Just got a couple photos from my son Benjamin who recently arrived in the Taiwan Taipei Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where he is having an amazing time working with the people of Taiwan. I'm thrilled that he is learning Mandarin. Taiwan was my secret wish for where he would go.

The photo above was taken with some of his peers at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah before before leaving to Taiwan. He's the one on the right. The shot below is with some of the missionaries in the Taipei Mission.

What a choice experience missionary service can be. There are plenty of unpleasant aspects, but for many, the experience on the whole can be a reason to jump for joy. My two years in Switzerland and a piece of southern Germany were incredible - a truly transforming experience for me to see the Gospel in action in the lives of the people we taught. The joy, hope, and meaning it brought to those seeking for something more was a real testimony-building experience. Theory is nice, but the laboratory of a mission can add so much.


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