Week of May 25 2014: Fist rice, D & C 84:77

Dear Everyone,

This has been another pretty great week. Things are starting to get a little warmer again, although there's still always the slight rain every once in a while. This week we came back here after going to the meeting for missionaries who are transferring to new areas or going home. It was pretty interesting---there were a lot of missionaries that I had served with or knew pretty well who gave their testimony, and at the end they all sang the one from the Children's Songbook about praying. It was kind of cheesy, but kind of in a nice way. After that, I realized the missionary who called me and told me he was transferring to this area, 박장로님 (Elder Park (Pock)), wasn't there. We went together with the other missionaries in our area back here together, and then later heard that he had had a bad allergic reaction and went to the doctor at the last minute. He called later that day to say what had happened, and that he would come the next day. The other missionaries here, 황장로님 and 김장로님 (Elder Hwang and Elder Kim) and I stayed together and then left in the morning to go to the bus terminal to pick up my companion. He's really nice---we actually served in the same district when I served in Ulsan a while ago, and I was always impressed by his good example. He already did his military service, went to college for a year where studied marine biology, and is very nice and responsible as well as funny. He was still feeling a little tired from just being treated, so after a bit of trying to find a less-active member's house we went back and called some other people that we wanted to meet, and then went to visit a really nice member together, 고자매님 (Sister Go). She works as a custodian at a middle school, and talked about how her kids aren't as interested in church and sometimes it's hard for her. Even though it was just the first day he'd been there,Elder Park (Pock) worked really hard to get to know everyone as fast as he could and to figure out how he needed to help them. 

On Wednesday we had a meeting with all the other missionaries in our district, which was a lot---there are almost 15 people, and a lot who have come recently. We talked about how we can work together and strengthen each other, and my companion suggested we each share something that we think is one of our strengths, and then someone who has served with us before share one as well. It was really nice---we got to get to know each other a lot better, and afterwards we went to eat together at a restaurant called 밥버거 (Bop Burger), which is a kind of 주먹밥 (Fist-rice: rice mixed with lots of other things and rolled together in a ball) kind of shaped like a burger. It's a bit silly, but surprisingly good. On Thursday, we got to meet 허형제님 (Brother Huh), who was planning to get baptized for a while. He seems to be doing really well---he and Elder Park (Pock) talked about when they served in the military, and the experiences they had. We talked about everything he's learned so far, and how all of it is based on faith in Jesus Christ, and taking action on the hope that we find. He seemed to really like it---he still has some trouble and worries about keeping all the commandments, but we reminded him that we're not all perfect, nor does Heavenly Father expect us to be all at once. Then Elder Park (Pock), showed him a parable about faith---that when we're holding a coin in our own hand, the only way we know it's in there is by the feeling of it. Elder Park (Pock) is also really good at magic, and so he showed him some, and it was pretty really cool. We also visited several other members together with all the other missionaries and got to know them a little better. One of them is a painter who used to live in lots of other countries and who took about 10 years from finding out about the church until she decided to be baptized. The same day we went to visit the bishop's family, which was also really nice. Their kids are all really funny and cute, and the Sisters shared a really nice message about serving others. They asked me to share an experience, and I talked about the young men in 김천 (Kim-chun) and how when I first tried to teach the Sunday school class that it seemed like there wasn't enough time to prepare, but after a while I started to look at the lesson every day just for a few minutes and try to prepare, and it worked out a lot better. It was really nice. We're having a talent show this week, and two of their kids decided to do 판소리 (Pan-sori), an old kind of story-telling traditional music. We talked a lot with the other missionaries to prepare for it and for other things, and it seems like we'll get along really well. All the other missionaries are really nice and pretty experienced, and all seem to get along with each other really well. 

On Friday, we met someone that we had first met while we were doing an activity about our English class, but that I didn't actually meet. His name is 백형제님 (Brother Beck), and when we sent him a text him about our English class he replied and asked if we had time to meet on another day. We met him in kind of the downtown area of Kim-hay, and it turned out he brought his friend. We went and ate 밀면 (noodles made of wheat) together, and found out that he actually moved with his family to California when he was 2 or 3, and came back recently to go to college. He speaks both English and Korean really well, and even though he originally just wanted to meet with someone to practice English he started asking about the Book of Mormon that we had brought, and we talked about Joseph Smith and the importance of the Book of Mormon. He seemed pretty curious about it, as well as about how to interpret the Bible. We asked if he wanted to meet later and talk more about it, and he said he would be interested. It was pretty amazing, and I'm really glad that we were able to meet him before the first time---it was really was quite a miracle, even though it might not have seemed like it right away. 

