ERIC SUNG!!!

Hello Mother--

Yes! This week I had the opportunity to meet Eric. I went to the new ward and sacrament meeting was about to start and I noticed someone younger sitting by himself that I didn't recognize, so I decided to go sit by him...and it was Eric! Oh my goodness it was so good to see him again. You know he's in a boarding school right now, so he lives there and has very little free time. However, every Sunday that there is no school activity, he comes to church--every single week by himself without any one else there. Also, what didn't surprise me one bit, is that as I sat by him, I noticed what he was doing...the Duty to God program. He is amazing. Two years of coming to church all by himself and sticking to the Book Of Mormon and to what he came to learn and realize in Corvallis. We were both filled with joy. He said that his parents live about 3 hours away (in a different province) so there isn't much hope now of teaching his parents, but if I can get contact information and get assigned to the area, then I can help them also receive the blessings that their son has experienced.

This new area is quite the area. It is country, which means only 130,000 people and it is more spread out than Gwang Ju. There are not as many people walking here and there and so sometimes it is a little bit harder to really use time effectively, but things are picking up. There is a lot of work to do. When I arrived, there were 0 investigators. No one to teach. So, we are finding. We are talking to all the people that God puts in our path and helping others to find the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We did have one contact with someone who was primarily interested in English. In the lesson I asked him what his greatest desire was, and he said that it was to learn English. So, then we talked about what the Gospel can do for him and how he can gain something that is much better than just learning English. He accepted it and at the end he prayed in Korean and accepted to take the lessons. So, we will have the opportunity of meeting him three times a week now.

We also met with a father of an entire family who are members, he is the only non-member. Right now he is having problems with his family. We talked to him, sang hymns with him, and he pretty much does not have the desire to do. He is old and has a ton of excuses about reading the Book of Mormon, but we are determined to help him see the benefit that reading the Book of Mormon can have in his life and help him to realize the blessings that are awaiting him if he will just learn and obey.

Other than that, we met a bunch of potentials on the street and so we will see if we can get the missionary work in Gong Ju going. It will be a slow process, but I think that the field here is extremely white and very ready to harvest. Here in the country people seem to have more time to talk and are a little more willing to talk about their beliefs. That is why I love the Gospel, because it is true. Seeing people come to realize that and to realize that they really can know for themselves the truth of what we teach is an amazing fruit of opening our mouths.

Here are a few things that I have learned about missionary work. First, is three things that can help you to help someone most. First, observe, then listen, and last discern. Through observing, listening, and discerning, you can know what to ask someone and how to help them to receive whatever message that you hope that they will. They will trust you more and you will feel more love for them.

Second, people, as children of God all wonder or are at least a small bit curious about God. People care about God and about thinking about God. Also, people need to realize that they have the ability to find out for themselves the truth of the Gospel. Completely independent of everyone and everything else, people can come by themselves to know that there is a God, that He loves us, and that through the Gospel of Jesus Christ people can find peace in this life and eternal happiness in the next life. Every single person has divine nature.

I can't express my feelings for the work right now. They are too great. I can't imagine doing anything else than what I am doing right now. There is so much work to be done and so little time to do it all!

I love you all soooo much! I hope that you enjoy all of the snow and the wonderful Christmas season (ps. I get to call you then, so we need to set that up!)

I love you!