My First Earthquake!

Pouring Rain! It literally flooded!

Hey long time no email! 

The past two weeks have seemed to drag on forever, but it's okay! and there were so many things that happened I wish I could tell you all of them! but here are a few! 

We had zone conference and Elder Wong came! He is so awesome and I feel very lucky to have been in a training with him and his wife. We also had stake conference so I got to hear Elder Wong speak!

Sister Wong

"Love them with my whole heart"

I got to skype my family!! I loved seeing them, It is so fun. There is never enough time though. ps shout out to my Dad! Its his birthday this week!! 

Sister knapp took a picture of me skyping lol 

So this is what I look like skyping if you are wondering :)

This week me and Sister Knapp decided to spice up finding a little bit. We knocked on a door and they were having a family gathering. So we asked if we could sing for them.... hahahaha
They let us in and we sang, Families Can Be Together Forever, and I Am a Child of God. Then we testified how our families can be eternal and how God is our loving Heavenly Father. It was so fun and they were so cute and nice! 

Family we sang to

Me and Sister Knapp got asked to be the models for the new english class tract. So we got our pictures taken and everyone in the Taipei Taiwan will be handing out our faces lol. Also they are making a commercial for our english class. Which me and Sister Knapp are going to be the teachers in that as well. They are hoping to play the commercial in taxis and around Taipei! 

I also had my first earthquake, actually my first three hahaha. We were in our apartment which is on the tenth floor so the building was shaking a lot. Super scary. The first one happened when we were about to leave for lunch, the second one happened when we had just gotten back from lunch, and then the third one happened the next day. So fun!!! Our investigator chose me to say the opening prayer during our lesson because I had my first earthquake lol. 

Yesterday we had a broadcast that was only for Taiwan, Moscow, and Hong Kong. we got to hear from Elder M. Russell Ballard and a few other speakers. It felt like a mini general conference just for us. I was really good and inspiring. 

Missionary work is hard. It's heartbreaking, stressful, and exhausting. But I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. These past few months I have recognized that I have so many flaws. And I know I will continue to discover new ones. But I know that as long as I build my foundation on Christ, put all my faith and trust in him. I will become the missionary and person he wants me to be. It is hard, but it is worth it. 

I have three weeks worth of pictures!!  I apologize for the over load :)

Wanda Ward

Ew Ew Ew

We bought hats (you aren't Asian till you have one)
and we had a fun p-day! 

District and Zone Leader

One of the security guards of our building. LOVE HIM

On a random street in Datong Taiwan. So inspiring 

Picnic with my Sister Trainer
(Future Companion?)

Cute little boy who stole our precious pizza. I love Asian babies!

My friend that just left on her mission to the states learning english! 

She is going to do so good!! 

Star Fruit! 

Biking is Life

;)

Mom Post - Mother's Day Skype!!

This YoRen Lo who sent us pictures of the Sister Missionaries after they spoke with their families. Sister Menzie, her MTC Companion is on the bottom far right, and Nicole is sitting by Sister Knapp her current companion in the booth.  They are eating at Hot Pot.
The 2nd picture is of them in the Escape Room.








Our time speaking with Nicole was beyond joyful.  We all just laughed and enjoyed what seemed like a few minutes to us. (1hr. 15 min)  She is so happy, and just loves everything about Taiwan. She would talk about her investigators and how she just loved them, the people, food, ward, serving as a temple missionary was just so fun and she loved it. Each time she would end her sentence with,  I just love them, or I just love it here, or I am just so happy, happier than I ever have been before.  She just loves it all!  Her happiness brought laughter and tears to all of us! It was the best mothers day gift ever.  To know that your child is serving the Lord 100% and she finds so much happiness in doing so is the best mother's day present I could ask for.

Another Week of Totally Loving My Life!

Throw back to the MTC with Sister Yee because she just came on Island!
MTC Comp. Sister Menzie is on the far left (:

Lots of fun things happened this week!!

