When we put our best efforts in, the Lord never forsakes us. The Lord has never failed to provide us with a peike (lesson taught to investigators with a member present), even if it's just an hour before our lesson. This actually turned into a very funny story. We were looking for a peike, calling many members and looking through our resources (ward list, etc.) and no luck. Then Sister Koch finds the YW calling peike list and she calls Wu J.M. She asks for the mother in home and she was able to find a peike! Success. So we arrive at our lesson with our investigator and wait for our peike to arrive. Turns out that our peike was our relief society president (who we were trying to avoid having peike because she just peike'd for us the day before). Well, we later found out that Sister Koch called the daughter of our RS President and we know our RS president as Lu J.M. (her maiden name.) Well, I'm so grateful that the Lord always provides for us, just as long as we try our best.
As we were heading to a lesson, I got stuck behind some cars and I suddenly lost Sister Koch. I continued heading down the road and I don't see her anywhere. When I get to the end of the road, the only options are to turn left or right. It didn't look right. We had previous discussed that we were going to head down the road and turn right somewhere. I don't remember going to end of the road. I turned back around and thoughts came to my head. "I don't have the phone, she does...I can't call for help...She also has the map...We have never discussed situations like this...Do I head back home?" All these thoughts came. But at the same time, I immediately thought to say a prayer in my heart: to help me know what to do and how to find my companion. Just seconds after ending, I see her riding down the road! The Lord has allowed me to rely on Him more since I've started my mission and it's made all the difference.
We went contacting. No luck. It started to rain. We decided to relocate. Sister Koch asked me where that "prepared individual" was. All I said was, "we could go down that road." Then I told her that we could park our bikes in a general area and walk around. At the moment, it started to rain a little harder. There was a brother in the area who was being dropped off by one of his friends. He saw us and told us that we could park our bikes in front of his apartment and go inside while the rain dies down. We told him we couldn't because no one else was there. We explained who we were and he decided to wait with us until the rain ended. We ended up having a lesson with him outside. He was about to eat his dinner and I asked if we could say a prayer to bless his food. And that's when it all started. We found out that his father passed away years ago. His name is Ryan and he's 25 years old. I could tell he has deep questions of the soul. He says he doesn't believe in God but believes in faith. He doesn't knwo why a God would exist in this world that is pretty much ran by man and it seems like we do everything ourselves. I wanted so badly at that moment to teach him everything I knew! But luckily he has interest and we have scheduled a time to meet with him. I'm not too sure if he's a prepared individual, but he surely has questions that he's seeking answers for!
Today we are heading to Jiufen! I am so excited. I hear nothing but great things about that place. It's in Taipei. It's in the mountains somewhere and it's the "Taiwan experience" that I've been waiting to have since I've been here! So stay tuned for pictures next week :)
I asked for the Philippines. I feel like everyday, the Lord is helping me realize that Taiwan is more like the Philippines than I would have thought. I can eat as much Lychee and Mango as I want. They have really good food (similar to Filipino food), and the people remind me so much of Filipinos. They have chicken feet, fish, okra, kabatiti, and lots of other vegetables! I feel like I'm home more and more!
I just have one picture to share this week...it's of a yellow watermelon. Amazingly enough, it tastes just like a regular watermelon, haha.
Miracles occur when we are grateful. I believe that the Savior was always grateful. Though He suffered so much, more than I could ever imagine, I believe He "saw through the eyes of faith and [looked] beyond [His] present-day challenges." -President Uchtdorf. He knew His purpose so whatever circumstances He was in, He was able to look forward with faith and let the Father's will be done. Let us follow His example.
Love you!
Sister Sagisi
i thought i brought home when you were in elementary when i was still at longs.
ReplyDeleteI miss you so much anakko!