Week 25: Ping Pong Reps and Cookies

Week 25?? I think? I get so screwed up with these number things. But that is quite a bit of time in all honesty. Time flies by when you are having fun for sure and I really do love it here. The members are really amazing and feed me very well, and really it is great. Being out in the countryside is always awesome especially getting to work with animals and trying new things and it is just wonderful. I really do love this area and it is so great!

This week’s spiritual message is actually going to be on baseball because I have been thinking about it a lot lately. As a pitcher, you pitch the ball and try to hit the corners of the invisible batters zone. But what does it take to hit those corners?? A lot of practice, knowing the situation, knowing what to do and utmost, following your catchers lead. In the gospel and teaching others, we are trying to hit the corners. We are trying to make it so that we can get a strike out, or in a better context to win. Not to win in order to make them feel bad, but for them to strike out and come play on your team. As I do more missionary work, the more I realize how much more precise I need to be because the more precise, the more pure I can be, the better my God can work through me and as I really do follow my catcher's lead, we will get a strike out. The catcher's lead is my Heavenly father and he is never wrong, this baseball game isn't to strike out people, but more that when they strike out, they come play on my team and be my friends. So as we always follow his lead, others will come closer unto Christ and as we become more refined and really strive to always follow the lead of our catcher, we can always have a victory and fun time with everyone.

So this week played out that on Monday after going to the dentist to get a crown, we emailed for a bit and then went out to go sight seeing at a very old hill thing where apparently someone of the dynasty did something.. Yes that story. It was very beautiful and then we helped others from our district get home and then we prepared for family home evening after P-day ended and our family home evening turned into playing ping-pong and eating churros and sharing a very spiritual message! It was a lot of fun!

On Tuesday we got to study and then I cooked up some lunch and then we had a meeting with our sister team to talk about our area. Then we went up to go see our investigator who is in Prison and the prison was closed because apparently March 1st was a holiday in Korea. So we went outside and talked to people and then came to the Church and met one of our investigators who is very interesting and likes us and listens to the gospel, but half the time we can't actually tell if he is for real or has half his leg in a pool and the other leg sitting out... But he is great! And then we had English class and English class was a blast! Then finally we talked to the students and then went home!

Wednesday was our district meeting in the morning and then I exchanged with a Korean Companion for the day. And we literally had no appointments so we shared the gospel with everyone for like 6 hours. We talked to so many people and went knocking on doors and it was super fun and I love having a Korean Companion! It was very fun and then to end the day we decided to go meet with our North Korean friend and we walk in and there is a very drunk man in his house and our North Korean member friend... He sits there and is like, this man who was my friend long ago came into my house with 6 bottles of alcohol and of course I didn't drink any, but he was already drunk and he has gone through 5 and a half bottles already. I will take care of it, so lets meet tomorrow. He said that with a big smile so we were so happy and we left.  J The adventures of a missionary :)

On Thursday we de-exchanged and then went outside and talked to others and then met with one of our investigators! We had a great lesson and he said he would attempt to come to church!! Although it didn't pan out, he really apologized that he was unable to come and I don't mind that at all.  J Then after that we went outside and talked to a few more people and we talked to a whole bunch of people and then finally met our North Korean Friend! He was happy as always and I feel like him and I have become very good friends! I love him a bunch!

On Friday, we studied and had our service project of cleaning horse stables and that was super fun! We also had an amazing lunch with the member that we do it with and then after doing the service project for 4 hours we planned for the rest of our week. Friday was very uneventful!

On Saturday we studied and had English Class! English class was fantastic and then we hosted another ping pong meeting without food and it was great! The people were very good at ping pong and they had all gotten to the point where they were like I want to play Elder Wilson. Let's play for real and it was super fun!  I loved it! Then we cleaned the church and then went outside to go share the gospel! While outside we actually met someone who has actually become our new investigator and I'm super happy that we met him!! Then at the end of the dad from 9:00 to 10:30 I made cookies. J

Sunday was fast Sunday, and it was great! We had church and although all five of our investigators bailed or said they couldn't make it, I was still very happy and then after church we went outside and gave people cookies and talked to others and Elder Quiroz helped the district get everything in order and then we went and ate with our Branch President's family who is awesome! It was such an amazing week and I'm so glad that I am out serving these people!! J Great things are happening for sure!

