2015-2-1

HELLLOOOO!!!

So it looks like today is the Super Bowl Sunday! I am routing for anyone that Amanda isn't so GOOO ________!!! hahaha ( read your scriptures during commercial breaks) ;) 

So this week was really eventful. So last P-day we went to a 목요탕 or a bath house. That was scary let me just tell you that.

 The next day we had one of our investigators text us and say " Hey when we meet today can you bring the baptismal papers?" We were in shock. So we called her and she said she had finally got permission from her parents to get baptized because she was under age to do it by herself! So that was a miracle. The only thing is we are a little afraid of her repentance. I can see she really wants to get baptized and she has been meeting with the missionaries for a year now. We asked her why she wants to get baptized and she said she doesn't feel like a member. She can't go to seminary or do the things on lds.org like members can. And then she hesitates and goes... "Oh, and for eternal life." haha she is so cute and she really wants it. She has had a really hard life so we are just making sure she is completely ready. So if everything goes has plan we will have a baptism next week!! ^^

Also this week we had lessons with 5 investigators. That is a lot then when I first got her. Here in 영등포 I teach in half Korean and half English so I feel that my Korean is progressing like it should. 

But one of the English appointments we had was with a women name Valaria. She is from Russia. She has been going to church for a year now but hasn't accepted it yet. She has a rough life too and she was asking us this week, "Why do we have to suffer if God wants us to be happy?"

The next day we had a Korean lady who speaks really good english ask us that same question. Her name is 김애경. Sister Kim.  So let me just tell you this experience:

We met with her and we walk to one of the church rooms that we are going to teach her in. She doesn't really say anything (which is really unusual) and she sits on the the chair, and pulls out her scriptures to read the B.O.M with us. We usually met with her to read the scriptures with her because she is a recent convert. After we say our opening prayer she just started bawling. We went over to comfort her but she didn't want any of that..(which is understandable I probably would have done the same) and she just says. Why? Why does God to this to him when I start to believe in him. She is having a hard time. She starts to explain to us that she is afraid of God. She goes to church because she doesn't want God to punish her anymore. We try to explain that he doesn't punish us. Sometimes we go through hard times so that we can be more experienced. We mentioned that the mistakes, blessings, trials, and how we overcome it can help us receive eternal life.She then says," No, I don't really believe that. I just want to focus on my life now. I just want to be happy now." I then felt so passionate to tell her that this life isn't for us to just be happy. It is in a sense but we have to experience sufferings. This life is for us to be tested to see if we can trust God in all things, and in all places. Our faith in God through our trials determines if we can be worthy to live with him after this life. They will judge us according to our good works. It doesn't say that they are going to judge us for the bad things in life. If we do good things to overcome the bad things we can be saved. Through Christ's loving atonement we are able to be lifted from our burdens. I haven't felt the spirit in this lesson than I have since the MTC. I just the love God had for this women that if she kept enduring that she will overcome this trial. Everytime I looked down at the scriptures in front of me that I had this impression that she really need to read them. I haven't had a prompting so strong. Me and my companion were both prompted to tell her that if she reads and studies the Book of Mormon  in her heart and mind (and not just read yet) that she will be strengthened by the Lord. I even had a thought that if she would read them for 2 weeks that what ever she was going through would go away. She then says to us, " I don't need to be strengthened.. its not me but them." "Is he punishing me because I am not reading the Book of Mormon?" We then explained to her that the things we are telling her are through the Holy Ghost. We don't know how he will help you and why you need to read the scriptures but in order to overcome this trial of yours you need to do this. God works in his own time and in his own way. 

This scripture comes to mind:

”What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same."

As missionaries, we are servants of the Lord. Here to bless the lives of others. To invite others to come unto Christ. 

This morning as we were doing companionship study this scripture came up:

 Nevertheless, Jacob, my firstborn in the wilderness, thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain.

After we had this lesson, we asked a young women how she would answer this question. She said  in her funny but okay english, "No pain; No gain." That is so true. Without experiencing hardship we would never know what true happiness is. In 2 Nephi 2:2 Lehi tells his sons that they have bared much afflictions but because they have experienced theses things God with bless them for their gain. So I know that if anyone is going through hard times. Only through Christ's atonement and Heavenly Father's love for us that we can overcome it. There is no other way. 

Fear God; not man

God will bless you! 

Doing Service-Picking up trash