HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

Hey Mother! And family!!!

So transfers mean a pretty big change this time. I am going to Taejon to a smaller city named GongJoo 공주 where I will be companions with Elder Wager. I have no idea what to expect...I just know that I am going and going on Thursday! So excited to help in the Lord's vineyard wherever I am.

This week was so wonderful. 

First of all, we weren't able to meet with Jake this week which was really a downer, but we know that if we are able to meet with him more frequently that he will feel the spirit and want to be baptized.

When we went to the restaurant owners, the wife was there but not the husband, so we didn't have the quality talk that we hoped for...and yes, Tuesday through Friday we have dinner appointments...very fortunate! 

The referrals that we have are all students and so meeting with them is pretty scarce. We did get to meet with one for a little bit, but he had an upcoming test and so wasn't able to meet this past week. We will continue to try to meet with them and to discuss the things which matter most. (the young man and the one looking for the true church)

We continued to teach the college age student and set a baptismal date with him for 12/22 which is really exciting. Because we knew that he had missed church last week because of alcohol we taught him the word of wisdom the next lesson and he had a little bit of a concern with it. However, he is still reading the Book of Mormon and praying, so we know that the Lord will be able to touch and soften his heart to help him realize the truthfulness of the Gospel. I love him so much. He really enjoys the lessons that we have and always jokes that he is going to become a prophet. The good thing is is that he understands what he's doing and where he's going. (Ok, that was a little Konglish as far as grammar) He's great!

We met a miracle man this week! We met him on Tuesday on the street and he told us that he had a full hour and that we could talk away. So, we taught him a street version of the first lesson (condensed without a visual) and then he wanted to see the church. So we took him to the church and went up to the chapel and talked for a bit, got all of his contact information, sang I am a Child of God and then left.He doesn't have a job right now so he met with us every single day up until Sunday. He has accepted everything that we have taught him and gets it. He told us that he needs to make sure this is the right church because if it is then he will have to come to church every week for the rest of his life. He is so wonderful. He asked if he could be baptized this Sunday. We had to tell him he at least had to wait until the 8th to be baptized. However, he didn't make it to church yesterday so it will probably be the 15th for him. He is so great! So honest and so sincere in searching for the truth.

We met the lady who is looking for the treasures of the world and had a good lesson with a member. We decided that because she cannot meet with her husband that we would refer her to the sisters in our ward. She seems to understand pretty well which is good. She has a lot of potential.

We've been trying very hard to get ahold of the restaurant owners' son, but he has a really busy work schedule. However, I know that once contact is established and he really starts to realize what this is all about, he will eventually convert. The change in his dad is way too obvious for anything else. 

Our intellectual investigator did not meet with us this week again, which is sad, but I will probably have one more meeting with him this Tuesday. I am excited for one last talk with him to see how he is doing and what we can do to really help him feel the spirit and to come to Christ.

Speaking of feeling the Spirit...Elder Tolman and I decided to end every single lesson with a hymn with whatever topic we are talking about. I have recognized a direct correlation with starting that practice and having investigators consistently meet with us. Those that we started doing that with (which is now all of them) haven't missed an appointment. The Spirit that comes from singing hymns is powerful and will help people to feel the spirit. It is amazing to see the difference that something seemingly small can have in the lesson. (*Elder Bednar's talk)

We also had a very touching experience with a less active this week. The less active has been struggling recently with coming to church and with the Word of Wisdom. She is an angel though--so full of light. This time we visited her and we shared with her a message about Jesus Christ. She felt the Spirit sooo strongly. It was amazing to see her change right there and then we closed with one verse of I believe in Christ and it was very powerful. She said the closing prayer and it was amazing to hear the sincerity of her heart as she talked to her Heavenly Father. Such a good experience!

Yep, that was this week, it was great, and unfortunately, now I am leaving. There are so many people here that have so much potential to be baptized and to come into the fold of God. However, the one thing that I have learned is that anyone, it doesn't matter who, through the Atonement of Jesus Christ can change. Anyone. If they read the Book of Mormon, if they pray, come to church and keep their commitments they can and will change. Every single person that I meet on the street is that way. They all have the potential. God has placed those people in our lives--in our associates and in the people that we know. It takes the faith to see things from the perspective of God to realize who and how to help those people. There was a really good talk that I heard at the MTC. The gist of the talk is that the people that we are finding are not the ones lost. God knows all of His Children perfectly and is mindful of every single one. They are not lost, we are. We have to realize how God has worked and prepared them in the past and then align ourselves with His will for them for the future. It is exciting to think of missionary work in this way. Also, I have come to realize that every person that I come in contact with is someone that God has placed in my path that has the opportunity to accept the Gospel. That is very powerful when talking to people. Although some quickly reject or ignore you, it is touching to think that a loving Heavenly Father put them there at that time with you so that they could just catch a glimmer of the spirit and of the joy and happiness that this church really has. The question then comes to...who is it that you know? They are in your associates, I know and promise that there are people that you know that are prepared or who are willing to receive the Gospel. It's such a wonderful thing because the Gospel is true. Everyone that is on earth chose Jesus Christ before this life. Ask, seek, knock, and the door will be opened! I love you all so much!

ps. Thank you for mentioning the Ensign article...I will read it for sure and I think that it will help!

William