RE: Sister Barden from Taiwan - Sept. 28, 2014

Dear Family,

Miracles: SO many to share! We were finding this week in a quiet corner of LuoDong. While trying to follow the spirit, we were led to a distant housing complex and knocked on a door. Rejected. We went farther down the complex and knocked a different door. A kind father ushered us in. His wife and youngest son were already gathered in the living room. As we shared our purpose, the father quickly responded. "I've seen your missionaries in LuoDong many times... but none have ever come to our door before". The family then shared with us about their eldest daughter. She is working in Taipei and, due to work stress and other difficulties, is battling emotional problems. "I believe you might be able to help her" the father said in confidence. We were prompted to turn to Mosiah 27:14 in the Book of Mormon. We promised that the sincere prayers of parents will bless children as Alma elder's prayer blessed his son. At that moment, the quiet mother asked "Can I pray for my daughter even if I am not a member of your church?". We had an amazing teaching moment with this family and cannot wait to teach them more. Their love for their daughter prepared them!

We preach a gospel of change. These past few days, I was again struck by this fundamental truth of the gospel. Change, Improvement, New Beginnings.... This week, I had the chance to take my dear friend and new member Xuan Yu through the Taipei temple for her personal endowment. This was easily one of the most special days of my mission. I was praying my heart out that she would have a good experience and understand that the temple begins a life-long journey of learning. So many miracles happened! Members I've known and loved on my mission were working in the temple, members from Xuan Yu's ward happened to be attending the temple at the same time, returned missionaries who I've served with came up to encourage and talk with her. It was incredible. When we walked out of the temple, I asked Xuan Yu how she felt. "Great!" She told me with a big smile. "Really, I feel great!". As we walked away from the temple, Xuan Yu put her arms in the air and waved to us until we disappeared from sight. My heart felt so full as I watched her. She has been changed by the gospel and will continue to change. Seeing her joy and her goodness this past year made me reflect on the changes God has helped me to see in myself. Xuan Yu's arms in the air remind me of the Hosanna shout... of "Hurrah for Israel!". I was so proud of her and knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that God was proud of her too. "Hurrah for Israel, Xuan Yu!"

Believe in change - It is possible and powerful!

I love you all!
Sister Barden

  

Sister Barden in Taiwan - Sept. 21, 2014

Dear Family,

Things in Yilan are going well! We're continuing to see incredible finding miracles in the most interesting places. This week we met a Jenny Jian. Her family invited us into their home and allowed us to teach them about the Plan of Salvation. Most incredible was the father's interest in the lesson. He told us that his father had passed away not long ago. Jenny had genuine interest, and her father began encouraging her to go to church and learn more. It's always so wonderful to find prepared hearts in even the most traditional Buddhist neighborhoods.

We also had an incredible lesson with a member and her young cousin. She's been a member most of her life but she has never had the courage to share the gospel with most of her family. They took us to this expensive noddle place that was very busy.... it was really hard to hear in the beginning! But... as the lesson progressed and we talked about baptism, a familiar good feeling came. As this young man heard the testimony of this sister, his curiosity deepened. He committed to read the Book of Mormon and to better understand what baptism meant and if it was true. My favorite part was watching the excitement in the member. As her cousin accepted our invitations, her eyes became happy and then amazed. She told her cousin to call her whenever he had a question about his scripture reading.

I love seeing the members get excited about the work! Their efforts are so powerful!

I have been mulling over some interesting insights this week. I've been thinking about my mission as a whole and putting together some of the powerful lessons God has helped me learn. I've been thinking about the Lord's pattern for helping us understand truth. The most important truths can only be learned by the assistance of the Spirit. Another person can tell them to us, or provide guidance as we learn for ourselves, but the Holy Ghost alone provides a "mute comprehension" of important, universal truths.

I've been thinking about the phrase "study it out in your mind" and what that means. I love this phrase. Sometimes, "studying it out" is much more exerting than we think it will be. An apostle once stated "study it out" means a degree of patience, of labor, of persistence commensurate with the value of what you seek". Thus, for the truths and understanding most worth knowing, a great deal of experience, prayer, searching and often time accompany the answers to our most important questions.    I'm grateful I have the chance to 'study out' the principles most worth knowing on my mission. I'm grateful God often waits for us to ask questions instead of just giving all the answers. I'm glad He helps me work for those answers so I know the truth He teaches me is very valuable. ...and I never need to stop learning!

Love you all - Jia You this week! (add oil! )
Sister Barden

RE: Sister Barden in Taiwan - Sept 14, 2014
Dear Barden clan!

We had an incredible week in Yilan. The spirit took us new places while finding. There are less populated parts of Yilan that I haven't had the chance to explore yet, so this week we decided to go find in those areas. Sister Graham and I biked through dimly lit streets spread out in every direction. We were stopping, praying, and making decisions about where to go.... Finally, we rode up to a single street, walked up to a single door, and knocked. The woman who opened greeted us with a smile and invited us inside. She and her daughter welcomed us and began talking to us about their belief in God. The daughter, named Cindy, told us the testimonies of her Christian friends had caused her to develop faith in Christ. We started to get so excited!! After introducing ourselves, we felt prompted to share the plan of salvation with them. When we finished the lesson, Sister Graham asked the mother which part of the lesson was her favorite.... This mother (Sister Chen) told us that Resurrection was her favorite. She then told us that she had never had interest in religion until her mother passed away a few months ago. "After that..."she said quietly..."everything changed". Sister Graham and I biked away from their house on cloud 9!! (Fist pumps!)  Later in the week, Cindy set a baptismal date. Stunned at how prepared these Taiwanese people are!

