Busy Assistants to the President don't always have time to write home. We didn't get an email this week, just pictures.
The wedding
Here is a video from the wedding: https://youtu.be/SBKzxUcIp5o
DINNER!
Sunday, March 31, 2019
Week 86
Busy Assistants to the President don't always have time to write home. We didn't get an email this week, just pictures.
The wedding
Sunday, March 24, 2019
Week 85
When you are prepared and ready the Lord just brings the people. He needs to you even if they end up in weird but great results! I feel like every week is crazy but this week was particularity very crazy! There were quite a few interesting meetings we had with people, to say the least.
We met Jehovah's Witnesses that tried teaching us all these random facts in the Bible like where heaven is, etc. Another who wants to learn with us, but only purely through the Bible. Which restrict God's word to just what is in the Bible, so we had to back up literally everything we said with the Bible. A first for me. Made us think more about our Bible for sure and stumped us. But, I do want to testify to you all that when God said "my works are without end and my word never cease" he meant it. I know that without a doubt.
A funny thing that happened this week was we ditched an investigator to show up at a wedding. But turned out that the wedding was meant for the following week. Oops, haha, I guess we know how to get there for next week.
We had an experience where we quickly took out a member during a lesson because of the way he was teaching our investigator. That one shocked me.
But, even though there were a bunch of crazy things that happened there were many great things that we could do this last week.
We had a great first lesson with a member referral who is looking for truth, but has not found a religion yet!! Another investigator had fun answering the question in the back of the Plan of Salvation Pamphlet with us. He actually ended up memorizing the scripture! We did exchanges with the Kangwondo Zone Leaders and Seoul Zone Leaders. I love the energy they had!!!
When I went to Kangwondo to do exchanges with Elder Burt, I learned a lot about the energy he puts in the work and especially with members. He is fantastic at filling the day with meaningful activities throughout the day. He is a pro-missionary. He actually was the AP before I took his seat. So I felt like I learned more from him than he did with me.
And, this last weekend was a great miracle, with a man named Dragon! Cool, huh. He says that he doesn't do much, since he is waiting to go back to school in April, and says that he is only thinking of spiritual things right now. Because he lives in Chun-Cheon we just took the train back together to Seoul. He took an hour train ride to take the sacrament in our area, and then went to a baptism, another 1 hour away, with a return missionary in our ward. He is so prepared!!
The baptism was beautiful, made me cry actually. The recent convert who got baptized said she was committed to finding the true church and she ended up finding the Sisters on Kokoa Talk.
Many of the finding miracles were on Sunday. We literally were just on our way to other appointments, and they simply came up to us. Our conversation starters were something like this "What were you doing to be dressed up so nice like this?" "You look warm in that coat." "May I take your picture?" "Did you eat a fruit?" "Do you live around here?" None of them were anything fancy and took no technique, but right after that they had immediate reactions as the following "Your face is so bright you must be a believer in Christ." "Are you a missionary for the Mormon Church?" For this reaction, and for many of the other good reactions, they leaded straight to a gospel discussion.
I love talking to the Korean people and I love to share the gospel of the Restored Church. I also love that God has shown Himself to me multiple times through interactions such as these on the street and quick learners like Dragon!!! I am so excited for his baptism this next Sunday!! I love working here in Nok-bun!!! It is ward of miracles. We have had 3 referrals since I came here. The energy here is great and I love teaching deeper doctrine with the recent converts! They are great. I feel I am totally myself here!! I am extremely grateful for this wonderful opportunity to serve here in Seoul!!!
Love Elder Timmy Alger
We met Jehovah's Witnesses that tried teaching us all these random facts in the Bible like where heaven is, etc. Another who wants to learn with us, but only purely through the Bible. Which restrict God's word to just what is in the Bible, so we had to back up literally everything we said with the Bible. A first for me. Made us think more about our Bible for sure and stumped us. But, I do want to testify to you all that when God said "my works are without end and my word never cease" he meant it. I know that without a doubt.
A funny thing that happened this week was we ditched an investigator to show up at a wedding. But turned out that the wedding was meant for the following week. Oops, haha, I guess we know how to get there for next week.
We had an experience where we quickly took out a member during a lesson because of the way he was teaching our investigator. That one shocked me.
But, even though there were a bunch of crazy things that happened there were many great things that we could do this last week.
