RE:  Sister Barden from Taiwan - June 30, 2014 

 

Hello my family!! 

 

What an unbelievable week! Miracles are raining down on Yilan!!  I want to share a special story about one of our new investigators this week. We received a referral for a man living in a small town called wu Jie. When we went to visit him, we discovered he had a relation who was a member of the church. He already believed the Book of Mormon was true and knew God existed. His lesson was one of the funniest, yet remarkably spiritual, lessons of my whole mission. When we went in the door of his little, old house he greeted us with a toothy smile and a dirty outfit. We all sat on a low cot while he poured us thick milk in grimy tea cups. He was funny and almost exuberantly outgoing... until he started telling us about his addictions to alcohol and cigarettes. He told us that whenever he used them he felt bad... he wanted to stop and become a better person. We talked about baptism, we promised him he had the possibility to change because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He accepted a baptismal date. The spirit was really strong..... then he looked directly at Sister Keung, and in broken English stammered "You look like Obama".  I started laughing until my sides hurt! Sister Keung didn't know what to do.. so she just nodded and smiled back. We're so excited to teach this new investigator! 

 

For the past few weeks, I've been thinking about mighty prayer. I can think of experiences where I've felt I was exerting a lot of spiritual and mental energy on my prayers... I've also thought of experiences where I've prayed for things that I know to be right... such as for a specific investigator's needs. But... I've been thinking... Do I really know what mighty prayer is? How can I become better at it? How can I pull down the powers of heaven? This week, I looked up many examples of 'mighty prayer' in the scriptures. There are some patterns... An increased sensitivity to the greatness of God and gratitude for His love... an expression of an inability to accomplish great tasks without the Lord... a plea for specific requests.. I'm learning a lot from this study exercise. I know I can constantly improve my prayers... to let my prayers be from my heart and guided by the Spirit. 

 

Sister Keung has so many qualities that I would like to emulate! I love her charity and sense of fun. One of her strengths is that she asks great questions when she teaches. When I was a new missionary, I was often too nervous about understanding what our investigator was saying to pause and ask them good questions... Sister Keung is already excellent at this skill.

 

Loving life! Have a wonderful 4th and send me pictures from the SUN Valley reunion. 

Love, Sister Barden 

 

 

 

RE: Sister Barden from Taiwan - June 22, 2014 

 

Hello Dear Family! 

 

This was such an exciting week! The Lord always gives us what we don't expect, but it's always better than anything we could choose for ourselves. I saw so many miracles in my former and new areas. I was on a short exchange at Temple Square with Sister Bang when we encountered one of the most spectacular contacting miracles on my mission. We were walking down some quiet streets and trying to follow the spirit when we saw a tall woman pacing near one of the main roads. The feeling came we were supposed to talk to her. We went up to her, introduced ourselves and stated our purpose. We shared baptism and prayer, asking her if she believed in God. She did. We asked if we believed God knew her and loved her. Suddenly, this woman started to cry. In a gush of emotion, she told us her life was in chaos and she didn't know how to overcome her challenges. Sister Bang said a prayer for her. An impression came to share Ether 12:27. We had forgotten to bring a copy of the BOM so I recited it as best I could. When we asked her if she felt God could make her weaknesses become strengths, her tears came again. "Could you write that scripture down for me?" She asked us.... Whoa... We told her missionaries were assigned to her area and would be able to meet with her to share more. "Can I write down my information for you?" She said herself. She felt meeting us was God's way of answering her desperate prayers. The prepared people in Taiwan have SO MUCH FAITH! I was stunned by her and will never forget her! Also, our little 9 yr. old investigator in JinHua passed her interview this week! Overjoyed with excitement for her. 

 

Yilan had some wonderful miracles as well. We were in Su'ao, a beautiful, mystical little area south of Yilan, to meet with a new investigator. Inside his little home, we taught him, his mother and two crazy little boys about the Restoration. They are traditional Buddhists. However, the spirit led the lesson and the father committed to start reading the Book of Mormon and prepare for a baptismal goal next month.

 

Another young investigator, named Joshua, met with us this weekend. He has enjoyed meeting with the missionaries for some time but has never been willing to accept a baptismal date. The spirit helped him to recognize that the good feelings he experiences at church can be with him at all times in his life - that when he is baptized, the gift of the Holy Ghost can change and empower his life in remarkable ways. He set a baptismal date and attended church with us! Miracle! I'm excited for everything awaiting Sister Keung and I this transfer! 

