Week 14

January 15, 2017

Hello all!

This week was a very good, fun week and felt like an eternity and flew by at the same time it is weird....

First of all I have to confess, and be honest for a second. A mission is so hard. This week I celebrated my 1 month mark and I can honestly say this was the hardest, longest, most miserable, sorrowful month of my entire life. I struggled, was depressed, more sad than ever. I honestly hated my life. I wanted to go home so bad and didn't like or want to be a missionary. This month was so discouraging. it was so hard. there was a time where I was shaking and weeping uncontrollably. I was screaming at heaven, pleading for help. I had some of the worst times and hardest days ever. I couldn't speak, I couldn't bond with members or companions. I felt utterly helpless.

I didn't talk about it, because I wanted my emails to be happy and uplifting, but I have come to realize and felt I need to share and talk about this. A mission, just like everything in this like has to be hard. the road and way beck to our Father in Heaven CANT be easy. It is not part of the plan. What Jesus Christ did for us was not easy. It was the hardest thing that could every be done. So hard it caused "God to tremble and bleed at every pore." When we follow and become like Christ it literally can't be easy. I have learned that and I think that is a reality people don't want to face.

So even though this month was torture, the hardest ever, it was the best. I grew, learned and became so close to our savior and our Father in Heaven. It was 100% worth it.

I know that the road back to God is not easy, it wont be easy, nor can it be easy. But it is worth it. it is necessary.

However, through all my prayers and your prayers it has gotten easier. Day by day it gets easier and better. But there will always be hard times and I have learned to embrace them and grow from them. I encourage you all to do the same.

Now onto my week.

On Monday we played screen baseball for pday! It was tons of fun! It is basically a batting cage video game. when you hit the ball there are sensors and depending on the power, angle and place the ball hits the cage the ball goes a certian was and distance in the game. It is like a video game you get to act out instead of a controller. It was tons of fun and Elder Young is so so so good! He his like 10 home runs. I guess he had gotten recruited before his mission to play for the Yankees minor league team... pretty cool and pretty good.

After that we went to a meat buffet and then visited a member named 박상기. He was super awesome and I started to feel a connection with ward members for once. We talked for about an hour and it was super awesome!

Then on Tuesday me and Elder Ryu went to a super popular river that people walk around for exercise. We walked and talked with people and it was a lot of fun! Me and him talked a lot about video games. Minecraft and Pokemon Go mainly. I realized how much I miss them and how fun they are!!!

On Wednesday Elder Young and Perry were both out of the house in a different area so it was just me and Elder Ryu. We still had fun times and it was a lot easier to sleep! We had fun alone, and we made dinner for the Elders so they could eat right when they got back from exchanges. I made kimchi chige for the first time, a very popular meal, and it was so good! Elder Young said it was the best kimchi chige he has ever had! I love Korean food!!!!!!

Then on Thursday I went on exchanges with Elder Juke. His real name is spelled Guique or something, but pronounced Juke. He is very young, only 3 transfers in, but he taught me a lot and we went really hard. We got three phone numbers and had a lot of success. He taught me good conversation starters and tips on how to get over fears. I learned... because his Korean was about as good as mine, that your Korean doesn't matter. No matter how well you speak, if you don't love the people an try you will find no success. He was a very good example and I learned a ton!

On Friday I celebrated my 1 month mark! We ate at my favorite meat buffet and it was super good and fun. Then me and Elder Ryu went and proselyted for a bit and GUESS WHO WE MET!?!?! We were walking by a sports complex center and I stopped this guy wearing a really nice Australian jacket. I asked where he was from and he spoke perfect English. We talked for a long time, he I and it was super awesome! Apparently in 2009 he left to Australia to train for speed skating. He then came back now to train because he is competing in the 2018 Olympic games! He was so awesome and his team traveled to Salt Lake to practice a lot so he knew Mormons. Unfortunately he doesn't have a visa so no phone, so we probably won't meet him again, but he was so so cool! His name is Andy so if you guys see a Korean named Andy in the Olympics that him!

Then Saturday everyone was feeling sick so we didn't do much, but Sunday! oh Sunday was amazing!!!!

A member held my hand! 작상기. The member we visited earlier. I sat by him at church and he held my hand. that is huge in Korean culture! it is a show of trust and friendship! Man I love him!

Also there was a baptism. 우지원's daughter. He is the Michael Jordan of Korea. he was like the biggest basket ball star ever. It was really cool. I am out of time, but I will talk more about Sunday next week because I learned a lot from this baptism.

We are off to go ice skating! till next week! Love you all and miss you!

Elder Goon