Taiwan April 13 2014

Hello all!!!!!

       So crazy things are happening in the world of Taiwan!!!!!!!!!! So yes, I'll just say it straight up, I'm totally being transferred to a new area today!!!! I have been in Dou Liu for 6 months, and now I'm moving to...... wait for it...... I will be moving to Hung Chun Today!!!!!!!! So for all of you who may need a brushing up on the geography of Taiwan, let me give a review. So. Here in Dou Liu, I'm at about the middle of the Island, and I will be going to Hung Chun, which is the most southern part of Taiwan!!!!! It's crazy!!!! I'm going to a place that there's not even trains that go there haha!!!!! It's right by Ken Ding, Which is a super big party place in taiwan haha, because the beaches are beautiful :D 

      So...... pull up a photo of Taiwan. look at it. And see the little bottom of the jelly bean shaped Island? That's my area. the largest area in the Entire mission haha, and I'm going crazy!!!!! My district will only have 2 people in it, me and my companion. the closest missionaries to us are a 3 hour bus ride away, and it's so cool!!! So today I will take a two hour train down to Ping Dong, and then meet my new companion, the from there travel three hours on a bus to my area :D Super exciting!!!

     However, with all the excitement that's happening, I have to say how amazingly grateful I am for this time I have spent in Dou Liu. It's hard to admit, but I'll say it, this morning I just started balling because I'm leaving this area. I have grown an absolute love for the people here, and their love towards missionaries. I have been moved when teaching investigators, I have had success here, I've cried here, fought here, and all of it has been absolutely amazing! I can honestly say with all my heart, that I will miss Dou Liu, with all my heart. I'm moving to Hung Chun, but a little part of my heart will always be left in this amazing city, with the hearts of all those I've become close to. Saying goodbye to everyone here was honestly one of the hardest things I've ever done, but I keep praying and praying that the Lord will bless this area, and bless me as I move on to a new part of my life. I'm super scared, but super excited. 

     Anyways, So....... I do have to say, I did a pray a while ago that the Lord would help me lose weight.... know what he did?? He sent me to the hottest area on the mission. People still wear jackets down there during the summer, because if they don't, the sun will literally burn your skin to blackness. Everyone says I will become black down there, and that I'll go crazy haha, but I'm super happy. So let it be known, be careful what you pray for, because sometimes if you want to lose weight, the Lord will send you to the hottest place in the mission, in the middle of summer, with bike rides to places over 3 hours away. Mazeltov ;) yay! Exciting, but scary, I'll be like Anemic when I get home haha... ha.... anyway ;) 

     So everything I have is packed up.... sorry!!!! So I don't have the day by day update, but please, pray for me as I go to the fires of Hung Chun, that I will be able to.... um... live ;) love you all!!!!!!

CTR, (義)

Elder Dawson (陶長老) 

P.S. oh ya, my new companion is Elder Lindsey, and I'll let you know more about him next week :D you know.... when I've actually met him haha :D 

Taiwan April 6, 2014

Hello all of you out there in the world, how are you???? That's good, I'm doing pretty good myself here ;) Thanks for asking haha :D 

       Guess what season it is????? It's CONFERENCE SEASON!!!!!!!!!!! Whoot whoot whoot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yay!!!! I'm glad you all get to see it back there! We have to wait a week for it to be translated into Chinese, and then we can watch it next week :D You'll have to tell me how all the sessions go haha :D I'm so excited to listen to them!!!!!!! 

     So wait, you just got out of a Taxi and saw Elder Mangleson!?!?!? That's so crazy!!!!!! Wow, what a small world when everyone's in Taiwan haha! Sounds like you parents had a fun time in Taiwan seeing..... people..... and having fun haha :D 

     So this last week we had a new investigator named Lin Bo Zhang, and he's doing awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!! Still reading the book of mormon, and he's only been reading 8 days, but is already almost to Alma!!!!! Super awesome, and he's still going strong haha!!!!! Love that guy ;) 

      To answer the Question, No, I am not getting Trunky haha, I love my mission far to much for that to happen haha ;) So yes, there's that :D 

     Preach my Gospel is an inspired book I tell you!!! Inspired!!!! haha :D I have a goal to read from it everyday on my mission, and it's going pretty good :D You can learn a lot from that book! Not just about the gospel, but also a lot about how to live your life. Of course those two things also do go together haha, so there you go ;) 

     So this week was pretty good!!!!!!!!! Almost cried a few times from happiness, but I refrained! I'm going good haha!!!! But ya, it was good :D here we go! 

Monday: Well saw some pretty awesome people that may or may not be related to me ;) hahaha, and then we had a Family home evening, Elder Gummow Lost his wallet, and then we found it with the 4000 dollars still in it :D awesome!!!! 

