Christmas in Taipei

Here in Taiwan, Christmas is not a holiday. People still go to work and to school. Stores are all open. Shoppers scurry back and forth, not laden with Christmas gifts, but with food from the fresh market for the daily simple fare. Cars and motorcycles noisily make their way through the crowded traffic - not crowded because of Christmas travelers, but just crowded - like everyday. 

But at Christmas time, the temple grounds displays a large nativity of Jesus Christ's birth. I am touched by the loving embrace of Joseph as he and Mary cradle the new born Babe. It was a sacred, holy reverent experience, never to be forgotten. In humble surroundings, without fanfare, perhaps away from extended family and friends - the most significant birth in the history of this world took place. There were no parties. There were no large family gatherings. There were no games, big meals, delicious snacks, sports, or family activities. There was, of course, no Christmas tree, no wrapped gifts beneath it's boughs. No Santa Claus. No cookies. 

But there was a new Light in the sky! 

And in Taiwan there are lots of Christmas lights!  They grace high-end shopping malls and small mom and pop shops. There are Christmas decorations nearly everywhere, encouraging shoppers to take advantage of Christmas sales.

 

That first Christmas had no gifts  - but there were gifts that came later when the wise men visited the young Child - presenting Him with gifts fit for the King He is. 

And here in Taiwan there are gifts!  Parents the world over are sending their love with piles of packages lined up for the missionaries.

 

That first Christmas had no cookies, or parties or large gatherings. But here in Taiwan, we had several community concerts where nearly all the missionaries came and sang or performed, plus two large zone conferences, complete with talent shows and a movie! 

Christmas Concert on Sunday night

Zone Conference brunch - complete with homemade 

cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate!

One of our talent show stars! She's playing a traditional
Taiwanese ceramic flute.

The senior missionaries were also treated to a Family Home Evening at the mission president's home, and a beautiful Christmas Eve dinner and program at the home of the AIT Director (American Institute in Taiwan) and his wife, who happen to be members of our Church. 

That first Christmas had no parties, but they did have angels! And so do we - about 128 of them - and they do angelic work every day.

So while our Christmas here in Taiwan may not look like yours, wherever you are in a pandemic-laden world, your Christmas and ours both do look a bit like that first Christmas. We both have lights, music, choirs of angels, people spreading the Good News, and gifts that have come from long distances. 

But most of all, we have Jesus Christ in our midst, as do you. He is the greatest gift to mankind. His birth was a gift, His life was a gift, His sacrifice and death were gifts, His resurrection was a gift, all so that we can be blessed with the gifts of immortality and eternal life. It truly IS a magical time of year!  Merry Christmas from Taiwan, where the gifts of Christmas are still the gifts of Christ.

 

 

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Quarantining in Taiwan - Missionary Style

What is quarantine for missionaries like? It depends on who you ask.

When we arrived back in Taiwan, we quarantined in one of our senior missionary apartments for two weeks. It wasn’t bad. We enjoyed the quiet time to do many of our computer photo projects, family history, read, exercise, watch Netflix movies, study and prepare. We had the run of the apartment, and as long as we didn’t leave the apartment, we were compliant with the law of the land.

For the younger returning missionaries, however, it is a totally different experience.

Two missionaries quarantine in one apartment, but they must stay apart from each other the entire time. Their apartments have at least two bedrooms and two bathrooms.  One bedroom must have an attached bathroom.  One of the missionaries gets to stay there, inside that bedroom, the entire two weeks. The other missionary is the designated cook and cleaner. That person cooks meals and brings them to the other missionary. He or she will wash clothes, and do the other necessary household tasks.

Elder Coffey and I are outfitting three new missionary apartments that have been designated as “Quarantine Apartments”. In anticipation of the last two returning missionaries who arrive next week, as well as what we hope will be many more new ones coming later in the year, these apartments need to have special arrangements.

These new quarantine apartments are already furnished (beds, desks, tables, chairs, closets), and we bring the rest. 

This week we’re hauling bedding, (pillows, blankets, sheets), towels, microwave, rice cooker, toaster oven,  pans, cooking utensils, cups, plates, bowls, silverware, mixing bowls, toilet paper, soap, detergent, broom, mop, floor fans, dryers, ironing board, iron, and CO monitors to outfit these apartments. We also install the mission water filter system for clean drinking water.

Much of it we had to go buy. Much of it we already had in storage. All of it had to be organized and assembled and delivered.  Thank you to the fine two office elders and others who helped us load, carry and deliver all this!

We outfit the apartments with enough food for two weeks, plus offer a “mid-way quarantine re-stocking” for fresh items needed and also take away the garbage. We include wonderful snacks like ice cream and other treats to break the monotony. We also offer menu guidelines for how to use what is provided.

The designated cook gets to learn skills he or she never knew they had!  From curry to corn dumpling soup to fried rice – the missionaries have fun exploring new talents and culinary experiences. They get to take what ingredients are provided, and create meals for two people for two weeks. It’s no easy task. Here are some of the dishes our latest quarantine elders have come up with: 

The “solitary confinement” missionary gets a mini fridge in their room, which is stocked with snacks, water, etc. The doors of each bedroom remain open at all times, and the missionaries try to position their desks so that they can at least see each other for studies or talking. Or just for human interaction. 

