"Don't play with cats"--July 19, 2015

Hello to all. <3 I pray that all has gone well this week. We've had a lot of adventures this week that I hope we can sit down and talk about around the campfire sometime, but for now I'll probably just send a few pictures and try to express what a wonderful place this is.

We went on exchanges to Sokcho, Kangneung, and Taebaek this week. The weather was wonderful and it was gorgeous. It was great to be able to get out and talk with a lot of very fun people, eat some great food, and be with the missionaries out there. It's pretty far! We don't have a huge mission as far as things go, but it takes a good 5 hours to get home from Taebaek. Whenever you are out, adventures happen, and we had a lot of very fun moments, met a lot of great people, and really enjoyed our time.

Sam with Sister Sonksen

We were in a very very little town called Tongni where we knocked on an open door, and we looked in to see someone sitting there watching a small tv with a cast on his leg. We talked with him for a while and offered to help with anything because of his leg, but he wasn't all that interested. He scooted himself to another room, but we kept talking with him through the window, so he scooted himself back into the main room and surprisingly adroitly closed the sliding door. As he did we noticed that there were stick insects everywhere on the outside of the house seeming to dance to an unknown beat- they looked very funny. We turned around to see a beautiful scene and just feel that everything was good in the world, even if not everybody accepts that which we are talking about. We got to talk to some other farmers and were received well, and were talking with a fun group of men who were all laughing and making fun of each other, saying that their friends' heads were stones. One of the most outspoken leaped up to make a joke, and in so doing his dentures fell out, which he barely caught and retired sheepishly to his seat. We saw lots of white cranes, had lots of job's tears tea, saw some dried stingrays and lots of squid. We got back on Saturday to the following:

"We have missed you so much. Marry into our family!" - Sister Sonksen

"No, no!" - President Sonksen

Back into crowded, hot, and beloved Seoul, we started again on planning for the next transfers and realized that the to-do list hadn't disappeared when we left. On Sunday we attended a couple of stake presidency meetings with President

, and were able to attend Sanggye ward for sacrament meeting, and it was very very nice to see so many old friends. We walked away with meal appointments for almost every day this week to Nokbeon ward, where we attended a baptismal service. Damon, who has a baptismal date, attended with us and met a school friend who was a member in that ward who we will try to teach with in the future. Really miraculous.

Much less happy was a sister who was on exchanges in Taebaek who got hit pretty hard by a taxi that came around the corner. She was ambulanced to the hospital by doctors who thought she had to have at least broken her pelvis, but she ended up walking home that night. Since we were out there, we spent the morning with the companionship going back to the hospital for follow-ups and talking with insurance and everything. Every taxi has a little black box that records everything in front, and it is really a miracle that she is okay. Watching the video it looks like she was really injured, and I have no doubt that her faithfulness protected her from further harm.

Costco is Costco no matter where you live.

Another elder was bitten by a feral cat, but no complications have arisen. In one of President Sonksen's catch phrases, he counseled us: "We've gotta get a message to the mission: we don't play with cats." In any case, there is never any end to adventures as a missionary, and wild card after wild card keeps us on our toes always.

We are having a wonderful time and are very very grateful to be here. I have a deep love for the land and the people here, and feel to some small degree that love that God has for them. It's a lot of love.

We're learning and growing every day, but there's still a whole lot to learn and there always will be. We'll never have enough time to do everything we want or be everything we want to be, but as we manage our resources and our time wisely God gives us so much more than we could do by ourselves.

Happy birthday this week to Opa Hacken. I love you! Congratulations. To you and mother, have a wonderful time in Turkey. I've only heard good things!

All the best,

Elder South

Missionary my whole life--July 12, 2015

Rose of Sharon, "the flower of eternity" and national symbol
for Korea

Warm greetings to all, and lots of love from Seoul. This is a good place. This is a really good place. We were just doing a u-turn today to get back home, and the thought struck me that this place has really become home. The Rose of Sharon is out and blooming brilliantly and signaling to the world the hope and the tenacity that Korea has and the meaning that it has come to have for me.

There is impossibly much to cram into one email for this week, but I do want to share at how blessed we are, how much the Lord loves all of His children and how much He wants us to be happy. I feel like I have learned a lot about the fullness of life in my time here, at how much goodness and beauty life has to offer. It means a lot to be here, everything, and I am so grateful for the experience. The biggest goal that I had for my time here when I set out was to change through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I don't know if I have, I hope I have, but I suspect that change will be more evident as I venture into different arenas and try to figure out how to focus our lives on what really matters most.

