112315 Thanksgiving Week

This week has been good.  We are going to the temple, so today isn't P-day.

 But it does mean we get P-day on thanksgiving. Some members in the English branch, including the mission president's brother, are feeding our zone thanksgiving dinner. Then we are going to try to get as many people who can to come do a turkey bowl. So that will be fun. Our basketball program is getting more and more people. There is an awesome German guy named Paul in the English branch who is going to school in Korean and he invited 2 of his friends. One, Thad is awesome and has come pretty much every week. Even when Paul couldn't come. Then this inactive in our ward invites a bunch of girls who go to a basketball club thing to come. So we had like 16 people last time. Then the Philippianos play basketball on Saturdays so we are getting a lot of people to the church, and enjoying being with us, we just need to convert some of those into investigators. We also do soccer once a week. People like it when American's can play soccer well. Just scoring a few goals really helps people like you. 

I have been thinking/ponderizing about the scripture (I forgot the reference) that says because of the exceedingly great length of the war, many were hardened... and many were softened to humility. Anyway, I love that. I think the promise of the gospel is not that our lives will be made easier, or that our wars (whatever they be) will be made shorter, or problems taken away, but that through anything we will have the ability to choose one of those two things. So that is something I am trying to and want to do better. See everything as an opportunity to be softened and be humbled. And then suddenly life becomes a lot more meaningful!

This week was also good. My highlights: One, we met with No Da Bean. He took us to a coffee shop and bought us some drinks. He bought a green tea Latte for himself. . . It was funny. But as we talked a little about the baptismal questions and he talked about stopping drinking and smoking and stuff, I figured the green tea latte was not a big deal... or his earrings. :) But he really is pretty awesome. In Korean the boss with often take his workers out drinking and it is rude to say no. So it’s awkward for members in the work place or those in military who are kind of socially forced to drink.  I heard, I don't know the actual stats, that Russians drink twice as much as Americans and that Koreans drink twice as much as Russians. So that is sad. Especially because it is so institutionalized. But anyway, he is obviously nervous about staying clean but is honestly trying. Other than that, no great investigator moments this week.

We had a solid streak of like 5 or 6 meals that people fed us. So that was awesome. Though one was a pretty spicy soup full of clams, so you have to remove all the shells into this little bins they give you. So that wasn't my favorite, but actually wasn't too bad. It was so spicy you can't really taste to seafood much!  Seriously it was actually pretty good, just a bit spicy. So that was another highlight.

Also the English Branch had their primary program which is always a highlight. Then in the Korean ward I gave my first Korean talk. It was only 5 minutes and pretty basic, and probably slow, but still I did it. After at the meal we have with the ward once a month one of the sisters came up to me and said I did well but corrected my pronunciation on one word (like one of the main words I used) Then she asked how long I had been in Korea. I said two months. And she said no, like I misunderstood, then slowed down her speech and asked again how long I had been in Korea. I said yeah 2 months. And she was super surprised at my Korean. Which feels good! Though everybody says you are really good at Korean even if you only say hello, or understand something they said. I do feel like I am getting better. I am understanding more and more. Still not most, but church and simple conversations are become easier. I had an entire conversation with a guy all by myself while my companion was on the phone. I understood what he said and he understood me! It was weird to be talking to somebody by myself for a while. Often at church I get a bit of a head ache. But that is okay! So yeah that is my update on the language.

I love you all.

-- 

Elder Sabey

111615 Peperos, Memories of Dad,and Our life

Hello!

This week was pretty exciting. The funnest/funniest moments this week was when we met  with Jung Soon Eh. She has been trying to get my companion, when he goes back to America to join her company which  is pretty much just a copy of Nuskin.  We scheduled to  have dinner with  her and she brought  two of her Chinese friends and her "boss"(if  that really exists in a  pyramid scheme). They tried to get him to join before we actually went to dinner. Then we went to dinner at this meat restaurant. Since we were kind of their consumers they bought us a bunch of meat and soda while they bought beer (I guess it was closer to vodka.) It ended up not really being a lesson. It was fun, but a little frustrating. However one of the friends ended up going to church with Jung Soon Eh. So I guess God Moves in a Mysterious Way! That would be ideal as well if we could get them both because then they would already have a friend at church! So hopefully it all works out!

So I forgot it was Dad's birthday. So a few memories. First, when Dad cut down the trees in our backyard. He was a man with tree spikes and a beard. Second, playing walleyball and racquetball and losing a lot (me not him.) Third, hanging out with him on the weekends when I was the only child. Like going to get pizza or soda and watch sports. Or watching movies or whatever it was. It was a party. Fourth, just how he always treats mom is a great example to me. So yeah! Happy Birthday!  Let's see. This week since Handy Choice had to wait to get confirmed so we met with him most days. He is sweet. He opened up a little bit more with us the other day. He emailed me too and called me "Elder Sabey, the Baptist" . Other than with him we didn't have too many lessons this week. But we stay fairly busy. Especially with ward events.

Also this week they had Pepero  Day.  It is those long sticks with chocolate on the end. Anyway it is like Korean Valentine’s day. So at district meeting the sisters gave us all some peperos.

 So Dad, your birthday is one day away from a Korean Holiday!

We are planning on doing a little mini Olympics with our ward in a couple weeks to get the members to come out to some of the activities. So we are doing some minute-to-win-it type games. I thought of having a western shoot out thing only with cell phones calling the missionaries. Whoever calls the fastest wins. Haha. Or we might give extra points for signing up for practice lessons with us. I don't know. Fun game ideas or other ideas?

