Week 39 - 9 Months 恭喜 ！！(Gong xi - Congratulations) - June 30, 2025 - 八德 - Bade

 大家好！

Highlights

     - Met Korihor

     - lots of 請客s (Member Meals)

     - Ran into a pole

     - Went to Daxi Old Street

     - Got hit on over the phone 

     - Found some kids who could read Sister Ingrams arabic necklace!!

    - Went to the bat caves for P-day

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There is a really cool lesson to be learned from D&C 9: 

Oliver Cowdery wanted to translate with Joseph Smith--in D&C 8, God told him to give it a try. But it didn't work! Why didn't it work? This was the revelation he recieved after attempting to translate: 

5 And, behold, it is because that you did not continue as you commenced, when you began to translate, that I have taken away this privilege from you.

11 Behold, it was expedient when you commenced; but you feared, and the time is past;

The same thing happened to the Apostle Peter when he tried to walk on the water.

"But you feared"

How often does this happen in our own lives? We start out with determination and grit, but when it gets hard, we are tempted to quit. Whether we are applying for college, decided to go on a mission, getting a new job, auditioning for a show, going on a big hike 等等 (deng deng - etc.), the test is always the same.

Will we continue as we commenced?

I think one of the things that caused Peter to fear was the fact that He broke eye contact with the Savior. That is was caused Him to fear.

So continue to look for Him, and press on :)

Bars:

-Perfectionism is Pride

-Urgency does not mean anxiety

再見!

Sister 吳ardle

Pictures: P Day , 皮蛋 (pi dan - preserved egg), 朱媽媽 (Zhu Mama) knows I love some cold noodles

Week 38 - 三十八週 - June 23, 2025 - 八德 Bade

 大家好！！

Highlights:

     -Interviews with President and Sister Whiteley!!!

     -They gave us money to get lunch after so we got to eat hamburgers

     -Learned ZhuYin

     -Went to 鶯歌 to find

     -文岐香 (Wen QiXiang) got baptized!!!! And her mom came even though originally her mom said she couldn't come!! It was so wonderful :)

     -My brother turned 18 and got the Melchizedek priesthood!!!

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Here is an insight I gained about the Savior this week:

D&C 101

39 When men are called unto mine everlasting gospel, and covenant with an everlasting covenant, they are accounted as the salt of the earth and the savor of men;

Because of this scripture, we know that when the Savior mentions the salt of the earth He is reffering to His covenant people.

Luke 14

34 ¶ Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?

As I read this verse in Luke 14 it struck me how similar the word "savor" is to the word "Savior".

Here is a rewritten version of verse 34: 'If the salt (The covenant people of the Lord) has losts its Savior, wherewith shall it be seasoned?'

As His covenant people, if the things we do and focuses of our lives are void of the Savior, then they have no savor. No meaning. He is what makes life rich, plentiful and flavorful!

2 Nephi 11

"...all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of Him"

Everything around us testifies of Him. If we rigorously open our eyes and see, we will discover that "he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made. As also he is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made. As also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made; And the earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand." (D&C 88: 7-10)

As I have had these moments of acknowledgement of the Savior more throughout my days, I have discovered this scripture to be true: 

Isaiah 49

10 They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.

It is very hot here in Taiwan. When the sun smites us, the knowledge that the Savior is in the sun changes everything. When I drink water it is an opportunity to remember Him. That is what gives life meaning. Having the Savior allows us to experience lifes savor :)

Prayer list:

☆文岐香 (Wen QiXiang) --> prepare for Temple!

☆Rima --> that her family will accept her invitation and come with her to church next week!

再見！

Sister 吳ardle

Pictures: 文岐香 (Wen QiXiang) Baptism, Daily Goals???, The Burger!, Spot the rainbow, Drive to 鶯歌 (Ying ge)

Week 37 - 三十七週 - June 17, 2025 - 八德 - Bade

 大家好!

Highlights:

     -Temple P-day

     -Went to Daxi Old Street! 

     -Found out Sister 林 (Lin) came to my house when I was young???

     -Met lots of cats

     -Ate some good food at members houses!

     -Biked with a headwind for 40 minutes (this is a daily event) (There is never a tailwind) (it does not matter what direction we are going)

     -Got a cupholder on my bike so I can stay hydrated:)

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The challenge of 八德 (Bade) is the fact that we have to bike very far whenever we go anywhere. It feels like we are always going uphill and the wind is always a headwind. Quite a load of opposition is placed before us.

I take courage in knowing the Christ is the Fountain of Living Water. The Bread of life. When the sweat is literally dripping off the end of my nose and I am exhausted, I remember Him.

He is the light of the world. It is through that light that we see everything else! Looking at challenges through His light will sustain, strengthen and empower us. He gives us the power to overcome.

Revelations 3

21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Christ is our prototype. Through Him, we are able to overcome and receive the glory of the Father in the same way He did :)

Anytime we have to bike against mighty wind and it feels like the opposition is never ending, we can remember Him! What an incredible power!

I know that He lives. I'm so grateful to have been gifted with the fulness of the gospel in my life.

