An interesting start...

This past week I started in my new area of Beitun.  I'd have to say its been a pretty strange adjustment period for me.  For the first half of the week it was kind of like I couldn't really believe that I was no longer in Douliu.  My brain was half thinking that I was on an exchange and would be going back soon.  After I got over that and reality hit me, I started to get a little bit stressed.  I realized that I really needed to start getting familiar with this new area.  I needed to be familiar with new roads, names, places, and people.  I've been trying to figure out how to prioritize what needs to memorized first, and it's been hard.  I'm super bad at memorizing Chinese names and roads.  It's been a slow process but I think I'm making some progress...  

Another interesting thing from this past week would have to be the number of "fanged" lessons.  "fanged" meaning they last minute cancel or just aren't home when we arrive for our appointment.  I think this week has got to be some sort of record.  Every day at least 2 appointments were like that.  I saw that having lessons cancelled is sad, and not necessarily a source of stress for me, but it's been hard not having the opportunity to meet and get to know all those people.  

Alright, now for some happier news.  I was able to meet with one of our really solid investigators yesterday.  she is about to turn 18 and she is super cool.  She has been an investigator for 2 years, but her mom wouldn't let her get baptized.  But, recently her mom said that she can be baptized when she is 18, and her birthday is coming up soon!  She really is so cool and super awesome.  People in the ward already see her as an active member.  I can't wait until she can be baptized and receive the Gift if the Holy Ghost.  Blessings!  

Okay, well, I guess if I had to sum it all up, my first time moving had been a bit of a bumpy adjustment, but overall it's okay, and the more I meet people here in Beitun, the more I love it.  

Love you all!  Keep the Faith!

Sister Hsu

P.S.  I'll try and take some good pictures today so that I can send them next time.  :)

Fourth Move-Call, First New Place

Well, what to say.  I'm now in Taichung Beitun!  It was a bit of a process to get here though.  My previous companion Sister Lin was chosen to be a trainer, and since trainees come in to their new area on the Friday before the official move-call, I got kicked out a little early.  But, that's okay, The DongYing Sister Training Leaders Sister Huang and Sister Tung, took me in for a few days.  I was with them on Friday-Saturday, but it was also pretty special because it was our General Conference weekend. (It's a week later in Taiwan because they need to get translated versions)  I loved General Conference.  It answered every one of the questions I had written down before hand.  After a wonderful 3 days with the DongYing and Taiping wards, I am now in Beitun Taichung.  I can already say that Beitun and Douliu are completely different!  This is a city, and although Douliu was still considered a city, it was pretty small.  That and, I am now in a four-sisters apartment!  So weird to have other Sister around.  Well, I guess I really can't say THAT much about it yet, seeing as I've only been in Beitun for a few hours but I know this is exactly where I'm supposed to be.  Just have to trust in the Lord.  Wah, I guess this time around my update is pretty short.  Probably because I have a bad memory and this move-call has been weighing on my mind a lot.  Haha.  Well, I guess that's it.

Keep the Faith! 

Sister Hsu

All I remember is Grave Sweeping...

 Note from Kat: Wow. I'm seriously so sorry for the delay.

So, a few days ago our zone went grave sweeping in Jiayi.  It wasn't a random event, just about all of Taiwan went grave sweeping on that day.  It's one day in the year when families go to their ancestors different grave sites and chop down the over grown year old grass and weeds.  But, since all of us missionaries don't have our own family graves to sweep, it becomes an opportunity to do some service.  Like I said it was the first time I had ever done such a thing, so I really had no idea about how to go about clearing grass and weeds that came up to my waist.  Luckily a super LiHai sister from Jiayi showed us how it's done.  It's repeated action of stomping, crushing, hacking and rolling piles of grass around.  It was a lot harder than I though it would be.  After about 3 hours of cleaning unknown peoples graves I'm super exhausted, scratched up, dirty, and sweaty but I was really happy and content.  I had done my best.  Although afterwards I realize that usually sisters or girls aren't the ones who do all that work.  Usually it's the men of the family who hack and the women prepare food and drinks.  Sister Lin said it was the first time she had really grave swept like how we did.  We felt like we had really accomplished something and were able to outshine about half the Elders... hahaha.  All in all, it was a great experience that left me wanting to find even more ways to serve the people of Taiwan.

Oh yeah, I will be moving to a new area this Friday.  When I found out last week it surprised me how much I realized I really love Douliu.  When it finally hit me that I would be leaving this place I just started to cry.  I really love it here.  I love the people.  I love the Branch.  I love this city.  I used to joke about wanting to just be born here and die here as well.  But when I knew I would be leaving I really felt like I would be okay with never moving from Douliu for my whole mission.  I know it sounds super dramatic, but that's really how I felt.  Sister Lin said that how I was feeling is how most missionaries feel when they need to leave their first area.  

I really thank my Heavenly Father for letting me train here and for letting me have my greenie break(3rd move-call) here.  I have learned a lot and will really miss the people here.  But, I do know that the next place I go to will be exactly where the Lord wants me to be.  

Love you all!

Keep the Faith!

Sister Hsu

P.S.  Sorry if my grammar is all weird, I'm almost positive it is in some places, but I don't want to take the time to figure it out... Haha

P.P.S. That girl I'm hugging is my favoritist Susan.  She was my English Class student when I taught Advanced English Class.

The last photo is of last night at Li Family.  My last time eating their delicious food and be able to spend time with such a wonderful family.  :(