[ WHAT A BUSY WEEK! ]

Hey family!!

This week just seemed to FLY by for me because we have been SO busy! One of the most successful weeks for me as a missionary. It's so true, the harder we work, the faster time goes, the happier we are, and the more rewarding everything is. :)

Well I guess I should start with the highlight of the week, Mr. Bong or Kim-Hway-Seung. He is awesome. I don't know any other way to say it. Seriously we has been prepared by God over the last 3 or 4 years of his life. He has had lots of bumps in the road and wants to have a fresh start. He came to church yesterday. He was supposed to come for all 3 hours, but only could make it for a little of sacrament because he had a big problem with his work, which is understandable. Anyways, he has been doing so good this week. For example, he has come from smoking 20 cigarettes a day to only 2! How awesome is that! It is such a terrible and awful addiction, VERY common here in Korea, and I am so happy and grateful that the Lord is helping him to overcome. He has a baptismal interview set for this Friday with the zone leaders and then if all goes as planned he will get baptized after sacrament meeting (since it's the 3rd hour) and confirmed the next Sunday. Also, this week Elder Bacarro and I gave him a priesthood blessing to help him with overcoming smoking and to feel at peace with his family situation. After he said he can't describe it but just felt so good. I can see the influence of the Holy Ghost coming into his life and I know that once he receives the Gift of the Holy Ghost he will be able to receive its guidance.

One of our other investigators is named Ha-Suck-Sheek. He is about 65 years old and is SUCH a great man. He switched to Christianity 7 years ago and now is so diligent in his beliefs. He wakes up at 4 o'clock so that he can read 10 chapters every day out of the bible. How about that! Anyways, he really likes The Book of Mormon and said he believes it is the word of God. The only problem is he can't see the connection that if it's true then our church is true, the ONLY true church. Hopefully we can help him with this when we meet again this week.

I met quite the interesting guy. So there has been kind of an investigator here in our area for quite some time. He is from Myanmar and is here for school. Well he is a member of a church called The Church of Jesus Christ. Ever heard of it? Anyways, it is veryyy similar to ours, except the whole being true part. Haha. Anyways, he is really high up in the leadership of this church. He has been learning about our church and really likes everything, but I am pretty sure he just wants to apply the things to his church. However, my ward mission leader has told me that somehow Elder Holland knows about him! So we can't drop him haha. It was pretty intense. I basically was telling him how his church has no authority. I asked him where their "authority" comes from but he just didn't know how to answer. It was intense. Hopefully he will see how our church is the true church and will be baptized.

For my one year in the country, me and Elder Jones and a few of our friends went last p-day to celebrate at On the Border, Mexican food!!!! It was soooo good. The only bummer is that I got something that would be 5 or 10 dollars in America, but instead it was 20 hahaha. well worth it :)

So today isn't pday because it's temple day tomorrow, yet it will kind of still be like pday! We are going with one of our investigators and her fiance who is a newly reactivated less active out to a place called een-cheun to go to china town and stuff. It will be way cool! And don't worry we have permission to do so :)

Well family, I love you guys all so much. Things are going great out here for me. Continue to keep Mr. Bong and Korea in your prayers. I love this country and the people here. It has a very special place in my heart. I am so grateful to be here.

Have a great week. I love you. Stay safe and be healthy!!!!

love,
Elder Messick
--

[ I love rain season ]

[ Trash system in Korea. That's what happens when you don't have public trash cans. ]

[ My friend Ju-Hang who is going to America today! ]