Everything else was pretty good this week---I started trying to read in Isaiah again, and was thinking about the nature of the Lord's strong words about sin and sinners, coupled with the promise that if we just desire to and come unto Him, that we can figure everything out and become better. I think that as we keep trying consistently to be better and to follow Jesus' example, all the things we worry about, even the ones we don't totally understand, will eventually be able to be solved, and will work out well. I know there are lots f people here that need our help to be able to feel the comfort of working together with the Lord to be happy, and I'm so grateful to be able to serve here with great missionaries to do it. I hope you're all happy, and know how much I love and miss you. I also liked this scripture that Elder Park (Pock) shared a little bit ago---Doctrine and Covenants 84:77. I know that each of you are really blessing all the people around you---keep it up.

-Elder Campbell  

Editor's Note:   Here's D & C 84:77 for y'all:

77 And again I say unto you, my friends, for from henceforth I shall call you friends, it is expedient that I give unto you this commandment, that ye become even as my friends in days when I was with them, traveling to preach the gospel in my power;

Week of April 14 2014: Changes!

Dear Beloved Family (사랑하는 가족 여러분):

 

This week was another time. It felt in some ways pretty long, but also went by pretty fast. I guess that might not make a lot of sense, but it's a pretty apt description of how things have been going on for a long time. But I know that we sometimes need to experience things like that in order to gain a greater appreciation for other things. I'm so grateful for all of the great experiences and memories I've had with all of the people here and with all of you. Before the weather, I thought it might be good to explain about the new place that I'm in, since I didn't get to really as part of the last e-mail. It simultaneously seems like a really big change, but also doesn't really feel like it's been one. The city we live and serve in is called 김해 (Kim-hay/金海), and it's about 45 minutes by a normal city bus to our mission headquarters and so it's very close to 부산 (Busan). It's pretty different in a lot of ways from 김천 (Kim-chun)---it's a little bigger, and a little more varied landscape-wise. Not that there weren't many mountains in 김천---there were a lot when we walked to people's houses, and a less-active member I mentioned bfore pretty much lived on one---but here is a little more hilly and green. It's pretty beautiful. There are lots of pretty beautiful flowers coming out around now, too, so that is really nice. The church is also significantly different---there's a big, relatively new building, and there are about 100 people in the ward who come regularly. Last Monday, after coming back from the meeting, e-mailing and shopping and things like that, we went to the church to help with a Family Home Evening activity the ward has been trying to do every week. Because everyone was busy not many were able to make it, but we did get to meet the other missionaries in our are and get to know them a little better. I served with two of them in the same area in 울산 (Ulsan), Elder Himmer and Sister Burton. The other two, 황장로님 (Elder Hwang) and Sister Hingano are a little newer and I hadn't known them well before, but they are really kind and funny. We talked about things we might want to do to help the members a little more, and work more effectively together. We met again the next day to talk about the less-active members we've all been visiting and working with, and also to figure out things for General Conference, which we watched this past week. Elder Quist and I also talked about our zone and things we needed to do for them. We had a lot of time kind of sitting and planning, but it was still good, and when we went outside to do the things we were planning on it made it that much more beautiful and exciting.

 

