12 August

Hello everyone! I am safe and alive and haven't been washed away by the typhoon. I don't know what any of you have heard about it but last week we heard there was a typhoon coming and our mission president told us to stay inside all day Friday. My companion and I were kind of disappointed because we had lots and lots of appointments on Friday and there really wasn't very much wind or rain. (Typhoon days are days when you can catch up on your area book for only so long and so the rest of the day is do what you want in terms of study, play games, sleep, study, sleep, etc.) Well, we stayed inside and had a pretty boring day (although I did start reading the Old Testament again, which was exciting) all the time watching the not-very-much wind and rain outside of our window.

Well, I learned that down in southern Taiwan there was a completely different story! It got hit really really hard but I won't tell you any more about it because you can watch the news and I cannot. Just know that I am safe and the typhoon didn't really hit where we are. :)

And now for the exciting news! The typhoon was on Friday and we were praying really hard that it would be over by Saturday so that Brother Zheng could get baptized. Well, the Lord answered our prayers and Brother Zheng did get baptized last Saturday!!!! We were so excited. (I would attach a picture because the internet cafe finally had a computer open with a USB but I put my card in and it didn't read it. Tough, eh? Maybe next week.) Their family is really so awesome and my companion and I went to visit them Monday morning to give them a booklet about preparing for the temple. We taught about going to the temple and they already have plans to go and be sealed as a family a year from now. It is so exciting!

Let's see, what else. Oh, before I forget, transfers are this week, so my preparation day is next Monday (Mom, don't forget to write me!) For those of you who are interested, my younger sister and her husband just graduated from BYU and are heading to Houston for medical school this week and my dad was just called as the bishop in my parent's ward. And in the next 3 months 3 babies will be born in my family! Exciting times.

Oh, and we finally had President's interviews two days ago. I love our new mission president! He is seriously so awesome because he believes that if he teaches us correct principles we will be able to govern ourselves. Those of you who know me well might understand that sometimes I have problems with overbearing mission leaders (not the president, just other missionaries in positions of leadership) and I was telling President Grimley that I was so stressed out all the time that I wasn't even enjoying my mission. And I told him that I wanted to hit my zone leader every time I saw him. :) And he just laughed! And then he told me that the advice he had for me was to chill out and listen to the Spirit. I am seriously so grateful for President Grimley and the support that he gives to us as missionaries. And, I am trying to chill out. :)

I have lots and lots of other stories but they would take too long to explain, so this will have to do for this week. Hope all is well and good luck getting ready to go back to school, etc!

Sister White