Week 66: Chinese is getting a little easier

This week was freezing cold and with 100% humidity, it makes it a different cold than could've been expected! But this week was surely a blast with other people talking to us and us being able to prepare for our ward Christmas party and also being able to go outside and talk with others and share the light of Christ!!  Also this week, I was able to study Chinese, not in a class setting or anything, but I just studied it on my own looking at pamphlets that the Church uses and we were able to teach our Chinese friend named Suzepong -- he is fantastic!!! He understood the lesson and we were able to talk and it was great for sure!!

This week, I wanted to make my message kind of short. I just wanted to focus on the questions, "Why do we celebrate Christmas?" "Why does everyone celebrate it around the world?" and "What can I do to make Christmas more meaningful and special".  When I thought about these things, all my thoughts turned to the Savior and how much he loves us. He is the light of the world and he love s us. This Christmas Season as we remember him, give him thanks and think about how you can make this Christmas unforgettable by following his example!

This last week on Monday, we went to a Buddhist temple and took pictures, and were able to go out and eat afterwards. After that we came home and emailed and shopped. Then after we got done, we went outside for the rest of the day and talked with others about the Savior and Christmas.

On Tuesday, we went to our service project: our service project is great because there are many foreigners and Koreans that work together! According to all the old ladies that work there, this week, I became their official translator for the project. It was a pleasure to serve with them. After that, we went on Exchanges with the Sujeong Elders and I was able to go with an Elder named Elder Stewart!
We had a great time talking with others about the Savior and
Christmas! Then after that we  had to help some other missionaries with their English class!

On Wednesday, we went on another exchange and I was able to go with a Korean Elder named Elder Gwon gyeongjoon and he is great! We had a great time and we were able to talk to a bunch of people on the street!
Then we went to English class and were able to teach English! After which we went outside and talked to some more people and it was extremely cold for sure.

On Thursday, we had a meeting in the morning and so my companion and I had to set that up and then had our Zone training meeting! That went well.  Then we went with some more elders on exchange! I got to go with Elder Lee Hanggyeol and that was a fun time being able to be with him and serve with him!

Then on Friday, we got to get back and I got to be with Elder Royce. We went outside and talked to some people and then went to do some meetings with other missionaries, and had practice for some of our performances, and that was our day.

On Saturday, we were able to go outside and talk to others and met with others. We met with Jang Daeyoon and that was a good time -- we were able to talk a little more about the gospel!! Then at the end of the day, we went outside and tried to meet and talk with others but there weren't many people wanted to talk to us at first.  Eventually people's hearts warmed up and we were able to have great conversations!

Then on Sunday, we went to church and set up all the Christmas decorations inside the church. After that, we met with our Chinese investigator, Suzepong and taught him through writing Chinese characters and learning about Chinese.  He understands and likes our message!  After that, we went home and made dinner and ate with everyone
at the church and then did some stuff for our Christmas party and that was our day!

I love Korea and I love the people here! I love being able to serve others and to help others come closer unto Christ! this Christmas season is amazing and I hope we can find more happiness all around as we remember the Savior during this season!

Merry Christmas, everyone!!

Love Always,

Elder Joshua Wilson

Week 65: Meeting New People

This week has been so great and I love being able to be here in Korea and to serve with others! I especially love it being Christmas time and being able to help others learn about their Savior, Jesus Christ and come unto Him! 
It has gotten a little colder, but for the most part, it has been amazing this past week and really time does go by quickly!!

So this week, I quickly wanted to share a message about making every second count. I believe as human beings that we are so accustomed to receiving second chances. And that is not a false at all. But what we must remember is that as we try our best to do our duty to God and try to come closer unto Christ, that we really can make every second count and we can understand the preciousness of every second in our lives!


On Monday, we had P-day and went to a place called Nampo-dong, and were able to go shopping and eat with our District.  It was a great time.  We came back and sent emails and shopped and it was a pretty relaxed day! Then afterwards, we went outside and talked to others.  A family that we are teaching, who are learning about Jesus Christ's gospel stopped us and bought us dinner! So it was a great
day!

On Tuesday, we studied in the morning and then we went outside, talked to some people and met with a person and then went to have a meeting with some other missionaries. Then we came back to the Haeundae area, and had to go help some other teams teach English class, so we did that and ended our day.

