Loved Conference!

Dear Family and Friends, 

This week was awesome!!  We had an awesome DTM and President came and joined us.  I loved it.  It was super cool. We did a contacting activity at the end with the other zone who meets in the same

District Training Meeting

building for their own DTM.  After DTM, I went on an exchange with Elder Hamula!!  He came to DaKeng with me! We saw some awesome miracles.  That night we had all these lessons lined up and none went according to plan... but it went exactly like the Lord planned it.  It was so amazing.  We then saw one of our investigators who is having some family struggles right now... and she was at the church and was the happiest I have ever seen her.  Her husband came later as well.  It was so awesome.

Then I went on another exchange with our Zone Leader, he came to Dakeng as well!  Elder Anderson is his name and he knows Luke!!! He loved Luke!!  (he went to Davis High)  We also saw crazy awesome miracles.  Once again we had a plan... but the Lord had one as well.  It made me realize how imperfect we are, but the Lord knows when we try our very best and he really does help us.  

Conference was amazing.  I loved it so much.  We watched it in the mission office with the Assistants and the Office Elders (in English – Chinese broadcast was in the chapel).  It was so great!  I just am so grateful for a living prophet that guides and directs this church today.  

Dinner at Mission Home After General Conference

I love you all so much and want to reflect on Elder Hollands talk for a moment.  I loved the story he shared about free climbing and the brothers.  There are times in our lives when we feel that we have to do everything alone and kind of almost tell the Savior to "go and find a branch" however I know that he is always by.  He is always there to catch us.  We don't have to go through this mortal experience alone.  We have him always by our side.  So let us make a greater effort to always keep him near so that he can catch us.  I love you all so much and am so grateful for families.  They are super important!!! (just in case you missed conference) haha  I know that the family truly is ordained of God, and is a social unit set up to foster a culture of righteousness that we as His children get learn and grow in.  Love you all so much!!! 

Love, 

Elder Redding

Because He Lives!

Dear Family and Friends,

This week we didn't get to watch conference!!  We watch it next week!! So that you for being mindful of me and not spoiling it!!haha  This week has flown by... like always!!! haha Last Monday after we emailed we went to dakeng and saw the monkeys!!! It was awesome!!  We came back and ate this awesome chidaobao!!  This week we really tried to focus our efforts on sharing the message of Easter.  No one here knows what Easter is.. and if they do they only know about the bunny and the eggs!!  haha,  there is an amazing video... I am sure that you have seen it.  It is called BecauseHeLives.  We went around sharing this with everyone this week!!  We had them pulling it up right then and there on their phones and watching it.  We also had a free car wash where people could come park at the church go inside and watch the video while we washed their skooters and cars.  It was amazing to see them come out.  They all came out of that church a little different than when they walked it.  It was awesome!!  

Monday we met with P and V and their son.  They are honestly just the most amazing family ever.  We taught them and gave them baptismal goals!!  Church will be the main thing for them.  They are always very busy.  They feel the power of prayer and it has affected their lives.    

Saturday we had an awesome experience!!  There is a thing called saomu "sweeping tombs"  It is

Grave Sweeping

where families go and clean and sweep their loved ones tombs.  We got to go and participate in that this week.  It was really neat, and neat to know that these people are being taught right now in the spirit world.  Such a cool experience!!!

We were able to meet with an active member in the ward this week who has been super busy with work.  As I was reading in personal study, I just couldn't seem to find anything that really jumped out to me.  Finally as I read in Mosiah 24 it read about the lord making their burdens seem light.  It really hit me.  So that night as we met with him, I know I needed to share that with him.  He expressed that he has been struggling recently and that this was exactly what he needed to hear.  It was really neat.  It was like in that moment I knew exactly what he needed and we both knew that it was true.  So amazing.  

I love you all so much and want you all to know that Because He Lives all of us have the opportunity to find peace and happiness regardless of the situations we face!  We are not only on this earth to grow and learn, I am fully convinced we are also here to be happy.  Let us all commit to doing something this week to bring us closer to our Savior and experience the true happiness that his perfect life has given us.