再見！

Sister 吳ardle

Pictures: Bade members, Temple Day!, Sister Lin at my house!!, Post Temple Tacos!, Cats!, Daxi (a suburb of my 

area)

Week 36 三十六週 - June 9, 2025 - 八德 - Bade

 大家好！

Highlights:

     -Zone Conference!!!!!!

     -Got a lovely package from my home ward Young Women's! Thanks! 

     -Triple family ECG 以後 (after) chapel tour

     -Got to eat a real pancake and pho

     -Exchanges!!!!!!!!!!! (Ate Poke)

     -Went to 鶯歌 (Ying ge) old street

     -林姐妹 (Sister Lin) gave us cookies at church :)

     -I HAVE MY BIKE

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Miracle share:

     We have to bike for 45+ minutes every week to get to district council and my first week here I had to use a YouBike, or the public bikes they have here in Taiwan. Long story short they are not very fun to bike for that long. I really didn't want to have to do that again. The day before district council I kneeled down and wrestled with the Lord in prayer about it. I pleaded that I would have my bike by tomorrow, but that if I needed to learn a lesson from using a YouBike again, I would do it. It was a very heartfelt prayer. 

That night when we went home, I had fully put all my trust in the Lord. If my bike wasn't there, so be it. It was at that moment when I looked and saw 2 bikes parked in our spot! We literally ran home! My bike was there!

This was such a testimony builder to me of how much God loves us and listens to prayers. I felt like a child asking God to help me find a lost toy. But He listens! He cares! And when we turn it over to Him, He will provide exactly what we need.

3 Nephi 27

28 And now I go unto the Father. And verily I say unto you, whatsoever things ye shall ask the Father in my name shall be given unto you. 

29 Therefore, ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; for he that asketh, receiveth; and unto him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

God answers prayers!

再見!

Sister 吳ardle

Pictures: These are really good fruit, It was President's birthday, My bike 出現了 (appeared), My Apartment, Ironman!, An Ancient Kiln with some STUNNING pots, The bike ride to 鶯歌 (Ying ge), The only photo from our exchanges, Zone Conference with my dear companion

Week 35 - 三十五周 - June 2, 2025 - 八德 - Bade

 大家好！

     -I feel like I have moved to Vernal

     -Went to a real park (I didn't know they existed like this)

     -Listened to some incredible talks and BYU devotionals

     -Biked for an hour on a YouBike (I do not recommend)

     -Fast Sunday!!!!

     -Whenever we put a new friend on Baptismal date the ZLs and STLs sing a song to us (its incredible) (I am so motivated to put people on date)

     -The get to know you question in Zone call was "How often do you think about the Roman Empire" and it was the most interesting get to know you Zone Call I have ever experienced

     -Got to attend a baptism with one of our friends!!

     -Since this weekend is Dragon Boat festival everyone tried to gift us 粽子 (ZongZi) but we successfully evaded it besides 2 (粽子 is not very good)

     -Finally bought a real umbrella

     -Obedience miracle: 

It was 9:24 and we were about 10 minutes away from home. 完蛋了(Wandanle - we were cooked). BUT we sprinted (literally) home and because of our attitude of obedience we made it home in time. The clock turned to 9:31 when we closed the door. God can literally bend the laws of space and time and allow us to keep the promises we made with him if we do our very best!

     -Church miracle: Because the 中壢 (ZhongLi) chapel is being renovated, their ward comes to our chapel for sacrament meeting on Sundays. One of my moms RCs is in the 中壢 ward, so I got to see her on Sunday! How unbelievable is that? 

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I listened to a devotional this week that really changed my view of personal revelation.

“The Most Desirable Above All Things”

Salani L. Pita

May 13, 2025

Salani shared many experiences from her personal study of the scriptures. She would share the scriptures and words that stuck out to her and then say this:

"This is what I read.

These are the words I heard and felt" 

I have heard many times in devotionals and conferences that I shouldn't write down what they say, but that I should write down what the Holy Ghost teaches me. This concept never made sense to me until I listened to Salani's address.

"13 But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God. (Moroni 7)

Those are the words that I read. These are the words I heard and felt:

Every good thought that you have is inspired of God. Believe that your good thoughts are divine...You should get a notebook and write down the good thoughts you have when you can't act on them right away." (Salani L. Pita)

This example struck me deeply. When we are studying, every single thought that we have that is good is from God! Even as a missionary, I still had to realize that this was the case.

I decided to get a little notebook. It is my revelations from God notebook. 

I now understand that every good thought that I have is the Holy Ghost teaching me something, and so I write it down. It is the same for us all.

How will we act on these good thoughts?

That is the test God places before us :)

https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/salani-l-pita/the-most-desirable-above-all-things/

Prayer List

姜恩凱 --> Pray that he will respond to us

再見！

Sister 吳ardle

Pictures: 牛肉麵 Beef noodles, Pokemon go on 6 phones??, 林姐妹!! Sister Lin, Hiding the 粽子 (ZongZi), Bridge in a real park!