Hello, and a wonderful day to you all! It is beautiful outside, with the rain falling, and it seems as if autumn is on its way in. It has been another enjoyable week! The days are fairly repetitive but both fun and rewarding, so perhaps I will speak shortly about special events this week, and then give a summary of our quotidian schedule.

I forgot to mention last week that we committed one of our "investigators," Kim Hyeon Shik, to baptism! He will be baptized this Saturday, and has progressed so much in the gospel. He is still struggling with alcohol, so we are trying to help him work through that as quickly as possible! We are really looking forward to it, and it has been wonderful to have this opportunity. Our other investigator, Brother Lee, is very reserved, and last time we simply had a "getting to know you" lesson. We'll keep working with him; he has progressed much as well.

Elder Sam with his Korean teacher, "Scoville seongsaengnim"

Korean is great! I love it! The agglutinative aspect is a lot of fun, although it means we end up with words like kareuchijianheulgeoshimnida (will not teach), where Chinese speakers would express the same in two or three syllables. It's great, though! Two new districts came in this week, both very small, which will be great for them in a classroom setting! They only have five missionaries each, which will be fun for them. They seem like fun, engaging people!

I have been trying to speak as much Korean as possible. Yesterday, I only spoke in Korean until lunch or so, which mostly meant that I was just very quiet. If I continue to put forth an effort, though, I know that it will come! We as a district have set some new language goals which I think will be very beneficial. Korean is, frankly, just a blast to speak. It is so much fun. It has a very different personality from Chinese, almost a formal French feel, and I feel that I have grown in new ways with this new language and begun to understand the culture of Korea more and more through the lens of language. The honorifics that Korean employs are simultaneously challenging and fascinating, and say so much about the emphasis that the culture has on respect, collectivism, and honor. They have also provided much amusement to several classmates, who have learned some phrases in peasant form to say to passerby. The dynamics of the different forms make the gospel particularly challenging to teach and employ for me, as there is a prayer form, used in prayer and in ancient court dramas, should the occasion arise, and the Book of Mormon is written in king form, which I have yet to learn.

After our devotional this past Sunday, we watched a devotional given here by Elder Holland a few months ago. It was incredible. He is so articulate, and demonstrates so much love and understanding as he speaks. His words gave me an even greater appreciation and testimony of the Book of Mormon, and the prophet Joseph Smith. As I have dedicated much more time than I previously have to the study of the Book of Mormon, I have come to love it and know of its truthfulness to a much greater degree. I have found more joy and knowledge in the reading of it than I have in any other book previously, and I do know that we truly can become closer to Christ through the Book of Mormon than by any other book on Earth.

Elder Holland's granddaughter also spoke for a while in the devotional, and it was a lot of fun to hear from her! I had several classes with her in high school, and she is now serving in Italy. I know that I have mentioned this before, but I have just run into so many people that I know here. It's great to see them here serving the Lord.

On that note, I was privileged to spend some more time with Elder Sanford this past week. He will be departing next Tuesday, and  I am so, so excited for him! I know that he will bless many lives, and the language in which he will be doing so is beautiful. If Taiwan is anything like China, he has some incredible adventures awaiting him!

Well, I find myself once more pressed for time. Thank you for your love and your prayers. Good luck as school begins and work continues. May God be with you!

Kimchi, love, and smiles,

Elder South

Sam mentions kimchi but while's he's in the MTC, he still eats American fruits and vegetables in the cafeteria. We sent him several pairs of chopsticks, which he and the members of his district use. 

August 16: Third Week in the MTC

Hello, all!

It has been quite the day today (isn't it always), and I am quite pressed for time. As a result, I will be able to share less today, but am attaching some pictures, so if all goes well, there's a couple thousand more words. Without further ado, I will jump right in; let the rapid-fire stream-of-consciousness begin.

