So it is so flipping awesome being in Korea!! Korea really is
a fantastic place and I love being out here in the field! I can't
believe that I'm really here, and I am so glad to be serving the Korean people. So
I guess I should give an update from two Thursday's ago, but, before
that, I wanted to share a spiritual message with all. It is Ether
12:6 and it reads, "And now, I, Moroni, would speak
somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is
things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore,dispute not because ye see
not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." Just
take a step, just have a little bit of faith and act upon in. If you
just simple take a leap of faith, he is there to catch you. Christ
loves you so much and he will come to your aid, and if it takes a little more
time just know that God does things in his own time. He will help --
maybe he needs you to learn something deeper!
So there is a little bit of spiritual message that I wanted to
share with you :) So, these last few weeks have been long. Not
long as in loooonnnngg, but just time wise, they have been long and I have been
able to accomplish so many things!! I am so happy that I am able to
be in Korea right now! It is so amazing, and it really reminds me of
Japan! I love it so much here and really I'm like Dorthy in the
Wizard of Oz!! :) It is so cool being here though, and I really do
love the Korean people more than anything!! SO cool!!
Okay, so this week has been so interesting. SO I'll
start from the Thursday that I sent out my email, which was November
12th. So 9 days have passed and it seems as though it has been forever ago
since being at the MTC! So after P-day on the 12th we went to class
and taught our "investigator" and that was good. Friday was
another very fun day and we really started to realize that we were going to be
leaving soon! Friday at In-Field orientation, we just learned how to
be missionaries and simulated what we were going to be doing out in the field,
and how we can be better missionaries! And our last TRC was with a
recent convert, and she was fantastic! We had the best experience
for TRC with her and the spirit was well felt!
Saturday was fun! Last gym time, last time for a
whole bunch of things, and we knew it too! I thought it was
absolutely fantastic how great our zone was and how amazing the people
were! Saturday also meant the last time teaching fake
investigators, and so in the afternoon we committed our fake investigator,
Brother Kwak, to be baptized and that was great! Then we got
pictures with Brother Memmott and Brother Chandler, along with Sister Choi! They
were such great teachers especially to the orphan district!! :) Then
in the Evening we taught our fake investigator, Sister Jong, and committed her
to be baptized as well! It was a very fun experience and we took
pictures with Sister Washburn! I swear, we got some absolutely
amazing teachers, and I cannot thank them enough for teaching us! I
wouldn't be the same missionary without them!!
Sunday was our legit last full day at the MTC!
Sunday was a very relaxed fun day, and I really enjoyed it. We
took pictures as groups, and wrote in a Bye-bye books. Also at a devotional, we
had a very good time. Then for a movie, we watched the
Testaments. My favorite thing that was said about the Testaments,
was Elder Lunt sitting there at week 6 and saying, “I've been looking all over
3rd Nephi, and I can't find this story about this “Jacob” guy in the
Testaments! Where is it at??” I thought it was awesome because he
also knew that although the story of Jesus Christ coming and visiting people in
America is true, the story about Jacob and what he did was fictionalized.
But anyway, that wasn't even my most favorite part. My
most favorite part was after the movie, we all went outside and the younger
districts came up with an amazing fair well song! I loved it so
much! We got to sing "God be with you ‘til we meet again"
and that brought the spirit in! And finally we all knelt down in a
group prayer, and while Sister Kramer was praying, Elder Lunt who I am super
close with placed his hand on my back and I just started crying. I
was losing some of my very best friends, and even right now I miss them so
much. Then it started raining and you know that when it rains, God
is crying too ;)
No, but it was a very sad, happy, and loving experience!! So
we said our good-byes and that was amazing!! I am also so grateful
for all my friends and all who are in the MTC right now!
We went back to residence and packed up the rest of our
belongings, and by the time we packed and got everything balanced out weight
wise, it was about 12:30a.m, and I decided that I wasn't going to go
to sleep because I wasn't tired. So just mega hyped Elder Wilson was
writing letters and in Bye-bye books because I love all people! Then
at around 3:45a.m, we took all our stuff and headed out to SLC
airport, and road the train, got to the Delta desk, and checked our bags! And
at this point it’s already Monday! So Check bags and hop on the phone with my
parents. Oh how amazing that felt too! Just to be able to talk with my family! Then
went through security, called more and hopped on the plane to Portland. I
was sound asleep at that point!