Tuesday: We had a DTM Training meeting that was hilarious!!!!!! and learned a lot :D then we met with my Recent Convert Kevin Guo, and it was super fun :D yay!!!

Wednesday: It was raining so hard!!!!!!!! And yet, we still went out and did missionary work, and it was fun :D However, we got kind of wet haha....... oh well!!!!!! then we had English class, and next week is our english class party!!!! yay!!!!!!

Thursday: Tiredness was setting in, because the mosquito's wont let me sleep!!!!! they're all just big meanies. haha ;) oh well, the running total is at 23 mosquito bites right now haha, so yay. mazeltov. Then we met a totally golden guy that has spent 2 years looking for the right church, and he came to ours and said he loves the atmosphere and the message we bring!!! Ah!!!!! Miracles are everywhere!!!! 

Friday: Planned a lot.... ya..... then had a dinner at a Ma Jia Ting's house, and had some meetings....... met with people.... ya.... 

Saturday: We had a super cool day going grave sweeping!!!!! It's a festival here in Taiwan, where they all go and sweep the graves. So, interestingly, the graves are all just public graves, and they bury the people there, and once the body is decayed, they dig up the bones, and put them inside of a jar, and then put the jar inside of this giant building! We went there, and it's crazy how many boxes there are with dead people in them!! Weird... but cool..... ya :D Then got lost in a secondary area and went home :D 

Sunday: So Church (yay) and then we went out to a secondary area called Xi Luo. We went to the middle of nowhere finding a less active, and then the person riding with us, his tire popped haha. and we were literally in the middle of nowhere haha. yay. It all went good though, but in all, me and Elder Gummow were riding our bikes super fast for about 3 hours all at once to get there, get lost, and get on the right road, eat dinner and get home. yay for exercise haha ;) 

So yes, it was a pretty good week!!!!!!! Hope you like the photos!!!

CTR, (義)

Elder Dawson (陶長老) 

Our Zone Leader

Elder Forbes and Companion

Sister Mangelson and Companion

Grave Sweeping and Cleanup Service Project

Taiwan March 30, 2014

Hello all,

What an Odd Week !!

     So this has been a really cool week, and actually kind of weird...... hm...... My trainer who went home a month or so ago came back and saw me. He was wearing normal clothes, and it was super weird haha!!!!! Ya.... and then some things will be happening today that will be.... different..... hahahahaha ya. 

     So mother and father, it's good to hear that you're in Taiwan right now hahaha, what a crazy happenstance bwahahahahaha!!!!!! I'm glad you had a good time at church :D and this should be fun.... hm..... life's good, and I'm super excited for today haha :D 

     So, other than that, this week was super cool, and super good!!!!!!! I got to perform my violin yesterday, while we sang a song called "come unto Christ" And then we had a fireside sending off a soon to be missionary here :D He's going to Canada Edmonton haha, so yay!!! Super excited for him :D 

     Other than that, we have a super cool investigator!!!!!!!! His name is Lin Bo Zhang, and he's super cool!!! He's a college student, who said he'd come to church with us, and when he came he loved it! We taught him the first lesson about Joseph Smith, and then we taught about prayer and the Book of Mormon. The next time we met with him, he said he prayed, and had a overwhelming feeling that he had to read the entire Book of Mormon, and then decide for himself. It was super awesome!!!!!!!!! Wa!!!!!!!! So he came to a movie night activity we had, and then he read the Book of Mormon like the whole time!!!! Super cool :D 

     This last week was just as busy as I think it could get...... I love being busy!!!! yay!!!!! So... I totally forgot my Journal, so I can't say day by day.... but that's ok, I'll have to do it next week haha! :D Ya...... So..... this week's email is kind of short. sorry!!! But I'll be better next week haha, just know, that all is going well here in the world of Taiwan!!!!!!! Love it :D Stay cool, and I love you all!!!!!

CTR, (義)

Elder Dawson (陶長老) 

Taiwan March 23, 2014

Well hello everyone!!!!!

A Week of Miracles

      And hello family, having fun in Hawaii I see ;) That's so awesome!!!!!!! It 

      I'm glad to hear that the ward there is so awesome!!!!!!! I'm super excited to get all the stuff, and don't worry, I've only had like 2 steam buns since I've been in Taiwan haha ;) Hope you're all having fun!!!!!! I'm glad you got all the pictures from sister Chen :D 

      So this week in Taiwan was super fun!!!!!!!!! We got 7 new investigators, and they're all super cool and super willing to learn!!!!!! This week we tried really hard to do all that we could to hit the mission standards, and to work our hardest, and be the most obedient we could, and we have seen the Lord bless us in all that we do, and it's been so amazing!!!!!! This week truly has been a week of miracles :D 

Monday: Decided to really start learning Chinese Characters, and I know about 400 right now, so yay!!!! :D Played ping pong, got a hair cut, went caroling, and then went tracting :D 

