Taiwan Feb 9, 2014

Well hello again, and hello all!!!!!!!! :D

    Ah..... another week gone by in the magical land of Taiwan..... an it

was fun!!! Yay!!! I'm just glad I'm typing this to you all and not speaking

it haha, because I am losing my voice!! However, I am better from that

weird sickness/bug thing I had :D Yesterday I just talked really long to an

investigator about feeling the Holy Ghost. like really long haha, and now

today I'm having troubles talking ;) joy haha!!!!

    So..... not to keep you all in suspense or anything, but I'm pretty

sure I can use my SD Card this week!!! But I won't know until the end of

this email when I try to attach photos, sorry to keep you all in suspense

like that ;) bwahahaha!!!!!! I'm so evil!! Tee hee!!!

    Sounds like you had a party in San Jose!!!! And Let that Sister Tia

Heinz know that I'm praying for her here and that I know she's making the

right decision!!!! Yay!!!!!! And father, as for emailing president. I will

leave that one up to you haha :D If we did that instead of Skyping he might

do it... I don't know at all haha. It does say in the white handbook I'm

not allowed to see family, however, if you let him know that you're coming

to Taiwan to drop off grandparents, then that's ok :D I don't know, just

ask and see what he says!! So that it wont distract me from the work,

because I'd much rather be out here in Taiwan working than at home doing

school and stuff haha ;) Yay!! good luck, may the force be with you!!!! :D

So.... on to the week!!!! (I remembered my journal :D)

Monday: Went to Xin Ying and ate food!!! yay!!!!! yep.... yaa.....

Tuesday: Met with some awesome people, prayed, yay!!! I didn't really

write a lot haha..... however, we did have a ZTM meeting that was off the

charts!!!! It was the last day of Chinese New year, so we still had two

meals with members, and ate too much!! So I kind of waddled into ZTM

bahahaha ;) I'm just kidding! ah!! yep..... ya.....

Wednesday: I realized what an awkward person I am haha, that was about

today :D However, we did go to Jia Yi and meet with president

Blickenstaff!!! That man is inspired, and he let me know about a new way to

look at Ether 12:27, and it completely blew my mind!!! We have to come unto

Christ in a humble manner and all these things. it was awesome. promise.

And then we found out some more about the... situation I'm in right now

haha! So Every move call is 6 weeks long, and at the end of the 6 weeks,

some missionaries will move Etc. However, Elder Long goes home 4 weeks into

the Move call, which means that I have 2 weeks with not companion haha. So

there's a lot of talk about what will happen to me, but the truth is, I'll

just find out next week when I email you all!!!! Because Elder Long leaves

next week!!! :( oh no!!!! :( That's ok though, change is good :D

Thursday: We had a little scare with our investigator getting baptized,

but through the spirit and scripture, it was all good :D However, It did

scare me a lot :D

Friday: It was a really good day, with McDonalds in the middle haha!!!!!!

We then Did a Quest out into the middle of nowhere. All rice fields.

Nothing. However, It was cool, and some nice family invited us in for

dinner!!! Some random family in the middle of Rice fields and banana plants

just inviting us in to eat :D it was awesome haha, and yummy!! and

apparently healthy, but I don't know haha :D

Saturday: Had dinner at a members house and it was awesome!!!! Wow, I just

keep saying everythings Awesome... but really, everything really is quite

fun haha!!! ha.. ha... ya... ok....

Sunday: Losing voice! yay!!! However, I did get to sit next to a Drunk guy

at church, that was new! Not the best smell... but that's ok, next time he

comes to church he'll be sober ;) or else he is going to get chewed out by

some Taiwanese people haha ;) yep!!!

So that was my week!!!!! I hope you enjoy reading haha, It was fun ;)

doing some preparation for Elder Long leaving, and that's about it haha! So

now... the moment of truth... if I can attach photos!!! yay!!!!!

CTR, (義)

Elder Dawson (陶長老)

P.S. Photos work!! yay!!!!

A giant spider I found!! haha... creepy!!!

[image: Inline image 1]

Taiwan March 09, 2014

Well hello all!!!!!! Family... friends.... and any random Puffer Fish that might be reading this (Just found out how to say puffer fish in Chinese haha ;) 

     Well another week has gone by, and it was super good!!!!!! My new companion Elder Gummow is amazing, and he's super legit!!!!!!!!! AH!!!! Can't get over it haha. If you're wondering how to pronounce his name in Chinese, Just say "sick" or Gan Mao in Taiwanese, and it sounds just like it haha ;) so everyone here calls him Elder Sick bwahahaha!!!! ;) 

     So, it sounds like you're all doing good at home!!!! And yes I lost weight haha, still going!!! I've lost weight, but my Acne is so bad, it's like off the charts haha (and I've even cut out eating oily things!!!!) However.... on to my companion. 

