[ THE BEST TWO YEARS ]

Hey guys! I hope you all have had a great week :) Well, it's all starting to wrap up here for me as you know. I have been trying to just get every second out of every day that I can. As you would guess I have very mixed feelings about it. I have given my whole heart and everything I've had these last two years into Korea and the people here. I have tried my hardest to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with them. But of couse, what I've done is not enough. But that is ok. I think of the story of Alma the younger in Alma 29 "Oh that I were an angel." But he is just a man and that is ok. Alma gave it all he had, but it was insufficient, but the Lord was well pleased with his efforts. No matter what I'm not perfect, but I know that I gave it everything I had.

About my week...On Saturday, our ward mission leader and us missionaries put together a meeting for all of our investigators and young single adults to come too. It was kind of a farawell party too. We had 8 investigators and about 25 people total counting us missionaries. And man it was awesome!!! I think it was SOO good for our investigators because everyone there was about the same age. We started it with a Mormon message video then talked about it for a little. We then ate pizza together and played some super fun games. It ended with Elder Westarp and I sharing our final testimony with them. Let me tell you that was a POWERFUL experience for me. I was standing up there looking in the faces of many of my investigators and it just hit me how I have helped play a role in changing their lives. It was just overwhelming. I am so grateful for the opportunities I have been given here in Korea to meet the people I have.

At church on Sunday I did my last words and I spoke about my favorite Korean word "go-geen-gam-nay". I know you know that one dad!!! It means like, after the bitter comes the sweet. I talked about how missions are a great example of this word and how as we have trials we can learn from them and build and become better and stronger. It went pretty well. Again though, after sacrament saying my goodbyes to people was tough. I was talking to my companions after about it and I was telling them I think these goodbyes are almost as hard as the goodbyes were back when I was leaving for the MTC.

Last night was reallyyy cool!! We took our investigator to a fireside all about BYU-H and it was sooo cool. I think I liked the meeting more than anyone else there ahha. It just got me soo excited to be going back there. Good choice on my part!! haha Anyways, family and friends. Thank you for all your support over these last 2 years. I love my mission. I have a firm testimony of this Gospel and of our Savior Jesus Chirst. I know He lives and is leading this church. There is no doubt about it.

I love you all!!! SEE YOU IN A FEW DAYS!!!!!!!!!

--
Love,

메시크 장로
Elder Messick

P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!! and you too AUBS!!!

[ Football with the boys ]

[ Sister Seo-Hyun ]

[ Most famous 떡볶이 in all of korea!!! (sorry its blurry!) ]

[ Saying some 'see ya laters' ]

[ HEY FAMILY!!! ]

Hey guys!!!

I had a really fun week here!! I think the highlight of my week was the thing I sent home a billion pictures of. I got to go on a bike ride on Saturday with Sister Choi and her two kids. We had an absolute blast. We went all the way down to the Han river and back. I think maybe 6 miles or so. I was veryyy impressed that her little boy could do it. We only had one problem on the trip. Sister Choi's bike got a flat tire and was pulling her little boy along on the back so I switched her bikes and rode about a mile or 2 on a flat tire with her little boy on the back. I took one for the team to say the least haha. but it was so worth it I love them!!! we got to the big river and there was a bike pump there for us to pump it back up then we raced all the way back and were the first ones back. :)

As for investigators we have been finding a few more really good ones! Especially Hee-Jeen (see pics) and So-Hyun. They are mainly meeting us for English but have gained lots of gospel interest while meeting. I have high hopes for these two.

You know its pretty crazy that the time is starting to get short, but I try not to think about it. I am working just as hard as ever. Pounding the streets trying to find those that are prepared. I want to give it everything I have. And like Bryce told me, go so hard that I come home on a stretcher. (Don't worry mom, not literally). But I know that I have been called her for a reason and I haven't quited fulfilled it yet. I gotta keep goin. I love my mission.

