Fat At His Belly

Greetings at the beginning of another beautiful week in Imun!  I can hardly believe how quickly the days fly by- this next week I'll have been out six months, and it feels like no time at all. I suppose it's still not much more, yet, than a semester away from home. On that note, I guess school and work are back in full swing. Enjoy, and best of luck!

 

It's been an exciting week. One the one hand, both Gichan and Sangjo recommited to baptismal dates, Dongwon is diligently striving to quit smoking to prepare for his baptism in March, and Jackie is putting increased trust in the Lord as he grows in his testimony of the Book of Mormon and prepares to be baptized next month as well. On the less joyous hand, Elder Grimshaw has been sick and homebound nearly all week, which has meant some calling time, but also a significant amount of time with Elder Mumford to cover appointments while Elder Osborne remained at home. We went to a hospital near our home on Saturday night to get a rapid strep test, a la recommendation of President Christensen due to a history of strep, but thankfully, the results came back in the negative.

 

The Chinese scene out here continues to grow. We taught with the sisters several new Chinese citizens this week which was very fun. One sister we taught, as are many people from China that we teach, unfamiliar almost entirely with the concept of God and had never heard of prayer. As we first talked about who God is and our relationship with him, she didn't believe in Him, so I talked about how coming to believe in God can be like science: one can try to follow His words, and if the promised blessings are received, you can know with a surety that He is there. To our surprise, she said that she didn't believe in science either, although in the end she demonstrated a sincere desire to know, and I hope at least that she has something to think about.

 

Sister Goodwin, sister Teng's companion, and I, have been corresponding with President Christensen as to what we need to do for various Chinese groups to be organized. I don't want to jump the gun and get too excited, but there will almost certainly be a Chinese Gospel Principles class in the near future, with the promise of further organization contingent on further growth. We may also receive translating devices, so that the rest of church could be understood, as many Chinese people we have talked to have expressed a desire to come to church, but to do so in their native tongue. This would necessitate someone translating, though, and as of yet there isn't a fully Korean/Chinese bilingual missionary, although when several members get back from China they might be up to the task. Sister Goodwin heads home after this transfer, so I hope that we can continue to get the momentum going before she heads out.

 

Elder Mumford and I have begun this week to get up at 5:30 for additional study, which has proved to be distraction-free and largely more effective. There's just never enough time to study, and for Korean, I just always feel that I need more. At the same time, though, I don't want to get caught in the trap, which I am prone to do, of just overloading myself. It has often been true in the past that I don't feel comfortable until I am so overloaded with things that I can scarcely function, so I am trying also to learn to take a step back, relax, and find equilibrium somewhere.

 

It is relieving, at times, to realize that linguistic confusion goes both ways, though. The following are a few excerpts of texts that we have received in the past week:

 

"I'll leave the phone ring so the character. Mom is sick, do not meet today. See you later, take care of yourself doing well. English to aid the rapid understanding of elder sends me."

 

English is well beloved but not well
understood. This is an internet photo, not
from Elder Sam.

"What is your name please."  ... "Name is good."

 

"Are you busy? Friend." "I was but now I can't play sports."

 

"How old are you? " "Good afternoon, Elder South. How are you doing? " "Where are you now and with your partner."

 

"Where are you sleeping?" "Um. How to live."

 

But perhaps the best, albeit received by the other Imun Elders:

 

"i know him .he is fat at his belly. Well ,  i attach my photo at this message since you dont see me   ,thus  you   will not observe me at tomorrow"

 

 

In speaking with many this week, and as we teach, the role of the Holy Spirit is clarified, and I realize more and more how dependent totally we are on our own and other's receptivity to the quiet feelings of peace and comfort that can only come from above. In Third Nephi, this feeling is described in the following manner (3 Nephi 11:3): 

 

"...Notwithstanding it being a small voice it did pierce them that did hear to the center, insomuch that there was no part of their frame that it did not cause to quake; yea, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn."

 

I have been privilieged to feel this burning of the heart, and to watch others as they, too, feel this calm and yet earth-shaking feeling. I think it's intersting that only those "that did hear" were so touched. Let us therefore all strive to be open to this feeling that we may be led and purified. All my love this week, and all the best!

 

Elder South

 

 

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Also of exciting news, President said that he could put in a request to headquarters to have more Chinese speakers coming to our mission! It would be a while, in all likelihood, but it would certainly be exciting. We'll see how developments turn out, I suppose.

 

Yours-

Paradigm shifts

All my best from Seoul! It's really not all that cold out here- it seems that there is a massive cold front across the United States, but I haven't even had to wear my big winter coat yet. That being said, a dip is undoubtedly in our future. I do hope things warm up over there, though! I have only a few minutes today, but it has been quite a week. Each day brings new challenges, new blessings, new experiences, and the ever-increasing assurance that God is watching over and blessing His children.

Sang Jo is still struggling to see why church attendance in our proposed paradigm is important, but we will continue to emphasize the importance of the sacrament and the blessings that we receive from church attendance as we meet with him. He broke down in tears this past week as he prayed, and said to us, "I feel stronger this week, as we meet, very strongly." Nonetheless, he is still not committed to joining us at church.

