To quickly catch you up to date, in the last month Zach has had two different companions and is now training Elder Van Orden. He is in a suburb of Seoul called DoBong.
Kid is on fire, as you will see from the latest letter.
8/5
Well, I'm starting off on a new foot. I'll start writing letters again. But keep in mind that my investigators and being obedient are more important than letters. :)
So! Today we had a nice relaxing p-day. Got up, exercised, ate a little, had an awesome study of 2 Nephi 9. Good companionship study, awesome language study, and emailed. Looked at glasses. Korean have some crazies. Bought popsicles, soda, and a carrot (for health). It was a fun day. At home we cleaned and marinated the meat and made scripture cases. Arts and crafts! Wrote letters. Then we went out to contact! We met some good people but it was raining hard and we had no umbrellas so maybe just nice people. Then we got a random call to help with English and did that. Then we came home, planned, and slept. Party on!
We had a great day today. It started off with almost no plans, only some attempted finding of old addresses, and ended up with 3 appointments, a new investigator, and an hour of walking in a monsoon delivering food to the poor/elderly for the Red Cross. So it started with morning exercise which reallydesn't get easier. Im at 42 sit-ups and 30 push ups and 7 pull ups in sets of 2 with lots of other cardo stuff. Thank you soooo much for Take 6. They are my exercise power. love it. Come on! Anyway. We ate meat for brekkie and studied away. Then we got a call from a 20 year old member who needed our help on a service project and could meet us with his friends later that night. Right as we went to help him it turned into a torrential downpour and we got soaked. After that we went to the church to make some English flyers and make calls. The first call Elder Van Orden made said he could meet right then. So we did and he liked the first lesson and the Book of Mormon. Then we ate dinner or Kimbab with a member and his friends played a little ping pong and talked about life's purpose. Then we met Bro J who is super rad. We taught about prayer. We teach him in English. Then we literally ran home to make it on time. It was way fun. Super great spiritual day. Love in it!
8/7
We had a good day today. We had zone training which was good and slightly crazy. Everyone in our entire Zone is training. We got two new districts and even the zone leaders are training in a threesome. Super nutty. Today we talked about the Spirit and the importance of it. It's such an oft discussed topic that it can feel vague and we can repeat answers without having assimilated them into our souls. But! The spirit makes up the difference between what we have and what is needed. That's why I believe that in a teaching situation the president of the Church is no better a teacher than the humblest missionary if they both have done their best to bring the spirit. I don't have any problem with my greenie teaching because he is just as qualified as me for the Spirit. And if our investigator is receptive he'll be in the heart. That's my thought of the day.
8/8
Tired. Me and Elder Van decided to exercise better today. We went outside and I did my in place workout while Elder Van ran around the parking lot in circles. There were old ladies fanning me while I did push-ups. Super weird but much appreciated. i'm up to 44 sit-ups 34 push ups 7 pull ups. Add 2 a day! Except pull ups. It works! Took a cold shower after and had a great study where I taught about how all the good examples I have got there by good habits, habits I have now and really! don't want to lose. Then e did a red cross service project with my favorite kid ever (Park). We packaged up food for people and delivered it. It took a couple of hours. Bro Park's little brother likes to call me Elder Mammoth and then tickles me. i can't get away. Then we made a new English flyer, made a few (60) phone calls, and did some home teaching with this awesome member from our ward. Bro Choi. We had some great lessons on the restoration with some sick folks in our ward and visited some cool members. Then we ate together and he fed us ice cream. We also had to save the young adults who had no key to the building. It was super nice to have a member helping us, and a car. So unbelievably amazing. Plus I was with his son i the MTC and have pics to prove it! Then we ran back to the church to lock up. It's weird, I talked to som any people, but it's getting harder, now I can feel the rejection and apathy sometimes. But the golden nuggets are so much more beautiful if you search! Love and serve. Be diligent.
