[ MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR ]

Dear Family and Friends,

Merry Christmas. It was so wonderful to talk you on the phone this morning. I wish it could have been longer. As for my weekly update, I need to be short since we have to fill out this survey for the mission work and stuff.

This week was awesome. I was able to witness a little miracle as I was on the bus this week. I was contacting an old man and all the sudden he started yelling at me and just telling me that there is no way The Book of Mormon could be true. It was hard because my companion was talking to another person so there wasn't much I could do other than just smile at him and take it. I finally was aable to just get a word in and just bore testimony of the truthfulness of the book. He just ignored me and got off the bus. Here's the miracle. Because of the conversation a mom of 3 came up to me and was asking about what we do as missionaries. She was telling me how we are doing great work. She found out about our English class and wants to come. It was such a miracle to me of how God just puts us in the right situations to lead to things we have no idea are going to happen. I am so grateful to be in the service of our Savior. I love him and am grateful for the Atonement and the plan of salvation. I know our family is eternal. I love you all so very much. Merry Christmas to you!


Love,
Elder Messick

ps. sorry for the typos. no time and my fingers are freezing.

[ 6 DAYS 'TIL CHRISTMAS ]

안영하세요!!
Well the day is almost here! It's almost Christmas!!!! I will be calling home in just 7 days! WOO!!!!

Anyways, we have had another busy week here in 금천 but it's been good. This morning we had to take superrrr cold showers because our hot water boiler wasn't working. Maybe it was just to help wake me up this morning. haha.

This week has been full of Less-Active visits. Our bishop has given us a huge project of visiting all the less-actives in the ward. A few weeks ago was stake conference and it was a broadcast from SLC with President Monson. He was really stressing the importance of bringing back the less-actives, hence this project. Anyways we have been walking all over our area trying to find these houses. Most people have either moved or their house doesn't exsist (knocked down and built apartment complexes.) However, we have been able to contact a few that are really nice people. Right now, there is one lady who wants to come to church, but her husband doesn't like our church and won't let her go. It's sad, but she is a really nice lady and maybe one day her husband will come around.

This Thursday we will be having a big Christmas Conference with all of the missionaries from the Seoul Mission. It should be really fun. I'm doing the opening prayer though, I'm a little nervous. Becuase of this conference, we will be having p-day after from 3-9! sweettt.

I don't know if you guys heard, but the President of North Korea died! Kind of crazy!!!! I am not sure what exactly will happen, but I hope that South Korea/U.S. trys to do something to keep his son from taking over.

Sort of weird, but there is this one girl in 금천 2 ward who is now here for winter break from BYU and guess what. I taught her one time at TRC in the MTC. It was way weird seeing her again, but actually being able to speak to her and understand. I thought it was pretty random.

Our investigator 김미량 (Kim - Me - Ryang) is not progressing too much right now. She is having a tough time recognizing that she is feeling the Spirit. She isn't quite sure what a "good feeling" is. We have a lesson set up with her for tomorrow and we are going to have a newly married couple from our ward come with us. I really hope that it helps re-spark her interest. I think we will be watching the DVD Finding Faith in Christ.

We have been working hard to find new investigators, but we haven't quite found the prepared yet. We have met with a couple of new people, but they just aren't interested yet. They have Book of Mormons, which is good, but they don't want to meet again as of now.

Last night was awesomeeee!! I got to go to the year end music event for Seoul with our recent convert 이동구. My favorite part was of course the chirstmas music. It made me feel right at home. I was LOVIN it. haha. There was a very special spirit in the room.

Well, Merry Christmas to all of you. I am so grateful for our Savior Jesus Christ. I am grateful to be in the service of Him. I love Him and His work so very much. I testify to you that He lives. This is His church. The truth is on the Earth today.

I love you guys sooo much. I hope that you are spreading the Christmas cheer to everyone. ^^ Have an EPIC Christmas week. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

--
Love,
Elder Messick

A map of Elder Messick's area

[ 2 WEEKS AND COUNTING... ]

Hey everyone!

