이 지난 주가 재밌어요!! 많이 했어요!! Alright first off, we were able to take part in volunteering for the Sydney Korean Festival in Darling Harbour!! It was AWESOME!! I felt like I was in Korea and used my Korean a lot! We talked to a lot of people (mainly the other volunteers) and introduced the church to many of them, showed them how normal we are and were called the Kimchi Boys! (김치 소년들)!! We were also MODELS of traditional Korean clothing (한복)! I was a part of the "royal family" and the only Non Korean in that group Haha! It was sweet AZ!!
Isnt General Conference great!! Here in Australia, we watch it next week. But as missionaries we can't wait and this is our super bowl, so we woke up at 3am Sunday to try to watch the first session, but the live stream didn't work, so we were pretty sad. From what I've been able to see, man, what incredible counsel. How blessed are we to receive continuing counsel and revelation from Living Prophets and Apostles!?!?
So a little insight from a missionary: So working with a large ward is much different than working in a small branch. It's HEAPS of fun and we get fed a lot, which is great (but not since I'm definitely getting fat... Samoans...), however, something that would really help us missionaries more than getting fed is MINISTERING. The way a ward ministers directly affects the missionaries. If there are members or recent converts that struggle, then a lot of our time is spent with them, answering their concerns, fellowshipping them, being the only people who visit them or talk to them from church, etc. However, if ministering is great in a ward, these people are visited regularly, have friends in the ward, are welcomed on Sunday, etc. Then we are able to focus on our role of teaching. Good ministering in a ward is also SO CRUCIAL when we bring new people to church. If people can feel the love of the members (hopefully almost overwhelming them with love), then it makes our job SO much easier. A lot of our time is spent visiting less active members, recent converts, etc. Which is fine, I love these people, but they would benefit so much more from fellowshipping of the members because eventually we missionaries leave. Our community should be a family that welcomes all people and supports all within, not a family that is closed off and supports those who are most convenient for them to support.
So my challenge for you (let me know how it goes) is to find someone in your ward or church community (whatever denomination) that you don't know and go and get to know them. Befriend them. If there is someone new at church, PLEASE for goodness sake reach out to them and say hi. Almost 8 years ago, my family and I decided to go to church. I was curious and wanted to learn more. If we had not received that overwhelming love and support that first Sunday, I probably wouldn't be here. However the immediate, sincere friendship and love that was extended confirmed what I felt when I first walked into the Chapel that Sunday - that I was HOME. Even more beautiful was that the opening hymn was "Love at Home", and indeed I was home and I felt God's love. That love and friendship kept coming, continually. My home ward became my family and I'll be forever grateful for them. So please reach out to others with sincere, ceaseless love and friendship. Have a great week!
Elder Brandon Escamilla
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Australia Sydney Mission
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Hey just make sure to "Put Australia First" on travel destinations!
My outfit, trying to be Korean
The 6 other missionaries who volunteered at the festival, 4 of us are Korean speaking (my first trainer Elder Scott, 2nd from the right)
All the people who took part in the 한복 show and parade (yes we modeled on a runway and walked around the city in a little parade)
The "Royal Family" and I'm the only Non-Korean there (far right side, back row)
Friends we made while volunteering
Beautiful Darling Harbour
More Darling Harbour
Gotta love downtown Sydney