I'm here! :)

Hi Family!

My DearElder info is:

Unit #53
Mission Departure Date: June 17

Mission Code: Taiwan Taipei Mission

I've already been here for one week!  I have 8 more weeks here and it's already going by really fast.  When I walked into class just 20 minutes after dropping my things off in my resident hall and picking up my books, I felt completely foreign.  My teacher spoke 100% Mandarin the whole time.  The only way I was able to understand some of the things she said was by her hand motions, over-exaggerating a lot, and her facial expressions.  Hearing her, I felt determined to learn Mandarin.

Highlights of the week:

-It was Easter Sunday!  We had the privilege of President Dieter F. Uchtdorf coming to speak to us at the MTC!  He gave a special message to us missionaries.  One of the things he shared with us is the story of Peter in the New Testament.  Peter was one of the closest friends of Jesus Christ.  Throughout the New Testament, we see his faith and courage growing and sometimes weakening.  Although he denied Christ, perhaps through fear, he plead for forgiveness.  But from the moment he saw the Savior's resurrected body, he feared no more.  From that Easter morning, Peter was born again.  He feared no man.  nothing could keep him from raising his voice about the truthfulness of the witness he had of the Savior.  This has all to do with me.  Each day I put on my badge, I take on the responsibility to spread the gospel.  We have the fountain of living waters before us.  Will we just take a few sips through a straw or will we let the fountain spring within us?  I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.  Because He is with me, I do not fear.

-My Chinese name is Xia JieMie.  I don't know how to put the tones on here but Xia means "summer."  And JieMie means "sister."

-Please watch the video, "Because of Him."  You can find it on lds.org and YouTube.  Think about it...because of Him....    Because of Him, I can be happy and find peace.  Because of Him, I have a purpose.

-Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Sister Oaks talked to us at our Tuesday Devotional.  He shared something special with us.  He told us how President Monson reminds the 12 Apostles all the time, "Whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies."  I can't imagine what it's like to be called as an apostle but I imagine that they might feel the same way I do.  I can't believe I'm learning Mandarin. Sometimes I wish so badly that I could serve speaking English, Spanish, or Tagalog.  But each time I think that, the Lord somehow finds a way to strengthen me and help me understand that this is what I need to do and where I need to go.  I think about how after my mission, a lot of the decisions I make or will make will be my own decisions and I just seek the guidance of the Lord and His confirmation.  But my mission right now is the Lord's.  It's His time that I'm on.  It's His decision to send me to Taiwan Taipei speaking Mandarin.  Everything that I do is for the Lord and is in His name.  I am His servant and I think that He will find a way for me to accomplish His work.

 -I don't know what I was thinking but I think I was expecting to just come to the MTC and in 9 weeks speak Mandarin.  Ha!  I didn't even consider the hard work and prayers that it requires.  But I'm progressing.  I can say a prayer and bear my testimony in Chin-glish.  Yay!  It's coming along though.  I'm not training to be a missionary in the MTC.  I AM a missionary.  I'm just training to learn a language and learn more of the gospel so that I can fulfill my call and purpose as a missionary.

Love you!!!

Love Sister Sagisi