On the Streets of Bundang!

On the Streets of Bundang!

Giving Them Out by the Cases

I had a great time last week, but I also had one of the hardest days of my mission. We still don't have a lot of investigators so we have been spending a lot of time out on the streets putting in the work! Contacting definitely is not the easiest part of missionary work, but it is for sure one of the things that I love most in my life. The dynamic almost cannot be matched: one moment complete celebration from a great talk with a nice and cool person, and the next an absolute smash down from a group of pastors from another church. THE LIFE! This is every day of my life, but generally more filled with "I am busy" and "not interested" or the classic "hand to the face." But I'm telling you, one good conversation is worth the 100 rejections that follow it. They are always worth it. This week my companions and I made some lofty proselyting goals and it took about a thousand rejections (not exaggerating) and a lot of hours, but we were successful!

BOM Tally Marks

We spent every day until Thursday proselyting, but then our lives got turned upside down. Elder Kim, our new companion--waiting for a visa so this is his pre-MTC experience--had been coughing quite a bit, but we had originally just assumed it was a cold. So, on Thursday, we had an appointment with a new investigator in which he told us some of the coolest things I have ever heard from an investigator. Because they were so sick, I will share a few of them with you! The first time we met, we talked a little bit about baptism and the importance of it, but he rejected the offer, so we left him the assignment to read 2 Nephi 31 and asked him to think about the date we had offered him. When we walked into his office on Thursday, I looked at the white board behind his desk and he had written on his calendar: "06/03 Baptism." (haha Okay and Why?) So I just instantly said, "Hey man! You warmed up to the 3rd?!" and he said, "I read what you told me to read... I guess I need to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ." Then he told us that he had also been having his wife (who we have never met) read the Book of Mormon! We proceeded to teach the Restoration and he accepted all of it soo well! It was a complete miracle for sure. I was soo hyped after the lesson, until I realized that Elder Kim was now coughing pretty hard and his breathing was all weird...

Hospital Check-in

Hospital Waiting

We decided to go the hospital to figure out what was wrong, and we spent from 7:30pm until about 12:30am in the emergency room. That was definitely the most intense night of my mission. People were running around screaming, blood was everywhere, and ambulance lights were flashing for dayyss. Finally, we got word that Elder Kim had a pretty serious case of pneumonia and that he needed to go home to recover for a few weeks. SO SAD. And, honestly, really scary! But I was really grateful that we weren't there for one of the more crazy cases that we witnessed. Elder Goon and I also had a really special opportunity to give Elder Kim a priesthood blessing that really struck me strongly. After the blessing, I just had a powerful feeling that what was happening had a reason and that all would be well. Great timing in a swirl of chaos. 

So Elder Kim went home on Saturday, and he should be back in just a few weeks, luckily. 

Sending Elder Kim Home

On another crazy note. The yellow dust and microscopic dust has been at an all time high here in Korea over the past few days! Resulting in huge distress for the Korean people. Everyone wearing masks, people not leaving their homes.. Stuff like that! Guess that means some good time for knocking doors! maybe a blessing in disguise. Could be time for my first family! hahahaha

All in all, this was a great week full of mixed emotions. I think I am learning the important lesson of finding the silver lining. I love my mission. I love this Gospel. And I love the Lord.

Oh, and..... I love you guys too! Have a great one^^

Elder Jenkins

Foot Volleyball!