2013.11.17 email

Another good week ended on a high note. We had our Stake's Stake Conference this weekend, and it was amazing. Some really awesome talks about missionary work, and how we can see the Lord's influence in our lives through sharing that influence with others. Also, with so much more instruction from the Brethren on the importance of missionary work and going to the rescue, we've seen a huge change. The Youth is almost the most impressive to me. Almost all of them are willing to visit LA young men together. One of them calls a number of them every week. And they've invited a number of friends to activities here. The love of God is contagious, and it's spreading here. We're still trying to help transition these experiences to opportunities to teach and help them become converted, but the efforts here are moving forward.

We also had a meeting with the Mission and Stake Presidents to train us. Awesome men. The Stake President shared an experience of his youth, wanting to go to church, but having parents that were against it. He would pretend to go out to play soccer, then change and go to church. He decided he wanted to study at BYU so he could go to church, even though he'd been accepted into one of the greatest universities in Korea. The whole time, he prayed for his father's heart to be softened. His commitment to the church and his love for the youth is evident in everything he does. They're so important to him, and he has a fire about him that is incredible to see.

Lately, I've had a lot of experiences that have strengthened my testimony of the Gospel. Investigators who live without the truth of the Book of Mormon, seeking for answers that are so easily found in its pages, but blind to see them because they do not look. Other churches that teach of secrets and shadows, but reject the gift of revelation and a loving Father. This is the truth. God lives, He speaks, and He is a part of our lives. He'll guide our steps as soon as we reach out for His hand. We are blessed to have a living Prophet, and the Restored Priesthood on the earth, through which we can return to live with our Father in Heaven, together with our families. The answers are before us. All that is left is to trust him.

Truly, 2 years is to short a time to share this message.

I love you all. Before I wrap up, a few fun things. Had a funny experience today. So there are kind of bath house things here. 목욕탕. Usually, you go, and there are showers and hot pools and sauna type rooms. But it's full of a lot of naked guys usually. Today we found a really small one near our house, but there was no one there. So, just the two of us. A little weird, but it was relaxing. Been a couple months since I've been to one.

Found a new obsession with index cards with good scriptures that I hide in my Korean Bible I carry. Maybe pictures later, but one of them focused on cross references that connect the Bible to the BoM and restoration. (That one was fun. ^^) Analogies are fun to collect too. One new one recently compares our relationship to God with 정. So simple, but genius. Lots of people don't know much about God here, or how it's possible to have a relationship with Him, but everyone knows 정, and everyone knows how it's formed. With God, it's the same.

Started snowing a couple minutes ago. First snow here in 광주. Winter is on the way. ^^ 

When you can, read D&C 88. We're reading it as a mission for Purification, and it's Gold. You'll find some familiar scriptures, but there's some that are truly hidden treasures.

Outside of that.. I got the package! Halloween and Thanksgiving! The Halloween one was great, we used the decorations for our Halloween party. ^^ And I've started my thankful chain. Not much time, but I'll get it finished by Christmas. You guys are the best. Have a great week!

~Elder Robarts