My Mission Means Everything to Me

Aloha 'oe my Taiwan.

I can't believe it everyone. 18 months have come and gone and with the blink of an eye, I have gained experiences that have had an eternal impact on me. Of course my mission hasn't been smooth sailing, I mean whose is? But it has definitely called me to my knees everyday, calling on my Heavenly Father and repenting and changing. My heart has grown. My heart has been beaten. My heart has been hurt. My heart has been broken. My heart has turned to my Savior. A broken heart and a contrite spirit is what the Savior expects of us. And with our heart, He can do things beyond anything we can ever do ourselves. I can't even express my feelings right now. I have never relied so much on my Savior than I had in these short 18 months. He has been there every bit of the way. I have just been so blessed to be His hand in this great work.

I know that this work is the work of Salvation. I can talk about my mission for the rest of my life, but no one will really know what this has meant to me. No one but my Savior and Heavenly Father. If there is but one soul that I know has come unto Christ, I know it's mine. And how great is my joy! (D&C 18:10-16). I spend this whole time learning about "inviting others to come unto Christ" when in reality, it's me that's truly coming unto Him this whole time. Bringing others along the way has just been an added blessing.

I love the Beitou ward and all the other wards I have ever served in. They are truly my family. They have taught me what it's like to be a member missionary. They have taught me so much and have taken such good care of me. I know that my mommy can't even thank them enough.

I know that this gospel is true. I know that Jesus Christ lives. I know that He is the Son of the Living God. I know that this work that I have been doing for the past 18 months of my life is the work of God bringing His children back to Him. I know that this work doesn't end here. I love my mission. I have loved every second of it.

I love you all and thank you so much for everything!

Love,

Sister Sagisi

Taipei 101.

My baby, Sis. Akita left on medical release today. I love her so much!

Our recent converts. :) Zheng JM, Huang Yeye, Chen DX.

Zhang JM is leaving for San Diego on her mission in December!

The young women in our ward!!

Zheng JM got baptized!!!

Neihu is so beautiful!!! Exchanges with Sis. Hill and Sis. Meyers!

The lake!

Pictures with President Jergensen!

We came to Taiwan together 16 months ago. Look at us now.

My last picture. Stinky tofu. I am going to miss this so much. I love Taiwan!

"This Is My Joy"

Well, my "exit interview" is tomorrow. That's how you know reality hits. Being set apart as a missionary wasn't meant to be forever. It was only for a short period of my life. VERY SHORT time of my life but at the same time the best time of my life. My mission means everything to me and I wouldn't trade it for anything else. I love that everything that happens on missions have God's hand in it. The companions you are with, the place you serve, the people you serve, the people you meet, and so forth. I'm sorry I'm just talking right now but I just can't even express my feelings towards my time here in Taiwan. Next week Monday will be my last email and though I want it to be the BEST email ever, it probably won't be anything special. I'll probably just try to put my feelings into words but will be very unsuccessful at even trying.

I don't even know what to say! Haha. But I hope these pictures say a lot. I love you all! I'll come up with more next week. ;)

My ponderize scripture this week is Alma 29:9. 

I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.

Love,

Sister Sagisi
夏姐妹

陳輝木 got baptized! Sis. Guo and I knocked into him a few months ago. He doesn't look too happy here but trust me, he's happy. He was smiling the whole time. He was welcomed into the ward and he is willing to make this a part of his whole life. He also has 14 generations of family history on a scroll that he holds so dear to his heart. He jokingly said with us that he just wants to take that whole scroll to the temple. Haha. But we really need to help him do family history work so that he can actually do work for them!!!

Rice bun burger at Mos Burger. I guess I should send pictures of what I've been eating lately huh?

We accompanied Chen Wen Zhong to do baptisms for the dead on Thurday. And Sis. Guo and I were able to have dinner with him!!!

Companions once again!

I'm Really Going to Miss Stinky Tofu

So I'm really going to miss stinky tofu...

We went to the temple today! We also had interviews with President this week!

Chen Hui Mu passed his baptismal interview!!! He will be getting baptized this Saturday at 5pm. It was so funny because at church all he kept telling everyone was that he was getting baptized on Saturday at 5pm. It's been a long journey. We met him in July and at the time his father just passed away so he couldn't do anything until August. And since August, we've been visiting with him at his home, teaching him the gospel and watching him come unto Christ. He quit tea and smoking through the Lord's help. In his baptismal interview, he told Elder Boyce that he'd try to be baptized into Jehovah's Witness many times before but he couldn't because he couldn't give up smoking. But I know that it's because this is the Church of Christ that he was able to do it.

