Great Miracles!!!

Dear Family and Friends, 

With Elder Kunz - Cow Pasture Outside of the City

This week has been a great week.  I love my new companion Elder Kunz.  He is in this thing to win it.  I love that about him.  He is a hard worker and loves the people.  It is so fun to learn from him.  He is from West Jordan.  He loves soccer and running, and is a beast at throwing the frisbee... hahaha as for me... I just kinda stick to catching it!  haha I am still working on the throwing part!  We had an awesome first week together.  We were able to see a lot of miracles.  I have to say though... this week was the fastest week of my entire mission... TIME HAS GOT TO SLOW DOWN!!!! 

Anyways... here is how this week went:

Ward BBQ

Last monday we had our usual ward FHE that we have every monday night.  We have been working with this investigator named "C..." he is  17 years old kid and is really quiet.  It is funny because he is so quiet... but when we ask him questions about the gospel he opens up a lot! He is really progressing.  We were just worried about his family... we knew that in order for him to get baptized he would have to get permission.  Well... on monday we showed up to FHE and there he was... and he brought his Dad!!!!!   I was on the spiritual share and the spiritual share went really well. Then we played a game... it was so funny to watch C's dad!! hahaha After FHE I went and talked with his dad and told him that he is always welcome at this church... he looked at me with a smile and told me that we could come to their home anytime!!  It was a miracle!!  

More Rain in Taiwan

2nd Tallest Building in All of Taiwan (Largest is in Tapei)

The rest of the week was awesome as well and we saw a ton of awesome miracles.  There was one day that we were leaving the church and on the way down in the elevator I was talking to Elder Kunz about the miracles we were seeing and when we got outside I saw this kid... so I just invited him to come take a tour of the church... He said yes and we ended up teaching him about prayer and heavenly father.  He is coming back this week.  He lives like and hour away riding a bike. We are very hopeful for him. 

With Jonathan and Reggie - Awesome Guys!

This week as we were making calls at the Family Mart (Does America have Family Mart?) we get a call from a member who said that an guy just walked in with a tract and was looking for us.  haha so we got on our bikes and got to the church.  Came to find out that the other night at a stop light Elder Kunz gave him a tract and invited him to come see and then he saw me a little ahead talking to someone and giving them a tract and they rejected me... (haha that is pretty common) but he just said that he was interested in why we would do this.  We met with him for about 2 hours sharing about restored truth and invited him to be baptized.  He said that he would.  It was a miracle.  He is such a kind guy... when he left I commented on his shirt... I thought it was super cool.  It had monkeys with these cool glasses on haha... he then was about to give it to me right then and there.  haha I told him that I could go and get my own! haha but it just really helped me see the love in him.  It made me want to love the people even more.  

We also met with another guy on Saturday who is in the AirForce.  It went really well and he asked very sincere questions... We invited him to be baptized as well to.  He said that he would.  

"Look Mom, No Hands"

It was just an overall great week.  I am so grateful to be here at this time and just hope that time can slow down a little bit for me.  I hope that I can take everything in and continue to learn and grow and become a more effective messenger of truth.  I love you all so much and very strongly encourage you to read, pray, and go to church.  When you are at church take a second to look around at all our wonderful neighbors and friends and think to yourselves... how can express my love for them my brothers and sisters? I know that as you do so the Holy Ghost will come into your hearts and let you know something you can do to love them more.  I promise that as you do so Church and talking the sacrament will have greater meaning to you.  When we are doing our best to love as the Savior did.. we cannot help but feel of his love.  

I love you all so much. Thank you for your support and encouragement.  You all mean the world to me and I want you to know that I love you and pray for you. 

Love, 

Elder Redding

Staying in Gang Shan!!!

Dear Family and Friends, 

With Elder Davis and Great Family

I am a little short on time today because we spent most of the time in downtown GaoXiong getting move call stuff all worked out and people moved around.  Elder Davis found out last night that he was going to be moving... that was really sad for him.  He loved GangShan.. and Gangshan really loved him.  I feel so blessed to have worked along side of him.  It is really hard to fail when you have so many wonderful people by your side doing this amazing work. 

With Elder Davis on PDay

Also... because Elder Davis left.. that also means that I get a new companion.  Today I went to the GaoXiong Station with a ward member to pick him up!  His name is Elder Kunz!!  He has been in Taiwan about 12 weeks. He is awesome!  I met him when I served in TaiZhong for those 3 days before I came here to GangShan.  He is from Utah, and is just a cool guy.  I am excited to serve with him and learn from his example. 

