No email this week, but videos and lots of pictures.
Our chapel in Ilsan
Sunday, May 26, 2019
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Amazing Article Quoting Timmy
by Brad Taylor, President, Korea Seoul Mission
May 21, 2019
Elder Euiyoung Beck, a native South Korean missionary serving in the Korea Seoul Mission, suddenly passed out for 20 minutes following a routine military drill weekend (a normal military leave required for Korean young men). In the blink of an eye, this high-energy, much-beloved missionary lost all of his memory from 2015 to the present day.
In addition to every imaginable trial that comes with such an affliction, Elder Beck’s memory loss included one additional, very significant challenge: he had become miraculously converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ in 2016 through an Alma-like conversion story for another day. In fact, back in 2015, he was engaged (by his own telling) in “riotous living” and had been for the prior 16 years. “The last memory I have in my life is getting way too drunk with my army friends at a party back in early 2015,” Elder Beck recalls.
Fast forward to April 2019, the problem now was that everything he had ever known, learned, or experienced about his conversion, his mission, or his testimony was completely erased from his memory.
The doctors confirmed that his body and all other vital functions were 100 percent healthy. There seemed to be no explanation for why this missionary would lose so much of his memory.
Caught in such a bizarre situation, Elder Beck started to counsel with his parents about what he should do next with his life. His assumption was that he was still serving in the military. When his parents informed him that he was currently serving as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he was shocked. But his parents recall that despite his memory loss, there was a light of Christ in him that caused tears to well up in his eyes. Although he’d been inactive most of his life, it had always been a secret dream of his that someday he’d be close enough to God to be a missionary. This caused him to immediately respond by saying, “If you tell me I’m a missionary, I’d like to get back out to my missionary service!”
One day later, Elder Beck’s amazing parents brought him into the Seoul mission office with faith, hope, and a lot of trepidation as they prepared to send their son back on his mission. There happened to be a training event at the office that day, and about 30 of his fellow missionaries were present when Elder Beck arrived. It’s hard to overstate how much this elder is beloved by his fellow missionaries. He is a spiritual, gregarious, joyful person who is deeply loved by all. One of his companions said, “I think each of us secretly thought that ‘when he sees my face, it’ll surely spark a memory that will open the floodgates.'” That feeling explains why his return to the office that day was so hard. One by one, all of his dear missionary friends greeted him with hugs and high hopes that were quickly dashed as he was a solemn “deer in the headlights,” unable to recognize anyone. The Elder Beck we all knew and loved was just completely gone, and it was so painful.
All of his fellow missionaries desperately wanted to do something. As a mission, we made a giant banner with a picture and a personal note from each missionary in the hopes that their faces and memories would help to stimulate his.
The entire mission also immediately resolved to hold a special mission-wide fast and prayer for him that Sunday.
Elder Beck’s parents suggested that he be placed in a different area because they worried that the members in his current ward would be upset by his inability to remember them; they felt he needed a clean start. My wife and I agreed and placed him in a new area with two patient, loving companions who began re-teaching him everything about the gospel from scratch. They likened it to teaching a young child; accepting and innocent, but also sometimes distracted or lacking focused attention. At times, Elder Beck was right on task and other times, he wandered in a completely different direction. Through it all, his companions and other missionaries near him were kind, long-suffering, and faithfully enduring.
The fasting and prayers continued as the weeks rolled on, but excruciatingly little changed. There was continued deep concern in Seoul. We had removed him from his old ward area, but as word spread of the tragedy, the members of his previous area traveled in large numbers to visit their beloved Elder Beck in his new area, hoping that they might be the ones who could spur his memory. Even people he had been teaching were distraught and started sending him pictures, letters, and even scriptures to inspire some recall. Missionaries called every day in hopes of some sign of progress, but painfully, there was little to report.
About three weeks in, I had my monthly interview with him, and it was heartbreaking. Elder Beck said through a flood of tears, “President, I want to believe and I want to be a good missionary, but it’s so hard when I can’t even remember if God exists.” We talked for a long time. We deeply discussed Alma 32:27, “. . . even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you.” We also studied Elder Holland’s landmark talk “Lord, I Believe,” encouraging him to hold fast to any little thing that he felt might be true. We talked about the “greatness of evidences” (Helaman 5:50) he had received—evidences such as his faithful parents, leaders, missionaries, members, companions, even loving investigators, along with the amazing fruits of the true church that he was witnessing daily in Korea.