On Wednesday, we had a meeting in the morning and then we went on exchanges with the Assistants to the mission president. So I went to a place called Onchon, which is the center of Busan, and we were able to talk to many people and learn a lot during the exchange!! I loved it a bunch
and it was so wonderful!

On Thursday, we de-exchanged in the morning, and then had a meeting.  After our meeting, we came back to Haeundae and practiced for a performance that we have coming up. Then we went outside and talked to other people and that was our day.


On Friday, we went to a meeting in the morning.  Then we came back and planned for the upcoming week for a little bit. After that, we went outside for the rest of the day and met with others and got to share about Christmas and the Savior.

Then on Saturday, we were able to meet with a lot of people and got to talk to them about the gospel.  We also met with Jang Daeyoon and ate dinner with him and shared a simple message. After which, we went outside for the rest of the day and were able to keep sharing that Christmas message too.

On Sunday, we had church and then we met with a new person who has interest in learning about the church and about Jesus Christ. He is Chinese and doesn't understand Korean or English very well, so for the words he couldn't understand, I wrote out in Japanese Chinese Characters and he understood it!! It was great!! Then we went outside
and caroled for a little bit and were able to talk to some other
people and then we got to talk to some people on the street and that was our day!

I love being here and it is so great!! I love you all and thank you for all you do!

Love Always,

Elder Joshua Wilson

P-day

In front of the Christmas Tree

Week 64: Mission Tour

This week it has gotten kind of colder! It is staying the 32 to 40 degree range, and it is very cold actually!! I love being here though and being able to help other come just a little closer unto Christ, especially during this Christmas season!!

This week I want to share a thought... Have you ever thought about Christmas and what you can get for someone else? For your kids? For someone special? For your loved ones? Now have you ever thought about it this question.. "What can I give of myself to the Savior, this Christmas?" As human beings we have so many flaws and we have been given so much from God and from our Savior, Jesus Christ. And through Christ, all of us may be made clean. So what do you think? What can you give the Savior for Christmas? I'm currently doing this too, and I wanted to challenge you to try it and see how it works out for you. If you do, I know that you will see such large change in your life!

This week on Monday, we woke up in the morning and packed of Elder Song's things and then sent them through the post office. Then we emailed and then went to the mission home to meet Elder Royce. After meeting Elder Royce, we had a presentation about Korean Culture from a
man named Mark Peterson, who used to be the president of the Busan mission a few years back. Then we came back to Haeundae and ate at the house and then went outside and talked to people and had a great time!

On Tuesday, we studied in the morning and then we went outside and went to our service project. Then after that we came to our house and ate lunch. Then we went otuside and talked to some people for a bit, and met with a recent convert from another area and had dinner with him. Afterwards, we went to a funeral for one of our members' father and it was a very touching experience, especially to be invited to such an event..

Wednesday, we went outside and talked to some people and then had to go to the mission home for a meeting. Elder Scott Whiting came to the mission home for our mission tour, so we had a meeting with all the leaders in the Busan mission about how might we able to help the mission out and what we need to do so better help others. Then we went out to eat and came back to Haeundae for the last part of the day and talked to a whole bunch of other people.

Thursday was pretty cold, but we went outside and talked to some other people and then we went and did choir practice because we were scheduled to sing at the mission tour on Friday.  So, we did that, and went outside and shared the gospel with others.  After that, we had our area meeting and
then had a meeting with our ward mission leader and had our missionary coordination meeting! It was fantastic!!

On Friday, we had our mission tour and that lasted from about 8 in the morning to about 5 in the afternoon! It was great and we were able to learn so many new thing and be able to receive much revelation and learn more about Jesus Christ! It was absolutely amazing! Then after it, we came back to Haeundae and prepared for a meeting on Sunday with the Stake Presidency, so we prepared a lot of documents for the rest of the night.

Saturday was a packed day as well. So we studied in the morning and then came to the church and finished the documents. Then we went outside and talked to people. Afterwards, we met with Brother Jang Daeyoon and then we went outside and talked to more people, and had dinner and that was our Saturday.


On Sunday, we went to church and as soon as church got down, we had to go to our meeting and so we went and talked to the stake presidency.  After that, we came back to Haeundae and ate dinner. After dinner we went outside and did some sticker boarding with the sisters and that was our week!

It is wonderful being here and I love it getting close to Christmas! I know that everyone is blasting Christmas music and I miss it, but serving the mission is such a great way to remember Christ and his birth!

Love you guys and miss you!

Love Always,

Elder Joshua Wilson

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