On Tuesday at district meeting President Jergensen and Sister Jergensen came. Which was super intimidating because I practice teaching the first half hour by myself. And they listened to me, I have never been so nervous for a lesson in my life hahaha. But President told me after that he was really impressed with my chinese and that it was really good. So that made me feel sooooo good inside. 

Wednesday we teach english class, me and Sister Knapp now have our own class!!! We teach the middle class. I love it so much, our students are so cute and I love them so much. That's one of my favorite things from my mission so far, loving people. It makes you really vulnerable. But I love loving people. I think that the best way to show people you love them is to share the gospel with them.

Thursday we had our Trainer follow up meeting!! I got to see all of my MTC friends!! They are my bestestest friends ever. I LOVE THEM and I miss them lots. I saw everyone from lehi this week too!! It was especially good to see Sister Miller (: The training was so amazing and life is just amazing you know? 

We have so many parks in our area, and we had a lesson there with our investigator He Dx. It was so cute and peaceful and he is so awesome. Me and Sister Knapp feel very blessed to have such sincere and sweet investigators. This week we met with our investigator Li Dx. We met him on the street, him and his wife were riding on their scooter and stopped to talk to us! His wife wasn't able to come to the lesson, but we will meet her soon!! Before we went to our appointment he called and reminded us to not forget a Book of Mormon for him and his wife. He is amazing and he is so excited when we asked if he would set a baptism date (: 

I LOVE MY MISSION and I love serving, and having Jesus Christs name on me at all times. I am trying my very best to be the best missionary I can be. I am so grateful for this gospel. I owe everything I am, and everything that I have to my Heavenly Father and my Savior. I know our Savior's Atonement will lift us up in times of need, because of that we have every reason to be happy. 

Love,

Sister Scharman

Mango Shaved Ice

I gave Zhang Dx a Reese's that I brought from America and he put it in his collection of stuff and took pictures of it hahahaa (Reese's aren't here and if you would send me some that would be so awesome!!!) 

Mom post: The following pictures are ones we received from members in Taiwan, and her mission blog! We love surprise pictures!!

Market Place?

Treats at the mission home after Temple Day :)

Investigator Zhang Dx (: 

Nicole and Sister Knapp! 

"huan ni" (your turn)

We both think we look awful but the food was good.
The workers picked it out for us.
(peanut butter french toast) they know we are american lol 

This last week was transfers but I am staying! I am still getting used to saying goodbye to people. 

I think this week was successful. We have a new English investigator she is so cute! And we still have a really good number of baptismal dates! They are all super good potentials and we are meeting with them this week! We are super excited! Our most progressing investigator Zhang Dx is awesome and keeping all of the commandments, but he doesn't have the desire to be baptized right now. He has been asking the question "why can't I wait till I am old to get baptized?" He doesn't have that faith. Sister Knapp and I have been studying, praying, and thinking about how to help him develop faith. We have that same problem with our investigator Ana. How do you help someone develop their own faith? I think that's the part that's hardest for me as a missionary, seeing these people you have come to love grow and progress. but then they don't open their hearts all the way to let the spirit testify of the truth. I hope they will open their hearts to the spirit and really sincerely pray to get an answer. 

We were going finding last night, Sister Knapp said "huan ni" (your turn) and pointed to a door bell. I rung it and the door to the stairs opened. In my head I thought "this looks super creepy and I don't want to walk up those stairs" but we did and from it we met the most amazing mom. Her English name is Annie. (they love it when you call them by their English names) and she has two kids. They were sleeping so we didn't get to meet them. We are going to meet with her soon :) When satan puts bad thoughts in your mind don't listen to them okay?

We met with our investigator He Dx. He is so amazing. He loves going to church he wants to attend more then one ward! He has a baptism date for May 14th. In his prayer at the end of our lesson he prayed to be able to get baptized earlier then his date. Isn't that so amazing? We are blessed to know him.

