Week 72

For Christmas Eve, yesterday, we spent it in Seoul with the whole mission. What a fun experience and it a great time to be lifted up by the great spirits of other fellow missionaries.
President's daughter, who also served her mission in Korea, was able to come up to visit for Christmas. I love what she taught  about the Spirit, how the Spirit can be well with us in the fun times as well as the serious moments,  ones where we revive through the Spirit's comfort and peace. It's sort of like what Elder Bednar has said, this is a spiritually energizing work. I felt that Spirit all through yesterdays conference. It was very fun, but full of the Spirit as well.
My mission president and his wife, the Taylors, are the BEST!!! They are super fun, but wise. They are just incredible people and they are my heroes!

Even though yesterday was loads of fun, I would definitely say that the highlight of the week leading up to Christmas was teaching Filipinos! Haha, yeah in Korea! When you have a Filipino companion, the Spirit just guides all these warmhearted Filipinos into your path.

Elder Torres talks a lot about how in his home, down south, the people are a lot more willing to accepted the gospel in comparison to what he has experienced of the Korean people. From what he said the 2nd biggest religion in his home country is our church, next to the Catholic church. When he told me these things, I was feeling "Yeah, yeah, okay that great.." But, when I got to teach them, could see what he was saying is true. They welcome you into their homes, and almost instantly give a feeling that we are family.

Interestingly, the Filipinos that we taught have been in Korea for more the 20 years. She had married a Korean fellow, so her children only know Korean. Because of that, I was teaching her son. He is a 13 year-old and extremely intelligent for his age. As I was doing so, Elder Torres was teaching the her in Tagalog. I think I have said this before, but I feel the Spirit really strongly when both sides have a sincere interest. This kid was more curious than probably anyone I have taught before. So naturally, the Spirit was very present as I conversed with him. I taught him about what the Book of Mormon is, and the Plan of Salvation. He would ask questions and more questions until he understood.

This kid's Father had passed away early, and so as were discussing the Plan of Salvation, he was relieved and so hopeful. When we discussed what is after this life on Earth he was actually shocked saying "Is there really more after death? I had thought that once we die it is the end"
That really hit me to the core, when he said that. I feel like I take these eternal truths for granted sometimes. I responded to him saying "Yes!!! There is! That is what Christ has taught us." And, he, being the pure innocent child that he is, sat there for a tiny moment, and then just accepted what I taught as truth. No hesitation.

I wish that I had more investigators like this family, humble, warm, and eager. But, it is a little rare to find people like this. It sort of reminds me of the recent convert I had taught in my greeny area. You know they are solid if the are humble, warm, and accept the truths right when they hear it testified to them the by the Spirit. I also think that because these types of families are rare, it helps me to treat these experiences preciously and to show more love for them than I would have if this was a constant thing.

(The kid has given me a label and calls me just 형(hyeoug), which means Big Brother. In Korea the title you are called by is extremely important and I feel very honored to big called his Big Brother. It is hard to explain the feeling, but just know it is cool!)

I have come on the mission with the mind set that I WILL be lifelong friends to all the people that I teach, no matter what happens, whether they accept the gospel fully, or not in the end. I am glad that I have been able to make many friends as I have been out on the mission. As I think Sister Taylor has said, "You are their friends, and you are probably one of the only friends they have that lift them up every time you meet them, through the things you teach them. Your are a big light in there lives."

Even though I was not able to express my love as fully as I would like to, to my beloved family back-home, I truly hope that I was able to at least Light the World of the people I have interacted with this Christmas season. The Glory is all His, I am just a carrier of His light to others!

Merry Christmas to you all!!!!
Light the World!!!!
Elder Alger

We have meals together as a branch every Sunday, 

but this Sunday was Christmas Sunday so they went all out

I love English Connect Promotions! Who doesn't like foreigners who are kind 

and teach you free English???? (The kid I talked about in the email, 

walked us over to the place where we were promoting. I love that kid!!!!)

Even More Baptisms in the Zone!

Very well used copy of Preach My Gospel. The reason I took this picture is I believe that the chapters in PMG are a good representation of how much of missionary work is preparation, compared to the work done in actual finding, teaching, and baptizing. (Left side represents the finding, teaching, baptizing, and retention efforts, while the right represents us preparing to be effective representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ, studying, learning the missionary discussions, studying the foreign language, developing Christlike attributes, how to recognize the Spirit in the work, etc.

I loved meeting with the Filipinos and apparently they liked it too because they gave Elder Torres food from his home land! He was so excited and you could tell that a barrier of language was completely lifted from him and he went off!

This is a picture of the people who came to Korea with me, and the circle is the empty spot of where I would be if I didn't bolt off with Elder Torres to catch a bus for Dong-hae. (4 hr. ride total).
I love these missionaries!

Christmas as a Mission!!!!!!!!!

 

I love love love the Gifts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Elder Torres is for sure jealous of the Hippo! And, what could be better for a missionary than colorful ties!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They will be very well used and loved!! Thank you sooooooooooooooo MUCH!