This last week went really well!  We ended up having a lot of investigators at church and are really hopeful for a lot of them.  We had a huge miracle this week.  We were out contacting and all of the sudden one of our investigators came up to us out of no where.  We actually hadn't been able to get a hold of him all week.  He showed up and we were about to go to dinner, so we asked if he could come with us.  He said yes, and at dinner we asked if he had found a chance to read the Book of Mormon yet.. he said yes!  and then he went on to tell us that he was only going to read the intro.,.. but then he started really liking it..  so he read 24 pages.  He then went on to tell us how he feels like it really has a lot of the words of life in it!  That was amazing.  I know that those who read to Book of Mormon sincerely and pray about it always come to find out that it is true.  

With Friend that has had a Stroke

Teaching My Friend That Has Had a Stroke

This is the work of the Lord.  It is true and it is the most important thing that could be happening right now.  I read Jacob 5 this week and read in verse 21 and 22?  where the servant asks the Lord why he has planted in this spot of ground.. because it was barren and dead.  The Lord responds that He knew it was barren and dead all along... but he hath nourished it ( blessing of the atonement) and he found that it brought forth much good fruit.  It doesn't matter where we are or were we live.  The blessing of the atonement and his love doesn't have limits and is there to bless ALL of God's children's lives.  

I love you all so much!!  

Love, 

Elder Redding 

Coach Evans - What a Great Example!

Dear Family and Friends, 

This week went by so quickly!  Time is one of the strangest things to me.  You can never catch up with it, and at times it can't seem to catch up to you haha!  I just can't believe that it has already been almost a year out here.  I am so grateful for the lessons that I have been blessed to be learning out here serving the Lord.  I hope that I can take every single second this second half to serve Him. 

This last couple weeks we have found some pretty solid investigators who actually have time to meet with us.  It is such a blessing.  Most of the people we had been finding could only meet on the weekends... and it is really hard to progress when we only get to meet once a week.  

It is interesting because we are meeting with 3 pretty cool investigators right now who we all met riding bikes... haha!  It is really interesting!  Most people ride scooters here.  These people are fairly young... but have a desire to follow the Savior.  Two of them have baptismal goals.  I really think that they can hit them! We met with one of them on Saturday. his name is "T......." - pretty cool name huh?  Well the first time we met with him we taught the first and invited him to read and pray.  Then on Saturday we found that he had read and prayed!  We shared the restoration video, and at the end we asked him if he had any questions about Joseph Smith.  In the movie it shows them taking the sacrament.  He asked us what they were eating and why.  We were able to testify of the Savior and the Atonement, and what the meaning of the sacrament is. He is awesome!  

We also had the opportunity to go to interviews with President this week.  That was so great.  I love President so much.  He is such and amazing man.  That was also a great opportunity to see some of the people that I served around in TaiZhong who also came for interviews.  That was really neat.  

This week we were supposed to have  a Taiphoon.... but... it was pretty lame! haha!  It was just windy... I guess it hit harder up in TaiBei!  haha but no worries... there will be plenty left to witness. ;) I hope! hahah

This next week is movecall... If I had to guess i would think that I am staying here in Gangshan because Elder Davis has been here for over 4 months... So it is a really good chance that he will be leaving.  Who knows though!  It has been really great serving with him!  He is a great example.    

I love you all so much!!  Thank you guys for everything you do for me.  I know that this gospel is true.  I know it and I am so grateful for it.  I hope to do a better job of expressing my thanks.  We really are so lucky to have these restored truths to guide and direct our lives.  This is what it is all about.  Living the gospel is a choice... just as happiness is a choice.  Consequently when we live the gospel we find ourselves happier people.  (its funny how that works)  I would like to invite all of you tonight to ask Heavenly Father how you can live the gospel more fully.  I know that he will give you something that you can do.  He loves us, and wants us to be happy.  I love all of you!!  

 I was so sad to hear of Coach Evans passing...  He was an example to me.  He was a friend to me.  I remember everyday going up to practice and seeing him at the field in his wheelchair as happy as could be.  He then would see me and say "there's my guy'' with a big ol smile on his face.  I cannot tell you what that did for me.  That is what life is about.  He used his agency to be happy and to lift others.  His happiness gave me strength and made me want to be happier.  I love him.  I know that he is up there right now with his wife happier than ever.  I cannot wait to see his big ol smile again.  

Love, 

Elder Redding 

I Want to Fall Down Exhausted Knowing I Gave it All I Had!