    Elder Gummow. 5 Feet 8 Inches Tall, Brown Hair, Brown Eyes, Single (Ladies.....), and he has the most awkward laugh I have ever heard. He's super awesome though!!!! It's honestly super cool being with him right now :D He's been out for a Year and 4 months, and is from Highland Utah. Cool story!!!!! He totally knows the Summerfield's!!!! So Next time you see them you can tell them that I'm companions with him!!!! Me and him are working hard, and we're going to go crazy and be awesome!!! 

     So I will pray a lot for you and Sister Heinz this week!!!! I'll be praying all things work out, and that it will go through! I'm super excited for Tanner to be coming out to this mission!!! He's gonna love it so much haha!!!!! 

     The life of my father..... flying to vegas, partying with caren, st. George with a day off??? Going to Boston, Montana, sleepover with the grandkids, and then church!!! Wow!!!!!! Sounds like a packed week and super fun!!!!!!! And I will also be praying for Agong's health, no worries, and If you don't make it to Taiwan, that's ok, whatever happens, really :D Tell bryan I say good luck!!!!! :D 

     So the Weather in Taiwan Dou Liu is pretty good!!!! It's pretty cold this week, but it should be warming up :D hahaha, and mom, whenever you feel like you want to send a package, feel free ;) haha :D Thanks so much!!!!!!!! So I haven't been able to play my violin a lot, but it's doing ok :D I'm playing this Friday at a funeral, so I have to get my lamenting violin playing going on. Wish me good luck!!!! 

     So fun things, I see Whitney at least once every month!!! And actually, I'll see her tomorrow!!! yay!!! And I will pray for those people :D and if you need a online hug, feel free!!!! I can give it to you :D Thanks so much for all you do mom :D 

So.... onto the week!!! :D 

Monday: Got to meet Elder Gummow, and visited a ton of the leaders with him!!!!! We set a lot of goals, and are going to work like crazy to get there!!!! \

Tuesday: Super sore, and we contacted on the street for like 3 hours straight, and then one of our Investigators got in a Car Crash!! ah!!!!! So ya, pray for him :D Jerry Wang 

Wednesday: Like nobody wants to meet with us!! ah!!!!! haha, but that's ok, because english class went... ok.... ya... it was a trying day, but still good :D 

Thursday: We Taught a 80 year old grandpa about the restoration, and it was super awesome!!!! He's super humble, and we're like totally teaching him now haha!! Super legit :D Set a solid baptismal goal with another investigator, and then Set up lessons for next week 

Friday: I realized, the secret to eating less to lose weight is to eat slowly!!!! So yes, that's my goal :D Oh ya, random fact of the day, I stopped biting my nails about a month ago, and so for the first time in my life I have white at the tips of my nails, and its so awesome!! Peeling stickers off of stuff is so easy now!!!!! Who knew!? haha :D Oh, except for my right hand's thumb. still bite that one. Not... sure... why.... anyways, so ya, there's that random info haha!!!! 

Saturday: Went up to Jia Yi to meet with president :D It was way cool, and I got to see Whitney!!!!!  then we came home, and had a peanut butter hamburger that tasted just like american hamburgers!!!! it was awesome!!! oh yes, and we met with a ton of cool people... wow.... I'm so awkward... 

Sunday: Cool sunday, but you realize, that as a missionary, everyone just tells you their problems haha. and then you realize, you only understand about 3/4 of what they're saying, and so helping them becomes awkwardly hard haha. yep. that's what I learned, and then I learned the principle of the half. being a half Asian, Half the people thing that I speak Taiwanese, and think I'm Taiwanese, and the other half don't. Awkward. It is the principle of the half haha, remember, half is better than none ;) 

So ya!!!! That was my week haha!! I'm off to email some more people, and send you all photos!!! Thank's for being awesome, and I'll talk to you all more next week!!! 

CTR, (義)

Elder Dawson (陶長老) 

The Chapel Here 

 Expensive Dinner

Taiwan March 2 2014

Ok, Just going to say, these past two weeks have been absolutely
crazy!!!!!!! We've been going around crazy preparing for a fireside,
finding new people, Teaching lessons, eating food on the go, having another
Baptism, and just going crazy!!!!!! Ah!!!!!!!!!!

