Dear Everybody,
This week was pretty good. I know everyone was wondering mostly about
the weather so I guess I should do that first. It's hot, and pretty
humid, and everyone seems to be carrying an umbrella all the time.
It's partly because when the sun starts to come out women almost all
use a fancy parasol-type thing called a yang-san (양산), and the rest of
the time it's usually raining. This year the raining season, jang-ma
(장마), apparently started a little late, but on Sunday it pretty much
rained the whole day. Most people are pretty unhappy about it, but I
don't know. This week we also met a bunch of new people, which was
pretty good, and visited some older people. One of the second was
Brother Kim Jong-sheek (김종식), who I think I didn't tell you guys about
enough yet, or remember if I did. He's one of the oldest members here,
about 75, and he works as a farmer, though that wasn't his career when
he was younger. He joined the church 7 years ago, and since then I
don't think he's ever missed church once. He's really friendly, and
always asks how to say things in English and things like that. His
wife isn't officially a member, and is pretty physically disabled, but
she comes with him every week. It's amazing how hard they work, and I
thought I should tell you more about them. He also teaches the
priesthood quorum lesson every week, and conscientiously tries hard to
learn about and understand the gospel all the time. We visited him at
his house this week, which is pretty near to ours. We talked about
Mosiah 2:17, and how all the service he gives does is serving God, and
how He is so happy and grateful. He said he still feels so inadequate,
but that he tries all the time to be prepared and worthy and to do
what is right. He's a pretty amazing guy.
We also talked to two new people this week---one we met on the street,
and it was pretty amazing. We talked for a bit, and asked him what he
thought about religion, and he said it's something we choose in our
hearts, for ourselves. Sometimes people say things like to say that
religious proselyting is wrong, but he was really kind and
open-minded, and even though he doesn't have a religion when we asked
if we could meet again and talk about it, he said we could. It was
probably one of the strangest but best things I've seen in a while.
The other guy we also met on the street recently. His name is Gamith,
and he's from Sri Lanka. He works designing car parts here, which he
says he could make a lot more money doing another country, but is a
really happy, nice guy. He speaks English a bit, and Korean a little
better. We talked with him and his friend, pretty simply, about
religion---he said his family is Buddhist, but he's gone to different
churches recently, and feels good when he goes, and feels good about
Jesus Christ. We also realized later that there are a bunch of copies
of the Book of Mormon in his native language in our house. So
hopefully we'll be able to him, and all the other people we've met.
I've been thinking a lot recently about faith---that's not too
general, is it? I remember a while ago reading in the New Testament
where Jesus says "Be not afraid, only believe." Among other things, it
made me think that a big part of faith is just not worrying about the
worst-case scenario, or if something goes wrong, because those kinds
things aren't in our control. But if we worry about them so much that
we don't act, then even if they don't end up happening worrying ends
up hindering us anyway. I know this is probably really obvious, but
it's just something I thought of, and something I think I need to
understand better. I know that Heavenly Father has blessed me and all
of us so much, even though I wasn't grateful or didn't recognize it as
well. And I know he blesses and wants to bless everyone. It's amazing,
and even if I don't understand it all, I know it's true, and other
people deserve a chance to be able to understand it, too. I'm so
grateful for everything you all have given me, and I know you're
helping everyone around you so much. I hope I can be worthy to do all
the things I need to, and of all the help I've been given. This week
in fast/testimony meeting (most of the testimonies were actually
pretty fast), a lot of the members talked about their experiences with
missionary work, or their children who are doing it. I'm so grateful
for this and for all of them and you. I love you. Keep it up.
-Elder Campbell
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