Week 4 in Beitou. The suffering of Jesus Christ enables Him to have perfect empathy for whatever you may be going through.

Happy Dragon Boat Festival!

We had a district P-day last week. We played ping pong and badminton, and we just may have broken out Jungle Speed. 

P-day with Elder Alexander the week before last

District P-day this past week in Zhuwei

Jungle Speed

Badmitton

Ping Pong

 Lunch

We met with Fang DX this past week. He's been progressing so very well. We talked about how it's difficult to give up certain things in your life as you come to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ.  It's amazing to see the Lord at work. By the end of the lesson he was willing to try. I know he can do it. I have faith in him and he and I both have faith in the Lord and in the enabling power of His Atonement. He and none of us need face trials on our own.

There's an incredible training we watched on Thursday of this past week about Joseph Smith, the first prophet of this dispensation of time. The video is called  Thou Art Joseph I highly recommend it; I learned a lot, and I received revelation and inspiration for my present circumstances and future. 

Interviews with my mission president, President Jergensen, were uplifting and inspiring as usual. I love every opportunity I have to talk with him. The love and trust he has for us as missionaries is nothing short of remarkable. It's a great privilege to serve with him. I particularly appreciated one piece of advice he gave me in relation to the study of the scriptures. He was recently in a meeting where a General Authority said something along the lines of "it doesn't matter so much how much we read on any given day, but much more so how long." It's not a competition to see how many times you can read through the scriptures in a set period of time; you can have a very effective and faith-promoting study as you focus your entire study on a handful of verses.

We're working well with the ward here. Things are getting better and better; we met with the devoted bishop this past week and were received warmly.

I got a postcard from Kailin ( a member from MiaoLi who left on a mission for New Zealand while I was serving there.

We revolutionized our finding/teaching this past week by simply being cheerful and listening better...then responding to needs and concerns as they are expressed. Bellowing out booming "HELLO!"s and flashing goofy grins...literally everyone is willing to stop and talk for at least a moment and are left feeling better than they had prior to our talking with them (whether they have interest in our message or not). It's FUN!..and successful. We love to lift the spirits of those around us!

Taiwan is such a wonderful place with such wonderful people. Elder Alexander's bike box fell off the other day. Everyone stopped what they were doing, and one boy literally dropped what he was holding and sprinted into a sliding stop (as if he was sliding into home with great urgency and purpose). He then proceeded to pick up all of Elder Alexander's belongings and asked if he could do anything else to be of service. Truly amazing. It's no wonder it's sometimes difficult to find service opportunities in Taiwan; as soon as an issue comes up, everyone sprints to the rescue in unison (this isn't the first time I've seen this kind of thing in Taiwan).

Meal with members to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival

 

We met with a wonderful new investigator this past week who is originally from mainland China. He's a meta-physicist and quite brilliant and also quite hilarious. He says that he already feels the love of God in his life. However, he was a little stumped on the logistics of training and releasing a dove at baptismal services...he was a little confused about the account of Jesus being baptized and the Holy Ghost descending in the form of a dove and thought that was something we did to this day. I like working with him. He's Great!

I was elated to hear from Elder Raley this past week. He called me to ask if I would be interested in attending a baptismal service of an investigator we had found and started teaching together. I told him I probably wouldn't be able to go all the way down to Miaoli but to tell them congratulations for me. He seemed a little down; he then brought up another investigator who was getting baptized and asked if I could attend that one. I gave him a similar answer, and he just kept them coming...it appears as though they're baptizing all of Miaoli down there...I'm glad he's seeing so much success and that so many are willing to follow the Savior.   Miaoli is a blessed place!

(HAPPY BIRTHDAY CA$H!) 

Food and Elder Alexander (sometimes he gets pretty excited at meal times!)

We're seeing many a miracle here in Beitou, and Elder Alexander and I are loving the work. We're grateful for the many blessings we've received and are excited for another great week!

Beitou

The Savior lives. He knows you. He understands your current situation and has the power to aid you now. He loves you both perfectly and unconditionally.

I love you all! Thank you for all your prayers and support! 

All is well,

Elder Dickson

Week 3 in Beitou: in the words of the Savior "Be Not Afraid, Only Believe"

Dear family and friends, 

 

I got to see Cash this past week 

 

 

We met a man this past week who literally came up to us looking for a church. He came, and as it happened, he was lucky enough to shake hands with an Apostle of the Lord: Elder Quentin L. Cook (though he didn't know it at the time). I also had the opportunity of going on exchange with Elder Miller up in Bali. He's a very experienced missionary with not much time left in the field, and I was able to learn a lot from him: we were able to do some yard work up in the mountains, we never ended up touching the bikes...and so we did a "fair bit" of walking, we had pizza at a beautiful place at the ocean side and were able to have a discussion about our missions to date (the peace I felt afterwards was surreal as I looked out over the ocean and reflected on my experiences in Taiwan). We witnessed several miracles that day, but I think my favorite was right before we entered the apartment. We were kind of "done for the day," but a boy passed us on the street right as we turned to go in the apartment. We yelled after him and just quickly asked if he would be interested in hearing a message about how Jesus Christ can bless his life. He said, "Yes! I have time on Sunday at 4PM. Here's my number and where would you like to meet?" No effort is wasted.