    However, I'll calm down a bit and talk about this week :D So my new
companion is Elder Gummow, and I've heard he's awesome!!!!! I'm super
excited to meet him!!! (I see him in about 2 hours ;) So right now I'm
emailing with Elder Quartes!! Yay!!!!! Haha :D Life is fun, and it's going
to be a good move call I hope :D

    So thank you dad for being an amazing example to me, and I've been
praying for you a lot this last week! I hope that you will continue to be
amazing, and that you can feel the love your son has for you out here in
Taiwan!!!! I love you so much!!!!!!!!!

    So tell Sister Heinz that I say congratulations!!!!!!! That's so
amazing, and I can't wait to see the pictures from it!!!! Time flies so
quickly. No joke. I've been here in Dou Liu 4 months. Ah!!!! Where did the
time god!!!!?????? WWWWAAAAA!!!!!!!!!! However, I will be praying for all,
and here's to maybe seeing you in a month or two haha (Random fact of the
day, I was taught how to write Elvish today!!!)

    Tell Tanner that I say good job!!!!!! He is going to love Taiwan so
much, and I can't wait to see him later on this year!!! He's going to be
such an amazing missionary here haha :D His personality will be just
perfect ;)

    So... This generation... the one I'm in.... well.... let's just not
get me started talking about it haha ;) oh and speaking of
generations...... Mother and Father, resources tell me that my blog hasn't
been updated recently... hm.... love you two!!!! Ghee!!!! :D

    I'll be make sure to eat lots of fruits and vegetables mom :D That is
assuming my companions don't all go home after they're with me!!!
Everyone's like "Oh they're going home, quick, lets treat them to all you
can eat steak!" Blech. 1st time, ok. now? NOT OK. however, my next
companion wont be going home after me, so I'll be good ;) Hey mom, your
phone could probably write back to sister Chen in Chinese :D Ask Dad or
Bryan to help you haha :D

    So..... Life in Taiwan.... the work.... in Taiwan..... It's going
good!!!!!! We have 3 really solid investigators, and a couple of other good
ones :D Plus, two days ago we had a baptism!!!!!!! wa!!!!!! So Elder yeh
when he was with Elder Turner were teaching a man named Peter. (His real
name is Lin Jun Xiang) and he was not sure about being baptized. However,
Last week he met with us, and Elder Yeh was teaching him about baptism
again, and something happened, and Peter told us a story that goes like
this. He had contacted a ton of missionaries, but never went with any of
them, until he said he heard a voice tell him to talk to Elder Yeh. He
talked to him, and they started meeting, and when Elder  Yeh asked him to
be baptized, he thought to himself, "That's the day I'm meeting with some
friends that are coming up from Australia. If God really wants me to be
baptized, then Those friends will cancel." And last week, those friends
cancelled, and he was baptized. Awesome. It was amazing, and he has such a
strong testimony already, and is going to work wonders wherever he goes!!!!

So here we go, the week!!!!

Monday: P-day!!!!!!!!!!! We went up to Jia Yi and ate  lunch with the Zone
Leaders :D Then we went home and slept (That's like the mission Montra, I
always want to sleep I'm so tired haha!!!) And ya, super fun :D

Tuesday: Miracle day!!!!!!! This was the day Peter told us he wanted to be
baptized!!! wa!!!!! Ate lunch with a lot of members, had a fun time....
um.... ya....

Wednesday: English Party!!!!! you probably got some photos from English
Party haha :D It was super fun :D We had a carnival!!!!!!! We did bobbing
for apples, donuts on a sting, photo booth, body painting, ping pong,
fishing for ducks, and stick pull!!!! It was crazy, super fun, and I'm
never putting that much effort into an English party again haha ;)

Thursday: Busy Busy Busy Busy Busy haha. We started preparing a power point
for a Fireside the missionaries were hosting on Saturday!! (ever tried
using power point in Chinese when you cant read it??? ya... pictures are
really important... haha ;) Had a really good DTM about the BOM, and then
gave a baptismal invite to a Brother Ge!!!!! it was quite the day!!

