Week 6 in Korea

so much is going on and it sounds like so much has happened back home so i will try and talk as much as i can although i don't have much time.  Grandpa pyrah..i don't know what to say he was truly always my friend in my time and need.  i waited for every time i could see him out walking or walking to church and him just saying 'how are you doing macay'  he loved me so much and i loved him. i hope his family is doing ok.  i hope reva is doing ok he LOVES her so much.  the only scripture that i feel i can provide for that family right now is the only scripture that got me out of the dumps when grandma died.  doctrine and covenants 128:22 courage!  reva and pyrah family i promise he loves you so much! 

next. damian how are you doing buddy? a lot is going on? all my cousins! haven't heard much from you guys but i hope it is going well! how is grandpa doing? glad to hear chemo is done for now..but i sure hope he is maintaining that good positive attitude whenever i get sad here in korea i think what crazy joke or remark would grandpa say right now to make me feel better? keep fighting grandpa!! i thought about grandma pierce a lot this week and how she used to always sing to me! i haven't had much time to write any of my family but know i love you guys! grandma thanks for singing to me when i was little! big derrick has been working hard and look at where he is! CONGRATS!! such a great example to me of hard work! so pumped for you!

 

fam i heard things are going well dad keep working hard ya and be the best coach you can you can learn a lot from the coaches hahaha sorry but ya keep working!!! heard parker split his head open..i knew that family was hard headed... magen heard you gave a bomb testimony the other day keep working hard i don't have time to write you an email today but keep fighting. mom dad how are you guys doing? the personal study and everything?

 

i just have a couple stories real fast. first we were out street contacting and talking to a kid when a guy walks up and starts yelling at us in korean (remember i don't know what anyone says) but i knew it wasn't good.  this was my first real experience with opposition and i sure was so so so mad. but somehow i stayed calm and when the guy left i shared a simple testimony about the book of mormon it was so cool to see how the kid could see our message was important and we found it to be very special and that he could see a difference in us. after my simple testimony he gave us his number! so so so neat!

 

next. a less active man has recently been coming to church regularly which in and of itself is amazing.  but recently he has brought his two kids which are 12 and 13 aka remind me of magen and i.  they are so close. anyway they came last week and again this week and this week their father bought them both copies of the book of mormon they came walking into church so happy!!!! so proud!! and they don't even know what it is yet!  we begin teaching them on wednesday!! its so crazy to see how the lord prepares people and puts them in your path.  this gospel, if you live its simple principles, brings such happiness. 

 

everyone go read president uchtdorfs talk from last conference 'waiting on the road to damascus'  such a great talk. remember faith is a gift given to us by heavenly father through our hard work, desire, charity, and hope.  also i was reading in mormon 1:15 and mormon 2:1  how old was he? 15-16!  the leader of an army and trusted with the records!!  what can we learn??  the time to prepare to be a leader is now! and, we all can gain spiritual revelation!!  and how much the lord prepares us!  i can see how even 10 years ago the lord has prepared me for days here in korea! 

 

the work is hard here in korea.  i dont understand this language at all.  i just got my first haircut today, have you ever tried to tell someone how to cut your hair not using words?  try that sometime! made me so thankful for shantel and my mom ahhaha!  this life is difficult!  this mission is difficult!! ahhhh reva!!!! i love you!!! please everyone study everyday, pray out loud!!!!  i love you all!!! be someones miracle today!


Elder Hunter

elder arveseth is second to the right standing up in a suit. 

my 2 zone leaders are on the bottom kneeling down. 

elder westarp and elder madsen are my housemates. 

elder westarp has up peace signs and elder madsen has his arms around him

Week 5 I think?

what up fam!! first a few things, mom dad magen thanks for the package it was much needed!  i got letters from yunwoo and my family so it was great to hear from you. a much needed boosters.  finally my little buddy sam heninger sent me a letter, its about time.  first, dad congrats on the first big win!! 1 down 1000000 to go! mom dad sign me up for as many vacations as you want in 2 years as long as im with all of you, im cool! happy bday to any one who celebrated yesterday wish i could have been there. gpa how you doin?  i hope good.  i go to bed everynight exhausted but i can never forget about praying for my grandpa.  im so thankful for the plan of salvation holy cow!!

this week has been good.  its hard because we have so many investigators that are not progressing. they have so many good questions  that would be solved if they only asked for themselves and had FAITH!! we are teaching a 39 year old guy oh-yoon-gyoo who works for samsung, but he is always working and doesn't understand how only one guy (jesus) can take care of everyones sins and also if he can why didn't he show himself to the korean people and others around the world.  

