Dec. 29, 2013 

Dear Family, 

     I'm in a new area! 

     My new area is called JinHua. It's right in central Taipei and includes the Taipei temple square. I already love it here and am excited to learn a lot over the next few weeks. 

      I saw some beautiful miracles this week! On Christmas day, my companion and I were able to see two single sisters be baptized. God truly is miraculous - He provides the right circumstances and the right timing for every prepared soul to accept His message. When they both bore their testimonies after the baptism, I was so happy I felt my heart could burst. There is no happier work than missionary service! 

     In JinHua, we had an investigator attend a Relief Society activity this Saturday night. She has been meeting with the missionaries for some time but has not ever been willing to attend church or a ward activity. When we invited her Saturday morning, she finally accepted! In a lesson after the activity, she told us she had felt something special. "I don't know why I accepted your invitation today. I've been thinking about giving up studying the Book of Mormon...but tonight I decided I really want to better understand this church". The spirit was so strong. It's amazing to see the Holy Ghost influence hearts and minds. 

     This week, I wanted to study about love and charity - particularly how I can have more love for those I have the opportunity to serve in my new calling. PMG tells us that charity is a gift from God and, like Moroni invites, we should "pray with all the energy of heart that we may be filled with this love". I am learning throughout the different stages of my mission that God not only asks us to love all men, He also provides that love -His love- if we humbly ask for it. As I ask God to give me love for all the people I interact with, whether they be different from me or similar, friends I have known for a long while or others I briefly contact, He will help me feel His love for them. The mission can increase our capacity for love and compassion. I love a quote from Parley P. Pratt that describes these changes well. He says " I have loved before, but I knew not why. But now I loved- with a pureness- an integrity of elevated, exalted feeling, which would lift my soul from the transitory things of this world and expand it as the ocean". This is so true. Everywhere I go, I feel God expand my heart a little more, make it more capable of loving more people - more deeply and quickly than I could before. 

     I love Chu JieMei! I am learning so many things from her. She brings a light and energy everywhere she goes. The past three days have been fun and very memorable - I'm very excited we get to serve together! 

Love you so much! more next week- Happy 2014!  

Sister Barden 

Dec 25, 2013

Merry Christmas!

We had so many miracles this Christmas week. This weekend, one of our investigator's was baptized and confirmed by her husband. Unbelievably sweet. She was so full of light and happiness. After her baptism, we asked her how she felt and she responded " I feel so much love! I've never felt so much love before". I'm so excited for her to continue discovering the gospel and the joy it brings to her life.

Lu JieMei and I had another miracle while contacting on Sunday night. We'd had a lot of contacting time but had not met with much success. With fifteen minutes of time remaining before we needed to get on our bikes to head home, we decided to say another prayer to ask Heavenly Father to guide our contacting. After an earnest prayer, we headed up to the second floor of the train station. Many people were waiting on some nearby benches but Lu JieMei and I had a special feeling to sit next to a woman at the far end of the waiting area. As we began talking to her, she told us that she was a devout Christian and that her recent workload had left her feeling exhausted. We were able to have a lesson with her and testify of the Book of Mormon before giving her the book as she ran for her train. "You coming to talk to me feels like God telling me He's watching over me" she told us with a smile. As Lu JieMei and I walked away from the lesson, we saw we only had one minute remaining before our scheduled departure time. The Lord is so aware of all His children!
         This week, I've been pondering the patterns the Lord has given us to better understand how we can grow and become like Him. The scriptures are full of patterns that clearly describe what God would have us do and the promises He will give us if we follow Him. One of these patterns is found in D&C 123:17. This scripture counsels us to "cheerfully do all things" that lie in our power and then "we may stand still, with the utmost assurance to see the salvation of God and His arm to be revealed".  I know this pattern is true. All God asks of us is our "best" - all things that lie in our power. This includes obedience, it includes diligence and having faith in the truth that God will help us do everything that is His will. I have a testimony that, regardless of where or when we serve, our best efforts bring God's miracles.

I love my companion so much! I know I talk about her every week, but she is simply amazing! Lu Jiemei will be a blessing to every companion who has the opportunity to serve with her. Her faith is strong and her heart is full of love. Her conversion story and missionary service have strengthened my testimony and given me renewed inspiration to find more "Lu Jiemei"s who are searching for the gospel. Every day with her has been a joy and I cannot wait to see all the good she will continue to do in her mission and beyond. I'm grateful God gave me the chance to learn from her.

Love you all!
Sister Barden

Lauren Barden from Taiwan - December 16, 2013

Merry Christmas!
 
