Hello and 안녕하세요, everyone!! This is Elder Derek James Wilcox, typing from a computer room in Anseong City, Gyeonggi-Do Province, South Korea. This last week has been a huge one as far as stuff Elder Robinson and I did, and so it could take a while to type it all. I am prepared to sacrifice my remaining email time for this. It better be good. No pressure on me. ^^
Well, to start off, on Monday, we went to a 목욕탕 (public bathhouse) with about 10 other missionaries. There is a semi-famous one in our area about a 50 minute busride away from our house. My companion hadn't gone to one yet, so that was a priceless experience. It's always awkward to new missionaries to sit around in hot tubs with naked Korean men. I doubt this is legal for any other missionaries in the world, huh? But it's super refreshing. And I can kinda swim laps in the cold pool. hehe
On Tuesday we met with a new potential investigator named Jong-Sun. he is about 47 and I actually found him with Elder Hale, but he gave us a bad number and punked our appointment. But Elder Robinson and I found him again in the exact same place as before, but 4 months later to the day (last sunday). He gave us the right number, and we met him tuesday. He is super incredibly prepared!!! HE almost immediately accepted what we taught and we had a great How To Begin Teaching Lesson, where we introduce our message and show how it can bless their life. See Preach My Gospel. He even wrote down our next appointment himself, and asked what we would study! Restoration! ^^ We met him again Thursday.
But first, Wednesday! After great studies, which seemed to fill the week, we had District meeting. I gave what I thought was my best training yet, and we had really fun role plays on following up on a Book of Mormon reading assignment in a way that helps the investigator gain a testimony. Fun, Fun! Then Elder Fullmer from my district and I went on exchanges. While we were on exchanges, the other elders (my comp and elder Song) met 2 of our investigators, one of which just wanted to bible bash. After that lesson, they were discouraged, but the nest one they met was another Nepalese guy who is good at Korean. He was soo accepting! He decided to take the lessons, and they taught a basic Restoration lesson! ^^ While they did that, Elder Fullmer and I went hiking with a potential investigator who is 64 and runs marathons. #mydreaminvestigator ^^ It was raining, and really pretty. We testified a lot, and he fed us deliciouc meat for dinner. But when we invited him to take the lessons, he said he'd rather not be a burden on us and was firm when we persisted. But he decided to come to english class the next day!
Thursday, we started off doing some Farmwork!!! Something you can only do in my area and maybe 2 others in the mission, but none as frequently as us. We usually do it about 2 times per week. We helped a less active lady, and when we sang a hymn afterwards, she was crying. Maybe she'll feel something and come back to church! So sweet. Then, we exchanged companions back, and Elder Robinson and I met Jong-Sun again. We taught the restoration, all in one blow, in Korean, which was actually a first for me. All of my previous companions have gotten me in the habit of breaking up the lessons into parts, but you lose the power of the first vision when you do that. So, the lesson took an hour and a half, but we taught it all, shared scriptures, asked questions, and otherwise had the best lesson of my mission. And Jong-Sun accepted all of it. Wrote down his homework again (read, pray about BoM, etc) and said he would come to churchon Sunday. I even remembered what I trained on the day before and got permission to follow up every day with him! Such a prepared man. A huge miracle, and the coolest person I have ever taught. Then we had english class, and since lots of new people came with not very good english, I taught beginner with elder Song. Fun stuff. Then, in advanced or Free Talking class, our class members found out it was Elder Robinson's birthday on friday, so they bought a cake and lots of icecream, which is absolutely delicious in Korea (I know, I just got lower in some of your sight, I eat desserts now). They are super awesome, and 2 of them, michelle and gina decided to come to church on sunday for our new idea from the branch mission leader, an english Gospel Principles class. This is huge, because they have been coming to english class for almost 20 years, and never progressed at all or anything. So, another huge blessing. ^^
The next day, Elder Robinson's birthday, we wrestled for exercize (he's a wrestler, and we have a system: every other day we switch off between running around the park and wrestling on our mats. We sleep on mats called "Yo"s. hehe^^), and after studies, did our weekly planning meeting. We got done in time, and had our most effective planning yet. This next week will be a blast!!! We do work, son! ^^ After that we met a potential investigator, and ate Pot-Bing-Soo, a delicious Korean Icecream snack that's not too unhealthy. Then we played a little Ping Pong at our church (it's small but it has a ping pong table). He started talking about his views on God and stuff, and I got hold of the conversation very well with some scripture verses I had memorized in Seminary. Everyone still in High School: Study hard!! We introduced our message in a way suited to his needs and the verses I shared, and invited him to take the lessons. But he got scared and said no, just call me later. Soooo close!!! We still pray for him and will try one more time. Then as a district, we went to a lessactive sister's restaurant, which sells mexican burritos with a Korean twist. My first mexican buritto in Korea! Delicoius, and she gave us lots of free food. She wants to come to church and send her kids on missions, but her husband is a nonmember and wont let her. We'll keep working on him, though, he seems nice enough. and he gave us free fries. ^^
Saturday was a special day, we got ready for sunday by holding a Soccer activity for our young men and their friends / our potential investigators. But no young men came out!! We only have 3 in the ward, but yeah... but we got referrals from our potentials! Lots of appointments made for next week. ^^ Then we attended our Korean class for foreigners (only in Anseong can you find american missionaries teaching Korean in Korea). I taught beginners class while our 2 Koreans taught advanced. I am sad I missed it, but I helped a Taiwanese less active! ^^ The Nepalese investigator, Tilak, came out and kept our commitments! Progression!! He's so cool. We need him to translate for Dharmaras, our other nepalese investigator who can't really speak Korean or english. We found out that in the whole world there are 2 branches that speak nepalese, one in Salt Lake city, and one in Nepal's capital. There are no BOoks of Mormon or pamphlets in Nepalese, so we have to either teach these guys korean and help them survive in a Korean branch, or teach english and send them to PyeongTek (a city next door with american service men and amrmy bases).
