A successful baptism!! Didn't see that one coming did you. And new people being taught!!! All done by the hand of God!!! Stories for another day, but all I have got to say, is that there is nothing more refreshing or as thrilling, as these things. I will find these joys back home soon.
I love loving people. Did you know that already? Hahah
I know I will miss these two years I spent serving the Lord, focusing on others as a representative of Christ in Korea. But as God has taught me so well, an answer to my prayers through His servants, this is only the best two year start to the rest of my life as a disciple of Christ!!
I can't deny the miracles I have seen during these two years, and my faith is stronger than ever.
I have loved every single moment!!! Honestly, everyday is a new adventure being in foreign lands, and having the Spirit to guide my companions and me, right there by our sides.
Wow has it been 2 years?? I NEVER WANTED IT TO END... I have learned more things on the my mission than rest of my earlier years put together, and I have been the happiest. Now I know how I am to live when I get home, because if I am the happiest now, then why would I live any differently??
Honestly, I feel like when I get home, it will feel like my mission was just a dream. A dream, but like Lehi's, that opens ones mind to spiritual matters, and to how one must live. Because no one else experienced what I experienced, it will probably make things feel more surreal. Now it is time to put to test the things I have learn here in Korea! How exciting!!
I plan to stay connected with my friends in Korea, as well as all the other amazing companions and people I have come to know and love, from all over the world. I will pray for, and read the Book of Mormon with those I helped come unto Christ in Korea, along with those I am leaving, who are still learning about the church. I have made relationships that will last eternities, and honestly these are the relationships that we look forward to enjoying further in the here after. There is no greater gift than these.
I have made many friends here but I look forward to my reunion with you all in a couple days!!!
With lots of love from Elder Timothy William Alger 안태원 장로님~^^
ONCE A MISSION IN SEOUL FOREVER A MISSIONARY IN SOUL!!
Sunday, August 11, 2019
Monday, August 5, 2019
Week 104
This week was PACKED!!!!!!!!!!!!
FINDING
It included me calling President Taylor, to ask him if it was alright to continue proselyting after the 9:00 pm curfew. We had felt prompted to do some street boarding (write a question on a board and talk to people on the street) in the shopping square near our church, LaFesta. I love street boarding!
Also, Asa, the recent convert, wanted to go finding on the streets with us, Classic! It also included calling sessions on the phone, calling all the people that I had met on the street since I had come to this area. Elder Ostler made an online chat room with new people to teach, and although phone calling session did not show much results God fulfilled this principle He taught missionaries in times of old "...yea, even altogether, or two by two...as seemeth you good, it mattereth not unto me, [for ye cannot amiss](D&C 80:3), [but!] only be FAITHFUL! (D&C 62:5)..
All God asks us to do is to choose what we think is best and go with!! Be faithful and diligent in that choice. Once we are committed, in a lot of my experience, it works out well and in the way He intended. While at the same time He humbles you because you don't get the results directly from your efforts.
As an example, this last week, for our finding efforts we did a lot of things, but didn't see much from it (though it was thrilling to give people opportunities). On the very last day of the week at 10:00 pm we got a call from the Assistants to the President and they introduced us to this golden guy and were able to make an appointment with him!!!
I love the way God brings forth His work. It is definitely not man's work, and He is sure to make that clear to those doing His work.
TEACHING
This last week was full of lots of fun teaching and learning. But my favorite was reading 2 Nep. 31 with Brother Seung. (We met in May, while outside doing companionship studying. Hahaha and that also reminds me... Elder Bek was slightly teasing our team last transfer on the day we found him and said "Where do you think you are going right after your study?" I replied "We are going to find a the person God prepared for us! We are coming home with a new person," and we did!!! Haha But anyways) At first he was just wanting to do language exchanging, but now it is full on gospel discussions. We came and he had already read all of 2 Nep with the highlights trying to answer the question of.. "Why did Christ even need to be baptized if he was already sinless? Isn't baptism for cleansing us of our sins?"
We enjoyed sharing about how each covenant (In Korean covenant means sacred promise) is linked to giving us the powers of Heaven, and that we need that to be able to gain a fuller access to the power of the Atonement. D&C 84:20-21 "Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest. And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;
And then we got to 2 Nep 31:13 "behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel."
We asked him "Have you heard of the baptism by fire or the Gift of the Holy Ghost?"
He said "No actually"
So we explained it. "When we make a promise with God or get that inner commitment of 'I really do want to keep all his Commandments, and God wants to support us right?? You are a father. Aren't you so proud of your kids when they finally become committed and decide to do something good?? And, after the fact don't you want to do everything you can to help them to continue along that path even though there will surely be struggles and mistakes?? That is the same for our Father in Heaven. But He is a celestial exalted being with unimaginable powers. 3 Nep 14:9-11 'Or what man is there of you, who, if his son ask bread, will give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?' That is what the Gift of the Holy Ghost is!!!! So many people who are trying to follow his path are going on an impossible journey to be done by their own strength." We even showed him examples of this in the time of the Early Saints.
