He Lives!

Sydney asked me to wish her cousin, Collin, a Happy Birthday, so   HAPPY BIRTHDAY COLLIN!

I literally cannot organize my thoughts today. Forgive me as I just throw information about my week at you at random.

 

Missionary Work

Recent Converts: lots! Before I came, two new young women were baptized into the ward and they are lovely.

Less Actives: Sooooo many. Which is how it usually is, but the difference between here and my others areas is that the missionaries are actually able to frequently meet with the less-actives--great! But they still don't want to come to church--boo.

Investigators: Um. Zero. Like not even crappy investigators that you only count sometimes. We literally have no one new to teach. Please pray for us, it's hot outside.

 

A Suprise!

Elder Christoffersen came to Daejeon!(For those who don't know, Elder Christofferson is one of the 12 apostles to our Prophet.  It's a pretty big deal)  It was just like Mulan. He came riding in on this black horse and when he got to the front gate of the mission home, he jumped off the horse, threw his hands up, and with straw sticking out of his hair,and cried, "I'm here!"

Okay, that's not how it happened (but you can see it, right?^^). We've actually known he was coming since November, I've just completely forgotten to mention it in these emails all the weeks since then. But it was amazing (obviously) and he's really nice (again obviously); he actually kind of reminded me of Bishop Wahlstrom, so that was weird. Elder and Sister Maynes spoke as well, as did Sister Christoffersen. I'll give you a quick summary of what they each talked about because I can't think of any other way to explain the meeting.

 

Sister Maynes  - The progression desired and the personal progression acheived on a mission are between only the missionary and the Lord. Always remember that those who win are those who persist.

 

Elder Maynes - How to teach people who don't have a Christian background aka most of Korea. Start with the basics--God is our loving Heavenly Father. Even in the earliest days of the church, this is what the apostles taught. He spoke a lot about Acts 17 and Paul preaching about the Unknown God. Also Romans 8:16-17 and Alma 18:24. In order for anyone to understand the gospel, they need to understand the fundamentals--God is our Father in Heaven. He loves us because we are His children. He mentioned that it was interesting the Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared directly to Joseph Smith, instead of sending a messenger. Even Joseph needed to first understand the true nature of God and His Son, Jesus Christ--separate beings, with glorified bodies of flesh and bone. Once we know the true nature of God and Jesus Christ, we can begin to understand Their purposes.

 

Sister Christoffersen - 2 Kings 4:1-7 the Lord gives us what we're prepared to receive. We need to have the humility to acknowledge that we cannot do this with the divine help of the Lord. We need to have gratitude for every little thing in our missions and we need to pay attention to the miracles, because they are many. And then she bore her simple testimony in the best Korean she could muster and it was beautiful.

 

Elder Christoffersen - He basically just answered our questions. Three cheers for my mission for asking good questions.

1. How can we overcome the challenges and trials in our lives? We must rely on the Savior and His Atonement because we will have nothing else to rely on. He will help us through one day at a time.
2. What must we do to love all men, especially our enemies? We come to love what, and whom, we serve. We must ask for the spiritual gift of charity and at all times remember the perfect example of Jesus Christ.
3. How can we comfort them? (This question was in regard to the ferry) Weep with them. As it says in D&C 42:45, "Thou shalt live together in love, insomuch that thou shalt weep for the loss of them that die." It's okay to grieve, but always remember that death is never the end. In fact, without death we would be stranded forever in mortality, unable to return to God and our heavenly home. And sometimes, there is a need in the spirit world for a member of each family to aid in the redemption of those still living on the other side of the veil (I thought of you at this part, Daddy). As missionaries we bring the message of the Plan of Salvation--hope to replace anguish, peace to replace despair.
4. Will you bear your testimony of the Book of Mormon? "For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul." The Book of Mormon is the sickle. If our investigators would only read and earnestly pray about the Book of Mormon, every one of them would know. They may not choose to act, but they would know.
5. What is the most important thing you learned on your mission? There were many things, but what I got from it was, "If we are diligent, we will obtain the blessings."
6. How can we use our personal study time the most effectively? Focus on the time, not on the amount.

And then, as apostles do, he pronounced a blessing upon us that we would be able to receive light and knowledge from the scriptures, teach with convincing power, and most of all, understand that we are good enough. And that we should know that the Lord had accepted the work we were doing. As our time together came to a close, Elder Christoffersen bore his powerful testimony of the Savior. He said that we would never be all togehter like this ever again in this life, but that we would always remember this day and that, "you will remember that you heard me say,  in person, that He lives."

 

And He does.

 

Love

Sister Arvanitas

When Heewon and I started serving in Sejong back in December, we looked at that fountain and said to each other, "we will never be here long enough to see that fountain turned on." and you know what happened on my last day in Sejong, six months later--the fountain turned on.^^

Last day with her English class

Last day with "Modern Day Mulan"

Last day with Heewon

Last day with Gongu sisters

"Sunny's" baptism

Wanna know why I don't have a Book a Mormon? because I gave it away! 아싸!

Me and my new companion, EeYeJin.

Guess who's in my zone now?   It's Pappa!