another investigator kim-me-hee only trusts random pastors and us. but she trusts them more because 'when she asks 1 question they already can answer her other 10'  they went to school to learn the bible!!!  our members and us as missionaries learn by ourself and we can show you how to learn by yourself also! she has read the whole bible and book of mormon but korean is so hard to read in korean that she just read it without thinking or anything kinda like you would read a korean book just look at it and not study! 

we are teaching 2 people that are married 1 is a major violinist here in korea and her husband works for a business. he is buddhist and she is catholic. she wants him to become christian so we are teaching them both.  they are so great, one of my favorites. a member took us out to a way nice steak dinner last week so we didn't get to really give a lesson to them. i made the dad a sign that says 'do not disturb i am thinking about my daughter'  their daughter is studying violin in germany and he misses her so so so much. so ya, i have been trying to do little crafts and things for our investigators and members. koreans like that stuff i guess and i need to gain a lot of trust from everyone especially because i don't speak korean.  

we have an old grandma ee-young-sook who is 70 years old. the cutest thing ever i promise. she has these little korean eyes that just shine. i love it but she is wiling to do everything and anything we ask her too.  except baptism.  she didn't even have a problem with the word of wisdom. we asked her to stop drinking coffee and she said ok i will try! like ah! but she wont be baptized. elder arveseth thinks she will be the type at wont be baptized here but in the next life which is upsetting but also a bit relieving, i guess. 

as a new missionary i still don't understand it. we went to our part member family like we do every sunday night. (the ones who have tears written on the wall) saturday was their moms birthday, but we didn't know.  we went over on sunday and started talking to them and i asked if they made or got a card for their mom. flat out they said we cant afford it.  cant afford a card!  broke my heart. i was shocked. here this family is giving us all their food, yes it may be leftovers but still giving you all this food, strawberries, cake, rice, etc and they cant afford a birthday card for their mom.  

everyone listen! i know i am no one to talk about gratitude and all that because i am not good at that at all but please look at how blessed you are! if you can afford a birthday card consider yourself lucky!

transfers are coming up but elder arveseth trains me for 12 weeks so we have at least 1 more transfer together.  

we are working hard and are picking up new investigators up a lot! unfortunately not everyone is like they make it seem on the church videos. like they have all this desire to be baptized, but its ok this work is hard.  the holy ghost can and has changed people  and it will continue to do so. 

i love everyone.  elder arveseth asked me how much i look up to my dad and it finally hit me what a great great great example my dad has been to me.  i don't know why but i promise that through prayer we can overcome all!! moroni 733 this work is Jesus Christ's work and we can do all things in Him!!!  ether 12;27 i am being shown weaknesses everyday but its ok!! we can do it! i love you!! don't stop progressing! study and pray everyday! be someones miracle!

--
Elder Hunter

Week 4

dad and mom thanks for the pictures and news paper stuff i loved them, mom i am doing ok.  this is so hard and everyday i wake up knowing i cant go on but i jut keep trying.  if grandpa can keep a good attitude so can i right? im trying. we have a lot of investigators but not many are really wanting baptism so we have to drop them. baseball was fun but i couldn't do it for long I started envisioning playing with dad and i just missed it so much. our ward is bomb we have a tab at 2 nice restaurants and they are so helpful.  elder arveseth is the dark haired one in that video u found mom. yes, anyone can email me but i can only reply  my family. i would say maybe 70-100 in our ward. church building is about as long as our driveway but it has 3 floors. my area is like right outside seoul so it very big town with lots and lots of rich and poor people, this are is like new york if you have an apartment here you know they are rich. area is just a bunch of buildings and a few hills that people 'hike' weather right now is still cold but it is getting warm a little bit of rain but no snow.  best food is probably just like sam-gip-sar its like just pork or i had korean bbq yesterday. weirdest food i would say is just like straight wet sea weed or some funky noodles.  breakfast and lunch is usually a banana and toast or grilled cheese or some korean noodles with rice cake and rice.  just a lot of starch and veggies.  elder arveseth is a good cook so we eat well in the afternoons.  dinner appointments maybe 1-2 a week it just depends on the person.  food is huge in the culture so we usually go to someones house and they give us snacks every time we meet. my clothes are working out great. shoes are great feet are hanging in there! my whole body is getting very skinny especially my legs but its good i guess. i am in good health.  cold meds i think i am just about over my cold but maybe next winter send me some more ya? i will take pics of my apartment and send them home in my package. you don't talk to your neighbours here. our mission office is about 1 hour away by subway and bus. there are 8 of us in our district and i love my district leader, he is great! he is from slc 2 others are from utah 1 is from korea and the other sister is from orem.  one elder from arizona.  district leader is elder deean.  zone leader is elder reyes who is way cool but i cant remember the other ones name. we have district meeting every wednesday. zone conference every month. pdays so far have just been resting or shopping for elder arveseth. our service is a 2 hour english class every saturday. we have 7 investigators but like i said we will have to drop some.

