Thursday, August 25, 2016

Week 48: Meeting with investigators who really want to learn!

This week has been full of miracles, and I am so glad to be serving here in Gyeongsan!!  Given, somedays it is really hot, but I love it even when it is hot!  I actually heard from some people on the street while we were trying to talk to them that Gyeongsan hit 40.5 degrees C, which is about 105 degrees Fahrenheit!  It was a blast this week for sure! 
We have been able to meet with so many great people, and were also able to have our Zone conference with President Barrow and his wife, and that was wonderful!  This week was also super busy, but I am doing well here in Gyeongsan and 
feeling super healthy!

So, this week, for my message I actually want to share an experience that I had this week on the street as I was talking to a man about the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and sharing the joy that I have received from it. 

So, all of this is real and happen just last night on the street, and remember all of this is Korean. So I say "Hello" to a
man passing by me and ask "Where are you going?"  He politely answered that he was going to his house.  We asked him if he had had dinner yet and he said, "no, not yet."  So, we kept talking while we were walking together.  I introduced the fact that we are Missionaries and are here to help
people obtain happiness by coming closer unto Christ and learning about his restored gospel.  This man replied and said, "where do you
find happiness?"   My response was that I have found it by going to church and living with my family.  Then he immediately said somethink like that how families just bring stress and really aren't needed at all. Though, we were able to have a nice conversation actually which was good. But at that point, I was all in and I laid everything down about how really, because I was raised in a loving household, I am who I am. That through learning about the gospel of Jesus Christ and choosing to come unto him, that I can live with my
family for eternity and many other things as well.  The moral of why I am sharing this is because in missionary work, everything is on the line here. It is like playing sports and it is Game 7 and you need to win, there is no lose and go home, but there is only victory. But that victory is only based on how much you want it for others, not for yourself... but for others!! Because I love my family, I am not only willing, but am compelled to share this message with all people
regardless of if they accept of not. They are a variety of reasons why the Gospel of Jesus Christ not only blesses families, but also it is the key to living happily and although this might sound fairytale-ish, literally we can live happily ever after.  As we come unto Christ and put down everything, there is nothing left but victory.  I know without a shadow of a doubt that families can be together forever.  I know that because Jesus Christ died for all people, I can live with
them forever, and that this is a very large reason why I am serving a mission right now. There is life after death and there is a key to happiness.  I plead with you that you search these things out for yourself.  And I know that as is stated in the Book of Mormon that after you have searched, "...And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And
by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."  This is the promise that a prophet of God has given to us that if we ask of anything with the intent to follow the answer given by God, he will not only answer us, but we will know these things to be true!

So onto my week, so last week on Monday, we didn't have a lot of time because out computer at the church was broken (or at least one of them) so we basically took turns at the church emailing, and then went outside, shopped and had our family home evening where we did
some stretching exercises and.... Flexibility is something that I am going to be working on from now on...

On Tuesday, we studied in the morning, had our area meeting with the sister team, and then we had a member call and say he wanted to meet to learn about the church even more, so we met with him and talked.  Then, we met our college student investigator and he is doing well!  Then we went outside to go talk to other people, but really
no one would really talk to us. Well, that is perfectly fine!!

Then on Wednesday, we studied in the morning, changed
companions, and so I stayed in Gyeongsan with Elder Martin who came from Daegu and served with him for all of Wednesday!  So we were on the exchanges and got to meet a whole bunch of people on the street -- it was hot on Tuesday, and it was hot on Wednesday again!  After a while we had English class, met with 2 investigators and the 2 of
them are going to be baptized in the upcoming 2 weeks!! So, one this week and the other the week after this one!!

On Thursday, we had our Zone conference with President Barrow and that was wonderful!  So we did that and learned a lot and had a good time.  Then we went on Exchanges with the Assistants to the President, and that was super good and we were able to meet a lot of people!!  Unfortunately they couldn't do so for long, so they left, and then we met with Kim
Yongho and he is great! He is actually the one getting baptized this Sunday!! He is still working on the word of Wisdom and quiting drinking, but it is alright, because he really wants to quit and he knows he can. He used to smoke and then said he would give it up, and so he just did.... 

When we asked him to stop drinking, he told us that he has known he needs to stop.  So, he said he will stop drinking, and he has't drank since!

Then on Friday, we studied, planned, went outside and
talked to a bunch of people and then we had our Japanese class which was great!   Then, we talked to Kim Yong Ho after Japanese class.  He is really wonderful! He also has the desire to baptize his family in a few months as well!! He wants to bring them into the church!!

Then on Saturday, we had a miracle day!! (Maybe because it was my dad's birthday).   Anyway, we studied in the mroning, went outside, talked to people and then came to our English class.  Brother Kang Myeongsoo who is going to get baptized in two weeks didn't show up on time.  He came in late and said that he tried his best to come early, but his bus broke down!! Still, he came and we talked to him. He asked us
if he could get baptized on the 27th 
of August -- it was wonderful!!!
After that, we went outside and talked to more people and then we came back and met with Kim Yongho and went out to dinner with him!

On Sunday, we studied in the morning, went outside, and
came to church, where we had the regular church meetings. Kim Yong Ho also came to church, and he was very excited for his baptism this next week!!  
We had a few meeting, and then talked to him, and then went outside for the rest of
the day until we had to come back in and have dinner and that was our week!!

It was wonderful and I really do love it here!  Missionary work is fantastic, and I think the reason why it is amazing is not only because it is the Lord's work, but also because as my Dad says "If you are going to do something, do it completely and do it right" And that is what is going on and we are seeing so many miracles come from it!

I love you all!!

Love Always,

Elder Joshua wilson



Kim Yong Ho is getting baptized!!!


 

Daegu Zone Conference

with Elder Stradling

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