SIDDA'S BAPTISM

Hey mother and family!!!!

This past week was great!

Sidda was baptized and he really enjoyed the whole experience. The baptism was in English, as well as the confirmation, and pretty much the whole program! My companion got to come back from 대전 to baptize him, and things went really well. I am so happy for him and his new start as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, He is Chinese and so may be able to help his Chinese friends and family come to accept the blessing that the Gospel brings (that was the message our Bishop told him).

Aside from that there was some not so great news. With Sidda preparing to be baptized and having to learn in English, our other investigator just came to church, and then started wearing a suit. He got a ride from the members and he seemed to be golden. And then yesterday we talked to him about baptism, and it came out that he complete wrong motivations for coming to church. So, we will meet with him a little bit outside of church and see if we can help him get the right motivations, otherwise he will be dropped for sure.

The English family surprised us in two ways (one good, and one bad) this week. When we went to English class they ended up riding the exact same bus that we did. So, I had a 30 minute conversation with the mother about the church, baptism, and the positive effect that the church has had on me. She seemed to listen well. When we went to English class, there was no adult male, so we suggested to do it with the sisters, but the family rejected. And so then we ended up teaching them the 1st Lesson while they were waiting for the dad to come pick them up. They really liked the first lesson, and that was good. At one point during the lesson, the mother told the daughters to pay attention so that later they could get baptized. Then she added, even if I don't get baptized...so we have to work with the mother and the father. The Mother is a little odd, but the Father is a spiritual giant. He is going to be really busy the next few weeks and so they may not be able to meet...or come to church, which is not fun. But, there is a lot of potential for the 4 of them to come together in the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

The other family we were able to meet the day of transfers (I have a new companion, Elder Dubois, but we are still in Gwangju.) The father (only) met with us and had SO MANY questions about life, death and so many other things. We were happy to talk with him about them and to help him to understand a little bit more about God and His plan for us. He couldn't come to church on Sunday because of his older sister or something coming, which was sad, but we will hopefully meet him a few times this week. He's great!

The Vietnamese people turned out to be from Thailand. And he (just one this time) didn't even know where we were going when he came with us...we used a Korean-Thai book to communicate with him...and it was interesting. He was great, though. He studied electrical engineering in Thailand, graduated and came here. His wife is still in Thailand. He doesn't have any children. We will see what happens. Gospel library is available in his language...and so we will help him with that as well.

The Rwandan investigators...disappeared. Sadly. Sadly disappeared. We will continue to try to get contact...

This past week I have reflected a lot about motivations. Motivations reflect our desires which are at the base of our thoughts, actions, and habits. It is the flare of agency that guides our time and our choices, and this God-given life we all have. There is also the famous you reap what you sow. If that is the case then the very base seed of our agency, our motivations determines in the long run what we will really reap. The longer that we sow right motivations the more pure and clean we become, and the longer we entertain and encourage the bad motivations the more twisted and unhappy we become. In the long run, though, we will reap what we sow. So sow good motivations and you will reap good character... always, because as Paul writes in Galatians "God will not be mocked..." then you reap what you sow.

I love you all so much!!! Remember that if you sow missionary seeds you will reap missionary opportunities and experiences!!!