Taiwan July27, 2014

Well hello everyone!!! Nice to hear from all of you, and not hear from some of you ;) haha, just kidding. 

     So this week was super fun!!! got quite a bit accomplished!! plus a whole ton happened with exchanging companions, learning from others, working with the ward, finding new investigators, ah! SO MUCH!! but it was fun :D 

     On to my topic sentence of this weeks email. I'm just grateful that I don't serve a mission in the south of America, I can only imagine how hard that is haha. So last saturday we had English procelyting at the HUGE Night market here :D Lucky us, right before we started, another Christian Church came over and wanted to talk to us. The first thing they said after they gave us their flyer was "I'm worried for your souls, with the fact that you're believing false doctrine." Right. Got that. So that was a fun discussion, they just wanted to come and argue, but that's not what we came here to do, so it ended up fairly interesting haha ;) no souls died, nobody was beaten up in the end, tensions were a little high in the middle there, but that's ok, because it was a pretty good experience. Oh, and best part of it all, I totally got them to think I was Taiwanese and didn't speak English haha ;) (Oh ya, it was two guys from Georgia speaking in English) So like I listened to the whole thing, and then when they said goodbye, they shook my hand and said "Sorry, I don't speak Chinese" then walked away. Haha, score! It's a pity Taiwanese people don't think that I'm asian ;) hahahaha, oh fun times :D 

Anyways.... on to the weekly update!!!!! 

Monday: We had a ping pong tournament in the Chapel, which I got second, and my companion Elder Ng got first, so that was a really fun time :D Then met with a really cool first meet, his name is Brother liao, and we met him on the street, and he brought his girlfriend to the visit! That was cool :D So we're going to keep teaching them! :D 

Tuesday: Had a good District training meeting, and then we wen't on exchanges with the Zone Leaders :D So I was with Elder Palmer. Elder Josh Palmer. Mom, dad, ring a bell??? Well I didn't know who he was haha, but he had also served in Heng Chun, so it was cool to be able to talk to him :D And then guess what! His Grandparents are the Bellistons :D The ones that used to live in the Billings house (next door to the Johns)!!!!! Isn't it just a small world!!! And He also knows the Tews haha, and he said something about playing miniature golf in Bear lake.... if you have a picture of that, that would be cool to see haha :D anyways, so it was fun being able to do missionary work with him!!! 

Wednesday: So everyone said it was going to be a Typhoon today. In fact they closed all the government buildings and said everyone had the day of because of the Typhoon, so I was like "Oh it's gonna be big!" In the end, it just rained all day. Nothing super special haha ;) But that was fun :D Unfortunately because it rained all of our lessons cancelled...... right. That's ok, next time!! 

Thursday: Met with our investigator Michael and had a long time talking about why we need prophets and the difference between our Church and Buhdism. Then we met with our investigator Sandy, and she set her own goal for August 9th! We're super excited!!! Last time she couldn't because her parents wouldn't let her be baptized, but she talked to them, and said that she could be baptized now! So we're super excited :D Miracle!!!! 

Friday: Elder Watsons birthday, and I went on another exchange with Elder Lin (Taiwanese). So I got to serve in Dong Hai for one day, and got to see what life was up there. 

Saturday: Swapped back companions, and then we got stood up :( but then had the fun Night market experience :D That was good :D 

Sunday: Even though we set up a lot of people for church, none came :( but that's alright, we will keep on pushing forward!! We made plans for Sara Lee's baptism this Saturday, and got everything set for that :D Visited a member from Mainland China, had a good Family Home Evening, and I learned more about the power of saying personal prayers out loud. Seriously. Try it sometime ;) 

So that was the week in a nutshell!!!!! Me and Elder Ng have been playing our violins together for other people, and it's been really fun :D One of these day's we'll be able to play Duets together (Ahem, hint hint ;) haha, and other than that, we're working hard to do all we can to help this area!!! It hasn't been easy by any means, but it's possible to hit the goals we've made, and so here we go, off to find miracles!!! 

CTR, 義

Elder Dawson 陶長老 (Miracle Seeker) 

Taiwan July 20, 2014

Dear everyone, especially the loved ones ;) 

How are you all doing??? 