Our biggest focus is the investigators that we are teaching. This is a lot of fun, and although we really have no Korean study time at all, because we are always preparing lessons, I do feel that my Korean is progressing because of this and the necessity of knowing the requisite vocabulary. We began this week to bring absolutely nothing into lessons with us, save the scriptures, which means that we have greater flexibility, if at times completely forgetting a part or getting stuck in the middle of a sentence. It has blessed us, however, and really focusing on talking with our investigators has allowed us to better cater to what they need. We use many hand gestures and such as well.

Sam and his companion, Elder Rosenberg, with their "investigators," local Korean members of the church who volunteer in the MTC to let the missionaries practice teaching and language. The picture is taken in front of the Provo temple, which is across the street from the MTC.

In trying to explain the time scale of various events yesterday, I said "twenty hundred years" rather than "two thousand," and we have had many stories like this. Some other fun things have happened in our lessons as well. This week, for instance, while trying to explain the similarities and differences between the Bible and the Book of Mormon, I drew a map on the board for reference, and after drawing North and Central America, with Mexico particularly rough looking, our investigator burst out laughing and said "Ice cream cone!" I couldn't help but start laughing as well, but the rest of the lesson went all right. Another day, we began with a hymn, "Where Can I Turn for Peace," but I led off, and started singing it to the tune of "Nearer, My God to Thee." We were a little bit off, but we ended correctly, and I didn't even realize what had happened until after our lesson.

Studies are going well. I am spending more time in the Book of Mormon, and loving it. Exercise has also been enjoyable. We often do the "impossible mile," wherein we go on the Elliptical on full incline and resistance as fast as possible until we summit the mount--or die trying. We play soccer occasionally as well, which is great fun.

We had a stress management class the other day. I am very happy here, but it was good to think about personal expectations, and maybe how some may be unrealistic. None of us will be able to perfectly teach, testify, or speak the language, but we will say what we need to say and do what we need to do so that we may invite who we need to invite to come unto Christ.

Sam's first talk for church

We all need to prepare talks for every Sunday, in Korean, and then a lucky couple of individuals are called up to speak. It was a good experience to prepare, and I felt that it really helped me with the language to do so. I did not end up giving a talk, but I did give the opening prayer, which was nerve-wracking, but hopefully went all right.

There was a nice musical number on Sunday, "Nearer, My God to Thee," on violin and in Korean. I love to speak Korean. I want to go to Seoul. After church, we had a nice walk around the temple, and there was a devotional that evening. It was great to be in the big assembly room with the organ, and there was sung a beautiful rendition of "Jesus, Savior of My Soul." I was just thinking how much parents sacrifice for their children, and how they lose themselves in the work. So mom, dad, and other parents, thank you.

There has been a bit of a bug going around. Elder Rosenberg and I are fine, just a bit stuffy, but when one missionary catches something here, it sure spreads.

Elder Sam's "district" of twelve missionaries (six companionships) in the MTC with the Provo Temple in the background

Our schedule is great. I am a bit tired at times, but honestly, this is the most sleep that I've gotten in years, and so much gets done in the mornings. Many other elders often find time to "mattress plank," but as of yet, we have been too busy, or exercising, and so haven't done any napping.

Sam and his companion, Elder Rosenberg, with Sister Partridge in front

The highlight of this week was a visit from Elder [Richard G.] Scott, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, for our Tuesday devotional. We went early, to practice for choir, and enjoyed our song immensely, but when Elder Scott walked in, so much love was in that room. It was an incredibly special experience to hear from him, and it meant a lot to me. He talked at length about prayer, and how we, as mortals, have the unfathomable privilege of speaking to a supreme being, who, in turn, answers us. It was very touching to me, and I wish that I could say more, but I must go. We're going to the temple!

All the best, and may God be with you always,

Elder [Sam] South

The nametag, in English and Korean. Once he gets to Korea, he'll have another nametag all in Korean.

