Thousands Celebrate 60th Anniversary of Missionary Work in Taiwan
Contributed By the Church News
Several hundred returned missionaries attend the 60th anniversary celebration of missionary work in Taiwan, including several missionary couples who have served in the country as mission and temple presidents.
Article Highlights
- Members joined to celebrate the Church’s 60th anniversary of missionary work in Taiwan.
- The Church has grown in Taiwan from one branch into 17 stakes.
- Mayor of Taichung, Chia-Lung Lin, thanked the Church for its voluntary work.
Thousands of Latter-day Saints from Taiwan joined together in 2016 to celebrate the Church’s 60th anniversary of missionary work in the country.
Since 1956, when the first four missionaries arrived in Taiwan, the Church has grown from one branch into its present state of 17 stakes. Members in Taiwan have launched a series of events throughout the year in a show of gratitude to the Lord for His blessings upon the land. The 60th Anniversary Cultural Performance, which attracted 6,000 participants, marked the highlight of this year’s celebrations.
A night of art, music, and theater
During a cultural performance, held in Taichung’s Fulfillment Amphitheatre on October 15, Latter-day Saints presented the Church’s history in Taiwan. In addition to displays of dance and theater, there were orchestral and choral performances.
“It is a magnificent night,” said Elder Sam Wong, a General Authority Seventy. Together with Area Seventy Elder Ming-Shun Kuan, they led several hundred returned missionaries to the celebration. “Because of the Taiwan members’ strong faith and hard work to spread and live the gospel for 60 years, they are reaping the rewards of their labor today.”
Members from various regions presented their talents that night: Hua-Lien, the eastern region of Taiwan, started the opening ceremony with a dazzling display of aboriginal costumes, dance, and singing. A particular highlight was the alternating male-female vocals of the song “Taiwan Hao” (Taiwan is wonderful), with lyrics touching many hearts.
Mission reunion, a “nostalgic” cycling session, and the mayor’s remarks
Latter-day Saints participate in a cultural celebration of 60 years of missionary work in Taiwan. Photo by Arnie Chen.
Other celebratory activities also took place during the day. Returned missionaries had a massive reunion and participated in a “nostalgic” cycling session. For years, missionaries in Taiwan have been involved in community service, providing shelters for orphans, care for prisoners, and clinics for the sick, as well as teaching the locals how to do their family history. Their service is widely admired by the Taiwanese public, including mayor of Taichung, Chia-Lung Lin, who was also in attendance at the celebratory activity.
Mayor Lin expressed his appreciation to the Church for its dedicated voluntary work, as witnessed by the number of missionaries who volunteer their time and energy without pay. As a side note, he stated that he was born, coincidentally, the year that the Book of Mormon was first translated into traditional Chinese in Taiwan.
He said that he hopes Taichung grows not only as a city with the finest dining establishments or the most luxury apartments, but also into a city filled with the most volunteers—a city that champions the rights of the disadvantaged, as well as the development of the arts.
At the mission reunion, Mayor Lin expressed his appreciation to the Church for its dedicated voluntary service to Taiwan and its people. Photo by Arnie Chen.
Mayor of Taichung City, Chia-Lung Lin (center), stated that his birth year, coincidentally, was the year that the Book of Mormon was first translated into traditional Chinese in Taiwan. Photo by Arnie Chen.
Latter-day Saints participate in a cultural celebration of 60 years of missionary work in Taiwan, performing “Go Forth with Faith.” Photo by Arnie Chen.
Latter-day Saints participate in a cultural celebration of 60 years of missionary work in Taiwan. Photo by Arnie Chen.
Saints from the eastern region of Taiwan showcase a display of aboriginal costumes, dance, and singing during 60th anniversary celebration of mission work in the country. Photo by Arnie Chen.
A scene in celebration of the 60th anniversary of missionary work in Taiwan communicates that through kind words and deeds, Latter-day Saints light the world for those around them. Photo by Arnie Chen.
A highlight of the Church's 60th anniversary of missionary work in Taiwan is the alternating male-female vocals of the song “Taiwan Hao” (Taiwan is wonderful), with the following lyrics: “Here, we can find the warm sun; here, we can find plentiful rain. We live in Taiwan, and we thank God for His creations.” Photo by Arnie Chen.
Members present dance and orchestral performances, showcasing not only the many talents of Church members but also their dedication and fervor. Photo by Arnie Chen.