Friday: More prep for the fireside, and then another weekly planning
session!!!!! Ate with more investigators, members, and I did my final
language assessment :D Ya, it was a keeper :D

Saturday: Had the Baptism!!! and then the really cool Fireside!!!!!! Called
Ju Ji wo de yang :D Or us... Gather my sheep :D or Lambs..... um....
anyways, I cried!!!! Again..... and just had an amazing time :D

Sunday: So. Many. Photos. My curse for being with companions that all want
to go home haha!!! However, we went to a Li family at night, ate dinner and
shared our testimonies and taught. We then sang a song to them, and
something about the song Changed the dads heart, and he started crying and
said he knew he needed to come back to church and help, and that he would
now do it. It was amazing, and by the end, guess what??? we were all crying
in his living room haha. Mazeltov. I'll send a picture of that one ;)

So yes!!!!! It was a pretty amazing week.... i think I say amazing too
much.... I don't know... it probably comes from the fact that I speak in a
limited Chinese Vocabulary every day haha, That'll get ya ;) So I love you
all!!!! And enjoy the Photos!!!!!!

CTR, (義)

Elder Dawson (陶長老)

The Elders on the Mountain

Taiwan Feb 03, 2014

Well hello, 

     To start, I will quote my mom and say to you all "I hope you will run fast as horse and find many investigators as possible." bahahaha, remember, every member a missionary ;) bwahahaha!!!!! So mom and dad, that Sister Chen from Taiwan is so awesome!!!!!!!!!!! Shen literally is just like my Mom her in Taiwan haha!!! She'll always call us and tell us "it's cold outside, make sure you put on a coat" and always like "be careful on the road" haha, She's so awesome!!! The family I was talking about that we helped bring their two sons back to the church, it's her and her two sons!!!! She's so awesome haha :D 

     So it's so awesome to hear from all of you!!!! Especially you mom!!!!! It's crazy how fast the world goes and times change!!!!! love is super important, and people are going on missions!! Ah!! Crazy!!!!!! I'd love to try some of that yummy thai curry that could feed the whole army ;) mom I love you so much!!!!!!!!!! 

     Mom, I will be praying for Miriam as much as I can over here, and I will be praying for you also!! I know that's not easy, but I will be praying, and showing my love from over here!!! Could I get her address??? then I can write her :D I'm super sorry, but Just like we talked about, with Charity, or the pure love of Christ, we can heal hurts that would in no other way be able to be healed. Let her know how much I love her!!!!! 

    So.... Chinese new year... the moment you've all been waiting for!!!!! Well I was doing so good, lost some weight, was being happy and all that jazz, and then BAM!!! Chinese new year. Lots of food. So here it's like bad manners if you leave left over food, so basically every house we go to, we eat far too much!!! I've gained weight back!! ah!!! Oh ya, and Chinese new year isn't like a 1 day thing, oh no, 6 days this year!! Every meal at a members house, eating things like Radish Cakes, Chinese sausages, cabbage, pickles, rice, soup, odd eggs, rice balls, onion casserole, and a bunch of other things that I only know how to say in Chinese haha!!! It was super delicious, however, I am getting fat again, and that is not acceptable. haha. So, after Chinese new year, that is when my diet starts!!! yay!!!! so yes, I'm super happy and excited to have a time where I won't be eating a crazy amount haha :D 

     So, I'm sick right now. Like I don't feel very good, so because of that, I can't write for a long time, however, I love you all so much!!! And I want you to know about how my week was and everything, however, I'm about to pass out, so.... I'm gonna go.... nobody freak out though, I will live!!! I just want to go.... ya..... love ya tons!!! And my SD card still has a virus on it, so I still cant send photos, however, next week I will find a way to send photos, because I found a spider the size of my hand, and I want you all to see haha!!!! yep.... ya.... next week then!!! See you all!!! love ya!!! :D 

CTR, (義)

Elder Dawson (陶長老) 

Taiwan Jan 27, 2014

Well.....

Hello.... this is Elder Dawson..... I'm out here serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The world is awesome, and the book and sky are blue. 

     Better??? Hmm.... sounds like I'm trying to hard haha, ok, so this week was good!!! Really good!!!! Except for the fact that I forgot my journal, so I cant do a day by day update this week :( Sorry!!!! I'll bring it next week and tell the interesting things :D 

     So yes, I'm a little weird, and I'll tell ya, watch out for this letter, near the end I'm goin' full preaching mode, and there's nothing that can stop it haha ;) So ya, a little something to worry about, or get excited for, depending on who you are ;) So just a thought, the word truncky sounds like a disease. Ewww... I don't want it!!!! hahaha

      Dad, you travel the world alot.... I want to go with you!!! hahaha, have fun living the dream, making money, having fun with no children at home, you know, all the good stuff ;) Thank you so much for sharing that story dad!!!! I certainly hope that all the people here that don't accept our message, we can leave them with a good impression of missionaries, and plant that seed of faith for them. I hope to keep on working super hard, not get discouraged, and remember that I have awesome family and friends behind me supporting me!!! yay!!!! Thanks everyone!!! 