Acts 19
1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
We then asked him, "Don't you want to have this special gift, that Christ teaches is a part of the way back home to God?"
And, he said "Yeah!!! How do I even go about getting this??"
That one shocked me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was giddy on the inside. Because up to this point he wouldn't even commit to going to Church with us quite yet, let alone the idea of baptism. But from my experience people are more open when you bring up the topic of receiving the bless of the Gift of the Holy Ghost, because this is one of the precious and pain truths that were lost during the Apostasy and the power of Godliness lost to the earth for a period. and after all who doesn't want blessings? If you talk about only keeping laws, no one is going to want to be baptized.
So, then after that shock and insight of teaching in that split second, we told him that it would mean he would have to receive it from a worthy priesthood holder and in the proper manner as Christ did with the apostles by the laying on of hands. And in order to prepare for it, he would have to learn and live according to what standards he is to live by in order to enjoy a fullness of the gift God so badly wants to give him. We told him that the next time we would talk about how we can discern the truth, what his standard are and what the standard of truth is. I am so excited with his growth and I love learning from the Spirit during the discussions we have!!!!
BAPTISM
Yesterday in 일산(Ilsan), Brother Kim 김영현 was Baptized!
It is miracle in multiple ways and could only happen through our Father!!!
First, it start with Elder Seo서하늘 or as all the people in my 동기 (my group that came to Korea together) know him as Nephi!!(굿)(좋아) We were in the MTC together and were good friends and then of course went our different ways in the mission field, me to Korea and Nephi to a non-Korean mission. But it turned out that within first weeks here in 일산(Ilsan) I got introduced to his Cousin who "just so happened" to be living here.
김영현 (Kim Young Hyun) had not been going to church for quite a few years partly due to his father's loss of faith. But right as soon as he showed up to church, after these many years, the children's Primary leader (Sis. Key 기미미) felt a strong prompting to ask 김영현 (Kim Young Hyun) to learn with us.
He said yes, but was determined to not get baptized... because that means he has to go to church and then he can't go on these fun trips with his father on the weekends. But he didn't know then how fun it was to learn gospel and that I was a determined missionary!!!
So, after about 3 months of learning, with us teaching the gospel through games, because his explosive energy and his seeing the another Primary kid, with a very similar situation as him, get baptized, he too wanted to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost for himself.
He was so well behaved and the Spirit was strong at his baptism. Right before the baptism started he and I were the only people sitting in the front of the chapel and I asked him, "What is your favorite Hymn?" I start going through a couple with him, and he quickly said no to all of them. Then I ask "What about 'I am a Child of God'?" and he said "YES!!" Immediately after the saying so the piano starts to play the song. It was our opening Hymn. He recognized it, as God knows him personally and gave this beautiful answer to a prayer unsaid.
Usually, he and his brother like to steal our tags. He was different yesterday. Elder Ostler and Elder Jeong are so good with it and the energy of it all. Little Brother 김 (Kim) wasn't about to do that kind of stuff, and even when his younger brother tried to take my tag, he would get it back and secretly give it back to me. After his baptism he hugged me, and while we were getting on some dry clothes, he started singing "When I am Baptized" and of course joined him. Such a sweet moment. His mother and grandmother shared their testimonies and she was so touched by his decision. Asa and the other missionaries sang for the baptism. Asa has only been baptized now for 6 weeks, and she surprised us when she sang so strongly, because she has a small speaking voice. She is practically a missionary cause she finds and teaches people with us.
But anyways, the Spirit was so strong that his father, his aunt and cousin who haven't been going to church, had their hearts softened. As a cherry on top of it all, we end up finding out, that I knew their cousin, Nephi from the MTC!!! That really struck them. Then the Father set up an appointment with us, and the aunt wanted her 11 year old and 8 year old to do the same thing that we did with little Brother 김 (Kim). It was there first time seeing missionaries and a baptism, so they were curious. The kid even called me "저 아저씨!" (uncle) in stead of calling me a missionary.
It was an answer to my prayers to find another family before I leave Korea!!! God answers prayers!
Nephi's whole family was blessed because God's great and elaborate planning. Everything was just the way it needed to be for this family to starting growing in faith again and continue further on the covenant path back home to Father!!
I feel honored to be a part God's plan!! I know that God has got a plan for us all, even if we can't see it now!!! Trust in the Lord's timing and listen to His Spirit and you'll be surprised!!
In our last meeting we had him write out his testimony.
