Light the World

With the Hu's (he served with my dad in the Taichung Taiwan mission!)

Hey everyone!

Sorry I didn't send out a group email last week.  We went to the temple so we didn't have much time. That was really great though. Also a recent convert tried to take my phone because he wanted to "replace" it for me. He jumped on me and wrestled with me for a while.  Eventually I was able to throw him onto the ground sort of, and then a Polynesian Elder who wrestles helped pin him until the police could come and settle him down. So, that was exciting, haha. He's pretty unstable.

Anyway, this week we're starting to implement the "Light the World" campaign here in Taiwan, since it's already December again (holy cow). This week marks one year since I came to Taiwan. Time goes by so fast. It has easily been the hardest, but most rewarding experience of my life. I'm excited to use the skills the Lord has taught me to continue to bless people here and at home. 

For the Light the World campaign here in Taiwan, since a lot of people don't really even know what it means to "give as He gave", the Church has made special videos for Asia that explain more about the importance of Christ.  They've also given our mission office complete control of the Taiwanese webpage on LDS.org. I know that turning outward as our Savior did in His life really is the best way to find happiness.

On Saturday, we spent the evening in Yingge and it was great! We met with a member to talk about Light the World, and he took us over to meet his neighbor that he had just talked to that he hopes we can start teaching. (She was busy but said we can come back). Then we went to meet with a guy we had chatted with in a 7-11 last time we went to Yingge.  He had said he wanted to meet up. He never showed up, but we were able to minister to our friends and send out info about Light the World to them and several members and invite to caroling and stuff. Technology is so great.

After that we went to find a place to do our language study and on the way we asked a guy where the nearest park was, which turned into a gospel conversation and he set up to eat dinner and learn more on Tuesday. Then we studied, talked to another group of young men who accepted an invitation to learn more, were given apples by a Daoist lady who promised us they didn't use them to worship the ancestors (we explained that wouldn't bother us haha). We gave her a family history tract and she said if we ever wanted food we could come back haha. After that we went to dinner at a little night market and ran into a group of boys that were all super happy to meet us, one of them I had contacted last week and he wanted to come to church as long as his dad had time. Then later a guy we had set up with earlier in the night added a friend to the group, who was part of that group we had met at dinner, so now several of the boys we've met that have expressed interest actually know each other! That was a huge miracle.

Well, I'll have to be short today as well.  I love you all!  I know this work is true, that we have a Savior, and a way to be with our families together.  I also know that we have a way to strengthen our families, so that goal of being together forever is a desirable one. Have a great week!

Elder 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

Cheesecake from our American friends. :)