I love you all. Have a great week. I'm off to go play a game of football and soccer!! :)

Love,

메시크 장로
Elder Messick

P.S. HAppy 2 year anniversary to Aubs and Matt!!!
P.P.S. Happy bday morgan!! :)

[ A 100 year old lady we ate with. ]

[ The district :) ]

[ Korean exercise hahaha ] 

[ Hee-Jeen and Ju-Hey ]

[ Hahahahahah my comp getting ready for bed! ] 

[ Goin to a bike ride with sister Choi! ] 

[ We made it to the Han-Kang ]

[ SPRING IS AROUND THE CORNER HERE :) ]

Hi guys!

Another good week here in the "Land of the Morning Calm." To be totally honest it's tough to think of things to fill you in on. We are working hard and seeing miracles, but I don't know how to update you guys on it. So you just gotta take my word for it that we're doing really good!

Right now we have a ton of investigators, 4 that want to be baptized really bad, but right now just cant. I'll explain. First is Sister Choi and her two children. They just love us to death!! and she lovessss the church doctrine. But there is just one problem. Her husband. I don't know why but he is opposing her from being baptized REALLY hard. and it's getting worse. He wont even let her go to church with us now. He only will let them come to our English class on Tuesday and Saturday. But a few days ago the husband said, ok we will go to a different church for a few weeks and if you still want to go back to the Mormon church then you can. So right now that's where we're at. She went to another church yesterday, but didn't like it. She truly has a testimony of the church and knows its true. We have been talking with our ward mission leader on what we can do to help her and he came up with a great idea. He talked with our mission president and we are going to set up a dinner appointment with him and sister Choi's family. I'm not quite sure if he will consent to it, but if he does I think it will yield nothing but good results. Also another fun thing about her, she plans to go back to Az in July and she said I have to come visit her and she might come to California too.

The other investigator who really wants to be baptized was the man I sent a picture of, Brother Beck. He is the most sincere man and asks such good questions. Every time we teach him I feel the spirit leading the lesson 100%. The problem is though him mom is really sick and he cant leave her side to come to church. He wants to and says he has been praying a lot about baptism and thinks it would help him. Our game plan for him next time we meet is to offer a priesthood blessing. We already offered for his mother but he didn't want one. But now I think if we give him one it can help him a lot in his decision making and knowing what he needs to do. Keep him in your prayers. :)

Lots more of investigators to write about but I just don't have the time. I have it all in my journal so I can tell you about them when I get home if your interested and you remind me. :)

Last thing that happened this week that was a big deal. I gave my "last words" talk to the mission. It was really tough for me to choose what to say but it went really well and just once again reminded me of how much I love my mission. I have it on video to show you when I get home.

I love you guys. Stay safe PLEASE!!! I'll be seeing you soon. :)

Love,

메시크 장로
Elder Messick

P.S. Happy Birthday Grandpa!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!!

[ TRANSFER #15 ]

Hello to all of you :) Transfers have happened and I am now in a threesome, me, Elder Fonnesbeck, and Elder Jang Heon. I am wayyyy excited to be serving with both of them. Elder fonnesbeck and I get along wayy good and now I can speak korean as much as I want and get help anytime I need it. It worked out perfect!!

Well I am superrrr short on time today because we have had soooooo much to talk about and work out. Good thing I don't have much to fill you in on this week. I felt like this week was pretty normal. We have been finding people like CRAZY but we jsut cant seem to get them to take that next step.

This week on friday was a big holiday in Korea when the celebrate independence from Japan. We were invited from an investigator to go to this old prison in the area right next to us and it was reallyyyy cool. They had all these places wehre they showed us how they were tortured from the Japanese. It was sad but really interesting and cool to see how much Koreans respect their culture and ancestors.

The only other bit of information. Out of nowhere, Brother Hong left and is off to college 2 hours away. I told him I would get him the church address for down there and he will continue to attend there until he has to go to the military in August.

Sorry for the short email. I love you guys soooo much.

--
Love,

메시크 장로
Elder Messick

[ Brother 백 ]

[ Got milk?? 3 weeks worth, about 100 cartons :) ] 

[ We went to the prison for a celebration. ]

[ Investigators. Sister Kang and her kids. ]