김영현 형제님의 간증 (성신의 은사)
(침례 받읐을때 무슨 느낌였는지 설명한 후에...간증
침례를 하면 가장 먼저 받는 것은 성신의은사입니다. 하나님께서 받을 수 있는 선물이니까요!!! 침례는 예수그리스도의 복음이라는 경주에서 달리는 것을 시작입니다!!! 성신의 은사를 느끼면 기분이 좋겠습니다!! 성신의 은사는 우리 삶에 길잡이가 되어줄거라는것을 알고 있습니다.
예수 그리스도 이름으로 간증드립니다 아멘
Brother Kim's testimony (gift of the Holy Ghost)
Explain how you felt when you were baptized... The first thing you receive at baptism is the gift of the Holy Ghost. Because it is a gift from God!! Baptism begins with running in the race of the gospel of Jesus Christ !!! I feel good when I feel the gift of the Holy Ghost. I know that the gift of the Holy Ghost will guide our lives.
I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
I love you all!
Elder Alger
FINDING
It included me calling President Taylor, to ask him if it was alright to continue proselyting after the 9:00 pm curfew. We had felt prompted to do some street boarding (write a question on a board and talk to people on the street) in the shopping square near our church, LaFesta. I love street boarding!
Also, Asa, the recent convert, wanted to go finding on the streets with us, Classic! It also included calling sessions on the phone, calling all the people that I had met on the street since I had come to this area. Elder Ostler made an online chat room with new people to teach, and although phone calling session did not show much results God fulfilled this principle He taught missionaries in times of old "...yea, even altogether, or two by two...as seemeth you good, it mattereth not unto me, [for ye cannot amiss](D&C 80:3), [but!] only be FAITHFUL! (D&C 62:5)..
All God asks us to do is to choose what we think is best and go with!! Be faithful and diligent in that choice. Once we are committed, in a lot of my experience, it works out well and in the way He intended. While at the same time He humbles you because you don't get the results directly from your efforts.
As an example, this last week, for our finding efforts we did a lot of things, but didn't see much from it (though it was thrilling to give people opportunities). On the very last day of the week at 10:00 pm we got a call from the Assistants to the President and they introduced us to this golden guy and were able to make an appointment with him!!!
I love the way God brings forth His work. It is definitely not man's work, and He is sure to make that clear to those doing His work.
TEACHING
This last week was full of lots of fun teaching and learning. But my favorite was reading 2 Nep. 31 with Brother Seung. (We met in May, while outside doing companionship studying. Hahaha and that also reminds me... Elder Bek was slightly teasing our team last transfer on the day we found him and said "Where do you think you are going right after your study?" I replied "We are going to find a the person God prepared for us! We are coming home with a new person," and we did!!! Haha But anyways) At first he was just wanting to do language exchanging, but now it is full on gospel discussions. We came and he had already read all of 2 Nep with the highlights trying to answer the question of.. "Why did Christ even need to be baptized if he was already sinless? Isn't baptism for cleansing us of our sins?"
We enjoyed sharing about how each covenant (In Korean covenant means sacred promise) is linked to giving us the powers of Heaven, and that we need that to be able to gain a fuller access to the power of the Atonement. D&C 84:20-21 "Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest. And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;
And then we got to 2 Nep 31:13 "behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel."
We asked him "Have you heard of the baptism by fire or the Gift of the Holy Ghost?"
He said "No actually"
So we explained it. "When we make a promise with God or get that inner commitment of 'I really do want to keep all his Commandments, and God wants to support us right?? You are a father. Aren't you so proud of your kids when they finally become committed and decide to do something good?? And, after the fact don't you want to do everything you can to help them to continue along that path even though there will surely be struggles and mistakes?? That is the same for our Father in Heaven. But He is a celestial exalted being with unimaginable powers. 3 Nep 14:9-11 'Or what man is there of you, who, if his son ask bread, will give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?' That is what the Gift of the Holy Ghost is!!!! So many people who are trying to follow his path are going on an impossible journey to be done by their own strength." We even showed him examples of this in the time of the Early Saints.
Acts 19
1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
We then asked him, "Don't you want to have this special gift, that Christ teaches is a part of the way back home to God?"
And, he said "Yeah!!! How do I even go about getting this??"
That one shocked me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was giddy on the inside. Because up to this point he wouldn't even commit to going to Church with us quite yet, let alone the idea of baptism. But from my experience people are more open when you bring up the topic of receiving the bless of the Gift of the Holy Ghost, because this is one of the precious and pain truths that were lost during the Apostasy and the power of Godliness lost to the earth for a period. and after all who doesn't want blessings? If you talk about only keeping laws, no one is going to want to be baptized.
