[ BIRTHDAY WEEK! ]

What's up!!!! How is everyone!?

This week was pretty sweet! It was my birthday, duhhh. haha. I was able to do some pretty cool stuff for it. First, we went to this superrr nice buffet on Thursday afternoon. It's supposed to be the nicest buffet in all of Korea and wow, it was LEGIT! There was so much food I just couldn't pick! There was a lot of American food too with deserts and stuff. You guys would have loved it!

My actually birthday was pretty awesome. We had weekly planning! woo! hahah jk. I don't really like weekly planning, but after it was awesome. We had an appointment set up with a less active girl. She lives right next to one of our old churches that has been shut down due to the less-active rate. Since it was shut down she hasn't really come to church because she is so busy and doesn't have a way to get to church. Well when we visited her I just felt so bad because she has just lost total contact with the church. she didn't even have a copy of The Book of Mormon. She prays every day but is just so busy that is getting caught up in the things that don't matter most. That is one thing i have really noticed as a missionary. People always say they are too busy to meet. But think about what they are saying, they are too busy for eternal salvation!? What matters more? Being able to do a math problem or having a relationship with your Father (in Heaven). Anyways, the visit was nice and we will be going back to follow up in a couple weeks. After that visit, we had a lesson with a new investigator. It didn't go very well though. He really liked to ramble and we didn't get to teach much. We might be meeting him again this week but i am not sure. To end my birthday, we were invited to have dinner with one of my favorite ward members, Sue (양수경) or Yang-Sue-Gyoung. She told me on the phone that we would be eating "the best" and well she meant it! She went and bought us American Steak!!! Holy cow it was delicious!!!!!

This week I was able to finish the book Jesus the Christ. It was AWESOME! I never thought I would read that book coming into my mission. It just looked too big for me haha. But I am sooo grateful I read it. I was able to learn so many interesting little things about our Savior and was able to strengthen my testimony of His sacrifice for us. I am so grateful for Him.

On Sunday there was a special event. there was a baptism in our ward :) The Zone Leaders have been meeting with him for about a month and a half. He is 21 years old and superrr nice. He was quite nervous about getting baptized but it all went well. Part of the reason he was nervous is because on Friday he went to a baptism with the zone leaders for another ward. Anyways, that baptismal service was a disaster! I guess they had to baptize him 3 times and Elder Frei said "he looked like a flopping fish" haha. But the service was great and I am so happy for him :)

Some members in our ward are moving so we had a going away ward party for them. One of the people moving is actually moving to Gilbert, AZ so keep an eye out for them Jacki! His name is Matt Wagner and his wife is Korean :) The party was kinda weird to be honest but a less active we visited a few days ago was able to come! She brought her daughter and son too. While on the subject, when we visited her she had told us her son has yet to be baptized (he's 9) and she really wants him to be. Awesome right!? Well they came to church now 2 weeks in a row and I think that she has recommitted herself to living the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

That was my week. :) Hope yours was awesome! I love you guys sooo much and hope to hear from you again next week. Stay safe and be happy I love you!
--
love,
Elder Messick

P.S. Thao guess what!? I totally ate Vietnamese food this week :) It was delicious!

P.P.S. Happy B-day Paul!!! i forgot to put it in my email last week! and also Bryce happy bday birthday buddy :)

[ Golfing on p-day with Sue and her son ]

[ Birthday package from Kenzie! ]

[ Han River ]