Two of our investigators are going to be baptized next month!
They're a mother and daughter, referred to us by a member friend. The mother just finished learning about the Plan of Salvation, and when we invited her to see a baptismal service, she asked, "When can I get baptized?" We don't have a specific day for them, since they still need to finish hearing the lessons, but they've both expressed a desire to be baptized next month. How incredible! A miracle in Korea! I'm so excited for both of them. As we meet with both of them, there are always members teaching with us, which truly completes the lesson, and helps them learn.
Meeting with Bak In Oak (박인옥) and her daughter Yoon Joo Hyun (윤주현) helped us to reach our goal of teaching seven lessons this week. We set goals as a zone last week, and this week, we only fell six short of a goal of 104 lessons! My team made our goal, thanks to wonderful people and God's grace. There is a special thrill that comes with setting and reaching a goal; a feeling of growth, accomplishment, and a special feeling that I believe is the Holy Ghost, confirming our success before God. I believe it's a similar feeling to that which President Monson described in a talk about confidence and success, a few decades ago. He said, "We can experience that burst of confidence. We can feel that pride of performance. A three-word formula will help us: Never Give Up." ("Go for It!" President Thomas S. Monson https://www.lds.org/
One of the men we met this week really likes missionaries, but in the past hasn't acted much on what they've said. The first time I met him, he asked me, "Do you have anything to see before you leave?" I looked at him, smiled, and told him, yes, yes I do, and opened up to Moroni 10, in the Book of Mormon, and explained to this man that the good feelings he had when he was around us was the Holy Ghost; and that he could experience it on his own, by reading the Book of Mormon and praying about it.
The next time we saw him, we talked more about the Holy Ghost, and how it guides us to do good. He really likes the concept of the Holy Ghost, and said that he thinks he'll go to church someday. Another time, we talked about faith and compared it to his shop -- even though he doesn't know for sure anyone will come, he prepares for the day, and he comes and waits. He expects people to come because they've come in the past. He hopes people will come, because he needs their business. Likewise, we have faith in God because He's done what He said He would do in the past, so we expect Him to do it in the future. We hope that He's there, and believe in Him. Even when nobody comes to the shop, he continues to believe that soon, they will come. Likewise, we continue to exercise faith in God, even when things are difficult.
In other news, we moved this week! Surprisingly, I'm living in Yeonsu again, sitting at the same desk I sat at over a year ago. Our contract in Shihung expired, so they moved us into another missionary house. Actually, moving was a bigger ordeal than we imagined -- we came back to the house to pick up a few things after we moved everything the day before, and found the place was quite a mess. We learned that we had to clean it up! So, we spent over four hours picking up trash and disposing of everything left in the house. Whoo! Moving in America seems much more convenient... That said, I'm so happy to be living in the same house again. It's strange to see so many familiar sights as we leave the house everyday.
After church last week, our ward mission leader said something that I found very interesting: he mentioned how a mission president he knows doesn't tell his missionaries to obey the rules. He tells them to be happy missionaries. Now, what we all understand is that those who obey the rules and work their hardest are the happiest. We just don't feel good inside when we don't do what we're supposed to. Abraham Lincoln said it simplest when he stated, "When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad."
Earlier, I was thinking about Paul's letter to the Philippians, who seemed to be in danger of pride, and letting go of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Among Paul's counsel to them, he recounted how if anybody has bragging rights, he does! But, he says that doesn't matter; what matters is Jesus Christ, and His Atonement, and living worthy of it. He said,
"But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
"Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
"And be found in him. . .
"That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowhship of his sufferings. . .
". . . I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
"I press toward the mark. . ." (Philippians 3:7-14)
Grab that, for which Christ grabbed you. Look to the future; leave the past behind. What matters most is what lasts forever: family, relationships, the gospel of Christ Jesus. The Savior Himself made the point clear when He said,
"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
"For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:24-26)
What is a man profited, if he has popular photos on Instagram, or if there are never negative comments on his blog posts? What is a man profited if he has millions of Facebook friends, and countless repins on pinterest? What is a man profited if he has popularity, or money, or possessions, and lose his own soul? What will you give in exchange for your soul?
What things were gain to me, those I counted as loss for Christ, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung(!), that I may win Christ, and follow after Him, and find Him, and know Him, and have fellowship with Him; these things I follow after, leaving behind the past, reaching towards the future, pressing towards the mark. I strive to grasp that for which Christ grasped me, grasped you, grasped every one of us from the grip of death and sin.
What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
I found a positive response last week, so I thought I would again include five scriptures that I personally feel are significant. This week, the next five to come to mind are:
John 15:10-14 (Love one another; become Jesus' friend)
3 Nephi 9:13-15 (Come unto Christ and be healed)
Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21 (The law of obedience, through which all blessings come)
Doctrine and Covenants 76:22-24 (A powerful testimony of the living Christ)
Matthew 16:24-26 (The things that matter most)
Best Wishes,
Elder Austin Lynn
Pictures:
No comments:
Post a Comment