Caleb the Missionary- The End

The plane arrived over an hour late but a large group awaited Elder Ballam.  Caleb had 3 of us waiting for him.  Caleb didn't  didn't come with the crowd and someone told us they saw the Elders in the bathroom.We borrowed signs from Elder Ballam's family

Finally, someone to play with Kay! Sunday, Caleb saw friends he served with in Korea right here in Salt Lake City.

Macguyver

Upon saying good bye to people, Koreans tend to turn to food to satisify their sadness. Yesterday was my last day in my last area and we basically ate from the time church ended until we got home at 9:00 that night with a slight break where we thought we were going to knock doors but then got a phone call from our investagator saying we need to go eat. By the end of the day we both had headaches from all the food. It was a good week. We basically got a baptismal date with our 2 investagators for next transfer. It was a really good lesson.


Even though it is the end of my mission I am still learning things about Korean culture. For example, most would never guess what an influentual roll  the TV show Macguyver played in Asia. When it first came to Asia, Koreans sucked it up and most of all the older people know exactly who he is. It was then in reruns a few years back and so now everyone and their dog knows and loves Macguyver. A Swiss army knife is in fact call a Macguyber knife here. A fitting name for all it's many uses. The think I learned something this week I always have wondered about. Why do so many asian kids have mullet haircuts? My companion  informed me that it is not called a mullet but "Macguyver style" You can go into any barber and he will know what a Macguyver style is. Koreans are so funny. Sometimes I will just start humming the Macguyver theme song and someone will point it out all excited. Korea is amazing. See you the end of this week!

Last week of Missionary service

Hello! So this is my last week of missionary work in my area. Next week Monday is transfers so the new elder will come and I am bumped out for a week. Anyway, point is that things are coming to an end quick and it is frightening. This week was really good. We had branch conference and since we are the branch presidency we had to organize and invite people. We had 21 people show up which was really good for this area. We had our two older couple investigators show up and it was a really good experience for them to see the branch functioning under the stake. 강병철(the husband) is still trying to quit smoking which is nearly the only thing keeping them from being baptized. 이금녀(the wife) and I had a really nice chat after Church during lunch (*note: Koreans often have lunch after church with the whole ward). She thanked me for the small time that I have served in this area and said that she will tell God that I taught her when we all meet him together. She also promised to call me when she gets baptized. Such an amazing couple. She is working on getting her son to come to church and take the lessons and fully believes that he will be baptized and that her line of members will go on forever. You may be able to tell but she reads a lot of the Liahona (church magazine) Ha. Amazing couple who have been slowly prepared for years. It is amazing to see this work go forward.

Less than 3 weeks left

Hello! Today we went and visited a famous village out a ways  and so now I unfortunately don't have much time. This week was good. We have been able to meet a few new people and we are still having success with less-actives in the area. I love this area and I am sad that I only have a few weeks left. This work is amazing. We see so many modern day miracles and tender mercies of the Lord. The church is true. I love you all and am praying for you! This gospel is so amazing and is really fun to study. I wish I had more time to just sit down and study the gospel. Naturally we do as missionaries but only an hour a day by ourselves and it always is left wanting. Love you all!

Branch Presidency

Hello, I'm going to have to make this short because of time. This week the branch presidency changed and we were put it. My companion is Branch president and I am the counseler. Small branch. This week we had an amazing 23 people out to church. Usually we run around 10-13 so this week was pretty darn good. We had 3 investigators come out to church as well. An old couple and a high school student. The old couple said that they plan on coming out every week and they should be baptized soon after the husband gets over his word of wisdom issues. They are a miracle and I wish I had time to talk more about them but just know that the work is going forward!

Elder Anderson

Jehovah Witnesses

This last week was good as they usually are. Unfortunately our best two investigators have been having some health problems which has prevented them from meeting with us this whole week. We were however able to meet with some other investigators that have not been able to meet for a while due to school. It is now school vacation so it will be easier to meet with students. The problem is that when it comes to Korean High School they don't really have school vacations. It is just not all day like usual. I can't believe how much they study. It is an insane competition to enter Collage and so they have to take school seriously very early.

We were also able to have some really good lessons with less actives including two that ended up coming to church this week after along time of absence. One of them has been meeting with Jehovah's Witnesses every week. We actually have had some interesting experiences with Jehovah's Witnesses this week including meeting them with this investigator and getting invited to their church or "Kingdom Hall" for a tour and a religious chat. It was a very educational experience and once again solidified my belief that this is Christ"s living church. I especially love that we don't have to guess or rely on the words of ordinary men. We have the words of prophets, new and old, that clear up and testify of doctrine. When we met with our less-active man, he prayed at the end and truly asked which church he should be going to. The spirit testified to all of us there that this is the true church. Missionary work is amazing.  Elder Anderson

Just a few more weeks in Korea

Hello family! I am now settled into my new area. It has been a little strange. We actually had to go back to my old area on Saturday to help out with the mini MTC that we planned but everyone that planned it wasn't going to be there on that day so they asked me to go back. Saying bye wasn't too hard as I was there only one transfer.

 I had a really good last talk with an ex-preacher who likes talking with us. Naturally he knows more than us pertaining  the Bible but it was really amazing how much I know and have known since I was 5 that astonishes even the greatest of scholars. He likes to talk about salvation with me and I was able to have a good 30 minute one- on- one talk with him while elder Kim was helping out the family. We sat on the couch and talked about salvation. We didn't use many scriptures as we both know what they say but we talked like I have always wanted to talk to a preacher.

He loved me and wanted to adopt me so he was willing to truly listen to what I had to say and I had a lot of respect for him and his family so I felt like I was also willing to actually have a talk with him. Too often we get into conversations with other churches and there is no level of trust or respect and that can quickly turn into an argument. Nearly his first question was, "Have you received salvation?" I didn't answer immediately as I have never really thought about salvation like a thing you can receive here on this Earth. I explained that only after judgement can we truly receive salvation. He told me that he has received salvation for sins that he has committed and ever will committed. That was quite the claim so we chatted more about works and grace. I didn't have to point out any scriptures for him to know exactly where they were but his claim with that was that if we have received salvation we will naturally do good works. I then asked him a question that popped into my mind. "So what if a preacher like yourself went out and killed his wife?" His eyes went wide and he asked "Did you see the news yesterday? That happened!" I then went on amazed where the conversation was going and asked if that preacher who no doubt believed in Jesus will receive salvation. He leaned back, shook his head, and said, "I don't think so."

I was then really able to talk about acts and that if he does not receive salvation it will be because of his acts. I was able to be fairly blunt with him because of our relationship and the fact that my Korean isn't that great so I can't smoothly get around things. I explained that Satan also believes in Jesus but it is because of his actions that he cannot receive salvation. He nodded his head and mumbled "Satan believes in Jesus..." It was a pretty fun lesson. Unfortunately his still is stuck on his old church and doesn't want to change. I think he now has an answer to some of his questions. I really felt like I was being led by the spirit to answer his questions so I believe that God still wants him to find the fullness of truth. Missionary work is amazing. I am so glad that I have been given this opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. An-dong is amazing and I am really excited to serve here with elder 진(Gien). The church is true.

this is what you do if the bugs bother you

Elder Anderson