 

I am emailing you from the East Coast city of Yilan. It is spectacular here. The rice fields are green and ripe, the air smells clean... it's going to be a wonderful transfer. My new companion is from New Zealand! Sister Keung is incredible and just finished being trained here. Her accent is awesomeee... I love hearing about taking out the "rubbish" and giving our investigators "a ring". So fabulous! 

 

I had a lot of chances to ponder this week....I think periods of transition do that to us. God gave me a lot of little miracles this week. God is wise enough to not let us see all the ways our service blesses His kingdom. But, sometimes, He gives us little reminders that He is pleased with us - those small assurances that our best is enough for Him. I had a lot of those tender mercies this week. Our Recent Convert, Sister Shi, cried when she told me goodbye. Some of the Sisters wrote me the sweetest cards, Sister Chao helped me have the most crazy, fun, power-working week I could have hoped for!...Stunned at the blessings! I love how God teaches us patience by having us wait upon Him. He designs our circumstances so perfectly so that, after we do all we can do and realize we aren't enough on our own, He will come and provide miracles in such a way we cannot doubt they are all because of Him.  I love the promise in Isaiah 40:31 "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength' they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint". I've found that as God has placed me in situations designed to help me understand and apply the Atonement, my desire to share it has intensified. That desire always brings us fire and energy that, as Isaiah says, gives us renewed strength. I LOVE this mission! 

 

Sister Keung has an incredible steadiness about her. I can't wait for us to see miracles and learn many things together. I'm excited for a great first week together. 

 

Love you all! Have a great week!

Sister Barden 

 

RE: Sister Barden from Taiwan - June 16, 2014 

Happy Father's Day! 

 

Dad, I always tell you that every little kid thinks their dad is a superhero.... and you're still my superhero! Congratulations about the Psychiatric Times article publication. Well done! 

 

What a week! We loved interacting with all the Sisters in Central, Xinzhu, Hualien and Taidong zones. Sister Chao and I were excited to take a plane down to Hualien and then up from Taidong! Taiwan is so beautiful- it's fun to see it from the air. We also saw some wonderful miracles in our own area. We are continuing to teach the little nine year old zhen ya fang. She attended a baptism this week and went all the way to the front to watch next to the glass. The member taking care of her says she often asks if they can go to the chapel. She clearly loves the warm feeling of the spirit. We had a special moment in one of her lessons. As we taught her about the plan of salvation and the spirit world, we testified that her deceased mother was safe and learning the same lessons that we were teaching her. We also promised her that she could live with her family forever. As we pointed at the cards and told her these truths, her eyes were very focused on what we were teaching her. She is a young girl, but her calm attentiveness made her desire to understand very clear. I love that the gospel makes every difficult trial bearable, it causes us to hope for blessings that will come. I love that we could promise little zhen ya fang that she will see her mother again... and that she will never have to leave her! Ya Fang also read over 20 pages in the Book of Mormon story book reader on her own! In one day! She is a very special little girl. 

We were attending a scripture study class Sunday night when a woman came to the door of the class. Sister Chao and I got up to see if we could help her. With a big smile on her face, she asked us when she could attend church and how she could learn more about our message. She walked into the chapel on her own! Sister Chao and I gave her a Book of Mormon, gave her information about Church Services, and wrote down her phone number to give to the Missionaries serving in her area. She was so eager to learn! There are such prepared people in Taiwan - we just need to be obedient enough and work hard enough to find them!!!!

 

TJ - I can't wait to hear about your experience next week. :) good luck! 

 

Love you all! 

Sister Barden 

Jesus Wept

Sister Barden from Taiwan - June 8, 2014 

Dear Family! Happy almost Father's Day! 

