This last week we just had move call. It is the time where we take missionaries home. On Monday we stay around the office and help things run smoothly. We make sure the missionaries are to their interviews on time and we help set up their career work shop as well as their evening devotional. The returning missionaries always look so noble.
On Tuesday we take the missionaries to the temple, then to the Taibei 101, and finally to the airport where they take the great transfer to the sky (in an airplane).
I had a special experience in the temple that I wanted to share with you, but it needs a little bit of background:
On my 4th transfer on island, I had a local companion. He is a great missionary! He speaks English very well and he is very smart. On that particular transfer he moved into the area, and I had been in the area for 3 months at that point. I felt like I had a good grip on missionary work and a good understanding of the area. I was a little stubborn, proud and controlling of the work at that time. I have felt bad about that situation and since that time I have tried to make things better. I have written him letters, and I have prayed and asked God for forgiveness and for help to make things right. Often people will advise missionaries to not have any regrets on their missions, and I was really regretting this. I was so happy to run into this brother in the temple. We talked for a little bit about life and how things were going. He is currently serving his mandatory military service. (He ended just this week.) After talking briefly we split so he could attend a session in Chinese and I, a session in English. We met up again in the Celestial room where we talked in hushed tones about our recent converts in Dakeng. There is one boy in particular, who we were unsure if he would continue to remain active. But his one boy kept coming to church, riding his bike, and now he has the Aaronic priesthood. We talked about other investigators we taught and about our own personal spiritual growth. Outside the temple he came and found me; he wanted to take a picture with me. After we took a picture we had another brief time to talk, and I was able to apologize for my hardheartedness. We worked it out. I am so grateful for the atonement which covers our sins. I am grateful God is merciful enough to grant me the privilege to tie up this loose end in my life. I am grateful that I now have another friend in Taiwan.
I know this church is true and God is always there for us.
Elder Spencer Harris
