3/29/2015
One year later, and I'm training, instead of being trained.
One year later, and I'm training, instead of being trained.
On Monday we went to a barbecue with one of our members here, Murphy. He's a Korean, but he's dead fluent in English, and enjoys being around us. He works at the Seoul Zoo, so he was able to get us in for free, and rent a grill and everything. We ended up paying for the lift over the pond he has to guard everyday, and the meat we grilled. It was tons of fun. On the way over to the park, we had a great conversation with Murphy about the Church and man-made organizations. He said that organizations have to change because standing water becomes contaminated. I thought about our Church, and realized that just because it's doctrine doesn't change, it's not standing still. Rather, it's constantly growing. Instead of a pool of still water, it's a fountain of living water.
That night, we met Gabriel, who the sisters introduced us to last week. We were able to explain the Family English Program, as well as our purpose here in Korea. He wanted to do it, so we'll continue meeting with him, to talk a little in English, and also to discuss our religious message. He was really curious about the Book of Mormon, so we introduced it, reading the introduction and Moroni's promise. He was really impressed by the book, and what it claimed to be. When asked, he affirmed that he believed it could be true.
We met with our investigator Lee Gi Won (이기원) on Wednesday, and finished teaching the Restoration. With him, it was backwards. We first taught about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, then went back and talked about prophets and apostasy. As we wrapped up the lesson he told us that the Great Apostasy was not a teaching unique to our church. He told us that he figured all of that out a long time ago! I hope that he connects that knowledge with our unique message -- that a restoration of Christ's original church has taken place.
The next day I went on exchanges with Elder Campbell. We met a grandpa named "BS" Kim. He took us out to lunch and we talked about his background. He doesn't know much about Christianity, but he wants to learn. He also wants to practice English as a defense against dementia. We also met their investigator Kim Young Kyoo (김영규) and read President Uchtdorf's talk about receiving spiritual light with him. We were able to have a really good discussion about what light is, and why a testimony is important.
On Saturday, we met with Gabriel again, and this time he took us to an ice cream shop while we met! We talked a lot about Jacob chapter 4, discussing the role of prophets, which is to testify of Jesus Christ. He really liked it, and committed to read the rest of the chapter. We also met another referral from the Sisters, an old man who invited them in while they were tracting. He was very difficult to get a handle on. He wouldn't give away very much about himself, so it felt a bit like we were grasping in the dark, trying to find where he had interest in the gospel. We were able to soften his heart a little bit when he found out that we serve off of our own money, and he might be interested in the concept of prophets. We're going to meet him again this week, and hopefully it'll go a little smoother.
On Sunday my companion gave his last talk, and we had a ward meal.
Also! Our transfer calls came Sunday morning. The results: Elder Rossi is leaving, Elder Campbell is staying and training, and I'm going to be training as well! That blew my mind. I'm incredibly excited.
To close, I wanted to leave you some of my thoughts about modern society. This was weighing on my mind this morning, as I studied.
Specifically, this morning I thought a lot about how this generation really is "the reckless, the wild youth." I thought about why people would do things they know are wrong, or they know will have a bad outcome, and do them anyways? Why do millions of Koreans spend their weekends drinking when they know it doesn't lead to anything good? Why do millions of teenagers play around with smoking and other drugs when they've been taught about the consequences and know that it's no good for them, health-wise or emotionally?
There's a point where we want to do something, but know that it has negative consequences. We know that it'll bring problems in the future, but we choose to do it anyways. We keep ourselves from really thinking about the consequences, or, as I've found's equally as common, we damn ourselves, in a sense, we give up on ourselves, and throw ourselves into a whirlpool of surrender and impulse.
It really broke my heart, but I realized that we intentionally blind ourselves, and keep ourselves from thinking about the future (that applies as much so 44, 104, and the next life, as it does to college, graduate school and graduation). It's saddening, but I realized that I do it all too often; and anybody who does something wrong does it. If we could always remember what matters the most, what our purpose is, then we could always make the right choice. I think that's something Jesus did that I wish I could. He always remembered who He was, why He was here, and what He needed to do. He didn't get distracted, never lost focus, and so He was able to heal in everything He did, teach with every word He spoke, and live a truly perfect life.
