August 29, 2016 (Week 89)

August 29, 2016

Well, this week:

"Catching Up With Friends"

Monday we went to the tie place, showed Elder Lowe all of those things... Kinda fun, but a lot of ties all the other missionaries wear.  None of them look good anymore, haha. But we checked out some shoe places, and a couple suit places.  Tempting...  After that we met Go Young Ook, from Gangneung.  He came in for studies, so he came up to Do Bong to say "hi!"  Super cool to see him again.  Still no gospel interest, but he is a good friend.  After that we streetboarded, and met David... Interesting guy, I'll tell ya later.
Tuesday we went to a skills workshop where they talked about Family History for 3 hours. Sheesh, I've heard way too much about Family History.  It's like God is smacking me with a 2x4 repeatedly. I might have to look into that one when I get back.  After that we ate, then met Sheen Sung Hee.  He is a less-active that came on Sunday to church.  We talked about priesthood, the temple. Cool stuff.
Wednesday we went and visited some members, tried to visit less-actives, former investigators.  Nothing really worth telling about, just another lovely day.
Thursday we we went and met David. He grew up in Los Angeles, so he has natural English. He loves his bible.  So we met to give him a Book of Mormon, but he brought his pastor buddy and we started having a lovely chat.  This is the first time I've heard a pastor say that Jesus and Adam were reincarnated when they were baptized. Weird stuff.  Not sure how much we can work with them.

Jam-packed Subway

Friday and Saturday not much happened.
Sunday Bay Gyung Whan came to church, and we talked some there.  He is doing good, but his mom opposes our church, and he can't get baptized until November. Shoot. But we will keep working with him.  Cool kid.  Then a little bit later Melvin called us up, and wanted to meet. Ok, great!  So we met.  I guess he was just bored so he called us.  So we talked for a little bit, but still his same old self, can't accept much still. Dang. But a cool experience today!  
Well take care,
-Elder Mortensen

August 22, 2016 (Week 88)

August 22, 2016

Well, this week...

Elder Mortensen,
T-Shirt Gift from Elder Benson

Monday we went around and just kinda played around the area, nothing too exciting. That night we had a member dinner, then they took us bowling... It was fun, but I'm not sure if it was the best use of time.  It was for Family Night they said, but I don't know... guess I'll let God decide on that one, haha.
Tuesday we went around with Elder Petersen in a threesome saying goodbye to people. We met Mr. Song.  He is interesting. He's an English teacher that has reaaaally weird ideas. A very strange path of thinking.  But he is cool and has some potential.  After that we met Sung Hee Sheen.  He is a less-active, kind of a quieter guy. We talked with him, got to know him a little better. He's a nice guy and we got him to come to church this Sunday!  Then, a lot of walking around, saying bye to Elder Petersen's friends.
Wednesday, we rode a jam-packed subway for an hour carrying all of Elder Petersen's luggage, then I had some trainer's training. Then I met Elder Lowe.  He's from Santa Quinn, Utah. He was born in 1998... yep, 1998... he is young!  Holy smokes, he's the first 1998-born I've heard of in the mission. We came back, ate lunch, then met June... Everybody's favorite old man.  We started trying to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but as soon as we asked if he believes in Jesus, he went on his usual rant of how we can't ask questions, because he is an old man, etc... So I kinda lost my cool, got into a small argument, then closed. We're not meeting him again...  After that we got lectured by some members on how rumors are on the web that Mormon missionaries are bad with the Korean language. Not cool... After that was English class.
Thursday we had studies, then the service activity at the welfare center. After we went and toured around the area, talking with people. We met some nice people, but nothing too special happened that day.  A lot of just getting to know Elder Lowe.
Friday we had studies, and weekly planning.  Then we met Melvin.  That was just a long discussion on how he can be happy, but he has made up his mind already that he can't understand the gospel, he doesn't have friends here, etc... good night, if he would just listen to us.  After that, we ate, then visited some people. We found the aforementioned less-active's member friend at his work and talked with him.. It was a good talk.
Saturday we met Bay Gyung Whan.  We met him a couple times now, he had the baptismal date, came to church, then dropped off the map.  We met, talked about commandments, and seems to understand them.  The trick is just getting him to church.  He didn't show up this week.   After that was English class. Two students, six missionaries.. woohoo... That night we had music activity again. It went well again.

Elders Lowe and Mortensen

Sunday we had church, then got a 20 minute lecture on how we lack at Korean, and our language ability reflects how hard we work, and how we need to step up our game.  I can take criticism, but that was just cold.  I wasn't too happy with that one. If they would just look and see how much Korea runs on English nowadays, they would understand. After that we went and found some less-actives. former investigators.
Training is going good, he is just a little ball of energy, and struggles with how to release it. It's kinda funny to watch.  He works hard though, which is nice.

