So I am currently serving in an area called 평택 [Pyongtaek]. It is one of the coolest areas in our mission and I actually have lived in 2 of the 3, 4 man houses in my mission (not a lot of missionaries get that luxury). So I am expecting a crazy move in the upcoming future, probably something really weird. But yes. My area is the only area in the mission with 4 missionaries working it so it is kinda crazy. We don't see each other a lot but we always 식사 [eat] together and it is nice.
My companion's name is Elder Scoville, he has been out on the mission for a little over a year now and actually just went senior this transfer (which is good news for me because that means that I am going senior soon... which I guess is also bad news at the same time.... hum.... interesting) But yes. He is from Washington (state) and is a cool guy. Really good Elder and all I'm excited to serve with him. We have had a really productive first couple of days together and the work is going well. We have had some CRAZY experiences and have a TON of potential in getting people to progress and accept baptism.
The ward that I am in is really REALLY cool. Because 사실... I am serving in 2 wards... Or I guess you could say a ward and a branch (but the branch is bigger than the ward). I have the 평택 Korean Ward and then the 오산 American Military Branch. It was ridiculous! So I go to church twice on Sundays and get to listen to a church meeting that I understand 100% of and then one that I understand about 50% of. SO that was cool at least. I actually got to bless the sacrament in English on Sunday so that was definitely a different experience. Also
the change in culture is SO WEIRD. I go from the classic Korean culture for 3 hours to 갑자기 [suddenly] having to talk to people in English and it is hard! Total culture shock! Wah!
So yes, it is weird but I guess technically if you were bored you might be able to get in touch with some people who know me (through Dad of course, mister stake clerker). And yayayaya!
Anywho, I will tell you about two of my investigators: one who we found yesterday, and one who has been meeting missionaries a while! But not in that order.
The first one is a girl in the American Branch named Alex. She is way cool and she actually had a baptismal date right when I got here (but that is now dropped.... I'll explain). She has been meeting missionaries a while and has prayed about the BoM and knows it's true and commited to be baptized and comes to church and everything! She is so COOL! Only thing is.... her parents aren't so sure of it yet. So we are going to have to find some way to get her parents to give her the okay and then she wants to be baptized. I ask for prayers on her
behalf and on our behalf as well as we try and figure out how to get that permission and help her make that step. She is way cool I just hope we can find a way to help her out.
The next investigator we have is this lady named ( ), we aren't sure which yet. She is this way cool lady and is the definition of humble. We were 가가호호'ing in her apt complex on Saturday and found her and she said that we could come in. But there was no adult male there so we had to come back yesterday. She has been through so much in her life. Her family was killed. She is SO HUMBLE though. As we met her and she told us her story I really could not think of how to respond. She is just amazing, totally prepared in my eyes. I feel so bad that she has been through so much and I cannot even begin to understand what she feels. That is the cool part. I may not, but Jesus Christ can. He understands perfectly what she is going through. He has been there and knows
exactly what she feels every day. We shared with her Alma 7:11-13 and it was a really cool lesson. The spirit was strong and it was an eye opening moment for me. Our member that we brought along told her about how as she studies if she asks other people about our church how they are going to say we are a cult and that she shouldn't meet with us type of things. She seemed really worried all of a sudden and I piped up and these are the words that came out of my mouth: "I would not leave my family, my friends, my life, for something that I didn't know was true. I would not give 2 years of my life to do this, for something I didn't know was true." I really just had the coolest feeling as the spirit confirmed my words in my own heart. I am really doing God's work. It is so cool! I love it!
I want ya'll to remember that I know this is true. Every day I learn just a little bit more about what it is like to have the guidance of the Holy Ghost in my life. I look at the people that I am teaching and I look at the blessing that this gospel can be in their lives and it is just like. "Why would anyone want anything but this?"
I know I am weak. Believe me I find out every day just how much I have to learn. I found out more and more every day that I am far from the person that God wants me to be. But I was reading this morning in a talk by Elder Todd D. Christopherson, called Consecrated Missionary. It says at the end this: "God does not expect us to be perfect right now; but he does expect us to make progress now." I am here to tell you that I am experiencing that in my life. I hope that I can keep progressing, I like what Dad said to me a couple weeks back: "These are growing pains!" I gotta say I really haven't liked the pain too much, but I wanna be better and I guess it's not gonna be easy now is it?
Alright I thought of one more really good thing that I may of shared a couple weeks ago BUT I'm sharing it again.... Get over it if I did.
There is a movie about Martin Luther and there is a scene in this movie were there is this monk that trained Martin Luther and he is cutting his hair. Anywho the monk is like getting after him for turning the world upside down, Protestants fighting against Catholics and just craziness in terms of religion. There is a really tense moment and Martin Luther grabs the monk's arm and says "You wanted me to change the world, did you think there would be no cost?"
I like to apply that to myself 이렇게: I wanted to change myself, did I really think that there was going to be no cost? For me that cost is my Pride, my Passions, my Weaknesses..... everything. If I wanna be better, It is gonna cost every fiber of my being. It is hard I know. But I hope that it is worth it :)
I love you all and am so grateful for the gospel in my life! I promise you that it can be a blessing in yours too if you are willing to fight for it :). Love you all so so so so so much and take care of yourselves.
Elder Josh Crowther 크라우더 장로....
No comments:
Post a Comment