I love you all so much and pray for you.  Keep the faith!! 

Love, 

Elder Redding

Great Baptism!!!

Dear Family and Friends, 

HELLLLOOOOO  HANDSOME PEOPLE!!!! hahah its just an inside joke in Taiwan... not that I don't think that you are all handsome... haha because you are!!  In Taiwan there is a saying "ShuaiGe'' which means handsome boy!!  We use it all the time when we see cool dudes!!1 haha and they love it!!  

Anyways!!  "X" got baptized this week!!!!!  Honestly.... he is the most amazing guy in the entire world.  I have never seen someone with the desire that he had to just live the gospel.  It was interesting because he really fought hard to change some things in his life and at times it was really hard for him. Physically even.  This last week we met with him every day... as the week went on Satan's power was weakened, and Saturday Satan was crushed to see good ol X stretching and smiling from ear to ear in preparation for his baptism.  So amazing. He bore the most powerful testimony.  It was something so beautiful.  He thanked Elder Ju and I and said that we were his left and right hands.  It was so neat.  He was confirmed a member of the Dakeng ward yesterday and is so happy!!! So awesome!! 

The rest of the week was awesome as well!! Temple on Wednesday and then on Saturday we saw 2 awesome miracles and met with these people we met at family mart and set baptismal goals with them.  It is so true that the Lord has already prepared certain people to receive this gospel.  We just have to find those people and help everyone else have experiences in which they can prepare to receive it as well!!!  I love you all so much!!! Sorry this is so short!!!   That was the week though!!! Love you all so much!!! Keep the faith.  

Love, 

Elder Redding   

"X" is Getting Baptized

Dear Family,

Sorry, today's Email is going to be super short because we only have 1 hour to email today.  We have a temple trip on Wednesday so today we don't have P day.  We only have an hour today, and then after the temple on Wednesday we have another hour.  So that is the big news!! 

The other big news is that "X"... he is getting baptized this next Saturday!!! He has one of the greatest desires for the gospel that I have ever seen.  He spends like all day at the church on Sunday because he doesn't want to be tempted!!! He is amazing.  We are going to see him every day this week to ensure that he is good.  His story is amazing... I will share it later when I have more time.  

Also, we met with "L" this week.  He was a previous investigator that I met on the road with Elder Munger.  I met him and his wife and invited them to the church to meet with us.  He came and was awesome... but then he had to go to GaoXiong for like a month and we lost contact.  Randomly two weeks ago I called him and he said that next week he would have more time... we hear that a lot, so I was worried.  I called again and no answer, and then randomly last week I was literally chasing him down on his bike riding with him talking about the gold plates in chinese!!! hahaha it was quite a sight!! He kept saying he had to go, but I finally got him to tell me that he had been to church and stuff and then he just zoomed off.  I was so sad because I felt like he was prepared and it just couldn't get him to stop!! At that time Elder Ju got a call on our phone and it was "L" calling us!! He set up!! WAHHHOOO!!!

So when we met with him I invited him to be baptized on the 25th of April... I was nervous for what he would say... but he just say that he could.  hahah he didn't hesitate at all... all I could do was look at him and smile and give him a high five!! hahaha.... thats what I did.  I was so happy!!! We found out after that he lives in another area, so we set him up with the other missionaries.  It went so smooth and those missionaries were SOOOOO HAPPY!! HAHAHA  

Anyways!! I love you guys so much and think that you guys are the greatest examples in the entire world!!! Thank you guys for everything!! 

Love, 

Elder Redding 

On Top of the World!!!

Dear Family and Friends,

Hello Everyone!!!  I hope that everything is going great!!! Man... I don't even quite know where to begin!! I always get to Monday and the last week just seems like a blur!!  It kinda freaks me out because I just want to remember and take in every single experience.  This week that really set in to my heart.  

