Week 93: Last 2 transfers start

This last week was a fantastic week! A lot fo rain and humidity, but it was awesome. Also.. I didn't get transferred! so I'm still with Elder Cronin and I will be his last companion!

Last Sunday was interesting because on our way home from church I had a strong feeling that we needed to really talk to everyone that me met, so we talked with everyone that we could see and everyone rejected us. But right as we were about to go home, we saw someone and I had the feeling to say hi. So we did and it turned out he was a Chinese man looking for a church to attend. With broken Korean he said he liked church and we were able to invite him to church. He came to church and it was great being able to see his face light up as he came
and was able to learn about the gospel of Jesus Christ. this gospel is so infinite and it really does bring so much joy to others!

Last Monday we took off in the morning to go visit a dormant volcano! It was great climbing it and then afterwards we went and ate at a meat buffet. After which, we got email done and shopped and then we had family home evening at the church. So we played dodge ball inside the church and everyone seemed like they had a lot of fun.

On Tuesday it rained... All day... So that meant one thing... Going outside and talking to people that we could find and helping them come unto Christ. So we did that and our clothes were soaking wet, but it was great! Then we had a meeting with a member and were able to talk about the needs of the branch. It was a great meeting!

On Wednesday, I was on exchanges with Elder Smoot, so in the morning we had a great meeting and then we went outside and talked to bunch of people and were able to meet some great people! We also were able to do language study and then we met with a less active member that is preparing to go to the states for school and we are helping him become active in the states. Also we met with a new investigator and that was awesome as well.

Thursday, we went outside in the morning and then cleaned our house thoroughly and then went outside some more and talked to people! Then we had English class and at our English class, we also have people that want to learn Korean, so I taught Korean!

On Friday, we went over to the newer part of Jeju and went and visited some members and walked around and met some great people then too! Then we had to go back to the church and meet an investigator and then
we went and had dinner at a less actives home! It really reminded me of the family! It was great!

On Saturday we studied and went outside in the morning and then cleaned the church and then met with some people because we called them up and they wanted to meet. Then we attended a meeting with a few members and had a great time with them and then we were able to meet with some more new investigators and then to end the day we met with a less active. At night Elder Smoot got a call to go to Andong and the rest of house stayed the same. So I'm with Elder Cronin for this next transfer too!!

On Sunday we had church and i was able to translate church for a Chinese man. He doesn't know English and he knows a little bit of Korean, so Chinese was great to talk and communicate with him with! We also were able to go outside and help people and it was a very spiritually enriched Sunday.

This week was great and we had a great time talking to others!

Love always,

Elder Joshua Wilson

Week 92: Going back for Zone Conference

This last week was a great week to really talk to people and to really help them come unto Christ. As I grow as a missionary, everyday is so different and everyone's needs are so unique and being able to meet with people and talk to them is a great thing and I can really feel God's love for them!

This week I was able to learn a lot about other people's needs. The gospel is for everyone, but not everyone believes that they need it. But not only that, but as people, we mix and mingle with others and become great friends, but we must understand that everyone has needs and we have been placed in their path to help them. One kid we met expressed to us about his family, and how as he grows older and longs to find a dream that he wants to become more like his father and wants to grow closer to God as well. So we were able to talk to him
about why knowing our purpose in life is important and because God loves us, he helps us out. The gospel is something that is so great that no matter how diverse the world is and how diverse a person is, they too can receive the gospel and feel the joy and peace that comes from it!

On Monday, we hung out in Jeju and went to an ice museum... Yes an Ice museum! It was super cool and they had a huge ice slide and everything. It was a great time being with others and with our fellow missionaries and we were able to go see home art work and pop art is super great! Then after that, we went to the church and played
dodge ball with the people that attended family home evening!

Tuesday, we went outside and talked to a bunch of people and were able to find some good and ready people. Then we hopped on a plane and went to Busan for our Zone Conference that was to be held on Wednesday and
it would be President Barrow's last zone conference, so super sad. So we got in and ate dinner and then went to the Haeundai house.

On Wednesday, we woke up in the morning and went off to the mission home and it turned out that everyone was going to be coming to the mission home for Zone Conference and would get to meet and be able to hear from President Barrow. So we were able to be spiritually enriched and we ate lunch and then afterwards, Elder Cronin and I went on exchanges with the Assistants to the President.

On Thursday, we continued our exchange and went outside and talked to others and then we were able to study a little bit and then we met with a rapper that called us and said he wanted to meet. He was having a hard time and he wants to make it big, but doesn't handle criticism very well, so we ended up meeting with him and talking about the Gospel and the joy it can bring in life. After that, we took a plane home and then went to English class and then went home.

Friday, we woke up in the morning and went outside and then during the day too, we went outside and talked to people after doing weekly planning and then we played basketball at the end of the day with some people that we didn't know and some less active members. It was a great time playing basketball and it is always great to meet people while playing basketball.

Saturday, we went outside in the morning and were able to find some really good people and then we got a call from a less active member that he wanted to attend one of the activities that they were doing at the church, so we went and attended the activity with him and then cleaned up the church and after all of this, we ended the day by doing outside for a good amount of time and finding great people to talk to and people that want to follow the example of Jesus Christ.