I hope well, because I'm doing well also ;) 

     Well mr. Kengo Adachi is on his mission!!!! Man, he's gonna be so amazing :

     So I am doing just amazing in my new area of FengJia 逢甲. There are so many amazing people here, and so many miracles to be found!!!! :D I wen't to the night market once here trying to get to another place.... BAD IDEA. there's so many people, you feel like you might die of suffocation just looking at it all haha ;) but that's ok, it was fun :D The appartment here is really small, but that's good, not as much to clean and look after ;) The area is one of the smallest in the mission, ride about 30 minutes and you're at any of the boundaries. But that's super cool! So much to cover, so much to see :D I love it here!!!!!!

     So as for going to hyperspeed.... this week we have been Hastening the work!! I like the Chinese version of that phrase better..... Add speed to the work of salvation. Just has this feel to it that's just.... cool. hahaha ;) Love life! We've been kicking it into high gear with lessons, contacting, meetings, working with the ward, and helping less actives. It's been a lot to take it, but I'm ready for it, and with Elder Ng leading the way, we shall not fail!!!! (I say Elder Ng leading the way, because he's a lot more in tune with the boss if you know what I mean ;)

Other than that, let us go on to the weekly update!! :D

Monday: We had an awesome family treat us to a buffet. It was super yummy! and I probably ate far too much... haha, but that's ok ;) Then we spend the rest of the day cleaning the appartment. I don't know what it is, but all the appartments are always just super messy, tsk tsk, it's just something we'll have to fix ;) hahahah

Tuesday: So I had this language test/assesment.... it went really good!! It wasn't all that hard... it was just weird.... some parts of it haha. It was fun though ;) It would just say like "Summarize the Plan of salvation in three minutes speaking your mission language" and I was like "ok, I got this!" Then suddenly It would start, and you only have 30 seconds to do a 3 minute summary. odd. but really fun :D The we had a good DTM about the invitation cycle, and helping people change their lives! Met with a less active we're helping come back, and then had a miracle that included mango ice cream. That was a keeper :D

Wednesday: Sometimes people forget why they were converted... but that's ok. we till help :D We ate lunch at a place called Mr. 38. I think my mom will get why that's funny haha ;) Then more miracles! at english class :D We found some people who wanted to come to church, and it was awesome :D Amen.

Thursday: Did a lot of calls today, setting people up for the next week:D Met with some cool new investigators, and found out they didn't live in our area. But that's ok! As long as they have a chance to hear the gospel, that's what's important :D

Friday: Weekly planning!!!!! We had a dinner with a man named pony. I think his name about explains him haha ;) Then we made a lot of plans for the next week and what we plan to do :D 

  

Saturday: We met with our investigator Sara and finished teaching her the commandments. She's going to be baptized on August 2nd and we're all super excitied!!!! Then we met with an old grandma and her son. It was my job do distract the old grandma so that my companion could teach the son without distraction. Not fun. let me tell you, but I just spoke to her a lot of chinese idioms, and would listen to her explain them for a long time. That was unique haha ;) then she told me a lot that's going on in the world, something about a flying egg (Missile) hitting a plane and a lot of people dying. That sounds big. Then that night we went to a music performance of the Morphis family. A family from Canada with 8 kids! That was fun :D We went with some less actives and they loved it!!

Sunday: Good chuch, good studies, and guess what? Sara passed her baptismal interview!!!!! she's going to be baptized in two week!!! :D We're all super excited!!!!!

So yes, that was the week! A lot happened, a lot of good things, and we're pushing forward and looking forward to next week and what will happen. I'm happy to be turning the page onto this part of my mission, and hope that the Lord will guide me more and more as me and Elder Ng go forward in the work. Press forward saints!!!

CTR, 義

Elder Dawson 陶長老 

P.S. Hey does karen have a new email adress?? I'm afraid the emails I'm sending her aren't going through haha ;) 

Pictures!!!!

The morphis family performance 

Taiwan July 13, 2014

Well hello all, 

     as my father would say it "another chapter in the continuing saga of missionary life in Taiwan!" well said, because that's exactly what's happened haha ;) So being here in FengJia is super fun! There's so many people! It's said to be the most populated city in our mission, so that's fun. What's super weird though, is that I totally remember coming to the night market here before! I remember buying phone cases, and buying a shirt that had a pocket for the neck. It's so much dejavu it's driving me crazy!!!!! :D But super fun, gotta love having people to actually talk to about missionary work :D  