What a fantastic week! We saw incredible finding miracles! The members are on fire and have been more than generous with their time and support. We are feeling blessed! I want to share a special miracle we saw this past week. One of our members happened to introduce us to her 9 year old daughter's classmate a little over a week ago. This shy little girl is named Zhen, Zhen tong xue. As we talked with her, this member explained that Zhen tong xue's mother had passed away years ago. Her father is not very educated and has a difficult job leaving him with little time to take care of her. This Sister has taken time every week to take little Zhen tong due under her wing. After beginning a relationship with the shy little girl, teaching her about her relationship with her Heavenly Father, and inviting her to come to church with this member, Zhen tong xue is now enjoying church and beginning to talk more in our lessons. The member sweetly told us that, last week, zhen tong xue had quietly asked if she would pray for her. In a lesson a few days ago, zhen tong xue's finally father agreed that she could set a baptismal date and continue coming to church with this member family. Hurrah for Israel!!! We know this gospel can change this little girl's life. Praying hard for her! 
I know I don't often share about exchanges, but this week I had an exchange too extraordinary not to include. This was a special split. One Sister in our mission is a very strong, consistent missionary. As we worked and contacted together, I was impressed with her skills and her very positive attitude. She has a great desire to do the work. We had a special moment during our time together. This Sister opened up to me and shared that she felt jarring and rigorous times during her missionary service have caused her to keep her emotions distant. Throughout her mission, she has kept working and not allowing herself to express a lot of emotion. We talked about how being strong and consistent is what God wants us to become, but He also desires us to be gentle and human... compassionate and tender. It is okay to let our emotions show sometimes. Loving others can be difficult when they decide to reject our message or do not treat us well, but as representatives of Christ we need to keep loving them. This sweet sister began to cry. She has not had an easy mission and she has become tough as nails. "I don't cry" she told me "It hurts too much... sometimes feeling hurts a lot". I remember putting my arm around her and just holding her as we sat on the bed. Sometimes, missionaries experience very real discouragement and very real trauma. The light and darkness break against our heartstrings in consistent waves. Empathy and understanding from my own black times bubbled up in my soul and I felt the strongest desire to help this sister, to see God give her the warm, clear perspective that would allow her to positively process her pain.
When we turned off the lights at the end of the evening, I kept thinking about this intense experience. Suddenly, one, single sentence of scripture came very clearly to my mind.  John 11:35  "Jesus wept". The next day, as I shared this scripture with her... and we talked about how we are made in the "image and likeness", including "emotions and feelings" of God, her tears came afresh. It was a sweet and wonderful moment that I will never forget. God wants us to be strong and courageous... but He hopes that, like the Savior, we will also be gentle and human. Beautiful, beautiful lesson. We must not only be the "Rock", but the "Lamb" also.
Have a wonderful week! Happy Father's day.  

(Sister Barden)

Sister Barden from Taiwan - June 1, 2014

 

Dear Family, 

 

 Happy almost birthday Dad! If it makes you feel any better, I can't tell you've aged at all from your pictures! Keep up the good work ;) 

 

 Saw so many miracles this week... but I wanted to share something different today. 

     I've been thinking about the role of a teacher for the past few weeks.... about how God wants us to balance the paradox of being a teacher and a learner throughout our lives. Recently, I've been pondering about the mentors who have influenced my life and how... at previous times... I was probably not even aware they were impacting me. Their good examples and faith in me have carried me through many challenges and important learning moments. God's greatest work is to bring to pass the eternal life of man by helping us learn heaven - to learn of His nature. Thus, everything He does is inspired by His desire to teach us. Before my mission, I never understood the importance of a teacher's role. Now, I better realize that a mentor has an amazing capacity to empower and inspire in remarkable ways. A teacher has an ability to open another's eyes to a belief and hope of what he/she may become. We get great hope and stamina from feeling  our mentor's belief in our potential. Thus, faith in others gives them staying power and desire that carries them through challenges. Words of encouragement or trust will come back when they face difficulties. To express belief in someone and invite them to be better is to ignite a fire within them. What an incredible gift! Recognizing the role of incredible mentors in my life gives me gratitude and fills me with a desire to be someone else's cheerleader... another individual's teacher.

 

    The mission gives us so many opportunities to acknowledge others, to seek to understand them, empower them, give them fertile and safe trust to feel stable and foster development. We have true charity as we want others to achieve their full potential- and believe they can!- from the bottom of our hearts. They will feel it and never forget it. The mission is teaching me that -if I never stop looking for opportunities- I can be a constant learner, and....maybe... another's empowering teacher. 

LOVE THIS MISSION! 

 

     Also... Sister Chao is so amazing. I don't think I take sufficient time each week to talk about how much I love my companion! She keeps things light, she loves the work... we're always working hard in every moment. Sister Chao is a good listener and LOVES to eat all the best food Taiwan has to offer! She is very obedient and very capable, real and always ready to smile. SHE IS INCREDIBLE. 

 

     Learned how to hold an umbrella while a bike during an exchange this week.... I think I've officially hit Asian status!! 

 

Lots of Love, 

Sister Barden