Rainy Season

Hi everyone!

In Taiwan, the late spring rainy season is called 'Meiyu', or 'Plum Rain'. It usually hits beginning of May to Middle of June. This year though, it has been nothing but record breaking temperatures and blue skies. Until this week that is, when it hit in full force. I've subscribed to a weather account on Line that lets me know about any sudden changes of weather. Usually I get a couple of messages a week. This week I've averaged about five messages a day, complete with satellite imaging:

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Despite the torrential rain, we've managed to have a really good week! One highlight was that I once again got to go on exchanges with Sister Wu:

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While on exchanges, we celebrated my one year on a mission mark with ice cream bars and chocolate. It was so much fun to be with her to celebrate. She's funny and sassy and one of a kind and an amazing missionary. I love her so much!

I thought it would feel weirder to reach my one year mark, but honestly it just feels the same. The only real change is that I've realized just how short of a time I have left. It's added a larger measure of urgency to my mission as I try to savor every moment I have to spend in this beautiful country, and share the gospel with everyone I can. Being a missionary is such a unique experience because you are completely immersed in the country, it's language, culture, and people, but with the specific lens of loving people as Jesus would. My job every day is literally to go out and meet the cool people who live here and share with them something that will make their lives better. It doesn't get much better than that. 

Speaking of the cool people who live here, let me introduce you to some of my favorite cool people: 

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You may recognize them from previous pictures I've sent. Sitting on the outsides are Sister He and her 90 year old mom. We were teaching her mom, and we had to take a break for a bit, but she came to church on Sunday and we're going to her house on Tuesday! She is the cutest thing ever. She's 90 years old, and her main goal right now is staying healthy. She wakes up every morning just after five, eats a small, light diet, and dabbles in stocks to keep her mind active. Sister Hancock and I are convinced that she's secretly a multi-millionaire, and is just too modest to show it off. 

The other person in the picture is Jiang Mama, a living legend. She is 80+ years old and our relief society president. She's tiny and prim, with a quavery little voice and super stylish glasses. Her faith is unbelievably strong, and she will lay down the law about gospel stuff. She can write out whole verses of scripture from memory, and her bag always has little candies and chocolates hidden inside. The other day we were at her house, and I was eating some pineapple. The piece that I was eating had a couple of seeds on it, and she leaned over, whispered to me, 'Those are it's children', then giggled and rejoined the larger conversation. She is incredibly strong and has faced a lot of challenges, and I hope one day I can be as cool as she is.

The main social media platform we use in Taiwan is called Line. By far the most active people on it are the elderly. One trend that is way too popular among old people here are 'good morning' messages that they spam everyone they know with. You have to be careful not to friend too many old people, or you could end up getting five or six of these every. single. morning.

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This one says 'good morning. Drink more water'. It's one of the less flowery ones. 

I'm out of time for this week, but I hope everything's going well for everyone! Have an amazing week this week, and drink more water!

Love,

Sister Hull