She gives us everyone's name. She'll go out to eat and make friends with the owner so that the next time she comes she will bring us and introduce us to the owners :) She's hilarious.
Wow. I really do love being a missionary. Not going to lie, it wasn't always like this, but we are able to teach people about Christ's gospel, the plan of happiness! We get to meet wonderful members of the church and get to help people and be with people as they grow in their testimony of the gospel. Everyday I just have moments, whether it's during church mtgs, riding bikes or talking with people, but I love being a missionary, and especially a missionary in Taiwan. I love Taiwan and I love Taiwanese people. I love being around them, love talking to them. It's like I can't get enough of being around them. This might also be because I'm in Jiayi. This is the most perfect place ever, if I stay the rest of my mission here I would only be the happiest missionary ever. It's weird, we don't even have that many progressing investigators right now, but every day is still the best day ever. Every lesson, every place we go to is worth it.
We have been teaching this really amazing mom, sister gan, she met missionaries 8 years ago and then moved here and lost contact with the missionaries. She now is married and has 4 kids under the age of 6. Yeah, she has a handful :) But she is so sweet and loves when we come over and loves hearing more about the gospel. She loves her family to hear too, they are so little that it is hard and sometimes by the end they are outside playing but she so wants them to learn about church and Jesus Christ. We just gave them the little kid Book of Mormon with pictures and they loved it. They would point to each picture and say, sister, who is this? Is this Jesus? :) I love them, they are aboriginies so they have beautiful big eyes and dark skin and the most genuine smiles you ever did see. When i say aboriginies they still live in a house, drive motorcyles and cars and everything, but they just have a little bit different heritage.
More and more, I have fallen in love with the scriptures. I know that they contain revelation from prophets called of God. The Book of Mormon is for us and when we study it we can receive from heaven type comfort and knowledge. We can know about the purpose of life and how to have a happier, more fulfilling one. How to get through trials, we can find answers to the questions of our soul. One of the investigators we met with last week, jia hui, she said she had started reading already (coolest story ever, her landlord from 10 years ago gave her a book of mormon and she found it two months ago while she was cleaning her apartment. Started reading it and then just happened to come to english class last week, it took a bit but she finally allowed us to meet with her) She had so many soul-searching questions that were so good and showed that she had been really been thinking about these things for a long time and really had a desire to know. And, it's amazing how beautiful the scriptures are. Every single one of her question had her answer in the Book of Mormon. All she has to do is read it, pray about it, and she will know the answers from the scriptures are from God.
Also, I loved calling one of our investigators last week and following up with her on her reading. I asked how it had been and asked her if she had a favorite part in what she read and she said, yes! of course I do-- I found my answer! (insert smiling Sister Ko here). She had done her part by reading and really pondering the scriptures so she had found her answer. She shared with me a couple verses that had given her an answer and it helped her strengthen her testimony so much. It is so good when they do their part soon and quickly realize the power of the scriptures. I can't say how many times a testimony of the Book of Mormon is essential for conversion. I love that book. It truely is the word of God.
I love you all!
-sister ko