We had a great first lesson with a member referral who is looking for truth, but has not found a religion yet!! Another investigator had fun answering the question in the back of the Plan of Salvation Pamphlet with us. He actually ended up memorizing the scripture! We did exchanges with the Kangwondo Zone Leaders and Seoul Zone Leaders. I love the energy they had!!!
When I went to Kangwondo to do exchanges with Elder Burt, I learned a lot about the energy he puts in the work and especially with members. He is fantastic at filling the day with meaningful activities throughout the day. He is a pro-missionary. He actually was the AP before I took his seat. So I felt like I learned more from him than he did with me.
And, this last weekend was a great miracle, with a man named Dragon! Cool, huh. He says that he doesn't do much, since he is waiting to go back to school in April, and says that he is only thinking of spiritual things right now. Because he lives in Chun-Cheon we just took the train back together to Seoul. He took an hour train ride to take the sacrament in our area, and then went to a baptism, another 1 hour away, with a return missionary in our ward. He is so prepared!!
The baptism was beautiful, made me cry actually. The recent convert who got baptized said she was committed to finding the true church and she ended up finding the Sisters on Kokoa Talk.
Many of the finding miracles were on Sunday. We literally were just on our way to other appointments, and they simply came up to us. Our conversation starters were something like this "What were you doing to be dressed up so nice like this?" "You look warm in that coat." "May I take your picture?" "Did you eat a fruit?" "Do you live around here?" None of them were anything fancy and took no technique, but right after that they had immediate reactions as the following "Your face is so bright you must be a believer in Christ." "Are you a missionary for the Mormon Church?" For this reaction, and for many of the other good reactions, they leaded straight to a gospel discussion.
I love talking to the Korean people and I love to share the gospel of the Restored Church. I also love that God has shown Himself to me multiple times through interactions such as these on the street and quick learners like Dragon!!! I am so excited for his baptism this next Sunday!! I love working here in Nok-bun!!! It is ward of miracles. We have had 3 referrals since I came here. The energy here is great and I love teaching deeper doctrine with the recent converts! They are great. I feel I am totally myself here!! I am extremely grateful for this wonderful opportunity to serve here in Seoul!!!
Love Elder Timmy Alger
Squid!!!
Sunday, March 17, 2019
Weeks 83 and 84
The week before,
I have seen great progress in actually all the people we teach, each in their own special ways.
We got 4 people to church yesterday with the help of members! I am so thrilled with what is going to happen here!
It is such a great experience to be able to teach with Elder White! He has great wisdom of the gospel and in leadership and at the same time he a hidden humor about him. We are different in many aspects, but I think we mesh well because we both are actively thinking of how to improve the work. In a companionship, I always act like if anything is going to get done I need to do it, or that I have to be the one to take responsibility, and because of that attitude I have never been disappointed. But, being here with Elder White I am constantly surprised by how engaged he is in the work! He seems to have a similar mind set, and so we seem to accomplish 2x what I expect to. It's so refreshing being here in Seoul and being with Elder White! I love to see how much Elder White makes each meeting with one person different from another, based on their needs. It is fun to have variety.
The members here in Nok-bun are great. I keep hearing from the other missionaries that Bishop's meetings are silly and that we are stuck with a bunch of old-folks, and so on, but coming from Dong-Hae it is actually refreshing to see 200 people at the ward conference and how the members are actively trying to help us in the work in their own ways, even if it isn't most preferred by the missionaries. I love the ward here! Honestly, the members here are great!!! So many recent converts!!! Good energy!
I came into the meeting with Bishop Park with a list of questions about the members I had been calling, and he was surprised with that and that we finally after a long time got a recent convert/ less active I had been focusing on to come to church. Honestly, it is sooo energizing!!
And, this last week was full of training the missionaries across the mission in each Zone. I love the missionaries and more than that I love loving the missionaries!!! It is just what Algers/Elys do, and we have fun with it!
After all the trainings, I honestly feel that we learn a whole lot more when we teach something than if we are the receivers of the teaching. It was great to be able to learn from President Taylor and Sister Taylor for 3 days in a row! They are my heroes and good friends!
For one of the Conferences we went pack to the rural area I served and I felt at home. I great first conference. It was definitely cool to be able to sit by President and Sister Taylor on the KTX train ride back and forth, we energize each other with our our stories in the mission.