Tuesday: Super inspirational day!!!! The whole day was in Jia Yi at a zone conference, and it was so cool!!!! We spent the whole day learning about mission standards, new rule book, morning time studies, and then to end it, President Blickenstaff teaching us about the doctrine of Christ. It was so cool!!!!! ah!!!!!!! Then we met with a family that made me realize how important social skills are.... hm.. Better get those. haha ;) 

Wednesday: This day was super hard work, and super fun!!!! A big highlight is I became an assassin of mosquitoes. So it was English Class, and for some reason, our Chapel was completely infested with Mosquitoes. Like, They were seriously everywhere!!! So me and Elder Gummow ran home and grabbed my mosquito tennis Racket killer, and I went to work! I probably killed over 200 mosquitoes that day. No joke. it took me a half an hour, but I got them haha. Super fun :D 

Thursday: We decided to change to becoming more obedient and trying harder today. It was super cool, and we learned the importance of asking inspired questions when trying to help people :D 

Friday: I went on an Exchange with our zone leaders in Jia Yi!!! I went up there for the day, and it was super cool and super fun!!!!! We Taught a lot of people, sang like everywhere we went, and then got to know the zone leaders :D Then taught a completely crazy person, but that's ok, no worries :D 

Saturday: Exchanged back to Dou Liu, and went out to our secondary area of Ci Tong, and had some fun finding people out there!! :D Then Elder gummow did a baptismal interview for a sister that the other Elders were teaching :D 

Sunday: The complete miracle day!!!! So we were 6 lessons away from hitting the mission standard for lessons, and we were kind of sad. So we prayed for miracles, and it totally happened!!!! We got six lessons just on sunday, and 4 new investigators!!!!!!! wa!!!!!! And, to top it all off, some members here gave me a suit, and 3 pairs of pants!!!! wa!!!!!! They completely love me haha :D And, I got to meet one of the Chinese people that has a video made of them in the Mormon Messages :D It was an AMAZING day!!!!! Love it :D 

So yes, that was the week, and I loved it!I hope you enjoy reading it :D I can't wait to see what happens this week, and I can't wait to hear more from all of you :D I love you all so much!!!!!!!!! And Have a fantastic week!!!!!!! 

CTR, (義)

Elder Dawson (陶長老) 

Taiwan March 16, 2014

And it Was Fire and Ice in the Land of Taiwan
 The Work here in Taiwan is so awesome!!!!!! Loving it, and just always keeping going, and working hard!!!! I've noticed when I sleep at nights now, I don't move at all. I just lay there like a rock haha. I'm so tired all the time, but I guess that's a good thing :D 

So that's so awesome about the baptism over there!!!!!! Tell her I say congratulations, and that I think it's so awesome :D Wa! Baptism is so awesome!!!!! During a baptism, the spirit is stronger than most other times in your life, and it's an amazing thing to be able to be a part of something like that :D I'll have to show you one of the Tracts we use when contacting people, it's all about baptism :D Oh and if you want you can send the medicine haha, that would be easier than having to go to a doctor here and only partially understand what they are saying haha :D 

WA!!!!!!!!!!! Next time anyone see's Andrew Robinson, can you just give him a hug for me!? Gosh I love that kid haha :D And that sounds super awesome they're all going on a mission!!!!!! Tell them I wish them luck, and I'm excited to hear where they go!!! And if they felt the need to write me a little email tell them feel free to haha ;) 

Dad.... did you find the Puffer fish??? This is very Important. Hahaha, Just kidding ;) Oh and that Sister Chen Gave me an adorable owl thing with my name on it! I'll send a picture to you :D 

So dad, sounds like you're having a party flying around the world!!!!!!!!!! And holy cow, since when were you all going to Hawaii?? That sounds so much fun!!!!!!!! Have a fun time for me, I know it'll be hard without me there, but please, try ;) hahaha, just kidding :D 

Thank you so much everyone for sending me stuff, and for sharing spiritual insights, and for sharing how your says were :D I love hearing from you all!!!! And because of that, I will share about my week so you can hear about me too haha :D 

Monday: So we ate lunch with sister Chen and her two kids :D And then I spent money. oh ya, I should probably let you know when I pull money out of my account huh? Well last week I totally pulled money out haha :D There you go haha :D So other than that we met with a slightly.... off.... less active, who had us feel his head haha. Anyways, super cool, and I'm starting to read Jesus the Christ!!!!! Gotta finish it :D 

Tuesday: Had a super spiritual meeting on helping this area become a stake :D Then had a Family home Evening with a family. yay :D 

Wednesday: Had a great English class!!!!! Score!!!!!!!!! Then I saw my old companion Elder Yeh (he's already been released as a missionary) and it was super weird!!!!! Ah!!!!!

