good sabbath days

each sunday i attend an english branch in the nearest big city to fongyuan. we make the 40-minute trek--either by scooter or by bus--to taichung to our building. our branch is mostly comprised of us english teachers. we carry the bulk of making the branch operate every sunday. there are a few members that are from the philippines who come to work in taiwan. they send money home to their families in the philipines. many of them are recent converts. their work is long and hard, but they are happy, joyful people.

every other sunday, i teach gospel essentials. i get to teach the members who are pretty new to the church about the different principles of the gospel. it is a wonderful and humbling experience. we have a service missionary couple that worships with us, the dowses. they are our grandparents away from home. sister dowse team-teaches gospel essentials with me, so she comes to class and i get to feel her and her husband's spirit.

the branch president is an american who came to taiwan quite a few years ago to teach english. he met a chinese girl, fell in love, and made the stay in taiwan permanent. they have the most adoreable babies i have ever seen in my life. not to mention that their youngest child, bradley, is an angel. he loves everyone he meets and has the most adoreable smile. did i mention that he's cute and friendly and every time i see him i want to take him home? ....what's that you say? baby hungry?? who on earth is baby hungry? ahem, not me.......;)

to our left, we have the angelic baby bradley.

one of the women in our branch is philipino and her husband is chinese. together they have two gorgeous daughters. i think to these girls i have reached the level of really annoying auntie who wants to just smother you with kisses and pinch your cheeks because i think i have an unbroken record of kissing their cheeks every sunday i see them. but who could resist not kissing such angelic faces? and the girls are so smart! they speak english and chinese.

our group is small, but we are getting close and i feel great love for them. we are a family: comforting each other, listening to each other, supporting each other, loving each other.

with love from home away from home,

the miss megan.