Merry Christmas!!!

 

Hello!!

Such a great week!! So many little miracles! And so much fun!

English Christmas Eve party - Made snowflakes, wrote letters to Santa, played Santa Says, had REAL hot chocolate (that's harder to get here), and watched the new Christmas video (if you haven't go do it! "He is the Gift")

Christmas Day!!

- We wanted to make a fun breakfast but didn't have a recipe or ingredients to make it, so we ended up walking down the street to get McDonald's pancakes, hahaha

- Lunch with an investigator

- handed out mini candy canes on the streets

- went caroling... except drove cars because it was too far, and sang inside because it was "too cold" So pretty much just visited some members, but it was fun!

So we made ourselves a fun Christmas! Christmas isn't really celebrated in Taiwan. Pretty much, Christmas in Taiwan = Cinco de Mayo in America. That level of celebrated. So people also don't really know much about it and they don't know that it's about Christ. So that was my favorite part of the Christmas season this year; being able to tell people why we have Christmas.

This week I also learned a lot about goals, fitting with New Year's just around the corner. As missionaries we make a lot of goals and I was reminded this week the importance of setting our goals and our hopes high and then to not get discouraged if we don't hit them, but to see how much we actually accomplished (more than we would if we hadn't made that goal). And then to keep striving for better. I know with Christ's help we can all reach our goals and become better. 

Don't give up! You can do it!

-Sister Biancardi

Christmas Craziness!

Hello World!

Merry Christmas from Taiwan!

This week was lots of crazy fun. First I "killed" Sister Eliason (she went home this week). Then I went to SanMin for 3 days because I didn't have a companion. I was with LinJieMei; a Taiwanese missionary. It was way fun! I was there for English class and it was crazy! They have 14 missionaries in their English program! We have 4.... we're really out in the sticks. But it's fun!

Friday I finally got my new companion, yay! And she's so stinking awesome! 

I'm pumped for this movecall. She's an amazing missionary and an amazing example to me, even though she's only been in Taiwan 4 months. She's so willing and eager to do anything and everything to fulfill our purpose and calling. We've already seen so many miracles!

Saturday we had our ward Christmas party. It was way fun; they did a really good job putting it on. We had a huge potluck, a gift exchange with Elder Ulrich as Santa, and a little talent show (I got to play the Uke :D) 

At the end we all popped those popper things for a fun picture, it was great!

Don't forget the real meaning of Christmas! Most people here don't even know, so be grateful you know and don't forget; always remind yourself over and over and think of a gift you can give the Savior this next year. If you haven't seen our church Christmas video go watch it! "He is the Gift"   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzjFEMmM0Xs

 (Also the piano guys/nativity one is so good too; watch that too!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrLoWt2tfqg

Have an amazing Christmas!!!

-Sister Biancardi

"Ye Must Pray Always and Not Faint"!

Great week!

This week we got to exchange companions for a day with our leaders and it just so happened that I got to be with my old companion for a day! Sister Funk! Love her; it was a great exchange. A big thing I learned from her was to rely on the Lord in all things, to always have a prayer in your heart, to "perform [everything] unto the Lord". I realized I need to be better at this, and as I started to try and pray more; in my head and in my heart, I felt so much better. More confident, more happy, more comfortable. So try it out! Talk with your Heavenly Father through out the day and I know you'll feel of His love.

Biked up this hill to GuoMama's house

This week we also had a great opportunity to serve. We biked out to GuoMama's house (about 45 minutes) and then the Elders and us spent a couple hours moving tree branches that people had cut down earlier. So that was fun, we got to wear pants, that was weird, haha.

 A Dragon down the street

Well... I'm still in Taiwan. My companion will be going back to America this week, that's weird. But I'll be getting a new companion on Friday; Sister Turner. This will be her first time moving to a new area so I'll get to show her the ropes and help her out. It'll be great!

Hope you're week goes well! And if you have bad minute, stop and talk with Heavenly Father; don't let it turn into a bad day.

-Sister Biancardi

A cute little village - notice the painted boulders in the planter

Christmas Time is Here! (Happiness and Cheer . . .) :)

This week was so crazy!!! And awesome!

Monday we went and got our haircut :D There's a member who is super pro and does missionaries hair for free, yay!

Tuesday was ZTM; between traveling an hour and a half there and back and the 3 hour meeting, it took pretty much all day. But it was good!

Wednesday was a normal day...

Thursday we had the Christmas Activity!!! The whole mission got together for a day of Christmas fun! 

We started at FoGuang Shan which is pretty much like a temple square for the Buddhist religion, haha. (Ironic) But it was pretty fun. Mostly fun to see everyone. 

Then we went to an all-you-can-eat restaurant, it was crazy! (200 missionaries). Then we went to the chapel and had a fireside, where the 20 missionaries going home in 2 weeks gave their "reflections" (short talk about what they learned on their mission). It was a great day!

Friday we made cookies!
 

Saturday was ChenWeiTing's baptism :D

Sunday we went to church :)

It was a great week full of fun and learning. One thing I learned this week is it takes a lot of work to change, and it takes even more work to stay changed. But it'll be worth it. You can do it! Don't give up!

-Sister Biancardi

"CHEESE Gromit!!!"

Sometimes the oranges are green here!