Another amazing miracle in a member's home. This was easily the most powerful member visit of my entire mission. We have an incredible sister in our branch who often helps the missionaries. She comes to church with her son, every week, and sits alone. Her husband has been inactive for close to ten years. Her daughter also chooses not to attend church. Her son recently told us that he doesn't know if God is real but he believes God may exist. Sister Graham and I really wanted to share something that would inspire him to sincerely act so an answer could be given to him. As we planned, an article came to mind... Elder Holland's Conference Address "Lord, I Believe". The story at the beginning is so striking and, later in the talk, Elder Holland mentions a sweet experience with a young man who honestly declared he had "belief" but lacked faith.  As we shared portions of the talk with the family, the Spirit came. We asked the mother, daughter, and son what they felt as they read the story of the suffering father and his child. To our surprise, tears began to roll down the mother's cheeks. She told us about the suffering her husband's inactivity had caused her. She shared her pain every time she saw a family sit together at church. She emotionally told us that she had stopped praying for her husband to change and accepted her circumstances. ....She had lost her belief in him. After her story, a heavy silence sank into the room. I started praying for help like crazy.... we wanted to help and ease her pain ....  And the Spirit started doing all the talking. The lesson focused itself on the Savior. We watched the clip 'Because of Him' about the influence of Jesus Christ on every good thing in this world.   We testified, offered our personal experiences with heartache and hope, and.... the room flooded with the testimony of the Spirit. It was absolutely incredible.

This Sunday, this amazing sister quietly came over and gave us a bag filled with food. I know God wanted us to share words with her that wouldn't change her circumstances... but maybe they invited her to hope again.

I know that God gives us the opportunity to "be His hands". The member visit we experienced this week taught me that when we genuinely want others to receive help, God gives us His reserves of love and truth. When He is with us, the warm, thick aura of the Holy Ghost pours into our interactions. I'm so grateful we have the chance to be "on the Lord's errand", that we have a charge to "bind up the wounds" of those around us.

Remember where your reserves come from.

Love you always,
Sister Barden

Sister Barden from Taiwan - Sept. 8, 2014

Dear Family,

 Do you believe in miracle downpours? We do! We have an incredible investigator named Brother Hong. He is shy but very kind. He wants to improve his relationship with his wife. Every time we visit their home his wife goes upstairs or leaves to walk the dog. A few nights ago, we were biking in their area and had a prompting to stop by and just say hello. Brother Hong and his wife were both in the front room watching TV. Brother Hong's wife started to excuse herself to go pick up their son. However, right as we arrived, a heavy rainstorm hit fast and hard. It was miraculous! The Hong's quickly invited us into their home to wait out the worst of the storm. For fifteen minutes, we shared a short message and the scripture Moroni 7:45-48 about charity. A beautiful feeling was there as the husband admitted that he wanted to have more charity, especially with his family members. Fifteen minutes later, the storm cleared and we didn't feel rain the rest of the day. We closed with prayer and set up another time to visit the Hong family. God parts Red Seas and sends fifteen minute power rain storms to bring about the work! We saw another incredible finding miracle late one night. We were biking in an open area with very few homes. The moon and stars were reflected in the dark, wet rice fields. Magical. I had no idea where to go. Suddenly, we had a prompting to turn a certain direction. The road was dimly lit and we kept riding for a few minutes. Finally, we came to a cluster of homes. We were led to a door. A young woman opened when we knocked. She invited us in and told us she had wanted to be baptized into a Christian church a few years ago. She is now our new investigator! God is in all the details.
This week, I was reminded of a favorite talk by Elder Christofferson. He expounds upon the story of the Israelites receiving manna in the wilderness. He talks about the manna as their "daily bread". This talk helps me understand the nature of God. God created the necessity of heaven-sent food by leading them into the wilderness. He also determined to provide bread daily to help them clearly understand their reliance upon Him. God satisfied their immediate need without removing the fear or truth that they did not know what food they would eat the next day. Thus, the Israelites learned to be content with the satisfaction of their daily need - having faith that "daily bread" would be provided the next day. Change is not brought about by feeling too comfortable. The wilderness provided a sacred place for the Israelites to come closer to their God because they were ever mindful of Him... they ever needed Him. All of us sometimes find ourselves in a wilderness. But, we know who provides our daily bread. I'm grateful that I have always been given enough "heaven-sent bread" for each day. I'm also grateful that I need to ask for more tomorrow. Through this process we can all be led to God's promised lands. I am so grateful there is purpose in the journeys God invites us to take.

I love you all. Have a wonderful week,
Sister Barden