Well, I made it another week in the MTC. Kind of a quick email, short on time. Went to the temple this morning. Can I just say how great the temple is?? It's FANTASTIC. If you haven't gone in a while, then GO. If you just went, then GO AGAIN.
So an update with the companion, as I'm sure many of you are wondering. We kind of mellowed out this week. Didn't get on each other's nerves or anything, but didn't talk that much either. Then all of sudden last night, after a busy Sunday, something clicked in him. Usually before going to bed or waking up, I'm having to remind to do companion prayer since he never wants to. However, I was just gonna go to bed and shut the lights off and do my personal prayer before going to bed, when right before I turn off the lights he says, "Prayer?".... I'm like "What???" This was the first time this had ever happened. Then after we prayed, he wanted to just talk. Normally we go to bed, but he just wanted to talk and get to know me. I asked him where this was coming from. He said that he had noticed how hard everyone else was working and we really only have 2 years to do this. "I can't just go for a passing grade like I usually do. I'd like to go for that 100%. So I'm gonna start making a little more effort to be better and make things work. I'm not gonna start making my bed like you or anything, but I'll be a little better and more focused." I was about to started yelling Hallelujah after hearing this. I had been trying a little harder to love Elder Hwang. Find more good things than bad things. Be more patient. Then just praying for a softening of his heart and my heart. Then he had this change of heart that came out of nowhere. I was blown away. Miracles happen. So things have been going much smoother and we're working on finding a balance between work and play.
So normally, district leader callings last for 3 weeks since we're here fro 9 weeks and they'd like to rotate the positions. Well it's week 3.... We got to our Zone Council meeting on Sunday with the Zone leaders, district leaders and the Branch Presidency. They released everyone except me and the Zone leaders... They want us to stay in our position for an extra week. So I get to be district leader for another week! However... our Branch President had gotten a little too far with planning ahead for the next District leader that he accidentally went ahead and extended the calling. Forgetting that he wanted me to be district leader for another week.... So, I ended up getting released. However, he told me not get to relaxed and that they still had big plans for me... So I'm not saying anything's for certain, but... They wanted to extend my calling for an extra week and ended up also extending the Zone Leader's calling for another week... Which would perfectly align for when I would get released as District leader and the Zone leaders would get released.... So.... I'm guessing that Elder Hwang and I will be called as the next Zone leaders for the Korean Branch... Not certain, but that's what it sounded like according to our Branch President... We'll see. You'll have to stay tuned for next week.
This week my testimony of the Book of Mormon increased exponentially. I love the Book of Mormon. It's true. I love it. If you haven't read it. DO IT. I promise if you read it sincerely and curious if it is actually true, then pray to God asking if it is true. YOU WILL RECEIVE AN ANSWER. Give it a shot. Please. This book is the keystone of our religion. We love the Bible, but if the Book of Mormon is true (which also supports the Bible, and works hand in hand with the Bible), Joseph Smith was a prophet and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Jesus Christ's church. If it isn't true, then I will have given everything up for no reason and wasted these 2 years. If it isn't true, then Joseph Smith died for some false cause. If it isn't true then Joseph Smith really didn't see God the Father and Jesus Christ in person. If it isn't true then everything the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stands for is a joke. That's how important this book is. So read it. This book testifies that Jesus IS the Christ. That God loves all His children. That God has restored Christ's original church from when He was on the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith. If it's true, then our current prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, really is a prophet called of God. If it's true, then these next 2 years I'm sharing the MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND to the people of Australia. This is no joke or child's play. It's TRUE. My testimony comes because the Holy Ghost has testified it to me to my heart. My knowledge came line upon line, chapter upon chapter, here a little, there a little. "A man would grow closer to God by reading and abiding by its (Book of Mormon's) precepts". I invite you to read it. Go to lds.org and just try it. Read a couple chapters with an honest curiosity if it's true. Then pray to God, sincerely ask if it is true. I promise God will answer you in your heart whether or not it is true. I gave up everything for my love of God and my knowledge that this book is true. See why I gave everything up for this book, read it. Please.
I love you all, and know that God's kingdom is on the earth. The battle between good and evil is already won. It's just a matter of us enduring to the end. Have a good week!
"I say unto you, that I know of myself that whatsoever I shall say unto you, concerning that which is to come, is true; and I say unto you, that I know that Jesus Christ shall come, yea, the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, and mercy, and truth. And behold, it is he that cometh to take away the sins of the world, yea, the sins of every man who steadfastly believeth on his name." - Alma 5:48
They were doing a picture of all the Filipino's in the Zone, so I figured I should be in there as well. (For obvious reasons)
My "son". One our current Zone Leaders, Elder Gonzalez from the Philippines.
My district of 11, plus our teacher, Sister Oh (the one with the white nametag).
Our whole Korean Zone. All the Missionaries learning Korean. A group just left this morning for either Korea or New York. Most everyone is going to Korea. Yes, I'm the only one going to Australia.