Monday, July 5, 2010

Mon 7/05/10 Happy 4/5th of July!

Dear Family,

Happy 4th of July! Technically it is still the 4th of July in America so I feel okay saying it. Today Sister Dewyea and I went to 7-11 and had hot dogs and slurpees in celebration. Happy Independence Day, America! Missionaries aren't allowed to handle fireworks, but a few nights ago a neighboring house was shooting fireworks about 15-20 feet from our window so we haven't been without some very magical light displays.

This week was the week we've all been looking forward too, not without some measure of trepidation. President and Sister Hoer left and President and Sister Bishop came. President Bishop was a surgeon before and was in a MTC Branch Presidency. He served his mission in Taiwan back when Taiwan was all one mission (In the early 1960s). They are older but still look vital enough. Poor Sister Bishop, still jetlagged, new to Asia and knowing less Chinese than we did when we came. She told me she had to make dinner for all the stake presidents the next day and didn't have any idea what to make or how to get what she needed. Sister Dewyea and I told her Welcome to Taiwan! Go buy something, you don't need to cook here! She didn't seem to think that was acceptable, but she seemed very sweet. I can tell she has a "mother heart."

On Saturday we had another baptism! It was my first male baptism - Liu YuTing, the 11 year old son of the sister we baptised a couple weeks ago. He almost canceled his baptism because he drinks tea* but we worked with him to get him to stop and I think he will be okay. It was a little strange to baptise him, because we couldn't take him back to get in the font or even hug him afterwards. I felt like more an observer but it was okay. His mom and sister came - I like baptising families. He said he felt the Holy Ghost when he was baptised. I just hope he will remember it. He is one of the smartest kids I've met. His mom told us he started talking when he was 8 months old.

Let's see, what else has been going on. I caught whatever Sister Dewyea had and didn't feel good for a few days but am about over it now. A member in our ward gave us some clothes so I've started wearing...jumpers...on occassion. I know! The ultimate Sister Missionary frumpy. I laughed with Sister Dewyea that the way that I look at my clothes now that it is summer is "Will wearing this raise or lower my body temperature? How much will it stick to me when I am sweating? Will it get heavy when it rains?" (We had enormous rainstorms everyday for about a week). I am committing myself into the hands of Tina and Shelly when I get home to make sure that I stop wearing ugly things. In the meantime, I'll just try to beat the heat

Well, that's about it for me this week. I love you all and hope to hear from you soon!
FML
Sister Johnson

* Commandments that seem so easy to keep back home sometimes are a struggle in Asia. Who knew that the Ten Commandments or tea* could make or break people's testimony? Interesting note about the rule on tea: All my life I heard we can drink herbal tea but not "regular" tea and never really knew what that meant. I've had clarification in Taiwan. The Word of Wisdom prohibits tea leaf tea (usually caffeinated). We can still drink flower or fruit tea. This means that green tea, black tea, red tea, English tea, etc. are prohibited. Things like chammomile, mint, lemon, honey, barley, etc. are okay.


Cami's email to Donna:


Hey mama!‏

How was the 4th? I heard the report from Daddy, but I'm curious to hear how it was from you :) Everyone else has been quiet about it so I don't know what to think - if it was good or quite the Lake Powell adventure.

Hey, I have been thinking of somethings that I could use:
Zicam or Airborn
Tums
if you go to DI, see if there are any of the "jody" dresses - the ugly sister missionary flower dresses, you know, with the collar? Don't pay full price to buy me more but if you and amy see one at DI (I know she loves a good DI shop) I wouldn't mind another. They are nice and cool.
I'd also like my own Conference Ensign
Shade shirts (1-2, at least one white)
Gum
A very small bottle of a basic multivitamin - I really don't need too many. I've used the same bottle of 100 for close to a year now so I'm not very diligent in taking them, but out.

Hmm, yep, that's about it! No big hurry. Thanks! I love you!

FML
Cami

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