GETTING TRANSFERRED TO MOKPO

Wow!!! Sounds like a great week!!!

 Sounds like the family is doing well all over the United States!!!

This past week was... interesting.

A lot of our investigators were unable to meet this week, but my companion and I continued to work through and do the Lord's work.

So, our investigator who had the baptismal date got a girlfriend...a very very very sketchy...met through the computer girlfriend...and so we talked to him for an hour about the Law of Chastity...and it never went in. He has had no confidence in his life, so getting a girlfriend is important to him...and he will do anything that she wants...we tried a lot to help him, but he is pretty stubborn about it. On top of that, he now has to work to get money to go on dates and stuff, so he won't be able to come to church for awhile...so he is... struggling.  But we still love him. We had a birthday party for him with the missionaries and it was his first ever birthday celebration (he's 26)...he asked us to come over today and talk to his mom...we will see how that goes...

*Korean culture: kids stay at home until they are married and then they leave the house (about age 28-31) 

We also met with an English academy teacher, who is doing well.

So transfer calls, JUST came, and I am going to Mokpo. It's on the coast (which means warmer...!) and there's a nice house. The missionary work is a little lacking...but that is what work is for!!!

Anyways, I love you all so much/.

My last companion taught me so much about everything...!

He is ...in every way, strategic, manipulative, and crazy smart. 

The thing that I learned most this transfer is simply how important and valuable experience is. It is what shapes who we are, and how we see the world in which we live in.

Read Helaman 5:12 and substitute family in for the pronouns. That is true. I know it is. 

I love you all soo very much!!!!!

Elder Strahl

4 DAYS WARM, 3 DAYS COLD

Hey mother and Family!

This week went by well!!!

Sounds like everyone in the family is doing well, and not too cold in Minnesota...!!! Here in Korea there is a joke that there are 4 days warm, then 3 days cold. It is very true!  Here it pretty warm for 4 days (in the 50s) and then pretty cold for 3 days (20s-30s). It is quite fun. The humidity here is what makes it feel so cold.

This week the investigator that was supposed to get baptized this Friday had to postpone his baptism. His struggling with lots of different things right now, but the core of the entire thing is really his family relationship. I talked to him extensively about why baptism is so important for us and our families and he eventually decided that it would be good if his entire family could come to church. So, we will be meeting his parents in the near future. Pray for us! They need the Gospel in their lives!!!

The family that was supposed to drive us punked (which is actually a Korean word meaning they didn't show up...it might be in English also???) anyways, that was sad, but we visited their home, so we can contact them later and help them to the Gospel!!!

The other family came again to church and we were able to have a lesson with them (they don't have a lot of Gospel interest, but they do have English interest) in English with the famous movie star that goes to our ward. It was good and their kids are literally the CUTEST things that I have ever seen. They are great!

The high school kid had to go with his parents somewhere and so he was unable to come to church yesterday. He's doing well and will come when he has time.

The investigator who lived in Utah with the LDS family went with us to the movie star's house for lunch. He is doing great, he is learning and wanting to know more about our religion. He is also working on referring his friends to us. He said that he would come to church (for the first time!) this Sunday. Hopefully he follows through!!!

Those are the investigators that we have that have good potential for progression to baptism. 

This past week I reflected a lot on the relationship that we as humans have with God. There is the direct relationship through prayer and scripture study and the indirect relationship through our relationships with others. The key teaching of the scriptures is that God comes first, before any other person. Which is why prayer, scripture reading, and going to Church are so vital for spiritual growth. If we do those things, then the relationships we have with others will take care of themselves!!!

Remember that prayer is direct communication with our Heavenly Father. If you pray as if everything that you prayed for would be granted, then you will be more careful in the words and attitude that you have. He lives and He loves us. Each and every one of us. I know that is true!!!

I love you all so much!

Have a wonderful week and I wish you success in all that you do!!!

Elder William Strahl

COMPASSION AND LOSING ONESELF

Hey mother and family!!!

Ok, time for a legit email... :)

Sounds like the family is all doing really well in the various places of the United States they are in.

The last two weeks have been a little bit hectic. One of investigators has had a baptismal date for 1/23 and so we have been working to help him get prepared, but he is getting buffeted by Satan. He is really struggling with commitment to the commandments and baptism by his date. We will help him and try to help him overcome the things that are holding him back. He is on a very fine plane right now--aka he can go one way or the other way...

We had a member bring a family to church that we were able to sit by and will be able to start to teach. They have THE CUTEST kids EVER. Their english names are David and Jenny and they are soooo adorable. We are excited to work with them and help them to come to Christ as a family!

We also met another family last night. They are wonderful, the husband told us that he hasn't attended church, but when he saw us, he felt something different, and so he agreed to drive us to church and attend on Sunday with his wife and daughter (she is mentally handicapped).! That is exciting.

We had our high school investigator come to church yesterday as well. He is doing well. He is quiet, but we hope that he liked church and that he will continue to come.

We have met a lot of new people the last little bit, including another member (same member) referral. Member referrals are the best:)

We have met our friend, Min,  and he is a very unstable person. He just doesn't have the confidence to give up the world and try to start coming to church which is sad. But we are helping him to see that church and belief in God is the best way to happiness.

This week went by well. I thought a lot about charity. Compassion is what helps us give to people without being tainted by the pride of giving just to give, or to give for our own benefit. 

There is a fine line in the balance of progression and pride. If we progress through prideful motivations, we cannot have charity, if we give up all prideful notions, and act without the thought of progression for ourselves, then we can have charity, which in all reality is the most valuable and lasting progression. All summed up in the scripture "He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his lifefor my sake shall find it."

Quite the balance... but I know that as we work out of a sincere love and compassion for people that we can learn things that we could never learn if we are focused on our own progression and obtainment. I love you all!!!

Elder William Strahl