     So, speaking of miracles, we're probably going to have a baptism!!!! February 15th we have someone really solid that's going to get baptized!!! So I hope you can all pray for him!!! I don't really want to say his name here because it's going online, and he actually is american (kind of....) but ya, just pray for our investigator!!! Love you all, and I'll send pictures!!!! :D 

     Oh and dad, I love full preaching mode, so no worries ;) 

     So, on to this week, with what the heck happened in my life here in Taiwan haha!!!!! So I'll just be picking random events and sharing them I suppose, because I don't have my journal haha.... awkward..... oh wait, I'm not allowed to say awkward anymore!!! Ah!!! I mean.... talk about physical discomfort that's making me self conscious about myself!!! haha... ha.... ok its awkward. moving on. 

     So, we have these really cool less active brothers that are now active!!! They are so awesome, and they're taking us to Nan tou today!!!!!! Ok, so Elder Long's dad also went on a mission to Taiwan. And when he was in Taiwan, he left a letter to the people of Nan Tou, and it's still there!!! So we're going there today to go see it :D And these cool brothers are taking us there!!! It was so amazing to see the change in them, and how the spirit has changed and helped them. The Oldest one was working in China, and this is his story: So, before he went to China, his mom took him to the chapel to get a blessing from us. of course his mom didn't tell him, and when they got there, he wasn't super happy. Not really at all haha. However, we gave him a blessing of safety, and it was amazing, after he said he felt so much love, that he was willing to start reading the scriptures in China. He eventually quit that job so that he could come back to Taiwan, be close to his family, and go to church! And then there's his younger brother!!! So this is the younger brothers story: He's a busy college student, and we were just trying to find times to meet with him and eat and talk. His English is really good, so we bought a 3 column Book of Mormon for him (English, PinYin, Chinese) and gave it to him to use. He started reading it, and something happened! he started coming to church, coming to English class, setting up his own times to meet with us, and it was amazing!! And as of right now, they all come to church, have callings, and as a family, they read scriptures every night, and pray together. The way the spirit has touched them is amazing, and it just makes me remember that it doesn't matter what we do for people, all that matters is how they feel in the end. If they feel the spirit of not. The transformation that happened to this family is amazing, and it can happen to anyone!! Just like the family proclamation to the world says, a family based on the principles of the gospel will be a successful family that is strong! So that is that families story, and it gives me inspiration whenever I talk about them! Ah! love it!!!

     Wow. I just went full preacher mode and I didn't even notice it.... hm. 

     So to end here, I just wanted to say the biggest thing that I feel like I've learned this week. It has to do with leading by example, and love. So. Love. Love is like the biggest thing!!! If we don't love people, then whats the point in doing things for others? If there's no love for others, then whats the point in trying to share all these things?? It says "For god so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son...." It's love! The God who created this world did it all out of love! The first great commandment is "Thou Shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart." And the Second is "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself". as we read in 1 John 5:2, it says "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments." So really, when we express our love for God, we really just show that we love his children a ton. We keep his commandments so that we can show how much we care about him. Now as for the second great commandment, I feel like everyone focuses on the part that we're supposed to love others so much. As we just learned, we have to love others, yes, but to me, the biggest part was the fact that we need to love others like ourselves. That means that to start loving others, we first need to love ourselves. now this doesn't mean that we need to get all prideful or anything, it just means that if we really love others and love god, then we'll accept the fact that we were made in his image, and that we need to love ourselves. As part of that love for ourselves, comes the realization that we are imperfect, and so is everyone else! We need to know that we can forgive others for mistakes they make, and that we can forgive ourselves for mistakes we make. As part of this commandment to love others and forgive them, I believe it also includes that we must love ourselves and forgive ourselves. Once we begin to realize that we truly are Children of God, and that we have special talents to help everyone we come in contact with, then we will realize how fun the journey to become better is! Ok I'm starting to babble now, but really, It hit me so hard this week how important love is!!! Love, acceptance, and making ourselves better!!! Another big part that goes with it is acceptance for others!!! We share this gospel because we know it will help make people better! But that isn't to say that they're not already doing things that are making them better people! So we respect others, but we share because it has helped us. There. I hope that makes sense. Hope I didn't sounds too weird, and I hope I got my point across haha!!! 

     So there was full preacher mode, and It's fun!!! I hope that will help someone out there who is struggling, and I hope that we all can feel of the love others have for us :D I love you all, and I love my family!!!! Internet hug!!!!! ()  Love you all!!!! Have a fantastical week!!! 

