Monday,September 11, 2016

Annyeonghaseyo.

It's weird coming from Jungni, where we had so many people to teach that we could hardly keep up with it all, to Sangin, where we have no investigators, so the days are spent walking and proselyting. To be totally honest, I have never experienced so much rejection on my mission. We sometimes go two or three hours without finding a single person who will stop and talk to us. I keep telling Elder Kirkham that this is a test of our faith, and I feel that that's exactly what it is. It would be too easy to decide to not go out for a day. But I know that this area just needs a little "push" and we will be tipping the iceberg, just like in Jungni.

​From the top of our appartment. Yes, we are right next door to the church.

You may remember that Kim Kyeongdeok was scheduled to be baptized this week. Unfortunately, it was rescheduled. But, it's nothing major, and I'm not worried about him at all. I have been in pretty close contact with him all week, and he was pretty disappointed that his baptism was moved. Basically, Elder Roper and one of the members met with him last week to finish up the lessons, and they both felt that it would be best to postpone for a few weeks.

Elder Roper told me about a neat miracle he experienced. Remember Seong Weonseo? He's the guy that the Sisters met many weeks ago, got his number, it ended up being the wrong one, then Elder Roper and I met him while proselyting the very next day. He came to church once, then headed back to California, where he lives. Well, on the train on the way back from HQ, Elder Roper ran into him. He bought them dinner, then told them, "See you at church on Sunday." 

I got a phone call from Ha Jeongman a few days ago. Just out of the blue. Remember him? He's my good friend in Tongyeoung that didn't show up to his baptism. He tracked down the Sangin Elders' phone number through some missionaries he met in Masan. He called to tell me that he hasn't smoked or drunk for 3 months, and he's meeting with the missionaries again. That was one of the happiest moments of my week.

I have been thinking a lot about "enduring to the end," and what exactly that means to me. It has definitely taken on a new meaning over the last few months. Admittedly, when I first started my mission and when I first arrived in Korea and I realized for the first time how difficult missionary work is, I had the mindset that I just need to "endure the the end." I thought I only needed to press through the heartache and the difficulty and make it to the finish line. I realize now, however, that the mission, and life itself is meant to be enjoyed, not merely endured. I used to think that if I endured these two years to the end, I would kind of be handed happiness. In Mormon 9:14, when talking about those who have passed on, Mormon says that "he that is happy shall be happy still; he that is unhappy shall be unhappy still." That makes it pretty clear that we are expected to find happiness in the journey. Happiness isn't a reward handed to us AFTER enduring to the end, it is found WHILE enduring to the end. In the words of Margaret L. Rumbeck, "Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling."

And Christ is the source of that happiness. I love being in Korea, I love being a missionary. I love learning about my Savior and testifying of Him.

Thanks for the emails! Love you guys.

Elder Sorensen

​Celebrating Korean Thanksgiving with traditional Korean "hanbok."