Yeoreobun, Annyeong Hashimnikka! -- Second Week in the MTC

Hello, all! I hope that all goes well. I am incredibly blessed to spend time in such a wonderful place, and am very happy. I was going around cleaning classrooms this morning, and it was just fascinating to see the different flags, books, and tchotchkas from around the world. There are opportunities to speak in any language we desire at every turn, and it is uniting in that we are all going out for the same purpose and striving for the same spirit. I cleaned some Swedish classrooms, and I couldn't help but linger for a moment, almost smelling the cool sea breeze and the resplendent flowers of southern Sweden. Someone had written some greetings on the board, and I had to respond. I am happy, and I hope that all of you are as well.

 

These buildings are dedicated second only to a temple, and the Spirit is certainly prevalent. I have enjoyed this Spirit, and the time that we have for gospel study and meditation. I have, at least for the past few years, been a busybody, dashing and prancing and running, but not sitting enough, thinking enough, or reading enough. The time that we have to do so here is hugely beneficial, and has, even in such a short time, made a big difference in my life.

 

This past week has been quite the ride, with so much going on. Starting last Friday evening, we have been teaching an "investigator" in Korean. Although we don't have a lot of flexibility in the language, and rely heavily on set phrases, it has actually been going quite well, and is very enjoyable. During our last lesson, in particular, the Spirit felt very near, and we look forward to more teaching opportunities and learning and growing as we focus our studies and prayers on those who we are teaching.

 

Because Sunday was "Fast Sunday," wherein we skip a couple of meals, and fast with a purpose in order to demonstrate that our spirits are stronger than our bodies, I worked very hard to be able to bear my testimony beforehand (church is entirely in Korean). I got up after some sisters who had been here for six weeks, and I was quite nervous. I just started talking, though, and although my legs may not have stopped shaking, the words just kept coming. it seemed that everything that I had studied was readily available to me, and the experience was a real testament to me of God's promise to fill our mouths if we open them in His name, and of the power of fasting. After the meeting, I was able to speak in broken Konglish for a while with Sister Lee, from North Korea, and met her and her husband again at dinner. They are wonderful, and very friendly. I have much more to say concerning Korean, but I will continue that later on.

 

That morning, we also attended a mission conference, wherein all of the elders and sistered gathered together. It was a great conference, and at the end, the president of the MTC invited up a Korean woman who had just been baptized the past week by the Korean missionaries three weeks above us. She bore her testimony, with a translator, and it was a very, very special moment. I was very touched, and really felt a great love for the Korean people. There's nowhere else in the world that I would rather be serving. That evening, another devotional was held with Jenny Oaks Baker, a renowned violinist. It was nice to hear her play, and she was very good, though, of course, I'm a little bit biased due to Lindsey Stirling. ^^ (Korean smiley)

 

Afterwards, several companionships from our district stayed to watch a movie about the prophet Joseph Smith. This was another very powerful moment for me, and I am so in awe of the events of his life and all that he did. His story is so powerful, and I really want to share it as I go out into the field. After we finished, I was left with an incredible desire to dive into the Book of Mormon and study. I have been, but have also been reading "Our Heritage," about our church's early history in this dispensation in order to more fully know this story.

 

KOREAN IS WONDERFUL. I love it. It is a fascinating language, and has proved a beautiful challenge. It is difficult, but if we focus on the people and our purpose, to invite others to come unto Christ, I am confident that the language will come. It is much more logical than other languages with which I am familiar, and the alphabet is wonderful. Sadly, after about a day here I was far more proficient at reading and writing Korean than I will ever be in Chinese. (Sorry Elder Sanford, we can say that Chinese has an alphabet too, if you want, just with, well, a lot more letters.) Rest assured, however, Korean comes with its own set of challenges.

 

All I ever want to do is study Korean, and read our reference books. I've been worried, because we have in theory six hours of classroom instruction a day, but only thirty minutes to an hour of that is actually language instruction. I am getting less worried, though, not because it is coming any more easily, but because I am starting to learn to trust in the Lord as we focus on our investigators. I suppose that this undertaking is as Nephi's, in the Book of Mormon, where the Lord commands him to build a boat, though he does not know how. As he does things in the Lord's way, however, the boat is built and they are able to make their way. Learning Korean can feel at times like crossing the Atlantic, but as I do things the Lord's way, and trust in his promised blessings, I am confident that he will allow me to learn what I need to learn so that I may touch those whom I need to touch with His glad message.

