2013.08.26 snail mail

Dear Home,

Life never really has a normal turn here. Good example: I just got a text from the other Elders asking to bye boxing tape (presumably to fix our fan, which broke today while we were cleaning it...). If we can't fix it, we're down to one fan in a four man house. (DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT SENDING ONE. You guys are great, but seriously. These things cost a fortune to send. The BoM thing was probably one of the most touching things I've seen on my mission, but don't worry about it. With the massive time delay, just trust we'll have gotten it taken care of on our end.) Anyway, the good news is summer is almost over. The WORST part anyway. Traditionally, there's about a month and a half of steadily increasing heat, coupled with indescribably humidity. Then it starts to cool down, then the Typhoons come. We're shifting into that time now. ^^ But yeah, we might have to ask the office if we can look for some fans...

I'm doing well though. Things are moving forward little by little. The main thing recently is that we're working more now with members than non members it feels like. Helping encourage FHE, trying to get the Home Teaching program stronger, trying to help strengthen the ward from within, and helping members feel the spirit of this work through working with us. We met with a really awesome family that said they wanted to start FHE in their family, but they're not quite sure what they're supposed to do in it. When we offered to help them have one, they said that we were the first missionaries to say they wanted to help. Now, I'm not the best at FHE ideas myself, so I'm hoping you guys have some ideas. Luckily we told them while we were talking that it was more about spending time together in a spiritual environment really more than /what/ you do. 

I love this place. This is new for me, but I've felt so many good memories come back as I've thought back to our own FHEs back home. Someone once said that you remember the feeling that you have there more than the lessons that were taught. That's definitely true. But there are so many ways the Lord prepares us. To face the world, to share the Gospel, to raise a family. FHE is one of the best tools He's given us, simply because it helps us grow TOGETHER.

I love my family. Our FHEs may have been simple, we may have missed at times, but I have strong memories of them.

Keep praying for the members here, as well as those we're trying to teach. At the moment we're focusing so much on members it's been hard to find time to look for new investigators. But they're out there. I know it. And we'll help them find what they're looking for, even if they don't recognize yet that it's missing.

Ryan's heading for the MTC already? Tell him congrats for me, and Jacob too! That's a great accomplishment. ^^

I love you guys so much. Thanks for your heartfelt letters, prayers, news. I treasure them more than you know. I really wish I could write all the personal replies I want to, but these bulk letters will have to work until I get time or make time. ^^

~Elder Robarts

Alright, I've had enough fun. I've still gotta write President. Until next week!

Just kidding. I had a few things to ask/say.

First, Hi Sister Patterson! Thank you so much for your note, it made my day! I've gotten some of your family's letters too, thank you so much! I love this work. It teaches so much. Thanks for the example you show me, I don't think I've ever seen you without a smile on your face. It means a lot to me.^^ Every day is a special opportunity to share God's love with someone.

(Quick requests:

Can you try to email some baking recipes? I want to try experimenting again for making things for members.

Also, any ideas on FHE? Maybe a fb post would pull some good ideas. Thanks!)

Love you!

2013.08.18 email

Dear Home,

 

I love you guys! You know how I said I kept having that feeling that I need to be focusing more on family? Those feelings have been expanding a ton out here, in a lot of different ways. To elaborate: Missionary work is changing out here. We're trying to encourage members a lot more than before. To participate in LA work, referring friends, and now specifically FHE. In general, FHE and Home Teaching have had their weak points in Korea, but we're trying to help patch those holes. The biggest problem is people are just so BUSY here. Time is a hard thing to find. So, as missionaries, we're looking for solutions to share. Offering to teach how to run an FHE, or going out with them for HT. Giving the responsibility back to the members, but with our support. It's a slow process. And It'll take TIME. Lots of it. But I see lights beginning to spark, especially in the leaders. There's something exciting happening here. We just need to work hard to make sure we're a driving force behind this work and not a stumbling block.

 

So, I have a few 부탁s, or favors I wanted to ask. First off, I'm looking for recipes. Baked goods to take to members. Ranger cookies didn't work well here without shortening, so I'm searching for other options. Right now that's banana bread, but other stuff would be great too. Could you send the rest of my cookie recipes and any other ones that might be good? Preferably ones that don't use shortening or butter. Margarine or oil is best, as we can usually get that fairly easily. If you could, 감사하겠습니다. I'd really appreciate it.^^

 

Also, If you have any ideas about member missionary work (maybe things happening back home) that we could use, send suggestions! I'm looking to have a brainstorm with as many people as I can. Right now we're pushing FHE and using it to invite nonmembers to experience the church in a comfortable environment.

 

With that said, any FHE ideas? Games, messages, ways to involve kids. I love it all.

 

 

I've got to say, this is by far the most American-like ward I've seen, just in set up. Usually Sacrament is last in Korea, but here it's first like back home. Also, the way they run meetings reminds me a lot of home. It's hard to explain...

