I've been pondering how to title my life story. A wonderful life? A loved life? A tested life? All of the above are true, but none stands alone. Then I realized that all of the memories are life's stories. Now, I am excited to share those life stories of mine with you.
I grew up in a farm village in a remote area in Taiwan. Running around the ricefield, catching tiny fish in the river, fighting with boys.... I was 100% a Tom boy, kind of like: Born to be wild, but having a mom as a teacher kept me on my toes with school work.
After attending a private junior high school, I got into a college in Taipei that trains its students to become teachers. I was not sure how I could be a teacher, but I was free from the endless stress of preparing for university entrance exams.Becoming a teacher in Taiwan for the rest of my life was what I was expecting, but life thows you curve balls as people often say. I met a guy who was preparing to go to the US to study, so in order to stay with him, I was encouraged to do the same.
At the same time, there was a family feud between my mom and my younger brother because my brother chose to belive in an American God.
Yes, my brother was learning about and considering joining the LDS church. Instead of preparing for the university entrance exam, he spent most of his time studying scriptures and church magazines. My mom was frantic. I promised her that I would save my brother from those American missionaries.
I tried to argue with the missionaries about everything they shared with us to show my brother he was wrong to listen to them. One day, when one missionary tried so hard to share his testimony with me in his limited Chinese language ability, his face turned red, even though nothing came out of his mouth. It was the strongest testimony I had ever heard.
Yes, with my mother's disapproval I joined the LDS church also.I quickly became inactive since the guy I was dating thought the church was total nonsense
It took me two years to finally pass the language test to come to the US. All my friends congratulated me for the beginning to a new life, but behind my fake smile, I was truly sad and confused because my boyfriend ended our relationship.
Long story short, meeting two missionaries at the bank really changed my life. They recommend that I attend BYU, but I did not have the courage to apply. I didn't want to get an ecclesiastical interview since I had been inactive. With the holy ghost's srong nudge, I finally decided to go to BYU, and there I met my true love!
Right after our wedding we headed to Japan for a job that was waiting for my new husband, I was immersed in the happiness of a newly wed, and did not expect any problems getting used to the Japanese culture. After all, they use chopsticks and ate rice like my own country!
Wrong, Japan is a very closed society. We lived in the countryside, and with my limited Japanese I didn't have any frieds, whenever my husband went to work, I felt suffocated in our little home. "Japan or me?" was the ultimatum I often voiced to my husband.
Once in the middle of the night, I felt liked a trapped animal, so l snuck out the window of our bedroom. In the dark countryside of Japan, I walked and walked in my bare feet until I was exhausted. l sat down in front of a school. After I calmed down, I realized I didn't know where I was and I didn't know my way home.
Then my dear husband showed up, picked me up, and as he carried me we were quiet all the way home. In his arms, I had determined that I would stay with my dear husband wherever we found ourselves in the world for the rest of my life.
Another trial came with my pregnancy. I had been under some kind of chemo thearpy because of my bone marrow disorder. The doctor had warned us not to have any babies while undergoing the treatment.
The doctors strongly suggested an abortion when we found out I was unexpectedly pregnant. I was crying during every waking moment. However, my dear husband had a strong feeling that everything was going to be OK, I was torn between the doctors and my husband.
One day my husband looked at me in tears and said, "Sweetheart, if you can't handle it, we will have an abortion, but can I share a scripture with you?" That scripture was in the Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 4:34,35 had brought peace to me and saved our daughter's life! She is now a therapist and has a daughter of her own.
With our 9 month old daughter, we went back to Taiwan to set up our own English tutoring center. As our tutoring center grew, so did our family with the blessed addition of two sons.
We always wanted to have 4 kids, two boys and two girls. So at age 39, after two miscarriages. I was finally pregnant again. I was excited. yet I was also worried about giving birth to a down syndrome baby because of my age. I was again, stressed! I must be the only patient that was not patient enough to wait for the doctor's visit. I called the lab directly and begged the result out of the technician.
The baby is normal, and it is a girl just like we wanted. We were excited, I bought a lot of chocolate for the medical staff, and my husband and I went out to have a steak dinner to celebrate!
At the doctors visit, the doctor told us the great news we already knew. Then at the check up, his face got very serious, he couldn't find the baby's heartbeat. We quickly looked for the second opinion, the same, no heart beat!
During this challenging situation I was bathed in a warm and peaceful feeling. I knew everything was going to be OK! We later found out the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby's neck 3 times. Even though we didn't have the opportunity to raise her in this life, but we know Shanon will always be part of our family.
We moved to Utah in the year 2000. A young family trying to live and survive in new surroundings once again. We went through challenges that many families do when moving to a new country. Our kids didn't speak English well, culture shock, etc.
Later, I had a great blessing teaching Chinese at the Missionary Training Center for three years, It was the most fulfilling job I've ever had. Then we had the opportunity to work with NASA space camp for 15 years, I feel very blessed to have all these experiences, like a beautiful garden, life filled with all kinds of experience flowers.
This earthly life is over in the blink of an eye. Now, I am a grandmother of 4. Heavenly Father has given me another chance of helping to raise his spiritual children as we regularly get to babysit.
My life's experiences have become memories, and these memories make up my life story.
By
Manjun Dodge
Utah. 6/20 2025
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I've been pondering how to title my life story. A wonderful life? A loved life? A tested life? All of the above are true, but none stands alone. Then I realized that all of the memories are life's stories. Now, I am excited to share those life stories of mine with you.
