End of my time in Beitou, Week 1 in Taoyuan as Zone Leader

 Hard to say good-bye to Beitou

With English class friends

 My good friend Benjamin and Elder Chang

At Benjamin's house

 Fun pointer stick for teaching

With the Bishop in Beitou

 Celebrating a wonderful transfer with McD ice cream

 Elder Chang wrote me a song

 Elder Chang's special "lucky" bread

Elder Chang made me breakfast

Wow! It's been an exciting week! Transfer calls came, and I found out that I would be moving to Taoyuan as a zone leader. Taoyuan is the Utah of Taiwan as it has been explained to me. The members here are absolutely wonderful, and the people on the street are so very warm and willing to listen to the message we have to share. There are a ton of missionaries here (6 districts in the zone).

New place to call home in Taoyuan

With Elder Smith, my new companion

Many of my good friends are here including my "son," Elder Raley. I was also thrilled to hear that Elder Johnson is the new assistant to the president. He's an outstanding missionary and man, and I'm grateful and excited for the opportunity to continue learning from and working with him. My new companion is Elder Laker Carlos Smith from Highland, Utah (he actually reminds me a great deal of Uncle Vernon...so naturally I've taken a liking to him). He was Elder Johnson's MTC companion and had been companions with both Elder Lawrence and Elder Chang in the past. Actually, between Elder Chang, Elder Lawrence, Elder Smith, and I, the four of us have all been companions one with another at one point or another. Elder Chang calls it our little family. I of course miss Beitou. I feel like I was there for such a sort time after serving for 6 months in Miaoli, but I enjoyed the time there and was blessed to see changes both great and small in those we worked with, in the ward as a whole and our relationships with them, and also in myself as I continue to work to overcome my many weaknesses and become more like Christ.

Bike with new paint job

It's been interesting to see the family's of several missionaries I've come to know and care for a great deal. I saw both Elder Butler and Elder Coletti with their families this past week. They're both wonderful missionaries and men, and I wish them all the best as they move on to the next chapter of their lives. It's gotten to the point these last few transfers where I know missionaries going home each transfer. It's a constant reminder of just how short the mission really is.

Ward Dinner for Elder Coletti 

 JiJi

It's a great blessing to be able to serve the Lord. And actually, you don't have to be a missionary to do so. Everyone can lift where they stand and find joy and satisfaction in so doing. If you get the chance, I would invite you to take a look at this article and think about what it means for your life: The Faithful High Councilor. I know that we can find joy in life as we find opportunities to look outward and help those in need regardless of our individual circumstances. I haven't been in Taoyuan very long, but the time has been quite eventful between a typhoon hitting the island and good old Elder Dickson getting an ocular migraine that wiped him out for a few hours. Whatever the case, I'm grateful to God for the blessing it is to be in His service. I know that the Lord qualifies those whom He calls. I know I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me...and so can you.

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

All the best to Sister Baird as she heads home and to Elders Thomsen and Thomsen and Felker as they head out in the service of the Lord! Have the best week!

All is well,

Elder Dickson

Week 12 in Beitou: simple unexpected blessings!

 Homemade dumplings

The temple was wonderful last week. I was able to receive personal revelation to help me in my current circumstances and also maintain a more eternal perspective that has helped me as we face day-to-day difficulties characteristic of mortality. It's also amazing to have so many missionaries coming out of the Cape Ward back home. It's exciting to see the Lord hasten His work. It's a great comfort to keep in mind that it really is His work. He will make us equal to that which He asks of us. We need only trust Him and press forward in worthiness. By so doing, we will have the Spirit to comfort and guide us in the way we should go. I know that the missionaries, the families of the missionaries, the ward, and all those the missionaries come in contact with will all be blessed as we press forward in faith. I've seen it this past year. God qualifies those whom He calls.

We met with Brother Gao this past week. He's a referral from Temple Square in UT. He's 25 years old and has perfect English. We were privileged to share the Plan of Salvation with him this past week. He couldn't stop smiling. I felt true joy as I saw the joy the gospel brought to him. He was so appreciative and couldn't stop thanking us for what we do as missionaries. We're excited to continue working with him as well as his friends and family. The restored gospel of Jesus Christ is for everyone, and it blesses the lives of all who accept it.

We started a scripture class this past week. We read about Lehi's dream (1Ne.Ch.8) and had pretty good attendance. Marshmallow, Kenneth, and Brother Liu all came and enjoyed it.

Scripture class art

Benjamin is the best! He can hardly speak without bearing his testimony in one way or another. Every time we see him he tells us of a way the gospel has blessed his life since we last met (we see him on an almost daily basis). He even calls us to fellowship us sometimes. He's a good friend, and we are going to his house for lunch later today.

Kenneth finally has a calling! He's the secretary in the young men presidency; he's doing wonderfully. It's a blessing to see how the gospel is blessing his life. He's so much happier now.

MOS burger (Yes, that burger is made of rice...)