Those younger missionaries who have been through the quarantine period sometimes described boredom, a sense of loss, discouragement, and depression. Especially for the one in “solitary confinement”. It’s a long two weeks.  They try to keep each other’s spirits up. Some sing and dance from across the hall with each other. Some have long chats together. With no computer to explore on, and just a mission-owned phone with limited access, there just isn’t much to do. But some love the time to bond with each other, talk and get to know each other. Much of the time they read scriptures, study Chinese, and prepare for their upcoming missionary service. 

And they emerge as heroes in our eyes, extremely ready to go to work. They’ve been through a lot.  They were all given basically an emergency evacuation back in April to return to their home countries. They spent months not knowing what the next step would be for them. Then through the graces of the Taiwanese government, the relentless efforts of the mission president to get his band of stripling warriors back, permission from Church authorities, and the grace of God, they were allowed to return to complete their missions, with strict face mask travel requirements and then this long two-week quarantine.

Indeed, they are “firm and undaunted."

And for those still on their way, their apartments are ready and waiting! We are excited to have you join this stripling band of warriors ready to serve the Lord in this part of His vineyard!

Missionary Christmas - Taipei Style

So what is it like to be on a mission during Christmas?  Taiwan doesn’t really celebrate Christmas, not even the members of the Church - no special dinner, no singing, no gift giving, no scripture story reading.  Just hasn’t caught on here.  The stores and shops may have a Christmas tree here and there, but that is the only evidence of a celebration of any kind. Shops are all open, people still go to school and work, and the day just quietly passes with very little notice. But our little tree and poinsettia cheered up our apartment nicely and brought some Christmas color and cheer. 

It has been nice to have more time to focus on the true meaning of Christmas and lay aside, at least while on our mission, the hustle and bustle and clamor of a typical US Christmas. Our hearts have been tender as we’ve thought more about the humble birth of the Creator of the Universe. We’ve felt close to Him and have felt of His love. And we’ve enjoyed Face-Timing and Marco Polo-ing our children and grandchildren during their Christmas festivities.

Our mission has the tradition of providing two community concerts every year on the Sunday before Christmas, to help show the joy and the reason for the season. All missionaries from the mission (about 136 of them) were able to be together (no easy feat – they had to come from hours away and stay overnight with missionaries in Taipei) to provide a packed-chapel with songs sacred to the birth of Jesus Christ. The miracle of Christmas became very evident as these young people sang their testimonies of the birth of the Son of God. 

Our wonderful senior missionary who organized the concerts

A new missionary sister from Sweden visits with a friend

Our mission president's wife oversaw the concert planning, and
accompanied some of the songs

A few of the talented missionary performers

Two community concerts in one day - and both brought in a completely full house

This elder stops for a honey rush -soothing a throat sore from all the singing!

In between concerts we stopped for a group photo. It was a great time for a “family photo” of sorts. 

Two zone conferences were held the next two days – and we were busy preparing delicious holiday food for the missionaries, setting up, serving, taking down and cleaning up. They also enjoyed a talent show and watching Mr. Krueger’s Christmas, before resuming their zone training.

 Christmas Eve one of our senior sister missionaries and we invited our Office Elders and Assistants to the President missionaries to join us for a simple Christmas Eve dinner and the sharing of the Christmas story from the scriptures. These are amazing missionaries and we loved sharing Christmas with them.

Since Wednesday was not a Taiwanese holiday, the temple was open. It is always great to be in the temple. There currently aren’t many temples in the world open on Christmas day.  The missionaries were all invited to participate. What a special experience to be in the temple on the day we celebrate Christ’s birth.

The mission president and his wife treated all the senior missionaries to dinner and activities at their home Christmas night, which we followed with our weekly English group. Since Wednesday was not a holiday, we still had our English conversation group, and many came.

Dinner for the senior missionaries at the Mission President's home

Advanced English Group - Christmas night (not a holiday for any of them!)

In all, it was a busy time, which was great for lessening any feelings of homesickness, which of course set in. But you serve more, and spend more time talking to children and grandchildren, and focus on the blessing that it is to be in the service of the Lord.

One hymn sings - “mild He lays His glory by…” – Before He was born, before any of us were born, we all recognized His glory, power, love and purpose. If we sang for joy when the foundations of the earth were laid, surely we sang with great fervor and rejoicing at the moment of His holy birth, when He “laid His glory by” and came to earth for each one of us.

If we sang for joy then, and we sing for joy now, it’ll be an incredible day for all of us as we sing for joy when He returns to the earth, bringing His glory with Him this time, to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords.  It just can’t come soon enough!

Merry Christmas to everyone!  He is the miracle, the reason, the purpose of the season.

Meanwhile, the entire island is preparing for the big event of the year - the Chinese New Year which officially begins on January 25th. It takes precedence over Christmas hands down. As the Year of the Rat, representing vitality and intelligence, it's destined to be a great one!

Flickr.com Courtesy of Michael Rehfeldt