We are the reckless, we are the wild youth. We set fire to our insides for fun; we collect the names of lovers that went wrong. We try to distract ourselves, and heave through corrupted lungs, and so most of our feelings are dead and gone. (paraphrased "Youth" by Daughter)
I keep wondering what I can do to help people break through this vicious habit, how I can help people be more sensitive to those around them, because a life lived for yourself is a life all alone.
I guess one difference between us is that I believe I can live my life to the fullest, and then keep living life to the fullest in life after this one. I've realized that I can't rely on myself. I have more flaws than I can count. I'm weak and fragile, and make mistakes. I only know so much, and that can look like so little when confronted with the myriad opportunities life presents. I believe that I can turn to God for help, and that He'll help me -- not because He wants to rule me, or control me, but because He loves me, and He wants me to achieve my potential. I don't want to have to rely on my limited experiences and knowledge. I want to be partners with my Father. Why should I limit myself to what I have, when God wants to give me everything He has? In my opinion, that's the transcendent truth of life -- we're only alone when we separate ourselves.
When I think about comfort, I think about the greatest moments of comfort I've had, and they're all experiences with the Holy Ghost. That's something I can't provide on my own; it's a gift, one that is greater than anything else. This morning I was reading a book, and out of the blue, I had those feelings, like a shiver, or pins and needles, that I've come to equate with the gentle sensations of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost, so often called "the Comforter."
So, I suppose one could say that I believe I can do anything -- through my friends. And of course the one friend that's never failed me, never let me down, and has always had His arm stretched out towards me is Jesus, the Christ.
I guess that if I had to define religion, I'd say that it's all of the truth that man has received from God. The most important truths are the ones that tell us who we are -- why we're here -- what our eternal destiny is, but it also encompasses all things that are true, and that's beautiful to me. When I think that not only can I live my life to the fullest, loving and being loved, helping and being helped, growing and changing and always improving, and then I can carry that over, and continue growing and living and having a family, and, most importantly, keep loving, forever and ever -- it takes my breath away. My destiny -- everybody's destiny, if they way -- is to love and be loved forever, to continue growing and learning, and to continue adding to our family for all eternity. That means more to me than any of my other dreams; more than putting out an album, more than being an actor, more than writing a book or anything else.
That night, we met Gabriel, who the sisters introduced us to last week. We were able to explain the Family English Program, as well as our purpose here in Korea. He wanted to do it, so we'll continue meeting with him, to talk a little in English, and also to discuss our religious message. He was really curious about the Book of Mormon, so we introduced it, reading the introduction and Moroni's promise. He was really impressed by the book, and what it claimed to be. When asked, he affirmed that he believed it could be true.
We met with our investigator Lee Gi Won (이기원) on Wednesday, and finished teaching the Restoration. With him, it was backwards. We first taught about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, then went back and talked about prophets and apostasy. As we wrapped up the lesson he told us that the Great Apostasy was not a teaching unique to our church. He told us that he figured all of that out a long time ago! I hope that he connects that knowledge with our unique message -- that a restoration of Christ's original church has taken place.
The next day I went on exchanges with Elder Campbell. We met a grandpa named "BS" Kim. He took us out to lunch and we talked about his background. He doesn't know much about Christianity, but he wants to learn. He also wants to practice English as a defense against dementia. We also met their investigator Kim Young Kyoo (김영규) and read President Uchtdorf's talk about receiving spiritual light with him. We were able to have a really good discussion about what light is, and why a testimony is important.
On Saturday, we met with Gabriel again, and this time he took us to an ice cream shop while we met! We talked a lot about Jacob chapter 4, discussing the role of prophets, which is to testify of Jesus Christ. He really liked it, and committed to read the rest of the chapter. We also met another referral from the Sisters, an old man who invited them in while they were tracting. He was very difficult to get a handle on. He wouldn't give away very much about himself, so it felt a bit like we were grasping in the dark, trying to find where he had interest in the gospel. We were able to soften his heart a little bit when he found out that we serve off of our own money, and he might be interested in the concept of prophets. We're going to meet him again this week, and hopefully it'll go a little smoother.
On Sunday my companion gave his last talk, and we had a ward meal.
Also! Our transfer calls came Sunday morning. The results: Elder Rossi is leaving, Elder Campbell is staying and training, and I'm going to be training as well! That blew my mind. I'm incredibly excited.
