December 7, 2015

Compliments Make Even Whales Dance!

I loved your letters this week! So many great ones. Forgive me for not replying to everyone.

Mom, I thought a lot about what you said about prayer, and I have wondered those same things myself. I believe sometimes God does change our paths and give us not necessarily what is best for us, but what we plead and plead for. Because He loves us. It's true, it is better to pray "Thy will be done," but sometimes I believe He also says that to us--"be it according to your will." As I was pondering this question in the midst of my senior year in high school, I came across the story of Christ visiting the Nephites in 3rd Nephi. In one of the chapters, it says that Christ was preparing to depart, then looked upon the people and their eyes were fixed on Him, "as if they would have Him tarry a little longer." And He decides to stay, telling them to bring forward their sick and afflicted that He may heal them. Also, in Jesus the Christ, Talmage mentions that when Christ appeared to Mary Magdalene directly after his Resurrection, the words of Christ saying "touch me not, for I have not yet returned to my Father" actually can be translated as "hold me not." He goes on to say that Christ knew that He had to go, but He also knew that if Mary had insisted, He would have probably stayed. "Be it according to thy will" can go both ways. I hope that made sense.

Anyway, on to this week. Unfortunately, our investigator who was scheduled to be baptized on the 10th of January, Kim Yongki, has asked to defer his baptismal date because he has lots of questions still. Luckily, he does still want to keep meeting. So we are hopeful things will work out.

Our other investigator, Lee Taehong, whom I mentioned seemed SO prepared for baptism, told us he really really wants to be baptized! He keeps asking us when he will be able to. Unfortunately, we were unable to promise him a specific date, as it turns out that he recently was released from prison and has some other things that we need to clear with President Barrow before we can promise anything.

He's a great guy. So humble. The beautiful thing about the Atonement is that it doesn't matter what kind of a person he may have been or the things he may have done. We can be assured that God will ultimately judge us on who we are, not who we were. I really hope to see this man take full advantage of The Atonement.

So I had a fun experience this week. I went on exchanges with Elder Cronin from my MTC district (meaning he came to the MTC the same day as me, so we're both in the same place as far as the language). He came here to Goejong with me, so I got to lead the area. I have been really worried about this exchange, seeing as we are both still trainees. Literally three minutes after we exchanged, a member showed up at the church for us to teach, so we had no time to prepare. Somehow ( I mean really, I have NO IDEA how, except that God was helping us), we managed to teach this member for an hour, then teach Bak Mingyu for an hour, then teach English class. I have never felt the gift of tongues in a more literal sense.

Bak Mingyu will be baptized this Sunday. I am beyond excited. I love that guy so much. I may actually call home on Christmas from his home, so you might get to meet him.

I'm out of time. One last thought. There is a common saying in Korea: 칭찬은 고래도 춤추게한다 (chingchanun goraedo chumchukehanda). Literally, it means "compliments make even whales dance." So compliment somebody today. You may just make them dance (inside).

Have a great week!

Love you all,

Elder Sorensen

This is where I spent the afternoon. A Buddhist temple built into the cliffs.