Week 6

The MTC is going by so fast! We're already the oldest Korean group here. My companion, Elder Cable, got called as zone leader this week, so he's pretty busy with learning the language, teaching lessons, and doing these new responsibilities. Elder Anderson and I also received the opportunity to experience Viral Bronchitis this week, but that isn't as exciting as some of the other things that happened. 

We had an incredible lesson with 이제성 (Lee Jaesung) on Monday (the investigator that Brother Chandler role-plays). We only had fifteen minutes, so we couldn't teach a full lesson (especially not in Korean), so we just went over our challenge from last time, which was to read the first vision. He asked us if we believed what it said. Elder Cable and I bore our testimonies of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith and told Lee Jaesung that he could find the truth as well, through reading and sincerely praying about it. The Spirit was incredibly powerful in that room and it was a very humbling experience. We taught in unity and backed each other up with our testimonies, and the Spirit made manifest the truth of what we were saying. I learned from this that the Spirit is the most important part of our missionary work, before the lessons or our own teaching skills. With our limited Korean, we could never teach an inspiring or convincing lesson on our own, no matter how well we knew Preach My Gospel or the scriptures. These things are all important, but the thing that will pierce an investigator's heart is feeling the Spirit. They will remember that feeling, and even if nothing else makes sense or if they have questions or concerns we fail to answer, they will want to learn more about it. That is why it is so important to be obedient, dedicated missionaries - we will achieve success when the Lord is working through us, not when we try to work with our own wisdom or abilities. 

Our lessons with Jang Jeeyung, our other investigator role-played by Sister Washburn, are more difficult, partially because I can't understand any of her Korean. I'm going to try hard to focus mainly on bringing the Spirit into the lessons. The speaker in the devotional last Tuesday talked about our model of teaching. We first talk about the "why" of the gospel: why it is important, what is at stake, how it personally, significantly, and eternally effects us. Second, we talk about "how:" accepting the gospel, faith in Christ and His Atonement, Repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. Third, we leave them with a witness, commitment, and/or promise of the truth and blessings of these things. I'm working to improve on these things and becoming a better teacher. My favorite part of this model is how simple it is. Effective teaching comes when we speak simply for our investigators to understand, especially if they are unfamiliar with God or Christ. 

Thanks for your messages and updates! Also thank you for your prayers for the missionaries. I appreciate everything you do for us!

Our district and the older departing district visiting our residence - Elder Cable, Elder Anderson, Elder Jones, Elder Bowers, me, Elder bacon, Elder Sam-yiou, Elder Biesinger

The classroom where we spend all our time - Elder Cable, Elder Anderson, Elder Biesinger, Elder Sanders, Elder Gottfredson

Selfie with Elder Biesinger trying to look stoic, Elder Cable, Me, Elder Anderson

​Me and Elder Cable from the Sunday Walk