Hello everyone! This week was so great! (If you got the Title quote props to you)

To start off we had "Mission Tour" on Tuesday. That's when a church leader comes and they talk to us all day. It's great :D But it was pretty amazing. A close tie for the amazing spiritual feast we had, was the amazing Thanksgiving lunch they prepared for us. We walked in and literally almost cried when we saw the pumpkin pie on the table. Turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes and CHEESE, corn, cranberry sauce, rolls, salad and croutons.... we don't get any of this here, so it was really a treat!

The rest of the week was filled with riding around our huge area teaching people about the Church :D We're really out in the sticks out here; tracting at the bottom of a mountain, riding past radish fields and banana tree farms, trying to take a shortcut through the mountains and failing... So, it's quite a bit of riding, but it's fun!

Taiwan:

- Oreos get soggy in one day if you don't put them in the fridge

- Their radishes are long and white instead of short and red

- Did you know that bananas grow upwards?!

Life as a missionary

- EVERYONE gives us so much FOOD (members, investigators, neighbors, strangers...)

This week it was really amazing; after we really opened up more and had more companionship unity we saw so many miracles. Unity is important!! Don't neglect the people around you; we need each other just as much as they need you. Everyone of us is important and we need to respect and love each other to become our best self and see the Lord's true plan for us.

Keep being awesome!!

-Sister Biancardi

PS This year is especially hot here in Taiwan; looks like I have to pack away my coats and scarves until next year :P Haha

Land of the Bananas

With new companion, Sister Eliason

Well, this week was crazy! But it was also awesome. Before I left TaiZhong I was able to see the new missionaries and help them with an activity. When we first get on island we do something called "Dan Jones" where we stand up on a milk box in the middle of a night market and shout our testimony of the Book of Mormon. Then every missionary pairs off with a new missionary and talks to people and tries to find someone to give the Book of Mormon to. It's so scary because when we first get on we don't really know Chinese. So I got to take someone around and help them talk to people. It was so great, and we saw lots of miracles!

View from apartment window

On Friday I moved down to QiShan, woo-hoo! It's down south so it's more rural and the weather is more hot and people are more friendly. QiShan is also known for it's bananas... I don't know why. I guess they grow a lot of them. Haha. But I already love the ward and love my companion. Sister Eliason only has 3 weeks left of her mission, so that means I have 3 weeks to learn my way area this area. Yay! It'll be a great 3 weeks, I'm excited!

Our study room - love the purple!

I'm not sure if this is because I'm in Taiwan or because we're missionaries, or both, but people always just give us food! Even complete strangers, haha. It's pretty funny. But it's just one evidence of how nice people are here; everyone has a very helpful and giving attitude towards life, I love it!

Street market delicacies

So that's my life right now. Continuing to learn and re-learn the importance of love. Today I read something that said the best way to show our love for God is to love our fellow men. I know that's true! Love others! It will bring blessings from God and you'll be able to more easily feel of His love.

Love you all!! Have a good week!

-Sister Biancardi

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year! :)

The Rice Harvest

Hello!

This week I had lots of great learning opportunities and challenges. But lots of great things too! 

We went to a special training meeting for everyone who will be going "senior companion" soon. It was full of lots of good reminders and tips. 

We also met a super cute Christian ama (grandma). She let us into her house and gave us candy and showed us her family pictures and told us where to find investigators. She was quite the talker; I think I got one sentence in the whole time, but she was SO CUTE and so loving.

I also got sick this week, which...wasn't very fun. But I was so blessed; recently missionaries have been getting this really bad cold that last weeks and months, but mine has only lasted a few days and now it's mostly gone :) Yay! But I accidentally shared it with my companion :/ I hope she gets better soon!

The biggest miracle of this week happened when I was on Facebook and saw that my investigator from JiaYi got baptized last week! :D I am so so happy for her and can't wait to hear the whole story.

This week I've realized the power and significance of prayer. But not just any prayer, the prayer when you really truly communicate with God. I noticed that my personal prayers weren't going so well recently and I decided to try saying them out loud (in the closet, haha). It was super awkward at first, not going to lie, but after a while I started to open up, and I was able to tell God things that He needed to hear and I needed to say. Some feelings that I didn't even know I had, or answers to my own questions. It's amazing what true prayer can do, and I know praying out loud is a way to stay focused and be sure we're praying with real intent. Try it out one day! Endure through the initial awkwardness of it and you will truly receive answers.

Have an amazing week! Oh... and a good thanksgiving I guess. (It's thanksgiving this week right?...) I guess... Happy Happy Holidays! Haha

-Sister Biancardi

Faith + Diligence = POWER

Halloween Costumes for English class

This week we had our Halloween Party! Woo-hoo! Our costumes were simpler than last party, but fun. I was Snow White and Sister Basko was Red-riding Hood. We had donuts on a string, bobbing for apples, making pumpkins out of playdough, and pin the face on the pumpkin, it was way fun, and the homemade donuts were delicious :)

Donuts on a String Game

Taiwan:

1) Has really tasty bread; all different kinds, super tasty

2) There's houses are all in a row; all connected sort of. And in front of the front door there's a little area (sometimes covered sometimes not) to park your car and then in front of that there's a gate. Yeah. I wish I could draw a picture...

3) The men here chew beetle nut, a really gross drug thing; like tobacco sort of, but red and grosser. Bleck!

Typical Street Market in Taiwan

This month our mission is focusing on faith and diligence. Though these things, we are already seeing miracles! I know every time we do something pleasing to God, especially when it's really hard, we are blessed. Keep following the Spirit, keep obeying, especially when it's hard!
You got this!

-Sister Biancardi

Beautiful Rice Fields