Peace,
-Elder Mortensen

August 15, 2016 (Week 87)

August 15, 2016

Rooftop Playground

Well, not much time today a lot of things happening. The highlight is that I'm training next transfer.   Not sure if he's Korean or American yet though, the anxiety is killing me! I'm staying in the same area as well!  Elder Du Plessies is going to the other area, and the other elders are being whitewashed. Elder Du Plessies new companion is super funny, so should be cool.
Cool story about the North Korean and South Korean gymnasts taking a selfie at the Olympics.  Yeah, North Korea, South Korea... Everybody except the government like each other.  The people here like the northern people... just Kim Jung Un is unbelievable.
Our investigator Melvin.  I'm not really sure what his deal is. He likes missionaries, comes to church if we have a musical number, or someone is leaving, but other than that, he has convinced himself that he can't understand the Book of Mormon, so he can't join.

Korean's Love Spam

Nothing really exciting happened this week, a lot of walking around, meetings, etc.  I'll fill you in with more stuff next week, but just know I'm doing good.

 Love you all,
-Elder Mortensen

August 8, 2016 (Week 86)

August 8, 2016

King for a (P)Day

Monday we emailed then worked... nothing too special that day. We streetboarded and about died of heat, etc.
Tuesday we went to the temple. My goodness that was good.  I can't wait to just chill in the Celestial Room for days, not feeling rushed because of missionary life.  After we went to a couple museums about Admiral Lee and King Se Jong. Pretty cool, not much to the museums though.  Sweet guy though. They are like the George Washington and Abraham Lincoln for Koreans.
Wednesday we had district meeting, then I went to Gireum [served there June 2015 - September 2015] with Elder Houston. That was a trippy time. I slept in my old house, cooked there, walked around, man, it was like being home again. Good times there.  We taught their investigator then had English class. That has changed a lot since I was here.
Thursday we taught that same investigator, then switched back from exchanges. It was a good exchange. It's always nice to go with an older missionary who knows what's going on.  After that we kinda wandered around, visited the Elders Quorum President... There's a sad moment when he admits he doesn't read his scriptures except at church. We helped him with that, great guy, though.  Super funny, loves the missionaries.  I kinda realized that it is 10 times harder to stay active in Korea than America.

Grilling Steaks for a Ward Party

Friday we met Juhn Hoon. He's 25, and pretty good at English. He has a little church interest, but a lot of friend interest. We'll work with that though for the time being.   That was the highlight there.
Saturday was doing English, then sitting around for waaay too long at the church. We planned for a party at 5:00, but didn't start until 630. We did have some English Class people waiting, so we just sat there and talked with them.  We met a cool guy there.  Then we ate for a couple hours..
Sunday we had church and then dinner with the Digmas. They are a Philippine family here.. great family.

Love ya,
Elder Mortensen

August 1, 2016 (Week 85)

August 1, 2016

This week was a lot of meetings...

Elders Brantley and Mortensen

Monday was P-Day. We played games with the elders from the other district nearby, namely Elder Brantley. That was fun. We played "resistance" a game where you try to find out who is the spy in the group. Kind of hard to explain, but once you understand, it's pretty fun.  After that I sent off the package.  It should be there in 40-60 days. No opening the black bag or letter until the wedding day.  The rest you can check out.
Tuesday we walked across our entire area. We went up to the very north, and started walking down. We met some sweet people, but mainly just hot weather.  Man, there's 1) It's hot, 2) I'm sweating, 3) I'm out of sweat so I'm just sticky, and 4) I'm walking in a pool.   That's the heat degrees here.  You usually hit level 4 by about an hour or so.   But during that time, we met Robin.  We talked for a minute, then he revealed that he is Sheen Chun Jee. Basically the strangest church in Korea.  Their members don't say that they are members until you meet 3-4 times, and they can trust you.  But they've done a lot of weird stuff in the past, so no churches allow the members into their churches. Pretty much the weird people get up in the middle of a worship service and Bible bash the pastor.  Then, in order to join, you study with a teacher in the middle of nowhere for 6 months.   That's the basis of their church. We've been prohibited from meeting them as investigators, so probably can't meet him anymore, dang it.
Wednesday we went and had district meeting. It wasn't bad, just very quiet. Just me speaking the whole time. No fun.  After was English meeting, part 1.  We want to change up English class, so we met, but nobody really gave comments, so it was just 2/6 missionaries planning.  The other missionary helping, sister 김지연 kinda called out everybody for not caring. So that was fun. Then we met June, our 60 year-old guy that I have little patience for.  The lesson went decent this time, until we asked him to pray one time a day.  Then he got in a fuss about how you need to sincerely pray, not just by our wishes.  That's what we are asking you to do! Pray sincerely.  After was English class.
Thursday we had another meeting, then nothing too much else. Weekly planning, service activity, etc.

Carts Selling Yogurt and Drinks.
Korea's Version of an Ice Cream Truck

Friday we had President Sonken's president come and talk to us.  That was cool.  Talked a lot about working with members. But it was weird.  I saw so many missionaries I don't know.  I've been so far out of the loop.
Saturday, nothing special
Sunday we taught Gospel Principles class after getting last minute notice by the sisters.  That worked out ok.  That night we went to see the mission president again with an investigator,  Melvin.

Well, good week, hope you do well,
Elder Mortensen