I was reminded of a lesson I learned in training this week. It's one we should all keep in mind. By turning outward and focusing on the needs of others we find true and lasting happiness regardless of our individual circumstances or even trials. Want to be happy? Turn outward :)

We got some recent "upgrades." We painted our bikes and finally got the local tracts I've been pushing for since I got to Beitou. We're super excited about this.

Upgrade installed ;)

(for carrying new local tract, phone, etc.)

Now for a testimony of blessing the food...Sunday rolled around and we realized that we once again failed to buy food for either lunch or dinner. All we had were some "flaky scallion crepes" (that's the literal translation) and some Costco muffins. It's something, but it's certainly not the most nutritious food for one who is going to be out under the Taiwanese sun all day. After debating about whether it might be healthier to fast and skip eating entirely I decided I had better just bless the food. I acknowledged that I had done wrong in not preparing well, but that we needed health and energy to do His work. I bit into the muffin to find...fruit inside! I didn't buy muffins with fruit! I looked at the packaging again and it said cranberry muffins. I've never even heard of Costco selling cranberry muffins and was certain I had purchased banana nut. Anyway, it was a miracle and we had the health and strength we needed to work effectively throughout the day.

Taiwanese tan is coming back

Elder Chang and I in his planner

End of the roaches...

We met a new investigator yesterday named Duke. It was funny. He interrupted me while I was speaking and said "it's impossible for me to believe what I'm hearing because I look at you and see a foreigner and then hear profound speech coming from somewhere!" He's just a really nice and funny guy, but I thought it was funny.

Transfers is this week. I'm come to really like Beitou and working with Elder Chang. I don't know whether I'll move or not, but if so, I will miss Beitou and the people here I've come to love and care for.

Laser tag: A fun P-day activity

All is well,

Elder Dickson

Week 11 in Beitou: visited the library

It's temple day (so our P-day is today, Wednesday)!!!

Steak!

Last P-day, we played laser tag as a district and were able to attend a concert hosted by Jenny Oaks Baker and family. She is incredibly talented, and it was a blessing to be able to hear her testimony of the Savior expressed through her music. I also saw Doffy from Miaoli there! It was wonderful to see an old friend.

 

The Beitou Public Library

 

 

Yummy food!

We had a really cool lesson with Brother Fang last week. We shared the story of the Anti-Nephi-Lehis burying their weapons of war and related it to him (he can "bury" his weakness and never have to fight it again). He is fighting the good fight. I know he can overcome any obstacle as he turns to the Savior.

We had a rather comical moment with Marshmallow. He's a character, but we love him for it. Most of the time...no, we always do. He asked about the sheep in Jesus's arms that appears on the cover of the message of the Restoration of the Gospel pamphlet. He wanted to know what Jesus had to do with sheep, but didn't give us a chance to answer. He just went on and on about how stubborn and difficult sheep were to handle. "They run around without direction and you have to go and bring them back again and again. Some sheep are especially difficult. What then? What about those sheep? Huh?" It was ironic as we tried to reel him back into the lesson, but it was fun :) (The sheep represents each and everyone one of us).

 

Turtles

 

 

 

Feast prepared by our beloved ward mission leader

 

 

My companion needed to head to the restroom while we were finding at the MRT. Previously, we would keep finding while waiting, but I realized that wasn't the most obedient way to go about it. So, I waited outside the restroom. It seemed a little counterproductive to stand over there and not be able to contact people very well. However, God blesses us for our obedience. A cool guy came up and self-contacted. He came up to me with interest in hearing more and set up to meet at a later time.

 

Seaweed wraps! :D

 

 

Elder Chang the Pirate

 

 

We got to help at a huge scouting event. We basically just gave them a brief introduction to our church. We were in charge of teaching about the Book of Mormon and got to have full-out rock-paper-scissor warfare to demonstrate the destruction of the Nephites by the Lamanite people. It was good fun.

 

Helping with a scout activity

 

 

Benjamin continues to amaze. He's a blessing to work with and a good friend. It was also a miracle to see my good friend Kenneth grow so much in testimony since I last saw him. He attended FSY (like EFY in the states), and he came back enthused to keep learning the gospel and build his faith. He's the man.

There have been some challenges lately between some minor health concerns and an anti-Mormon encounter, but we continue to see great miracles and know the Lord is with us. 

District training meeting was really fun yesterday (we just may have provided free ice cream for the district members...). The focus of the meeting was charity and love. The Spirit was there, and all were inspired and uplifted. It was fun too. We did some activities that came to me as I prepared for the meeting, and it was a blast. It's great to serve the Lord.

got a cheap copy of Chinese Chess, but there's just no time to play...maybe P-day?

 

 

This transfer has gone crazy fast. Transfers is next week. As always, we have no idea what will happen, but whatever the case, it's been a privilege and blessing to serve with Elder Chang these past few weeks. He's a real friend.

All is well,

Elder Dickson