     So here in FengJia, we ride our bikes a lot, but not nearly as much as Heng Chun haha ;) For my first time on my mission, I'm in a ward not a branch! That's kind of exciting :D Our investigators are doing fairly good, we plan to get so many more and rock it this move call! We have an investigator named sara that's going to be baptized on August 2nd! She's super cool :D yes, She, because there's no sisters in this area, so we teach men and woman. I love this area a ton!! oh, and we get to use facebook one a day for an hour if we have an hour to use it haha. We're a little busy here... so a lot of the time facebook doesn't get used.... oh well ;) 

     Well father, funny thing you ask about the mandarin Language. Our mission got asked to participate in a language evaluation survey for the church, so I'll be taking a long test on mandarin tomorrow :D Wish me luck! I hope it's not too hard haha ;) Other than that it's going good, talkings fine, and I'm still learning characters :D 

     and Mother, I will eat healthy and eat a lot ;) I've only forgotten to eat because we were busy twice this last week haha, but don't worry, it shouldn't happen too much ;) The weather here is Cooler than 恆春  quite a bit, so that's good :D Well... at least it feels like that haha :D 

Another fun story of the day, When I was in the MTC we had an Elder Watson in our district. And guess what, He's in our district here too!!!! yay!!!!! :D So I get to see him every week a few times :D It's pretty happy :D Ghee :D 

Thing's are super busy here, but I'm super happy to be with Elder Ng here serving! He's an older missionary, and he's super smart! We're going to rock it the best we can up here! plus, he plays the violin, so we're going to be doing some duets :D So parents... If I could get some church violin duets WITH the piano part that would be just superb :D Thanks so much!!!!!!

on to the week!!!!!!! 

Monday: Woke up realy early, came to FengJia, and the first investigator we met with is actually from Finnland haha.... imagine that ;) His name is Niko, and he's really cool! He's unfortunatley moving back to Finnland soon, but he said he'd keep investigating the church there! yay! 

Tuesday: So we didn't have bikes, so we walked everywhere... that was fun ;) had a good DTM and got to talk to quite a few people :D It was cool to see that when you slow down and walk places, there suddenly seems to be more people to talk to :D 

Wednesday: So... funny story, tuesday night we called the Assistants to the president (because we live about 20 minutes from them) and asked if they could bring me a bike so that I could get around the city. They called us back, and were like "Oh sure! And while we're up there, we'd love to go around with you two on splits doing missionary work!" Great. I'd been here for 2 days, and I was leading one of the assistants around on exchanges to go to lessons and people I'd never even met. Let me tell you, it was a crazy hecktic day, but there were miracles that happened! I went on an exchange with Elder Vandiford, and that was pretty cool :D I learned a lot about a different way to do missionary work... good times :D 

Thursday: So today was power contacting day, and Elder Ng's birthday! We're celebrating his birthday monday, though (today) so that's ok :D I set up the other missionaries to scare him give him a cake, so this should be good hahahaha ;) Then, we had power contacting! We got mini mentos and wrapped them in our chapel tracts, and then used them to contact! They look a lot like batteries, so we told everyone that the candy to give their body energy like a battery, and comming to church can give their spirit energy. It was super fun, and I'm not going to lie, it actually wen't pretty good! 

Friday: We were going to have another missionary be with us for a week! but then he couldn't come :( so that's ok.... but we had a good day today :D I met some of the Recent Converts here, and got to meet a really cool guy named Pony. Then, I met another family whos son is also going to the Canada Edmonton mission speaking Chinese!!!!! That's where one of my MTC companions went, and where someone I met in Dou LIu went!!!! Crazy, crazy crazy..........

Saturday: It was a busy day jumping between lessons, trying to find time to eat, and then getting home! So today we went down to Dou Liu to see someone that I taught there get baptized! :D His name is Fish :D It was really nice to see him for a bit, and then come back pumped to get working here in FengJia!!!!!

Sunday: Had a good Church meeting, and then Family home evening :D Our church isn't in our area, so we have to spend about 30 minutes everytime we want to go to the church meeting for anything. so that's fun :D Blessings and miracles are everywhere!

So yes, that was this week:D I'm not going to lie, it was pretty fun! Super busy, and super satisfactory. I'm not sure it that's the word I want to use, but it sounds cool there, so I'll just put it there :D I love everyone, and hope to hear more about your lives!!!! Thanks so much!!!! :D 

CTR, 義

Elder Dawson 陶長老

Photos!!!!! 

