Week 8 in Xizhi

P-Day in Yilan宜蘭

We sat down to meet with one of our investigators this week, and as we were teaching he interjected that he was 62 years old with something of a reminiscent expression on his face. A voice from the back room exclaimed, "You don't even know what you're saying! You're 81!" He thought on that for a moment. "Yes, yes, you're right. I'm over 100 years old..." He's such a lovable man. I love teaching him. It's amazing to see the Spirit bring understanding to him despite his age as we teach him simply using the scriptures as our guide. He's strong in the testimony of Jesus, and I'm amazed by his humble desire to learn of Him.

My companion: Elder Steffan

P-day fun at the Bishop's house

Rice Wrap

My English class students have fallen in love with several games we play that are just simplified versions of board games I've played back home modified to meet the needs of the class: Spyfall, But Wait, There's More, and a handful of others requiring some degree of speaking and listening ability. This past week we played a mini-game requiring students to describe a determined environment to their partner without outright telling them what the chosen environment was. It was fun as they used their creativity to get their ideas across: the colors of the Rainforest, the intense heat of the desert, and the emptiness of the Tundra. Near the end of the class, I asked a young recent convert to describe an environment not listed on the board to see if the students might guess it. I thought she must surely have misunderstood as she described in her beginning English a place so wonderful it could only be a place found in her dreams. Yet, she went on to describe her feelings in such a manner and with such expression so as to dispel all doubts of this being an imagined location, for no one could describe a place in such detail and emotion without having been there and experienced it first-hand. The members present guessed it to be the Celestial Kingdom. The other students figured it could only be Heaven as they understood it.

She was describing church. I was humbled and moved. I've since pondered on my own experience at church, and though I love attending each week and understand the great importance of it, I realized I still have a long way to go. We can all put a little more effort into our Sabbath-Day worship. We can prepare ourselves to have a better experience at church as we have things laid out the night before, make the sacrament a meaningful time of self-reflection focused on the Savior, and search out opportunities to be of service to others. I know as we do these things, we, like this young recent convert, will know what is meant when it is said "the Sabbath is a delight."

Technology has changed many aspects of the ways we go about doing missionary work. It hasn't changed our message. It hasn't changed our purpose to invite other to come unto Christ, but it has made things more convenient and opened doors to opportunities previously not possible.

We started using Facebook Messenger this past week. I am now able to share the gospel with the world and am not limited to sharing with only the wonderful people I've come to love so much here in Taiwan. If you would like to learn more about Jesus Christ, the Book of Mormon, or even just about how to find greater happiness in daily living, please add my new Facebook: Reed Dickson (profile picture of myself standing in front of the temple in Taiwan). 

I would love to share with you!

Don't count the days. Make the days count!

All is well,

Elder Dickson