I love Taiwan. I love being here, I love being in the city because there are ALWAYS people to talk to. It's so fun to talk to people when we are waiting at a stop light. We hardly see any white people in our area, but there were two ladies walking in front of us. I started walking fast to catch up to them but was thinking of what I was going to say, but all that came to my mind was Chinese (which is cool but not what I needed) I ended up scaring the ladies when I said hi, but after that our conversation went pretty good.  

My older brother James had a birthday last week!! Happy birthday to him! 

Sister Knapp is amazing and I am so grateful for her example to me and I have learned a lot from her.

I am excited for this week and grateful for the opportunity to be a missionary!

Thanks for the love and support! have a good week! 

Love,

Sister Scharman

                     The Book that saves my life!!
"How to be a Chinese speaking missionary FOR DUMMIES!"

Kids at our English class party :)

Lol Sister Knapp would kill me don't tell her. 
She's so cute ;-)

Sister Valenzuela (our recent convert), Naty, Lita.
These are wonderful ladies in our english ward! 

My trainers :) 

Surprise visit - Sister Teng!

Sister Teng, Nicole's MTC Branch Presidents wife was visiting Taiwan.  She attended Nicole's ward! Sister Teng sent these pictures to us with this sweet note, "She was busy yesterday, she sure is happy and I can tell that members love her too."  It sure is a blessing for our family to receive these messages!

Nicole with Sister Teng and her MTC companion Sister Menzie! (We do not know who the Elders are)

Temple Day!

My new name tag :)

Hey friends!!

I didn't email on Monday because today is Temple Day!! I am so excited to go in the temple today. I am so blessed to have one in my mission!  

My mom has been asking me for more details about my schedule. So here is how my mornings go 

6:20 We wake up

6:30-7 We run to the park where Sister Knapp does the Ama stuff and I run on a little path around her so she can still see me. Then we do exercises together. 

7-8 We get ready and eat breakfast. We usually eat breakfast inside but on Saturdays we go out. We like little traditions. And the breakfast food here is so good. 

8 Personal study

9 Companion study 

10 Twelve weeks training (more studying) (because I am getting trained) 

11 Language studies. 

Then the rest of the day is always different. But on Wednesday Nights we have english class!

Some things about this week. 

Heavenly Father has blessed me and Sister Knapp so much. He turned this week around a whole 360 for us. It started out really slow. I even shed a few tears in public. It was the first time I had let myself get discouraged. In Ether 12 it talks about how you are blessed after the trial of your faith. And this week has definitely strengthened my testimony about that. Within two days, Saturday and Sunday, we set 8 baptism dates with Investigators. And that isn't all of it. We had so many other miracles. Heavenly Father really did bless us as we put our faith and trust in him. I have never been more happy, so happy that the other night I was trying to sleep but I couldn't stop smiling. I love Taiwan and I am so lucky to be here. I love this gospel and I am go grateful for my Savior and his Atonement. 

Our Investigator Zhang Dx is one of the most amazing people I have met. Mosquitoes are so bad here, and they love me even if I have bug spray on. He bought me a mosquito catcher for my apartment, and then In the closing prayer of his lesson he prayed that it would help me. Also Chen Mama got baptized this week!! She is our mm leaders mom and is 91 years old :) she is so cute.

okay bye have a good week!!!! 

Love, Sister Scharman

This guy just asked if he could get a picture with us LOL!

 Cute dumpling man :)

Sister Knapp and I
(She didn't give the other sisters name)

Dumplings are Life! This place is the bomb and they have
one of these places in Seattle, so if you go there
I highly recommend it!

Chop Sticks and Dumplings

P-Day at Young Shang with the sunrise!!! We woke up at 3 am to go! 

We did he Nacho Libre thing lol

Animation 

We got shoved in the trunk when the taxi couldn't go up the mountain any further lol

Sister Menzie my MTC Companion with her comp
Me and Sister Knapp (Animation)

1st Tourist Picture

This is the first tourist picture that was sent home.
The text with the picture said:
"My family is in Taiwan on vacation and we ran into your cute daughters. They were so friendly and upbeat. It was a delight to talk to them, thought we would pass on the pic. Jennie Gordon!