Missionaries Look for Signs in Taiwan

When I was a full-time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I was continuously focused on helping people turn their weaknesses into strengths, but I never helped an entire city like these missionaries.

In Taichung, Taiwan there is a problem with signs being correctly translated into English. The city's mayor, Jason C. Hu, came up with the idea to have Mormon missionaries serving in the city help make the translations more accurate.

“Many of your missionaries are from North America and other English-speaking countries. Why couldn't they take note of incorrect signs and offer suggestions for better English,” Hu suggested. The mayor even offered to pay the Church for such a service.

The mayor probably didn't realize the bargain he had just made for the city. Of course the missionaries would accept no money. They are already encouraged to dedicate time each week to serving the community.

“When I see a sign that doesn’t make sense I slam on my brakes," said Elder Royce De le Cruz Jr. of Manila, Philippines. "It’s a service we can offer and it’s kind of fun too."

Once a less-than-accurate English sign is noted, the missionaries report its location to their mission president, who then forwards the information to the mayor’s office, along with a suggestion for a more suitable translation.

One recent example: English warning signs at a baseball field declared “Game that attention to flying out-of-bounds.” The missionaries translated the English to read “Pay attention to foul balls.”

Another: On the grounds of a Confucian temple a sign read “Please keep orderliness solemnly silent.” The modification turned in by the missionaries is “Please be silent and respectful.”

Taichung is a city of 1 million people. For more on this story, check out this link to a story on the Church Web site.