Mission Blog from Taiwan  Oct. 20, 2013

Dear Family,
 
General Conference! There were so many profound messages. I loved the talk on the Christ-like attribute of meekness. Elder Bednar also inspired me. The way he organized the message and tied such a profound principle (spiritual discernment) into the tithing funds of the church was incredible. I was also grateful that several talks addressed the topic of womanhood.

I am loving reading from the New Testament. This week I was able to study the Books of John and begin Revelations. Every chapter seemed to speak to me and present new insights I hadn't thought of before. It was an incredible week of personal study! 1 John describes love beautifully - love towards God and love towards fellow-men. As I pondered about how I feel the mission has increased my desire and capacity to love, I was especially drawn to a few verses in chapter 4. Verse 8 reads "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love". This passage is so simple and profound. As I interact with the people of Taiwan and see families together, strangers providing acts of service for one another, I am inspired to have more love. A mission is a time to fervently seek to become more like the savior, to cultivate Christ-like character and love. In Christ and our desire to follow Him, our "love"is "made perfect" because "his love is perfected in us". (vs. 12 and 17). The more I love the more I feel my Savior's love for me. Feeling this capacity grow and flourish is a very humbling and sublime experience. I'm so grateful for it!
 
We had some special experiences this week. We had a powerful lesson with a wonderful young investigator. As we taught and testified about the Plan of Salvation, Sister Tracy shared a very personal story. The spirit came into our lesson and the investigator's eyes began to glaze with tears. She asked insightful and thoughtful questions including "what is the requirement for being baptized?". When we gave her a baptismal invite, she accepted! I'm so grateful the Holy Ghost guided such an amazing lesson.  This week, we also had the chance to visit a wonderful family that has been inactive in recent years. When we came to their home, we shared a message and invited them to Stake Conference this weekend. Saturday night we called and they said they wouldn't attend the Saturday night session and were uncertain about being able to travel to JinHua. However, as we sat in the JinHua chapel, the mother of the family came from the back of the room and with a smile said "We're here, we're all here." I turned around and saw the whole family waving to us from their seats! I had the most beautiful feeling come over me as I saw them sitting together and thought about her words. "We're here... we're all here". Forever families is our goal!
 
As I learn from mistakes and successes and continually try to improve, I am having the chance to apply the Atonement every day. The Atonement allows me to know that even if a contact doesn't go well, a few investigator's fail to come to appointments or I don't have a perfect answer for a very intelligent investigator's complex question... it's okay! God makes up the difference whether it's now or at a future date. All he asks is our best, and I am giving mine every day. The Atonement is very personal and is applicable no matter how great or small the mistake or heartbreak. Through repenting everyday, seeking to be better everyday, change and improvement come. I'm so grateful I get to testify of this principle as I experience it in a slightly different way than I did before becoming a missionary. The Atonement is so powerful, so joyful! I love getting the chance to share its message.
 
It's starting to get rainy here in JiLong - pulling out the heavy duty ponchos :)

Love you all so much!
 Sister Barden

Temple Day Oct. 15, 2013

Dear Family,
 
  Today was temple day. What a blessing to have a temple in our mission! Whenever I walk through the temple doors I feel this blanket of peace come over me. I love the temple more than I could ever adequately explain! We had a memorable day. We arrived a little early and some of the temple workers asked us if we would be willing to help them perform a few sealings as child proxies. When we entered the room, President and Sister Day were sitting there with a wonderful Chinese couple. I had the chance to be a proxy child with them. That was such a special experience. They are remarkable and I have so much respect and love for them!
 
  Sister Tracy and I had a few unique experiences this week. One evening, we were walking to the bus stop after teaching an investigator. We were laughing and talking until we reached the bus stop curb. I quickly glanced at my feet only to find a redish liquid pooled around the drain. Confused and thinking it was some type of spilled juice, I turned around and was stunned by the image of a fully-crunched car that had been moved to the side of the road. Below the vehicle were red pools similar to the one gathering around the drain. Slightly stunned, Sister Tracy and I quickly moved and were quiet for a few minutes. Life is so precious. We need to enjoy every day! I'm so grateful for every chance I have to live and learn!
 
  We had a miraculous day when we gave temple tours last Thursday. Over the course of 5 hours we did 5 back-to-back tours. Crazy! Each one was full of a beautiful spirit and it was a special experience to watch faces changes and hearts be opened to the Book of Mormon. One particularly unique man spent 7 years finishing graduate school in Boston. His English was excellent. As we talked about faith and science, I was able to share my father's experience with faith. This man had studied psychoanalysis and I had the opportunity to testify that my dad had come to the knowledge that God and science work in harmony, that my dad's knowledge of the laws of nature had increased his faith in God. He was really touched and shared some really special feelings that he had during our tour. The Lord's work is amazing!
 
I love you so much. Thank you for inspiring me. Have such a wonderful week!
 
Sister Barden

Oct 6, 2013

Dear Family,

I'm glad you loved Conference! We're very excited to watch it in a few weeks. Sister Tracy and I are really looking forward to the spiritual boost and invitation to be better. Can't wait!

This week, I've been thinking about a favorite saying I have shared with my dad for many years. My dad and I think Theodore Roosevelt is a pretty fascinating character. Complete with classic mustache and undiminished optimism, he was famous for his "take on the world" attitude. He was an unconquerable spirit, and my dad and I find inspiration from his character. T. Roosevelt has a classic quote about being "all in", about being "in the arena" of life. He uses powerful language to compare life without hard work and adventure as life in the "gray twilight" that knows neither victory nor defeat.  “Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.”   ― Theodore Roosevelt, The Strenuous Life

For years, my dad and I have encouraged each other with a smile and a recitation of this inspiring phrase. "No gray twilight!".  

The scriptures teach us that there are things to act and things to be acted upon. I remember an address given by Elder Bednar where he invites all men to be doers, to be actors instead of those who are acted upon. I am here to be a doer. The peace and contentment of missionary work, parenthood, employment, church callings, etc. all comes from the knowledge that we have done all we can, that we have left nothing to Roosevelt's "cold and timid" gray twilight. Life can be challenging. Sometimes, it seems we are making meager and painfully slow progress. But... if we do all we can and never fear our responsibilities, we can know that we walk in the daylight.... we can know that we are experiencing the full richness of colors in the sun. Every night, my assurance has come from the knowledge that when I put down the cell phone, close the planner, and set the alarm clock, I have left nothing to be acted upon. I've given everything I have to give.. and more with the help of the Lord.

I'm so grateful for the little miracles we receive throughout the week. Let me share one. On Sunday, we had the opportunity to hear one of our investigator's testimony. She just had her sixteenth birthday on Saturday and is currently unable to be baptized because her father doesn't agree. As she stood at the pulpit, she told the members that when her father asked her what she wanted for her birthday she told him "I want to be a missionary. I want to represent the JiLong ward and preach the gospel. I don't know how long I'll have to wait to be baptized, but I will be! I will be a missionary!" I remember being unable to suppress a huge smile and a few tears. I love her SO much! She will change lives, I know it!

These people are teaching me so much. I'm putting one foot in front of the other and continuing to act, to hold nothing back.

I think about watching my dad take off as he headed to tough trials, radio interviews, debates on TV, and difficult meetings... Sometimes I would go to the driveway and call out "no gray twilight!" as he left. He smiled and repeated the phrase every time.  Here's to a life totally void of the gray twilight.

Love you all!
Sister Barden