Funny story: I have to share this first before I forget. Saturday night I developed a wicked stomach ache that kept me from sleeping and eating anything. Luckily, we were still able to get to church and teach all of our lessons. There was a moment during the day where I asked Lu jieMei if I could sit down in a corner for just a few minutes to rest. As we sat, a mother from the Relief Society came around the corner and asked if we were alright. I told her I was fine and that my stomach was just hurting a little. "I can help you!" she told me. Before I could think about how to respond, she sat down next to me, and pinched the very tops of my ears with her fingernails. Hard. Ouch. It was so. painful. "This will help your stomach not hurt" she told me. And she was right. I momentarily completely forgot about my stomach pain. haha. Don't worry mom, the Taiwanese members are taking very good care of me :)
 
Miracles! Where to begin? This week was marvelous. One of our investigators is named Peng Dai Jun. She is twenty years old and had a few lessons with sister missionaries over a year ago. She is unbelievably prepared and hungry to learn about the gospel. This week, when we taught her about the word of wisdom and extended an invite to obey it, she gave us a big smile. "I remember the other sisters telling me you didn't drink tea. I told my sister I wouldn't be drinking tea anymore weeks ago." Wow. Tea is often a difficult challenge for many investigators. The fact that she 1. remembered tea was against the teachings of the church and 2. she was so willing to obey it of her own volition absolutely stuns me. She is a miracle. I have another story about her. During our lesson, she told us that she had gone to visit her sister in the hospital (her sister has been having some severe health challenges). She shared that during her visit, she had asked her sister if she could say a prayer for her. Her sister was unsure because she said she didn't have any faith. "It's okay" Dai Jun told her "I can still pray for you". Dai Jun said she knew her sister felt more peaceful after she had prayed for her. When Dai Jun told us this story, I remembered us teaching her how to pray only a few weeks ago and a deep warmth seemed to spread throughout my chest. To see Dai Jun developing a relationship with her Heavenly Father is one of the most beautiful things I have witnessed on my mission.

We also had the chance to drive far into the country to visit a young, LA mother. Because she lives so far away, it has been difficult to find a member who has the time to drive the sister missionaries such a far distance. However, this week we were able to visit her home. Her husband passed away a little over a year ago and she has been working very difficult hours to take care of her two children. When we arrived at her home, we found a little, cabin like structure that reminds me of what I picture to be the classic novel, "Heidi"'s home in the alps. Inside, above the cement floor and simple furnishings, were pictures of the Savior and Joseph Smith in place of a traditional shrine. As this mother and her two little children gathered in the living room to hear about our Christmas message, a special feeling came into the lesson. "Thank you so much for coming." The mother said when we finished. "We haven't been able to have the missionaries visit for a long time". I really felt that God was aware of this dear mother and that He loved her so much. Simple but beautiful miracle.

I've been studying 'ministering' for some time because I hope to learn to minister in the way the Savior would. I found a particularly beautiful sentence in Jesus the Christ that has helped me to think about how to better serve investigators, members, and missionaries. Talmage comments that Christ had an “absence of formula and formalism in His ministration... a lack of uniformity of procedure", in other words- Christ ministered to everyone very differently. Sometimes he healed a blind man by physically touching his eyes, sometimes he healed another by merely speaking words to them. Everyone is different and the Savior understood each individual well enough to know how he could best minister to them. I hope I can seek the spirit more when I try to minister to others as the Savior would and think more about what they truly need than about trying to give them what I think they need.

Recently, I've begun thinking about Helaman 3:35, one of my favorite scriptures. The wording in the scripture is beautiful, particularly the part about "waxing stronger and stronger in humility". What an interesting concept: stronger in humility. I'm realizing I need to be more humble. God cannot strengthen or change something that is not malleable. My first reaction when I receive a complement or finish a particularly successful day can sometimes make me more proud than grateful, more thinking of myself than the role that God played in every miracle or busy day. I want to work on being more humble, being more willing to identify my mistakes, acknowledging all the things I can learn from my companion instead of all the things I can teach her, remembering that my opinion is never more important than the Lord's. I am the Lord's investigator, and I need to recognize I don't always know the best thing to do or the absolute right way to go in order to let Him guide me.
 
I love this season - Keep focused on the Savior - I know I can't stop thinking about Israel lately.
 
Love you all so much! Talk to you on Christmas!
 
Sister Barden

 

 

 

Dec. 8, 2013 from Taiwan 

Family!
 
We had so many miracles this week! We went and taught the friend of a member as their children played in a park. When we began sharing our message, the mother was very hesitant to listen to us and clearly stated that she came from a very traditional family. She only wanted to better understand her friend's religion. However, as we talked to her, she began to soften. She told us she thought we were very warm. "I feel as if you are my friends" she told us. We left her with a Book of Mormon and she committed to read and pray about a section before our next visit. The spirit is amazing! This Sunday, we were greeting members when a young woman we had never met before came up to us. She told us she had recently moved to Zhubei for work and had come across the Elders. They had told her where and when our church met. She hasn't been to church for many years. Sister Lu and I couldn't help but smile as she took notes during all three meetings. God is so aware of everyone no matter where they are.

