Week 96

Ilsan is nothing but a land of miracles!! I feel like I say that for every area, but Ilsan really is fantastic.

I am going to devote this Email to the miracles I have seen in these last weeks.
This is one from a while a ago, but I was ask by President Taylor to write about this, so...

It all started with just another day, a good day, with Elder White. We were just making our way home, tired from a long, good, busy work day, but yet spiritually energized from missionary work. We walked to the bus stop and saw that the bus was coming up. Just then, I noticed that there was a man standing a little over to the right of us, and for some reason he stood out from all the rest of the people. I got a clear prompting from the Spirit to say hi to this man, but as that thought came to mind my next immediate thought was, "It is so weird say hi, and then just leave." But I knew I got the prompting from the Spirit, so I acted. To our surprise, the man responded in fluent English, "What's up man!!" That moment is when the bus arrived. As I was about to get on the bus, once again a prompting came, telling me to pull out a Restoration pamphlet from my bag and hand it over to him. That is not a normal thing, I usually like to explain a little about it before handing it out, but ignoring the abnormality of it all I gave him the pamphlet. That was it.

We were on the bus riding along and when we realized that we were on the wrong bus. We got off at the next stop and got on the right bus. The funny thing was, that same man we had just seen, was sitting there on the bus, looking at the pamphlet. He looked up and said hello again. It was a really short trip, but during the ride he gave us his business card and said, "You should come to my house sometime." That was a finding miracle in itself and we went home on a high!!

After that, we texted him every once in a while, but he was to busy to meet. He is an actor, and he was teaching at a studio, in preparation to put on a show. Then, out of the blue, he texted us and asked if we could see the little show he was putting on with his students. That also is another thing that we don't normally do as missionaries. However, I have learned that when it comes down to decision making, between doing and not doing this or that, if you've got a good motive behind it, then you just go with your best judgment. There was no clear prompting, but there wasn't any stupor of thought either. So we went.

We sat through his students doing their monologues. I learned words in Korean that I wouldn't  have learned in church and it made me feel uncomfortable as a missionary watching it; however, the Spirit was now telling us to sit it through. Elder White felt the same too. Elder White and I agreed that talking to random people on the street, and gaining trust, is a lot harder than someone introducing friend to us, which this guy did at the end. We were all sitting around a table snacking, and he had us introduce ourselves. We did, and we shared our purpose, as well as an opportunity for them to learn free English. As we were speaking in Korean, all of the people there were sitting thee in awe, almost with there mouths hanging open. Afterward, we asked who was interested and almost all of them exchanged contact information with us. We sent all of them off to English classes in their individual ward boundaries. One of them asked if she could meet separately, so we referred her over to the sister missionaries, Sister 이현정!!

She started learning with them, and the gospel messages really clicked with her. She said she wants to get baptized and right now her baptismal date is set for the 29th of June. And, she LOVES the sisters. She has a another acting friend at the church in Shin-Dang.

Now here in Ilsan!!
I love, love, love my companion, Elder Ostler, the members, the way the city is set up, and the buildings. I really have not one thing to complain about. It is honestly like paradise! If I returned to Korea to live anywhere, it would most likely be here.

When I first came here there was only one investigator, a solid one at that, though. She is the hairstylist lady. She used to go to church every other week; but, since I have come, we have been able to help her go to church weekly. And, soon she will be baptized.

Ever since we arrived in Ilsan, we have received so many referrals from members and other missionaries. A lot of them are kids that didn't get baptized at 8, whom I love. Kids are the best!! And, we are meeting an Indian man who was kicked out of his country for being a Christian, and for being the teacher of a student who converted to Christianity. Apparently the northern parts of India are strict about religion.

And another fun little miracle! We met a man with Polio while we were outside doing companionship study. And, because he is a pianist, we invited him to help us with the musical number for Brother Hong's and Brother Choi's baptism yesterday. It was great!

Our mission is flowing with miracles!! I love being a missionary.

Love you all!!!!
Elder Tim