I have felt the Spirit guide our actions, after the conferences we had. I am grateful that through the mission I have become more sensitive to Spirit, and that I know what it feels like to me. There are days I feel God's appreciation through following its commands. That was definitely felt after the Dong Zone Conference for me. We left right away and went to talk to the Chief Librarian here in 서대문 to hit off the same thing we did in Dong-Hae. And, immediately after we followed the Spirit and got a hold of some less actives and found new people to teach and got to visit a solid member on top of that! It was all guided by the Spirit, I know for sure!
I love days like those!
I think that the biggest purpose in being an AP is just being an example to the rest of the missionaries of what a missionary in Korea can accomplish. If we serve with all our heart, might, mind and strength! It is all possible through Christ! I am seeing many miracles here in Nok-bun.
I don't feel worthy to be an AP and I still have a lot to learn. I am excited to grow into what God has in store for me. I also know that God qualifies those whom he calls and I have hope in those words from Prophet Thomas S Monson! I know that revelation guides His church today. I feel it in my life and from the Words of the Prophets!
Love Elder Timmy Alger!
I have seen great progress in actually all the people we teach, each in their own special ways.
We got 4 people to church yesterday with the help of members! I am so thrilled with what is going to happen here!
It is such a great experience to be able to teach with Elder White! He has great wisdom of the gospel and in leadership and at the same time he a hidden humor about him. We are different in many aspects, but I think we mesh well because we both are actively thinking of how to improve the work. In a companionship, I always act like if anything is going to get done I need to do it, or that I have to be the one to take responsibility, and because of that attitude I have never been disappointed. But, being here with Elder White I am constantly surprised by how engaged he is in the work! He seems to have a similar mind set, and so we seem to accomplish 2x what I expect to. It's so refreshing being here in Seoul and being with Elder White! I love to see how much Elder White makes each meeting with one person different from another, based on their needs. It is fun to have variety.
The members here in Nok-bun are great. I keep hearing from the other missionaries that Bishop's meetings are silly and that we are stuck with a bunch of old-folks, and so on, but coming from Dong-Hae it is actually refreshing to see 200 people at the ward conference and how the members are actively trying to help us in the work in their own ways, even if it isn't most preferred by the missionaries. I love the ward here! Honestly, the members here are great!!! So many recent converts!!! Good energy!
I came into the meeting with Bishop Park with a list of questions about the members I had been calling, and he was surprised with that and that we finally after a long time got a recent convert/ less active I had been focusing on to come to church. Honestly, it is sooo energizing!!
And, this last week was full of training the missionaries across the mission in each Zone. I love the missionaries and more than that I love loving the missionaries!!! It is just what Algers/Elys do, and we have fun with it!
After all the trainings, I honestly feel that we learn a whole lot more when we teach something than if we are the receivers of the teaching. It was great to be able to learn from President Taylor and Sister Taylor for 3 days in a row! They are my heroes and good friends!
For one of the Conferences we went pack to the rural area I served and I felt at home. I great first conference. It was definitely cool to be able to sit by President and Sister Taylor on the KTX train ride back and forth, we energize each other with our our stories in the mission.
I have felt the Spirit guide our actions, after the conferences we had. I am grateful that through the mission I have become more sensitive to Spirit, and that I know what it feels like to me. There are days I feel God's appreciation through following its commands. That was definitely felt after the Dong Zone Conference for me. We left right away and went to talk to the Chief Librarian here in 서대문 to hit off the same thing we did in Dong-Hae. And, immediately after we followed the Spirit and got a hold of some less actives and found new people to teach and got to visit a solid member on top of that! It was all guided by the Spirit, I know for sure!
I love days like those!
I think that the biggest purpose in being an AP is just being an example to the rest of the missionaries of what a missionary in Korea can accomplish. If we serve with all our heart, might, mind and strength! It is all possible through Christ! I am seeing many miracles here in Nok-bun.
I don't feel worthy to be an AP and I still have a lot to learn. I am excited to grow into what God has in store for me. I also know that God qualifies those whom he calls and I have hope in those words from Prophet Thomas S Monson! I know that revelation guides His church today. I feel it in my life and from the Words of the Prophets!
Love Elder Timmy Alger!
