March 7, 2016 (Week 64)

March 7, 2016

Elder Mortensen at the Church

This week... We did the cave and then had family home evening... that's slowly dying like the rest of our activities here... it's just become the branch presidents wife (she runs this branch, she's the best out here) and her 2 kids that show up to anything any more.   We also met 고영욱 before FHE. He is pretty cool guy, had a good talk on how you can have religion and yet believe in yourself... (that's a common theory here... because I believe in myself, I can't have religion....) so we taught him that, and shared Ether 12 with him.  It was a good lesson.
Tuesday we went around meeting people before Elder Megargel left. We went and ate at a sushi buffet with an English member (I'm starting to like these sushi buffets....) then stopped by and said hi to 고영욱 at his lab at the college (he invited us over). We came back down from the college, got to say hi to Q for a minute (more to come about him in a minute) then went and met 이상준. We had an awkward lesson where we just kind of explained what baptism is again, and how it gets us clean from sin, guilt, etc.  He accepted a new date, but not sure how well it will stick. I can't figure out if he truly does understand everything, or just kinda goes with it.  That night we had branch dinner with 삼겹살 and man, that was good, but a lot of food haha.  Never ending amounts of meat. 김동범 came and said bye with his friends then left to go and eat...
Wednesday we dropped off Elder Megargel and Elder Jeong at the bus stop, then came back to the house... and cleaned up the house... I've gotten better at not keeping crap I don't need on the mission (when I get back it will be a different story...(mom) ).   So we cleaned up for a couple hours, then went and picked up Elder Hall and Elder Keil. They are pretty cool. Elder Hall is a really fun and good guy. We talked some, then went to find some less-actives, then had movie night... still no body is coming out to them...
Thursday we went up to the college area, and tried to visit a couple members and up there. We met 이혜찬. We met him at 1:00, but he said he had class so he could meet at 3:00-ish.  So we went around town for a little bit then came back, met him and went to a cafe and taught the whole restoration to him... That was good. Really cool guy, says he is willing to meet and keep talking. Super cool miracle for us. After that, we came back down and ate dinner then had English class.
Friday we planned, then tried to visit some more members, but they were all busy, kinda lame.  That night, called up 김동범 and met him. We had a good talk about Christ, and the Book of Mormon, and how they build faith. Good lesson with him.
Saturday we went and tried to visit some less actives and members since 이상준 went to Seoul this weekend. We did that, came back for English class, then went out looking for more less actives, talking with members (see a pattern here yet? haha). We didn't have any sit down lessons, kind of a bummer.  But Q.... we called him trying to visit and introduce Elder Hall, but he texted back that because his mother-in-law threw a fit, they didn't want to meet anymore... freak that hurt... that's the first time I've had an investigator outright say they don't want to meet anymore.
Sunday we had church, and 김동범 brought a friend to church again. It was great, we were in fast and testimony meeting, and toward the end he asks if he can get up and talk. I was a little shocked, but said yes, so he went up and shared a brief testimony.. that was super sweet, he's willing to talk more than most of the members were... plus they stayed for all 3 hours. That was a miracle for us. after that, we met 김영빈 our body builder guy from back in December, and talked, but he didn't want to meet for gospel, just friends and English class... bummer.  Then we called up our referral we got from the office.  He called us back and said he could meet us right then.  So we met, he freaked out about meeting in the church, so he drove us to a cafe and talked with us. It was really awkward when we try to explain we don't drink coffee or buy stuff on Sunday... so he sat down and started saying weird scripture stuff at us about the life force of God. We ended that lesson and came back for the rest of the night.

Group picture at the Cave

That's been our week.  Elder Hall is great. He's super funny, (he lived with Elder Green and acts just like him. It's really weird.)  But, he also wants to work hard, get to know the members, and speaks only Korean to me when we are outside... good wake up call for me.... kinda got into a rut with of late not doing that, it feels. Great time so far this week,
Love ya,
Elder Mortensen