Yejin, one of the branch missionaries in Imun, has just put in her papers to serve a mission. She has taught a couple of times with us, and will serve very well, bust most exciting is that her mother showed up to church yesterday as well, who we have met with a few times as well. She has such strong faith, but has had some really tough times, and has quite an amazing story. She enjoyed the meetings, and we really hope that she will continue to come out. It is absolutely incredible to see what miracles and healing faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement can bring to all.

 

We wonder if Sam is going hungry? That
plate looks mighty empty but maybe it's those
famous invisible Korean noodles...

This past week we had an incredible experience with Nahder, from Iran. He speaks little English and very little Korean, but is just amazing. Due to time it seems I will just speak concerning him next week, but there are miracles that happen today, and there are beautiful blessings available through Christ's life and His sacrifice.

 

I have been thinking a lot concerning guidance this week, and I do know that we have a perfect example to whom we can look for love and help:

 

Jesus, Savior, pilot me, over life's tempestuous sea;

Unknown waves before me roll, hiding rock and treach'rous shoal

Chart and compass came from Thee: Jesus, Savior, pilot me

 

As a mother stills her child, Thou canst hush the ocean wild;

Boist'rous waves obey Thy will, when Thou sayst to them, "Be still!"

Wondrous sovereign of the sea, Jesus, Savior, pilot me

 

When at last I near the shore, and the fearful breakers roar

'Twixt me and the peaceful rest, then, while leaning on Thy breast,

May I hear Thee say to me, "Fear not: I will pilot thee."

 

 

All my love from Seoul!

 

Elder South

Come Unto Christ (Letter of Monday, January 6, 2014)

Good day to all, and a very happy New Year. The New Year is a big deal in Korea. The Gregorian perhaps not as much as the lunar (not Chinese, in Korea :)), but that is right around the corner as well. Age is a big deal here, and those who were born in the same year are called "friends," and have an instant relationship. It means a lot to call people older brother or sister, too, and the relationship dynamics in general, especially with those you are meeting for the first time, are really interesting to me here.

Among others, we were able to meet with Jin Uk this past week, and it was so nice to see him. He is so busy, but has such a desire to know Christ, and as we talked about the Restoration, it was a sweet experience.

We went to a 순대 (sundae) restaurant last week near our church, whose Korean romanization is about as far from its English twin as you can get. The owner always parks in front of the church, so she has always served Elder Grimshaw for free when he has been there in the past. We decided to go with the other Imun elders for dinner, and enjoyed an interesting and certainly very hearty soup. The owner, unfortunately, was gone, so we ended up paying good money for pig- well, you can look it up. Experiences, though. I'm all for sucking the marrow out of life, but sometimes that gets a little bit too literal.

Achasan hike

We were able to hike with some of the members of our branch on New Year's Day. We went to a place called Achasan, which offered a very fun hike and a beautiful view. Seoul is nice in that it is certainly a big city, but there are lots of places that are easy to get to that let you forget that. Many offer prayers when they get to the summit, which I think is pretty cool. There was also a very cool, ancient-style building at the summit, filled with... children's books. There was a big group of kids reading at the top, and that emphasis from an early age on the outdoors and learning is so fun in Korea.

We were actually able to go hiking this morning as well. We wanted to go to a famous spot in Dobong to watch the sun rise over Seoul. We ended up going a lot closer, not nearly as high, but it was a lot of fun. There was tons of exercise equipment all along the way, as hiking and exercise are extremely common hobbies among 나이 많이 드신 사람 (those who have partaken of many years). We thought we were kind of in a hurry to get to the top to see the sun rise, so we asked an older grandma which way was the quickest way up (we were at a fork). She said, "You shouldn't look for the quickest way up, but the way that gives you the best exercise. I woke up at 5 and have been hiking since." She then saw that I was holding a football, and using the Korean "for your information" form of sorts, said to me, "There's not a sports field on top of the mountain 거든 (FYI). There's one down at that college, though. It's pretty big." We enjoyed a bit more conversation with her and headed on our way. I love the people here. So friendly, so helpful.

Sam gets his exercise in any way he can.

I've been thinking a lot this new year, this chance to begin anew, about purpose and goals. I wrote many goals down, but essentially, as a servant of Christ this entire year, I want to devote everything- heart, might, mind, and strength. As much as possible this year I want to learn how to offer 100% sanctification and 100% consecration--to give all of me. "I will give away all my sins to know Thee," said King Lamoni, and I really want to do whatever it takes to be purified, to become a more effective messenger of Christ's happy Gospel. In finishing the Book of Mormon this past week, one of the last verses reads the following:

"Yea, come unto Christ and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God." Moroni 10:32

Come unto Christ. What a powerful invitation, and one that transcends every arbitrary boundary that we as humans have set up through our arrogance or imperfection. The way is open to all, in and through Christ.

White means a baptism day. Happy times!

I'm also trying to go 100% Korean this year in speech, save really important situations and a few others (read: English class). It is so fun, and is really already proving beneficial, both to language and to focus.

The crowning event of this past week was Sung Il's baptismal service Sunday. His story really is miraculous, just showing up to church one day, and his journey in faith since. He is absolutely incredible, and it was a very happy day.

I pray too that all goes well elsewhere. Happy, happy New Year. Enjoy the season, enjoy school and work as it begins once more, and go snowboarding for me, in Sha'Allah.

All my love from 서울 <3

Elder South