On Tuesday night, after planning and eating, we went out and walked up a bunch of rolling hills to one of the colleges in our city, called 인제대학교 (In-jay University) with the other missionaries and all went to try to talk to pepole together in the campus. It was a bit chilly but very nice night, and there were lots of students walking around, some on the way to exercise or play sports, and they were all really friendly. Students in general are very kind and nice to foreigners, but also it seems to other people---that's probably a bit of a generalization, but they do seem to understand that they have a lot of responsibilities to others, and in general are really kind and considerate of others. In particular, one of the people the missionaries had been meeting for the past few weeks who we got to meet again a few times is a good example of this. His name is 허형제님 (Brother Huh(?)), and he's about 23, and really nice. One of his cousins is a member, and she told him about missionaries, and he started meeting with them and really liking and accepting the things they taught. He came to both of the English class times we had on Wednesday and Saturday, and afterwards we were able to talk with him about the gospel. Unfortunately, he also has had kind of a bad experience recently, and os he felt pretty down about that the first time we met him on Wednesday. We talked about faith, and how it's not just knowledge or an outward thing that is simply a requirement, but a hope that helps us to endure through hard things, that even if we don't understand now we hope that things will work out for the better later. He seemed to appreciate it, but also called a few days later and told us because of the problem he might have to go somewhere else to work for a long time and might not be able to meet anymore. I was afraid for a bit he had felt like we weren't really working for his best interest, that he felt like we were just trying to get him to come and do something we wanted him to. Then on Saturday, during English class, he suddenly called and asked if we could talk. He came to the church, and after the English part we talked about faith and repentance---how as we live and are part of this world we will inevitably feel those disappointing things and have those kinds of experiences, but as much as that happens we can also step back, think about things and then with Christ's help commit to be better. He seemed to understand and really like it, and I was so grateful that the Lord had helped him in ways that we couldn't have, and don't even know about. This week we were also able to meet a college student who's a Jehovah's Witness---he brought some other members of his church, and they talked a lot about the Second Coming, that it wasn't necessarily supposed to be physical, and things like that. We bore our testimony of Christ's living reality and about the Book of Mormon, and the student said he would try to read it to see if it were right. Elder Quist was almost a little frustrated, but also felt good that we had sincerely shared with them what we knew to be true instead of trying to argue or prove our own point. It was hard, but in some ways really good, too.

 

On Friday, we got to go to our mission's headquarters and have a meeting with the other zone and Sister training leaders, which our mission president also came and spoke at. It was really good---I fee like sometimes I can not participate as well sometimes at those kinds of meetings, but I was able to learn a lot, and we've been trying to share it with the other missionaries in our zone well. After the meeting we took a bus up to another area in our district, a part of Busan called 구포 (Goo-poh), and give something to and talk with the missionaries there, all of whom I've served close with and know pretty well. It was great to see all of them---their church is high up in a big hill, and the bus we took up almost seemed like it might not make it in the struggle to get up there. There were lots of students running around, and talking with a bit of the dialect that people use here more---it was fun. Then on Saturday and yesterday, we were able to watch General Conference in the church, with members, on of our Sisters' investigators, and just with us missionaries at a few points. It was all very good---I felt a lot of the talks addressed specifically a lot of things I've been thinking about, even if not exactly the central things. I especially thought it was interesting that several speakers talked about our different perspectives in this life---there are an infinite variety of different people that we come into contact with every day, but they're all still the same children of Heavenly Father, and the more we try to understand and sympathize with others' point of view, the more unified and peaceful everything will be. I also really liked a few of the talks that mentioned following guidance in making choices, which Elder Quist and I had been talking about a lot. President Uchtdorf also mentioned, which I think he has before, that we have limitless opportunities to do good. Sometimes we feel limited because of our perspective or circumstances, and even though that's true for some things, the ways we can love and be kind to each other are varied, and we can find new ones if we look. I also really liked the talk about Joseph Smith's early life, leading up to the First Vision. It's something I feel like I can talk about without thinking as deeply about sometimes, just because it feels so usual and natural. I know that if we all realize how much God personally cares for us, and act accordingly with a sincere heart, that if we truly try to reciprocate, like President Monson mentioned, we never know how far He is willing to go to show is love for and direct us in our lives.

 

Lastly, I thought I should share about someone we met on the bus back from Goo-poh to our area. His name is 한형제님 (Brother Hahn), and he works, I'm pretty sure, as a custodian at a middle school. He spoke slowly and simply, but really genuinely and nicely. We shared simply about how we can be relieved of the burden of our mistakes through believing in Christ, and he seemed to like it, and said we could meet and talk again. Later that day, while we were walking on a back street near our house, we saw him and what looked like his wife, going somewhere together. The both smiled and greeted us, and it was really great---that day, Elder Quist mentioned several times, was "a really good day". I'm so grateful to be able to serve here, and even though I'm not as good as I need to be that we can meet togethe with people and try to help each other. I'm so grateful for all of the help and love all of you have given me, and I know that the Gospel is true. I know that God loves all of us equally, and he wants us to know it, and if we try to know sincerely, we can see it. Have a great week, and try to read Mormon's Book. Thanks for everything---keep it up.