Sunday, March 3, 2019
Week 82
It is weird to see and interact so much more often with Pres and Sis Taylor. I love them. They are like my 3rd pair of grandparents. We are never just following them around doing little chores for them. They consider me and Elder White as their companions in the mission.
Let me just say this.... Dong-Hae is extremely different from this area!!!!
After leaving the beautiful East Sea I arrived in the the big, busy city! There are always so many people to talk to!!! I forgot how much fun it is to talk with Koreans all the time. You just couldn't do that in the streets of Dong-Hae. I can't tell you how easy it is to get student's Facebook info in Seoul subways as we go about. We have already set up an appointment with one of them. I am hoping that as I put up posts and continue Facebook messaging the students, that they too will have a spark of interest. And, it has only been half a week. Can't wait to see what results will come with time, if we can do this much in a 1/2 week!!
I am sooo grateful that my first day here in Nok-bun we got to teach a young man named Dragon who referred to us from the Seoul Stake President, it was his first in-counter with our church. We met in an auxiliary part of the temple. I can't tell you how long it as been since I have been in the temple. I still haven't had a session since the new year. The spirit was great in the temple, and Dragon is so prepared to receive the restored gospel! He soaked it all in! He said he feels that it is the start of a new beginning for him. He is reading the Book of Mormon and is excited to meet again this Tuesday before he goes back to Japan for schooling!
I love being here!!! Did I say that already?
When I first got here though I was really confused about what I should and should not do. That was because it was the beginning of the transfer, and I don't want to mess up Elder White's groove. There are a lot more office things like helping people fix their Area Book Planner apps, and updating the District Leader Guidelines for their training, and refining a more official, mission language, progression check up book for printing. I had some opinions with the Korean phrasing and tips, and with more of Sister Cutler's input we think that it is ready to go out to the mission!
We have had a good amount of teaching appointments and the Cutler's are a huge help! Did you know that Elder White is a MASTER TEACHER! I love every word that comes out his mouth as he shares the Gospel! Such a wise and converted man. He has amazing vision!! I have a lot to learn from him as the Junior Assistant to the President, I am going to soak it all in and I hope that I can be with him for a good while, but the Lord's will be done! It is really refreshing to have to people pushing with full force and never giving in!
I am now less confused about what I am doing here. Elder White and I have even sacrificed some meals for the work. Haha, Elder White strongly feels that eating is a burden sort of in a joking way but I know he is also serious as well. I somewhat feel that way too, funny to say. The work must be done!
Elder White said this coming week will be like normal proselyting schedule and he was sorry that it was hectic last week. I am now living with 4 other missionaries, other than my teams, so that will take a little of adjustments to find out other ways to fit in times for pondering and my bonus language study (I look forward to those). I will also clean the whole house before next week!!! A clean house is a house of the Lord, where the Spirit can reside!!
President has directly told us to put a lot of focus on establishing Nok-bun ward, and I am planning helping in getting more converts over here in Nok-bun. I have heard that Bishop has got the vibe that we are too busy to help him in the ward because of other projects, but my goal and determination is to break that false idea. I have lots of plans with the ward. The recent convert's families have great potential and they even want us to help them! I love the members, but it will be a whole lot more difficult to memorize their names compared to a 20 people attendance in Dong-hae branch. Good luck to me, maybe that is where I can see some help from the promised gift of tongues!! Haha, we will see.
I am excited to give my all here!!! And, I want to be exactly obedient!!
Elder Timmy Alger!
My last day in Dong-Hae! Guess what! When I first got to Dong-Hae we made a open group chat on a Korean Social media app and this guy entered it and said that he would like to learn English with us. At the time we hadn't started up our English Connect classes, and so we had him meet up for a 30/30 program. 30 mins of English discussion and 30 mins of Gospel discussion. He started freaked out with church and missionaries and wouldn't keep any commitments, but from fall until now, he has slowly progressed by reading out of B of M and then downloading the Gospel Library app. It has been really slow. And then when it came to my final say, we were determined to get him to try church just one time. And, after discussing it he said. "Alright." And, coincidentally we had a last dinner appointment with Brianne the recent convert and Oliver and so we invited him to join us. And they got along well! Never in my wildest dream did I imagine him coming from where he was at the beginning and then going to church yesterday! I left Dong-Hae with a bang I feel.
