This week has been ups and downs, and downs, and downs, and
a little up. I'll tell you the beans
Well, monday was our last FHE with the 태백
branch and we had an awesome time playing 윶노리 with them ( a traditional
Korean game called Yooht No Ri). Generally the game is accompanied by
yelling screaming and chanting and special rituals for getting the right
"roll" on your sticks. This was nos exception. Our team
won 2/3 and was killing it. Then unfortunately it was time to say goodbye
to everyone. Sooooo sad!!
On Tuesday, we packed and got ready to go, took the train
into Seoul, Sister Holmes who was also transferring couldn't stop crying for a
while. It was quite sad.
Wednesday! What I thought was going to be a great day
quickly turned into a struggle. Left my buddy Elder Garff and got with my
new companion Elder Manwaring at transfers and quickly bounced out. I
could notice some initial uneasiness but figured it was just some nervousness
on his part. I'm his first new companion after his trainer or otherwise
known as the GREENIEBREAKER!!! Which isn't bad, just different. Really
different. So we went along with our day and planned some good stuff and
I learned the area. Dongdaemun is great, one of the oldest areas in the
mission. President actually served and lived in the same house 40 years
ago on his mission!
Thursday was a great day until the night time.
We had done some exploration finding to get me better acquainted with the
area. Then at night as we were going to do something in the church, I was
in the bishop's office and could feel that entire day that something wasn't
right with my companion even though he said he was fine and that the Spirit was
a little off. Something was weighing weird on me and I was just trying to
shake it off thinking I was just paranoid or something. Finally, I was
getting frustrated with the feeling and decided to act on it by probing my
companion until he finally let it spill. All the beans came out of the
can and we sat down for a couple of hours and had a nice long discussion trying
to resolve all the different concerns. I was proud of him for being able
to say all the things that he did and not be scared that it would cause an argument
or anything. And surprisingly didn't but the Spirit told me that it was
meant to be said and heard. We came out feeling a little better but
definitely rocky.
Friday. Weekly planning took quite a bit of time.
Saturday. A wonderful morning but right before
English class I could again tell something was wrong and something needed to be
talked about. I asked him again and finally he let loose again and let
even more out this time. I again tried to be patient with him and let him
know that I wasn't mad and that I just wanted to fix his concerns, but that it
wasn't going to be the same anymore.
Sunday. Great first day with the ward and had an
awesome intro to our ward. The members loved me and that I was so upbeat
and willing to help. President Even came to our ward because we had a
baptism scheduled. Awesome! Had a great time until priesthood when
they came and pulled out the missionaries because there was no hot water for
the baptism and we needed to get some from our house and start filling the font
for the baptism. So we shuttled water back and forth for 1 1/2
hours! Finally, the baptism came and we sang I am a child of God in
Mongol! Then when the actual baptism happened it took four times with the
4th time I had to get in with my companion and push her clothing down too to
make it happen! Wow!!! After church I talked to President about the
situation and he gave me Elder Manwaring's perspective on it just from how the
area has been and his previous companion and it really gave me perspective on
how I need to handle the situation. I had been praying for help and love
and patience and this was the answer to one of my prayers. So I am
excited to be doing this for the next couple of days and really trying to help
my new companion phase into other parts of missionary work. I really hope
that we can turn this around and basically start fresh.
So it's been a pretty crazy week but I know that the Lord
doesn't give us anything that we can't handle and that isn't for our
good. So I'm excited to tackle this head on and give it everything I have
so that I can grow and be the best missionary I can be! I love it here though
and I know the work is true! I love you all!
Also, this morning as I was reading for personal study I
came across some interesting things in Preach My Gospel about the Book of
Mormon. It was in Chapter 5, Book of Mormon, under the section The Book
of Mormon and Bible support each other. As I was reading this I was drawn
to thoughts about all the people on the street and in the World that think that
we don't believe in the bible or something along those lines. I asked
myself the questions "If God loved us, with a perfect love, then why wouldn't
he want to talk to us. Why would he close the heavens and leave us to
fend for ourselves with imperfect books and man's interpretation? Why is
it bad that God has spoken to us through a prophet again? Doesn't it
follow that he would call another prophet? Isn't it great that he loves
us enough to speak to us in our prayers and through a prophet? As I
thought about this I was eternally grateful for the love of a Heavenly Father
who HAS spoken to us through a prophet again and continues to do so today.
I am grateful that he has given us both the Bible and Book of Mormon to testify
of his son Jesus Christ and the divinity of his role as Savior and Redeemer of
the World. I don't know why anyone in their right mind would want to
close the Heavens and limit the Creator of the Heavens! I know he speaks
to us and loves us. I know that Thomas S. Monson is the prophet on the
earth today and that he speaks in the name of the Lord as prophets of the past
have done and guides us back to our Heavenly Father. You don't believe
me, put it to the test! Then He will tell you!
Elder Yamagata
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