#BecauseHeLives

Happy almost April everyone! Happy almost Easter! In Chinese the translation for Easter is "Resurrection Day." I love Chinese! It doesn't explain Easter better than that. It's the day Christ resurrected. And I get to be a missionary on this special day! Wooh!

Huang DX, one of our miracle LA's, is progressing so well! We messaged him on Facebook asking how his new job is going. He said it's been OK but he's been very busy. Sometimes he comes home really late at night. But, he said, he hasn't forgotten the most important things, daily prayer and scripture reading. Through these he said that he's really felt the Lord's hand in his life and His help. He came to church this past Sunday in a suit! And the biggest miracle of all happened on Friday night. We went to go LA hunting and we went to this neighborhood and had no luck. But as we were leaving the neighborhood, we see Huang DX running past us! We were so happy! Apparently the Lord didn't want us to just Facebook contact him that day but to actually contact him! He told us that he was going to stay after Sacrament on Sunday and attend the other church meetings but he didn't know where to go because after Sacrament everyone disperses and he's just confused. And we gladly told him we'd accompany him. He wants to go to Gospel Principles. And then we told him about getting the Melchizedek priesthood, Patriarchal Blessing, and Temple Recommend.

Taiwan is beautiful! But biking through rice paddies at night are a little scary. Sis. Day tells us to stay in lighted areas. But that one night though...there was no other way to get to the neighborhood we need to go. And Sis. Ioane and I start biking and there comes a van behind us and we just start putting the pedal to the metal because we were sooo scared! We just start yelling at each other and saying, "bike faster! FASTER!" and "where are the elders?!" We finally find refuge at this amah's steamed bun truck soon finding out that in the van was this harmless lady. Well, I'm just glad that we have the Spirit to protect us and to warn us of danger.

I invite everyone to take part in this initiative. What does it mean to you that He lives? Please check out Helives.mormon.org

Because He lives, I can smile each day knowing that I have a reason to smile. Because He lives, I have a purpose in life; I have a purpose as a missionary; I have a purpose to make it known to everyone here!

I love you all! We are going hiking today. Yay!

Love,

Sister Sagisi

It was a beautiful Sabbath Day!

Japanese Food with Sister Xie!

I Thought it was Sunblock Time

The sun came out last week! But then it went again. I even had to bust out my sunblock because it was so hot. But for the past few days it's been cloudy, windy, and rainy.

We had 3 investigators partake of the Sacrament! But then two more investigators came after the Sacrament and ended up staying until the third hour. And Kathy (the investigator I met while English boarding back in November when I was on exchanges with our duanchuan, Sis. Christensen), shared in Relief Society about how prayer gave her faith!!! She shared how now she prays sincerely every day! I don't even remember sharing anything in Relief Society in front of all the sisters when I was 19! With Kathy, we've been fasting for her and she's even joining us in fasting for her parents. Because she's 19, she needs her parents' permission and last week, her mother wasn't all too happy that she was coming to church. Kathy is so excited for her baptismal date though. We've been pushing it back for so long now, since December. But now she feels she's ready. She just needs her parents' approval. And I know that the Lord has allowed me to come to Pingzhen to find Kathy and see her grow!!!

On Saturday we knocked into a family of 5, had a lesson, and had a return appointment!!! In my time here in Taiwan that has never happened to me before! I couldn't hold back my tears and Sis. Ioane and I just said a prayer of gratitude right after meeting them. It was a miracle! We were LA hunting and the LA's weren't home. But then we felt that we should stay on that street and knock. The Spirit led us to them and I am so excited to return to this family!!!

I want to share a scripture with you all in Alma 56:47

Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers , that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.

This is about the 2,000 stripling warriors. How amazing it is to read about these young men who cared more about the covenant of their fathers than their own lives. The fathers were valiant in the covenant that they made with the Lord. The mothers were supportive of their husbands and they taught their sons in righteousness. And the sons were valiant in their duty. This is what families should be like! This is what the Lord wants our families to be like!

Have a wonderful week everyone! We're seeing so many miracles in Taiwan! The work is growing and so are the people's faith!