i talk about 'being someones miracle' ya?  food for thought.  how can you be a lifesaver if you are dressed up like everyone else on the beach? be prepared be ready and be in tune with the spirit aka study and pray. know that i am doing my best to work hard to learn to grow and to help others.  think about how happy we will be in 2 years when WE can say that WE did it.  pray for me and i will pray for you too.  i love you guys!

Week 3

before i forget i haven't head from snacker or sam h in awhile.

the family was baptised!! oh my goodness it was so so so amazing.  we have the #1 ward in korea and they did such an amazing job making them feel so welcomed into the ward. the young adults (who some of them are converts) made a video saying welcome to the ward and talked about the blessings they have received.  then 2 young ins got up and played a song with the clarinet and violin and it was so amazing. then the father baptized them!! it is so amazing i could not stop smiling!  the joy they had was so so so crazy and the feeling was so great! the father makes me so so so happy. 

then!!! before the service started we had 2 investigators we had been teaching show up  who said they wouldn't be able to make it. one is a 70 year old lady who is so so so cute and the other a 39 year old tall korean business man.  they both showed up to see!!!!  i hope they felt the spirit! i sure did!! i think if we work really hard at helping them gain faith we could get them baptised this month or next.  

also! a convert in our ward has been working hard at being a missionary.  she has brought 1 friend to have lessons and brought another friend yesterday to the baptismal service!!  he already wants to be baptized!!  it is so amazing!!  we work with an investigator who has a hard time seeing the joy in this life.  we meet every week and discuss a topic that he assigns us. 2 weeks ago it was 'how do we enrich our lives' and last week it was 'what do you do if you feel you or other people have multiple personalities' it then turned into a discussion of loving other people.  he already has a testimony about our church but because he works until 5 in the morning he has a hard time coming to church thus why he cant be baptized. its great for me to help teach him because it is in all english and i am able to really connect with him.  

as of right now we have 11 progressing investigators so, im hoping we can start setting some more baptismal dates. we teach an english class on saturdays and obviously there are some non members and people that are not interested in our church that come, which is great!!  at the end of class we teach a 30 minutes gospel thought.  i had a different missionary companion with me as i was teaching (elder arveseth was with the family for their baptismal interview)  1 of the guys started saying christianity is 'bs'  and that he knows people who are christians but only have 2 children and it says in genisis to have lots of children.  boy, was i fired up! so so so fired up, but i was suprised when it was my turn to talk i was able to pull our conversation back into topic and share doctorine and covenants 137:9 where it says we will be judged on our works and desires.  i stayed calm surprisingly, (as most of you know i usually have a temper) and was shocked to see how well the other 4 people were still listening to what i had to say. if i would have tried to argue with him i would not have been fulfilling my purpose!! my purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ not to force them or just tell them.  

its so amazing to see how i can have a horrible week (in my mind) yet everyday i can go write in my journal and see how inadequate or small i feel here in the heart of seoul with millions of people, but to look back and read and really see how i am blessed each and everyday through trying my best and turning all my problems towards the atonement. that i see true happiness and see the hand of the Lord in my life.  i am thankful for this opportunity to be here and see how much potential i have along as everyone here in korea and in the world.  

remember blessings come through obedience to his commandments.   i know that happiness comes through only keeping the commandments!! please!!  if you are unhappy first pray. second study. third pray.  fourth serve.  repeat steps 1 and 2.  president uchtdorf said it is often times we find answers to our prayers through serving others.  well, there is your answer serve others.  remember we all have a potential to live up to.  find out each day how you can live up to your potential. 

last night we went to another part member families home. the mom and 1 daughter are members the father and another daughter are not.  the way they talk to us, it seems like they have some contention in their mom.  the mom says she is always nagging her children. 1 daughter is worried about the big end of school test and the other daughter (not a member) is kind of just in the background.  last night while we were at their house i remembered some things president monson, sister stucki,  and bishop baxter said; this is kind of all their words mixed into one thing.  people like to hear 2 things.  1-thank you 2-their own name.  so we sat their and went around giving each other compliments for about 15 minutes.  then i made little papers to put around their home to remind them to give each other compliments. i challenge everyone to give AT LEAST 1 COMPLIMENT to everyone they have close association with. 