 

-Elder Campbell  

Dear Beloved Family (사랑하는 가족 여러분):

 

This week was another time. It felt in some ways pretty long, but also went by pretty fast. I guess that might not make a lot of sense, but it's a pretty apt description of how things have been going on for a long time. But I know that we sometimes need to experience things like that in order to gain a greater appreciation for other things. I'm so grateful for all of the great experiences and memories I've had with all of the people here and with all of you. Before the weather, I thought it might be good to explain about the new place that I'm in, since I didn't get to really as part of the last e-mail. It simultaneously seems like a really big change, but also doesn't really feel like it's been one. 

The city we live and serve in is called 김해 (Kim-hay/金海), and it's about 45 minutes by a normal city bus to our mission headquarters and so it's very close to 부산 (Busan). It's pretty different in a lot of ways from 김천 (Kim-chun)---it's a little bigger, and a little more varied landscape-wise. Not that there weren't many mountains in 김천---there were a lot when we walked to people's houses, and a less-active member I mentioned before pretty much lived on one---but here is a little more hilly and green. It's pretty beautiful. There are lots of pretty beautiful flowers coming out around now, too, so that is really nice. The church is also significantly different---there's a big, relatively new building, and there are about 100 people in the ward who come regularly. Last Monday, after coming back from the meeting, e-mailing and shopping and things like that, we went to the church to help with a Family Home Evening activity the ward has been trying to do every week. Because everyone was busy not many were able to make it, but we did get to meet the other missionaries in our area and get to know them a little better. I served with two of them in the same area in 울산 (Ulsan), Elder Himmer and Sister Burton. The other two, 황장로님 (Elder Hwang) and Sister Hingano are a little newer and I hadn't known them well before, but they are really kind and funny. We talked about things we might want to do to help the members a little more, and work more effectively together. We met again the next day to talk about the less-active members we've all been visiting and working with, and also to figure out things for General Conference, which we watched this past week. Elder Quist and I also talked about our zone and things we needed to do for them. We had a lot of time kind of sitting and planning, but it was still good, and when we went outside to do the things we were planning on it made it that much more beautiful and exciting.

 

On Tuesday night, after planning and eating, we went out and walked up a bunch of rolling hills to one of the colleges in our city, called 인제대학교 (In-jay University) with the other missionaries and all went to try to talk to people together in the campus. It was a bit chilly but very nice night, and there were lots of students walking around, some on the way to exercise or play sports, and they were all really friendly. Students in general are very kind and nice to foreigners, but also it seems to other people---that's probably a bit of a generalization, but they do seem to understand that they have a lot of responsibilities to others, and in general are really kind and considerate of others. In particular, one of the people the missionaries had been meeting for the past few weeks who we got to meet again a few times is a good example of this. His name is 허형제님 (Brother Huh(?)), and he's about 23, and really nice. One of his cousins is a member, and she told him about missionaries, and he started meeting with them and really liking and accepting the things they taught. He came to both of the English class times we had on Wednesday and Saturday, and afterwards we were able to talk with him about the gospel. Unfortunately, he also has had kind of a bad experience recently, and so he felt pretty down about that the first time we met him on Wednesday. We talked about faith, and how it's not just knowledge or an outward thing that is simply a requirement, but a hope that helps us to endure through hard things, that even if we don't understand now we hope that things will work out for the better later. He seemed to appreciate it, but also called a few days later and told us because of the problem he might have to go somewhere else to work for a long time and might not be able to meet anymore. I was afraid for a bit he had felt like we weren't really working for his best interest, that he felt like we were just trying to get him to come and do something we wanted him to. 

Then on Saturday, during English class, he suddenly called and asked if we could talk. He came to the church, and after the English part we talked about faith and repentance---how as we live and are part of this world we will inevitably feel those disappointing things and have those kinds of experiences, but as much as that happens we can also step back, think about things and then with Christ's help commit to be better. He seemed to understand and really like it, and I was so grateful that the Lord had helped him in ways that we couldn't have, and don't even know about. This week we were also able to meet a college student who's a Jehovah's Witness---he brought some other members of his church, and they talked a lot about the Second Coming, that it wasn't necessarily supposed to be physical, and things like that. We bore our testimony of Christ's living reality and about the Book of Mormon, and the student said he would try to read it to see if it were right. Elder Quist was almost a little frustrated, but also felt good that we had sincerely shared with them what we knew to be true instead of trying to argue or prove our own point. It was hard, but in some ways really good, too.