 

That being said, we're still working hard! Funnily enough, I think that my favorite Korean drama [Boys Over Flowers] was massively helpful to watch, in that it helped me with pronunciation, inflection, culture, levels of politeness, etc. Still, I will need to listen well, when we arrive, to the natives in order to try to imitate them. Some Korean missionaries actually just arrived this week, and they'll only be here for two weeks, but they are delightful to talk with, and are loving their time here, "except for the food. We need kimchi," said a sister with whom I sat at lunch today. I am certainly looking forward to the delicious Korean cuisine in store for us.

 

I was able to sing in the choir for our Tuesday devotional, which was a lot of fun. At the devotional, Elder Jay Jensen addressed us, and gave us lots of good, concrete advice about the role of music in our spiritual growth, and how to better study the scriptures. I really appreciated these points, and have been trying to implement them. While walking back to campus, we bumped into Sister [Glorianna] Tillemann-Dick, with whom I attended school this past year, and it was wonderful to be able to speak with her for a while. She will be a wonderful missionary. I just ran into her again, actually, while going to change our laundry.

 

After we parted ways, Elder Sanford and I ran into each other and had a good chat. It is always a pleasure to bump into him, and our schedules allow us to meet fairly regularly. He is such an example of leadership, love, and diligence, and I certainly look to him as an example. I have run into many people that I know here, whether it be friends from high school, junior high, and even a few from elementary school, which is a lot of fun. Sister [Sydney] Horne, with whom I attended fourth and fifth grade, left for Sapporo, Japan, this past Monday, and I was glad to meet up before she took off!

 

I would like to do a little Korean cultural note each week, and although difficult while in the MTC, I hope that I can remember enough until we make our way to the land of morning calm. For this week, in Korea, as in China, it is utterly disrespectful to stick your chopsticks straight up in rice and leave them as you eat (mostly sitting down), as it represents an offering to dead ancestors.

 

Life is great. Our district (a group of twelve missionaries with whom I attend class and other functions) is wonderful. The best. The elders are great and build off of each other, and the sisters add so much with their spirit and clarity of insight. There is so, so much more to say, but alas, I am limited. I love you all. Eat lots of kimchi. God bless.

 

Love,

 

South Chang-no

First Report from the Missionary Training Center (MTC)

Sam entered the Missionary Training Center (MTC) on Wednesday, July 31. He sent his first email from the MTC on Friday, which is posted in its entirety below. Information in brackets was added by Sam's parents to clarify Mormon and missionary terminology for those who are unfamiliar with it. :)

Friday, August 2, 2013

Good day, all!

Thank you so much for your love, support, and guidance this past week, and previously! It is very comforting to feel your support as I enter this next stage of my life.

And what an experience it has been already! As I found out when I arrived here, the buildings on this campus [The Missionary Training Center] have been dedicated as sacred spaces for the edification of those preparing to serve God's children all over the world. Because of this, there is a pervasive feeling of peace and love, whether we are doing our laundry or eating our morning oatmeal, that really makes me excited to be here. When I arrived, I was shown to my room to drop off my bags, walked around briefly, ran into the wonderful Elder [Luke] Sanford [a fellow Yale student and close friend], who is already a Chinese speaking dragon, and went immediately to Korean class, which was already in full swing. Our teacher served in Korea recently, and thus far has only spoken to us in Korean. I love it! It has certainly been a challenge, but we know that we are learning this beautiful language for a sacred purpose, and thus feel incredibly excited, if a little bit nervous, to take it on.