At about the four-week mark (which felt like an eternity), we were approaching a quarterly Seoul zone temple day, but Elder Beck remembered nothing about attending the temple. His companions were assigned to teach him all the temple preparation lessons. Their focus was: “Elder Beck is our most important investigator.” They did a beautiful job. He came to the temple well prepared to attend for seemingly the first time. Our missionaries packed every seat in the endowment room, and there was a beautiful, strong spirit present. After the session, my wife and I were waiting anxiously in the celestial room to greet Elder Beck when he arrived. He came into the celestial room with tears flowing and said, “I feel so happy. Heavenly Father is here. I’m home.” He sat in a chair in the celestial room and wept tears of joy. That day in the temple was a miracle: Elder Beck remembered that God lives!
Three days later, Friday, May 10, right at the sound of the 6:30 a.m. alarm, another miracle happened. All of Elder Beck’s lost memories from the last four years came flooding back. He called me right away and through his tears simply said, “President, I remember everything.” There was a joy in his voice that is impossible to describe. My wife and I were in tears. It felt like a son had been raised from the dead. Shortly thereafter, we texted out the news to all of the elated and deeply grateful Seoul missionaries. It was my wife’s birthday. Through tears, she texted out: “Best birthday present ever!”
One by one, as opportunity permitted, Elder Beck had the chance to reunite with each of his fellow missionaries. Watching him shriek with delight and run into the arms of each one of his eternal missionary friends can only be compared to having a glimpse of what it might look like when each of us have a heavenly reunion with loved ones beyond this life’s veil of forgetfulness.
One of my assistants Elder Timothy Alger wrote:
“All of us were part of God's army in the premortal existence and did amazing works (like Elder Beck before he forgot), but once we pass through the veil we can gain false beliefs that we are not anything special. So we must trust in the records and proof (like scriptures and living witnesses) that we are actually sons and daughters of a Heavenly Father with divine potential. We can tap into that potential by having faith in what we can't see with our present eyes, and acting boldly. While on the earth we walk by faith rather than by sight. Thank you, Elder Beck, for your example of faith and action during hard and doubtful times. And to our missionaries: BELIEVE what the prophets say concerning you! We all have divine potential. We love you KSM [Korea Seoul Mission]! You helped Elder Beck remember, now go help others to do the same.”
On this miraculous day, eternal principles such as fasting, prayer, temple, love, deep faith, unfailing charity, and the existence of a loving Heavenly Father became undeniably real in the Korea Seoul Mission.
Lead Image: Elder Beck with his companions past and present, on the day his memory came back. (From left to right: Elder Brennan Wagner, Elder Takuya Uekubo, Elder Euiyoung Beck, Elder Dylan Barnette, Elder Thomas
Sunday, May 19, 2019
Week 93
I have officially left Nokbun and I am in Ilsan. Nobun is in the middle of the city. And, now I am in what they would call as Koreans the "sub-herbs". But, it is nothing like suburbs of America. Though it does give an American feel to me because it is all laid-out very well and the roads are in squares. The roads are huge and there are some many huge trees and foliage next to the humongous buildings and homes (all of the homes in Korea are apartments). The church building here is the biggest in the mission and the placement of it is perfect. It is right at the corner of a intersection. And, on the same block is La-Festa (A giant shopping way that leads to the Pond Park).
I love every part of it!!! I actually hope that I stay here till I leave my mission. I feel a lot of love from the members and even from the people out on the streets. I came in with simply one solid person that comes to church and eventually wants to get baptized but other than that I am going to be doing a lot of finding here!! And, because I have seen the most success from working with members I am planning on getting really close with the members, though I don't have any clue how I am going to memorize all of their names. It is just as big as a normal ward back at home. Lots of good energy and solid members.
I have a really great companion!!! He has only been out on his mission for almost 8 months, but he is solid. He is willing to learn and we are having fun together. He is getting a grasp on the language. He was a wrestler and a state camp, so I plan on getting big.
Even though I am new here we are already getting new people to church!!! I feel like the secret to helping and getting things done as a missionary, is showing love and actually getting involved in the lives of those we have discussions with. My favorite part of serving in Korea is making new friends and helping them find more peace and happiness in life.
