One victory at a time

Hello to all of you!

I need a new greeting, I know. I also need a new third line, but here it goes. Thank you for writing to me. I love hearing from you! Laura, first things first, I have not yet received your package, but we will go to the post office later today, so hopefully it is there. Thank you for sending it, whatever it is.

Well, we are trying to get things going here in Jinhae. It's proving to be hard, but it really is one small victory at a time. Our newest members in the Pung-Ho ward, 15-year-olds I Yeon, and Eu, have done a little better this week. We have had a hard time meeting with them again. They will make an appointment with us and then ditch out about five minutes before. We were able to meet with them this week, they went to the Young Women's activity on Saturday, and even though we had to attend Jin Hae ward instead of Pung Ho ward this Sunday, they went to Pung Ho church meetings without us. We were pleased with them and hope they can develop real faith. Like most teenagers (and me), they are highly motivated by food. It has become apparent to me how important a testimony of The Book of Mormon really is. Without it, it makes no sense to follow any of the other commandments or care much about any of the other things the church has to offer. Little by little with these two.

We are still teaching the Sri Lankan brother, Brother D., who joined the church in April. He is a year older than I am. He is here working for a few years. Understandably, since he doesn't speak Korean, church attendance is tough for him. Every week we read The Book of Mormon together and challenge him to keep commitments. He still isn't paying tithing and attends church occasionally. We really want to help him receive the priesthood, but he has to make some big changes in his life. He told me that the reason he doesn't pay tithing is because his family knows exactly how much money he makes each month, and if he sends less than that, because they are not Christian, they won't understand his sacrifice. They will think he is spending his money on something else. He is afraid. We read the promise in Ezekial about tithing. He doesn't quite believe it yet. He said he would pay on May 22nd. Ha. I don't know what the significance is of that date, but apparently that is more of a commitment than he has made in the past. We're trying to get him to pay sooner. My birthday is coming up and I may suggest that date.

Anyway, last night he called us and asked if I really believed the church was true. I told him I knew it was true and how I know. He said he wasn't sure. I asked him if he's ever really prayed about The Book of Mormon and he said no. So, I challenged to do so last night. He said he is sad all the time so I referred him to Alma 7:11-13. All his Sri Lankan friends he lives with make fun of him for coming to church. Without knowing any of this, we had read 1 Nep. 8 together yesterday. The great and spacious building is a beautiful and enticing one. I've wandered there myself, but I promised him if he will pray with all the sincerity of his heart, with real intent, he will receive an answer.

Ah, real intent. So hard sometimes.

Yesterday, one of our investigators, Oh, came to all three hours of church! We were a little worried because we hadn't taught her that much and it was "open mic night" (i.e. testimony meeting) at church. The ward is small, and just as we feared, Sister Oh was kind of a fresh piece of meat. She is 56 and very sophisticated, well-rounded, and well-traveled (been to 52 countries!). The Relief Society sisters haven't seen this kind of investigator for a long time and I think they overwhelmed her. We really had absolutely no idea what to do. It was just thing after thing. They had good intentions, but it was a lot of pressure and awkward questions. Anyway, we had a meeting after church, so she drove home on her own. We were supposed to meet her at 4 in the afternoon yesterday, and we were a little nervous.

Luckily, she is understanding. When we met with her she fed us dinner and we talked about what she thought about church. Her feelings were generally pretty good. My companion, Sister Yeon, started teaching her about the importance of The Book of Mormon and why so many people had talked about it so extensively at church. She seemed to be listening, but not really processing. Sister Yeon extended a soft baptismal committment and she said she would have to think about it.  After a while I just thought to ask her a question. She is very very lonely and feels alienated in a Korean culture who kind of looks down on divorce. She has no children. I asked her if she knew God loves her. Tears welled up in her eyes as she confirmed that she indeed does know. I asked her how she knows. She explained it is a feeling and how when no one else has heard her or cared about her He has. She explained how hard it was to be alone, but that she knows she's not alone completely. I assured her that God does indeed love her and that I know because I can feel His love for her. I don't think He would send that love to me if it wasn't real. She wept and wept. Her heart is a good one--sensitive to the spirit and deliberate. We had to go, but as Sister Yeon closed the meeting with a prayer, especially in Sister Oh's behalf, she was overcome with emotion. I don't think she's heard that God loves her in a long time. Anyway, we are really looking forward to continuing to meet with her. We will meet her again this week and finish the first lesson. Success, in any measure, truly is a gift. It is not earned or merited, but when we show our committment we can see it more readily. I know that to be true.

Ah. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve. I hope I can always treasure service. It is the only way to happiness. I have a long way to go, but I'm grateful to know the truth and to partake of both your love and the love of Heavenly Father every single day. He is good and kind. This is His work. When I remember that, all my useless cares are driven away.

Thank you for your faith and encouragement! You are the best people in the world. I pray for you every day. Your examples spur me on to be a better missionary. Love you!

Love,

Julia