Week 11 in MiaoLi. Happy Chinese New Year!

A warm week. Spring may be upon us here in Taiwan, but it's hard to know.

At the church playing games with the YSA group: 

 

YSA family home evening: the Plan of Salvation

 

P-day was fun and relaxing. We spent it at the church playing games with the YSA and other members of the ward before they all went home for Chinese New Year. Miaoli isn't quite the same without them around, but we're still keeping busy and pressing forward. The members have been very good to us; everything is closed for the Chinese New Year, so many of our meals are provided by thoughtful members of our ward (they're more like feasts really). The fireworks never end. Day and night the skies are full of explosions. Luckily, we're tired enough at night that we can sleep regardless. However, it is interesting to awake to cannon fire and to feel like you're in the crossfire of a shootout all through church. I may have been hit with a firework at one point this week...but I was not injured so there is no need to worry :)

 

My journal entry for this week

 

 

We covered a lot of miles this week biking to and from several neighboring cities. We certainly got our exercise in.

On the trip to Taipei

This week was the Worldwide Missionary Broadcast. We traveled up to Taipei for the meeting and received training and direction from living prophets. There were some major changes made. The missionary schedule has been changed drastically to allow for more flexibility, more sleep, and increased opportunity for the exercise of agency (making and being accountable for our choices). In addition, we will now only report on 4 key indicators (a little over a year ago they were reporting on 34 key indicators in my mission). These changes are significant and affect what we do as missionaries on a daily basis. We're still adjusting, but I know these changes are inspired of God. It is truly a miracle to be led by living prophets. Despite whatever difficulties we face in life, despite the trials we face in a fallen world, we can have hope and happiness as we follow the loving, inspired direction of a living prophet of God. God hasn't given up on us. He will not. He watches over us. He knows us. He loves us. See God's purpose in the scripture below:

Moses 1:39 "For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."

He wants us to return to live with Him.

We're doing a deep, deep, deep cleaning of our apartment as directed by President Jergensen. We'll spend most of our day today doing that, but it will be nice to have a clean environment to live and work in.

Transfers is next week. We'll see what happens...

All is well,
Elder Dickson

Week 10 in MiaoLi

Time is a luxury I can't afford, but as always, I'll do my best :)

I'm grateful. The work has been increasingly difficult lately due to the festivities surrounding and during the Chinese New Year, but I'm grateful. We see miracles on a daily basis, and the Lord is with us.

 

 

Wen Agong. I must share of an experience we had this week with Wen Huan Ji. He's the older man who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. His current situation is anything but ideal; he doesn't know how much time he has left, and the time he does have is not spent in comfort. He hasn't been keeping his commitments to read from the Book of Mormon and pray daily as of late. I think he had lost hope and didn't see any point in doing something seemingly so trivial. He was beyond caring. He always gives us the same answer when we ask him about his commitments: "Ouer hui" (On occasion). When we try to press for more details he gets offended and has a little outburst. This last time things were different. His response was the same and he had a little outburst as he tends to, but I could not let that be the end of it. I've come to love this man. I've felt of God's love for this man. I've seen the love his family has for him. I knew the gospel could help him--bring him the comfort and peace, joy even, that he so desperately needs in his life. I felt prompted to press him further. I asked him why we wanted him to read and pray. I asked him what was preventing him from so doing, and then we testified. We testified of the love of those present and of the love of God. We testified of the Savior and of our need for Him. I couldn't read his expression at this point. I thought he looked like he might be upset, but then I saw something that awed me...there was a tear...there was a tear in the eye of this wonderful man, a man who had been dealt a difficult hand, a man who had known suffering and fear, and man who now, for the first time in a long time...had hope. I asked him if he would commit to read and pray daily. There was another outburst, but this time it was an outburst of joy. He shouted that of course he would. He would everyday. Everyday. He tried to explain his happiness, but couldn't quite find the words. Though, it could be seen in his eyes--those eyes that now had something to look forward to. He then insisted that we come at least three times a week to see him. There was to be no arguing the point (in the past he was very difficult to set up a time to visit and not all that enthusiastic about it either). And so it is, we will go and see him at least three times a week. How did such a change come over this man of courage? The Spirit has great power. It changes us; it changes our desires. It changes our very natures, but it cannot influence us if we do not receive it. 2 Ne. 33:1 teaches us that the Spirit brings truth unto the hearts of men. We must accept it. We must be humble enough to receive God's loving correction. Wen Agong's heart broke in love and gratitude, and the Spirit wrought a mighty change therein. I told him I didn't know if the Lord would heal him all at once in a response to his willingness to follow Him, but that he would be blessed whether it be with peace or comfort or simply happiness. Then I was prompted to say something that astounded me. I told him that I didn't know that God wouldn't heal him of all his ailments...that He very well could. The Spirit came over me and testified of my own words as I said those words. Oh, how grateful I am to represent the Lord in His great work.

This was but one of the miracles we see on a daily basis here in the service of the Lord. He is at the head of this great work. He leads us today through His living prophet: Thomas S. Monson. 

"Life is like an old-time rail journey--delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride." --Jenkins Lloyd Jones

Happy Chinese New Year!