We got into Portland, and I called the parents up again and talk
for a long time! Our flight to Narita was delayed so I got more time
to talk, and I had to get on the plane so I had to stop talking. On
the plane, I had 2 seats to myself which was nice, but I accidentally sat down
in the wrong seat, and a Japanese teacher just looked at me, and I was like
sorry and started speaking Japanese and he was like "you're
Japanese?!?!" I was like I get that a bit. And I
started talking about the gospel and I gave him a Book of Mormon, and he seemed
interested so that was a great experience! Then on the plane, I was
super passed out until I woke up and went to the restroom. While waiting for
the restroom, I was talking to a flight attendant, and we talked for a good
hour about the gospel and being a missionary and he was like that's so
cool! He was from Seattle and just a great guy! He was
very nice and I was glad I got to share the gospel with him.
We touched down in Japan, I got to speak Japanese, help everyone
out and that was super fun!! Then I got to call my parents from
Japan, and finally got on the Korean Airplane to Busan! It was so
hot and I was just dying. Anyway, I prayed to God to help me out and
found myself sound asleep heading to Busan. We got in, went through Customs and met our assistants to the mission
president, and the mission president along with his office secretary and his
family! Then went
to the mission home and this was Tuesday night at like 10 p.m. in
Korean time!
We were all so excited so we couldn't go to bed until like 12
and after we went to sleep in a cramped room with like 10 elders sleeping in
it, we got up the next morning, had breakfast at the mission president's house
and got instructions about Korean! After that we went back to his
house and had lunch... It is so good to have “normal” food!! Then
after lunch we met our potential trainers and the second elder to come into the
room. The spirit just hit me, and I knew he was going to be my
companion! We went through rules, and then how to proselyte and
teach the gospel and then an hour later we went out! We went out
with multiple companions, and we switched and it was amazing! My
first companion was Elder Tuinei, then Elder Hines, and Elder Pokaro! All
great guys. And while we were proselyting, I saw a man playing
basketball and I got an impression to go talk to him, and play him! So
I played him in a suit. At firs,t he thought I was crazy, but I
asked him to pass me the ball and I drained a 3. He was like ohh
okaaaaaaayyy. So I started playing this guy, and while doing that,
my companion was approached by a man who wanted to learn a lot about the
gospel. So I played the guy and destroyed, and I taught him a little
lesson although he wasn't super interested, but the man my companion was
talking to, had a lot of questions and wanted to meet with the missionaries!
So the night was good. We had a great testimony
meeting afterwards, and we went to sleep! That was
my Wednesday! It was amazing to know that the spirit really
does guide you to others and it was super fun just having nice conversations
with people in Korean!
Then Thursday, we had breakfast and we were grouped with
our new companions!! It was so cool!! All of them are
called by God, and they aren't just randomly selected. So, when the
mission president said Elder Tuinei, your companion is…., I look at my former
companion, Elder Fox, and said “he is my companion because I know he is,” and
sure enough he is! I'm serving on an island called Yongdo! So
cool! So we went off to Yongdo, and it was a salty and sweet experience
because I was leaving all my good buds, but I'm going on an adventure!! So
we get there and go serve and meet Branch members! --- BTW, our
apartment has so many mosquitos, and I've racked up about 25 mosquitos bites on
my arms, and face --- all while I am sleeping under my covers. So now before I
go to bed, I wear long sleeves with a turtle neck type top and wear a beanie
and wear bug spray on my face.
Anyway, the branch members are so nice, and I love them! We
have had a district meeting, and some guys from the older Busan District like
Elder Cronin and Sorenson are here, so it is great! I love it! Also on
Sunday I had to give my introductory speech, and that went well. They
don't have a piano player so I said I was able to play the piano and they were
all laughing. haha. It was fun! Also on
Saturday we met with a Sri Lankan named Tharindu, and taught him about the
Plan of Salvation!! Then at the end, I invited him to get
baptized. He said he would think about it, but most likely it is a
yes!! I'm so excited for him!! And I talk to everyone!! I
have gotten to know many people!! I love it so much!! I
love my branch and I love everything about Korean!!
So to end I wanted to share a video "http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/music-videos/nearer-my-god-to-thee"
Just think about your Savior and how much he loves you. There is no way to deny
that you are loved, even if you don't feel loved, he loves you.
Love Always,
Elder Wilson
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