 

On Friday, we got to go to our mission's headquarters and have a meeting with the other zone and Sister training leaders, which our mission president also came and spoke at. It was really good---I feel like sometimes I can not participate as well sometimes at those kinds of meetings, but I was able to learn a lot, and we've been trying to share it with the other missionaries in our zone well. After the meeting we took a bus up to another area in our district, a part of Busan called 구포 (Goo-poh), and give something to and talk with the missionaries there, all of whom I've served close with and know pretty well. It was great to see all of them---their church is high up in a big hill, and the bus we took up almost seemed like it might not make it in the struggle to get up there. There were lots of students running around, and talking with a bit of the dialect that people use here more---it was fun. Then on Saturday and yesterday, we were able to watch General Conference in the church, with members, one of our Sisters' investigators, and just with us missionaries at a few points. It was all very good---I felt a lot of the talks addressed specifically a lot of things I've been thinking about, even if not exactly the central things. I especially thought it was interesting that several speakers talked about our different perspectives in this life---there are an infinite variety of different people that we come into contact with every day, but they're all still the same children of Heavenly Father, and the more we try to understand and sympathize with others' point of view, the more unified and peaceful everything will be. I also really liked a few of the talks that mentioned following guidance in making choices, which Elder Quist and I had been talking about a lot. President Uchtdorf also mentioned, which I think he has before, that we have limitless opportunities to do good. Sometimes we feel limited because of our perspective or circumstances, and even though that's true for some things, the ways we can love and be kind to each other are varied, and we can find new ones if we look. I also really liked the talk about Joseph Smith's early life, leading up to the First Vision. It's something I feel like I can talk about without thinking as deeply about sometimes, just because it feels so usual and natural. I know that if we all realize how much God personally cares for us, and act accordingly with a sincere heart, that if we truly try to reciprocate, like President Monson mentioned, we never know how far He is willing to go to show is love for and direct us in our lives.

 

Lastly, I thought I should share about someone we met on the bus back from Goo-poh to our area. His name is 한형제님 (Brother Hahn), and he works, I'm pretty sure, as a custodian at a middle school. He spoke slowly and simply, but really genuinely and nicely. We shared simply about how we can be relieved of the burden of our mistakes through believing in Christ, and he seemed to like it, and said we could meet and talk again. Later that day, while we were walking on a back street near our house, we saw him and what looked like his wife, going somewhere together. The both smiled and greeted us, and it was really great---that day, Elder Quist mentioned several times, was "a really good day". I'm so grateful to be able to serve here, and even though I'm not as good as I need to be that we can meet together with people and try to help each other. I'm so grateful for all of the help and love all of you have given me, and I know that the Gospel is true. I know that God loves all of us equally, and he wants us to know it, and if we try to know sincerely, we can see it. Have a great week, and try to read Mormon's Book. Thanks for everything---keep it up.

 

-Elder Campbell  

Week of March 24 2014: Questions of the Soul

Dear Everyone,

I'm so grateful all the time for every way in which you have all
helped me to learn stuff. I hope you're always doing well. I know it's
hard to do that, and I sometimes feel like I'm just writing it the
same way every week---but I really do sincerely hope that. The weather
is pretty steadily moving, which means other things are too,
especially people---Sunday night is quickly becoming the time when
people are the most visible, while just a few weeks ago there was no
one at all out at that time. Sometimes it's weird to realize changes
like that, but to other people it must be a relief.

