June 2014 Baptisms

Tainan 1, June 28

Shizhong, June 27

Tainan 1, June 27

Nantun, June 26

Yongkang, June 21

Zhongming, June 21

Jiayi 3, June 21

Yuanshan, June 7

Wufeng, June 1

6-30-14 President's Weekly Letter

Dear Elders and Sisters,

In Mission Leadership Council this past Thursday, I presented a mission vision that included goals and specific plans. It is a product of our discussion last month at MLC with mission leaders, our cumulative experience over the past year, and our Asia Area vision. It is simple and yet complete, brief and comprehensive. I am excited to be able to articulate a clear vision for the mission. I hope that every missionary will personally embrace it and help us establish a mission culture that revolves around it. It will be presented to you during ZTM this Tuesday.

Last week we completed another round of zone conferences as we met with the Jiayi, Tainan and Zhongxing zones. We enjoyed every conference. Each was a little different because of the various contributions of individual missionaries. We thank you for your preparation and participation. Sister Blickenstaff and I have purposely changed zone conferences to involve smaller groups of missionaries so that we could have more opportunities to interact with you. Although this means holding 6 conferences instead of 2 or 3, we love the opportunity to work more closely with each missionary and afford you more opportunities to participate.  Bottom line: We love our missionaries and think you are awesome!

We will greet 9 new missionaries this week and say goodbye to 17 of our outstanding friends. We are always excited to have fresh new missionaries and to be inspired by their faith and commitment. We are also excited for our returning missionaries and their faithful completion of a great work. Of course, our excitement for the returning missionaries is tempered by a sense of loss: we will miss their contributions to the work and our close association. Bottom line: we love and will miss those who are returning home and wish them the very best in all their future endeavors.

Next week, after our new missionaries are squared away and the dust settles from the July move call, we will begin interviews. This time I will conduct 10-minute interviews with each missionary. I will use a timer in order to stay on schedule and not keep people waiting. I ask each of you to prayerfully prepare for your interview. If there is any topic that you would like to discuss, ask, or seek counsel on, please be prepared to bring it up at the beginning of the interview. If you do not have any such desires or needs, I will be prepared with some questions/topics in order to know you better and seek ways to uplift and inspire. Please plan ahead for these interviews and make the best of them. Bottom line: if you are prepared, you need not fear (jk)!

I love you. Yes you.

President Blickenstaff

Mentor of Champions who Understand the Bottom Line

6-29-14 Magong Branch Conference

It was such a privilege for me to be able to teach with the Magong elders. They met with a truly golden investigator who is about to finish his military training in Penghu. He loves reading the Book of Mormon, and highlights all his favorite scriptures! He has a deep appreciation for the Atonement of Christ and His gospel. We are looking forward to his baptism next month:)

The branch president treated us to dinner with the elders. Fresh seafood is readily available in Penghu.

Abalone:

Crab:

Fish (eyes):

Elders and their investigating youth, branch president and wife, future missionary (she is awaiting her mission call), Relief Society president:

One sweet sister in the ward owns a B&B by the ocean with lovely accommodations. She's a great cook as well, and prepared Sunday dinner for us. The branch president baked homemade bread for the occasion!

Penghu Bay bridge:

Fisherman outside the bay:

Taking in the bay at night:

And the bridge:

6-26-14 Mission Leadership Council

6-25-14 Zhongxing Zone Conference