lastly this week in my personal study i have been studying in alma.  alma 2:34 i found it interesting. as read alma 2 they are in the battle and they keep praying in order to conquer their 'trials'  but in verse 34 once they are done they don't sit around for another trial or the next thing in life to come. they move the 'trials' out of the way and start to go take on another one.  the rest then in 15:18 after alma and amulek have worked so hard they go to back to get better but their trials didn't stop! alma 17:29  ammon turns what people saw as the end of their lives into an opportunity! trail into opportunity! then after ammon has just done something amazing what does he do?  18:9 he keeps serving!! he didn't stop!!!  the things i learned this week are  turn trails into opportunities.  be patient in all things understand that their is an ETERNAL plan.  serve others!! 

just say thank you or tell someone they did a good job brushing their teeth it doesn't matter just say something nice!! not only will they like it but, like i said last week you will see the good in life and not the bad!!  take your trials head on!! pray! study! 

i love you guys!! i am still very homesick but i am trying each day to work harder and harder!!  pray study serve be a miracle today and keep smiling!
--
Elder Hunter

Week 2

please say thank you to everyone for me who has sent me emails and
such i dont have time nor am i allowed to send personal emails to
people other then family so i know roger street emailed me please
thank him.  also.  letters from korea to the us take about 9-10 days.
as far as packages and letters from the us.  they are sent to our
mission office so it could be a month before i get a letter from you.
family and friends if you write an email and include your address i
can reply so it is much faster.  as far as my week has gone...

first mom dad magen.  the only thing i can say is i am sorry for the
ROTTON <-(spelling error on purpose) kid i was.  mom dad and magen i
cannot wait for when i come home to become your best friend. i am very
homesick.  unfortunately here in the city i cant really see any stars
so thats unfortunate.  last night our boiler went out so it was cold
all night so i had my first experience this morning in a male naked
bath house.  boy was that fun!!  it actually wasnt bad but seeing
naked korean men isnt my favorite way to wake up in the morning.  
it is still hard spending over 15 hours in the apartment.  food is ok.  
mom i will have you know i am eating all my vegetables even my mushrooms. 
blah.  but i see how people want to give everything to us missionaries 
so how could i not eat it? i am very blessed.  once again i miss you all so much 
i am very excited for the baptism coming up this sunday.  the
father is a member so his wife and 2 daughters are getting baptized.  i
cant explain enough how much joy that mans smile brightens my day. he
is so excited for his family.  the ward is very good to him.  he is
truly one of the rays of sunshine in my life. if you remember a talk
by gordon b hinkley 'stop seeking out the storms and look at the rays
of sunshine'  thats what i am trying to do.  everyone loves baseball
here.  they all think i am a super star!  they all just want to come
up and talk to me about baseball! they all think that i am super
strong because 1-im big round and proud like my father and 2-im much
much bigger then them.  sleeping on the floor isnt that bad but  when
the boiler goes out its very cold (our heating comes from a heated
floor) i have found my companion arveseth really likes to sing.
like really really.  its been neat to hear him just love to sing and
sing and sing and sing and sing and sing and sing.  my korean is still 
awful.  i dont know much but i can usually discern about what people 
are talking about. i definately can hear better than i can speak but 
thats always a given.  fortunately a lot of people like to speak 
english to us so we have conversations in english.  the ward is very 
good to us and we have money at 2 very good restraunts but we try 
not to eat there (i feel bad using others money)  they also
give us lots of food.  elder arvesth really likes to cook and loves
korean food so usually he makes the tofu soups  and i do the dishes.
its so funny to read my past journals where i always say something
along the lines of 'listen bro im 6 foot 1 inch and left the mtc at 200
lbs  do you think you could spare me a steak these veggies and rice
aint cuttin it'.  but its good i feel very healthy and have adjusted.
it smells awful here but i am getting use to it. magen in case you 
were wondering yes we have a washer but no drier. my one towel is doing 
just great and i am the best at doing laundry.  so HA!!!
i hope everyone is doing well.  i pray for everyone every single day.
speaking of days one of my favorites is coming up!!  MARCH 2ND!!!!
hey now anyone who likes that day lets all yell crazy on three ready
1-2-3!!!!  hahhaahh
all the investiagators seem to be progressing its stil very hard to
teach in korean.  also. sitting on the floor during lessons is very
hard sitting indians style.  'ppl listen im 6 foot 1 200 lbs i cant
sit like this'  but i enjoy being here.  the work is hard. i spend
sometimes getting irritated with people around me but i am trying to
have a positive attitude.  i have re started to read the book of
mormon and i just finished mosiah.  king benjamin is a beast. king
mosiah is so smooth. and how can you not love the sons of mosiah who
have requested pretty much a death wish to go and teach the lamanites.
even though they sinned they are forgiven and are preaching the
gospel.  im very thankful for the whole book of mosiah.