Wow, it's hard to believe that Christmas is just around the corner. The weather is starting to get chilly, but I hear it's nothing compared to what's ahead. We had snow twice this week, but none of it lasted.

This week was just incredible. Our investigator, 이동구, Lee Dong Gu, was baptized and confirmed this week. Our Stake President did both the baptism and the confirmation. I was able to stand in on the confirmation. It was definitely a special experience. As he was entering into the water a feeling of just PURE joy entered my heart. It was such a good feeling it's hard to describe. I could feel the love of Chirst and I knew that I was helping Him in accomplishing His work. I am so grateful to be involved in the work of the Lord.

I was able to finish Zone-Leader pass off this week and will be moving on to the final pass-off with the AP's on the 30th of this month. Wish me luck!

HOLY COW! I just looked at my watch and I had no idea that we were chatting back and forth for this long. I am so sorry but I'm almost out of time. I will try to cram some stuff in here so it's going to be a little scattered.

I was reading in The Book of Mormon this week Jacob 5 (my old least favorite, but now I love it) and well I loved verses 61-62, 71, 72, and 75. We are nearing the end of the times and now is the time to find, teach, and baptize. This is one of the few things that God has asked us to do. If we do it with a willing heart, we will be blessed for our efforts.

I know that our Savior lives. Through Him, we can find true joy. He is our Brother and our Redeemer. As we search the scriptures, pray often, and keep the commandments, we can feel His love in our lives always.

I love you guys so much and am PUMPED to call in just 2 weeks. I hope you have an awesome week. I got lots and lots of pictures for ya!

Love,
Elder Messick

"heart attacking 김미량"

"our zone"

"my area"

[ FAST SUNDAY #7 ]

Dear Family and Friends:

안녕하세요! Hey everyone :) I hope you all had a great week. Of course mine was awesome, as always.

This week we recieved a referral from our Stake President's wife (they are in our ward). His name is 이동구 (Lee-Dong-Gu). He is the same age as me, 20 in korea and 19 American age. His mom is a less active of our church, well she is baptized into our church but attends another. This kid is so awesome though. He came to our church about 10 years ago, but just got busy with school and everything. However, he is now meeting with us 3 or 4 times a week, enjoys coming to church, and actually is getting baptized this Saturday! We have received permission to baptize him before attending church 3 times(he has come twice) because he used to attend. Brother Lee actually wants to go to BYU-H so we talk about that too. He is truly a blessing and miracle from the Lord. Elder Yoo and I have been working so hard and the Lord has helped guide us (well the Stake President's wife) to the prepared. So it's true. REFERRAL DO WORK! If you ever have anyone who comes to your mind about wanting to share the Gospel with them, talk to the missionaries about it. :)

Our investigator 김미량 (Kim- Mee- Ryang) had a bit of a rough week. I gave her the commitment to be baptized on christmas eve and she told us she wasn't sure if she wants to be baptized. It really made me sad when she said this, but I have realized that that is a good thing that she said this. Now, WHEN she gets baptized it won't be for us or just to do it, but she will be baptized because she felt the Spirit testify to her that it is the right thing to do. She isn't sure what the Spirit feels like right now so our goal this week is to help her recognize the good feelings that she is having is the Spirit.

On Thursday I was able to participate in a huge service activity in an event that the city does every year. They make 5000 pounds of Kim-Chee for the homeless or less fortunate people for during the winter season. It was really cool and fun. I was pretty bad a actually making the kim-chee so they just put me on box duty haha. Still was great though.

I have been able to bond a lot this week with the ward. My Korean confidence has really grown this week and I have been talking with the ward members. I have been playing with their kids, which they really like. I bore my testimony on Sunday and I felt like the ward is really starting to trust Elder Yoo and I.

The day for calling home is just around the corner. I am so excited to talk to you about everything and hear your awesome korean.

I love you guys so much. I hope you have a great week. Be safe :)

--
Love,
Elder Messick