So, then after that shock and insight of teaching in that split second, we told him that it would mean he would have to receive it from a worthy priesthood holder and in the proper manner as Christ did with the apostles by the laying on of hands. And in order to prepare for it, he would have to learn and live according to what standards he is to live by in order to enjoy a fullness of the gift God so badly wants to give him. We told him that the next time we would talk about how we can discern the truth, what his standard are and what the standard of truth is. I am so excited with his growth and I love learning from the Spirit during the discussions we have!!!!
BAPTISM
Yesterday in 일산(Ilsan), Brother Kim 김영현 was Baptized!
It is miracle in multiple ways and could only happen through our Father!!!
First, it start with Elder Seo서하늘 or as all the people in my 동기 (my group that came to Korea together) know him as Nephi!!(굿)(좋아) We were in the MTC together and were good friends and then of course went our different ways in the mission field, me to Korea and Nephi to a non-Korean mission. But it turned out that within first weeks here in 일산(Ilsan) I got introduced to his Cousin who "just so happened" to be living here.
김영현 (Kim Young Hyun) had not been going to church for quite a few years partly due to his father's loss of faith. But right as soon as he showed up to church, after these many years, the children's Primary leader (Sis. Key 기미미) felt a strong prompting to ask 김영현 (Kim Young Hyun) to learn with us.
He said yes, but was determined to not get baptized... because that means he has to go to church and then he can't go on these fun trips with his father on the weekends. But he didn't know then how fun it was to learn gospel and that I was a determined missionary!!!
So, after about 3 months of learning, with us teaching the gospel through games, because his explosive energy and his seeing the another Primary kid, with a very similar situation as him, get baptized, he too wanted to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost for himself.
He was so well behaved and the Spirit was strong at his baptism. Right before the baptism started he and I were the only people sitting in the front of the chapel and I asked him, "What is your favorite Hymn?" I start going through a couple with him, and he quickly said no to all of them. Then I ask "What about 'I am a Child of God'?" and he said "YES!!" Immediately after the saying so the piano starts to play the song. It was our opening Hymn. He recognized it, as God knows him personally and gave this beautiful answer to a prayer unsaid.
Usually, he and his brother like to steal our tags. He was different yesterday. Elder Ostler and Elder Jeong are so good with it and the energy of it all. Little Brother 김 (Kim) wasn't about to do that kind of stuff, and even when his younger brother tried to take my tag, he would get it back and secretly give it back to me. After his baptism he hugged me, and while we were getting on some dry clothes, he started singing "When I am Baptized" and of course joined him. Such a sweet moment. His mother and grandmother shared their testimonies and she was so touched by his decision. Asa and the other missionaries sang for the baptism. Asa has only been baptized now for 6 weeks, and she surprised us when she sang so strongly, because she has a small speaking voice. She is practically a missionary cause she finds and teaches people with us.
But anyways, the Spirit was so strong that his father, his aunt and cousin who haven't been going to church, had their hearts softened. As a cherry on top of it all, we end up finding out, that I knew their cousin, Nephi from the MTC!!! That really struck them. Then the Father set up an appointment with us, and the aunt wanted her 11 year old and 8 year old to do the same thing that we did with little Brother 김 (Kim). It was there first time seeing missionaries and a baptism, so they were curious. The kid even called me "저 아저씨!" (uncle) in stead of calling me a missionary.
It was an answer to my prayers to find another family before I leave Korea!!! God answers prayers!
Nephi's whole family was blessed because God's great and elaborate planning. Everything was just the way it needed to be for this family to starting growing in faith again and continue further on the covenant path back home to Father!!
I feel honored to be a part God's plan!! I know that God has got a plan for us all, even if we can't see it now!!! Trust in the Lord's timing and listen to His Spirit and you'll be surprised!!
In our last meeting we had him write out his testimony.
김영현 형제님의 간증 (성신의 은사)
(침례 받읐을때 무슨 느낌였는지 설명한 후에...간증
침례를 하면 가장 먼저 받는 것은 성신의은사입니다. 하나님께서 받을 수 있는 선물이니까요!!! 침례는 예수그리스도의 복음이라는 경주에서 달리는 것을 시작입니다!!! 성신의 은사를 느끼면 기분이 좋겠습니다!! 성신의 은사는 우리 삶에 길잡이가 되어줄거라는것을 알고 있습니다.
예수 그리스도 이름으로 간증드립니다 아멘
Brother Kim's testimony (gift of the Holy Ghost)
Explain how you felt when you were baptized... The first thing you receive at baptism is the gift of the Holy Ghost. Because it is a gift from God!! Baptism begins with running in the race of the gospel of Jesus Christ !!! I feel good when I feel the gift of the Holy Ghost. I know that the gift of the Holy Ghost will guide our lives.
I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
I love you all!
Elder Alger
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