I'm always glad to be serving here. It's not exactly like you might
expect, that because it's a smaller town everyone's really familiar
with each other. But in a certain way, it is like that---among the
members, or just people who live here. And since we often go to
similar places regularly, there are lots of people we get to see
several times in a week. And now that the weather is a little warmer,
people seem a bit nicer and more open, which I guess is only natural.
This week we got to go to the biggest city in our zone, called 대구
(Daegu (Day-goo))---it's one of the bigger cities in the country, and
because it's not too far from where we are people often go there for
business or just to shop and things when they have free time. We took
the train there on Tuesday morning, and met two really great
missionaries I've been able to know for a long time, 윤장로님 (Elder
Yoon), and Elder Hall. They are our zone leaders, and we were in the
(M.T.) C. together. We got to do a companion exchange with them, Elder
Laney staying in Daegu and Elder Hall and I coming back here. It was
really great---we took the train back, looked at the interesting view
(rice fields, highways, mountains with clumps of apartments grouped in
them, and lots of churches), and after putting everything in our house
we went over to the main part of where we usually go, in front of the
train station. While we were walking, we greeted an older man carrying
a bike, and he started talking to us about our church and how he used
to talk with the missonaries and wanted to learn English, although he
was really quite good already. He talked about how he used to go to
Catholic church, but then his daughter had kind of a breakdown and had
to go to a mental hospital for treatment, and that made him wonder why
God would allow something like that to his family---he said she's
getting better. We sympathized with him, and told him we're here to
help him, including if he wants to learn English. He seemed
appreciative, and asked where the church is, but in the end said he
will come if he wants to. It was very nice to meet him, though. We
went to the base of the overpass/skybridge next to the train station,
where we planned to meet 김형제님 (Brother Kim, originally from China),
and called him because we didn't see him. While the phone was ringing,
we turned around and saw him standing there smiling with his phone in
his hand. He said he had seen us standing up on the bridge talking to
the other man with the bike, but wasn't sure if it was us because he
didn't recognize Elder Hall. We laughed a bit, and then went to 이삭 토스트
(Isaac Toast), the first time I'd ever met an investigator there. We
ate a little, and then talked about the scriptures---he mentioned how
all scripture, the Bible, Buddhist or other scriptures, and the Book
of Mormon, seems like more than other books something that's a little
more special, that helps us to live happily. We talked about how they
provide a guide for us, and Elder Hall shared his testimony really
strongly. We then gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon in Chinese,
which we had gotten for him a while ago. I wasn't actually sure if he
was comfortable with reading it, but he seemed to understand it all
pretty perfectly. We talked specifically about the story of Alma's
people in Mosiah 24, and how they were able to find real comfort and
have their burdens lightened even in the face of hard tribulation and
work---he works at a bath house for almost 12 hours every day except
for Tuesday. He seemed to understand it, read the whole introduction
by himself in a few minutes, and said he would try to read the chapter
by himself later if he had time. It was really good---I just hope he
felt how we wanted to share a story with him he could apply to
himself, and why it's important to him personally.

That same day we also visited 편형제님 (Brother Pyun), the older
less-active member who lives near a mountain. The walk over was really
nice---we got to talk to lots of kind people, and each other (we're
from the same 동기---group of people who started missoinary work at the
same time). We talked with Brother Pyun about his family, and what
they do, and his dream---he wanted to become a politician, but said
he'd never had enough money. He also asked about what we're planning
to do---I said I'm still not totally sure, but trying to focus on what
I'm doing now and gradually think about and decide that. We read
together in 3 Nephi 18 where Christ gives the sacrament to the
Nephites, and explains so clearly what it means and why it's
important. He has in the past complained that the script of the Book
of Mormon in Korean is old-fashioned and hard to understand, but this
time he said it was all good, and said he would come to Stake
Conference on Sunday. We walked back, and tried to visit a few
less-active memers' houses that we haven't been to before. That night
we went and visited a brother who used to come to English class at the
church, and he was really nice. We went to the pain clinic where he
works, on the second floor of an office building above a clothing
store and beneath a pool hall, and talked with him there---he had
little chairs with massaging machines for people waiting, and talked
about how when he lived in Canada things like that and other interior
things were much more expensive than in Korea. We talked about his
family, and how he's doing, and invited him to come back to English
class. He said he would try---it was really nice.

The next day we went to 구미 (Goo-mee) for a district meeting. It was
really great---we talked a bit before, played ping-pong a little, and
then started. Everyone had prepared really well, and it was just a
great, helpful time. Usually a district meeting includes talking about
announcements and how everyone's investigators are doing, then a
language practice/lesson, then a short talk, and a longer
teaching-practice. We bear our testimonies at the end, and then
finish. It was just really nice---afterward we ordered lunch, ate, and
went to do a proselyting activity together. The Goo-mee missionaries
made a board with a few of the "Questions of the Soul" that the Book
of Mormon answers ("Preach My Gospel"), and we went to a kind of
crowded place and invited people to come and choose one and then talk
about why they think it's an important question. We were able to talk
to lots of people, and it was fun. After we finished, we took the
train back, and went to meet 민형제님 (Brother Meen), and after he talked
a bit about the local elections and English, we talked about prophets
and what they do. He explained in great detail what he thought about
each of the famous prophets of the old testament, and what they
did---and then when we asked if he thought we would still need one
today, he stopped for a minute, and then said probably yes. We talked
about the Restoration, and the Book of Mormon---he had been confused
that we only believed it, and not the Bible---and he seemed to really
like all of it. He agreed to try to read the Book of Mormon, and to
pray about it. It was a really simple, great talk. Then because Elder
Laney wasn't feeling great, we went to Lotteria, the kind of
in-country McDonalds, for dinner, and tried to talk to a few more
people before going home.