Sunday was filled with church and translating and then going outside for the rest of the day and talking to other people. The joy the gospel brings is so large and it is truly visible. I love this gospel and the opportunity I have to talk to the Korean people and share the gospel. This work is fantastic!

Love Always,

Elder Joshua Wilson

Week 91: Finally a full week on Jeju and Exchanges

This week the weather has been kind of cloudy, but that is alright because there is always sunshine in my soul!  This week was a great week and I loved every minute of it!

Yesterday I was translating a talk in church that a member gave about faith.  It was really interesting translating the ways he thought his faith has grown throughout his life.  One thing that I was able to feel was his love for Christ and the amount of effort he put in to find out the simple truths of the gospel.  I know that through diligence and hard work and with a focused effort can we help others come closer unto Christ and we, ourselves can come closer unto him!

Monday, we were planning to go out to an island, but missed the ferry, so we went to a beach and hung out and made some sand castles and what not. While making it, people came up to us and talked to us and took pictures with us. Also a news crew came up to us and started talking to us about the beach and about life guards and stuff, so I got to get interviewed on TV.  So apparently I showed up on channel 7 news on Jeju.  After that, we had family home evening at the church and it was yoga and volleyball!  It was a great time!

Tuesday, we went outside in the morning and it was raining and in Korea.  It was memorial day so there weren't many people out.  But after we studied and then we went outside some more and got to talk to some people and then at the end of the day, we had an activity scheduled with our members to play basketball.  So we went outside and played basketball for a while and brought investigators and it was a blast!

On Wednesday, we had an exchange with Jeju B team and so we went outside in the morning and then studied and then went outside some more. After which we went tot our service project and then we went to the church and had our weekly missionary coordination meeting and then
met with some members afterward. Then we went outside for the rest of the day and were able to talk to other people.

Thursday, we had a meeting with some missionaries and then we met an investigaotr randomly on the street and then had exchanges with the Seogwipo Elders. So I went out there and were able to talk with others and go to another service project and then ended off the day by
talking to more people.

Friday was coming back to Jeju city and then going outside for a bit and then doing some weekly planning. After that, we went outside and played some basketball with some less active members and with some investigators and then we went to another park and found some more
people to play with and got their numbers and played basketball with them.

On Saturday, we went outside and talked to people and got to help others come closer unto Christ and we were able to meet with a few investigators and then we went outside to do some more basketball with people, but it started raining, so we got to teach them a bunch and got to get close with them and it was a great day!

Yesterday was church and we had a great time at church and we were able to talk to a bunch of people and got to translate. There was also a  baptism for a child in the ward, but the hot water wasn't working, so we were boiling water in rice cookers and then putting it in, and then after that we went outside and helped a member out.  To finish the day, President Barrow and Sister Barrow came to the Island and we had a fireside for their going away. It will be super sad that they are taking off soon!

This week was a great week and I'm so happy to be here serving other!

Love Always,

Elder Joshua Wilson

Week 90: Back to Home land. I can never stay on the Island

This week has been hot and it looks like it is going to rain this next week! I'm doing well and having a great time here on Jeju!

Today I wanted to talk about the joy the gospel brings and the power of repentance. I feel like sometimes it is hard to forgive people or even ourselves because we think that we have been cheated or robbed or hurt. But I know that through the Savior and his atonement, that we can be clean and made whole! I love the Savior for this reason, because he helps us overcome our weaknesses!

On Monday we went out to a place called Seogwipo and went to a huge waterfall! It was beautiful and we got to play on the beach for a bit too! After which we came back home and got ready for family home evening and got to play with the young single adults!

On Tuesday, we had a kind of crazy day. We went outside in the morning and met with an investigator on the street and went and had a lesson and then we went outside to do studies after going home for a little bit and then we went to the church to make a movie for our young single adult activity that was to be held of Saturday. And then in the afternoon we had some more meetings!

On Wednesday, we went to a meeting in the morning and then came back to Jeju and went to the church and worked on the movie and some other things for other meetings in the week and then went to our service project. After which we went outside for the rest of the night and were able to talk to other people.

Thursday, we went outside and talked to a lot of people and went to the church for a bit to work on things and then in the evening, we took a plane back to mainland Korea for a meeting to be held on Friday!

On Friday, we had our meeting and then went up to Daegu because our flight back to Jeju was at 6 in the morning from Daegu, so we went around Daegu and talked to people and were able to help them come unto Christ~!

Saturday was full of preparing and inviting people to our young single adult activity! So we got that set up and we showed our little presentation that we had made for them and then we went them off to do a picture taking scavenger hunt and then ate Korean Barbeque to end!

On Sunday, we had church and 93 people attended, which is a ton for Jeju Branch and then we had a meeting with the group presidency of Jeju. After which we went outside for the rest of the day and talked to others and taught them about Christ!

This week was a wonderful week and I love being here and having a fun time!

Love ALways,

Elder Joshua Wilson