I love you all very much, and I hope you guys have a great week! 

Love Always,

Elder Wilson

I Love Korean!!

Believe it or not, this is in front of a prison!

Look who made Hamburg!!

P-Day!

Week 24: Snow & Investigators

So this week has been super great and 24 weeks... I'm not even sure about that anymore, but it has been amazing here in Korea as usual.  The more I learn, and the more I am here in Miryang, the more I love it and I am so happy and grateful to be here.  It snowed a little bit this week and I was actually super surprised, but it didn't stick which was kind of sad.  But for being a missionary, the snow would make it kind of hard for sure.  Also, we rode our bikes this week, which was super fun.  Also, this week has been filled with miracles and very interesting experiences and I am so glad that I can be here!!

This week's spiritual message is the phrase "Learn of Me", not the fact to learn of me (Elder Wilson), but to learn of Christ.  The more you learn of your Savior, the easier it is to spread his light to others and also be able to be edified personally.  I love being here on a mission because everyday I get to study a lot of how I can become more like my Savior.  Also, as we learn more, the more we will apply to our lives.  The gospel is very simple and precious and as we follow these simple and precious things, we can ultimately become as him.  As we always remember that we have someone, loved ones, to lean on, we can always keep going, so... Just keep going :)

So this past week was fantastic for sure and I have had such a fun time!  There hasn't been a week like it at all.  So last Monday we went to the dentist and that was alright and also we emailed and then we went to a festival!  This festival was very special for people here because it was the welcoming of the first full moon of the lunar calendar.  Because of that, they burnt a huge tree down and had a huge ceremony, and it was fantastic! The burning of the tree was apparently symbolic of the renewal of spirit or something. Then after P-day ended we had family home evening at the church and we played Charades. That was sooo fun and then after which we went home.

On Tuesday we were able to study and then we got to go outside and talk to a good amount of people. After which we went to go visit our investigator in prison named You-Ir (유일). He doesn't have a family name anymore because his family kind of threw him away after he went to prison for a mistake.  But he was as happy as ever and smiling and it was amazing!  Then we went outside some more and talked to others and then we went shopping because we needed to go find ingredients because we were going to have a special Taco- Pingpong (탁구) meeting so we went and bought ingredients and my companion's bag broke so we had to carry a lot of things in our bags. Then one of our investigators showed up to the church and we had a good lesson. Then we taught English and then talked to the English students and went home.

On Wednesday, we had our district meeting and that was great, and then I got to exchange companions for a day with the Zone Leaders. So we came back to Miryang, and then we got to go work on the horse stable, got to eat some great food with the member we work with and then we went outside and got to talk to others and check up on former investigators and then finally got to go meet a member who is originally from north Korea.. He is about 80...

Then on Thursday we studied in the morning, and he talked to me about how the exchange was and then we went to go de-exchange and then came back to Miryang. After coming back we took our bikes to go meet our investigator at his house and we stayed there for 3 hours because he was so curious and he wants to be baptized and to change!  So it was a great lesson and then we went home and planned.

On Friday we studied in the morning, and then went outside to go teach people the gospel.  While we were outside, we met a lot of people and it was amazing and actually we did that just about the entire day.  On the street we met a man and he was kind of drunk and he started talking to us in English.  He was like you guys can only speak to me in English.  So we did and he wanted to learn the gospel and to quit smoking and everything.  Because I am American, he felt like we were like brothers so he kissed me on my neck … and yes.... That was my day.

Then on Saturday, we taught English class and then had our Pingpong - Taco meeting and it was great!  Members and investigators came and it was amazing.  To end the day, we went outside and helped others come closer unto Christ. And also met the investigator we met on the street on Friday.

On Sunday our investigator came and his name is An-Ho-Gyuong (안호경) and he is super happy and wanted to quit smoking and was super inquired and everything was great. Later he introduced his friend and we got to talk with the members and everything was great and church was amazing and yes!! Then afterwards we went outside and then had dinner at our branch president's house and everything worked out great!

This week was amazing for sure and I love it here!

I hope you guys are doing well and I love you guys more than the world!

Love Always,

Elder Wilson

Bikes!

Lunar Festival

At the Lunar Fastival

In front of the burning tree!