 

P-day adventures

 

Off-roading with  my bike

 

Zone P-day activity: Infection tag near an abandoned building--like City Museum in St. Louis...only not people safe--and surrounding forest. 

 

I love you all! 

All is well,

Elder Dickson

For additional study and uplifting:

 

Hebrews 12:1-3 (Focusing on joy--on the Savior--can help us endure the difficulties we all face in life)

12 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
³ For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

President Russell M. Nelson's talk:"Joy and Spiritual Survival"

 

Alma chapter 32 on faith

I couldn't tell most of the happenings that happened the past two weeks as there was simply too much that happened and not enough time to write about it but I am keeping a detailed journal.  Here is an excerpt from last week and this week.

 

 

Week 9 in MiaoLi

Greetings! It's been a while since I've been able to do a real update. I hope everyone had a smooth transition out of break and into work/school/regular life.

At the Taipei Temple 

Elder Joly and I have had a wonderful couple of weeks. The work in Miaoli is going forward, and we seen miracles on a daily basis. It's starting to get a little colder outside, and the rain decided to come in with the cold. Regardless, things are good here in Miaoli.

 

I know my ABC's!

 

 

The fast way out

 

 

Riding a bike all the time is a little rough on the hands

 

 

 

Wayne and Dallin were baptized and confirmed a little over a week ago. Dallin's quite the little missionary man. He's inviting everyone he knows to come to church, and if not for Wayne, we never would have met Dallin. They're both incredible examples. They continue to learn and grow in the gospel. 

We've focused a lot on daily prayer and scripture study with our investigators as of late and seen miracles as we've done so. They have come to understand and appreciate the importance of these simple acts and for the most part have all accepted commitments to read from the Book of Mormon and pray on a daily basis. We're keeping in close contact with them, and they're all doing well. 

We found a golden new investigator this past week--Jack. He came to church on Sunday, and following the meeting he asked us where he could buy the book that had been mentioned in some of the talks (the Book of Mormon). We happily informed him that we couldn't sell him one, but...that we could give him a copy there on the spot. He was thrilled and excited to get started. That night, we invited him to our scripture study class. He loved it, and even offered the closing prayer (his first ever and having never been taught). He did wonderfully. Afterwards, we quickly taught him the pattern of prayer taught to us by our Savior. We asked him if he would be willing to try a prayer each day. He responded that of course he would both read the Book of Mormon and pray every night before bed as if it was the most obvious thing in the world without even being invited to do so. He has such a strong desire to follow the Savior, and I'm super excited to share the truths of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ with him over the next little bit here. 

We went up to Taipei this week:  I got to go to THE TEMPLE,  see the Taipei 101, eat Sister Jergensen's homemade waffles, etc.

 

Taipei 101

 

 

Homemade waffles at the Mission Home

Riding in a Refugee Car

We saw so many miracles with the Book of Mormon this week; it truly is the word of God and His tool in bringing about His work in these the latter days. A Filipino woman approached us at the train station in Taipei and asked us if there was any way she could get a copy of the book in Taiwan (she had been looking for 3 years). We were very pleased to help her obtain a copy. We contacted a young man outside of the hospital at one point this week. He said he had received a copy of a book from people who looked like us about a year prior, had read some of it, liked it and wanted to learn more about it. Then of course we've got Jack and his desire to purchase a copy, etc.

See this link if you'd like to get your own copy.  How to get a free Book of Mormon

Don't eat the Korean spicy noodles. You will regret it...Think FIRE, a really HOT Fire!

 

Eating those spicy noodles with Cash and Sandy

Chinese New Year

Fun fact: I taught the gospel using a fire hydrant this week. The gospel is amazing; it can truly be related to anything. 

 

The Plan of Salvation in Chinese

 

 

Quote of the week: "We are the Jedi of the real world..." (And it's true too, we're saving the universe one soul at a time)

Life is terribly unfair. It's simply the way things are, and wow I am grateful for it...please read this talk by a modern prophet of God to understand better what I'm trying to express. "That I Might Draw All Men Unto Me"

I love you all! Have the best week! If you have faith, there's a way (You xinxin, you banfa).

All is well,

Elder Dickson

Week 8 in MiaoLi: Preparation day was on Wednesday this week

Sorry this post is late.  My preparation day was on Wednesday instead of Monday this past week because we had the opportunity to go to the temple in Taipai.  

 Wayne and Dallin got baptized!

I don't know if I will have time later or not, so I'll write a little something and the rest will have to wait until Monday. We're going up to the temple today. Therefore, we had to get up at 3 AM to email a little bit and then catch the morning train. I'm excited for an incredible day. It's my first time going to the temple here in Taipei, but I believe I will be going again soon with my good friends and brothers in the gospel--Wayne and Dallin. It's been miraculous to watch them change and grow through their conversion process. I love them and am so very proud of their efforts and testimony. I love you all! Have the best week!

Trying to be David and slay Goliath

We had a lesson in Tongxiao

 

We got to go to Costco!!!

Costco = Mini America in Taiwan ;)

 

 Ham and pineapple pizza! 

 

 

The beauty of Taiwan and the creepy crawlies of Taiwan

 

 

I'm sorry I couldn't write more. I did all I could. I'm super excited for the temple, and we've really got to go or we'll miss another train ;P

All is well,

Elder Dickson