Here are some wise words from my greenie, Elder Torres!!!!!!!!!!!! You GO!
"God's job is to FIX PEOPLE.
Our job is to LOVE PEOPLE.
JUST LOVE and leave the results to God. If the person get's fixed~ praise God. If not JUST LOVE ANYWAY."
I had an investigator who had gone to church almost every single week in the previous transfer, but Elder Torres has now never seen him. That is the disappointing part. He wouldn't answer any of my phone calls, until... this last Monday, when we randomly decided to give him a call at 9:30 pm. Surprisingly, he answered, but as I continued to talk with him I found that he was drunk.
If there is one thing I have learned on the mission from the drunks on the streets is that when you talk with drunk people, they are extremely open and you can be very straight forward with them. So, I took this opportunity to see what is going on with this brother.
He told his whole life story from experiences as a child to getting married and divorced and now his children are all grown up up and keep a distance from him this day. He lives a very lonely life and an exhausting one as well, having to drive big trucks day and night. He had even said that he has actually gotten used to it, and it has become hard for him to be in public now and have a normal conversation with others. As he put it, " I enjoy the solitude between me and my alcoholic beverages"
After sharing the description of his tough situation with me, he told me, "I can handle it anymore," and hung-up. I tried calling him back but he wouldn't answer. I tried again and again, but it end with the same result.
That was when I fell on my knees pouring out my heart to the Lord saying "I have done all that is possible on my part. I have given so much time, thought, and love to this brother. PLEASE! Touch his heart!!! I will do anything for him!"
Recently, I have realized how there is a stark contrast between the power and the spirit of our lessons based on the openness of the listener. Knowing that the power behind the Restored Gospel message is only as great as ones openness to hearing it, I pleaded, "This brother has show his faith multiple times to Thee! If you can't call it faith, I know that he has at least shown a particle of hope, or a desire to believe in Thee, by going to your church 7 times and meeting with us and the president of the branch. Please reach out to him!"
Then, after about 5ish minutes of praying, I was stopped by the sounds of vibrating. It was that same brother I had been talking with. I picked up the phone and he started immediately by saying "I am such a problematic man. I am sorry I am a problem to you. Why do you even bother?" And, from there I was able to help him feel the Spirit a little stronger. And, I talked with him up until 10:20pm.
Out here in 강원도 I have really learned how to become a part of the lives of those we serve, to pray for them by name, and to not just see them as a thing to accomplish, but rather as children of God. I have learned and I am still working on being a true minister as President Nelson has expressed to us in the recent conferences. I will always have a connection with these people I serve. I hope to grow more and become a better servant in His hands in the future.
I have been called to preach the gospel. And, as the Lord put it, our greatest commandment is to love. If you think about it, it is love that envelopes everything in the gospel.
I guess you could say that I have been called by a prophet of God to preach love to the people of Korea!
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"God's job is to FIX PEOPLE.
Our job is to LOVE PEOPLE.
JUST LOVE and leave the results to God. If the person get's fixed~ praise God. If not JUST LOVE ANYWAY."
Moroni 7:46-47
"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail— But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever..."
Great Commandment (an excerpt)
By Elder Joseph Writhlin
"Sometimes the greatest love is not found in the dramatic scenes that poets and writers immortalize. Often, the greatest manifestations of love are the simple acts of kindness and caring we extend to those we meet along the path of life."
"True love lasts forever. It is eternally patient and forgiving. It believes, hopes, and endures all things. That is the love our Heavenly Father bears for us."
"We all yearn to experience love like this. Even when we make mistakes, we hope others will love us in spite of our shortcomings—even if we don’t deserve it."
"Oh, it is wonderful to know that our Heavenly Father loves us—even with all our flaws! His love is such that even should we give up on ourselves, He never will."
"We see ourselves in terms of yesterday and today. Our Heavenly Father sees us in terms of forever. Although we might settle for less, Heavenly Father won’t, for He sees us as the glorious beings we are capable of becoming."
Love you all!
Elder Alger
Traveling to Seoul for a greenie training meeting
Another elder I love is training as well. He is serving in my greenie area, Kyo-moon, and I was SOOOOOOOOOOOOO glad to hear that my convert from that area is active in the Church!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love that brother, he has got good elders watching over him!
English Connect activities are always fun!!!!!!!! We make games and stuff to draw people in! I love working with the Elders in my Zistirct!
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