8/9
We had a pretty crazy day. We got up and exercised. I meditated, and Elder Van ran. Then I read Grandpa Campbell's book which is about the coolest thing I've ever read. It's been so inspiring to me. Then we studied. I read the emissary, which apparently Mom you showed to tons of people. I feel such a kinship with that mand. he and I have a lot in common. Sometimes I teach these Korean less active members and investigators and I'm blown away by their kindness and love. It's really super amazing. They're so much more Christlike than me, yet I have this new knowledge to give them. It's quite an interesting problem. I have a lot more thinking to do. Anyway after study we smelled this super nasty smell so we tried to figure out what it was. We found that one of our spam cans got sold to us with no lid and was full of maggots. Super gross. Elder Van almost threw up, and he was in the Army for four years. So we spent an hour bleaching and cleaning out all our food. It was super nasty. We had to take 15 minutes before our planning to get through it. We're still cleaning. ugh. Super nasty. Anyway then we panned for the week and went out to work. Elder Pemberton flies home tomorrow to recover so we took him his suit coat that he forgot. And bought language study books. And a new journal! :) with no lines :( On the way there we met this guy who had known missionaries a few years ago. He loves the Book of Mormon and believes it. All we gotta do is get him baptized! It was so cool. Good thing Elder Pemberton forgot his coat. Also on the way back i got to teach the whole first lesson to a guy who listened super well. it was way cool. he asked good questions and was engaged. I loved it. We're tired and happy. I guess the weight of a 400,000 eternal soul in jeopardy area weighs heavily on one's soul. Just keep swimming. Work is now, play is later, when I figure out that they're the same. :) Love you much. Stay faithful. Alma 34:32, somebody needs that.
[For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors…do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given to us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.]
8/10
Had a good fun day. Exercised but I'm so tired in the morning I just sit down and don't eat breakfast. kinda sad. Now that I can cook I don't. We had a good study. I'm trying to learn to rely more on the Lord. Ideas would be appreciated. We're also trying to figure out a simple way to teach the fall and agency. It's hard to be simple, concise, and not confusing. We're getting there. So it was so hot today that when we went out to work, there was no one there. So we just went back in and called people that expressed interes earlier. That's always super fun. Then this super nice lady in our ward took us out to eat. She was sooo nice. We were going to eat with an investigator but he cancelled because video games are too cool. (I've sworn to never touch one again, poisonous). So we went and she bought us this delicious buffet. I'm beginning to be able to carry on a pretty complex conversation in korean. So we had a great one. She was baptized when she was 20 and her parents kicked her out of the house She served a mission and eventually most of her siblings joined the church. She teaches Gospel Essentials at church and dues a killer job. her kids are around my age. I think I found my ward momma. Though Sister Kim's english name is Julia Booth so there goes two of my other moms. In Korean it's not weird to call other ladies mom and grandma. And that's the Kind of relationship you have if they like you. Super dope. Anyway. Then she told us how she used to spend from 12 am to 12 pm on P-day and they had all sorts of fun activities. Pics at church tomorrow. Then she bought us a cheesecake and some meat. She is super nice. So kind. And a flame of faith and testimony. One fire dup member makes all the difference for missionaries.
8/11
We had a good sunday. No one came to church :(. Brother J is in Japan visiting his girlfirend so we didn't have anyone today but it's super sweet to see the ward get stoked about missionary work. I told about Grandpa Mumford in priesthood today. Also we're getting help from everyone. It's so cool. Then as we were leaving a member's house this afternoon a (something) like apartment manager stopped us and told us to call this lady. She used to attend church and so we're going to do family English with her. 30 min English, 30 min gospel. Yep. Got a referral from an apartment manager. Don't see that one every day. Then we met a few people who all had the same question: "If God loves us then why are there so many religions? Can't I just be a good person and turn out OK?" So that's my question to you this week. Why are things like baptism and church attendance important? I will study too:) Crazy day planned for tomorrow. Ties and the like. Man, I love missionary work. So hard, so fun, so satisfying.
Love, Elder Mumford
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Asian Superstar
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