That evening, we had a "teaching experience," wherein we rotated rooms, and as a large group worked on teaching a lesson to various practice "investigators" [people interested in learning more about the LDS church]. Elder Rosenberg (my companion) [all missionaries are assigned a companion and work together in pairs of two] and I were fairly silent for the first couple investigators, but when we came to Kae-min, a Korean investigator, we couldn't keep quiet! We needed to speak, and it was fun to see that a few other of the Korean elders chimed in as well. We all feel a great love for the Korean people, and cannot wait to begin teaching them! We then had a meeting, a tour, and returned to our residences for some much-needed unpacking. Our zone leader [a fellow missionary assigned to supervise 10-12 companionships] kindly stopped by with a bunch of snacks that we will try to avoid eating, as health conscientiousness is a big goal of ours for these next couple months. Elder Sanford, who is in our same building, also stopped by, and it was great to speak with him a bit more. We are actually running into each other fairly often, due to the proximity of our residences, classrooms, and concurrent meal times. I will certainly miss him when he takes off in a couple of weeks!

Elder Rosenberg is a superb elder, and I am very happy to be his companion. His dad is in the Air Force, so they have moved around a lot, but he comes most recently from the DC area. He is extremely intelligent, discerning, and has great leadership qualities (he was called as our first district leader last evening) [a "district" is composed of three companionships]. We enjoy many of the same things, and in particular have had a great time exercising together. He is speedy quick, which is great for me as long as I can keep up, and we had a great time on the rowing machines this morning. He will be attending BYU after his mission, planning to study mechanical engineering and business management on some im-press-ive scholarships.

We met our branch presidency [the adult leaders of our "branch," or small church congregation] last night, and had a meeting with them as a whole, as well as separate interviews with one member. They are wonderful, and refer to our branch as the "celestial branch," which means extremely high expectations. Nervewracking, but again, good. When I leave the MTC, I don't want to feel that I wasted a second that I could have been studying Korean or growing closer to our Heavenly Father. I met with President Perriton, one of our presidency members, who grew up in New Zealand, and who I immediately liked. He is obedient, wise, and very kind. He has lived in Korea for about twenty years of his life, and is an example in that regard. He reminded me a lot of President [Jeffrey R.] Holland in his discerning and loving counsel. He told me to cultivate this love for Korea, and to be a leader. I suppose that I will have to figure out what that means as I progress in the gospel, but it is certainly something to strive for. I think that we all could act more as leaders as we attempt to follow the guidance of the Spirit and act lovingly toward all that we meet. Sister Lee, the wife of another one of our presidency members, is a North Korean refugee who spent a lot of time in South Korea, and she is very cool as well.

Fridays will be our preparation days, which means service around the MTC at six am, followed by breakfast, gym and laundry time, etc. We won't be able to go to the temple for a couple weeks, but we will be excited to do so when the time comes. Today, our main goal is to prepare a lesson for an investigator that we will be teaching tonight in Korean. It will be simple, and full of errors, I am sure, but it is a great opportunity.

Korean is just plain wonderful. It is a lot of fun to speak Chinese with Luke and others, certainly, and it is like an old friend that feels comfortable, but Korean is a new chance and a new experience. Starting yesterday, all prayers are in Korean, and we are trying to do as much as possible in the language, which, frankly, is essentially none. Although our lack of proficiency is at times frustrating, we have beeen here for less than two days, and as we diligently study, the language will come. In addition, the linguistic flexibility required to attempt to communicate, especially at such an early stage, is absolutely thrilling.

I apologize for my brevity and stream-of-consciousness: I am quite a slow writer, and there is just so much to say, even from these past two days.

In conclusion, however, I love you all, and hope that all goes well. I am loving my time here, as it allows me to focus on what is important. I really want to develop an even deeper testimony of Christ and his love for all of us during my time here, and again, through study and prayer, I know that that will come.

All the best,

South Chang-no


PS, from Sam's parents: Jacob Barker, another missionary who went to high school with Sam and with Seth Warnick, posted this picture of the three of them on his blog. It was taken within a couple of hours of Sam arriving in the MTC!