Elder Ogden in Taipei: How To Learn About Yourself from a Drunk Guy in the Road...

Hello everyone,

So this week was pretty busy again. We were able to visit with several members and talk about how we're going to help those who are struggling here and find more people to teach.
We were [also] able to have interviews with President Peterson this week, which was great. It was nice to hear him telling me I'm doing alright. He is a pretty amazing man.

This week we got rained on a lot, which I guess is a little more comfortable after a while being soaked with mildly cool water than the sweat that we're soaked with the rest of the time haha.

We have some wonderful investigators here. We have a guy named Ellson who was completely Agnostic in the beginning, but decided to just open himself and try to gain a testimony. He's been reading and praying and off coffee for a long time and is doing so good, but he's still feeling like he doesn't have a testimony. He's seen a lot of changes in his life since he started learning, but he doesn't recognize the connection fully yet, so he could use some prayers to recognize his testimony and have confidence in himself.
There's also a family in Yingge where the dad just sits and drinks all day and the mom has to take care of everyone and she has a really sad life. When there were missionaries in Yingge they were visiting them and helping them out and she was so hopeful for the future and baptism and everything, but then the missionaries got closed in Yingge and no one was able to keep meeting with them, so the elder who was there and told us about them, is afraid she feels really betrayed. We can see that a little bit as we visit with them, she's just kinda distant and doubtful. They could use some prayers especially that we can regain their trust and help them feel that hope again.

A video Elder Ogden took (from his phone inside his shirt pocket) of the bike journey from BaDe to Yingge.

For the most part it was a pretty typical week in the life of a missionary. Easily the most interesting experience this week was Wednesday after English class. We were super worried because we had had a lesson right after that had run late so we were running late getting home, and then we heard yelling off to the right of us. We turned to look and saw what looked like a guy hitting a woman. Obviously we were like, "Uh-uh, he isn't getting away with that", so not really knowing what to do, we went over there and skidded to a stop in between them saying, "Hey, hey, hey, you can't be doing this." We looked back and forth between them and realized the woman was furious, but grateful we were there, and the guy was completely wasted. The first thing he said was along the lines of "What are you here for? To spread your 'gospel'?" To which we replied, "No, we're here to help you guys figure out this problem you're having, because this isn't ok." And then the girlfriend started talking about how she had just gone to buy some stuff and he was insisting on coming with her, but he can't drive her home when he's blind drunk. Then the conversation went on several cycles of them arguing back and forth and him being like "Woman, I would never hit you, I'm not that kind of guy", and then he would start ranting about how our church is a cult and we missionaries are just there to fool people (even though he didn't even know the name of our church other than a small part of the old Chinese name that's obsolete) and how we don't understand the Bible, and we foreigners are so stupid, and we need to come to his church and stop spreading our western religion (says the guy claiming to be Christian in Asia haha).
We kept telling him we weren't interested in arguing about religion when his mind was so poisoned by alcohol, and how we were there to do what Jesus Christ would do if He was there. Eventually we convinced him to let us walk him home and we walked back with them both to a little house through an alleyway. He was still ranting about religion and our church and stuff, and I was getting pretty tired of a guy who had gotten blind drunk and started threatening his girlfriend talking to us about true Christianity, insulting our Chinese, and our quality as people. Then we got to the house and the woman bolted to her scooter and zoomed off as he stumbled after her down the alley. At that point Elder Steffen felt that we needed to leave immediately, so we biked off praying that the woman got away.

I learned quite a bit from that experience. For one thing, I learned I need to be more patient and loving with people even when they're doing something that should tick me off, because in this case especially, "they know not what they do". I did, however, also learn even more about the importance of the work we're doing here. I know the gospel of Jesus Christ could solve all of the problems those people were experiencing in their lives, and I'm grateful we could at least be the hand of the Lord in reaching out for them at that time. I learned how grateful I am for the gospel, and for living prophets and the guidance we receive from our Heavenly Father through them, such as the Word of Wisdom. In the Doctrine and Covenants it says the Word of Wisdom is for the "weak, and the weakest of the saints" and I know it truly is inspired counsel that, if followed, will give us "great treasures of knowledge" and allow us to "run and not be weary, and walk and not faint". It protects us physically and spiritually, and preserves families and lives. I know those promises are true.

I also know, through the power of the Holy Ghost, that Joseph Smith was inspired of God when he gave us that and other truths, and that Russell M. Nelson is still inspired of God today to guide and direct us to know how to protect ourselves and our families.

That is why I came out here, that is why I follow the prophet, and most importantly why I strive to follow Jesus Christ, not because my mommy and daddy said so or because I was brainwashed or any other reason, because I have experienced the changes that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings to my life and those who accept it out here, and because every day I feel the Spirit of God tell me in my heart that I'm doing exactly what I need to be doing.

Thanks for all the support I get, I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying life, I can tell you it's a lot easier to do that when you're spreading positivity and focusing on the good things that come your way! Have a great week!
Elder Ogden

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