Week of August 11 2013: Sonic Landscape

Dear Beloved Group of People,

 

This was pretty good as far as weeks go. I think there's a few things I just wanted to mention first. The weather here is pretty much the way everyone says it is---pretty hot. I realized I haven't actually had any way to know what the temperature is for a long time, and what with the differences in science, etc., even when someone told me the real temperature I wasn't sure if it was actually hot or not. But a few days before someone did, and then found the equivalent in Fahrenheit---it was about 37 in Celsius. I hadn't actually thought it was that hot. I guess we've kind of just been getting used to it, what with being here every day and everything. But anyway---that was one thing that seemed pretty important. There were also a few things about the surroundings I wanted to explain about, that I think are pretty interesting. First of all there's the fact that there are so many cell phone/computer/fan/speakers/all electronics stores here, near each other, and that they all play loud music in front of them. Our neighborhood now is pretty much the more dense part of the city, with lots of wide streets and big huge department stores. But just the interesting part is that in some places there are three or more of them right near each other, and they're all playing different songs in front of them, and that it ends up sounding really interesting, or maybe annoying---it can be both, I think. Just the different songs going in and out of phase, traffic, and things like that all combine to make something special and unique. And I guess last of all, which is something that started a while ago but I forgot to mention, is the cicadas. They're pretty much all around everywhere here---they attach to the trees or the big office buildings, and then just make a noise that I really was sure was a machine at first. I'm kind of glad about these things, really, and so I wanted to share them with you guys.

 

This week was also pretty good in other ways---I got to get to know my new companion, Elder Flint, the members here, and the other missionaries a lot better. Last Monday, after e-mailing you guys, we went to the area nearest ours, which is called 방어진 (Bong-oh-jin), which is right next to the ocean. It was pretty cool, temperature-wise, and we just got to sit around and play board games with the other people in our district. It wasn't a super-exciting-planned activity type thing, but it was fun and everyone got to know each other a little better. On Tuesday we ate ith the other missionaries in our house with a family in our branch who work really hard and are really great, and also have a few-month-old baby who hangs around there. We talked for a long time, and got to know them, including that the mom, Sister 오정란 (Oh jung-lan) used to live in Jinju, the first place I served---so that was nice. On Wednesday we had interviews with our mission president, which was great. He works really hard, and is kind of an understated guy, and I'm really grateful to him. We also got to, as usual, talk with his wife, Sister Gilbert, during everyone else's interviews. I think it's easy sometimes to think that I've already heard a lot of these kinds of things before, and that it all ends up runing together---but I realized that the most important part is hearing other missionaries' insights and experiences, which are all unique and different and always help me learn important things. They were all able to share a bit, about their challenges and the ways htey've recieved the Lord's help with them. I don't know---it was just good. We also ate with a cool, funny member of our branch just a few days ago. He teaches at an elementary school, has two twins and one little daughter, and is really funny and nice. His son talked for a long time when we went about the beetle he's keeping as a pet, and how it has different sleeping/eating habits than other beetles, and things like that, which was pretty cute. After we ate and talked for a while, the dad shared about how the missionaries helped his dad a lot, when he was less-active for a really long time, and how it wasn't one specific missionary's visit or message that helped it to happen, but all their service over a long time. I don't know---it was really nice, and reminded me of how many other missionaries have contributed to helping the people here, and that we can actually help the mmebers for good.

 

There was also one really interesting experience we had this week, which has never happened before. We were buying vinyl sleeves for our area book at a stationery store, and ran into a guy who asked if we were from Utah. He said he works for Hyundai, and that he went to Amercia for work a while ago, to Utah. He said he stayed with a family who were members, and had really good experiences with them, and so has good thoughts about our church. We asked if he wanted to know why they were so nice to him and about the church, etc.---of course, he's really busy, so he was kind of less interested. So we gave him our phone number and left. But about twenty minutes later, he called us, and asked if we wanted to eat dinner together, he said, "to repay the kindness I recieved in America". So we met him and his whole family at (of course) a T.G.I. Friday's in a big department store near the church. We talked for a while, and got to know him pretty well---his family was really nice, and it was really great. They're all really busy, but said maybe we could meet them later on. I don't know---it was just a cool experience, and reminded me of how many other people's effort is helping the work we're doing. We don't have too much time left, but last I guess I just wanted to talk about how recently we've been going to a big park near our house in the evening to talk with people. It's called 대공원 (big park), and we've been going pretty often. We got to talk to some really good families, see some cool trees/skateboarding students, and other cool things. I don't know---I'm so grateful to be able to be here doing these things, and I hope I can do the things the Lord needs me to. I'm so grateful for you guys and everything you've given me, and I hope you're always happy and know how much I love you and know the Gospel is true. Keep it up---I love you guys.