Thursday: So I played my violin at a traditional Taiwanese Funeral, and it went super good :D The funeral was a little weird, but that's ok, I just didn't understand anything, because it was all in Taiwanese haha :D Oh and then a member here got his mission call, and he's going to Edmonton Canada, the same area as one of my MTC companions!!! So those two might be companions in the future!!!! Super cool :D 

Friday: Had some good food...... good meetings.... sang some songs.... and ya.... worked. Amen. 

Saturday: our investigators are awesome!!! yay!!! It makes me happy :D and Some lady from New Zealand walked up to us and said "I really appreciate what you two are doing here, so here, treat yourselves to something nice" then handed us a 100 kuai bill, and walked away haha. Awesome :D Then we gave a guy and his 4 girlfriends a tour of the chapel, and then went to a former Bishops house for dinner :D 

Sunday: Very good, and I was reminded of the fact that help is always there when you need it :D We are never alone, because the Lord is always willing to help us :D We also went to our farthest away secondary area called Xi Luo, rode bikes for an hour and a half, and had dinner their :D yay :D 

So ya, that was the week!!!!! I want you all to remember I love you, and I'm praying for you all over here in Taiwan, and I hope you all have an amazing week!!!!! 

CTR, (義)

Elder Dawson (陶長老) 

Me and Elder Gummow 

Taiwan Feb 23, 2014

Well howdy there!!!! 

     Dapper. That's how I'm feeling this week haha! Dapper :D yep!!! It's been a fun week with my Taiwanese companion Elder Yeh!!!!! We've been going around like crazy finding people, and helping less actives come back!! 

So last week sorry the letter was kind of short (and this weeks will be kind of short too...), what happens is Elder Yeh's family, parents, and friends don't email, and so he doesn't use email at all haha. So we come here for an hour for last week and this week haha. However, next week he will be returning home!! (My second companion, and second one sent home haha) so next week I'll have more time to email more!! promise!!!! however, last week we hiked a mountain called Hua Shan :D and it was totally a keeper!!! and Chinese and Taiwanese?? haha.... Chinese is going really good!!!! It's just down to learning vocab now to understand what people are saying and how I can say things haha :D And because I'm with Elder Yeh, my Taiwanese is going pretty good!!! Of course he teaches me some weird taiwanese... which is super fun haha :D So ya, it's all going good!!! I can't wait to talk to you in Chinese mom!!!! yay!!!!!!!! You're coming to to Taiwan march!! Super fun!!!! Yay!!! I'll be praying for you all, and for amah and Agong :D 

     Relaxing weeks.... right..... wouldn't that be nice haha.... anyways, onto life!!!!! Wait... the Olympics are going on right now!?!?! What am I living in a small Taiwanese village in the middle of nowhere!?!?! (oh wait...) how's it going???? I'l be praying for you and all your brothers and sisters dad!! I'm sorry, I love you a ton and me and Elder Yeh are praying for you all. 

     So yes... last week I had a baptism!!!!! ah!!!!! His name is Kevin Cool (Guo Kai Wen) and he's super awesome!!!!! I'm so grateful I didn't get transferred so that I can help him and continue to be here to support him! His story really is amazing, and I would love to tell you all right now!!! However... I have 5 minutes left on the computer... awkward.... I promise I'll send more next week when I have more!!! Promise!!!! Sorry these last two weeks I've been super bad at writing!!! Ah!!!!! We sang in Church last week. Sang The EFY Medly. Mazeltov. 

     Thank you dad for sending me that!!! Recently I have realized that 1/4 of my mission is gone, and I feel like it's gone to quick!!! I've been looking for more spiritual things to get me going again, so thank you so much for sharing!!! 

I love you all so much!!!!! I'll write more next week, Love you all, and I hope you all have an amazing week this week!!! Pray for us here in Dou Liu as we try to do some things that may seem impossible haha! 

CTR, (義)

Elder Dawson (陶長老) 

Taiwan Feb 17 2014

Wow.... This was quite the week!!!! And It sounds like a crazy week at home!!!!! I have to express how sorry I am to hear about Aunt Elizabeth. I have many fond memories of her as a kind taking care of us and babysitting us, and I'm sorry to hear about that. I'm sorry dad, and I pray that the Lord with comfort you in this time of trial, and that you will be able to feel more of His love and how much I love you. 

     So this week, we climbed a mountain. So I have like no time to email. Great. however, I will talk a ton more next week!!!! quick things!!! 

 My new companion is Elder Yeh, He's Taiwanese, and he goes home in 2 weeks, so that's the second Elder I'm sending home!!! wa!!!! 

I am better now, but when I lost my voice, we had to teach lessons whispering haha. :D 

I'm still in Dou Liu here :D And It's awesome!!!! yay!!!!

Sorry, next week I'll write more!!! love you all!!! :D 

CTR, 

Elder Dawson