Our investigator, Zheng Yi Ting, was a referral through the phone system!!! She will be getting baptized on 10/31! Two lessons ago she said she didn't know that God was her loving Heavenly Father. But after this past week, she shared an experience she had with the Book of Mormon, which answered her prayer and her challenge with her co-workers. The Spirit was there and she just cried as she shared this scripture with us. Immediately after that, I asked her the first baptismal interview question whether or not she knew that God was her loving Heavenly Father. She said with a firm answer, "yes, I believe." It was amazing to see how the Lord answers prayers!!! She is committed to her date and we are too!

Love you all!!!

Sorry this is so short. I'm praying for my family in the Philippines!

Love,

Sister Sagisi

Feasting on the words of our Prophets

I am so FULL! I hope everyone had a feast on Conference Weekend because I did!!! It was such a huge blessing to be able to receive so much revelation on how I want to end my mission in Taiwan and how I want to begin my life as a returned missionary.

For anyone who is wondering, I leave Taiwan on November 7. That's really weird that I'm telling everyone. Haha. But yes, that's my date I depart from my dear Taiwan. But until then...here are some of the miracles I've seen!

Our investigator Chen Hui Mu quit smoking! We have been working so hard with him. He'll be getting his interview this Saturday. It was music to my ears when he said, "smoking 10, 5, or 1 sticks doesn't make a difference. I'm just going to quit smoking altogether!" It was amazing! The Atonement is REAL.

I don't know why but we've been getting a lot of food from people lately. At stores, the bosses would give us a free plate of food or something or our members would give us lots of food. I think they want me to go home so that my parents will have 'more to love' on me. Haha.

Next week is temple day! This means that I'll be emailing on Wednesday instead of Monday.

Love you all!!! Have a wonderful week! Remember to ponderize! I know that my mission has allowed me to be closer to the Spirit and to rely on the Lord in doing His work. I have needed to humble myself so much and learn many Christlike attributes. I know that as I continue to purify my heart, the Lord will help me be what He wants me to be. My baptism has meant everything to me and it's such a privilege to be able to help others come unto Christ. I invite you all to think about your baptism and what baptism means to you. We are all on that same path that started with baptism.

Love,

Sister Sagisi

Today, my companion, dearest Sis. Wright drops the AC filter from the third floor. So we go in some hair cutting store's back door to get to this place. All the people were like, NO YOU CAN'T! It's so dirty back there. But Sis. Wright man's it up and retrieves it. Success.

Another shot of the place. Do you see the AC filter?

Yeah...we got McDonald's. Haha.

How we watched conference. The elders were 'outside' of the room. #missionrules

Beautiful Taipei!!!

Taiwanese :) Sis. Xiao and Sis. Zhang.

I love our Zone!!!! East Taipei Zone.

Last Transfer (#12)

Aloha Everyone!

This will be an email with a lot of pictures. And it may look like like I'm wearing the same clothes in all of the pictures. But don't worry, it's just because I took more pictures towards the end of the week.

Well, everyone I am in my last transfer, which means I have 5 weeks left in Taiwan. Actually, after this email, I only have 4 more emails to send home. Oh my goodness! I will be "dying" in Beitou. Wooh! My new companion is Sis. Wright! Love her! This is going to be so great!!! We have a lot of plans and it's just going to be so awesome!

Love you all! I am looking forward to General Conference this week. I have been waiting 6 months for it. :)

I know that the Lord has so much in store these last few weeks in Taiwan and I promised Him and everyone else that I will work hard until the very end. And that I will gladly do.

"Here am I..." -Isaiah 6:8

How many times can we say that? When the Lord calls us to do something, will we be able to say, "Here am I, send me"? Here am I in Taiwan, on His errand doing His work. Here am I to give it my all.

Love you all!!!
Sister Sagisi

The Beitou Family!!! We all attended the New Member/Investigator Fireside together.

Sis. Wright and I at the base of Taipei 101. It's been a YEAR since I've been here.

They are making dumplings behind us! With Sis. Bowman, Wright, and Harvey.

Eating with Brother Paul Haacke!!! Sis. Haacke, his daughter is in our mission.

What a beautiful Sabbath in Beitou!!!