Exchanges with the Assitants 

Baptism in Dou Liu :D 

Taiwan July 7, 2014

Hello Everyone,

Well, what an amazing week!!!!!! Lots of things happened, Let me tell you, and I may not have as much time today to write.... seeing as It was move call! I moved, from the middle of the flames of Heng Chun (The very bottom of the island) all the way up to....... TaiChung Feng Jia!!! (台中逢甲) The middle of a what is possibly the most crowded city in southern Taiwan. I woke up this morning at 4:30 to be able to get here in the afternoon. Let me tell you, it was quite the journey up here haha ;) yay! So ya, that was good, I'm a little sad to leave Heng Chun, the land that I love. However, I'm super excited to be able to start my journey here in Feng Jia!!!! My new companion is Elder Ng (mom, remember the Elder Ng you gave your phone to at the airport?? it's his older brother) and he's about to go home in.... like..... 5 months ;) ya!!! It was pretty good haha, and we're going to rock it here! I'm still a facebook missionary, and I'm super excited to use facebook the best I can here to help people hear the gospel!! The night market here is huge, and also has a super famous College!!! So wish me luck as I head out!!!! I'll send some photos from last week in heng Chun, and then of me and Elder Ng :D Super excited!!! Wish me luck!!!! (oh, and the wooden shoes are in the process of being made :) Sorry not a ton today, but I love you all!!!!!! 

CTR, 義

Elder Dawson 陶長老 

P.S. I found out today that one of the investigators that I taught in Dou Liu is getting baptized this weekend!!!!! Wa!!!!! I'm so excited!!! :D 

English party :D 

Motorcycle anyone ;) 

Taiwan June 29, 2014

Well hello everyone once again ;) 

     Amazing how the time flies isn't it?? One minute you're here, and the next minute, you could still be here, or you could be a minute away. crazy how that works. Anyways, thanks for writing! And yes mom, I love Chinese food ;) haha, I love you tons! 

     So... mom and dad.... sorry I forgot to send pictures last week haha, completely slipped my mind ;) No worries, I have repented and will send more this week! Because let me tell ya, this week was a week full of adventure and wonder! Of to nether-land! 

     This week was full of hard work, planning, and preparing to give gifts to everyone in the ward and less actives! We're giving them a talk, a red envelope and a little bottle of sand in all the gifts :D I'll send a picture of the thing inside the red envelope haha :D It's pretty cool, and it's a photo I took :D yay!!! 

     Other than that, let us get into the weekly update!!! 

Monday: We had a friend take us around to see all these places for p-day. so we got to see Turtle mountain, go to a beach and find shells, and then go to another mountain called Guan mountain. It was so cool!!! Apparently it is marked one of the top ten places to see the sunset. I'm not going to lie, it was pretty beautiful! And I had raw fish for the first time today... that was interesting haha ;) it's actually not that bad! It was salmon, and it has a light flavor to it... not sure how to describe it.... 

Tuesday: Spent a good day preparing these gifts for less actives, and then got to meet with Sister Guo again! She's doing good, still not to happy with her baptism interviewer... but she got a liahona article that helped her feel better :D We're still working with her towards another goal, so keep praying for her! 

Wednesday: We went up to Man Zhou, and once again, I realized how fast time goes. Then we planned more for the english party next week! We're doing an american themed activity :D I'm super excited!! We're going to eat carmel popcorn, jello, and sherbert ice cream soda :D Ya...and then play jeopardy with them on american topics :D 

Thursday: Did service at the Retirement center again today! Then we had lunch with a kid named allen who wants to go on a mission! He was less active the past 2 years, but recently came back and now wants to go on a mission! Super exciting :D 

Friday: We started building a box with a bunch of church tracts to put in different places if people have interest in the church ;D It was pretty good :D Also after a long time we finally got to meet with the Liang family!!!! They're doing good, and hopefully we'll still be able to teach them more about the gospel :D They're super busy recently... well actually everyone's busy recently because the summer has come, and everyone here is a tourist haha. Oh joy ;) 

Saturday: Rode our bikes around the bottom of the island visiting investigators and members. I wasn't paying attention in one part, and may or may not have hit somthing.... and gone over my bike handlebars... but that's ok, because I'm ok, and my palms will be ok later :D It was a good day :D 

Sunday: We rode off into the wind to Wind port!!!!! I mean... Feng Gang. It is one of the farther places in our area, about 1hour 20 minutes to get there riding your bike fast. We rode up there, and it's actually a really big city! So we plan to spend more time up there finding :D IT's right by the ocean, and it's a really beautiful city :D Ya.... a little tiring getting up there haha, but that's ok, because it was worth it :D 

So yes!!! That was the week :D It was very good. Recently I have been studying Jacob 5, and when you study it particularly paying attention to what the Lord thinks of his Children, and what the Lord expects of us, the whole chapter has a really interesting spin to it ;) Just a thought. love you all!!!!! 