 

-Elder Campbell

Week of July 29 2013: It begins when you start

Dear Everyone,

This week was pretty interesting. I never know what to start with---but I remember Boyd K. Packer saying a few weeks ago that, "It begins when you start". I don't know when everyone else got to see that video, but I thought it was pretty interesting.

 

As for what actually happened this week, there was a lot of time spent on a primary activity that our District had on Friday. It was a camp for the primary kids, so we had to set up a bunch of activities at the church and also figure out sleeping arrangements and things like that. Early in the week the primary President in our branch called us and asked if we could come and help her set up part of it. When we got to the church, we went up to the second floor where the chapel is, and she and some other people were sitting on the ground blowing up balloons---regular ones and the kind that clowns and other professional entertainers use to make dogs, etc.---and putting them together in the shape of something that looked like a spaceship. Afterward they blew up smaller white ones and drew shapes on them to make eyes, and when they put them all together they were shaped kind of like fish. They asked us to tie fishing line to them, and tape them to the ceiling so that pairs of fish would be kissing each other. After we finished tying them, we realized we didn't have a ladder, and so we used a desk to put them up. We also had to use tape to make them stay together because the air conditioning was on the whole time. I also realized after a while that their tails weren't vertical, but horizontal, like a whale's fluke. But it was too late to do anything. After a while of doing that, we went to visit some other people. We came back later and missionaries from the other areas in our District came to help set up a "scary room" type thing in the primary classroom, which is already kind of a scary place to begin with. Apparently the church has Halloween decorations, so we used those, even though it felt a little weird. It ended up that they wanted to make it like an obstacle-course/maze, and so we bought a bunch of big black trash bags, cut them up, and taped them to the ceiling and to desks lying on their side on the ground. We spent a lot of time doing that, and the next day had to do more. But when we came back, it turned out that some of the balloons mysteriously popped, so we had to help put up more. It was the first time I remember having to set up something like that, and made me remember/think about the kinds of things people did for primary way before.

 

In the end, I didn't end up going to the activity, because one of the investigators in a nearby area, 경주, who got baptized this week had to do an interview. So I did an exchange with one of the missionaries there, Elder Meen Song-joon, who came at the same time I did to Ulsan. It was really nice---we threw a last-minute surprise birthday party for one of their English class students, talked with him and his family for a while, and then did the interview with the guy who got baptized. It was pretty interesting---he's a really cool guy. He graduated, and now he's moving to Seoul to work with firetruck repairs. It was just cool to see the great people who there are around here, and how much the gospel will bless him and other people.

 

I also kind of didn't mention it, but I actually got transferred to the nearest area from here---another part of Ulsan. It was sad to say goodbye to the members, especially since it doesn't seem like I've been here that long. But we got to eat together on Sunday, talk, and I remembered how much they and other people have helped me. I know the missionaries coming will help the investigators I told you about before, and I hope they're all happy. I know the gospel is true, and I'm so glad I get to help other people find out about it, and learn from so many great people and experiences. I love you guys, and I'm so thankful for everything. Keep it up.

 

-Elder Campbell

 

Week of July 22 2013: Military-drill-exercise-activity

Dear Family,

This week was again kind of a blur, but really good. One good thing
was we got to visit a few less active sisters who are really cool
people, but just don't know the members here very well and are busy.
One of them I think I mentioned before, Sister Choi (Chway), who has
kind of a skin problem on her face, but is really cool, kind, and
showed us a bunch of pictures from when she went on a mission soon
after being baptized (one of the toilet in her apartment). It was
interesting how we got to talk to her---during the week, one of the
other people in our district had to go to a
military-drill-exercise-activity, which people who have already gone
to the military here have to do every year. So we went to where he
serves, a place called 경주 (Kyung-joo), which is apparently really
famous---it has a lot of historical castles and things like that. So
we went with him to visit a less-active member who lives in a
remodeled old-style house with a roof and small doorways, and that
less-active member started calling a bunch of the other members and
asking if they had sent us there. One of them I met before a while ago
at a church meal/activity, and she told us to say hi to the other
less-active member we visited (Sister Choi). Sorry if that was
confusing, but in the end we got to tell her that other people are
still thinking about her and miss her, and it was nice. We also got to
talk to a cool person who's been coming to our English class for a
while, but we haven't been able to talk about church with yet a lot. I
was a little worried she might feel pressured, but she said she liked
the people at church she's met, and how we call each other "brother"
and "sister", and said she would try coming to church once. So we got
to see her again on Sunday, and talk more. She's really good at
English, drawing, and smart in general, and really likes fantasy
books. When we were talking about religion, she showed us the Philip
Pullman book ("The Golden Compass", I think) she's reading, and had
some questions about the things in there. It was really interesting.
She also talked about some of the hard things with her family. She's a
really cool, hard-working, nice person, and I hope we can help her to
get the help she needs and Heavenly Father wants to give her.