 

I love you all! We've been working hard, trying to be patient, little by little we're seeing growth. We've got a couple investigators now, but still not many. A couple have some real potential though. Two we met yesterday. They came to church out of the blue and we got to talk with them. Turns out they'd gotten a flier a couple months back, and just now saw it again. Saw a reference in Nephi and wondered what it was talking about, so they came to church. We shared part of the first and second lesson, answered questions, and arranged to meet again Wednesday. They seem really incredible.^^

 

Little things like that. Miracles we get to see, and simply talking with members and being able to share our testimonies with everyone we see makes missionary work amazing. I'm almost out of time, but Thanks so much. You guys are the best!

 

I hope everyone is doing great. You're in my prayers.

~Elder Robarts

2013.08.11 email

Dear Home,

It's crazy to think about it being half over.. It feels like I just got here. I know there's a lot of hump day regrets, or general not feeling good enough. And I'll admit, a lot of times I don't feel nearly as good as some of the people I've been serving with. They're all super stars. But if there's one thing that has rung true for me, it's that God is real. He called me here and He called ME. No matter how much better I want to be, He'll use what I can give. And I've seen enough miracles to know that He's[not] ignoring me.

This new area is a lot to take in. I've kind of got a quiet companion this time, there's not quite as much talking around the house, certainly not like last transfer, but he's a great missionary. He's got so much vision of what missionary work can be. I can see why he was called to this area.

This area is in the middle of a revolution. A member missionary work revolution. The whole stake is being woken up, so much more effort is being put into spreading the gospel. We've been visiting so many members, visiting LA's with them, inviting them to read "The power of everyday missionaries" (still waiting for a copy in english from the office), and we're excited. The biggest goal of ours is to help the members regain trust and excitement about missionaries. For so long, things have been quiet, Missionaries didn't always interact much outside of dinner appointments or church. But things are changing.

As for being in this new area, fresh start, with everything being new, including how missionary work itself is done... it's intense. I don't know if the Lord trusts me with this or wants me to learn, or both, but it's a big task ahead of us. And in order to do it, we need the spirit. I've focused on that a lot recently, and the first couple things that came to mind was to remember my family. The Lord asks us to forget ourselves in this work, but not our families. I've been so busy with things I haven't been saving time for family. That's no good. I want to try to get writing again. (As soon as I find the post office here, I'll send something. No one knows where one is...)

I'm glad you got the package, it was a bit rushed. I got transfer calls and realized it had to go before I could add anything else. I enjoyed looking for stuff for it though. ^^ I still have the fan and sword, still looking for a box to ship it, but I'll probably send it before leaving here. Some books too maybe. I don't have time for some, and it's a lot to take with me everywhere.

This week has been great. We got to give service! Helping move some filler for a member who's building a house. And this week we're farming. ^^ I've missed service. If nothing else, I've gotten weak here. I need more of this exercise. And milk. But anyway, love it.

Saw some miracles this week too. Met a guy who had a BoM in his house as a kid and wanted to learn more about our church and where it came from. Then met with another guy who a talked to, he was cool. Called a number, it turned out to be a wrong number, but after talking, first off he 1. had interest, 2. lived in our area, and 3. wanted to meet. Turns out he too has met missionaries before.

Priorities are changing for me here. Missionary work is so much more simple. Show God's love and invite others to act. Teach with the spirit and bare testimony. That's it.

I love you guys, but I've still got to email president.  Love you!

2013.08.04 email

I don't even know where to begin...

Well, things are blown wide open now. If I thought I was ever busy before, that is all in the past now. I'm SWAMPED. I just got transfered to a awesome Ward in 광주 [Gwangju] Stake called 풍향 [Wind (?)]. And let me just say, it's exciting. This stake is exploding with new ideas about missionary work. The members are waking up. And it calls for so much new work on our part. Essentially, the Stake President has challenged everyone to introduce people to the missionaries. There's so much of that going around, our mission president is really pushing for more work within the ward. The biggest challenge is adjusting.

Pretty much everything is different than a week ago. Before, I knew every inch of my ward and practically every member. We were working with about 15 investigators and barely had time enough for study, let alone much other work outside. Now things are different. No investigators, no potentials except the ones we found when we got here, and I have very little information about members or the area. From the sounds of it, the past missionaries didn't have a whole lot of Trust with the ward. Possibly why President pulled so many out. Needs fresh people so the members actually feel comfortable introducing people to us like the stake is asking. Not sure, but intense. Things are moving fast here. I dropped in with my new companion, Elder Jensen, fresh in Korea, and I couldn't find a whole lot of records as to who I should be working with. I actually spent most of today organizing records so we could try to head out and tackle some less active work.

I'm not going to lie, it's stretching a little. I'm not used to not having investigators. It's a little scary, especially when I know so little about this area. I want to work with the members, but we need to be finding on our own if we want to show that we're really willing to work. This will be an incredible area though. We'll take it by storm. It may take time, but I'm excited. I am sorry I can't write more. I honestly can't afford to step away from the work right now. Not until I know this area better and I have relationships with the members.

I love you all dearly. I miss you a lot. But I know this work is true. I wouldn't embrace this stress if I didn't know that. Because it's not really stress. It's losing myself in the work. And I can't wait to see what the Lord's play is for this area. We've got to win back the trust of the ward. If we do, missionary work will SURGE. The Stake President sees it. President Shin sees it. Now it's up to us.

Until next time!

~Elder Robarts