Elder Ogden in Taipei: Which Came First? The Chicken or the Faith?

At our local "burger joint"

Hello everyone!

First of all, last weekend we had our friend 朱姐妹-Sister Zhu (pronouned "joo") get baptized and confirmed! It was way exciting. She was found through this cool miracle where she just started having a conversation with a sister from YingGe (my last area) that she met at the train station. They became instant friends and eventually this sister invited her to church (at my ward in Bade). Sister Zhu wanted a tour of the temple square here and to start learning the gospel, but we found out she lives in SanXia so we referred her over. Then, after she was almost finished with all the lessons, I moved here (to Sanxia) and helped teach the rest of the lessons. And now I was able to see her baptized! So that's been fun to have that connection to her; I was there for the finding and the baptism and none of the challenges in between haha.

Also this week our friend Freddy from English class told us he's joining the choir of members that performed between our two performances at the Christmas concert. We haven't even been able to formally teach him and his wife a lesson because they keep having stuff come up. Also he says "our church" instead of "your church" when talking about the church haha. So that's pretty sweet haha. We're excited to help him actually become a member

For the most part this week was pretty bland. We have very few friends we're teaching the gospel to, and all of them are progressing really well, but we have a lot of free time that hasn't been getting filled by visiting members because they seemed to all be busy with the new year. So... we were on the street a lot, which is probably the finding method that least suits my personality. It is also not super effective even when you're good at it, but it was a good experience and I've definitely developed a lot of skills from having to do that on my mission. We did meet some cool people doing that though (among some not so cool people haha). So this week was a little long but I learned the importance of staying focused and patient and being people's friend first and foremost.

"Eating fried rice at 1 pm on January 1st while the ball drops in New York City. Get with the times, America! Lol."

(Note from Missionary Mom Des: This video was sent to Elder Ogden by a member of the ward he is serving in. It's cool to see the Taipei 101 building all decked out for New Years! It is the tallest building in Taiwan.)

This week we were really sad because the little restaurant close to the chapel was closed for new years when we were there for district meeting. Normally every week we go there and get their curry that's super cheap but REALLY good. Like ridiculously good. We go to great lengths to get that curry.

This week in district meeting we talked about faith, and we were thinking about which came first, the chicken or the egg, the faith or the obedience? Then we read Alma 32, but like this:

"(verse 28) Now, we will compare the word unto (an egg). Now, if ye give place, that (an egg) may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true (egg), or a good (egg), if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good (egg), or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me."

I'm not sure what purpose that served, but it did get us on a discussion about yolk and how the yolk of the gospel is delicious above all other things, and also how Christ's YOKE is light and easy to bear compared to the burdens we leave behind when we take it upon ourselves, even though it looks heavy and burdensome at the beginning. So, if that makes sense to you then there you go, at any rate the yoke of Christ's discipleship really is the much easier and happier way to go in the long run. I've met way too many long time and recently baptized members of the church here who have shared their experiences with me as well as knowing too many of my own experiences to ever doubt otherwise.

Love you all, 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