mom dad everyone i love you. please, please keep praying for me i need all the help i can get.  unfortunately i have lost my 
confidence so i am very afraid sometimes here in korea trying to get around.  however it does help that south korea is a very very safe place!!!  they are
more afraid of me than i am of them. keep praying. keep studying.
remember WE can do this. thanks for the support. i love you.
-- 
Elder Hunter

We were able to chat for a minute and this is what he said:

hahah no nothing to get off my chest i was just so ungreateful thank you for a great life.  i have not gotten your letters yet. playing with that kid went well. he is coming out to utah soon to go to ldsbusiness college so i will give him your number to maybe help him.  he is a convert and doesnt speak much english. love you.ya i am in a small depressing library. i love you guys.so much.  tellrach and shantel they will be getting letters in about 2 weeks from korea.  give magen and grandpa and damian  and aij and morg my love xoxo oh and wow i love you so much a lot of people have asked if i had a mitt but it would beto much of a hastle.  they usually have extras that i can use. i haveonly played baseball once. and we will be starting to play soccersoon. so i dont think i need it. thanks though. i may go buy somesoccer cleats tho.  we will be playing on like a sand field to ya. i love you dad dont forget it.  see you in 2.  im not quitting. im not going to be a garbage man.we have 12 investigators dad and we are still looking for more!! crazy.  dad i love you and i cant wait to come home and become even better friends with you mom and mgen.  you have been a great dad to me and mom has been amazing me to me too. i hope i can be as god of parent as you both have been to me and magen.

Week One In Korea

Wow what a week!  The flight was crazy Coats and I got everyone around the airport. I'm so sorry I didn't have time to call you all I did my best.  I am adjusting to the food here in Korea and my Korean is not very good but I hope that as i keep trying to listen well and work hard that it will get better.  I love my mission president so much already he is a very nice guy.  When we landed we went out and did a proselyting activity I teamed up with one of the Koreans and we gave out two copies of the Book of Mormon. We were the only two to do that it was so great. I was surprised to see how timid a Korean was in sharing the gospel but I enjoyed him being outgoing with me and sharing the message. we also received one number from our contacting. The next day went well I met my companion Arveseth from Utah and he is so great he has been out a little over a year now. His Korean is very good and I'm glad to have him as my companion.  Before I got here him and his old companion had been teaching a family of 5. The father is a member but his wife and 3 kids are not. We taught them kind of a review lesson and they are going to be getting baptized March 4. So exciting!  I'm surprised at how much English we speak it really is about 50/50so many people want to speak English to us and I want to speak Korean to them. I already love the people so much.  The food is alright. Spicy but i can handle it.  I have been getting my 10;30-6;30 sleep however I wake up a lot to the subway under us and people walking outside our apartment. I love teaching the gospel here in Korea and as scary as it is walking around the subway I love trying to share the message even if I do get shut down. The area I am in is so nice.  We are in the northern part of Seoul in the Seocho ward.  I am very blessed because the ward is fully functional and they love helping out the missionaries.  We have credit at some nice restaurants here so we eat very well. 


I feel so bad when members give us food or take us to eat or when investigators and their families give us food or money for a taxi I hate doing that. I love every person in Korea but because I love each investigator that I meet I worry about them and what I can do to help them. 

On Sunday I had to go introduce myself in Sacrament Meeting and share my testimony I didn't mess up which was good but it was so scary at the same time.  As far as I know everyone seems to like me.  We taught another family on Sunday night who 2/4 are members and the father has no interest, but we are teaching the daughter.  I'm so sad to see how Korean culture puts down others so much.  On the wall the girl had written 'tears' in a dark pencil and it hurt me inside so much. I couldn't stop telling her how much her Heavenly Father loves her however she didn't seem to really want to listen. We will be going back there each Sunday.  My area that I am serving has a lot of investigators so it is very good.


Today is pday and a kid in the ward wanted to go and play baseball so Arveseth being the nice guy he is, is gonna have us go play with him. I love the work I love the korean people I love you. Please pray for me.

Here We Are