Week 6 in Taiwan: had a bad bike wreck this week

Typhoon week...lesson relearned: listen to mom (even if she is halfway across the world). The storm came in on Monday of this last week and really lasted into Wednesday, maybe a little longer. We were stuck inside for most of this time. This gave me time to study, rest, and reflect, but ironically, it was almost more tiring to be inside all-day than to be out working. Anyway, mom advised me last week to buy some groceries for when the storm hit. The other missionaries claimed that wasn't necessary, but I insisted. We were all later very grateful for my mom's advice. We had noodles and rice before we went shopping, but as we tried to turn on the stove Tuesday morning we learned it was out of gas. Therefore cooking wouldn't be an option. Luckily, we had some loaves of bread among other things that we had purchased so we had things to eat even though we couldn't cook food. Later, we actually ended up using the rice cooker to make a rather unique sort of casserole. The winds were powerful enough that my ears kept popping from the pressure inside the apartment. We sang "Master the Tempest is Raging" as the storm continued. It offered us some comfort.

unfortunate wheel (pictures don't really do it justice, but yeah)

Our "casserole"

I got in a couple of bike wrecks this week. However, I was protected and am generally unharmed. My bike didn't fair so well the second time. It was raining heavily and somewhat difficult to see. A car started coming out, then stopped, then started going again. It just barely missed my companion who was right in front of me. I was saying a silent prayer of gratitude that he hadn't been hit while trying to stop or turn out of the way, but due to the wet ground I ended up hitting the car pretty good. My front wheel went straight into the back wheel well of the car directly in front of the tire and acted as something of a break (The tire of the car rolled forward and my  wheel wrapped around it in something of a U-shape stopping both the car and my bike. I hit the car and flew over it landing on my back in the middle of the intersection. It happened fast enough that I don't remember much of it, but I was able to get up and walk away from it. The car sustained no damage. I had to get my bike repaired and have some pretty good bruises, but I feel so very blessed that it was nothing more. The Lord protected me. 

 The wheel

 Obama Burgers in Taiwan?

 New tags

 during a "break" in the storm

Post storm photos

Saturday was crazy. We went down to FengLin to look for an apartment. We got permission to go down early and began our search at roughly 9am. After an hour or two we had exhausted our leads, but we weren't giving up. We actually went door-to-door asking about apartments at this point. Before long the whole town was helping us look. I think this is why there are no opportunities to serve in Taiwan. As soon as need presents itself, everyone drops everything they're doing and works to get the job done. We had people from Taipei, who were just in town to have fun, helping us look for a place to live in FengLin. After nine hours of searching with the help of the whole town and a chain of miracles, we were finally able to find a place. I can't relate all of the events that transpired, but finding this apartment was definitely a miracle. Blessings don't always come when we would like them to, but they come. As we trust in the Lord, they come.

From a P-day before the big storm

snake!

big grasshopper

colorful frog

I got to teach English class on my own this week due to some complications with the typhoon. It was a lot of fun. I love serving in this capacity. After class, we take a 1/2 hour and share a short spiritual message with those who would like to stay after. I chose to teach about the most joyful principle ever--repentance! I truly love repentance. There's a misconception that repentance is a sad thing...something you have to do because you've done something wrong...but it's not. It's a hope-filled opportunity to become more, to become the person God knows we can be. It's the means by which we can access the Atonement of our Savior. It's the means by which we can overcome our weaknesses. There's a quote by C.S. Lewis about the Savior and a little cottage. In the story, the cottage represents us. He comes in and makes some repairs that we knew needed to be made (stopping leaks, etc.), but then, he starts knocking around the house in a way that...well...hurts. He takes out a wall here, throws up a new flight of stairs there, etc. The explanation is that God's vision for us is infinitely more than our vision for ourselves.

Repentance is more than just repairs...it's continually upgrading. 

 He knows what we are capable of. He knows what we can become. We envisioned a decent little cottage...but God intends to make a palace. Mosiah 4:10 "And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them." We learn from this scripture that we need to live what we believe. That's my invitation this week. We all know what we should be doing. My invitation is to choose one thing, and "repent." Choose to become a little better. I know that as we do this, and continue to do this, we will find greater joy and ultimately become the people we want the be...the people God needs us to be.

culinary masterpieces (the one is just the 1st course at a chidaobao before we biked down to Zhixue)

Other stuff: God gave me power to make a 30 minute motorcycle ride into a 20 minute bike ride (and that after I had eaten a mega meal...), we played ultimate Frisbee on a virtual battleground after the storm had passed, we had an investigator read 1/3 of the Book of Mormon without our asking her to do so, I got to bear testimony at church and we actually made it into every other testimony as people from the congregation shared how we had blessed them or worked miracles in their lives throughout the week (our key indicators were the lowest my companion has ever had this week, but I believe we were successful regardless due to both promptings from the Spirit and from hearing the members of the ward talk about the ways we were able to help them), we literally ran home from the church one night, and I've been sick on and off throughout the course of the week with a fever. I'm uber excited to see conference this next week! If you haven't had a chance to see it yet, it isn't too late! 

All is well,

Elder Dickson