 

My exchange in Bali

 

Bali apartment

 

The ocean

 

Elder Miller

 

 

Amazing Pizza 

Chinese Chess

I had a scary experience on the MRT that I won't go into much if any detail on, but I will say that it is vitally important to make decisions in advance on issues of moral standards. I was protected and blessed for so doing. 

 

 

 

The weekend was full of spiritual feasting. Elder Cook of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles visited first for a Mission Conference and then for a Multi-Stake Conference the following day. We had the opportunity of shaking hands with and learning of him. The Spirit was powerful as he taught and testified of Christ. He told us he knew both the face of the Savior as well as the sound of His voice, that the Savior was very much aware of us, and that He loved us. I know He lives. He directs the church through a living prophet, and we need not fear.

 

Dan Bao Fan

 

 

Luo Agong was baptized in MiaoLi

 

 

 We wrote notes for most of our ward here:

I learned a great deal regarding faith this past weekend. Faith is the beginning of true conversion; it is the same power that keeps us moving forward day by day in the ways of the Lord. Faith is a principle of action; prayer, scripture study, and weekly partaking of the sacrament will provide the foundation needed for our spiritual survival in these difficult times. Ether 12:4 "Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God."

 Ether 12 

A great chapter to read about Faith!

In the words of the Savior, "Be not afraid, only believe."

I love you all!

All is well,

Elder Dickson

 

For P-day we went to trampoline park last Monday.  Elder Alexander taught me to do a front flip and a back flip.

 

 

Week 2 in Beitou: Happiness comes from family and God, not material things

 Skyping with the family in Missouri for Mother's Day

I even got to see my sister in Utah, (the wonders of technology)

It was another week of learning. I was able to Skype with my family this morning, which was Sunday night in Missouri. It's hard for me to believe how quickly the time is passing; it feels like only yesterday I Skyped them at Christmas time. I love them, and I'm grateful that they're doing so well.

An Amazing Family

 Lil Miss Captain America and her hero of a father

 A Marimba like back home!

A Happy child

We visited a member family this week. Their living space was a little smaller than what many people reading this blog are accustomed to, but...they had everything. I included some pictures of the kids. They're so happy as a family. They have one another, and they have the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The father is the hero of the children (much as my parents always were and still are to me). I've shared this before, but my dad was always very busy when I was growing up. He had a lot of responsibilities and not a lot of time. However, we children were always a priority. He always made time for us to do the things we enjoyed doing. It meant the world to me, and he and my other family members are my best and most trusted friends in all the world. The world we live in isn't an easy place to grow up in. Don't underestimate the influence you have. Make time for those you love this week. 

It was good to hear from the assistants to the President this past week that Elder Raley is doing outstanding over in Miaoli. He tested into the second level of language learning and they were literally astounded by his language and teaching skills. He's the best!

Photos of Beitou

 The Chapel in Beitou

We ran into a man on the street this past week that had some concerns about our church history. We asked him if he personally had read the Book of Mormon. He had not. It is amazing the power the Book of Mormon has. It is the keystone of our religion. It testifies of Christ, contains His Gospel in its fullness, and is a witness to all the world of modern-day revelation. All stands or falls with the Book of Mormon. In this last General Conference President Monson focused his remarks on this special witness of the Savior and invited all to study from it on a daily basis. This is my invitation to you. Follow the prophet. Read and study from the Book of Mormon. Individually and as a family. Daily. We need to build and maintain our testimonies of the Savior if we are to endure these challenging times that lay ahead. Hold to the rod.

Public Transportation

 I gave in and bought a Costco card last P-day

 Spicy Mexican Fried Rice

 We have a new roommate, Sir Roach.

maggots for lunch...

Did some morning exercise and the mosquitoes got me.

 This Dragonfly made it's last flight :(

It also happens to be Mother's Day in America. I couldn't be more blessed. My mom is my hero and friend. She also just so happens to be an angel.

For Mother's day in Taiwan there was a luncheon for the moms and missionaries after church.

 Yummy cake!

These scriptures in Alma describe just how much influence a mother can have on the lives of her children.  (Referring to the Army of Helaman)

Alma 56:47 "Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them." and Alma 57:25-27 "25 And it came to pass that there were two hundred, out of my two thousand and sixty, who had fainted because of the loss of blood; nevertheless, according to the goodness of God, and to our great astonishment, and also the joy of our whole army, there was not one soul of them who did perish; yea, and neither was there one soul among them who had not received many wounds.

26 And now, their preservation was astonishing to our whole army, yea, that they should be spared while there was a thousand of our brethren who were slain. And we do justly ascribe it to the miraculous power of God, because of their exceeding faith in that which they had been taught to believe—that there was a just God, and whosoever did not doubt, that they should be preserved by his marvelous power.

27 Now this was the faith of these of whom I have spoken; they are young, and their minds are firm, and they do put their trust in God continually."

I'm grateful each day for the things my mother taught me through her teachings and example. She's among the most Christlike people I know.

I love you all!

All is well,

Elder Dickson