The rest of the week was pretty much taken up in relation to our Stake
Conference, which was also in Daegu. On Friday, we did another
exchange with the missionaries in 안동 (Ahn-dohng). They had two
investigators who would be baptized after Stake Conference, and they
needed to do an interview. The first was an older woman, about 80 who
lived pretty far away. The other is a younger man whose girlfriend is
their branch's president. They were both really great in different
ways---the older woman didn't understand a lot of what the Sisters
taught because she's pretty deaf, but said she desired to keep coming
and review again and better understand what she did learn, and was
pretty stubborn and cute and funny. The younger man was really nice,
as well---he really understood well what he had learnerd, and seemed
prepared to make a big change in his life by being baptized. It was
pretty inspiring to talk to both of them. The next day we went back to
Daegu to meet the other missionaries and go to the evening meeting of
Stake Conference. It was pretty great---all the leaders and other
speakers had prepared really well. There was an Area Seventy, 백장로님
(Elder Beck), who gave a really simple but powerful talk. It ended
late, so a member who used to be a taxi driver took eight missionaries
including us to one of the houses for the Daegu missionaries, a really
big apartment, and we ate together before going to sleep. It was
really nice.

I feel like there were a lot of specific events this week to talk
about, and we don't have as much time again---but I guess in general
what I felt and learned from most of them is that, as always, the Lord
is aware of us and is addressing our needs and wants right now, mostly
through other people. I also realized something obvious, but in a more
powerful way, before going to sleep on Tuesday, which Elder Hall then
talked about when we studied the next morning, but basically the
importance of remembering. Relating to the sacrament, if we don't
remember all these things we know, then the knowledge is hollow. If
it's not really part of us, and if it doesn't motivate us and change
the way we live and help other people, then it doesn't really mean
anything. I'm so grateful for church and the sacrament and family to
help us remember all the great things God has given us in our lives. I
love all of you, and am so grateful to be here, and to know the things
I know. I know they can bless everyone ,and will always help all of
you. Thanks again for everything you've helped me with, and I love you
all---keep it up.

-Elder Campbell

Week of March 17 2014: I'm glad they made it

This was another good time. I hope it is for all of you wherever you
are. I hope that all of the hard things you have to do don't feel too
overwhelming, and that you are always happy and well and fulfilled.
Things are going pretty well here. We were able to meet a few new
people, visit some of the less-active members we have been for a long
time, and have a good meeting on Sunday with all of the members. And
as usual, everyone is paying attention a lot to the weather, which is
getting warmer. Sometimes we see bugs going around, including little
butterflies, which were probably maturing all winter---I'm glad they
made it.

This week we got to meet some new people for the first time. One of
them is an older man, who we originally met on the street late at
night a few months ago, in a pretty unexpected way. His name is 안형제님
(Brother Ahn), he's about 70, and a funny, outgoing businessman. He
was originally really interested in learning English, and so came to
our English class a few times, and was curious about us and the
church. He invited us to go to lunch on Tuesday, so we left our house
a little earlier than usual to go try to talk with people before we
planned to meet him---we got to walk on a little path next to the
small river that runs through part of the city, past the main K.T.X.
(bullet) train tracks, and because it was a little sunnier than usual
there were actually quite a few people out. We were able to talk to
one, and he asked a little about us and seemed curious, but then said
he had to go. 