Waffles with Sis. Chen and Niki!!

Pres. and Sis. Jergensen!

Sis. Guo and I eating some homemade salad and sirloin.

Happy birthday to Sis. Lita!!!

Sis. Guo leaving Beitou :(

Yi Tian Zong got baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I attended in spirit.

The same generation! Sis. Van Tonder, Elders Azua and Larsen. So crazy! We're all Sister Training Leaders and Zone Leaders now.

Barbecue Day!

It smells like BBQ! You know that bon fire/barbecue smell? The air in Taiwan pretty much smells like that. Why? Because it's mid-autumn festival. Yay! It was actually yesterday. It's really cool because families just get together and just barbecue. It's a day of families, which is so great.

We have a lot of pineapple pastries and it's a tradition around this time. I think I've eaten at least 10. Haha. And we still have more. I love Taiwan.

There's a typhoon coming in tonight. It's supposed to be really strong.

I love Elder Richard G. Scott and I am so happy that he finally gets to be with his wife Jeanene. We weren't able to hear him speak this past conference but I looked back on his talk last October. He talked about tools that Heavenly Father has given us. We have prayer, scripture study, family home evening, and temple attendance. I love the promise blessing that he gives. He says that as we use these tools, the more Satan wants to target us but less is his ability to do so.

Have a wonderful week everyone! I am so excited for General Conference!!! ...next week. We have to wait for translations. BUT everyone else please enjoy conference and I don't want to be receiving any spoiler emails on who our apostles are or anything like that (Meihua...thanks, haha).

Love you all!

Love,

Sister Sagisi

The main point of this picture is the temple. But we were able to go with our dear Cui JM to do baptisms.

This pot is so cute.

We had this parade going on. Haha.

It's Getting Cooler

Taiwan is getting a bit cooler...just at nights though. Haha.

This week...we knocked into the door of a pastor. But to be honest, he was one of the most humblest pastors ever. But in the end, he told us that he didn't want to talk "truth" with us because he was going to start spitting out Bible scriptures. But we left on a good note and even had a lesson with him at his door. It was really cool. At first, I was terrified, but for some reason, I knew that the Holy Ghost was there helping me and we testified of baptism and priesthood authority.

On my mission I have come to love the war chapters in Alma! I love love love them. I'm sad that I'm almost through Alma. But I just want to share Alma 58:34-37.

34 Now we do not know the cause that the government does not grant us more strength; neither do those men who came up unto us know why we have not received greater strength.

35 Behold, we do not know but what ye are unsuccessful,and ye have drawn away the forces into that quarter of the land; if so, we do not desire to murmur.

36 And if it is not so, behold, we fear that there is some faction in the government, that they do not send more men to our assistance; for we know that they are more numerous than that which they have sent.

37 But, behold, it mattereth not—we trust God will deliver us, notwithstanding the weakness of our armies,yea, and deliver us out of the hands of our enemies.

I just want to say that Helaman and his army were in a life or death situation. They were struggling so badly because of their provisions. But they didn't complain. It "mattereth not" to them. Sometimes, do we complain because of the little things that happen or do we trust in the Lord and know that He will deliver us. I love what we learn from these war chapters and I've been able to study them more in depth lately.

We're starting to set baptismal dates with investigators for when I'm not going to be here! So crazy! I remember when Meihua (Sis. Roy) told me that she was setting dates for after she leaves. I was like, I wonder what that feels like, haha. Now I know.

I hope everyone has a beautiful and wonderful week! We have transfer meeting this Friday. I'm pretty sure I'll be staying. I really hope I'll be staying. Moving on your last transfer doesn't sound too appealing. But the Lord's will be done. But...I'm pretty sure I'm staying. That means my companion, Sis. Guo is most likely going to move. I love her so much! She's been like a sister to me. She is like a sister to me.

Love,
Sister Sagisi

I love traditional Taiwanese Food. It's kind of like Filipino food in a way.

Pineapple cakes!

Sis. Lita's baptism!!! Look at her. She's beautiful!

This is what I look like when I go door knocking. But I'm usually not holding this fruit. An old amah gave it to us.

I love Beitou! Look at the palm trees and the mountains in the back. This is right outside the MRT (metro station).

Exchanges with Sis. Facer! I love these cow horn things. They are like chestnuts!

A puppet show. A real traditional puppet show. I seriously love Taiwan!