Sister Hendrick's Missionary Blog: Hello! Hello! Hello!

View from our apartment!

This was where we had our morning run!

The news we've all been waiting for.. after 8 months of service in the city of Taipei, I have been transferred 3 hours away to the East Coast in HuaLian!!! It is by far the most beautiful area in the mission (yes, I do say that about every area. but please reference to the pictures for proof). This was probably the craziest transfer meeting. Although I am so sad to leave MuZha, I know I'm exactly where I need to be. I'm serving as a Sister Training Leader with Sister Griffin! We are white washing the area (which means basically giving it a fresh new start) because all the wards down here just got split, and all of the investigators we had were given to other missionaries. There's one church in all of HuaLien that has three different areas who share the same building. Our ward has about 15 active members. There were about 5 people in relief society (guess who's been invited to play the piano??). It is a very, very small ward that has a LOT of work to be done. If it was any sooner than now, the calling I have been given would give me a heart attack. But I can really see how God has prepared me for this transfer. I can't even express how lucky I am to be with Sister Griffin. She is literally everything I need in a companion. We have SO MUCH FAITH in this area and have already seen so many miracles in just a few days together. Since the East Coast is so far away, and there's not very many missionaries that go there, Sister Griffin and I are also in charge of the sisters in Taidong and YuLi which are about another 2 hours away. And guess who is in TaiDong that I get to go on exchanges with? My trainer, SISTER STEVENS! I'm so happy I'll be able to work closer to her on her last transfer on island! It is seriously going to be so much work. And I know that God really does work through the weak and the simple because I'll have to take over the area when Sister Griffin dies, and I'm a very weak and simple missionary. But this area is going to grow so much. And I know I will too.

I wanted to share something I learned at Zone Meeting this week before transfer meeting. We were talking about what it means to be "unspotted from the world" as referenced in the scriptures. We talked about what "spots" do, and discussed how animals have spots to blend in and hide from their prey. And so if we're wearing "spots", it's kind of like putting our light under a bushel and hiding our light. But God wants us to let our light shine. We don't want to blend in with the world, we want to stand out and shine the Light of Christ we have within us. I loved that reference. Our Zone Leader, Elder Pincock also gave a cool insight about that. He mentioned the book "You Are Special" (about the wood-people that get dot and star stickers stuck on them according to other peoples' thoughts towards them). He said that the Atonement is the way to let the stickers fall off. When we partake of the sacrament and rely on Christ to be forgiven and to change, that's when the stickers fall off. When we're not so concerned about the ratings or the "stickers" that others give us. What's most important is what God thinks of us, and the type of person we are becoming. And when the stickers fall off, that's when we are truly happy. That's when our light shines.

I testify that we can shine our light brighter than ever before through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I KNOW God lives. He loves us so much. I have literally felt his existence and His love for each of us. I am so grateful to be where I am and share the message that I'm sharing!!

Have a great week!

Sister Hendricks

PS - I received my "Death Date" of April 23rd!

Haha I was packing at 5 am and we have to be in the same room as our companion, but Sister Haupt refused to wake up that early. So this is the conclusion we came up with.