Typhoon Soudelor!!!

Dear Family and Friends,

The Storm of the Century was legendary. haha. It was pretty cool. I learned something here in Taiwan that I never knew before. I learned that a typhoon is the same thing as a hurricane... haha I

Damage in Our Area from Typhoon Soudelor

can't believe that I never knew that before. They just call them typhoons over here. It was pretty cool though. We knew it was coming because people were all talking about it and refusing to set up with us on the weekend because of the typhoon. haha... and on Friday we got a message from president that basically we just needed to be smart.. so my companion and I decided to go outside! haha. I have found some of the most success on my mission tracting in the pouring rain... so I thought it would be a great opportunity. So we wake up Saturday morning and it was starting to ramp up... we didn't go outside for work out because it would have been too hard to bike there.... haha. When it came time to go outside there was no one out on the road and biking was crazy! The wind would sometimes make it so that you couldn't even pedal... hahah and other times it would hit you in the back and make you go super fast. We just biked to an area and decided to tract. The people all thought that we were crazy... haha. I really didn't think it was that bad or that dangerous.

Lunch Time on Exchanges with Elder Hamula

There were a bunch of trees that were ripped out and some of them took out the cement they were planted in.... that was pretty crazy. Lunch time rolled around so we went to the only place that was open... Mickey D's!! hahah not many people can say they ate Mickey D's in the middle of a Hurricane!! That was super fun.. Then we went and made calls... and then we went tracting again... we found a little success and ran into this lady who we taught how to pray... We went back again the other day to find out that she had prayed. That was really neat. When dinner rolled around... we were pretty hungry... and guess where we went... MICKEY D'S HAHAA!! At that time our phone was not working... so after we ate we had to go home to connect with the ZLs... to make sure that we were still supposed to be outside.. we got home and found out that president just told us all to stay in the rest of the night! hahah. So we got home... showered and made calls the rest of the night watching the district on our little DVD thing. (the district is a missionary video).

We had a huge miracle this week... last night actually. We had just finished contacting and decided that it was time to start heading home because we have to get numbers in early on Sunday. While we were heading back we saw this guy on the side of the road... we pulled over and said hello and asked how he was... he said that he was horrible and not happy. I asked him why and he just said that is faith was low... he then asked if we had something that could help him. We told him about our church and prayer. We committed to coming to church next week and was really serious about it. We then said a prayer with him to help his faith. It was a huge miracle. He gave us his number and we showed him where our church was.

Earlier this week we also had a sweet miracle. We were out tracting and this guy was outside. We went to go and talk to him to find out he was part of a different christian church. He didn't want to talk a lot and told us his wife was inside and wouldn't be happy... we talked a little longer and then all of a sudden his door closed behind him... hahah it locked him out and he didn't have keys. hahah Idon't know if his wife was actually home. So we ended up talking to him for like 30 min about the church. We got his number and are hopeful for the future. He told us not to get to hopeful for him... haha but its okay. Regardless of the outcome we were able to share restored truths with him. It was awesome. Thanks to that door.. :)

This week I read about the light of Christ in PMG... I loved as I was reading I felt how much Heavenly Father loves all of his children. He wants to give them the very best. He has given us the light of Christ that no matter what situations we are born into we can still discern good from evil. That is something I think is really cool. When people are prepared and hear the message of the restored truth it really does feel like home to them. It makes sense them. I know that there are people out there who are ready to hear and receive this gospel. Everyone was foreordained to receive all that the Father has. That doesn't exclude anyone.

This week as I was reading the Book of Mormon I came to realize even more what a special this opportunity is to be in Taiwan serving the Lord. I read Mosiah 5:13 For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart. We cannot truly come to know the Master without serving him. It is key to finding joy and peace in this life and in the life to come. I know that when we are in the service of our fellow beings we are only in the service of our God. There is so much joy in this work. It is also called work for a reason. It is not easy... in fact most of the times it is very hard. However, I know that the hardest things in life always bring the most joy and blessings. Salvation was not free, It took every ounce of energy and strength that our Savior had to pay that price for us. I know that as we serve him we truly come to know and understand him. Understanding him brings the peace and joy that our hearts deeply yearn for. ''Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me.''

I love you all so much!!

Love, Elder Redding