Goals
I want to help Elder Ostler learn how to handle being a Senior Comp and leading the area because I see him being a a mission leader soon in the future.
I want to re-read through all of the Standard Works (Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price) before I get home. With Old Testament as last (in Korean as well if I can)
I know that people are sent to places on purpose and that there prepared people are waiting! I have the faith to find, and to give stronger faith in being able to baptize, to Elder Ostler.
Testimony
I have seen miracles through baptism and I know the difference it makes in people's lives. I wouldn't want anything else for the people of Korea. We can have the literal powers of heaven in our lives when we make sacred convents with our Father in heaven. He wants us to remember Him and to have us with Him. Christ is the way and there is no other to lasting joy!
I am grateful for this opportunity to love others without having to worry about personal affairs! I believe it is a once in a life time opportunity and I am not going to waste it!
I love you all! It is easy to say that the church is TRUE. It is all harder to stay TRUE to the church. We are in it till the end!!!
I love every part of it!!! I actually hope that I stay here till I leave my mission. I feel a lot of love from the members and even from the people out on the streets. I came in with simply one solid person that comes to church and eventually wants to get baptized but other than that I am going to be doing a lot of finding here!! And, because I have seen the most success from working with members I am planning on getting really close with the members, though I don't have any clue how I am going to memorize all of their names. It is just as big as a normal ward back at home. Lots of good energy and solid members.
I have a really great companion!!! He has only been out on his mission for almost 8 months, but he is solid. He is willing to learn and we are having fun together. He is getting a grasp on the language. He was a wrestler and a state camp, so I plan on getting big.
Even though I am new here we are already getting new people to church!!! I feel like the secret to helping and getting things done as a missionary, is showing love and actually getting involved in the lives of those we have discussions with. My favorite part of serving in Korea is making new friends and helping them find more peace and happiness in life.
Goals
I want to help Elder Ostler learn how to handle being a Senior Comp and leading the area because I see him being a a mission leader soon in the future.
I want to re-read through all of the Standard Works (Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price) before I get home. With Old Testament as last (in Korean as well if I can)
I know that people are sent to places on purpose and that there prepared people are waiting! I have the faith to find, and to give stronger faith in being able to baptize, to Elder Ostler.
Testimony
I have seen miracles through baptism and I know the difference it makes in people's lives. I wouldn't want anything else for the people of Korea. We can have the literal powers of heaven in our lives when we make sacred convents with our Father in heaven. He wants us to remember Him and to have us with Him. Christ is the way and there is no other to lasting joy!
I am grateful for this opportunity to love others without having to worry about personal affairs! I believe it is a once in a life time opportunity and I am not going to waste it!
I love you all! It is easy to say that the church is TRUE. It is all harder to stay TRUE to the church. We are in it till the end!!!
Sunday, May 12, 2019
Week 92
I have got some news!
President Taylor is sending me over to a beautiful place called Ilsan.
The area used to be the most prime area for missionary work, but after a couple of bumps with some missionaries and obedience, and a missionary who lost 5 years of memory, the ward has not been able to reach its full potential. President wants me to go out as a Zone Leader of Seoul Zone and revitalize the area, as well as help the missionary who lost 5 years of his memory. So I am on a mission!!!
I loved being able to serve closely with President Taylor and Sister Taylor and I have gained such a stronger respect for them!! I will miss being a part of all of the missionaries lives and loving them, but I am excited to get more deep relationships with the missionaries in Seoul. My new companion, Elder Ostler, is a younger but really solid missionary. He is a national wrestler. That means that I will have to pick up a few skills from him while I am there!
I was not expecting to leave the office, at least not this coming transfer, because I wanted to see this family through till baptism, and I didn't want to stop my relationships with some of the other people we do discussions with. But, God has a will.
The new area has the largest church building in the area, and it is located on a main street so it looks really good!
I love serving the Lord and I love loving people! There is such a lack of it in this world. This is a gospel of love and I love being a member of the restored church!
Videos for the week:
President Taylor is sending me over to a beautiful place called Ilsan.
