Weekly Letter 8/10/14

What are the odds?! We saw "Cafe Lynn" on the way over to a meal with our ward mission leader.
The Elder in the second picture is Elder W. Our district here in Gimpo (김포) is composed of Sister T with Sister VW (from my mtc district!), Elder C (DL) with Elder W (a greenie; it's his first transfer in Korea), and Elder I Sang Bum (이상범) and I.
The third picture is the front cover of my planner. It's my mission theme for this transfer! "Sharing the gospel by sharing you." "Ye are the light."

This week was a week of growth for me, as they all are! At church I learned a bit about fasting, which, coupled with fast Sunday last week, helped me learn quite a bit about it. I've resolved to fast more often than the monthly fast, because my goal in life right now is to achieve temperance, that is, self-mastery. Fasting is a fantastic tool for that.
Speaking of church, I've translated in Gospel Principles and Young Men's for the past two weeks! We had some foreigners visiting, and since my English is better than Elder I's (이) he asked me to translate. I still don't understand all of church, and that fact was really hammered home by translating. Heavenly Father showed me how much I know, to reassure me, and then showed me how much more I still need, to keep me humble. Translating, though really dodgy for the poor souls relying on me, was also a good growing experience in that it was really easy for me to distinguish words and phrases I didn't know. When I'm just listening, I have a difficult time picking things like that out, and it's so vital to grow in comprehension.

I finished the Book of Mormon again this week, and this time, I thought a lot about the transition between Mormon's record, to Ether, back to Moroni. The kinship those men must've felt! They even use similar phrases when describing their desperate circumstances as the last righteous men on the face of their land: "it mattereth not," because they knew all that mattered for them was God's will, and that they remained true to the faith. I wonder how Moroni must've felt, abridging this record that shows the same cycle that destroyed the Nephites. He must've relieved all the pain of his life, remembered the wickedness of his own people, felt the pain of their suffering. And yet, he endured to the end. There may be no stronger example, save the Savior, of enduring to the end than the noble man who lived, alone, hiding from armies of Lamanites, who "put to death all who will not deny the Christ," and in his own words, "I, Moroni, will not deny the Christ." How incredible. If we read the Book of Mormon without remembering what it is -- an ancient record of real people, with real emotions, with real families, etc -- we're missing out on so much.
Another thing I learned this week was about repentance! Don't worry; nothing major. The revelation I received was that God is more concerned with where I'm going than where I was, and with who I'm becoming, than who I was. The only moment that matters is the moment right now, where I re-commit and become stronger. The gospel is designed to constantly recommit us to the path back to our Father in Heaven, who only wants the best for us.
We had a service opportunity this week, which was a little dull, but service is always great. We literally input names and amounts off a donation record into a computer for two hours for a local food bank. It was a little tiring, but the most important thing is giving Christ-like service. I'm not sure I ever told you about the service opportunity I participated in, in Yeonsu (연수). The place was called "Love Meals" or 

"Meals of Love (사랑급식). They made food for a few hundred senior citizens, and then we'd do dishes for 1-2 hours! It was intense, but so much fun. They'd feed us with the leftovers afterward, and the whole crew would just talk and joke around.
One of the scariest things in my life is quickly becoming the word "pride." I am literally terrified of it. It's tough, because to speak a foreign language well, you need to speak with confidence. Also, we know this gospel's true, and we're not proposing an alternate philosophic system: we're preaching truth. We can't waver and be quiet about things like that, but we also have to avoid being overbearing and prideful. The balance that works best for me is expressing that "despite my many weaknesses, I have faith in Jesus Christ, who...." I acknowledge my faults, while also testifying of the truth that someone as flawed as me has been able to find.
Something our district is focusing on right now are "20 Minute Lessons." We typically teach them after a meal with members. What I've been practicing is the first lesson. The feedback is extremely helpful. I had the chance to teach twice this week, and the main thing I worked on was asking questions. I improved a lot, but, as with all improvement, my new vantage point revealed other things I need to work on. I feel so blessed to find the paths I need to walk down to grow more, even as I'm stepping off the road I just reached the end of. God's curriculum for us truly is a stretching curriculum designed to bring us to perfection, eventually. Questions are so important when teaching. They're the link between you and the investigator/student/class/etc. They're especially effective for keeping younger people involved. They help people apply the teachings to themselves, and they're the best way to check for their understanding. Elder I (이) and I are really working on how to improve my question asking in Korean right now; what a blessing to have a Korean companion!
To finish up, I wanted to share this scripture last week, but forget. It's found in 3 Nephi 9, verse 13. Jesus Christ is the speaker here; and His words apply to all of us. He said: "will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?"

Will you not turn away from the things of the world, things that will ultimately fail to bring lasting happiness, and repent of the things that hold us back, the sins that bring guilt and despair, and turn to Christ, the Savior, who suffered for you and me? Will you not strive to follow Him, who is constantly running to your aid ("succoring")? We do these things so that we may partake of the Savior's healing. He wants to heal us, He wants to help us. We just have to let Him in! Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said, “[Succor] is used often in the scriptures to describe Christ’s care for and attention to us. It means literally ‘to run to.’ What a magnificent way to describe the Savior’s urgent effort in our behalf. Even as he calls us to come to him and follow him, he is unfailingly running to help us.”
Jesus Christ sacrificed everything for us. What do we give in return? I will do whatever He asks me to do; and right now that's to share the "good news!" One of my favorite passages of scripture right now is D&C, 128:20-23:
"And again, what do we hear?
Glad tidings from Cumorah!
Moroni, an angel from heaven, declaring the fulfilment of the prophets — the book‍ to be revealed.
A voice of the Lord in the wilderness of Fayette, Seneca county, declaring the three witnesses to bear record‍ of the book!
The voice of Michael‍ on the banks of the Susquehanna, detecting the devil‍ when he appeared as an angel of light!
The voice of Peter, James, and John in the wilderness between Harmony, Susquehanna county, and Colesville, Broome county, on the Susquehanna river, declaring themselves as possessing the keys‍ of the kingdom, and of the dispensation of the fulness of times!
And again, the voice of God in the chamber of old Father Whitmer, in Fayette, Seneca county, and at sundry times, and in divers places through all the travels and tribulations of this Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!

And the voice of Michael, the archangel; the voice of Gabriel, and of Raphael, and of divers angels, from Michael or Adam‍ down to the present time, all declaring their dispensation, their rights, their keys, their honors, their majesty and glory, and the power of their priesthood; giving line upon line, precept‍ upon precept; here a little, and there a little; giving us consolation by holding forth that which is to come, confirming our hope!
Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing. Let the dead‍ speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King‍ Immanuel, who hath ordained, before the world was, that which would enable us to redeem‍ them out of their prison; for the prisoners shall go free.
Let the mountains‍ shout for joy, and all ye valleys cry aloud; and all ye seas and dry lands tell the wonders of your Eternal King! And ye rivers, and brooks, and rills, flow down with gladness. Let the woods and all the trees of the field praise the Lord; and ye solid rocks‍ weep for joy! And let the sun, moon, and the morning‍ stars sing together, and let all the sons of God shout for joy! And let the eternal creations declare his name forever and ever! And again I say, how glorious is the voice we hear from heaven, proclaiming in our ears, glory, and salvation, and honor, and immortality, and eternal life; kingdoms, principalities, and powers!

Shall we not go on in so great a cause?

Love,
Elder Austin Lynn