Overlooking Taichung from Apartment Top

This week was Elder Wootan's last week here.  I went on my first exchange ever in Taiwan with him back in January.  He is just a stud.  He looks like Harry Potter too.  I just call him the Wizard.  That is what he is when it comes the chuan-ing the jiao!  (serving a mission)  This week was his last week, and on Friday he set up with me to go on his last exchange.  It would be his last day actually Chuaning the jiao!  I was speechless. haha, but I was so excited!!! I remember a week prior to that in Zone Conference all of the missionaries that were to go home this movecall had the opportunity to give a reflection of their missions.  They only have 2 min to sum everything up in one.  His was awesome, and I have the copy he wrote. At the very end of his, he made a reference to Elder Holland saying that no one ever loved their mission like he did... Elder Wootan then looked up and said, "Well he didn't know me."  It sounds funny... but at the time you knew it was true.  You could feel it.  

Elder Redding Overlooking the City

Elder Wootan and I went on the exchange and it was awesome.  We even went up on the roof the
night before and looked out over the city.  That was a special experience.  At the end of the exchange we do exchange evaluations so we can give invites for improvement and to work on things.  I had to give the Wizard the last advice before he went home.... I simply just invited him to Dominate life and love the rest of every aspect of life just like you loved your mission.  He then told me that he wasn't sure that the invite he was going to give was even possible, but he said that he was going to give it.  He looked right at me and told me to love my mission even more than he loved his...  That meant a lot to me.  I love it out here and love the work.  I just said bye to Elder Wootan.... He was a great example to me. 

With Elders and Investigators

This week we really made some progress with "X" and he had his interview with President and he will get baptized soon.  He is such a warrior.  I love him so much.  He has been through it all.  He is where he needs to be right now.  I just know that Heavenly Father is so proud and happy for him.  He came to church this week all dressed up and all.  He even shared in Priesthood.  The ward loves him and he feels at peace at church.  He also came to a baptism the night before for the sisters.  I found out like 3 hours before that I was baptizing their investigator.  X came and it was great for him to be there.  We are meeting with "P" this week!!!

We have seen miracles this week and are so grateful.  I love all of you so much.  I pray for you all.  Thank you guys for all you do.  Keep the Faith!

Love, 

Elder Redding

From the Top of the Apartment

The Beautiful City of Taichung

"L" was Baptized!

Dear Family and Friends, 

It has been another amazing week.  It has flown by and we have seen many miracles.  This was my first week with Elder Ju, and he is awesome!!!  You will never believe it... His favorite singer is Kenny Chesney!!! Just like me! haha.. so yeah, we get along really well!  He has been out just a movecall behind Elder Munger!  So he is pretty seasoned!! We are going to have a blast this move call!!!  I am pumped.

This week L got baptized!!! Wahhhhoooo! :) I went on an exchange earlier this week with a

Special Day - Baptism of "L"

missionary named Elder Hemula.  He is from New Zealand, and I don't think that he has a bad bone in his body.  He is the kindest person I have ever met.  It was such a great opportunity for me to learn from him.  He is this tall guy with this super deep voice.  On the exchange we met with L one last time before her baptism and shared about the opportunity she has to receive the Holy Ghost.  During the lesson she actually shared about when we first met her.  I contacted her on this main road up in DaKeng, and it was one of my first weeks here so my chinese was... well you know.  haha anyways, at that time she agreed to meet us at the church later that week.  We exchanged numbers with her, and I accidentally wrote the wrong number.  It being one of my first weeks... something happened and my head was filled with a million things and a lost her card.  I kinda thought that she wouldn't show up either because she had actually agreed to come meet with us... hahah! It just seemed too good to be true. Here is the miracle... she actually showed up on that day and was standing outside the gate trying to call us... but called the wrong number and some business answered.  So she was like, ah, whatever I will just leave.  Just then she saw another Elder, and he invited her to come in and see the church!  She then told him that she was looking for HongZhangLao (me) and she got with us and was able to hear this wonderful gospel.  I think that is such a miracle.  If she would have left and not seen that Elder, she would still be searching.  It was really neat to hear.  She has really taken a love for this gospel.

