FAMILY!
What a week! I am
experiencing things in my life that I never thought I would experience. So many
crazy things and so many learning experiences. I am training and there
are so many new responsibilities I have, and I am learning so much. This
training experience thus far has taught me that I really can't do missionary
work on my own. I need the help of my companion and I need the help of my
Savior. This has been a humbling experience, and I am so grateful to the Lord
for giving me this opportunity. I am still a very young missionary, but I am so
thankful for all the lessons the Lord is teaching me.
New companion. New
area. New Members. New responsibility. New adventure. New Investigators. New
People, and New Blessings.
I am so grateful for
the time that I had to serve in Gwang Ju. I learned so much. I was able to
create some relationships with the members that I will have forever. I am so
grateful for all my experiences I had there in that city. I learned a lot, met
so many people and really worked hard to leave my mark.
Its been one year
since I have received my mission call and 6 months since I arrived here in
Korea. It is really crazy how time works!
This week has been
great. I am learning a lot about member missionary work. I am trying to have
members come to some of our appointments to help better explain things in depth
and to gain a better relationship with them. One of the most important things
in missionary work is establishing a relationship with the member and the
investigator. I have found a few people to meet with on the street, and I came
into the area with 2 investigators who are slowly progressing but have a Word
of Wisdom problem. We got a referral from the other Elders last week, and he came
to church. It was a miracle! The Lord has really prepared him. I extended a
baptismal date to him this last week, but he talked about how he wanted to wait
till he graduated (next year). I know that as he continues meeting with
us, he will understand why this gospel is important.
Yesterday I went to a
member's home in our ward. It was by far the best member visit I have had on my
mission! Holy cow, it was amazing! First of all, on the way to the member visit, we
were walking in between these apartments and I saw an American kid playing football
with another kid. When I saw the football, I got so pumped!!! As I went up
closer to him, I could see he was wearing a Colts sweat shirt haha. Me and some
of the Elders played catch with him and were able to get his number. He is here
with his parents for his church, so I don't think we will be able to really teach
him a lot about our church, but you have no idea how pumped I was to see an American, and let alone..one with an American NFL jersey on! It was super fun
to play catch for a few minutes and break the ball out again! Hah!
After that, we
headed to our appointment and when we got to our member's home, it was the nicest
apartment home I have been in on my mission. SO nice. She prepared the most
amazing meal I have had on my mission. So healthy and goooood! They had a huge
dining table we sat at and it was seriously probably the greatest thing ever.
All the Elders in my home went there. (There are 4 of us.) I was able to share a
message about service. I talked a lot about how through service we can come to
know who God is. As I look back on my mission experience, I can name so many
times where I have come to know who I am and how I feel the love of God through
serving His children. I am so grateful for a family who has taught me to give
selfless service. I talked a lot about how I am grateful for an amazing mother
who has taught me to always give to others. Through serving, we can really feel
the love of the Savior, and we can come to know that we are all children of God.
This gospel is so
amazing, and it's really changed me. I have been incredibly blessed in my life,
and I came out here to change myself, learn and grow, and to know what role that
the Book of Mormon and the Savior Jesus Christ are in my life.
I am so excited! This
week on Saturday, I will be baptizing Chun Joon Sang. I am so blessed, and he was
and is truly a miracle. The story of how I met him and the way things lined up,
I know for a surety that it was the will of God. I am so thankful and am so
excited. I have developed such a strong relationship with him. I really, really
love him.
Hope all is well.
Keep your head up. PACE. And allow the Lord to be a part of your life. He will
lead you if you let him. Focus on what's important and Have a good week! I love
you all and thank you for your support!
Love,
Elder Cole Thomas
Johnson
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