Sorry this is short again---we got back here kind of late, and don't
have much time. But every day and every week, I'm inspired by the
other members and missionaries and people around me, and know that
Heavenly Father helped them all to be where they are so we could help
each other. I know the gospel is true, and especially that the Book
compiled by Mormon is directly from God and for us. I love you guys,
and miss you---I know how much you're helping everyone around you, and
I'm so grateful always for the things you have taught and given me. I
love you---keep it up.

-Elder Campbell

Week of July 7 2013: Be not afraid, only believe

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

Week of June 23 2013: Little kid magic

Dear Whole Family,


I'm really glad I get to write to you all together like this. I kind
of imagine you all together reading it. I hope everything was good
this week, and it sounded like it. This week was a little different,
but really good, too. My companion got transferred, and the missionary
who was serving where he is came here. His name is Elder Lee (Ee), and
he's really great. He's really funny. He likes little things, and also
eats a lot of yogurt. I don't know why I mentioned that---it's just
not very common here. Another new missionary came here, too---his name
is Elder Jeong (Jung), and he's really cool and funny. Elder Lee is a
little quieter than Elder Moon, and that's a bit different---but good.
The less-active sister we were finally able to visit a few weeks ago
(I think I mentioned her name is Sister Shin (Sheen)) has been coming
to church a lot, and wanted her son to get ready to be baptized. So we
were helping to teach him a lot this week, with other members.  We had
to teach a little differently to help him understand, but he's really
smart, and the members helped a lot. One is named Brother Gwak
(Gwock), and he's really cool and nice. He's graduating from college,
and was just baptized a few years ago, but he really loves the gospel
and was able to help a lot. He compared getting baptized to riding on
a roller-coaster---at first it's scary, and before you do it you're
nervous and don't know what to expect. But afterward it's an
experience you'll never forget, and things like that. It was really
good. This week on Sunday, we also had a branch conference, which was
good. We visited a lot of less-active members to try to see if they
could come. A lot of them are really busy or are on vacation, so it
was kind of hard---then we also had a branch activity on Saturday the
night before. Each family prepared a little part, including dancing
and little-kid magic. It was cheesy and cute. Then on Sunday, a lot of
people came, including our mission president. It was great to see him
and his wife, and lots of new people. Another person who came was one
of our members' mom, Sister Kim. She came last week, and we talked
with her and her son together during church. She's really nice, and an
amazing person, but still has a lot of trouble understanding religion.
I think she kind of got the wrong impression of what we do, and we
just tried to understand her thoughts and questions and help her. She
said for a while she'd never prayed before, but then her son asked her
about the times when she needed help---when she was sick, someone got
hurt, etc., and talked about how sometimes he has prayed without doing
it like it's written in the pamphlet, but that he knows when he needs
help Heavenly Father hears him. She said she has had similar
experiences, and it was really great that she understood more the
personal importance of her relationship with God. I know what her son
said was true, and that I felt the Spirit when he said it. After all
of church, we had Sister Shin's son's baptismal service. It was really
nice---all the members came together with their kids, and it was loud
and crazy like usual. Brother Gwak baptized him, and it was really
great t. Later that night we went out to try to talk to people, even
though it was a little rainy. We ended up being able to talk with a
bunch of people, some of whom we'd actually already met before. It was
really cool---one was a student we met on the bus a long time ago. We
didn't even talk very much then, and I didn't recognize him
at first. He was sitting at a bus stop near our house, and I thought
we should try to talk to him. It turns out he's going to the army
tomorrow, and he was on the way to talk to one of his friends. We
talked for a while, and even though we wouldn't be able to meet him
again asked if we could help, and he asked if we could pray for him to
be safe. It was a really weird, but good experience. I know there are
so many people in the world, but that God knows and is aware of all of
them. I know I'll never be good enough at thinking of other people all
the time, but I'm trying, and I know that God and Christ know all of
us. I'm so grateful for all of you guys and all you're doing and have
given me. I hope you're happy, and I know you're helping so many other
people. Keep it up. I miss and love you all.
>
>
>>
>> -Elder Campbell

Week of June 2 2013: Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, Life Goes On!

