Hello!!
This has been a great week! We
were pretty busy with a lot of random things this week, so we weren't
able to just get out and talk to people very much, which is kind of a
downer because I love that part of missionary work, but we had some
great things happen that were probably even better.
On Tuesday after our Combined
District meeting, we went to a little block in the city and did a mini
"English Village" which is a new idea President Shin has been trying to
implement throughout the mission. English Village is where we get a
bunch of missionaries together and set up a few stations where we
simulate different scenes such as a restuarant or hospital, then invite
people off the street just to come practice English with a bunch of
Americans, role-playing the different scenes. We have them cycle through
a few stations, then the last one is a Church where we talk simply
about God and religion and if they are interested, teach a lesson. Then
we ask if they are interested in our English programs or our message and
get their contact info and such. At first when we did it, almost nobody
came, but then somehow, all at once, it just filled up with people. It
was a miracle! I think all in all we taught 15-20 lessons and got even
more numbers all within a couple hours. It was super cool.
The other fun experience this
week is that we had our branch activity! We got permission to ride a big
ferry about 15 minutes out from the harbor to an island where we spent
the day playing together. Not only was it super fun and pretty, but we
were also able to get 3 of our investigators out along with one of our
investigators' mom (who we've never met). It was pretty awesome. I'm a
little short on time, but I'll try to send pictures sometime in the near
future. It was a fun day.
As for a quick update on my exciting eating experiences in Korea, I
added a new delicacy to my list yesterday! I got to eat 장어 (a.k.a.
eel). When I heard that was what we were eating, I wasn't really looking
forward to it, but after eating it, I can honestly say that eel is
amazing! It was super good and apparently it is really healthy! Once
they cook it and slice it up, it just takes like a really good fish. It
was pretty fun. Also, at our branch activity, I had 회 for the first
time, which is essentially just raw fish. It was less good than the eel,
but still not too bad. I'm definitely becoming more accustomed to just
eating things that I usually wouldn't be too keen on trying before. It's
fun. And as for the octopus, it's beginning to grown on me too. I've
had it a few times and it really doesn't bother me much anymore. It's
kind of weird, but really not so bad. Hopefully I can find a way to have
you all try it sometime... ^^
I forgot to mention about the baptism! We ended up having some
complications with their dad going out of town and wanting to spend time
with them, so we couldn't do it this week, but we will have at least
one, if not two baptisms next week! I'll keep you posted!
Also, we saw a miracle this
week! We met a guy on the street, talked a bit and gave him a Book of
Mormon. He said "Oh, what a wonderful gift." We ended up (kind of
miraculously) meeting him again at a bus stop a talked some more. He has
been reading the Book of Mormon every night for an hour or so and
thinks it's a great book! We will contact him this week with the senior
couple and see if we can start teaching the lessons. Super cool.
This week I have been thinking about a scripture I read recently
that I really like. It is 1 Nephi 17:51. It is Nephi telling his
brothers about how if God has worked so many miracles throughout history
and throughout their lives, then how is it that He cannot help him
(Nephi) to build a ship. But as I read that, I think we all ought to
replace Nephi building a ship with our own personal hopes, goals, and
desires. It is so important to recognize and remember the hand of God in
our lives and in the lives of those around us (perhaps our friends or
family). And then as we remember those miracles He has wrought in our
lives and throughout all of history, truly, if He can do all those
things, how is it than He cannot help us to ...... . You fill in the
blank. I know and testify that God lives and that He is our all-knowing,
all-loving, all-powerful father in heaven. He is aware of us and can
help us to overcome or accomplish any thing with which we are faced. I
think one of those things is the commandment to feed His sheep. It isn't
an easy thing to do, but if He has done all these miracles, how is it
that He cannot help us to share the gospel and bless the life of someone
else! I challenge you to prayerfully seek out and act upon such an
opportunity with the faith that God truly can help us to do all things
and will provide a way for us to accomplish His commandments! I promise
as you do so, you will be blessed with a greater conviction of the
gospel and can be a tool in God's hand to bless and gather His precious
lambs.
I love you all! Have a wonderful week!
Love, Elder Tolman