The area used to be the most prime area for missionary work, but after a couple of bumps with some missionaries and obedience, and a missionary who lost 5 years of memory, the ward has not been able to reach its full potential. President wants me to go out as a Zone Leader of Seoul Zone and revitalize the area, as well as help the missionary who lost 5 years of his memory. So I am on a mission!!!
I loved being able to serve closely with President Taylor and Sister Taylor and I have gained such a stronger respect for them!! I will miss being a part of all of the missionaries lives and loving them, but I am excited to get more deep relationships with the missionaries in Seoul. My new companion, Elder Ostler, is a younger but really solid missionary. He is a national wrestler. That means that I will have to pick up a few skills from him while I am there!
I was not expecting to leave the office, at least not this coming transfer, because I wanted to see this family through till baptism, and I didn't want to stop my relationships with some of the other people we do discussions with. But, God has a will.
The new area has the largest church building in the area, and it is located on a main street so it looks really good!
I love serving the Lord and I love loving people! There is such a lack of it in this world. This is a gospel of love and I love being a member of the restored church!
Videos for the week:
Me and Elder Simon
Sunday, May 5, 2019
Week 91
Doing disscussions with a family and exchanges!
Recently something that makes me really excited has been meeting with the family that we are teaching. They are going to church consistently and the father wants them to be members of the church, but because they are kids and he has his own struggles, I have been getting a whole new experience trying to teach them.
Maybe a decade ago, he was learning English from missionaries. The way the missionaries acted and treated others really made a huge impact on him. He wondered why we are always so happy.
So, he reached out to us because he really wants his two little kids to grow up to be good kids and like the missionaries he has encountered.
Recently, I have heard a lot of these type of stories where people have gotten curious about the church because they have seen the examples of members.
A new person we found to have discussions with last week, said that he has always respected a member friend from college who never gave in to peer pressure and never saw him drinking or smoking.
Another is a recent convert in Paju going to Australia, he was shocked that a person would pick up trash and talk to grandma along the street.
Dragon himself was surprised at the way we acted and it was a big reason he got baptized as well.
Or even if you look at the Asia North Presidency, Elder Yamashita, he was baptized purely because, as a teenager, he had seen how the missionaries acted, and he thought I want to be like them. Before then he had never been involved personally in religion, but nevertheless he was baptized. When he did so, he couldn't have said that he really understood all the doctrine of the church, but he just wanted to grow up to be a good person. He had never met anyone like the missionaries before, so he got baptized. It felt right. And all God asks is for the people just starting up to simply have a desire to believe. He cares more about the direction you are facing along the covenant path and less about where you are on that path.
But anyways, this family is my favorite, because the father has the same desire. Although the kids can be rascals, I love them with all my heart. The father say that his youngest wakes up early all of the time and say to him, I want to go to church to be with the Elders. It is quite amazing how quickly children accept the Gospel when they are paying attention. The are so pure.
We are working with the primary leaders and the sister missionaries to really support this family while his wife is over in China. And, this week we will have a meal with for the whole family at President's house. I have got high hopes for the family. (Their English names are Jeffery, Kevin, and Ashley. Keep them in your prayers)
Exchanges!! In Dong-Hae!!!
I got to go home for a day!!!!!!
Because I knew that I was going back, I made calls for 3 hours on the bus talking to previous people I worked with in Dong-Hae. For some people it is sad to see their interest go away and usually these type of people are the ones whom just suddenly stop contact with us randomly. It rips my heart. But, anyways. We met up with so many people!! In 24 hours we met 9 different people.
I got to participate in a new member discussion with Brianne and Oliver!! She had no idea that I was coming and so it was fun to surprise her. We had a discussion of how praying and reading scriptures daily will keep you afloat. I shared my testimony of how when we finally commit to praying and reading scriptures everyday that is when things start to change slowly but surely.
When I did so, I started to have answers to my prayers, I felt the constant companionship of the Spirit, not just little bursts, and even strangely enough, I started to see people from a totally different perspective. I had compassion on the people that used to annoy me at school. It was cool to see my vision change and it gave me the energy I need as a senior in high school, finishing things up.
Oliver and Brianne said they would commit to do it together. She always accepted commitments easily. I love those two.
And, also that evening I share my experience, of the kids we are teaching, to someone I had taught in Donghae before. Those two were both touched by the father's desire to have his kids grow up like us. And, so they said "I want you to teach our kids to love others, forgive, and to understand God. We have never met anyone like you elders even in our church"
Remember that you are always representing the Lord Jesus Christ as a member of His church. And, people are always watching.