It's a very busy time. More than ever before, Elder Miller and I have essentially become companions with President as we try to do what is right and what is best. He has a hard job and we just want to do everything that we can to make his life easier. With the increased responsibilities with transfers, permissions, and everything, I'm just worried that my limitations will lead to a wrong choice or decision, but I know that as we trust in President and ultimately the Lord there's no reason to fear. When we're going the right way we just need to make sure that we stay on the path.

Increased time in the office and in the car and in interviews and such means much less time out on the streets and in the subways, which is where I really feel that we belong. It is a blessing though to have an increased association with President and appreciate the chances to learn and experience that follow. Also this week were MLC {mission leadership conferece}, where we discussed how to maximize baptismal date and follow up efficacy and how to support missionaries serving in each respective zone. There's a whole lot of good missionaries to learn from, and I have a lot to learn from each of them. We got to go to two zone trainings in the days that followed, was surprised into translating at one, and went around to a few other places for interviews. 

Any spare time we had this week was spent trying to help Brother Lee get baptized this week. We met with him several times, ate amazing mango white chocolate bing su, finished all the lessons, and waited anxiously as he did his baptismal interview. He was ready to go, and he was baptized in a beautiful service on Saturday and confirmed the next day. Many people attended his baptism, including the Lusvardi family, who sacrificed their time to come out and support Brother Lee. We're so grateful to everyone that has helped out, to a wonderful ward, and of course to a God who never ceases to pour out His blessings. Brother Lee has is planning on going to youth camp this summer, wants to serve a mission, and is doing great. He has made good friends with our other most progressing investigator, Damon, who should be baptized in the next month.

Pictures from our ward and the baptism are found below, including a moderately-to-highly awkward video of me trying to accompany our musical number. It was fun to have a cello again, and after Brother Lee's baptism we got to go to another baptismal service where we played another song. He and I were both nervous before and during the baptismal service, but after he was baptized everything felt so peaceful and so right.

Damon is progressing well although isn't having an easy time. His grandmother passed away this week and he's taking it pretty hard. Every time we meet, though, he tells us that all of his bad thoughts are being taken away and that he feels so much better. Although he doesn't yet fully understand what it is, it is amazing to see in front of us Isaiah's words: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

We're going to Sokcho, Kangneung, Taebaek, and maybe Donghae {all to the east, by the sea and in the mountains} this week for interviews and exchanges, so we will be able to get out of the office for that amount of time, but knowing that a pressing wall of to-dos will greet us on our return. I'm grateful for Christ and all that he does for us. This week I have felt strength far beyond what I know that I could do on my own and I am grateful for the assurance and love that a loving God gives.

Luke and Ashley, congratulations {Sam's good friend Luke is engaged to Ashley} . Really. All wishes as you plan and prepare. I'm fast becoming the only member of the bachelor crowd, but that's okay, it's not a bad place to be. I just wish that I could be a missionary my whole life.

I'm fast out of time, but I've been thinking a lot about service this past week. Some quotes that I have liked are:

To give and not to count the cost;
To fight and not to heed the wounds; …
To labor and not ask for any reward
Save that of knowing that we do Thy will. - St. Ignatius Loyola

“How carefully most men creep into nameless graves, while now and again one or two forget themselves into immortality~” – Phillips Brooks

I thought that that quote matched well and interestingly with Jesus' admonition:

"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works."

All my love. Serve on.

E. South

"Sister S: it has begun!" New mission president--July 5, 2015

If this week has taught me anything it is that being a Mission President would be very, very hard. Also, though, that Mission presidents are able to take on the mantle of God and guide in a way that could only come through the Spirit. We said a sad farewell to the wonderful Christensens on Wednesday, and suddenly realized that we had a very big job ahead of us. 

This is a crazy transfer week. We have interviews with everyone, so we're visiting just about every area, we had "Meet the President" conferences this week, for one day of which we drove out to Wonju in Kangwon-Do, we have eight exchanges to do, but will probably only be able to do 3 or so, and transfers to plan and just helping everyone get adjusted and comfortable. In short, it's a fun time to be here and a good chance to have lots of unique learning experiences. I'm feeling a lot more comfortable driving around Seoul, now, at least.

It's a busy time, but we can look back and see just how many miracles fell into place this week with new investigators, people at church, people calling us and wanting to meet, and just having some time to get out there and work. We've been showered in blessings. We had some really good lessons with Brother Lee this week, some real talks, where we discussed baptism, and he's ready to go. He'll be baptized this Saturday. The Lusvardis, just a wonderful, wonderful family who live in our area, had us over again yesterday, and Brother Lee and his mother were both able to attend. They felt loved and cared for. Damon is also getting close and continues to progress well. We wish we had more time for "regular missionary work," but we all want more time in our lives and we just need to do the best that we can with what we have, and we'll do our best to do that.

