The Faith to Find

Hello Everyone! Sorry it's been a while it's getting harder to think of things to write, but I have had plenty of experiences to share about!

This week went really well. We really needed to find new friends since both companionships in our district have had our teaching pools shrink quite a bit. Also, ours is going to shrink for the right reason this Saturday (Jeff and brother Lin are getting baptized, woohoo!) And so we had a long talk about it in district council and concluded we just need to always be in the game and try to be talking to people at all times whether we're out and about. Or, if talking to someone in person is not an option, pulling out our phone and calling a potential [friend] or former [member of the Church] in our Area Book app. We really worked our butts off for our goal and prayed like it all relies on the Lord (because it really does) and we didn't see anything earth-shattering, but we definitely saw some miracles. 

"On exchanges with Elder Zhou"

We met with a man named Morris whom we found several weeks ago and he set up a time to meet but then his mom passed away and he was too busy with the funeral. So we kept trying over the next weeks and finally set up a time to meet with him. We went to his house and he was very sad and melancholy and shared with us about how hard it has been to adjust since his mom left. We mourned with him and then shared from Alma about where we go when we die and about the Resurrection. We asked him how he would feel if he could know this was true, and he said of course that would make him feel more at peace. Then we told him our purpose was not just to come and say things that are nice to hear to comfort him, we are also here to help him learn for himself that these things are true. It was a great experience. That is the kind of person I came here to teach! [Someone who is willing to give it a try...] I ask people all the time if they have ever thought about whether they can be with their families after they die, and most people say "Oh, don't think about that, that's so far away, just live in the moment!" It's not until they experience that loss that they realize how badly they want that knowledge. I'm grateful to know death is not the end, and that God is willing to answer our prayers and let us know that. 

This week I was also inspired by President Uchtdorf's talk entitled "Fourth Floor, Last Door", that we should really have more faith that the Lord will place prepared people in our paths, but usually they won't be the first ones we contact. I realized that as we're trying to find less active members at their houses, sometimes it's not in an area that has very many people on the street in between, but knocking the houses around the place we go really doesn't take long. If they don't have interest, they close the door immediately.  If they do, then they're willing to talk, and that's a success. I don't plan on making knocking something we do a lot for hours on end, because there are definitely better ways to use time here, but it's a tool in the arsenal. We met some wonderful people that way, although no one set up as a result of those times we tried. 

"The Grand Hotel"

[On a different note], there's something funny Taiwanese people do. They think it's hilarious when you think some food is gross. They will give you food that foreigners usually don't like and say "Are you used to this yet?" At this point I can actually say yes much of the time. USED to it. LIKING it is a different story  Red bean dessert soup, mmm...

I love what I've been learning about grace from the book of Romans this week. We can't earn our way into heaven by doing good things, because we will never be perfect. So Christ makes up for our imperfections, as long as we have faith in Him. BUT, if we don't strive to emulate His example, and show our gratitude and live by keeping His commandments, then what use does the gospel have for us? If we don't actually change and become more like Him, more genuinely loving and compassionate, whether we are doing the surface good things to earn "heaven points" or not doesn't make any difference. We still have to try though. Christ didn't give us this opportunity to have a new start for us to keep doing those things we shouldn't be doing with no effort to change and expect Him to cover it. When I look at trying to keep the commandments and be like Him not as an obligation or a way to earn my way to heaven or even simply to receive blessings, but rather as a way to show gratitude and love for Him, it becomes a lot easier. And ON TOP of that I get blessings? How great is that? King Benjamin was right when he said we really can never repay Him for what He has done for us. (In Mosiah 3 I think).

I'm excited for the coming transfer, I will stay here and Elder Merzlock will come here. He is 9 transfers younger than me, which is a big difference but that still makes him pretty old. Because I'm old. I won't think about that too much though.

Love you all, have a great week!

Elder Ogden

More pictures from the Amusement Park from last P-day

"Bumper cars"

"This ride made me nauseous"