I loved doing a Zone Activity in Ilsan near the Flower Festival. I loved meeting a student aged friend, that knew nothing about the church, and helping him start to learn about the gospel. I loved seeing the temple after 8 months. I love loving the missionaries. I love teaching! I love talking to people on the subway and connecting with them, and sharing His light with all I encounter, because we live in a dark world. I love being a disciple of Christ.
Recently something that makes me really excited has been meeting with the family that we are teaching. They are going to church consistently and the father wants them to be members of the church, but because they are kids and he has his own struggles, I have been getting a whole new experience trying to teach them.
Maybe a decade ago, he was learning English from missionaries. The way the missionaries acted and treated others really made a huge impact on him. He wondered why we are always so happy.
So, he reached out to us because he really wants his two little kids to grow up to be good kids and like the missionaries he has encountered.
Recently, I have heard a lot of these type of stories where people have gotten curious about the church because they have seen the examples of members.
A new person we found to have discussions with last week, said that he has always respected a member friend from college who never gave in to peer pressure and never saw him drinking or smoking.
Another is a recent convert in Paju going to Australia, he was shocked that a person would pick up trash and talk to grandma along the street.
Dragon himself was surprised at the way we acted and it was a big reason he got baptized as well.
Or even if you look at the Asia North Presidency, Elder Yamashita, he was baptized purely because, as a teenager, he had seen how the missionaries acted, and he thought I want to be like them. Before then he had never been involved personally in religion, but nevertheless he was baptized. When he did so, he couldn't have said that he really understood all the doctrine of the church, but he just wanted to grow up to be a good person. He had never met anyone like the missionaries before, so he got baptized. It felt right. And all God asks is for the people just starting up to simply have a desire to believe. He cares more about the direction you are facing along the covenant path and less about where you are on that path.
But anyways, this family is my favorite, because the father has the same desire. Although the kids can be rascals, I love them with all my heart. The father say that his youngest wakes up early all of the time and say to him, I want to go to church to be with the Elders. It is quite amazing how quickly children accept the Gospel when they are paying attention. The are so pure.
We are working with the primary leaders and the sister missionaries to really support this family while his wife is over in China. And, this week we will have a meal with for the whole family at President's house. I have got high hopes for the family. (Their English names are Jeffery, Kevin, and Ashley. Keep them in your prayers)
Exchanges!! In Dong-Hae!!!
I got to go home for a day!!!!!!
Because I knew that I was going back, I made calls for 3 hours on the bus talking to previous people I worked with in Dong-Hae. For some people it is sad to see their interest go away and usually these type of people are the ones whom just suddenly stop contact with us randomly. It rips my heart. But, anyways. We met up with so many people!! In 24 hours we met 9 different people.
I got to participate in a new member discussion with Brianne and Oliver!! She had no idea that I was coming and so it was fun to surprise her. We had a discussion of how praying and reading scriptures daily will keep you afloat. I shared my testimony of how when we finally commit to praying and reading scriptures everyday that is when things start to change slowly but surely.
When I did so, I started to have answers to my prayers, I felt the constant companionship of the Spirit, not just little bursts, and even strangely enough, I started to see people from a totally different perspective. I had compassion on the people that used to annoy me at school. It was cool to see my vision change and it gave me the energy I need as a senior in high school, finishing things up.
Oliver and Brianne said they would commit to do it together. She always accepted commitments easily. I love those two.
And, also that evening I share my experience, of the kids we are teaching, to someone I had taught in Donghae before. Those two were both touched by the father's desire to have his kids grow up like us. And, so they said "I want you to teach our kids to love others, forgive, and to understand God. We have never met anyone like you elders even in our church"
Remember that you are always representing the Lord Jesus Christ as a member of His church. And, people are always watching.
I loved doing a Zone Activity in Ilsan near the Flower Festival. I loved meeting a student aged friend, that knew nothing about the church, and helping him start to learn about the gospel. I loved seeing the temple after 8 months. I love loving the missionaries. I love teaching! I love talking to people on the subway and connecting with them, and sharing His light with all I encounter, because we live in a dark world. I love being a disciple of Christ.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)