Sister Museus, August 29, 2010...Third Move Call in Huwei!

Hey Everyone, It was good to hear from so many of you. Thank you so much for taking the time to email me; I really do appreciate it. Wow, many of you made me cry this time around with your stories of dad and having so much fun together as a family. However, it makes me realize how much more I love each and every one of you. I apologize that I forgot again this week to bring my camera with me. I would love to show you the baptism pictures, but you will have to wait until next week for me to send them, sorry! Well, we were suppose to have two baptisms on Saturday, but we found out that Jenny had been drinking tea the week before her baptism and this isn't acceptable. Investigators cannot be drinking tea and other things for at least week before their baptism. Her parents who knew the commandments actually told us since Jenny wouldn't admit to it. It was hard for my companion and I to see this happen one day before her baptism (and this has already happen with Jenny before). Nevertheless, it was really nice to have at least one baptism during our move-call. It's been hard for us to get use to adding 15 to 20 investigators each week when in the big cities (or in most areas) you add double the amount (and I experienced this during my two sister missionary exchanges in Tainan). When you can add double the amount you have more chances to find people who are ready to hear the gospel. However, I have learned to love little Huwei and........................my companion and I (Sister Roper) found out Saturday night that we will be companions again for another 6 weeks in Huwei. We both thought I would move since I am the junior companion and have already by in Huwei for 3 months now. We are both excited to be companions again. Sister Roper is so easy to get along with and makes missionary work so much fun and not so stressful. On Tuesday of last week, Taiwan celebrated one of their biggest holidays called the Ghost Festival. For the whole before the festival there were so many fires, feasts, dancing, and singing going on in Huwei. My companion called it the war zone since the sky was very smoggy and their were so many fires going on. They believe that ghosts come out during this time of the year so they need to burn lots of fake money and have feasts to give to the ghosts and their ancestors. Tuesday was the worse since it's the day that the festival ends. It almost looked like the summer festival that had "gone wild". Their were so many booths full of sick food, games to play, things to buy, etc. Moreover, they were so many different sacrifices of animals going on. We saw dead pigs and lambs everywhere that the people were trying to give to their gods, the ghosts, and their ancestors. Sister Roper told me not to look over at their feasts too long because the people already see us as really white and they could mistake us for ghosts, haha. The traditions here are very strange and crazy. Even during the night they setup several stages where they were performances of some singers and pole dancers. Fireworks were going off like crazy as well. One was right outside of our apartment. It was sad things like this were little children could watch such things. I couldn't understand any of the singing since it was all in Tawainese (which was probably a good thing). After we got home Tuesday night, my companion and I wanted to celebrate the ghost festival so we bought some face masks and put a sheet around us and took so pictures. I would love to share them with you, but I will have to send them to you next week. We took some out on the balcony so you can see the huge amounts of people in the background. We also roasted some marshmallows in our big toaster with a chocolate digestive cracker (it tasted so good and was pretty close to a smore). We even roasted some Sugus (a candy that is similar to Mambas) over the burner (they were also very yummy). Paige, it was so good to hear from you and your golfing experience. I'm glad you all went golfing together. We should try and do it more often. I would love to go with all of you when I get back. I'm also not very good at it, but we could get better in the future together :). It was really cool to hear of your experience with dad and you being able to hit the ball over the swampy area. I know dad is always with us Paige, more than we actually know. Never wonder or doubt that he isn't. Just make sure that you are doing righteous and great things and he will be with you even more and you will be able to feel his presence with you as well. I'm glad the guy at the golf course remembered dad. It is good to hear people talk about dad like that. You made me cry as you related your golfing experience to me. However, it was funny to hear you think of me over a Pocahontas song; don't worry I'll be home in just one year and we can do more fun things together. Good luck with school. I know you will do awesome since you are a very diligent worker. It also funny to hear you relate your experience at the cabin. I'm glad that all of you were able to spend more time together and I am very impressed that you were able to get Chuck to jump in the waterfall. We better go to the cabin several times together when I get back. I miss all very much! Whit, I know how stressful school is, but I know you will do an awesome job. I am very proud of you for getting into the nursing school program. Keep up the good work! I promise to send more pictures of my companion, of what Taiwan looks like, and of our baptism, and of course of the Ghost festival (and some more pictures of our hike). Sorry that I forgot my camera again. I will send some pictures in the mail this week. It was funny to hear about Rob's experience on the Soap Box. I haven't meant anyone who has actually sworn at me, but than again I don't think I would know if they did since I don't know any Mandarin swear words. The people here are actually pretty nice, but you will get some who will mock you, make fun of your Chinese, or speak rudely to you. However, for the most part people are really nice. However, since Huwei is so small we sometimes run into the same people that we've already contacted before and we can never remember the person because we meet so many different people each day. I love you Whit, keep up the good work and I promise to send pictures next week. Mom, I'm glad you loved the tape that I sent. I hope you will all send me another tape real soon. I loved the first tape you sent me. I promise to send at least one tape every move call. This third tape is almost half full. I'm glad you all spent time at the cabin wearing nerdy bandanas and having Papa Jun and Mama Norma up for dinner. I love to hear when all you spend time together and with our grandparents. Jumping off the waterfall, eating dutch oven, roasting marshmallos, and four-wheeling sounds so much fun. I'm suprised to hear that you didn't play bad mitton together. However, you can save that for when I get home and going down the river since Cole forgot the tubes. The corn picking actually sounds fun. I didn't know Papa Jun had some corn fields. I was really happy to hear that you all had so much fun together. Thank you mom for always keeping me updated on what you are doing as well as the rest of the family. I miss you very much and I hope you like the suprise I sent in the mail last Monday. You should be getting really soon. I thought you would like a little something since I know you've had a hard time with me gone. Just remember that I love you and you are the greatest Mom!!! Ash, thank you for relating your experience with about your dream with dad. I've actually never had a good dream with dad in it. Usually he's just in the background if he's in a dream. However, I'm really glad that you had a special and spiritual experience with dad. You made me cry as I read your experience. I know dad is always with us, more than we can possibly imagine. I know he came to you to help you put your life back together (which you have already started doing). I am very proud of you Ash. Please keep up the good work and I know you will be blessed abundantly. I know it must be really hard raising two kids by yourself, but I know you will find someone very special if you continue to do righteous and great things. I want to be an eternal family and we can only do it through the gospel, through our Savior. I teach this to people every day and I know this to be true. I love you Ash, please keep up the good work. Carter has grown up too fast! I can't believe that he has aleady started first grade. Which means I could be teaching him right now. Just make sure to continually make good memories with your boys because I know time flies by too quickly. I'm really glad you put him and soccer. Do help him with his confidence that will help him in the future. It was funny to hear that Boston beat up the Nanny's kid. However, I'm glad that Carter and Boston have become best buddies. I miss those two so much, just as well as the rest of you. Thank you everyone for emailing me this week. You all made me cry, but it was also very comforting and uplifting. I promise to share pictures with you next week. Please continue to do what is righteous and I know you will all be blessed.