Jan 27, 2014 

Happy Chinese New Year! 

     We're going to be on the East Coast most of this week. Can't wait to report on our adventures. 

     This week was incredible! Sister Chu and I saw an outpouring of miracles even though we didn't have much time in our area. We are so grateful! Last week, an Elder gave us a referral for a 18 year old sister he had taught over a year ago. Her name is Zoe. He spotted her while making phone calls here in Taipei. As we met with her, we found her full of faith and wanting to come closer to God. As we extended a baptismal invitation, she readily accepted and set up times to meet with us over the next few weeks. Marvelous!  We also got a referral from a temple tour miracle. A woman attending English Class at the JinHua chapel came up to the missionaries and asked if she could learn more about the church. As she listened to a temple tour and learned about priesthood authority, she told the sisters "I understand now... I understand now". This woman has been visiting the JinHua chapel for a long time and never been interested in the discussions, but as we met with her this week, we watched her tearfully respond "Yes, I want to be baptized". Sincerity truly can strike at any moment. 

     A third miracle occurred Sunday night. We were finishing dinner at our apartment when we received a call that someone was at the chapel and wanted to hear about the church. We ran over to find a kind woman who told us she had decided to walk into our church to learn more about our religion. She said that she was Buddhist but that she was looking for a new religion. As we gave her a tour and sat in the chapel, we talked about the blessings of the gospel and extended a baptismal invite. She gave us a huge smile as she responded "Absolutely." As Sister Chu and I walked home that night, stunned and very thankful, we felt unbelievably blessed we have the opportunity to meet these amazing people. We are the missionaries, but we are being taught by the Lord every week. 

     This week, I read through an old Conference talk about 'Teaching by the Spirit'. In this address, Matthew O Richardson discusses how to teach after the "manner" of the spirit. Knowledge that the Holy Ghost is the real teacher helps us try to understand how to more easily recognize and trust his direction. This is a life-time pursuit. I was particularly struck by many of Richardson's thoughts. He mentioned that many of us fall into three traps when trying to teach after the manner of the spirit. 1. We try to take over for the Holy Ghost and do everything ourselves. 2. We politely invite the Spirit, but only in a supporting role. 3. We believe we are turning all the teaching over to the spirit... but we are actually 'winging it'. I know I've been guilty of these mistakes before. 

     Richardson talks about "emulating" the way the Holy Ghost teaches... so He is unrestrained. Elder Bednar also talks about teachers who mirror how the Spirit teaches. Elder Bednar comments that these teachers. 1. pause to listen, 2. carefully observe, and 3. discern what to do next.  I want to make a great effort this week to try to "emulate' the manner of the spirit instead of asking Him to testify of what I dictate. I hope I can be humble enough and bold enough to listen well and act in faith. 

Love you all so much! Wish me luck with the mountains of food they're going to push at me this week!

Sister Barden