Week 39 - You Must Go to the 장위 Area

Title - In The Empire Strikes Back, after Luke escapes the Wampa cave, he's out in a blizzard and half-dead. Obi-Wan's ghost appears and tells him that he must go to the Dagobah System.

Hello my Adoring Fans!

Well, this week has been really crazy.  There were a lot of really cool miracles, and then the transfer calls came. 

Anyways...

On Tuesday we saw a ton of really cool things happen.  While we were walking out to an apartment to visit a less-active in our area, I started talking to this guy next to me and he just happened to be really good at English!  It was awesome.  It turns out that he's a soldier and that he just happens to live in the same apartment complex that we were heading to.  He told me about how he used to be Christian, but has since switched to Buddhism after seeing corruption in the church he was going to.  He asked me what we were doing and I started talking about how the wife in the family we were going to visit was baptized but has since become in-active.  This conversation opened the way for me to teach him all about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in English!  It was great!

After we got to the apartment and couldn't find the people we were looking for, we were heading back towards the center of town and this guy drove by and started yelling at Elder Kim and I.  It turned out that it was a guy that we had met on the street a few weeks earlier who is a good friend of someone in our ward.  He left, but we called him up and were able to go to his office and teach him a little about the Church and finding happiness through Jesus Christ.  It was pretty cool.

On Wednesday, I started an exchange with Elder Han in my district.  Elder Han is super awesome at working with the members which is something that I really struggle with.  We went and were able to go visit an art gallery for Chinese and Korean calligraphy that a member in our ward was hosting.  It was cool because her friend of twenty years who is a nonmember was there and we were able to have a short discussion with her about the Church and bare our testimonies.  Afterwards, she gave us these really nice books that contain copies of all of the pieces on display in the gallery.  It was so incredible!  Miracles!

 이승지 자매님's Art Gallery

A really cool Buddhist statue

 The Gate to the Temple

 Pretending to ring a giant bell

 A fun picture that Elder Huckvale took

The Tomb of the General

On Thursday Elder Han and I just walked around proselyting all day which was okay.  I've been with Elder Han for three transfers now and I've never been able to go on exchanges with him so we got to talk a little bit more which was really good.  He told me a ton of advice about working with the members that I really hope to apply as I continue to do the Lord's work.  At night, Elder Kim and I were out proselyting and Elder Kim started talking to a guy at a bus stop while I was talking to someone else.  After the person that I was talking to left, I decided to join in on Elder Kim's conversation.  I didn't really know what they were talking about because I had just shown up, but I felt really inspired to share with the guy 2 Nephi 2:11.  After sharing it he was blown away.  He told me that it was just what he needed to hear and that I had read his mind.  It was awesome.  He ended up not having interest in meeting with us again, but it was still a really cool experience.  Power of the Holy Ghost!  Miracles!

On Saturday we did a lot of practice for our art festival that we're putting on next month.  Afterwards we did some streetboarding which was pretty fun and then we went home to receive transfer calls.

I'm getting transferred.

I'm going to a place called 장위(Jangwee).  It's out back in Seoul.  Other than that I don't know anything about it or who my companion's going to be.  Recently, our mission president, President Sonksen, has decided that we don't get to know our companions before the actual transfer meeting, so it looks like I'll find out on Thursday!

Sunday was really awesome.  Elder Han is also getting transferred so we had to say goodbye to all of the members in the ward and give our final testimonies during Sacrament meeting.  It was a really good Sunday to end my stay in 금촌 (Geumchon).  It just happened to be the day that the primary program was on, so that was pretty cool.  Afterwards, since Elder Han and I are both leaving we went on an exchange and a family in the ward took us to like all of the tourist attractions in Paju.  It was really great.  Overall I'm sad to leave 금촌, but I'm really excited to begin a new adventure and to help the Lord's work in a different part of His vineyard. 

"I'll go where you want me to go" -I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go

Love and Miss Y'all!

Called to Serve!

Love,

Elder Huckvale

Week 38 - When I Left You I Was But a Learner, Now I Am Also Still A Learner

Title -  In Star Wars, when Obi-Wan and Darth Vader confront each other with a light saber duel, Darth Vader says, "When I left you I was but a learner, now I am the Master."

Hello My Adoring Fans!

 

This week has been pretty great!  We were able to teach a lot this week on the street and off of the street so that was rad.

 

On Tuesday we met with 김동환 (Daniel) and we had a really good lesson.  At this point I don't remember exactly what we had originally planned to teach, but what we ended up talking about was my realization that Daniel has more faith than he thinks.  I think that we were all able to feel the Spirit strongly and I think that it was a turning point for Daniel.