Elder Redding, "L", Elder Ju on Baptism Day

Her baptism was great.  I had to give her introduction which I was a little nervous for... haha.  It ended up going fine though!!!  haha!  It was awesome!!! 

This week we just pushed it and ate on the go like every day and just really tried to get it done.  It was great and we saw tons of miracles.  We have another baptismal goal.  He is scheduled for the 21st!  I think that he will hit it.  We will see.  He came to the church for 7 hours yesterday.  He is so grateful for the changes in His life that he has made.  He is a great guy.  We also met a guy at the local college and gave him a baptismal goal for the 4th...  :) haha

Kinda funny.. at church in Priesthood I sat with this less active member and at the end I was really battling to stay awake!  haha I was just exhausted! haha and I caught myself once and he looked at me and laughed and said "are you sleeping??" haha and I just smiled and looked at him and said, "No way, I was just receiving revelation." hahahaha we both just laughed so hard!! It was actually really good, and he hadn't been to church in a long time.  His wife isn't a member and came for the first time in a long time!!  We are teaching them both!! They are the coolest people ever!!! 

I love this scripture in Proverbs 29:18, "where there is no vision, the people parish..."

I love this because I think about the great gift of the atonement and what a great vision it gives us all.  The knowledge of the atonement should give us the strength to push through anything.  I think that it is so amazing.  It has given me strength to push it out here.  I can't afford not to.  This message is that important.  

I love you all so much and am so grateful for your love and example of the Savior in my life.  You all continue to inspire me.  Love you all and keep the faith.  

Love, 

Elder Redding

Zone Conference Lunch

Taichung Zone and Taichung North Zones at Zone Conference - March 2015

Practicing at Zone Conference with Elder Ju

Power Week Begins!

Dear Family and Friends, 

It has been another awesome week full of great experience.  Today is also transfers, and I am with my new companion right now!! He is really cool!  He is really nice, and really good at Chinese.  His name is Elder Ju, he is American.  I am really excited for the opportunity that I have to learn from him and his example. I am really excited to get to work with him.  

This week was my last week with Elder Munger and today saying goodbye was kinda hard from me.  I have really gotten bad at goodbyes ever since I came out on my mission.  I feel so blessed to have the people in my life that I have.  Elder Munger is a stud and really helped me a ton.  He taught me what it means to really work hard.  I am excited to keep pushing it.  It is great to push it.  

This week is what we call power week.  Because all of the GuoNian festivities we need a week to make up for everything.  We call it powerweek and it is nuts!!!  Every day there is a challenge that we need to do.  Today's is a little easier because of transfers and p day incorporated, but tonight the challenge is to tract into two familes and have two sit down lessons with them and set up for next time.  I am excited.  It should be great.  

This week we have a baptism for our friend L!  She is super cool.  I actually met her on the street about 3 months ago.  We have been meeting with her and she is Golden.  She reads and marks up her scriptures and really loves the gospel.  It really means something to her.  I am super happy about that.  She is really cool.

I read this week in D&C 27 about putting on the whole armor of God.  I don't think it is coincidence that he relate our spiritual safety to putting on armor.  You would put on armor if you were going out to battle right?  Well we are at battle, every day we are. However, the enemy is much more dangerous than any type of nuclear weapon.  The enemy wants to torment us eternally.  The enemy literally wants us miserable forever, and wants to rob us of the greatest git we could ever receive.  This enemy is Satan.  When we fail to do the things that protect us spiritually it is like we are going to battle without that armor.  We are weak and vulnerable.  I find it so comforting that our Heavenly Father has given us all the tools we need to stay safe, and to win this battle, not only win, but find happiness along the way.  I know that by living the principles of the gospel every day that we prepare ourselves spiritually to conquer the enemy of all lies.  I love all of you guys and pray for you daily.  Keep up the great work.  Thank you for all your prayers.  

Love, 

Elder Redding