Dear Family and Friends, 

Another awesome week in Taiwan!  This week started off really rough... we had an investigator call and tell us that they didn't want to keep meeting with us anymore... that kinda stunk... and a lot of the people we are meeting with just say that they are super busy and can only meet on weekends.  It makes the middle of the week a little tough.  Also... I feel like it is really hard to really help people progress in the gospel only meeting with them once a week.  It is kinda like only reading your scriptures and praying once a week... it is a good thing.. but if only done once a week the six other days of the week you kinda lose that spiritual fire and desire for the gospel.  

It was a battle all week... and going into yesterday we didn't have 1 new investigator for the week.  So Saturday night was a little rough.. haha then we got home and we were locked out of our house... hahah so we had to call this lock guy and he came and picked our lock!  

Sunday was a real miracle... Yesterday we ended up getting 4 new investigators!!  It was awesome!  It was pouring... there was no one out on the road because it was raining so hard.. so we decided to go tracting.  We found this family who we taught prayer.  It was cool.  We are going to meet the son again this week and the family again in a couple weeks.  

The best part was that last week as we left those people's house with the guitar we pulled up to this red light and I pulled next to this guy on a bike.  I got talking to him and he was really cool.  He is busy with work, but we set up for this week for him to come to the church and meet with us.  Well this week when he was supposed to come... he ended up not coming.  We had been "Fanged" (canceled... I can't think of a good english word for that... maybe ditched) so many times this week... it was just kinda normal.  So we called him and he answered... he said that he thought we were meeting with him on Sunday... so we set up with him again!  So yesterday we met with him and he was awesome!  We taught him the restoration and set a baptismal date with him for August 8th!  So awesome!!  He works that night shift from 7 to 7 a.m.  and said that he was willing to come to church next week at 9!  I think that he will hit his goal!  He is a really cool guy.  He is shy .. haha but is sweet!  

Yesterday after church  I read in the Book of Mormon with a Less Active Member yesterday, and we read in 1st Nephi 8.  Lehi talks about 3 different groups of people who take course to get to the tree of life.  The first it never talks about them holding on to the rod.. and they were lost.  The second says that they did... but when they took the fruit they were ashamed.  That to me is kinda like going through the motions... like every once in a while praying and reading scriptures, and once and a while going to church.  At the end if we just go through the motions... we really aren't as grateful for the gospel as we could be... and in the end we will be a little disappointed in our efforts.  The 3rd group however specifically talks about them CLINGING CONTINUALLY to the rod.  Those are the people that live for the gospel... that put it at the center of their lives.  At the end when they partook of the fruit they fell to the ground.  It doesn't say why.. but I like to assume it is because they were so grateful for the gospel and they were so grateful for the Savior and his Atonement.  They were grateful because they had really used it.  We read this together and I tried to explain the difference to him, and I think that he is slowly making that change and using the atonement in his life.  More that anything though.. I read this and it makes me want to do everything I can to center the gospel in my life.  In the end I want to fall down exhausted knowing that I gave it all I had.  

I love Taiwan and love the people here.  One thing that I have really come to learn is that there are just people that are prepared to accept the gospel and are waiting for us.  It took me a long time to understand this.  Everyday literally 99% of the people reject us... and I always took it out on myself for the longest time.  I have come to understand now that those 99% just simply aren't ready at this point and if I can just leave them with a smile then hopefully later down the road they will remember a goofy white guy who was really nice to them and was happy.  Then maybe next time they will be more prepared to accept the gospel.  When we find people out here it is all just miracles..  haha.  People just show up out of no where right when you feel like you can't do it anymore.  It has really motivated me to work as hard as I can all the time just with that hope that at the end of a long day we will run into that family, or that person that is prepared!  

I love you all so much!  Thank you all for your wonderful emails and letters.  You all are such huge examples to me and have such a huge influence in my life.  I know without a doubt if it weren't for all of your wonderful influences I would not be where I am today in Taiwan sharing this wonderful message. 

Love, 

Elder Redding

Monkey Mountain PDay and Finding Amazing People!

Dear Family and Friends, 

Monkey Mountain PDay!

Monkey Mountain last week was a success!  It was awesome!!  These monkeys were all about

stealing things! haha... We were walking by these monkeys and all of a sudden this monkey jumps on Willie's back (A member in GangShan) haha he starts screaming hahaha it was so funny!  So after that I got the idea that it would be down to just jump on my back!  So I went up to this monkey sitting on this railing and said get on... hahah (I said it in chinese thinking that naturally it would understand chinese more!) haha but right after I said that it jumped on my back! haha it was awesome!!  It started trying to get in my bag and then I grabbed my hat because I think he was a blackhawks fan! hahaha!!

