Well well well.... it's been a fun week it has ^_^

Dear Familia!

Well, hello there! It is Elder Josh in 대한민국! WAHOOO!!!! It has been definitely an interesting week.... like you have no idea. It's been so fun! (BAHAHAHAHAA I can't help but laughing my companion's computer just blue screened because apparently the computers we are using aren't the best computers ever.... ㅋㅋㅋ.... Windows XP... FAIL)

Anyways, so ya it has been a very interesting week. Lots of good study, lots of good experiences meeting people, just an all around fun week :) Oh and last week on P-Day we went to 화성행궁 [Hwaseong Fortress].... so I took some pics, enjoy!

So ya this week we did a LOT of 영어 광고 and like I can't even describe how much we did. We just walked from apt to apt just asking the 관리자 if we are allowed to 광고 or not. It was SO annoying.... but we got permission in a couple places and it was good to get fliers put up. Especially because......

WE GOT SO MANY STINKING PHONE CALLS OFF OF THEM.... 

Like 표현할 수 없다.... it was that bad..... We sat there during study one morning and it was just like: 10 mins study, 1 new investigator calls, 10 more mins, another 구도자, 5 more, and another.... it was horrible. BUT SO STINKING AWESOME. It was pretty legit, we were pretty happy elders to say the least. Because people calling us means people to meet. And meeting with people and talking is much MUCH more enjoyable than trying to find investigators on the street (because that is hard, ask Spencer Hatfield or Mitch Palmer, they'll tell ya). ALSO I laugh because of finding out that so far all of the people from the Edgemont 14th ward have served here in 평택 at one time or another. It is nuts. Like so crazy.... I was looking through the record book and saw a picture of (at that time) Elder Hatfield. It was nuts. (I might have mentioned this before and if that is the case I apologize because I just thought it was cool because I didn't know Mitch Palmer served here and I got Mom's package that she sent a while ago that talks about the blog and I didn't know that Mitch served here. That was cool :)... OH and Mom! Thanks for the package! Very excited about it! I totally decorated my room a little more :))

Anywho ya, so this week as far as the investigators went it was a pretty good week. Although we did have one guy that I would like to tell you about. So we have for the last couple of weeks been meeting with this guy and he is a Jehovah's Witness.... So we have been meeting with him and just kinda trying to build a relationship where we would have an opportunity to maybe get to talk about the gospel. Well, we got our chance. This week as we met with him we went in and started teaching about The Restoration. It was probably one of the hardest lessons I have taught on my mission. He just argued every single step of the way.... and so we got up to the Joseph Smith story and Elder Scoville taught it awesome and then I came in and explained the Book of Mormon and then we asked him if he would read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it's true. He said no (not that that hasn't happened before but this time it was different). He is such an Awesome guy. He lives his Faith. And he lives it proudly. And it killed me to just think that someone who lived their life the way he did, who did the good that he does, was willing to settle with less than he is able to attain. I can just remember sitting there after the lesson was over and I just wanted to cry. I love the Book of Mormon, I know it's true. I love that God can guide us through it. It just kills me that someone who is that good, who has the potential to be SO amazing, iIs settling for less. 

And I guess that as I type this I am starting to realize a little bit about what our Father in Heaven (and I guess Mom and Dad too) feel when we don't do our best. When we are willing to settle for that. It just killed me inside, I don't even know why, I just hope down the road when something doesn't make sense and he has questions that he will look to the 2 몰몬경 책's [Book of Mormon's] that he has at his house. I hope he does.

So as we went home, however, it was cool to go and watch a promise from our District Leader get fulfilled in that we went and did our best with him and dropped him. But we got a call that day from someone who wanted to meet in 20 mins and so we met him and are now scheduled to meet with this new guy 3 times a week. Cool eh!?

But yes, so as far as my study goes this week I finished the 4 Gospels and am into Acts. But I really liked this morning as I read in John 20:27 (again this part is in that Finding Faith in Jesus Christ movie) where Thomas is invited to come and feel the wounds in our Saviors hands and side. Just a cool little statement that Jesus makes at the end of that verse: be not faithless, but believing. 

I am working on that every day. Have faith. A simple concept that gets more and more difficult as you think about it. It seems counter intuitive to be perfectly honest but hey, it is life. As I read John, though, I really liked reading Christ's intercessory prayer. Christ is praying for those that believe on him. Christ, the literal Son of God, prayed for us. He wants to help us. How cool is that?

I think it's pretty awesome. He freely gave his life that we might live. He loves us. He will take care of us. He does it to me every day. Even when things are hard, somehow they always get better. Every Single Time. I love doing His work. It (although it is extremely difficult) is so rewarding. To see a family read the BoM. To see them pray. To watch Christ, bless their lives. How cool is that. :)

I think it's awesome.

SO YA,

NOW as to my daily life I will run you through just some of the "Things Mom wants to know"

I love sleeping on my little mat on the floor. It is so much more comfortable than a mattress, PLUS all the heat here in Korea is floor heat, so you are closer to the heat :)

I eat so much rice. I can proudly say that I have not eaten Cereal (outside of splits) this transfer. I eat RICE. WAHHHHH

No, I do not wear my pants anymore (my black pair of Jeans ripped, and the blue ones don't fit around my fat legs) SO if one of these days you were inclined to send me some money to get some clothes that fit my vastly fatter lower half I would be appreciative. (I am like a 34 waist now... that's like 2 full inches... gosh)

So ya, it's legit. 

I hope ya'll know I love ya. I pray for you a lot :).

Take care

LOTS OF LOVE

Elder Josh

P.S. I will set up the Mother's Day call here in a week or two when I find out more about what's going down (cause that is transfer week) I will let you know! Love ya!