We walked to our church building, where Brother Ahn was
waiting. We got in his car, and he said he wanted to go to a place I
hadn't heard of before---as he started driving and explaining, I
realized it's in a different big province north of the one our city is
in, and I was pretty sure not in our mission boundaries. So we asked
if we could just go back to somewhere close by, and so we did---it
felt a little close, but it probably wasn't that big of a problem in
the end. But it was still good to talk with him by himself about his
life and his beliefs. He used to live in China for about 3 years for
his job, and learned a lot of Chinese from that experience, and said
he also went to the U.S. a lot for work, and so learned some English.
He also goes to a Presbyterian church nearby where we live. At one
point he went to get coffee, and asked if we also wanted some. My
companion, Elder Laney, started explaining that ew don't drink
alcohol, coffee and the two main kinds of tea that people drink often
(red and green). He was very understanding, but also seemed curious.
We had planned to go somewhere else to talk more about religion
afterward, but one of his friends called him, and he had to go
earlier. Before we left, he started asking more about why we had to
live that way. Elder Laney explained that God gave a commandment about
it. We talked a little about how God always sent prophets to address
the specific problems of people in every time and age, and how he has
sent them to us today, and gave to one of them a commandment about our
health. He seemed to understand, but still seemed a little confused
about why God would restrict our use of something He gave us. We told
him how much it's blessed our own lives, and asked if we could meet
again and talk more about it, and he seemed tentative, but said maybe
sometime. It was still nice to get to talk to him, and teach a little
about Joseph Smith and how through prophets we can know what will help
us to live happily.

On Wednesday, it started raining, and was a lot colder than it had
been, and we visited 노형제님 (Brother Noh), who's still in the hospital.
He seems to be still a little frustrated about his having to stay in
the hospital, but when we talked about the scripture we'd thought of,
he seemed better, and when Elder Laney suggested we bring the
sacrament to him on Sundays, he looked a lot happier. It's something
I'd thought about, but kind of just forgot, and I'm glad Elder Laney
suggested it again. After that, we went to a new neighborhood and
tried talking to people in their apartments. Some of them actually
wanted to talk---mostly just about how missionaries from other
churches came, and they wondered why we felt it was necessary to share
our beliefs with others. We simply shared about how much the Gospel
has blessed our lives. The next day was still pretty cold and rainy,
and it even started snowing at one point. We met 민형제님 (Brother Meen)
again, and talked about how our desire to have faith leads us to act
according to it. His son and family came here all of a sudden to visit
him, and so he had to leave early as well---but it was really good to
talk with him. That night we also got to visit 김형제님 (Brother Kim), a
less-active member who's in the middle of his military service, and is
really quiet and nice. He said he has more time now in the evenings
and on weekends, and he would try to start coming to church. We shared
a short message, and just got to know him better---it felt really
great, and I hope he felt comforted from our visit. 

On Friday, we visited another less-active member, who lives kind of far away and
close to a mountain range. His name is 편형제님 (Brother Pyun), and he's a
little older and farms for his living. When we talked, he mentioned
how the Book of Mormon language is really outdated and different from
how people really speak---we suggested he try to imagine himself in
the situations, and try to understand the stories and their message
more than each word by itself. He said he would try to come to our
Stake Conference, which is this coming weekend---it was really great.
That night we also met with 주형제님 (Brother Joo), a less-active member,
and after helping him with some English study he's doing talked about
the Restoration. He seemed very impressed by it, and I thik it really
helped him. He was impressed by Joseph Smith's determination and
actions, and I was too.

On Saturday, we weren't able to meet a lot of new people, but we did
get to do our English class, where almost all the people who regulary
come attended, about 6 people total---maybe it doesn't sound like it,
but that's a lot. It was really great to talk with all of them, and
share a short message at the end about Christ's mission. They all
listened carefully, and seemed to like it. 김회장님 (President Kim), our
branch president, came to clean the church, and drove us home. He's
really great. At church the next day, we talked about repentance with
the young men, Jacob and Joseph in Gospel Doctrine, and had a really
nice sacrament meeting. I realize every time I get to meet them how
amazing all the members and other people here are. I'm so grateful for
their kindness to me, to each other, and their good examples to all
the people in their lives. I'm so grateful for all of you, as well. I
thought a little bit about agency this week---not for any particular
reason, but just that Heavenly Father loves us so much, and that was
the greatest gift he could give us, to allow us to learn and grow and
become good people by following the greatest example of using agency
to help others in Jesus Christ. I'm so grateful that we're able to
learn through our decisions and become better people by helping each
other. I love my companion, everyone here, and all of you. I'm
grateful for the scriptures, and for the Church God restored through
Joseph Smith and how it's organized to help everyone (Mosiah 18). I
hope you're happy, and I love you---keep it up.

-Elder Campbell