Well this week was great!  We were able to see a lot of great miracles!! This week we started with some heavy contacting.  We have been having trouble finding new investigators lately... so we said a prayer of faith and went out!  I have come to really have faith that it is for sure -  we will get rejected... but it is also sure that Heavenly Father has prepared people to receive us.  We just have to be diligent in the work.  So this week was a big finding week.  And we found.  

We had a great meeting this week in ShiZhong.  It was great to be there and learn from president.  He is a great man and I feel so lucky to be able to serve under his direction and learn from him.  

The real big miracles this week came while finding.  After we ate we ran into this guy who seemed cool, and when we asked about religion he said he was daojiao.  ....we told him that we share a really happy message and would like to share.  He said that we could for sure... but he would have to ask his wife.  So we called him later that night... he said he couldn't then next day he was like.. do you have time right now?  So we ran over to the church and met him.  We got talking to him and wanted to do a prayer and he refused to because of his religion.  We said one anyways... it was neat how the spirit worked on him because by the end of the lesson he said the prayer.  We will keep meeting with him!  

I was calling formers this week and found this guy who had met with missionaries 8 years ago.  I called him and he set up a time to meet.  We met with him and he was really neat.  He is open to the message, and wants to change his life right now.  He told us he is just having trouble finding the strength to do so.  We testified that the power of Christ and his atonement can help anyone change.  He ended up coming to church yesterday and He set a baptismal goal for the 1st of August.  

We also ran into this awesome family on the street.  He had a red sox shirt on.  I asked if he was a fan, and then saw that his family was in the back.  I started talking to his son and tried to speak English with him... and set up a time that they could come and meet.  That was really good because most parents with oppose to them learning about Christ... but they were right there and agreed.  So we met with him and his dad and found that they are really open to things.  His dad just wants to give his son opportunities and let him discover himself.  In the lesson we found out that the mom is also Christian... the dad never knew it either.  She prays with the son every once and a while.  I think that they all have the potential to set and hit a date to be baptized.  That was a real miracle.  

The last story is last night... we were contacting and I saw this house with these people out playing the guitar.  When we walked up.. they did not look happy..  So i just asked the daughter if she played the guitar.  She did a little and then let me play.  We sat down with them played the guitar.  Then the uncle asked to play.  Haha he grabbed the top of a beer can thing and used it as a pick and then started playing sweet child o mine! hahaha!!  He played and played.. and even played some cool Taiwanese songs.  We got to find out that they are all Christian.  They are Taiwan's aborigine people.  Most of them are Christian.  We shared aobut Christ and our missions. We tried to set up another time... and they did too, but it wasn't their house. They said we could come back on the weekend and see if they were there and could share about Christ!  

The work is moving forward.  I feel so blessed to be able to be out here serving the Lord.  This is his work.  It is the greatest work in the world.  The gospel is true and I know that it has the power to improve every single aspect of our lives.  If we just take the time to use it.  I hope that you all get a chance every day to really use and live the gospel.  I know that by doing so you will see your lives change and improve every day. You WILL find yourself a more happy person every day... no matter what trials you face.  

Love you all, 

Elder Redding

Being Actively Engaged in a Good Cause

Dear Family and Friends,

My new area is awesome, and it is hot.  haha.  We are just starting the hottest months of the year.  June, July, and August in GaoXiong are hot.  haha!  So I better buckle up.  haha! This week was a lot of learning about the area and stuff and meeting everyone here.  It was great though.  My new companion is Elder Davis from Logan Ut.  He is awesome and his Chinese is great. He is a hard worker and a great missionary and example.  It is really fun to serve with him.  He taught me how to play chinese chess...and he is super good.  haha we play everynight before we go to bed!  so far I am 0-4...hahaha!  Last night was closer though. haha! 

The ward in GangShan is awesome!  I love the people here.  There are a lot of Filipino's here in GangShan and Vietnamese.  We have a member here from the Fillo...he is awesome. His name is Jonathan.  He speaks English.  He really can sing.   He is also one of the kindest people I have met.  

So on Wednesday we went to this 88yr old man's home.  He is a member and we go and play ping pong with him every week.  He is amazing... He beat me... it was one of the lowest moments of my life... hahaha!  No missionary has beat him yet.... it was 6-11.  He then beat me again 11-2.  haha When he comes to church he carries his paddle with him in the back of his pants.  hahaha!!!  Its hilarious.  He calls me newcomer. I saw him at church and told him I was going to beat him this week.  hahaha!  

After we visited him we went to visit this older man.  He had a stroke a while ago and isn't in good shape.  However... he is the happiest man alive.  He just makes me so happy. When we left we gave him this huge hug.  He has a Filipino lady that takes care of him.  

