Our story and our blessing 我們的故事我們的祝福

Pieter served a mission in Taipei, Taiwan mission from 2001~2002. I joined the LDS church on September 1st 2001, in Shilin, Taipei. But we never met each other during that time. How did we connect then? There was a friend who we both knew, Linda. She was very out going and she had my husband's contact information. And Linda'a job was near by my company. We met each other often during lunch time. One day she told me about Pieter who was a returned missionary. I thought I could talk to him online and improve my English. Then I asked her if she could let me join in their online chat. Then Linda, Pieter and I chatted on ICQ and MSN. We did it a few times until one day my friend Linda had to go on a mission to the states. But Pieter and I still continued chatting on line.

Day by day our feelings for each other grew. After a month or two of talking he wanted to come to Taiwan to visit me to see if we should take our relationship to the next level. There was a big disease  called "SARS" at the time, when he came. Every one was afraid to get sick, we had to wear masks and wash our hands often. Tickets were cheap, so Pieter flew over. When we met each other at the Taipei Main station, He couldn't find or recognise me because everyone had to wear masks. I found him first, because of his red hair. 

Then we spent two weeks to know each other, we had good feelings for each other. After that  I decided to visit his parents in Sep 2004.  Pieter's  parents  were very nice. I felt their family lived the gospel life. They were righteous and positive people. (So if you want to marry someone, you have to visit his or her family first).

Because we had good feeling to be together, we decided to get married. The next question was how could we be together? We both didn't have money, Pieter was a poor student. Where should we go? Taiwan or America? That was the big problem for us at that time. Pieter was tired of working full-time and only getting a few credits each semester from night-school. He almost joined the navy and became a highway patrolman. Because we really wanted to get married, we decided to just do it and see what came. Pieter applied for Taiwan's schools and I flied to the U.S to marry. We put our hands in the Lord's. ( We spent two years to get together, we had good times and bad times, but we went through it all).

Then the blessings came. We had friends and family supporting us to stay in the U.S for a few months.  Pieter was accepted by MCU in Taiwan after we got married. We moved back to Taiwan, he was a student and a husband. After we got married about two years, we decided to have children. Pieter worked hard to support this family and be a student at the same time. He has always worked really hard.

We have lived in Taiwan for 9 years, have four Children and Pieter has got his MFA. So many things have happened in our life, whatever the problems we will overcome and continue on in our life. We are thankful to God for all his help.

One of the most wonderful times in my life was when I was married to my husband in the Oakland Temple in California on the 6th of April, 2005.

We got married in the morning at about 11 o'clock. And we had Pieter's parents, his brothers and sisters and a few friends join us. We had Pieter's boss do our photography. We were blessed a lot, we had family and friends that supported and helped us. 

2005年4月6日我們在加州Oakland Temple締結永恆婚姻，這天我們有Pieter的雙親及弟妹以及幾位朋友參加我們的印證。當日幫我們拍照的是Pieter當時工作的老闆，我們受到相當大的祝福，有家人跟朋友支持跟協助，得以完成這次永恆婚姻

2005年4月6日我們在加州Oakland Temple締結永恆婚姻，這天我們有Pieter的雙親及弟妹以及幾位朋友參加我們的印證。當日幫我們拍照的是Pieter當時工作的老闆，我們受到相當大的祝福，有家人跟朋友支持跟協助，得以完成這次永恆婚姻