 

On Wednesday I had an interview with our mission president, Presidnent Sonksen and it was really awesome.  We just talked about my progress as a missionary and I explained to him that sometimes I feel that it's hard to teach by the Spirit, especially when proselyting on the street.  I came to the conclusion on my own after discussing it a little bit with him that it is not a matter of not having the Spirit, but it was a matter of my attitude.  President Sonksen told me about how during conference Elder Bednar talked about President Packer "soldiering on" in the waning years and months of his mortal life and ministry.  He told me that I just need to "soldier on".  It was exactly what I need to hear.  It was an awesome interview.  He also hinted that I may be getting transferred and becoming a senior companion.  I don't know if either of those are true though.  I guess we'll see this Saturday with transfer calls!

 

On Thursday I went on exchanges with Elder Peterson in my district.  He's from North Carolina and is 18 years old (but he seriously looks like he's thirty).  He's a really nice kid and a great missionary with many ideas that will most-surely help the missionaries in our area to work more effectively.

 

On Saturday we met with Daniel again and had a really good lesson with him.  We had originally planned to teach him the Restoration, but ultimately ended up talking about the faith that he has, but doesn't know or believe that he has.  It was a really good conversation and he ended up asking the question "if I have faith, why don't I want to go to Church?"  I answered "Because it's hard".  It was a really good conversation and I think that we're starting to see Daniel progressing faster.  We invited him to come to Church on Sunday and we told him that we could go to his house and pick him up and go to Church with him.  I think that he was legitimately flattered by our offer.  I think that we're actually going to have to try that approach one of these days.  It's just that going to Church is a huge struggle for him because he lives like an hour away so he'd have to wake up at like 8 in the morning (!) to be able to get there at 10 when it starts. 

Plan of Salvation / Some of the Commandments

 

On Sunday we were supposed to meet with 이경철 (Ee Gyungchur), but he was sick so unfortunatley he wasn't able to come to Church.  It's all good though.  We're hoping to give him a baptismal date of December 5 the next time we meet with him.  At night we had a really awesome fireside where Brother Mark A. Peterson came and spoke to us.  He's like an expert on Korean history and culture so he came and talked to us about religions that are native to Korea/embedded in the culture of every Korean person.  It was really insightful and it helped me to better understand A. how the Gospel relates to other religions B. how to better teach people of other faiths about the Gospel.  Afterwards, I met this old guy on the train who just happens to be super good at English and just happened to have several questions that can be answered by the Gospel.  So I got to teach an entire lesson in English!  재미 있다!  There are prepared people out there kids!

 

I've been out on my mission about 8 and a half months now (!) and it's hard to recognize how far I've come just within that short time without stopping for a second to look back at all that's happened since then.  8 and a half months ago I was 18 years old.  I had finished reading the Book of Mormon only one time on my own.  I had no testimony of anything except that God lives, that He answers prayers, and that I was supposed to go on a mission. 

 

I am still no where near perfection, and even though I know that I will never get there within the future that I can see, I continue to try.  It is our ultimate goal after all. 

 

Love and Miss Y'all!

 

Called to Serve!

 

Love,

 

Elder Huckvale 

 금릉역

At the 돈까스 buffet (I didn't get any good pictures)

Week 37 - We Would Would Be Delighted If You Would Join Us

Title - In "The Empire Strikes Back", on Bespin, Lando leads Han and Leia to a dining room.  When the door opens, they realize that Lando has betrayed them.  The room is filled with Darth Vader, Boba Fett and his army of Stormtroopers. Han shoots at Darth Vader who deflects the bolts and then uses the Force to summon his gun and says, "We would be delighted if you would join us". 

Hello My Adoring Fans!

 

This week has been pretty great, just out here teaching, preaching, and learning like missionaries do.

 

So what happened this week?  Let's find out together!

 

On Tuesday, we had a lot of cancellations, but we still ended up being able to meet with 김동환 (Daniel) at the end of the day which was pretty good.  We ended up talking a lot about how there are no people that are better than others on this earth, but that every one was originally good and every one has the potential to still be good.  We talked about the light of Christ and I told him about a slogan that I have been thinking about in my head recently:  "There are no bad people, just confused children of God". 

Elder Huckvale and 김동환 (Daniel).  YEAH!!!!  I've been wanting a picture of him!

 

On Wednesday Thursday I went on an exchange with one of the greenies our zone leaders are training named Elder Beesinger.  He's from Utah, just graduated high school, his family goes back to the root of the Church, and he has a girl waiting for him at home for the time being.  He's a really nice kid though and we had a really good time walking around in my area and talking to people on the street.  It was my first time being with a companion that is younger than me so it was a pretty interesting experience.  I definitely gained a lot of confidence that if I had too, I could be a senior companion even though I still feel very young myself.

 

On Saturday and Sunday, we watched General Conference and it was awesome!  I never really fully-appreciated General Conference before my mission, but now when I watch it and actively participate in taking notes and stuff, it's a much better experience and I am able to learn a ton about the gospel.  I especially liked that the theme for the first session seemed to be entirely focused on remembering that exaltation is our ultimate goal and purpose in this life.  I don't know why, but I thought that was cool.  I also really enjoyed Elder Holland's talk about mothers.  Love you mom!

 

 #LDSConf

Elder Kim and I had to miss the second session on Sunday, but it's cool because we had an awesome lesson with 이경철 (Ee Gyungchur).  We reviewed the Plan of Salvation and taught about a ton of the commandments and it was a really good lesson.  I drew pretty much all of it on the board which he said really helped him to learn and understand the principles better.  He's continuing to read the Book of Mormon and tries to pray every day, but the only problem is that he misheard me when I asked him to be baptized and thinks that I invited him to be baptized in December.  We didn't really know how to respond to that one so I don't know what we're going to do.

 

Anyways, yeah, this week was really good and I'm so excited to continue doing the work of the Lord among His people in Korea.

 

Love and Miss Y'all!

 

Love,

 

Elder Huckvale

 Zone

Aaahhhh.... his voice!!!  If this works, I found it "hidden" in his email!  Woo hoo!!!

Week 36 - You Still Have Much to Learn

봉일천

Title - In Episode II, when Yoda confronts Count Dooku, Count Dooku says, "I have become more powerful than any Jedi, even you." And Yoda responds, "much to learn, you still have."

Hello Adoring Fans!

 

This week was pretty rad!  We've got a baptismal date so that's really cool.  PLUS, there was some other stuff that happened. 

 

Let's look back at the week now shall we?

 

On Tuesday, since it was 추석 (Chusuk) last weekend, all of the missionaries in our district were able to go to one of the members' houses and eat lunch with him and some other members from the ward.  It's not the first time that I've been to his house, Elder Kim and I went there one time with Daniel to have dinner.  Anyways, it was really fun.   김조수 (Kim Josu, who's house we went to) has created like this really awesome garden-thing in his yard with a variety of patios and eating areas for entertaining guests.  It's really cool. 

 

On Thursday, October started, and the weather all-of-a-sudden changed from summer to fall.  So it was overcast and windy all day.  It was awesome.  Reminds me of home in the Northwest.  It was kind of unfortunate though because on Thursday I came out with a cold.  Struggily.  I had to go to the convenience store and buy a ton of tissues to use while out hunting for less-active members.  It was a really fun day though because we went to an area that I had never been to before, so it was fun to explore around.  Also, while we were out and about, we got a call from someone interested in attending our English class just out of the blue.  That was really exciting because not very many people go to our English class, but we've been doing a lot recently to improve it and do a better job of spreading the word by passing out flyers and stuff.  Nice!

 

On Saturday, the guy that contacted us on Thursday came to English class and it seemed like he had a really good time.  He's a super nice guy, but according to our application, he doesn't have any gospel interest other than finding "True Happiness".  If that's the case, though, then he's in the right place.  At the end of class, Elder Kim and I taught the spiritual message about repentance and it was pretty cool.  We started out by asking people what comes to mind when they think of the word repentance.  Those who aren't Church members said stuff like you do it when you do something bad, the members said stuff like it's an incredible gift from God.  Then I talked about how I think that a lot of people think that repenting is a bad thing and it means that you committed some terrible sin and thereby have failed.  I told them that I think of the pastors and preachers saying "회개하라!  회개 안하면 지욕에 간다! (Repent!  If you do not repent, you will go to hell!"  If I didn't have a knowledge of the restored gospel, I too would be very afraid to repent.  After that we shared the rest of our message and bore testimony of the power of repentance.  Truly, as we have faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer, through His Atonement, even though we make mistakes and commit sins, we can find peace and happiness in this life and the life to come.  It was a great message and I think that it really got the attention of the new guy.  I saw him thumbing through the Book of Mormon after we read the account of the conversion of Alma the Younger (Alma 36(:17-21)). 

 

On Sunday,  I tried translating from Korean to English for Sacrament meeting because Sister Sonsken and President Sonksen were visting our ward.  It is very hard, I still have much to learn when it comes to Korean.  It was a very humbling experience for me.  Halfway during the testimony meeting, Elder Han had to translate (he's really good at both English and Korean). 

Elder Huckvale translating at church.  

(This was a surprise picture that greeted me on FB Sunday morning from Sister Sonksen, 

the Mission President's wife. LOVE surprise pics!!!)