 This week, I learned a lot about prayer. Whenever I read PMG's section on 'prayer' and how it brings the spirit, I want to improve my prayers. Something that is especially beautiful is the idea that the spirit will teach us what to pray for. Wow, that's an amazing truth. Oftentimes, we think we know what outcome or help should be given to us at a certain time, and we ask for things that may conflict with what God knows should happen. Prayer is not about God fulfilling our wants, it is about asking God to align our will with His. I want to work on listening after I pray. I also want to ask God better questions in my prayers. Elder McConkie reminds us that "prayers chart a righteous course of conduct", and I want to focus on improving my prayers so I can can chart the course God wants me to!
As we experienced many small miracles this week, I thought about how I need to spend more time identifying the little blessings God gives us every day. I love Elder Bednar's conference talk about "small and significant" blessings and how we need to be grateful enough and aware enough to recognize them. Identifying them makes us grateful, happy, and reminds us of how reliant we are on the Lord. Every lesson on the street, every member willing to drive us to a distant location, every less active who tells us goodbye feeling happy and taken care of... all are small and significant...and beautiful.

We see miracles every day, and the overall result is remarkable. Missionary life is so incredible!

Lu JieMei and I are having so much fun! I love her so much and every day I feel so happy I get to serve with her. We've had a few lessons with LAs and others on the street where we are asked how long we have been serving together. "You seem so close!" They comment. I do feel close to Lu JieMei. Her love and light are so beautiful.
 
Have a wonderful week and stay warm- Minnesota sounds frigid!
 
Love,
Sister Barden

Dec. 1, 2013 from Zhubei

Dear Family!
 
 I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. It sounds like Minnesota is freezing! Did I tell you I miraculously met a Taiwanese convert who is going to Minnesota on his mission?!! He asked me how cold it got in Minneapolis... He's going to have a great experience :)
 
We had a ward activity for Thanksgiving that had Turkey and potatoes... along with lots of rice and noodles! So great. It felt very relaxed and memorable - the members here are so generous and always trying to give us food. Also so great. :)
 
We have had so many miracles in Zhubei this week! We have an investigator with an upcoming baptismal date whose story is so remarkable. Her husband is a member and he has waited a long time for her to be ready to be baptized. As Sister Lu and I talked to this couple at the chapel, the husband could hardly contain his happiness that his wife had a baptismal date. In fast and testimony meeting, they both stood up and shared how much her conversion meant to both them. He has been waiting seven years for her to be ready to join the church. Seven years.... what a blessing to see this miracle. I believe they are going to do so much good together. This week we taught the first lesson with a young, former investigator. She fell asleep on her motorcycle a few weeks ago and severely damaged her leg, leaving her unable to work and in recovery at home. When we visited her house, we found her full of light and so excited to hear the discussions. She's been so prepared. We set a baptismal date with her for Christmas Day and invited her to church. I loved watching her come into Sacrament meeting with her crutches, face lit up with a beautiful smile. The gospel is amazing.

  This week, a footnote led me to the subject of 'Abundant Life' in the topical guide. As I went through all of the scriptures and thought about their application to my mission life and post-mission life, I was reminded of the importance of planning and actively learning. All these scriptures had similar principles. They talked about obedience, faith, diligence and happiness. This is the recipe for an "abundant" mission and life. I thought about all the times where I have really striven to be obedient, faithful, hardworking and cheerful... those times have truly taught me so many important lessons. I want to keep working for an abundant mission - and an abundant life!

   As I watched the couple I mentioned above bear their testimonies in sacrament meeting and sat in the home of our investigator with the injured leg, I thought about all the work God had done to prepare these beautiful people to accept the gospel. Previous sisters taught the investigator with the injured leg and didn't meet with success, but their contact was what allowed her to be sitting in sacrament meeting on Sunday. Further, the example and patience of this member husband allowed God to prepare his wife's heart to understand the importance of an eternal family. A scripture has come to mind frequently this week, one someone shared with me a long time ago: 1 Cor 3: 6-7 and 9. This scripture helps us to understand that every "laborer" in God's vineyard has a different role to play, and that every role is of equal import. "I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. For we are laborers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building". Everyone has a part to play, but ultimately it is God that is responsible for every miracle. I am so happy God is letting me watch His work and have a small part in it!

   I love Lu JieMei so much. She is actively looking for opportunities to serve all around her. What a beautiful example. We're having a great experience figuring out what type of companionship we want to be, how we're going to go about the work, and sharing ideas specific to Zhubei and its needs. I love, love my companion!  We're seeing so many miracles. She's trying her very best and very willing to try different ideas and methods. She is a fantastic missionary - I can't believe I'm lucky enough to serve with her.
 
fyi... our pday for Christmas is on Christmas day..aka the 25th our time. Don't expect an email at the usual time. Can't wait to talk to you in a few weeks :)
 
Love you SO much!
 
Sister Barden