CTR, (義)

Elder Dawson (陶長老) 

P.S. Photo time??? I think so!!! Bwhahahaa!!!!!!!!!! 

Taiwan January 2014

Well howdy,            Jan12,  2014

    Fine week, don't you say? I was thinking perhaps it was a bit

cold.... you know, over there in America haha ;) Everyone we meet on the

street is like "You're american?? wow, it's really cold over there right

now!!" bahaha, who needs to watch news when you can talk to people and hear

all the exaggerated stories :D It's great!!!! love it!! Halla!!!!!

    But really, lets get down to business, this week started out kind

of.... meh. But then became a great week!!!! yay great weeks!!!!!!

Basically because I remembered the fact that I'm out here to do work, and

not worry about what other people think of me :D Isn't that just an amazing

realization!? I do say so, it is my dear chap!!! :

    Family!! And love!!! Love is what brings us together today!!!! Tell

the family I say hi :D And I want to know if Karen is planning on coming to

Taiwan for vacation haha!!!! It would be fun to know :D Missionary

efforts.... fun/hard times :D

So...... How am I? hmm........ Well Good, and were teaching about 20

lessons a week now, so I"m super happy about that!!!!!!!!!! We have one

investigator with a super strong baptismal goal, so pray for him and for us

that we can help him!!!! Success wise.... well.... I feel super blessed,

because here in Dou Liu, me and Elder long have about 4 or 5 investigators,

and the other companion ships have none right now. I feel super blessed

that we have people to teach, and It makes me want to help them as much as

possible :D God has given me this responsibility to help them, and so that

will keep me going :D Mandarin is super good!!! I feel pretty ok with it :D

I mean obviously if we're talking about like muscular diseases then I don't

understand, but basic stuff I'm doing good :D Speaking it, I still sound

super funny haha, but that's ok, my accent will go away with time.....

hopefully.... :D

So!!!!! On to the week!!!!! So for each day, I'm trying to add in a funny

or spiritual story, but I just thought of this, so Next week I'll have one

for each day, but as for now, I'll just try to remember some :D

Monday: Hahha.... ha..... so dad.... this is how I started out my Journal

entry.... I think you'll enjoy it ;)  I said "So.... sometimes I think my

dad is weird, then I realize, I'm the same weird as him, and it's

awesome!!!" Bahahaha, Love you dad :D So last Monday we spent with one of

Elder Long's old investigator, who wanted to spend time and see him haha.

So we ate.... talked.... played ping pong.... and talked to him.... ya....

super fun!!! Funny story of this day is that The american's won in ping

pong, which overall is just ironic if you ask me haha :D

Tuesday: Suuuuuuuuuuuuuupppppppperrrrrrrr tired!!!!! Like, really tired

haha!!!!! We taught a ton of lessons, and had an amazing ZTM!!!!!!! I got

more language material, and we sprinted like 2 miles with 50 pounds of

books on our back haha!! Funny... but.... bruising on the shoulders haha.

Really fun story of the day has to do with one of our English

investigators! Last time we taught him about the Law of Chastity, and he

was like "Respect for the Church! that's awesome!!!" Then this time, he was

reviewing what the Law of Chastity prohibits, and somehow, he got in his

mind that "Flatulation" Was against it, and we were like oh no! You can

still fart. Promise. And he was like "Oh good, because if you couldn't, I

would never make it into the church!!" bahaha.... funny. awkward. love it.

Wednesday: English class day!!!! Gotta love English class, and this week

is English class party!! Super excited!!!! We're doing a Harry Potter

party, and we have wands we're giving everyone :D Super excited! Anyways,

last Wednesday was super good :D Met with a cool family :D And found

magnets, and then talked about extreme sports. yep.... story... umm.....

ya..... next day :D

Thursday: Wow.... so... tired... need... sleep.... You know I had a

realization, from a video we watched one day. I'm so tired. like every day.

But yet I feel so happy!!! Why is that??? who knows!!! First one to get the

answer will get a hug through the computer ;) Dad, Bryan, you can't play

because you already know the answer haha ;) Oh ya.... but this day, I will

not tell a lie, I wanted to kill Elder Long. But then we talked about it,

and it was all better :D We did a really cool spiritual share with a

candle. We lit the candle, and said it represented the light of Christ in

all of us. Then grabbed a cup which represented Satan, and put it over.

