10162016 Another new companion

My new companion is Elder Dalley. He is from Utah and a fun kid. We have been together for like 2 days so I don't know a whole bunch yet. 

This week was pretty busy. We had just normal interviews with president, plus two other times having to go meet with president for the new companion situation and everything, exchanges and district meeting. So a lot of traveling. So I didn't spend a whole lot of time in our area. One of our investigators said he doesn't have time to meet, so we really only have 1 investigator at this time. We are making lots of calls to old investigators, potential investigators, and then just doing lots of proselyting. Fun stuff!

This week we get to meet with Elder Bednar! Great birthday present right? I am actually expecting him to bring me a birthday present, I am not sure why else he would pick the 19th to come talk to us. haha.

I don't have to much to say this week sorry. I know God lives. I see him in the people he has given me as companions, in people we meet on the streets, and in so many small details in my life. I am so thankful for a God that gives me agency and assures me through the storms of life. What a wonderful God. What a wonderful earth to live on!

Hurrah for Israel!

--

Elder Sabey

10092016 Finding the Identity as a Servant of God

This week was a good week! We met with an older guy who  mainly has English interest, but knows a fair amount about churches and stuff. So he likes talking and is open to what we have to say. He said something interesting. We invited him to read and pray about the book of Mormon. He said no. I will study it and see how I feel about it. But until I feel its goodness in my heart, I will not pray about it. I didn't really know what to say. I just said let's start with reading.

We had zone training and our zone leader really wants to make a lot of changes. I really appreciate people like he is, who just take the lead. It isn't my style but I really appreciate him. Plus as a Korean I hope he can help our sisters a little bit! I asked my companion what he learned from Zone training and he said, "Well I feel like it confirmed that we are doing things right." That felt good to hear. 

I loved conference! I always enjoy it but feel I get a lot more after when I read the talks, so I look forward to getting the talks and reading them. 

My spiritual thought is that when we worry about what others think, or about less important things instead of what God thinks, that is when we make mistakes. Missionaries that don't speak their language because they will sound stupid, or that won't talk to lots of people because its awkward or they could get mad... etc. When we stop comparing and worrying about what others think, we can happily do the will of God. Not to mention people that do have the ability to look stupid while being confident are way more studly and attractive. I think when your identity is as a servant of God, the rest of the world falls in place and life becomes happy. Happy despite sounding stupid, or people getting mad, or whatever it is. So I am again so grateful for this gospel! 

Also I either jammed my thumb pretty bad or broke it... so that is annoying.

Also happy  birthday David! I have some good memories of David! I remember when David chose not to play soccer and said "I love soccer too much to have a coach ruin it for me." That was an awesome explanation! Also I remember when David was Captain VonTrap and in singers. How he was loved by so many people like Jesse Millar and Bret Ludwig. He is just good with people. Also I remember  him biking Slick Rock and just being a man. I love you David!

--

Elder Sabey

10032016 New Companion from Highlands Ranch

My companion is indeed the one from Littleton Colorado! My prayers were answered! haha. Well actually more of Highlands Ranch/Rocksborough area. He went to Thunderridge High school. I feel like in a lot of ways we are similar. More relaxed but both have a drive to be obedient and diligent. So I am super excited for the next two transfers. His name is Zachary Burridge. 

This week we had transfers, then the next day district meeting. I talked about some experiences with people living beneath there "privileges" and then talked about how we as missionaries live beneath our privileges. I committed them to write what they do to live beneath their privileges and then what the missionary "cruze buffet" (from elder Uchdorf's talk) looks like. Baptisms, the holy ghost, etc. So I am excited to see what people say.

After we became companions we had several people call us: a less active, an old investigator, and one of our investigator. It was cool just to feel like God was blessing us.

We have been thinking a lot about effective finding. We have to focus a fair amount on that as a district right now, so I am interested in your thoughts on effective finding? How did you find?

Right now we are just doing a variety! I am enjoying changing things up a lot. There was a cool idea I learned from a girl who served in New York. They would do a word of wisdom challenge thing where they have them spin a wheel and get a challendge like not drink alcohol for a week, or coffee, etc. Then we get there phone number and follow up on there challenge. And of course give a word of wisdom pamphlet. I think it could be fun. Make what we are teaching more fun and challenging so they might want to do it. So I made that wheel thing and want to try it some time soon!

