Carrie Cannon was a young sister missionary riding her bike across the campus of National Cheng Kung University in Tainan, Taiwan. She didn’t know it at the time, but she would have a profound influence on two students there, Frank and Sayaka Chen, when their paths would cross 20 years later in Phoenix, Arizona.
“It’s not a coincidence,” Carrie explains. “We know there are no coincidences in the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Frank Chen grew up driven by learning and ambition. He attended National Cheng Kung University, where he met his wife, Sayaka. After graduating, he began working for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), watching the company grow from a local success into a global leader. He learned English, motivated by a hope—and perhaps faith—that new opportunities abroad would open.
Frank had encountered Latter-day Saint missionaries during college and even received a copy of the Book of Mormon, though he didn’t study it deeply. The Lord’s timing, however, would change all that.
TSMC had built a facility in north Phoenix, and they were looking for employees to move to the area. After a year and a half of persistence, Frank was accepted to work at the Phoenix facility. He and Sayaka, along with their children, Tyler and Tina, relocated to Arizona.
Families Came to Learn English—and Found Much More
As many Taiwanese families moved to the area, the Phoenix Arizona Deer Valley Stake saw an opportunity to offer free English classes at the church building. Conveniently, the building was located right across from a large apartment complex housing over 300 families who had come to work at the new TSMC facility.
The stake presidency asked stake member Carrie Cannon to lead the effort. Dusting off her Mandarin-speaking skills learned on her mission, she got to work—coordinating flyers, training teachers, organizing logistics, and launching classes. The Church’s EnglishConnect (EC) program provided the framework.
Miraculously, many Mandarin-speaking members already lived in North Phoenix and were available to help teach English to the new Mandarin-speaking population.
The classes “soft launched” on January 26, 2023—coinciding with Lunar New Year—and drew over 10 Taiwanese friends. Most of them had been learning English in their home country but hadn’t had a chance to put it into practice. They were excited to do so.
Word spread quickly, and the program grew rapidly. Over 200 learners have attended classes, including weekly sessions for youth and adults, with some evenings welcoming 25 new learners.
People of all ages were coming to the church building in droves to learn English, and curiosity about the Church naturally followed. As friendships grew between Mandarin-speaking Church members and TSMC employees, their lives quietly began to transform.
The Chen Family’s Covenant Path
The Chens’ journey on the covenant path began soon after they moved to the US. A Taiwanese member, Sister Tauna Liu, who had been living in the area for a while, invited them to attend church and participate in EC classes.
Sayaka, inspired by Church music and eager to improve her English, attended her first Sunday service and EC class in the same week. She recalls her time at church being a positive contrast from her previous religious experiences, saying that the people were very friendly, and she felt that they didn’t want to pressure her.
With translation support from local members like Carrie Cannon and Mandarin-speaking missionaries via Zoom, the family soon began meeting with the missionaries.
On May 6, 2023, Frank and Sayaka were baptized—the first members of what would become Arizona’s first Mandarin-speaking branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Their children followed on June 17, 2023. The next year, on September 28, 2024, Frank and Sayaka entered the temple to receive their endowments.
In August 2025, when the Chens were sealed as a family in the Phoenix Arizona Temple, Sayaka experienced something sacred she’ll never forget.
“We were all together,” she recalls. “And I looked in the mirror behind Frank. I saw people all around us, dressed in white. At first, I didn’t understand. I thought—why are there angels here?”
She later realized that what she had seen were not angels, but the reflection of her own family—a symbol of generations connected eternally. “It was very special,” she said. “I felt so much peace at that moment.”
A Testament to Faith, Timing, and Blessings
After years of hard work, the miracle came to fruition: the Happy Valley Mandarin Branch was organized on February 2, 2025.
Frank and Sayaka hold leadership positions, Carrie Cannon serves as Relief Society president, and together with local leaders and new members, they guide a branch now numbering nearly 25 members. They are now supported by a dedicated set of Mandarin-speaking missionaries.
“It’s changed my life and my family’s life in regards to missionary work and just the gathering and loving these people and seeing them accept the gospel,” Carrie said. Her daughter is now serving a mission in Hong Kong.
Beyond teaching the gospel, the branch fosters community. Taiwanese families participate in gym workout groups twice weekly, and volunteers—including high school students—offer friendship, translation support, and mentorship. Sister Ellen Bunker strengthens EC through Gospel Literacy instruction, helping learners understand key principles in simple English.
For everyone involved, the branch is a living miracle.
“Just over two years ago, we could not have imagined the covenant journey that lay ahead,” Carrie reflects. “The blessings far outweigh anything we ever worked for. The gospel brings people together in ways we could never orchestrate ourselves.”
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