Satan will try to put out our light, but we always have the power to move

away from where he has power to put us out. Love it :D

Friday: We.... had a good day!!!!! I tried writing in my Journal in

Chinese and It went good!!!!! I want to try and write the scripture that I

wrote down here.... Ok, I'll try :D It's Mosiah 26:17, which says "你有福了,

因為你在人......." Ok I give up. Takes to long to type haha!!! I'll have to try

again later :D

Saturday: Everyone is treating us to dinner. Well, there goes my diet

haha :D That was the realization of the day haha!!!!

Sunday: It was a hard day. We had to experience a bit of heart ache as

someone we really care about and want to help doesn't want to talk to us,

and just wants to leave. It was hard, but we made things better :D

Yep... so that was the week!!!! And Now I'm sitting here babbling on....

and listening to some EFY music.... singing to myself... getting funny

looks.... ya all that good stuff :D I love you all at home, and don't

forget me!! That's a big no no!!! No forgetting Elder Danny Dawson, I still

live out here haha!!!! Love you all, and hope you have a great week :D Pray

for me!!!

CTR, (義)

Elder Dawson (陶長老)

P.S. Enjoy the Photos!!!

Family here who ate lunch with us :D

January 5  2014

Well harrow there everyone!!!!! 

     I hope you all had an amazing new years!!!!! Partied a lot..... drank sparkling cider.... partied.... without me..... *sniff* *sniff* bahaha, kidding, I'm having a party here :D 

     So, mission life is going really good!!!!!! Serving others, working hard, laughing, crying, and having the occasional mental breakdowns from Chinese haha! Yay!!!! New years day.... we didn't really do anything.... like at all haha!!! Just continue doing missionary work!! yay!!!!! Year of the horse..... good luck!!!!!!! So that young man and his mother that we were talking about last week are doing good!  His older brother just came back from China, so now its a happy family all together now!!! yay!!!! 

     So mom, sounds like you had an awesome new years!!!!!!! I will be praying for Miriam, and you all, and your family :D And Teaching Primary!!! Yay!!!! That's awesome!!! Good luck mom!!! Try not to spoil them too much ;) I'm super excited to have Chinese new year here!!!!!!! Although, it basically means that my diet is going out the window.... but hey, as of right now I'm at 205!!! yay!!!! That's an improvement haha :D 

Mom! Another Package! Ah! Super Expensive! ah!!! Haha, umm......just recipes to make stuff... a card.... smiles..... not too much candy haha (still trying to lose weight ;) and um..... pictures? I don't know! Ask bryan, he might know haha!!! :D 

Soooo.... This week!!!! Yay!!!!! Overall this week was pretty good :D A little hard at times, but overall pretty good!!! yay!!!! So.... 

Monday: I felt so good!!!!! It was a great day, and I felt super happy!!!! 

Tuesday: Had fun, and Met a really cool German family!!!!! They wanted to come and tour the Chapel, so were super excited!!!!! yay!!!! 

Wednesday: We literally contacted people like all day. Super tiring, but super worth it!! We found a lot of people to meet with, and basically, just hard work brings miracles :D 

Thursday: We met with a ton of less actives!!!! I love meeting with them, and getting to know who they are!! Super fun!!! yay!!!!! 

Friday: So..... got a little tired..... yes..... but that's ok, because I'm still having an amazing time being here!!!! yay!!!! and one of our investigators accepted a baptismal invite, and so now we're working with two people towards baptism!!! yay!!!! 

Saturday: I literally only wrote "Well, what a great day!! :)" Well.... what to do. 

Sunday: Super good!!! That mom I was talking about earlier, It's her birthday next week, so I'm making paper flowers for her! I'll send a picture when I'm done :D 

So to end, I would just love to say how amazing it is to have study times each morning :D Just having that time every morning to study the scriptures has helped so much in my life!!! It's something that I hope to keep doing my whole life :D I love you all!!!!! 

