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