Love,

Sister Sagisi

My companion and I on a sunny day in front of a rice paddy :)

This is an all you can eat shabu shabu place. One of Taiwan's gems!

We found Kathy on the road and pulled over and had a lesson with her! It was a tender mercy of the Lord's!

Languages of Love

Aloha!

Every time I go and do Temple Square Tours, I know that the Lord has specifically called us to go on that day. Well on Saturday, I know that we were supposed to be there on that day. We went to the temple and we just had people coming and asking us for tours and if they didn't ask us for a tour, they didn't reject us when we asked if they wanted a tour. We found this one guy sitting on the couches waiting for his friend. He had bleached his hair, he had a dangling earring in one ear, skin tight leggings, a colorful cap, spiked bracelets, and these shiny pointy shoes. And what do we do? We talk to him and ask if he wants a tour. He didn't want to walk around so instead we had a lesson with him in the chapel. We asked a member to help us peike and we have a lesson of the restoration and give him a BOM. He lives in Linko and the only form of communication was Line (not even Facebook) but it was one seed planted! And he also has his friend (who is a member and eventually came to pick him up) as a resource to the church.

Also, because it was the Taiwan Return Missionary Conference at Jin Hua, we were able to see so many RM's and just talk to them about their missions. They revitalized me and made me really think about my mission thus far. They are all so happy and they all LOVED their mission! I LOVE my mission but I want to love it even more! So I made up my mind that I'm going to love my mission even more than I do now! And to do that I'm going to be happier, work harder, find joy in each day, and love the people, language, the gospel, and the Lord. 

I was also able to see a sister who I emailed when I was in my first area. I was in her mom and cousin's ward. And at the time she was serving in Temple Square in Salt Lake City. She just came back a week ago and she was at the Conference. It was such a tender mercy to finally meet her and talk to her in person!

Love you all!

Love,

Sister Sagisi

This is Sister Ma. She just came back from her mission in Temple Square and I was so happy finally being able to meet her!!!

We had Zone Conference!!! Taoyuan Zone :) We were trained on Languages of love--love the language, the people, my companion, and the Gospel!

We gave this ward a temple square tour! They are so amazing and the Spirit was so strong!

Members from my first Area in Guishan!

He Stands at the Door

I first want to share a story that happened last Pday. We were all getting in the elevator. I go in. Sis. Sorensen comes in. Then Sis. Bowman comes in carrying her package that she got and looking at the pictures from her letter and stands facing us. I proceed to look at her pictures too. We get to our floor and the two sisters step out. And I just freak out and say "Where is my companion?!" We all get in the elevator and get back to the first floor. The door opens and she's just standing there and says, "I knew you'd come back." I don't know if everyone else thinks it's so funny but the four of us were laughing for a good 5 minutes. Just the fact that she wasn't even in the elevator with us and how the three of us just let it fly over our heads...

Another story, we were going to the elders' baptism and Sister Ioane runs head first into the window. I had no idea what happened until she totally flew back with her hand on her forehead. I can't express how funny it was and we laughed for a good 10 minutes on that one. She is just a funny Polynesian sister! Love her!

Well, I want to share a story of this brother that we've recently been meeting with. And in fact he's actually a less-active member. He was baptized 10 years ago when he was in his 20's. But then shortly after he went less active. A few weeks ago I gave him a call. Not thinking too much of it. I was just calling some people in our ward list that were less active. He answered and he was actually very willing to set up with us. We've met with him at least 3 times now and in our first lesson, he told us how he was ready for a new start. He told us how his life was just going so hard. He had lost his long time girlfriend and he had problems with his work. He said that he had started to wonder where God was and he said his first prayer in a long time. Then shortly after his prayer he said that I had called him. Then he realized that God was there for him. Well, he's been clean from smoking for more than 2 weeks now and he hasn't been drinking coffee either. He said that he used to drink at least 3 cups of coffee. Every time we meet with him the Spirit is so strong. You can feel him coming unto Christ with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. He's made so many changes in his life to bring it closer to Christ. And you can see what the gospel has already done. He's so happy talking about the gospel and the Book of Mormon. He's come to church three times now and has partaken of the sacrament. Next week he said that he wants to bring his mom. His mom is a devout Buddhist but he said that he tells her to just come and she doesn't even have to believe or participate. Just come and "feel" he said. This brother is being changed by the Atonement and I know that Christ can heal anyone who comes unto Him. He is there for us all. He stands at the door waiting for us.

