Pretend I Titled This Something Clever to do with Easter...

Elder Ogden and Elder Vincent

大家好-dàjiāhǎo, hello big family-

This week was awesome, not the easiest or most stress free again, but what are you going to do?  It's called life haha.

Monday was great.  We went on a hike and checked out the ocean and it was kinda sad we couldn't go play in the water, but oh well. We put our feet in and the waves were really cool to watch so it was still a good time. That evening we went out with a young man, and during the course of the night, we sat down with 毋弟兄-wú, our old investigator.  He was really moved that we hadn't given up on him and he had a lot of things he didn't really understand.  But when we went back on Friday, we had an honest talk and he told us he really wasn't interested in doing what it takes to understand those, so that was sad to hear. There's not much you can do when people are satisfied with the easy road even though they could have so much more through the gospel :(

Tuesday, I went on exchanges down to鳳林-Fenglin again.  I had missed that place haha. There we went to visit this nice old guy whose brain has been a little fried by years of drinking.  He's the one we taught last time who flipped out a little and decided he didn't want to get baptized anymore. Eventually he kinda calmed down and ended up getting baptized, so we got to go review the plan of salvation with him, which was way cool. His testimony is very simple, but very strong.  It's so fun to see people in humbler circumstances like those in Fenglin finding peace and joy in the Savior.

Wednesday was pretty solid.  We visited a guy who is paralyzed, but wants to hear the gospel, and then taught a drunk guy in a concrete shack. 

(Missionary Mom Des-- not sure where this is.  I will try to find out. :)

Thursday felt really long because almost every single thing we had planned and were excited for fell through, which I attribute to the fact that we forgot to pray before planning that morning.  Never going to do that again. We did have plenty of time to go through a list of people who haven't been to church in a while that we can go visit and help out, and we talked to a lot of people.  We met some REALLY cool ones, so it all worked out to be a solid day somehow. Of greatest note, we decided to check out this place that had a wrap that looked really good (turns out it was awful, it had weird meat and some black crunchy stuff that I don't want to know what that was and then brown sugar and vegetables ), but as we went in there were no tables, so we sat with this lady who we found out was the less active lady we were literally about to go visit! She was cool, hasn't been to church pretty much since our chapel was built (so over ten years) but the Lord is definitely looking out for her.

Friday, we got dropped twice, once by 毋弟兄 and once by a lady who seemed to be really searching, but then it seems like she realized if she pondered and prayed and searched too much she might actually realize what we're sharing is true (which I mean, is certainly what would happen) and she felt that changing churches would just be too hard, so she kindly but firmly decided to stop meeting with us. It was frustrating because her concerns could be solved so easily with some sincere thought and prayer about what we had already taught and what we could still teach, but when someone closes him/herself off to the spirit like that, there's only so much arguing can do and none of it's good. Oh well, she needs time with the Book of Mormon and we'll choose some conference talks to send her, so one day, maybe she'll be ready. The Lord's timing is definitely not mine, which is a good thing because the world would probably be a lot worse if it was haha.

Saturday was definitely a day of miracles. We had been praying and working for them all week and of course, seeing awesome little ones, but we really saw how as long as his children do their best, he will provide the rest. The miracles included a lady basically self-contacting us as we said hi in a McDonalds, and proceeding to talk about being so confused with so many churches and none of them felt right or seemed to be in line with what Christ established, and we were just like "well boy have we got the book for you" haha.  Then another guy said he had come to church before and said he'd come again when we asked him. McDonalds is a magical place. 

Plus as we went to a convenience store to get stood up by an investigator we saw that same less active member from Thursday, who had also literally just run into the sisters!! We promised here we weren't coordinating to follow her around or anything, it really was just the Lord haha. She was pretty amazed as were we. Also, we were finally able to meet with 何弟兄-brother hé, our investigator who's been so ready and willing to be baptized for so long and has just had yet to get off the ground because of his work, he already has such strong faith in the Savior it's crazy. He is working towards a goal to be baptized in May and now that he finally has that direction we're excited to see the Lord start preparing the way for him. It won't be easy though so prayers will be much appreciated!

Again, not sure where...but cool pics!

In a talk I read a while ago called "Ask in Faith", Elder Bednar said this: 

"The object of our prayers should not be to present a wish list or a series of requests but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is eager to bestow, according to His will and timing. Every sincere prayer is heard and answered by our Heavenly Father, but the answers we receive may not be what we expect or come to us when we want or in the way we anticipate." 

I've been really trying to apply this principle this week and honestly it's crazy how it seems we've worked and pondered and prayed (except the day we were dinguses and forgot) really hard, and then our plans will fall apart and things will happen even better than we had envisioned, according to our Heavenly Father's perfect timing. 

Now there are definitely days where He just lets our day suck completely so we can learn, but it seems like day after day this week he gave us those little miracles as if you say "hey c'mon, get on my level, I got this". I think I realized just a little more what it means to truly rely on Him.

I know He lives, that He loves His children, and that He takes an active role in our lives. As long as we do our best with a prayer of faith in our hearts, He will make sure we end up where we need to be. I know that's true, and I love that this gospel has taught me that, and that I can share it with the people here, with all the joy and sorrow that entails. 

In this Easter season and always, I do truly know that Jesus Christ lives! He loves and knows us individually and personally, and because He, as the one who deserved it less than anyone else would ever deserve something, suffered more than anyone else could ever suffer, utterly alone, we do not have to do the same alone! If he seek Him out and let Him in, He will raise us to where we need to be to do what we need to do and overcome what we need to overcome. We just need to ask in faith. I love you guys! Have a great week!

Elder Joshua Ogden
Missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
武忠樂長老
耶穌基督後期聖徒教會的傳教士

Pickled lemons, anyone?