I am happy and life is good. I love the idea of the Character of Christ is turning outward. I more I think about my reasons for wanting power or accomplishments or whatever, the more I realized I am selfish. The more I force my self to turn outward, the happier and the more meaningful life becomes! Christ was perfect at this, and I see church members do the same!

Hurrah for Israel!

--

Elder Sabey

09262016 Normal Things as a Missionary in Korea

Well I am staying in Gimpo and I will be training (just like everybody else.) We have 18 new missionaries coming in and 18 next transfer so everybody has to train (maybe even zone leaders). There is once kid coming in from Littleton Colorado, so I am praying I will get him... haha. I decided to base this email on Mom's questions to me this week.

What do you eat- Normally we don't have a lot of money, so we eat cheap. There is 5 dollar pizza, rice burgers(rice patties with different Korean foods in the middle), 

a toast place, we make some stews and raman at home, then some other cheap korean foods, and whatever we get from members! 

How you catch a bus or train- there is a bus stop with a bunch of buses at the main street by our house so we go there and then you just wave at the bus that you want to ride and it will stop and you get on and swipe your card.

 The subway is normally really easy, but we don't have one in our area, so we take a bus for 30 minutes to the nearest station and then you just swipe your card and get on. It is pretty simple. And you transfer from bus to bus and train to train for free so it is nice.

Where do you go- When we met with people we almost always meet at the church. When we go out to proselyte we normally do it around our church/ home. But if we go to visit members or less actives and stuff we go all over the place by bus.

What do you do (tracking?  Street contacting?)- We mainly street contact. In Korea there almost every door has an electronic door bell with a camera. So you ring and then they look at a camera to see who it is and then can choose to talk to us through the camera or just ignore us.

 So basically it is way too easy to not even talk to us, so tracking is pretty ineffective.

How's your district?  My district is doing alright. There have definitely been some struggles. The sisters in my ward had a mid transfer transfer this week, so we have 2 Korean sisters now. The sister Training leaders are great, but have like no investigators, and one of the other elders goes home and is ready to go home. But things are looking up! 

What are your responsibilities as the DL? I just get stats, do district meeting most weeks, and that is about it. I just try to stay in touch with everybody and help in whatever small way I can.

 Is your mission changing much with the new mission president? Not really. Transfers have been crazy but that is mainly because the amount of people coming it. He pretty much said he hasn't changed anything rule wise. He has a different feel that the last president, but for most things it is all the same.

This week there wasn't too much exciting stuff to report. I am excited for transfers. I say this maybe pridefully, but I am excited to get a missionary untainted by other companions in an area with less contact with other missionaries. I want to mold an awesome missionary :) haha I will need your prayers (for my pride and my training...)

I love you all!

-- 

Elder Sabey

09192016 Choose to Endure or to Enjoy

This week was mission tour! It was different than last one for sure. Oh and awesome news, although Elder Holland didn't come to mission tour like I wanted, Elder Bednar is coming a month from today, and we are doing a combined mission conference with the Seoul mission. So that is super exciting! :) President Whiting talked a lot about companionships and seeking the spirit in our work. So some cool things that were said. President Whiting said we can choose to endure our mission or our companion, or we can choose to enjoy them. Sister Whiting said if we change our attitude from our missions being a sacrifice to them being our offering it can change our perspective. (I do think those words are very similar but do have different feelings.) One scripture I have been thinking about a lot this week is Mosiah 2:21-22 (I think). If we serve God with all of our souls we are still unprofitable servants. And all he asks us to do is to keep his commandments. So changing it to an offering of gratitude I think is a good change! :) I don't remember exactly how he said it, but he acknowledged how we can feel somewhat useless but said isn't at least a part of God's purpose of missions, you. I think knowing that is important. Even if we don't make much of a difference here, through obedience and submission to God I am fulfilling his purpose!

So it was a fun week. Because is is Korean Thanksgiving, we had a special p-day were we could not do studies and go to a cultural thing, so we went to a traditional Korean village museum thing. We then had Mission Tour the next day. So we slept at other some other elders house that night.

I really do love other missionaries. I think I am going to room with Elder Yates when he gets home from his mission. I talked with an awesome elder, Elder Andrew, and just really appreciated his attitude and personality. His companion is from the Philippines and didn't have an easy life and I think it is hard because he is getting better at English while learning another language. I just respect so many people here.

