Last Post from Provo: Korea Here I Come!

Good afternoon to all, annyeong hashimnikka! ^;^ 

It's another beautiful day! It's about two and a half days now before we voyage onward, and as might be expected, our imminent departure to beautiful Korea is occupying much  of our thoughts. We leave at 3:30 Monday morning, and a lot needs to happen before then! Of course, however, that kind of logistical preparation will be easy to do; we need to prepare ourselves inwardly as well. We are all certainly a bit nervous, but simultaneously ready to go! As Elder Rosenberg says, we love everything about the MTC, except the fact that we aren't in Korea serving the people there. We don't know the language. We'll be strange foreigners loosed in Seoul. And yet, we are not afraid. Dad emailed me one of my favorite scriptures this morning, wherein Jesus counsels us to "be not afraid, only believe."

I have already seen incredible evidence of God's love for each of His children here, and experienced his tender mercies and miracles, and I need to share this with Korea. Although we don't speak the language well, I have committed that I will open my mouth. I will talk to that one extra person on the bus; use that last minute of study time; knock on that one more door. I know that God will bless us, and is preparing and showing His love to His children in Korea.

We had "In Field Orientation" yesterday, which is essentially a series of lectures and breakout classes designed to facilitate our transition as we get out into the field. It was both enjoyable and instructive, and I received some good insights concerning my personal responsibilities, how to fulfill them, and how to better work with members and others as a missionary.

Our devotional this past Tuesday was given by Don R. Clarke, of the seventy. It was our last Tuesday devotional at the MTC, and the last one that will be held at the Marriott center at least until next summer. It was very touching to me. I was free and able to sing in the choir for the first time in a couple of weeks, and we sang "Nearer, My God, to Thee," which continues to be one of my favorite hymns. During that song, and others throughout the evening, I again really felt God's love. Later, as a district, we sang "I Believe in Christ" in Korean, "Na Keuriseudo Mitseumnida," and this too was really a witness, in Korean notwithstanding. It has been a blessing to really have been able to feel the Spirit as we sing and speak in Korean, and reaffirms the universal nature and love of our God.

I had many thoughts during the devotional, but some more meaningful realizations are as follows: a missionary, or more appropriately, a person in general, becomes happy the day when they begin to care more about others than they do themselves. This certainly isn't true for me yet, but is certainly something that I want to continue to strive for. Another thought that I have had previously is that a mission experience can, and certainly should, change me, but it doesn't have to if I don't let it. I want to let it. I want to be a different person, a more Christlike person when I return home, having served the Lord with all the strength that I have. I received another witness of the truthfulness of Joseph Smith as a prophet, and of the reality that God the Father and the Son appeared to him. As we shared the words of Joseph Smith in a lesson with our investigator this week, he had a powerful experience, and the Spirit was very strong:

 I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me . . . When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him! (Joseph Smith History 1:16-17)

I also directly received answers in relation to questions that I have been having this week as I read the Book of Mormon.

I need to go, but I love you all. I cannot wait to go. It's so soon. I'm not qualified, but I know that the Lord will qualify us as we trust Him. He will "lead [us] by the hand, and give [us] answer to [our] prayers."

Many thanks for all of your love,

Elder South