Week 27

你好!

This has yet again, been another amazing week.  So many miracles and fun things happened, which because of time, may be hard to get them all in this week, but I will try.

So, to begin the week off at p-day, we finally got to play volleyball in Taiwan.  We went with some college students to their school to play, which was pretty fun.  We played outside, which was a little weird, but we got to use to that part of it.  The only part hard part about playing volleyball again was that I could tell I had not played in a very long time.  As Graham told me in high school, my volleyball coach, I have white boy disease, and I was definitely feeling it on Monday.  I lost a large majority of my ability to jump, which felt really weird.  Guess I know what I am working on now during morning exercises now, jumping higher.

On Monday after p-day, we also got to meet with an old investigator from 2008.  It was really cool when we were calling formers because he was one of the few that actually set up with us and then actually came to the appointment.  It was really the coolest thing because when we meet with him, we really didn't understand why he was dropped in the first place.  He has a lot of interest in learning about the gospel and about just church in general.  It was a really cool experience, especially teaching about the restoration.  It is really is a powerful message we are able to share with people.

This week, we also got to meet with one of our new investigators, 謝先生 (Mr. Xie).  It was a really good lesson, but in my opinion, I would consider it one of my hardest lessons I have taught, with teaching the restoration.  On my mission, I have had plenty of times teaching the restoration, but with 謝先生, we really had to take it to the basics.  He comes from a family that doesn't have any religious background, so we were teaching everything has basic as possible.  For example, when we were teaching about prophets, we went from a normal definition of him having a man who has been called of God's, using His authority, to lead the church and its members to just being a leader for the church.  So, I am definitely learning how to teach the gospel in its most basic form, which is pretty good, but it is really making me think because most of the times, the people we are able to teach have a bit of background about religion.  Also, just to give you a little about 謝先生, he is a college student that also does Latin dancing all over Asia for his job.  The only thing about it was that when he first tried telling us, we both 聽不懂 (didn't understand), so he showed us some photos.  It looked really cool.

As for English class this week, we were teaching about emotions and played hangman.  The really fun part about it all though was the hang man.  With Chinese, they can't really play hangman so it was actually their first time playing it.  It really was fun to see the words that they were able to come up with.  The only thing though about our English class is that we only really have about seven people show up, and 3 of them are members.  We really have been wanting to split the class, but with so few people, it really is a challenge to get the support from the members because they do not really see them numbers coming from the English class.

This next little bit has to do with the power of music.  Recently, one of our converts has been having relapse with smoking and 檳榔 (bin lang, which is pretty much a bin lang nut with chewing tobacco in it), and has just been having trouble seeing the happiness in life.  His job is collecting recyclable items from off the street and getting money through that.  So because of that, his house is full of just items that can be recycled, which don't always looked the prettiest.  We have been talking to our ward about getting things to help him with his house, work and faith; and this week we got somewhere.  One of the members gave him a new CD player with some primary songs that he could listen to at home, and it was amazing to feel the difference.  The power of music can really change the entire feeling of an environment in only a second.  Since then, we haven't been able to visit him, but this upcoming week, we are excited to see the change that has happened because of the primary music.

As for something weird, this week was had the weirdest 請客 (Dinner invitation) with a less active.  We got 請 (invited) to a restaurant to eat the the less active.  And the entire time, the less active would not talk to us.  Half way through the lunch, the less active had to leave, so we ended up finishing our food by ourselves.  It was pry one of the weirder experiences I have had on my mission.

This week, we also got invited to attend the young single adults family home evening meeting to share a message and activity with them.  We taught about using prayer, scriptures and church as being the basis for us to be strong in the gospel.  The activity that went with it had one Book of Mormon, three knifes, and three bowls.  They had to figure out a way to use bowls and the knifes so that the Book of Mormon would not touch the table.  Not sure how exactly to explain it in the email, but the purpose of it is to show that as we use our scriptures, pray, and church, we will be able to avoid the largest temptations the world may throw at us.

As for a miracle this week, I am actually going to copy part of what my companion said in his email home.  "We were riding our bikes home on Saturday to drop some stuff off at home. As we were biking we heard someone call out 'Elders! We need to talk to you!' We stopped and turned around to see two Americans crossing the street towards us! Apparently it was a missionary who served in 苗栗 (Miaoli) thirteen years ago! It was a pretty impressive thing! They came to church the next day. We had a really good time talking about the people he met and working with him to help us find a few Less-Active members!"  Just little things like this are what make the coolest miracles.  We were not expecting it, but we were both grateful for it.

The other big thing for this week was that elections finally finished up.  Dad asked me if it was anything like his experience in Japan, of "I knew it was election time because for about a week before the election, the candidates and their supporters would drive around in big vans with signs and loud speakers.  The loud speakers would broadcast the candidates message throughout the neighborhood where they were driving.  I used to think that if I were Japanese, I would vote for whatever candidate did not use such obnoxious campaign methods."  My answer to that, is YES.  The only difference that it wasn't just for a week.  It started when I got to 苗栗, I just didn't actually know what was going on for a while.  But now that it is over, we actually get go through studies in the morning without one of the loud speaker cars driving by telling us to vote for one of the candidates.  It really is pretty nice.

Now for the biggest part of the week, Thanksgiving.  For some of the answers about Thanksgiving, we did not get mashed potatoes or stuffing, but we did get to eat turkey and a pie.  With that being said, the pie that was made was very similar to our first thanksgiving we had at SSIS our first year in China.  The one here actually looked like a pie, but other than that, it was pretty similar to the one at SSIS.  But other than that, it really really good.  It was pretty much a big pot luck.  And after everyone eat, we were asked to prepare a message and activity for the ward.  The message we prepared had to do with being thankful, and the activity was tug of war, which they loved.  It was really a good bonding time for the members and for us to be able to work with the members.  They really are great.

Well, looks like I was able to fit pretty much everything in.  Thanks for all the prayers and letters.

我愛你們,

柯長老

Elder Okeson

My husband and I returned to Taiwan 13 years after he served there. We were looking to find some of his new members. We couldn't get a hold of anyone, so we thought, maybe we could locate the missionaries in Miaoli. We said a prayer, left our hotel room, and not 2 minutes later, we saw your two sons flying down the streets on their bikes!! We couldn't believe it.

They looked so healthy, happy, handsome, and TALL!!!

We were able to visit with them at church the next day, too. Both my husband and I were so impressed with what great missionaries they are. Their Chinese is really good! The people of Miaoli love them. The kids and young people flock to them. They are both confident and full of light!!

What great sons you have raised.

Hope you are well,

Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA