Week 99 - Hear Me Elder Hold Together

Title - In "Star Wars", as the Millenium Falcon is escaping from the Death Star, Han and Luke are defending the ship using the laser cannons.  Leia expresses her concerns about the integrity of the ship and Han says, "Don't worry.  She'll hold together."  And then, he repeats to himself, "Hear me, baby, hold together".

Pics - Christmas feast; Caroling; Cold!

Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2016 12:17:56 +0900

Hello My Adoring Fans!

 

This week was awesome!  The Christmas season is rapidly building up to its climax next weekend and it's an exciting time to be a missionary here in Korea!

 

On Thursday we went as a zone and sang Christmas carols to the people of Korea!  It was awesome, but our zone caroling day just happened to fall on what was one of the coldest days of the year.  It was very cold.  We'll still had a blast though and were able to play a small part in helping the Korean people to feel the Spirit of Christmas!  I think that our ward mission leader uploaded pictures and videos of it on Facebook so go check it out!  You can see the cold in our eyes!

Not a super flattering picture... but can you see how cold he is????

 

On Saturday we had a pretty busy day.  We met with a potential investigator who lived in Atlanta for 12 years and got hot chocolate with him.  It was really great!  He's got a lot of possibility! 

 

On Sunday we had church and afterwards went as a district to eat dinner with a family in our ward.  The mom, 이선미 (Sister Lee) served her mission in Provo and so she knows about a lot of American Christmas traditions and wanted to give us a good ol' Christmas family dinner.  It was so awesome!  She decorated really well and prepared a lot of food...maybe too much food...

 

Anyways, it was great.  It really felt like home with some Korean fusion thrown in.  It's not a meal if there's not rice and kimchi!

 

After the dinner we went to the church and met with one of investigators who we had to drop.  It was unfortunate, but Elder Fehlberg and I both felt that he was meeting us mostly out of English interest and not to learn about the Gospel.  We encouraged him to start attending English Class and as he does we can keep good contact with him and help him to join the Church at a later date.

 

The Christmas time is so awesome!  It's been so exciting to watch it unfold and be able to help the people of Korea unterstand the true meaning of Christmas!  I love my Savior, Jesus Christ, and I know that He lives.  He was born in a manger 2000 years ago.  He served and taught His own and they rejected Him.  He died.  He lived again. He lives today. 

 

Love and Miss Y'all!

 

Called to Serve!

 

Love,

 

Elder Huckvale

 

 

 

Week 98 - We're Not Out of the Woods Yet

Title - In "Star Wars", after our heroes have rescued Princess Leia from the Death Star, they are escaping in the Millenium Falcon.  Before they get too far away, a squadron of tie-fighters attack them and Han says to Luke, "we're not out of this yet".

Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2016 12:28:47 +0900

Hello My Adoring Fans!

 

This week marks the beginning of my last transfer as a missionary.  That's really weird.

 

Anyways...

 

This week has been really awesome!  We had a ton of meetings in lue of transfers and the Christmas season, so we weren't able to do as much proselyting as we would've liked, but nonetheless we were able to see a lot of miracles and teach the Gospel.

 

On Tuesday we got to go to the temple!  It was awesome!  Afterwards we ate a cheap Korean place near the temple and then Elder Fehlberg and I went to the Korean War Memorial Museum!  It was awesome!  I've been a few times now and still haven't been able to see it all yet. 

The District

Elder Shepherd and Elder Huckvale

Elder Huckvale and his "sons", Elder Jung and Elder Fehlberg, and Elder Mortensen

 

On Wednesday we had our district meeting and afterwards we were able to go out and do some streetboarding with our Christmas Tree streetboard!  We made a giant Christmas tree on two poster boards with the question "What do you want for Christmas?" and then they write it on a sticky note and put it on.  It's been really fun to use and I think really fun for the people that participate.

 

On Thursday Elder Fehlberg and I went to the office for the a training follow-up meeting for all of the missionaries who came in this transfer and their trainers.  At night we were able to meet with one of our investigators and talk with him about the Book of Mormon and gaining a testimony of it.  He committed to read and pray about it!

 

On Friday, our ward mission leader, Brother 김영기 (Kim), took all of the missionaries and some of the ward missionaries out to lunch at a meat buffet.  It was awesome!  We  met and discussed misisonary work in Sanggye ward for the year and what we want to accomplish for next year as a ward. 

 

Saturday was a really busy day.  We ate lunch with an investigator and introduced the Restoration and the Book of Mormon and he accepted it pretty well.  We met with him last week and we weren't exactly sure how much potential he had, but he seemed to really enjoy our message and agreed to read and pray about the Book of Mormon.  After we met him we headed over to the church to meet with 한정무 (Brother Han) who's a recent convert who's been struggling to go to church since he was baptized earlier this year.  We shared with him the "Light the World" initiative and he really enjoyed it.  He felt the Spirit as we watched the video and discussed the importance of serving others the way the Savior would. 

 

On Sunday after church, we were able to go with Brother Han and Brother Kim to President and Sister Sonksen's house for his Christmas Open House.  It was really awesome!  It really felt like a good ol' American Christmas!  It was also really good for Brother Han to be there and mingle with people and be able to talk with some of the missionaries who taught him.  It was great!

 

As I get towards the waning weeks of my mission, I've been doing a lot of reflecting.  I've been thinking a lot about whether or not I have become the missionary and person that God wants me to become.  I see so many other missionaries around me who I knew when I first started who are now going home and the change in them is so evident.  I wonder if it's the same with me.  I've decided that I'm going to make this last transfer, my best transfer.  I'm going to offer up everything to the Lord that's keeping me from becoming like Him.  That's my gift to Him. 

 

Love and Miss Y'all!

 

Called to Serve!

 

Love,

 

Elder Huckvale

 

 

Week 97 - Our Last Hope

Title - In "The Empire Strikes Back", when Luke has decided to leave his Jedi training early in order to help Han and Leia, Obi-Wan and Yoda are trying to convince him not to leave. But their not able to, and Luke takes off in his X-Wing.  As he's flying away, Obi-Wan says to Yoda, "that boy is our last hope".  And Yoda replies, "No.  There is another."   

Date: Mon, 5 Dec 2016 13:11:30 +0900

Hello My Adoring Fans!

 

We had a pretty good week here!  Elder Fehlberg are working hard to share the message of the birth of the Savior Jesus Christ this Christmas season. 

 

On Tuesday night we made brownies and were able to deliver them to some active and less-active members in our ward.  We finished doing almost exactly at 9 pm and needed to get to our house fast.  We waited on the street corner, but a taxi still didn't come.  Without anything said by Elder Fehlberg or I, we both said a prayer in our heart that a taxi would come.  As soon as we finished doing so, we saw a taxi appear off in the distance.  It was a miracle!

 

On Thursday we were able to meet with two potential investigators and eat with them.  Both of the appointments went well and we're going to try and meet with them again in the near future. 

 

On Friday night we got together as a district and made some Christmas streetboards.  We're not finished with them yet, but they're turnining out really good so I'm excited to use them in the near future.  Afterwards we had dinner with our bishop at his house.  There we were able to share the "Light the World" initiative with him and his family which was really good.  The initiative is really awesome this year.  We were able to share the initiative with some other members from our ward on Sunday as well.

 

The Christmas season has begun. Especially this year in coordination with the initiative to "Light the World", I've been thinking a lot about the importance of serving others the way the Savior would.  The gift that we can give to the Savior doesn't come in the form of gold, frankensense, or murr, but in the form of rendering service to others and offering ourselves to Him--Giving Him the things that are preventing us from becoming as He is.  I know that Jesus Christ lives and that as we give of ourselves and as we give ourselves, then we will grow in love and understanding for our fellow men.  We will come to know that through Jesus Christ and His Atonement, we all can overcome our weaknesses and find everlasting peace and happiness in this life and the life to come.

 

Merry Christmas!

 

Love and Miss Y'all!

 

Called to Serve!

 

Love,

 

Elder Huckvale

Week 96 - Begun the Christmas Season Has

Title - In "Attack of the Clones", at the end the Republic is sending the Clone Army into battle against the Separatists and Yoda says, "Begun the Clone War has". 

Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2016 12:37:07 +0900

Hello My Adoring Fans!

 

Sorry dad for the Attack of the Clones quote.  I'm getting close to the end here and I haven't seen Star Wars in almost two years so bear with me.

 

This week was amazing!  We had Thanksgiving and we were able to see a ton of miracles in our ward! 

 

Elder Fehlberg and I have really been striving recently to plan and use our time more effectively and it has really been showing forth in our efforts to bring others unto Christ.  Although a lot of the appointments we scheduled for this weekend ended up cancelling, we're still working close with the people that we've met and striving to build relationships of trust with them.   We've also been working as a district in being more united with eachother and with the ward in fulfilling our purpose of bringing others unto Christ.  Something that we started doing this week is having each team in our district text a miracle of the day to the ward mission leader, Brother Kim, and then he has having him send it out to the members of the ward.  It's been really cool to see the positive influence it's had on the ward and on us as missionaries.  People are getting more excited about doing missionary work!

 

On Thursday it was Thanksgiving!  It was awesome!  Elder Fehlberg, the others elders, and I all were going to go to the American food buffet, but because of a limit on time, we ended up going to a Korean food buffet.  Usually I'd be disappointed about not being able to eat American food on an American holiday, but I doubt I'll ever be able to eat Korean food on Thanksgiving again so it turned out being pretty awesome!

 

This weekend we had a miracle at English Class!  The morning of one of our potential investigators texted us and said that he wanted to come and he did, plus he brought his friend!  After the class, we were able to do a lesson with them!  The kid who texted us received a Book of Mormon when we met him on the street, and he had read through 1 Nephi 10!  What a miracle.  They also accepted the invitation to be baptised.  They both live in different areas, but the kid who texted us agreed to let us refer him to the elders in his area.  Wow!  Awesome!

 

On Sunday one of the recent convert members in our ward who hasn't been able to come to church in a while was able to come!  He worked from 6:30pm to 6:30am the next morning, but still came and stayed for Sacrament meeting!  The other elders also had one of their new investigators come too and he seems super prepared to receive the Gospel! 

 

On Sunday night we had planned to visit a member, but as we were walking down the street, both Elder Fehlberg and I felt weird about it.  I then had the idea that instead we should go back to the house and spend some time making calls to potential investigators.  We both felt like this would be a good idea so we went back and did calls.  Most of the people we called were either busy or not interested, but we were able to find one kid who was down to meet and schedule an appointment with him! 

 

I love serving a mission and I love serving here in 상계 (Sanggye)!  I love the people and the missionaries here so much and I am striving everyday to develop more Christ-like love for them and all those around me!

 

Love and Miss Y'all!

 

Called to Serve!

 

Love,

 

Elder Huckvale

Elder Hipps and Elder Huckvale stopped on their way to email to have an impromptu "photo shoot" for our Christmas cards...

He said they stopped in the middle of the street while the light was red to take this picture.

Some random group pics...

District with their AMAZING Ward Mission Leader, Kim Yung Gee (Brother Kim)

Week 95 - I am Strong, But Not That Strong

Title - In "Return of the Jedi", Luke has returned to Dagobah with the intentions of completing his Jedi training. When he gets there, he finds that Yoda has become sick and Yoda says, "Soon will I rest.  Yes, forever sleep." And then Luke says, "Master Yoda, you can't die."  And then Yoda says, "Strong am I with the Force, but not that strong."

Date: Mon, 21 Nov 2016 12:09:31 +0900

Hello My Adoring Fans!

 

Sorry for the weak e-mail last week. 

 

This week was really awesome!  Elder Fehlberg and I are having an awesome time here in 상계 (Sanggye) as we serve the Lord and His children! 

 

On Wednesday we went to the office for a zone conference!  At first we talked about the the Church's Christmas initiative for this year called "Light the World" and it looks really awesome!  Pretty much for every day of December, there is a way that we can serve like the Savior did.  It's really cool and the video is awesome.  I'm really excited to be able to spend the Christmas season sharing with others about the real reason why we celebrate Christmas as well as inviting them to serve as the Savior would.  After we discussed that, we had a special speaker come named PJ Rogers.  The conference was really good but we had to leave early to get back in time for an appointment.

 

On Friday we went streetboarding as a district for the first time in a while and it was really awesome!  I caught a cold this week though and my voice was almost completely gone though, so it made it kind of difficult for me to talk, but it gave Elder Fehlberg a lot more opportunities to speak so it was good.  While he was talking, I would be making gestures and then when he was done show them a scripture to back up what he said.  It was pretty funny.  ㅎㅎ  Afterwards we went and found a really sick 닭갈비 (Chicken rib) buffet for only $10!  What a steal!

 

On Saturday we had our ward's mini music night and it was awesome!  The Bishop, our ward clerk, and some of the YSA sisters got together and formed a band and put on a concert.  It was pretty incredible!  I never thought on my mission I'd be watching my ward clerk singing "Desperado" in chapel. It was awesome!

 

On Sunday we went to a member's house and they fed us 홍어 (Hongo) which is like this fermented fish.  It was pretty gross.  The member, 최석현 (Brother Chwe) fed it to us just to mess with us though so it was all good.

 

It's so surreal to me how little time I have left as a missionary here in Korea.  The more I get towards finishing my mission, the more I realize how much I need the Savior, Jesus Christ, and the all-saving power of His Atonement.  I cannot do anything without Him.  He is the Savior of the world and I know that He lives.

 

Love and Miss Y'all!

 

Called to Serve!

 

Love,

 

Elder Huckvale

Conference with Elder Bednar

Trainers picking up their new trainees

Not too sure.  :)

 

 

Week 94 - What a Piece of Junk!

Title - In "Star Wars", Luke, Ben and the droids have made a deal with Han Solo to take them to the Alderran System and he tells them where the Millenium Falcon is.  When Luke and Ben get there, and Luke sees the Millenium Falcon, he says, "what a piece of junk!"

Date: Mon, 14 Nov 2016 17:42:21 +0900

Hello My Adoring Fans!

 

Our washing machine was broken for like two months and the guy came today to fix it.  He came about an hour and a half later than he said he was going to and alas, my e-mail is short for today.

 

Training Elder Fehlberg is going well.  상계 is the Celestial Kingdom of the mission.  I love the Lord and love serving Him and His children here in Korea.

 

All is well.

 

Love and Miss Y'all!

 

Called to Serve!

 

Love,

 

Elder Huckvale

Elder Huckvale with his trainer, (Elder) Jeung

3 generations - son, dad, and grandson

Week 93 - There Is Another

Title - In "The Empire Strikes Back", Luke has decided to leave his Jedi training early to go help his friends on Cloud City.  After he leaves, Obi-Wan Kenobi's ghost says, "that boy is our last hope".  And then Yoda says, "no, there is another".

Pics -  See ya later, Elder Jung (Elder Huckvale's first "son"); celebrating Elder Baird's birthday; welcome to the new son, Elder Fehlberg!

Date: Mon, 7 Nov 2016 12:22:08 +0900

Hello My Adoring Fans!

 

This week was really awesome!  It was pretty hectic though...

 

On Monday and Tuesday since it was Elder Jung's last two days in 상계 (Sanggye), we went around spending time with some of the members that he had come to love while serving here.  Of course this including a meeting as an entire district with our ward missionary leader, 김영기 (Brother Kim) who took us all to the meat buffet.  Classic 김영기 형제님...

 

On Wednesday we had transfer day.  Because of a scheduling conflict though, this transfer ends a week early so the missionaries from the MTC didn't get here until Friday night instead of Tuesday night.  As a result, I spent Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday in a threesome with Elder Baird and Elder Hipps.  That was an adventure.  On Friday it was Elder Baird's birthday, so we celebrated by going to Ashley's which is an American-style buffet.  We continued the festivities on Saturday at our missionary coordination meeting and at our ward's FHE.

 On Saturday morning I rushed down to the office to pick up my new trainee.  His name is Elder Fehlberg and he's from Hungtington, Utah.  I was expecting him to be a pretty quiet guy, but he's actually got quite a sense of humor.  In some aspects he reminds me of my brother Luke.  He told me this morning that his favorite singer is Adele.  To quote him "She is simply the best.  She is amazing."  I thought Luke would appreciate that.  Elder Fehlberg also studied Korean for a year before his mission so he's really good.

 

Sunday was really awesome.  It was Elder Fehlberg's first time at church!  We also had his first lesson with a potential investigator (who came to the Halloween Party last week) and it was really great.  We taught with 하승민 (Brother Ha), who's one of the young men from our ward.  He did so awesome! 

 

Today we're just going to be running around the area running errands and then tonight we're going to be teaching English to a pair of 17-year-old girls so that should be interesting.  Usually we don't teach women, but because both of the sister missionaries in our ward are Korean, they referred them to us.  Should be fun. 

 

This week was so awesome!  I am so excited to be able to finish off my mission serving here in Sanggye.  I love this ward and the people here so much!  There was a long time on my mission where I couldn't find anyone to teach and I really think that the reason for it all comes down to my lack of charity.  I kept thinking about myself and what I wanted to happen instead of what the Lord wanted for me and for His children.  It seems that only now, at the end, am I starting to actually figure out why I came here.  Oh the irony of the Gospel. 

 

Love and Miss Y'all!

 

Called to Serve!

 

Love,

 

Elder Huckvale

Celebrating Elder Baird's birthday