To close, I wanted to leave you some of my thoughts about modern society. This was weighing on my mind this morning, as I studied.
Specifically, this morning I thought a lot about how this generation really is "the reckless, the wild youth." I thought about why people would do things they know are wrong, or they know will have a bad outcome, and do them anyways? Why do millions of Koreans spend their weekends drinking when they know it doesn't lead to anything good? Why do millions of teenagers play around with smoking and other drugs when they've been taught about the consequences and know that it's no good for them, health-wise or emotionally?
There's a point where we want to do something, but know that it has negative consequences. We know that it'll bring problems in the future, but we choose to do it anyways. We keep ourselves from really thinking about the consequences, or, as I've found's equally as common, we damn ourselves, in a sense, we give up on ourselves, and throw ourselves into a whirlpool of surrender and impulse.
It really broke my heart, but I realized that we intentionally blind ourselves, and keep ourselves from thinking about the future (that applies as much so 44, 104, and the next life, as it does to college, graduate school and graduation). It's saddening, but I realized that I do it all too often; and anybody who does something wrong does it. If we could always remember what matters the most, what our purpose is, then we could always make the right choice. I think that's something Jesus did that I wish I could. He always remembered who He was, why He was here, and what He needed to do. He didn't get distracted, never lost focus, and so He was able to heal in everything He did, teach with every word He spoke, and live a truly perfect life.
We are the reckless, we are the wild youth. We set fire to our insides for fun; we collect the names of lovers that went wrong. We try to distract ourselves, and heave through corrupted lungs, and so most of our feelings are dead and gone. (paraphrased "Youth" by Daughter)
I keep wondering what I can do to help people break through this vicious habit, how I can help people be more sensitive to those around them, because a life lived for yourself is a life all alone.
I guess one difference between us is that I believe I can live my life to the fullest, and then keep living life to the fullest in life after this one. I've realized that I can't rely on myself. I have more flaws than I can count. I'm weak and fragile, and make mistakes. I only know so much, and that can look like so little when confronted with the myriad opportunities life presents. I believe that I can turn to God for help, and that He'll help me -- not because He wants to rule me, or control me, but because He loves me, and He wants me to achieve my potential. I don't want to have to rely on my limited experiences and knowledge. I want to be partners with my Father. Why should I limit myself to what I have, when God wants to give me everything He has? In my opinion, that's the transcendent truth of life -- we're only alone when we separate ourselves.
When I think about comfort, I think about the greatest moments of comfort I've had, and they're all experiences with the Holy Ghost. That's something I can't provide on my own; it's a gift, one that is greater than anything else. This morning I was reading a book, and out of the blue, I had those feelings, like a shiver, or pins and needles, that I've come to equate with the gentle sensations of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost, so often called "the Comforter."
So, I suppose one could say that I believe I can do anything -- through my friends. And of course the one friend that's never failed me, never let me down, and has always had His arm stretched out towards me is Jesus, the Christ.
I guess that if I had to define religion, I'd say that it's all of the truth that man has received from God. The most important truths are the ones that tell us who we are -- why we're here -- what our eternal destiny is, but it also encompasses all things that are true, and that's beautiful to me. When I think that not only can I live my life to the fullest, loving and being loved, helping and being helped, growing and changing and always improving, and then I can carry that over, and continue growing and living and having a family, and, most importantly, keep loving, forever and ever -- it takes my breath away. My destiny -- everybody's destiny, if they way -- is to love and be loved forever, to continue growing and learning, and to continue adding to our family for all eternity. That means more to me than any of my other dreams; more than putting out an album, more than being an actor, more than writing a book or anything else.
This week, the Church's most recent media initiative, "Because He Lives," launched, with this remarkable video: http://www.mormon.org/easter…
I invite all of you to watch it! It only takes two minutes, and I can promise that it'll uplift and inspire you.
I invite all of you to watch it! It only takes two minutes, and I can promise that it'll uplift and inspire you.
Best Wishes,
Elder Austin Lynn
Elder Austin Lynn
Because of the Resurrection, Jesus Christ lives. Because of Him, you can overcome sin and experience everlasting joy. Learn more about how you can discover, embrace, and share the joy of the Resurrection at helives.mormon.org.
MORMON.ORG
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