Dear Family,

 

I really mean that, and I hope you all know how much I think about and love you. This week was pretty great. We got to meet with a lot of our members and spend great time with them, talk with some old and new people, and try to find some other ones. We're having a branch conference in a few weeks, and so our branch president, who I don't think I've told you guys much about, asked us to try to invite lots of people, especially less active members. We don't have a lot of information about people, and they're all really busy---so we tried to contact a lot of them. One of them is named Sister Shin, and another is Sister Eame (probably not really spelled like that, but it sounds really close). They're both moms, and are really busy with their kids all the time, so we've never actually been able to meet them before in real life. But it was amazing how kind and nice they were even just talking to them. I could tell how hard they work, and what great people they are, and hopefully we'll be able to talk to them soon. We also met with our ward mission leader on Thursday, which we do every week, usually at the church, and pretty short---but this week we were able to go to his house, which was really nice. His son is also really nice---they're both named Brother Pock (also not the way it's usually spelled, but it sounds right), and the younger one just recently graduated from high school, which here is a big deal. I think maybe I've mentioned it kind of before, but high school students here work really hard, which I guess you might expect. There's a high school pretty close to our house, which we walk by pretty often going to/coming from other places, and usually even at 8:50 or so when we come home the lights are still on and people have regular class time. They also go to classes on Saturday pretty much at the same time, and on Sunday they have voluntary personal study time. And when they graduate, they have to take a big huge exam---I know it's not that different, but basically people here work really hard, especially students. But they're also really fun and awesome. But anyway, we went to their house and ate dinner together first, which was really great---lots of things called 부침개 (boo chim-ge), which just means fried things---kind of like pancakes with vegetables, tofu, and lots of other stuff like that in them. We talked together a lot about Brother Pock's mission---he served in Seoul, and had a lot of hard experiences, but learned a lot, and loves to share about it. After we ate, his wife, who made everything really well, brought out a traditional instrument she plays that I'd never seen before. It's basically a long piece of wood that's curved a bit, with strings running up and down it, suspended over pegs kind of placed diagonally. It's hard to explain, but basically it was really great---I had no idea she did anything like that. She played some traditional Korean songs, and also "Obla-dee Obla-da". It was really cool---we didn't have enough time to do the whole meeting in the end, but we got to know their family a lot better and spend some really good time together. 

 

On Friday we met again with the guy I've been telling you guys about. He's really nice and friendly---we talked more about his family, and things like that, and the Book of Mormon with our testimonies that we gave him last time. He actually said pretty openly that he's not very interested, and felt kind of pressured when we gave that to him. It was kind of abrupt, even though he said it in a nice way---but I guess I kind of had seen it coming before. I just hope he knows from what we've talked about how much God loves him, and was able to feel that when we talked to him. Then yesterday we went to another member's house, Brother Moon, who I think I've talked about before. There's actually a missionary who served here a few years ago staying with them for a few weeks, so we met him, and then another member who was less active for a long time, but who first heard about the church from that missionary, and he came, too. We ate together, also lots of side-dishes, really good food, and talked for a long time about missionary work. That member wants to go on a mission, and Brother Moon talked about his experiences, too. It was really great. I was able to see how much missionary work and the gospel brought all of them together, and thought about how much it's blessed me---and all of you. I still think about all of you, and all the things I've experienced so far, every day, and I'm always so grateful. I know that God has given me so much through you all and everyone around me, and I'm always grateful for that---I just hope I can do what he needs me to do here. I hope you're all happy, and know how much I love you and miss you. Keep it up.

 

-Elder Campbell

 

Week of May 27 2013: The Lion King

Dear Everyone,

 

I know that's one I've used a lot, so I hope that's okay. This week was great. We met lots of people and I thought a lot about all of you, and I hope everyone's good. We actually got to visit a lot of the members of our branch this week, for a few reasons---they're all really busy, but a few of them we've never really been able to meet with had free time finally, including a woman who comes by herself and lives pretty far from the church. Her son also came back from a mission in California recently. We ate with them, which was really good, and then talked about their family and the gospel, and missionary work. We shared a part of a talk that my companion found recently, which is quoted in a lot of places, but it says faith is a principle of power and action. They both shared their testimonies, too, and overall it was really powerful visit. Every time we get to do things like that it reminds me of how much the gospel has blessed people here, and how it truly strenghtens them to do all the different things they do in their lives. We also weren't able to visit the one kind of real investigator we have right now, who works at the phone store---but I've been thinking about some of the things he talked about before with us, how all people have different perspective and so religion is inherently subjective. I've actually wondered about those kinds of things a lot myself, and it's something I think is hard to understand. But I know how much God loves all people and completely understands them, even though it's impossible for us to comprehend.

 

Also on Wednesday we had inteviews with our mission president. He got to our church kind of late, so we had some time to talk with the rest of our district members. It went pretty long, because our district is pretty big, but we talked about a lot of good stuff, including The Lion King. Sorry this is short, but I want you all to know how much I love you and even though I'm imperfect I'm trying to be better. Thank you all for your help and love, and keep sharing it with other people around you. I love you guys.

 

-Elder Campbell