President and Sister Sonksen are wonderful. They are fun to be around, have a wealth of experiences to draw on, and are very in tune spiritually. We have our first MLC {mission leadership conference} tomorrow, and we're excited to hear more from them. MLC is always an enlightening experience, and I'm excited to see another style of leadership and see what I can learn. I was just realizing that not a single person in attendance tomorrow will be the same as the first time I attended MLC, including the Mission President- time just goes so fast.

We're excited for this week and beyond. The good news is that we're floating and the work continues to move forward. Hopefully we'll start to learn how to swim here pretty soon.

1. I need thee ev'ry hour,
   Most gracious Lord.
   No tender voice like thine
   Can peace afford.

I need thee, oh, I need thee;

Ev'ry hour I need thee!

Oh, bless me now, my Savior;

I come to thee!

May you have rain and shade this summer. I hope you had a fun Independence Day, and that you continue to find joy in the journey.

All love,

Elder South

Un Monde Sans Etrangers--June 29, 2015

Good day to all. <3 It's warm here, but sounds like not so warm as over there. We've had some nice cool breezes this week, and we're headed out again to Kangwon-do (by the sea) this week, which is always a welcome retreat.

It's been a busy time, and that won't stop anytime soon. Lots of meetings and organization and planning, but trying to have as much time as possible for "normal" missionary work, and to make sure that administrative work never gets in the way of taking an interest in and caring for individual missionaries. We're not really sure what to expect for this week, or beyond- we're just doing everything we can to be on top of cleaning, organization, and scheduling, and trying to be ready to adapt to whatever President Sonksen needs us to do. This past week brought some big changes in the mission, with my upper group going home, which was a lot of people and a lot of strength. Elder Perry is travelling around with his parents, and it was fun to meet them. One returning sister's father does calligraphy as a hobby, and gave some beautiful pieces to the Christensens last week for our conferences. I was admiring them, and as her dad came to pick her up, he brought a beautiful inscription of Moroni 10:32 for me, which I am very grateful for. Elder Perry's dad served with President Christensen here when they were young missionaries, so that was a fun reunion. We're now the oldest missionaries in the mission, which is strange considering how young we all still feel. Fortunately, we had a fun trip to the airport and brought back some fresh and more eager than average new missionaries to start their own journeys. At trainers' training the following day we had missionaries from Korea, America, Australia, Germany, the Czech Republic, England, and the Philippines in attendance.

Kanghyeok, Damon, is doing very well. We first talked with him as we were shopping a couple of P-days ago, and he has really grasped on to the church and has found a lot of help in it. He came to church this week, and set a baptismal date for August 2nd. As he was coming out of Gospel Principles {Sunday School class}, he was thinking a lot about baptism: "wow, do I really need to be baptized?" Once investigators share their concerns about being afraid of the physical under the water part of baptism you know that they're pretty close.

Jaeyoung Lee we have met with a couple times recently and is progressing well. He and his mother are still planning on being baptized in a couple of weeks. He came to an activity at the church on Saturday, and it was good to spend some time with him and then go to his home and meet with his mom and grandmother over delicious ddeokbokki and sweet potato cake. They are so kind and so thoughtful, and really sacrifice so much for each other. They've had some hard times and don't have an easy family situation, but it's incredible to see the Gospel fill that hole in their lives that maybe they didn't know that they had.

On Saturday this week we had an appointment at the church with an older man without a Christian background, and as we met sang a few hymns with him. Elder Miller and I aren't allstar singers by any stretch of the imagination, but he really enjoyed them and it was impressive again to see the power of the hymns. We went outside and proselyted for a while, and people were less receptive, which happens some days. After a good chunk of that, though, we had some very powerful lessons and some great people come to church, so we were just so grateful. There's a Korean expression, 고생 끝에 낙이 온다, meaning in essence that after the storms come the flowers. There's a lot to be grateful as a missionary, on the front lines, seeing all the miracles happen. No one, maybe, has more reason to be more grateful:

"Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name."

Why are we rejoicing? Because we have the opportunity to share the Gospel, and to see the change that happens through Him.

We had ward conference this week, and we were running around for a bit trying to figure out translation and stuff at the beginning of sacrament meeting. Eventually we sat down, and heard the people behind us speaking English, so we turned around to ask if they needed translation. The sister looked at me, did a double take, and tried to look at my name tag. As she saw it, she exclaimed, "I TAd for your dad!" We talked for a while afterwards, and it was fun to meet them. She said her English name was Sunny, and they were just out visiting family for a bit. She was talking about working with my dad, and reading my emails- I will say that she had the advantage on me, who had never met her before. It's been fun to see the influence of a righteous dad many occasions even out here in Korea as connections are made.