Also there are quite a few Philippinos who  come to Korea to work and earn money for their family. So they sometimes come to our church to play basketball. They come in  waves so they play for like 5 hours. It is pretty impressive. They seem like sweet people but we haven't been able to talk with them too much since we have English on Saturdays, and some other meetings. so that will hopefully be a future source of investigators.

We also got a referral this week as well. An American who left America kind of on the spur of the moment and is friends with one of the missionaries in our mission's sister. So now he is living in our area, can't speak Korean and hopefully is looking for purpose. We will visit him tomorrow. So pray for him and us.

I have been reading both the New Testament and Jesus the Christ. It is cool. I love how Christ was a real person with parents, a hometown, pain and friends. He like us had to come to know his potential and identity. That process allows us to live more fully and happily. I love you all. You are children of God. As are those in France and those members of ISIS. I just wish we all could grasp that more. I think so much would be different. Karl Pierson, ISIS, etc. I don't know that didn't make a lot of sense, but I think it is true.

Hurrah for Israel!

-- 

Elder Sabey

This is from Handy Choice

I am grateful to Elder Sabey, the baptist.

Your teaching of the Scripture inspired me 

and give me more reasons to learn about the words of God;

to love Jesus Christ, the Savior;

to be faithful in Him, and follow his teaching, and obey His commandments,

which is the manifestation of His love and infinite wisdom.

And

I still wish I have a chance to exchange photos as I had suggested;

don't forget your promise to let me have a digital copy of it.

May God bless Daniel Sabey, the baptist

and his family

Handy Choice

110215 There is more than one bridge in Seoul

Hello Everybody!

This week was good. So a few highlights. First, the fun highlight. This kid who speaks pretty good English called. We didn't know who it was so we gave the phone to Elder Kim [a Korean] who did. He answered, but the kid assumed it was an American. So he was speaking English. Elder Kim responded in English. Then I think the caller just decided it would be easier to talk in Korean. So he said something like "I will... take another... Korean missionary" And then proceeded to just speak in Korean to the Kid. It was funny because the English wasn't   great, the kid didn't realize, and just the fact that elder Kim tried it was hilarious.

Having friends and feeling socially accepted is so important. Then after Church we met with a kid named No Da Bean. That is a Korean Name. Elder Grossgebauer met with him a year ago, and his girlfriend is on a mission and is about to get her visa and go the Temple Square mission. Basically he has always said he wants to join the church but that it is only for his girlfriend, so he has never done his "homework” and is just a funny kid. But we met with him and we wanted to talk about baptism. He basically started the conversation and said he really wants to be baptized and this time it is for himself. After talking [probably through emails] with his girlfriend on her mission and seeing how much she cares about her investigators made him realize and feel bad about the way he acted with the missionaries. So we decided he wants to get baptized before elder Grossgebauer goes home. He needs to stop smoking and drinking so he asked us to pray for him. So all things considered that was a solid lesson. We really didn't do anything; he just, I guess, has finally come around. So pray for him!

To answer some questions. We don't eat very often with members. I have done it about 4 times. But this last time was cool because it was with our bishop on the other side of the river in the other mission. That ended up being a little crazy. We decided to walk across the bridge since we were like the only missionaries that can do that so we did. The sisters, after hearing that we were doing,

that decided to do the same, however they went across the wrong bridge! So they had to grab a taxi. They gave him the bishop’s address and the taxi driver said he didn't know how to get there or couldn't get there or something. So they just got dropped off at the subway station where we were supposed to meet at. By this time we were outside the Bishop's apartment. So we told them to go into the subway station and look at the map. They did, but they went to the wrong samsung apartments. Then they followed some ladies’ directions. Finally 30 minutes after they were supposed to be at the bishop's house the bishop just figured out where they were told to go and he told them to stay there and we went to pick them up. So an hour after we were supposed to start we actually got to his house and had dinner. So that was exciting. Not many people have driven in a car in the other mission. Or gotten lost in the other mission. So that was exciting. But dinner was delicious. I guess my Bishop graduated from MIT. He is awesome. He wants to move to Utah but isn't sure if God will let him. Pretty awesome.

The ward seems to rely on missionaries for activities. We are kind of in charge of a lot of activities. So we do the basketball night, family home evening, and a friendship night thing once a month. But the ward members are also really involved. So the organization and everything goes on without us. The wards are just really small, and people are busy so missionaries are nice to have around. We had stake conference yesterday. There were about the same amount of people as there are in the English Branch. But the branch is bigger than most wards because of the military. There is just a lot of movement in and out so it is still a branch.

Korean is fine. I am understanding a little more. But we still speak mostly English. Most of our investigators are pretty fluent at English, so is our bishop and most members are pretty good. We have one investigator who speaks only Korean. So the learning process is slow. I hope I can get a native Korean as a companion, but there are only 8 or so native elders in the mission. And I don't read scriptures in Korean.

As far as personal study it is supposed to be in your native language, and language study I spend more time with grammar and vocab rather than reading scripture. It is just old grammar forms and stuff so it is pretty hard to understand, especially since I don't know a lot of the words. I have done some reading in PMG though. That is easier and I have a lot more of the vocab.   We met with Joshua again. He is just a super faithful guy. A lot would have to change for him to join our church. He would have to step down from his position at his church, which he feels a little weird doing even for work. But he likes us and feels like the BOM is the word of God. The mission president said basically what you would expect. He can't be doing both churches. He needs to just pray and get a better testimony of the Book of Mormon, D&C and Joseph Smith. So we will work with him, but we will see.

I love this Gospel. I don't know how God trusts me to try to preach this gospel to the people of Korea, but he does. It is crazy. I want to become a better servant of him. Love you all!

Hurrah for Israel!

-- 

Elder Sabey