My last night in Dong-Hae was a smooth transition with the new elder taking my place and they have great plans for expanding what Elder Torres and I started at the Library with English Connect.
Let me just say this.... Dong-Hae is extremely different from this area!!!!
After leaving the beautiful East Sea I arrived in the the big, busy city! There are always so many people to talk to!!! I forgot how much fun it is to talk with Koreans all the time. You just couldn't do that in the streets of Dong-Hae. I can't tell you how easy it is to get student's Facebook info in Seoul subways as we go about. We have already set up an appointment with one of them. I am hoping that as I put up posts and continue Facebook messaging the students, that they too will have a spark of interest. And, it has only been half a week. Can't wait to see what results will come with time, if we can do this much in a 1/2 week!!
I am sooo grateful that my first day here in Nok-bun we got to teach a young man named Dragon who referred to us from the Seoul Stake President, it was his first in-counter with our church. We met in an auxiliary part of the temple. I can't tell you how long it as been since I have been in the temple. I still haven't had a session since the new year. The spirit was great in the temple, and Dragon is so prepared to receive the restored gospel! He soaked it all in! He said he feels that it is the start of a new beginning for him. He is reading the Book of Mormon and is excited to meet again this Tuesday before he goes back to Japan for schooling!
I love being here!!! Did I say that already?
When I first got here though I was really confused about what I should and should not do. That was because it was the beginning of the transfer, and I don't want to mess up Elder White's groove. There are a lot more office things like helping people fix their Area Book Planner apps, and updating the District Leader Guidelines for their training, and refining a more official, mission language, progression check up book for printing. I had some opinions with the Korean phrasing and tips, and with more of Sister Cutler's input we think that it is ready to go out to the mission!
We have had a good amount of teaching appointments and the Cutler's are a huge help! Did you know that Elder White is a MASTER TEACHER! I love every word that comes out his mouth as he shares the Gospel! Such a wise and converted man. He has amazing vision!! I have a lot to learn from him as the Junior Assistant to the President, I am going to soak it all in and I hope that I can be with him for a good while, but the Lord's will be done! It is really refreshing to have to people pushing with full force and never giving in!
I am now less confused about what I am doing here. Elder White and I have even sacrificed some meals for the work. Haha, Elder White strongly feels that eating is a burden sort of in a joking way but I know he is also serious as well. I somewhat feel that way too, funny to say. The work must be done!
Elder White said this coming week will be like normal proselyting schedule and he was sorry that it was hectic last week. I am now living with 4 other missionaries, other than my teams, so that will take a little of adjustments to find out other ways to fit in times for pondering and my bonus language study (I look forward to those). I will also clean the whole house before next week!!! A clean house is a house of the Lord, where the Spirit can reside!!
President has directly told us to put a lot of focus on establishing Nok-bun ward, and I am planning helping in getting more converts over here in Nok-bun. I have heard that Bishop has got the vibe that we are too busy to help him in the ward because of other projects, but my goal and determination is to break that false idea. I have lots of plans with the ward. The recent convert's families have great potential and they even want us to help them! I love the members, but it will be a whole lot more difficult to memorize their names compared to a 20 people attendance in Dong-hae branch. Good luck to me, maybe that is where I can see some help from the promised gift of tongues!! Haha, we will see.
I am excited to give my all here!!! And, I want to be exactly obedient!!
Elder Timmy Alger!
My last day in Dong-Hae! Guess what! When I first got to Dong-Hae we made a open group chat on a Korean Social media app and this guy entered it and said that he would like to learn English with us. At the time we hadn't started up our English Connect classes, and so we had him meet up for a 30/30 program. 30 mins of English discussion and 30 mins of Gospel discussion. He started freaked out with church and missionaries and wouldn't keep any commitments, but from fall until now, he has slowly progressed by reading out of B of M and then downloading the Gospel Library app. It has been really slow. And then when it came to my final say, we were determined to get him to try church just one time. And, after discussing it he said. "Alright." And, coincidentally we had a last dinner appointment with Brianne the recent convert and Oliver and so we invited him to join us. And they got along well! Never in my wildest dream did I imagine him coming from where he was at the beginning and then going to church yesterday! I left Dong-Hae with a bang I feel.
I am in the city now!
My last night in Dong-Hae was a smooth transition with the new elder taking my place and they have great plans for expanding what Elder Torres and I started at the Library with English Connect.
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