Our Golden Investigator

Our Another Golden Investigator

Week 23: A week in the sweet life

This week has been pretty cold... I don't understand why because it is supposed to get nice at some point, but... It's cold. Anyways this week has been really good and I still super love it here.. I feel like I use that phrase a ton, but it is super true.  I'm so glad to be out in Korea doing the work and Miryang is wonderful although it is the middle of no where.

This week's spiritual message is about “Focus.”  As people are taught to focus on something in order to achieve it. Even as athlete, victory is the prize and if we are focused, it is very hard to fail.  But what if we do fail??  Fortunately, that is why we have Christ on our side to make up the difference.  But in being focused, as we are focused on what Christ, what God wants for us, we will become as we need to.  As we look to sync our lives with them, we are better able to receive guidance and love, and will never feel alone even when all odds face us. There is never any need to fear, because he lives and loves me.  So always stay focused on the prize and always remember the Savior, because with him, we can always win.

This week.... (Wow so many "this week"s). So anyways this week was fabulous, and it really was a normal week for typical Korean life.  No holidays, just average life.  So the week panned out like this. 

On Monday we went to the dentist and I got my tooth fixed, then after that emailed for a little bit more, then went out and got my hair cut and that was really the end of P-day.  Then we went and did Family home evening at the church and it was super fun because one of the people that attends is a 35 year old man who isn't married and he played a game with us which is for  like younger children and completely went with it and it was super fun! He also drove us home and he is one of my favorite people here.

On Tuesday, we studied in the morning, and then went outside and went to go talk to people.  After talking to many people we went over to one of our investigators residence. And the investigators residence is... Prison. So we go and he is super happy! His name is 유일 (You EEl).  He is super great and super happy for sure.  He has been taking the lessons for the past year, and still has a year left in prison for drunken manslaughter, but he is super happy and wants to change.  We only get 13 minutes to talk to him.  Fortunately, Korean is going super well, so we can teach him good lessons. Then after that we went to the Church and taught one of our investigators who shows up randomly and he listened and apparently got engaged, and is now going off to military service. Then after that we had English class and English class was super fun!!

On Wednesday we studied and then went outside for a very good amount of time!  While we were outside, it was very fun and we were able to talk to many people, but people didn't really accept our message.  But it is perfectly fine... It is always their choice :)   So then we had a meeting with our sister team and then went outside for a little bit and talked to people even more.  Finally we went and visited a member who we visit 2 times a week... He is apparently North Korean... I don't know how he made it down here,..,.. But... he is super nice and we love him so much!

Then on Thursday, we had a meeting with all the missionaries in our zone and that was fantastic. We were able to learn so much and be able to have such a good time. Also after that Elder Quiroz and I exchanged with some other missionaries and went to our respective areas and it was fun. Unfortunately it was hard to do much during this exchange because it takes an hour and a half to get from one place to another where we were at.  So when we got back to Miryang (me and my new Korean companion) We had a bunch of fun, but really no one was out to talk to, but we had a great time and speaking Korean all the time is super great!

On Friday, we studied and talked and then went and met our original companions and then came back to Miryang.  After doing so we got changed and went to our service activity.. Which is.... Working with horses and going to a horse stable and cleaning it... So we did that... For 5 hours and lifted everything and went to go eat with the member and it was so fun!  I love working in horse stables!!  Then after that we planned and that was our day!

On Saturday, we studied in the morning, ate lunch and then went to the church to prepare for English class.  After going to English class, we taught English which was great, and then cleaned the church!  After cleaning the church we went out with the sister team and talked to people and met with one of the sisters’ investigators and then kept going and then finally went home.  A lot of the week has been spent outside.

On Sunday, we had church and church was fantastic!  We got to be uplifted and rest and I got to play the piano for a little bit and it was great!  Then after church, we got to clean up and then go outside with the sister team again and it was amazing!  I love being able to go to church. Then to end the day, we went and ate at our branch presidents' house and that was amazing!! I love him so much and his family!!

That was my week in a nutshell!  I'm so glad to be out here and I pray for you all every day!  I love you guys so much!

Love Always,

Elder Wilson

 

Elder Wilson w/ 몰몬경 - 예수 그리스도의 또 하나의 성약

Exchange!

Fake Glasses