CTR, (義)

Elder Dawson (陶長老) 

Taiwan January 2014

Well hello all humans, platypuses (platypi?), and everyone else :D 

     Well hello!!!!!!! Wow!!!!!!! What a Week!!!!!!!!!! Got to Skype home!!!!!! Yay!!!! It made Elder Long a little bit trunky, but not me, sorry, still don't miss home enough to be trunky haha ;) But really, it was so amazing to be able to see everyone!!! You all look so good, and sound so good!!! Sorry the connection wasn't super amazing, but hey, I got to see you all :D And mom, I'm sorry for how long it took you to get home from St. Louis haha ;) hope you at least had fun a little!! :D And Tell Meilan and Meifong and Amah and Agong that I say hi!!!!! I'm learning Bo, Po, Mo, Fo right now, because they don't have roman pinyin here in Taiwan haha, so I'll be able to type simple things in Chinese back to you all!!!!!! like...... 我愛你們!!!!!!!!! Holy cow that took forever!!!! Ok, on to studying Bo, Po, Mo, Fo, even more haha!!! Hope you all have fun in San Jose!!! I'll be practicing my Chinese and Taiwanese so I can talk with you all when I get back :) Give everyone a hug for me when you're there!!! So.... It's freezing here. Legit. It's currently like 10 degree's Celsius haha, good thing I bought myself a Christmas present, a nice jacket! (yay!)

     So... Christmas Proselyting... oh you know, just joyously fun!!!!! I just want my family to know, I pray for you all everyday by name, and I hope that it help you find guidance in all the decisions you make, just as my mission is helping me learn how to make decisions that will help me in my life :D 

     So, Christmas season is a time of miracles!!!! To start, let me tell the story of a man named Bob. No his name is not really Bob, its some Chinese Characters that I don't want to take the time to type out haha :D However, to protect his privacy, I will just say his name is Bob :D So Bob is a less active here in Dou Liu, Who is awesome!!!! We started meeting with him and his mom, and just getting to know them, and miracles happened!!!! We just invited him to start reading the Book of Mormon again, and come to church with us, and it changed his life!! Before he met with us, he said he was sad, never hung out with friends, and just stayed at home studying. However, he said he would meet with us, and he felt happy! He started hanging out with friends more, started hanging out with his mom, and started coming to church! Yesterday in Church he was asked "what things bring you closer to christ?" His answer was "Hearing the Missionaries bear their testimonies". It touched my heart, to see this sad person who we met suddenly have a change, and start being happy! He told us his new years resolution is to read the Book of Mormon and Bible all the way through!!! He Is so amazing, and families relationship was restored, and he couldn't be happier!!! It's things like this that keep me going :D Seeing how following simple gospel principles can help people so much, it's amazing!!! :D 

     So, on to the week synopsis: 

Monday: Well I realized on this day that I have lost my sense of humor. what to do. who knows?? move on I suppose haha :D Then I bought my new jacket, and wrote cards for people! That was about it :D 

Tuesday:  All I wrote "Christmas Eve!!!!" (yes, correct number of Exclamation points) however, I repented, and the next day wrote "Wow. Pitiful last journal entry. I spit on it. *spit*" and then went on to talk about how for Christmas eve we had happy and sad!! We had to stop meeting with an investigator because he wasn't wanting to listen to what we had to say, but on the other hand we, went Christmas Caroling!!!! Yay!!!!! Right after Christmas caroling, my heart was just filled with joy, as a mother walked over to us (this is a mother who we've been working with to help her sons come back) and told us while she was crying "You two have touched my heart, never before have I met two better and nice missionaries!" Then she went on in some Chinese that I didn't understand haha, but the spirit can move people, and it kills me!!! In a good way :D 

Wednesday: Christmas!!!!!!!! opened presents from family, and got to skype!!!!! Yay!!!!!! Yep..... that was about Christmas :D 

Thursday: Super busy day!!!!!! So we called, Contacted people, had dinner with investigators, met a German Family, and then met with a family!!! We were riding so fast to get everywhere we needed, it was crazy!!! But so much got done, and so much was felt :D 

Friday: We went on Splits!! So I was with Elder Turner, and man it was fun and weird!!! Because we were both Junior companions, I got to be senior companion for a day!! Because we were working in my area :D and then we gave one of our investigators a baptismal goal, and he accepted!!!!!! It's so amazing, and I'm so excited to keep on helping him move towards that goal!!!!! 

Saturday: Back to normal, and back to working even harder!!! We met a man that like our Church, except for the fact we liked Jesus....hmmm.... odd... oh well, it was an amazing day!!! 

Sunday: Well.... Sundays are always.... thought provoking.... haha, and basically I had a smackdown, and had to rethink my life, and had a whole rethought process that was super.... unique haha! But it all helps me to be better, and all helps to make us better people!!! And that is the main point :D Becoming better people, and being happy!!! yay!!!!! 

So yes, that was my week :D Lots learned, and lots to do now :D I hope everyone's doing amazing at home, and don't forget me!!! I love you all, and now, it's time for photos :D 

CTR, 

Elder Dawson 

P.S. I can use dropbox now!!! Whatever that is haha 

 Special family  

Branch Party