 

After Church we met with 이경철 (Ee Gyungchur) who, last week, agreed to be baptised.  He is progressing awesomely (if that's a word)!  We did a review of the Restoration with him and we invited him to prepare to be baptised on October 21 and he agreed!  How cool is that?!  He is such an amazing person and I feel his sincere desire to find truth in this increasingly fake world.  Elder Kim and I bore witness that through receiving baptism, he will be starting on the road towards receiving all of the blessings that our Heavenly Father has to offer him.  It was an amazing lesson. 

 

We had two other appointments on Sunday, but they both ended up cancelling.  It's okay though, the work goes on.

 

Serving a mission is awesome, and as I told a kid on the street last night, through serving others and preaching the gospel, I have been able to find inexpressible joy.  The Church is true!

 

Love and Miss y'all!

 

Called to Serve!

 

Love,

 

Elder Huckvale

 At the bus stop.  LOVE.

 봉일천

Underneath the Geumchon Station.

Week 35 - If You Strike Me Down I Will Become More Powerful Than You Can Possibly Imagine

Sorry, I'm a week behind...

Title - In Star Wars, Obi-Wan says this to Darth Vader when they are fighting with lightsabers

Hello Adoring Fans!

This week was super slow.  Elder Kim got sick, we celebrated 추석 (Chuseok(Chusuk)), and one of our investigators agreed to be baptized, but I wasn't there.

Anyways...

Last Monday was awesome as usual.  Shortly after finishing p-day, we headed up to the church building for Family Home Evening which was incredible.  We had like 20 people come!  It was awesome!  Elder Kim and I taught the message and we decided to teach about the importance of loving others because we are all children of God.  The message itself was a little bit hard to understand for the kids, but the activity was really good.  We had everyone complement the person to their right.  I think it was especially good for those in the group that aren't members of the Church to feel the love that we all have for them.

On Tuesday we went out proselyting all day which was okay.  At night Elder Han's new companion, Elder Peterson and I went on exchanges just for the night, so that we could teach English class (we were expecting one of our investigators to come) and so that Elder Kim and Elder Han could meet with our investigator, 이경철 (Ee Gyung Chur).   Our other investigator didn't end up coming to English class, but Elder Kim and Elder Han had an awesome lesson with Ee Gyung Chur.  They taught him about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and they invited him to begin preparing to be baptized and he said yes.  We're hoping that the next time we meet with him we can set a date for his baptism.  Nice!

On Thursday, Elder Kim was super sick, so we decided to call Sister Sonksen and get permission for him to rest for the day.  I couldn't really do anything during the day which was kind of struggily, but Elder Kim needed the rest.  I was just hoping that he could get better before Friday so that we could still go to the Chuseok Conference (and bowling).

On Friday morning, luckily Elder Kim was pretty much back to normal (besides a small cold), so we were able to go bowling and to the conference without any problems.  Bowling was super fresh.  We just rented out this entiring bowling alley and just filled it with missionaries.  It was awesome.  After that, every one went to the mission office for the conference.  The conference was pretty cool.  President Sonksen shared some stories about missionaries in our mission from like the 60's and 70's that were really inspiring.  We also talked about Chuseok and its origin and how people celebrate it. 

 Elder Kim bowling.  :)

Saturday was cleaning day.   We did our studies, had lunch with one of the members, and then cleaned for like 6 hours.  It was a really long day, but it was surprisingly pretty fun.  We just blasted Mormon Tabernacle Choir and cleaned our apartment top to bottom. 

 Elder Peterson cleaning the bathroom that Elder Kim and Elder Huckvale use (he volunteered!)

 CHICKEN!!!

We didn't really do anything too special for Chuseok.  Elder Kim got to call his family and we had church later in the day.  Afterwards, Elder Kim and I went to eat dinner at the house of bishop of the neighboring ward because apparently him and Elder Kim's dad are tight.  It was really fun.

Now I'll tell you a little bit about Chuseok.  Chuseok is a holiday all about celebrating ancestry.  Usually people all go to their hometown during the Chuseok weekend, they prepare food for their deceased ancestors, eat the food, play some Chuseok games, and then go to the grave sites of their ancestors and clean them up a bit (pull weeds, bring flowers, etc.).  It seems like it's pretty fun.  I wouldn't mind celebrating it later when I go home.  That would be fun.

Especially since it was Chuseok this weekend, I was thinking about how grateful I am to be sealed together with my family and to know that even though we will all pass away at some point, because of the Atonement and Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, all death is not the end, and we will be able to live together eternally.  There are so many people who don't know this; who don't have this knowledge; who think that death is the end.  How sad is this?

They need to know!

"There is no end...because of Him" - Because of Him (the Church's Easter video last year)

Love and Miss Y'all!

Called to Serve!

Love,

Elder Huckvale

The District - 

Elder Peterson, Elder Kim, Elder Han, Elder Huckvale, Sister Cameron (from MTC District) & Sister Shaver