Not too much exciting things happened on the teaching front this week. We got a new investigator who is doing the English program, and it seems like he mainly has English interest.

I kind of already shared my spiritual thought. But we really are unprofitable servants. God is more than merciful to us. That is so good to know!

Hurrah for Israel!

--

Elder Sabey

09122016 This Week is the Korean Thanksgiving

This week was again fast. It was weird last night having to make calls again to get stats and stuff. Anyway, this week we had zone training meeting followed by exchanges with the zone leaders. It was really good for both me and my companion I think. It really had little to do with what they taught or anything, but I just thought again about obedience. So I made a list of things that I notice people often do that are not obedient. I read them to my companion and I want to read them to my district. We will hopefully become a more obedient companionship and district. It was a good day or two that I felt guided by the spirit.

In the zone leaders area there is an English branch, and we had a lesson with a family there. He teaches at the University of Utah Asia campus, and one of his students asked questions about his beliefs. Anyway, member missionary work is amazing. When members are willing to talk to friends and people about there belief, without feeling embarrassed it just opens so many opportunities. So keep doing member missionary work!

We also met with a man who is a new father so hasn't been able to meet for a while. His wife doesn't like him meeting with us but he says "I don't care, because I know you guys are all nice." haha. Anyway super nice guy with mainly English interest, but still I see potential there, so pray for him. His name is Song Young June.

And we are meeting with a new investigator today! Yay.

This week is Korean thanksgiving, so we have a special P-day where we are encouraged to do a cultural activity and then we also have our mission tour, where President Whiting will come talk to us again. (I wanted Elder Holland :( haha) 

My spiritual thought is just that I love the leaders of our church. I read Elder Bednars talk on why the church has old people guiding it and a while ago I heard a talk by elder Holland when he says that there are no people who he has met who are more in touch with the problems of todays society than the leadership of our church. Anyway, I guess I agreed with both of them so much and felt love for the apostles and prophets in our church. They are amazing men of faith and understanding. 

Hurrah for Israel!

--

Elder Sabey

09052016 Slow beginnings and new attitude (And Happy Birthday Danielle)

This week was again fast! And again I am not entirely sure why. This was perhaps one of the worst weeks in regards to stats. Everybody cancelled :( So that is annoying. I am used to being in Seoul and here in Gimpo there are still people but it just feels that there are a lot less. Everything is more spread out, and without bikes we can either walk and not go far at all or ride a bus. I feel like the past few weeks I have been trying to figure out how to proselyte effectively and was a little frustrated with not feeling effective. Actually this morning during my prayer after personal study my attitude changed a little bit. I just thanked God for the opportunity to learn a new style of missionary work in a new area. I don't expect my frustrations or even stats to change all that quickly but I think it was a good start to changing my attitude which is all too often prideful and selfish.

A rose was I think our sisters are doing a lot better! They both seem happier and that is awesome :)

Also I somehow misplaced or had 20$ get stolen.

Also Happy Birthday Danielle!!! I am so happy you are a part of my family :) Some memories of Danielle are as follows. First, I remember when she said I was her favorite brother in law... (I am pretty sure that one happened.) Second, I remember visiting them in Boston and just hanging out and talking while we waited for the graduation ceremony to start. I just felt like Danielle was so fun and easy to talk with. Next I remember just Danielle's laugh. It is so uplifting and contagious. Last but not least I just remember David saying some things he loves about you and his experience dating you. You are kind, easy to talk to, smart, confident, etc. So you are pretty awesome basically.

My spiritual thought comes from 2 conferences ago. I read two talks both of which were about commandments. The first told the story of the surfers wanting to go past the barrier, but came to find out that there were sharks feeding on the other side of the barrier. The other talked about a grandma trying to have her grandchild keep her seat belt on. In the end, explaining the "commandment" helped the child want to keep it. So my thought is that we must first show faith in keeping commandments. Normally then we come to know why we were asked to keep them. However, I also think trying to figure out why we were given commandments is really important. So to me faith is a combination of 2 things. Just trusting and then searching for answers. That combination will eventually bring answers.
Hurrah for Israel

Hurrah for commandments!

-- 

Elder Sabey