Some fun quotations from this week:

"No smorking"

"How do you say romantic in Korean?"

"Thank you, you too."

"Everyone is westernized, a couple times I eat bagel, not kimchi jjigae."

And from a nice grandmother who cuts our hair after she finished watching us talk to someone:

"하나님은 점수 줘."  "God is the one who will grade you."

We had a nice farewell lunch with the office staff and the Christensens today. They move into a hotel today, and leave on Wednesday. It has been an absolute privilege to work under their tutelage and learn so much from them, to see an example of just how good people can be. They have been so kind and so loving, and I hope that I can continue to be more like them as they have showed us all to be more like the Savior. Early in the mission, one assistant told me that we should always be stressed, tired, and happy as missionaries. Stressed because we want to be doing better, tired because we're working hard, and happy because there is no greater work to be doing. I am all of those things, but most of all happy and loving to be here in Seoul. All love to you and prayers for your welfare,

Elder South

"Oh my gosh, the Mormons have made it to Korea" --June 22, 2015

Good day to all, and thank you all for so much love and your support. Every week goes far too quickly, but we are just having such a good time and I am amazed every week by the miracles that are possible in the work. It's always a good day.

This week we were happy to have a couple of days to do traditional missionary work, but had big zone conferences every day from Wednesday to Saturday that we attended around the mission in the mornings and then met with new missionaries for a progress program that we have in the afternoon, before going home and preparing a video for the next day's conference. It was essentially an opportunity for President to give rousing closing remarks, and he never disappoints. Each day was inspiring and powerful, and Sister Christensen gave great talks as well. We will be doing similar conferences soon after President Sonksen comes, to introduce the missionaries. It's going to be a crazy transition, that's for sure. We're not really sure what our duties will be, we'll just do our best.

My new companion is Elder Miller, and he is just solid gold. He graduated the same year as I did from Orem High, although we didn't really know each other. It's going to be a fun transfer! It's hard to contemplate President going home- he spoke at a fireside yesterday, and is just booked every day, but still makes time to support and help us, and has his whole time here. President Sonksen will go into the MTC this coming Wednesday, and President Christensen will leave on the 1st. After that, we have no idea what will happen. The work will move forward, and the righteous will be gathered.

Happy Father's day to many wonderful men, and to the righteous support of women without whom fatherhood is nothing at all, and especially to dad- thanks for all that you have done and do. It will be hard to send Elder Perry {current companion} off this week, and a lot of other fabulous missionaries that I have learned so much from- Elder Killpack, Elder Gee, Sister Ahn, and more. But time continues to move forward, and we will pick up 8 new idealistic and tired but hardworking missionaries from the airport tomorrow.

We said hello to someone who we thought was an older grandmother this week as she was weeding in a garden with her hat covering her face, and a young lady sprang up and started chatting our ear off. She said, "I only know one thing about your church: you elders don't talk to women."

Someone walked into our office this week and just opened his life up to us of how his wife passed away from stomach cancer, and how his little brother took his own life a couple years ago, and how although he opposed his wife's involvement in church, he wants now to see what she saw in religion, and wants that for himself. It was a tragic story, but we felt so strongly that God loved this brother, and that through the Atonement of Christ somehow everything will all be okay in the end.

I met a Japanese guy on the street this week that didn't speak a word of English or Korean. I was able to communicate "church," Christ," "elder," "jjambbong," "thank you," and "goodbye." Good thing other missionaries study Japanese, because I sure didn't get very far. A shirt casually screamed "New Nork." A Jewish family from California marvelled that we had made it all the way out here (see subject line). Someone said," This is illegal, following people is illegal. If you don't stop right now I'm going to call the police." All we're here to do is to give people a chance, and with not as much time left as I want, we need to make sure that people get as much of a chance as we can give them. After a long one sided conversation with someone ignoring us, he took out his headphones and said, "I'm not Korean." Our investigator texted us to "have a nice day, bro."

Several investigators are progressing well. Damon came with us to the fireside yesterday, and during the closing hymn, "Abide with Me, "Tis Eventide," the Spirit was incredibly strong. When we're doing all that we can, we get those assurances, those little packets of light that testify and let us know that God is there. We just need to grab onto those and go from witness to witness until everything becomes brighter and finally we will break through barriers of human imperfections and unbelief into a more sure existence.

Abide with me; 'tis eventide.

Thy walk today with me

Has made my heart within me burn,

As I communed with thee.

Thy earnest words have filled my soul

And kept me near thy side.

O Savior, stay this night with me;

Behold, 'tis eventide.

O Savior, stay this night with me;

Behold, 'tis eventide.

Much love to all and prayers for your well-being.

All the best,

Elder South