We had a lot of lessons this week and have a lot of really cool people that are progressing towards baptism.  We hope to help these people follow through with the commitments they are making.  I read in preach my gospel about when we invite people to keep commitments and they do, we are actually helping them repent.  Repentance takes action.  It is impossible to be passively repenting... The adversary has too much power.  If we are not actively engaged in a good cause over time we will find ourselves under the influence of the adversary.  

I love you guys and am so grateful for the efforts you put forth to do good everyday.  I can tell you that it doesn't go unnoticed.  We are never alone.  We have the best example that ever lived right by our side helping us along the way.  Trust Him.  I love you all so much. 

Elder Redding

Hello Gang Xiong (Gang Shan)!

Dear Family and Friends, 

Hello everyone!!  I got moved down to GaoXiong!!!  haha I am now serving in GangXiong.  Its summer...and it is hot. haha!  In all honesty... I can't tell a huge difference from here and TaiZhong....  they are both just hot! haha!  There is a very different feel here in GaoXiong.  Every area I have been in has a little different feel.  It is very interesting. I just barely got to GangShan and I love it already.  My companion is Elder Davis and he is the bomb!  He is a great Elder.  I met him in TaiZhong before, he has been here in GangShan for a couple move calls.  He has been out about just over a year.  He is a stud.  I already love him.  I have heard that the ward is awesome here.  I haven't met them yet...but I am excited!  I met one of the new members here today.  His name is "W"!  He is awesome!!  He is really cool and he actually went to Utah for about 2 weeks recently.  

This last week has been a little crazy.  I got to spend my last few days in MingJian!  That was a little hard.  I will really miss those people and really miss the land of miracles... haha.  I think that GangShan will also be a land of miracles.  It is pretty rural as well.  Not anything like MingJian Rural, but compared to the main cities it is pretty rural.  I got to tell everyone goodbye, and I really will miss all of them.  I hope that one day I can come back here with you guys and take you to all these places and let you meet these people.  It is really convenient because Taiwan is so small.. haha it is really easy to get around the island.  I was very grateful for the opportunity that I had to serve with Elder Roberts.  He is a great guy. We were like best friends.  It made serving really fun.  I will miss him... it was sad to say goodbye.  

After I left MingJian I went to Taizhong with Elder Roberts because he had to pick up his new companion.  I got there and spent the weekend with Elder Colvin.  Now...he is a stud.  He was super cool.  He only has 3 weeks left on his mission and then he heads back to the Air Force Academy.  His Chinese was pristine, and he was just really fun to be around.  I stayed in a four man in Taizhong.  I love the feel there.  It really feels like home.  It is hard to explain.  I LOVE TAIZHONG!!!  It was so great being back there.  I got to go to Brother Wang's baptism as well... that was one of that happiest moments I have had on my mission.  LaiJMwas there too... we taught her and her LA husband when I served there... he is now active.  She got baptized while I was in MingJian.  So picture this...I am sitting there in the chapel at the baptism and on the first row is all of the Sufamily...SuBaBa and his wife (both members), their son and his wife LaiJM(just got baptized), Their daughter and Brother Wang (daugher is a member, brother wang is getting baptized), and their little girl. (cutest little girl I have ever seen).  You look up at them and I couldn't help but just feel the most happiness in my heart and thankfulness for the gospel of Jesus Christ.  They are going to be an Eternal Family.  Elder Ju was there!  Me and him got to witness his baptism, and SuBaBa(his father in law) baptized him.  After that we went in the chapel and this video was playing about temples....  I had the most peace and happiness ever.  

On top of that, Brother Wang was so surprised when I showed up! haha.  He had no idea. He was really happy.  I will send the pic next week!!  (i left my camera in Taizhong... :/ )  I hope that I can find it... I am really worried.  If not it is okay because I actually moved all my pics to a usb just in case... I need to send that to you.  I am just praying that I left it there at the church.  

I sat there at Brother Wangs baptism and thought about the temple and about the importance and blessings of families.  I know without a doubt in my mind that families are eternal.  That knowledge makes me want to do everything I can possibly do to make sure that I am there with you guys.  I would encourage all of you to really ponder this week what a blessing our families are.  The best memories of my entire life have occurred with my family.  I know that families are forever and want to thank all of you for the examples you have set for me.  I know that having a knowledge and testimony of the eternal nature of families can literally transform lives.  I love you all so much.  I am very excited to serve here in GangShan with Elder Davis.  Expect Miracles!!!!!  

Love, 

Elder Redding