To view a Christmas Message from the Taiwan Taichung Missionaries, please see:
At her next appointment, she came and had been reading quite a lot, and she stayed for the baptism that night telling us afterwards that she felt really touched. We kept meeting with her and she kept reading and reading. Then she started bringing her children to meet with us too. She would always say, “Oh I haven't read that much.” (She is currently in middle of Mosiah). She is just so wonderful and awesome and has so much faith, but she has always said she feels like it is coming slowly, and she isn't fully sure if the things we are teaching are true. She says that she is choosing to believe, but she doesn't know it like we know it. She had a baptismal date for the 24th of December, and we really wanted her to hit that goal. But we were a little concerned as she was still saying that she didn't feel like she knew God very well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?At her next appointment, she came and had been reading quite a lot, and she stayed for the baptism that night telling us afterwards that she felt really touched. We kept meeting with her and she kept reading and reading. Then she started bringing her children to meet with us too. She would always say, “Oh I haven't read that much.” (She is currently in middle of Mosiah). She is just so wonderful and awesome and has so much faith, but she has always said she feels like it is coming slowly, and she isn't fully sure if the things we are teaching are true. She says that she is choosing to believe, but she doesn't know it like we know it. She had a baptismal date for the 24th of December, and we really wanted her to hit that goal. But we were a little concerned as she was still saying that she didn't feel like she knew God very well.
Fang is an investigator I met one night on the way to visit a less active member. We were stopped at a stop light, and we always talk to people at stoplights and try to get them to pull over and talk to us. I remember having a slight impression that I needed to talk to her and not the mom and daughter in front of her. I was surprised when she pulled over, surprised when she set up an appointment, and even more surprised when she came to her appointment. (We get stood up for many, many, many of these types of appointments). It was a really good lesson, and she said she was willing to read the Book of Mormon and make a lot of effort to really study it.
I remember biking back from her house and having a strong impression that we needed to help her hit her goal and that if we really prayed and tried and followed promptings with faith, she could make it. We went to meet with her on Thursday. On Wednesday night, I had come down with the flu. Not a horrible, horrible flu but I felt awful and my stomach was writhing in pain to the point where I had to keep looking away while my companion was talking to people on the street because as my stomach clenched, I couldn't keep the pain off of my face, but I also knew how absolutely essential this meeting was. I felt good enough to go, and we just kind of didn’t have the going home option.
We got to her house and were really where trying to listen to the spirit and ask the questions that would help us discern her needs. The night before, I had felt that I should study a bunch of the ‘revelation by the spirit’ scriptures that they have listed in Preach My Gospel, and I had written down some possible ones that I felt like would be meaningful to her. As we talked about her goal and we listened to the spirit to know what questions to ask, she said that she wasn't sure and that she only knew a little bit. I asked her how she felt when we came to visit her, and she said that whenever she meets with us she has this special feeling that makes her so excited. Also, as we read the scriptures in D&C 6:20-23 about speaking peace to your mind, she said that she feels peace and this has brought peace to her spirit. She was acknowledging her feelings and talking about how much this gospel meant to her. When I again asked her if she would be baptized on the 24th, she said yes. Well, she actually said yes to the 23rd because on the 24th her kids had a competition or something, but we still felt pretty good about it!
So, it says in Preach My Gospel that in order for a spouse to get baptized they need their spouse’s permission. Fang has been separated from her emotionally abusive husband for two years and after talking to our mission president about it, it was determined that she still needed permission. We told her this, and she was concerned that he would not accept it and also felt really weird because she really hasn't talked to him in two years. She will text him about the kids, but that is about it (the kids live with her). We were concerned and didn't want a vindictive husband to cause problems, but we talked a lot about having faith and praying and seeking the Lord’s help. Her faith really grew as she pondered how to overcome this potential problem. Saturday she had her interview with our district leader. She came out and was so excited. She had passed and later that day our district leader said she was just so prepared but because she had had an abortion she needed a second interview (as I have said in other emails, sadly, this is very, very common). We already had her second interview setup because she had told us ahead of time that she had had an abortion.
Sunday came, and she went into her interview. Afterwards, President Chen called us in and told us that he had talked and that as a servant of god he was telling us and her that she didn't need her husband's permission (that put a huge weight off of our shoulders). He also said that he knew how much God loved Fang, but she needed a little more time and that in the middle of February he would come and interview her again.
Sunday came, and she went into her interview. Afterwards, President Chen called us in and told us that he had talked and that as a servant of god he was telling us and her that she didn't need her husband's permission (that put a huge weight off of our shoulders). He also said that he knew how much God loved Fang, but she needed a little more time and that in the middle of February he would come and interview her again.
It was such an interesting and amazing experience. We of course are a little sad that she isn't going to be able to get baptized right away, but in that moment, we felt so profoundly God's love for her. I felt so specifically that exactly what had needed to happen happened. We had felt prompted to help her set and reach for a December 24th baptismal goal for a reason. She needed to have that second interview because President Chen, as a God's representative, was able to receive revelation for her, help her, and answer her questions in a very personal way. I felt in a way I have never felt before just how much God loved this woman. I also felt in a way I have never felt before such a profound and deep love for her. I am crying just thinking about it.
I feel so grateful that I have been able to know this sister and have been able to see her heart change and her eyes light up when she talks about the Book of Mormon. I have been able to see the Lord's miracles in her life and see how specifically how perfectly He knows her. I know that the Lord knows each and every one of us in a profound and incredible way. I am thankful for this Christmas miracle, and I am thankful that I am able to know this wonderful sister and help her continue to develop her faith as she heals and comes more fully unto Christ.
I feel so grateful that I have been able to know this sister and have been able to see her heart change and her eyes light up when she talks about the Book of Mormon. I have been able to see the Lord's miracles in her life and see how specifically how perfectly He knows her. I know that the Lord knows each and every one of us in a profound and incredible way. I am thankful for this Christmas miracle, and I am thankful that I am able to know this wonderful sister and help her continue to develop her faith as she heals and comes more fully unto Christ.
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