Love you all!
Love,
夏姐妹
Sister Sagisi

​3/4 of the Zhongli district. Sis. Sagisi, Sis. Bowman, Sis. Sorensen, Elder Ribar, Elder Jensen, Sis. Ioane.

Islanders in Pingzhen

So Sister Roy, now Meihua, has finished her mission! It's been so comforting knowing that we were here in Taiwan together. But her time is done and she's off to a new start in her life. I wouldn't have had the same experience in Taiwan without her. It was so funny meeting missionaries and one of the things they'd say is "you're Sister Roy's best friend, right?" But she technically doesn't go back to Hawaii until the end of the month. She'll be in Taiwan with her mom for a bit.

I have a new companion! I'm breaking (which means she just finished training) Sister Ioane. She is from the small island of Tuvalu. She was baptized in 2013 and she came on her mission in December 2014.She's the only member in her family and I have much to learn from her. She's only been here for 3 months. She has so much faith!

Saturday was so rough. All of our lessons fell through, no one was answering our calls and both Sis. Ioane and I knew that it was just a "dry" day. Despite the miracle LA lesson we had just had a few hours before and the two other lessons that we had after knocking on someone's house, the happiness of those miracles were just smothered by the current situation of our LA lessons that fell through. We decided to just get on our bikes and head over to go LA hunting. We found out that the LA family was in China and well, it was one of those times where you think you see the light but then the light just went out. So we stayed in the neighborhood and looked for another LA. It was just rough. We happened to park our bikes in front of someone's house and because it was dark, we could see inside. We saw a family in there, grandparents, a dad, son, and their worker from Indonesia. Well we decided to go talk to them. We knocked on the door and told them that were missionaries and wanted to give them an English tract. Immediately the dad says that they didn't have time. Well he came out and took the tract. But something miraculous happened and he talked to us a little more. After a few minutes he says, "do you want to come in an have some water?" I'm like, "YES! Let us go park our bikes." And I could hear him go back inside and tell everyone that the missionaries are coming in. Well we go in and he tells us to have seat. He turns off the TV and pretty much tells everyone to focus their attention on us. We had a lesson on families. When we asked him how having an eternal family sounds to him, he just kept saying how it sounded too good and so nice. We ended up having a return appointment with him for later tonight. His name is Jin Guo Xing. During DPS that night, Sis. Ioane discussed that miracle we just had. And she told me that when we were at the Family Mart having no success, she went to the bathroom for a really long time. And I noticed how long it was. But she told me that while she was in there she was just crying and praying. Hindsight, her prayer was answered and I am so grateful for the faith that she had to pray to Heavenly Father.

Did I ever tell you about how I tried to buy a lint roller here in Taiwan? My black clothes are starting to accumulate lint. So on Pday we went to the department store (similar to Walmart) and they took me to face masks and then to sponges. First off, I have no idea how to say lint roller in Chinese and I just tried my best to describe how it works. Then I just gave up. I'll just be using tape. That works right?

We didn't know that water heaters have batteries. We've been taking freezing cold showers for the past few days. I'm glad that we haven't had hypothermia yet.

Have a wonderful week everyone! God is a God of miracles. His miracles will never cease as long as we have faith. Faith is the power. I am grateful for our Savior and His teachings. I love being His missionary and forgetting myself.

Love you all!
Sister Sagisi

Our Ice Cream that we bought at Yinge!

This is apparently a famous rock.

I'm gonna miss her! "See you on the other side."

My new companion Sister Ioane!

Team Sakita <3

Some Taoyuan Zone missionaries in Yingge!

This is the biggest spoon I have ever seen.

Yingge is known for their pottery.

I love our sisters! Sister Bowman, Sister Akita, Sister Smith, and Sister Sagisi

Me and my Yoyo!