Sunday was hectic, as it is every week in the morning. We called our investigators who were planning to come, and Jong-Sun cancelled!!! He was in PyeongTek and couldn't make it. Michelle and Gina both came, and Elder Robinson and I taught Gospel Principles class in English. Super weird... but really good! They felt the spirit and committed to pray and ready every day to test God's promises to bless them. So great. They both had to leave before sacrament though. After sacrament (we say the prayers every week, and 2 of our young men pass), we had to go to a restaurant with a less active returning to activity. She was baptized a ffew years ago and did this kind of semi-shady stuff with missionaries then, so she thinks its OK, and if we say know, it could push her back away from the church. So, we did our best but went out to eat on the Sabbath. I have done that 2 times now on my mission. I am a sinner. ^^ Then we went to meet Jong-Sun, because we made a different appointment for the afternoon, but he forgot that one, too! I am starting to think he has memory problems, cuz he was late to our last appointment, too. He rides a wheelchair and could be partially handicapped. But he is all there. We made one last one for the evening. Then we taught another Korean class! Foreigners from nepal, phillipines, indonesia, sri lanka, etc are abundant here, but only have sundays off work. They work like crazy in factories, but I guess its a better chance then their home contries provide cuz i havent met one that was excited to go home. These guys were Cambodian and they agreed to learn about the Gospel too. We have Cambodian pamphlets and BoM. ^^ Then we got a surprise appointment with Dharmaras, who I mentioned earlier. He is still so super accepting and feels the spirit so easily. WE taught part of the Plan of Salvation through pictures and committed him to come to Korean class to meet Tilak, so he can translate our lessons for him. We're doing all we can to teach these guys!! But we meet with more foreigners than with Koreans. Funny! That evening, Jong Sun forgot the appointment again. Grrrrr..... So we made one for tuesday. We decided to call him about 1 hour before each appointment to remind him. Still soo much potential and he keeps commintments cuz he writes it down! We finished up our day with some street contacting, which surprisingly we haven't had time for all week! We feel like American missionaries, with so many appointments they don't know how to schedule everything! IT's awesome!!! ^^
Well, that was our week. We are working hard here in the Land of Anseong, and God has blessed us to start seeing the fruit of our labors. My companion recently asked me what I did in the pre-earth life to deserve all these appointments, but I was quick to correct him and not boast in my strength, for I know that I am nothing, but I boasted in God, who helps us and gives us power and wisdom to bring these our brethren again unto Him and work with Him in the vineyard. That is on huge blessing I have felt recently, is the blessing of not being tired, to have energy, enthusiasm, and zeal for the work. Until now, I have always been tired and just in the mindset of "make it to the next meal time". But now, I am blessed with the power and desire to give my very heart and soul to this work. I have worked to my best ability up until now, and God has finally heard my cries and given me the gift that I have desired. I testify that He pushes us to the very breaking point, but if we endure still even then, He blesses us with what we despereately need and builds us back up again. This week was a rebuilding week, for my testimony and my teaching skills, as well as KOrean and overall energy level. Elder Robinson is working with me and both of us are seeing so much improvement in ourselves. I love this gospel and the Atonement at it's center, through which all who are diligently seeking to improve and serve with all their heart might mind and strength can become servants of the Lord, Instruments in HIs hands to bring to pass His great and Eternal puposes. ELder Bednar gave a talk I read today in personal study for last General conference called Bear up their Burdens, or something. It talks about the burdens we all bear, and how the burden allows us to move forward on this path of disciplship of the Son of God. I love that talk and know it is true because I have seen it in my own life this week. I hope all of you read that and apply it to your attitude and your prayers, let the Lord lift and guide you in your personal journey to Him. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Love you all so much!! Sorry to talk your ears off again, but I have almost typed my fingers off... whew! THis is hard work. Time for a little P-day work out session. We have no better plans today. See, I still haven't changed beyond recongition, right? haha I am so grateful for this opportunity to change for the better. Talk to you all later. Have a great week.
Elder Derek Wilcox
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