CTR, 義

Elder Dawson 陶長老

Buddhist place :D 

view from the Guan mountain :D 

Taiwan June 22, 2014

Well hello everyone! 

     Well hello mom and dad, how are you?? I'm sorry for everything that's going on at home. I'll be praying for you all, and especially be praying for your family mom. I love you all so much, and if there's anything I can do to help, PLEASE let me know! I know there's probably not a whole ton because I'm in Taiwan, but if there is anything, just let me know :D I love you! 家庭是永恆的! 

     Well this week was pretty green. I mean pretty good! Haha, my new companion is Elder Green, and his Chinese name really is 綠長老 :D It's been a very good time being with him this week haha :D 

     Last week I didn't have a lot of time to right because I had to go pick up Elder Green, and then we also went to a big Buddhist monument thing called Fo Guang Shan 佛光山 and it was really pretty!!! I'll send photos :D 

     Other than that, this last Thursday we went up to GaoXiong for our Zone Conference with president!! It was really good, and we learned a lot about mission standards, working with members, and miracles in everyday life. We left at 6 in the morning, and got home at 9:35 at night haha :D Yay living super far away from everyone ;) 

Monday: So it was a pretty long day.... traveled all day, and then when we got back, we found out that our investigator Sister Guo failed her baptismal interview. That along with other things was pretty sad, but from monday, everything started getting better :D 

Tuesday: Had a good DTM, and I basically just got to know Elder Green really well :D He's from Orem Utah, he loves musicals like me! He's tall, loves working out and....... is from a family of 9 people, 7 siblings! :D Yep, he's been on his mission over a year and a half, so this might be his last area..... ;) 

Wednesday: Made the weekly trek up to Man Zhou 滿州 and met with some people, then came back and had a really good English class! This week our investigator family came who we'd lost contact with for about 2 weeks, and so we were overjoyed to see them and talk to them!! Ghee :D 

Thursday: Zone conference, so traveling all day, and having a great meeting :D One thing we talked about was the Redeeming and Enabling power of Christ's atonement. Something to think about. 

Friday: Weekly planning, then met with some investigators, and met a super cool guy from the Czech Republic! Pretty fun :D ya....

Saturday: So today we made a really big loop visiting people, and had lunch by the beach! (Is this mission, or paradise? oh, it's just both :D) It was probably around 25 miles round trip, but it was good and worthing it :D 

Sunday: A good church time!!! and finished visiting all the active members with Elder Green, so he know's who they all are!! yay! other than that we had studies.... ya.... not a whole ton happened this week haha. 

So yes, that was the week!!!!! Super fun ;D I will send a lot of photos!!!! Remember I love you all!!!!! Have a good week, no matter what life throws at you! 

CTR, 義

Elder Dawson 陶長老

Taiwan June 16, 2014

Well what a crazy week!!!!!! wa..... I guess every week is crazy haha ;) 

     Well I will have to talk to you all even more next week!!!!! I only have 30 minutes to email today because of some... things. 

So last week was good! I'll talk to you about it next week. however, Saturday night, we got the call from President, that Elder Lindsey is suddenly going to be moving. It wasn't a move call, and basically only he will move. It was super sudden, and I was very sad! So because of sending him to his next place, and picking up my new companion, I have spent the last 8 hours on a bus traveling picking him up. 

My new companion is Elder Green, and he's awesome! He's from Orem Utah, and he's been on him mission a year and a half. He loves musicals too!! Ghee :D So ya, that was this week. 

Well besides these things..... a lot of other stuff has happened. I feel as if everything has collapsed at once, and has turned into things that could become a faith tester. I have continued repeating the words of President Uctdorf who says "Doubt your doubts, before you doubt your faith." These words have comforted me and pushed me on through these times. I know that they can help us, and I promise that as we follow the scriptures, we can have the promise found in Alma which says "the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise." Alma 37:45. I know these words are true. I love you all so much, and pray for you all every night. Let us all press on together!!!!!  

CTR, 義

Elder Dawson 陶長老