20 JAN 2020: Transfer 11, Week 6 - More and More Korean food!!

안녕하세요!!

잘 지내셨나요?? Hope you all had a good week! I know it wasn't too long since I last emailed but... yeah...

So this week! We had a Zone Challenge this past week which inspired a lot of missionaries to work hard and have some fun in the meantime. Especially when the reward is our mission president allowing us to go see a show at the OPERA HOUSE!! We ended up working hard and were able to see Cirque Stratosphere at the OPERA HOUSE!! It was sooo cool to be able to go into the Opera House and the show was also really cool! It was like a circus type show, and it was really fun! It was kind of nice to take a little "break" or to just enjoy ourselves.

So in our area, we've got 1 KOREAN Lady (백정희, or Sharon) getting ready to get baptized!! While we've been reteaching her the lessons, I've had my first experiences with teaching in Korean!! It's all been very humbling... As I feel like a super green missionary... Algoods though, a little humbling is good every now and then... It's slowly coming though, understanding is a lot better and just gotta work on speaking. Been eating SOOOO much Korean food it's been great!! Plus Elder Son is teaching me how to cook! Cooking instructions are in Korean so wish me luck! Hahaha

The missionary work is picking up in our ward, just having to rebuild the trust in Elders and slowly get to family's homes after the holidays. Definitely different though from the Samoans and Tongans haha from getting fed everyday to... not so much haha algoods though because it's not about the food, it's nice, but we just wanna get in the home and share our message about the Book of Mormon, then invite to read or share it!! Missionary work is MOST successful with members. We need members to find those who are ready to listen and learn. Then the Book of Mormon is the way to do so, the tool to gather Israel.

Things are moving along now and we're starting to get busy. Trying to get our English class going. I've had a lot of mixed feelings as of lately... I'm within my last 6 months, I've been out here for a bit, excited to go home, but also know there's more I need to give and more to learn... Plus, don't think things will be the same back home, or at least I won't be the same... It'll work out, but yeah... Mission is great and I'm so grateful for it in my life. It'll be something that I'll look back upon for the rest of my life. As of recent, I guess the way I've seen the mission is a way to get you pointed in the right direction for the rest of your life. The testimony you develop, the studies you do, work ethic you have, relationships you try to develop, and so forth, are meant to set you up for the rest of your life. And depending on how you do or go about it, will determine whether your shooting for the stars or just in the dirt. So some big and heavy stuff. Maybe I think too much and just have a big head hahaha But regardless, I'm grateful for the knowledge I've gained about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that as I've striven to follow His example I've seen the quality of life we can have. I'm glad I still have time and I'm excited for the rest of it. Love you all and have a great week!

Elder Brandon Escamilla
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Australia Sydney Mission
호주 시드니 선교부

16 JAN 2020 - Transfer 11 Week 5

Helllllooooo 여러분!! I hope your weeks have great and.... full of worthwhile things! Things have been moving along here in Australia. We got the chance to go to the temple today and how wonderful it is to have temples. Last time I went was about 5 months ago which has felt like ages, but it was so refreshing and empowering. I'm so grateful for the Plan of Salvation, Plan of Happiness, Plan of Redemption. It is through this that we can answer the big 3 questions: Where did we come from?, Why are we here?, and Where are we going? Additionally, it offers us hope and joy in knowing that things will work out and we can be reunited with family to never be separated again.

So this week has been a pretty good week actually. We're getting over the slowness of families being away for the holidays, really hot or smoky days, and people not wanting to be bothered because of the holidays. We've been able to visit a lot of families and get them on the Book of Mormon grind and get them mindful of missionary work. We've been super busy the past couple days and it's felt great! I was able to go on a tradeoff with an Elder in my district - Elder Halverson, serving in the Ryde Chinese Ward. I have a lot of respect and admire this Elder for his hardwork, focus, and love for the Gospel. I was there in the same district when he first started his mission, back in Bankstown when I was with Elder Smith. At that time he was full of fire and excitement for the work, and to this day he still is. It's cool to watch him grow a bit, and to go out and watch him work. We spent some time walking on the streets and he is fearless and will talk to everyone on the street. Bold, because he will jump right into who we are and what we are sharing. Different style from me, as I go for a more natural approach with conversation and lead that into who we are and what we share. But it was really neat being 2 Americans walking down the street of little China, talking to people who at first say they don't speak English then he will switch into Chinese. Or even one family who tried it, but said they were Korean so I step up and they just said in English they were Christian and had to go hahaha It was fun!

I have been enjoying my time as an actual Korean speaker. I'll admit it's been hard though. I wish I could say that I'm out there speaking perfect Korean or teaching super well, but no.... For those who travel to different countries to learn a language, I finally know how you feel. To add to the frustration, I've been out for 16 months. l, having figured out my way to connect with people, joke, empathize, teach and everything to function as a missionary. However, all of that suddenly disappeared when I needed to switch it into Korean... where normally I'm pretty talkative and like to laugh and joke with members or people in general... I've become quiet and shy.... Normally, I'd brush it off and just say algoods, in time it'll get there. In time, I'll be able to learn and be effective... but... no... Last week I hit my last 6 months of my mission and it's been scary.... Where I'm at with the language, is not where I wanted to be. Also, whether or not President will keep me in this area is not certain. Whether or not my next companion will be Korean is not certain. I've been grateful for my companion, Elder Son, who has been so helpful and patient. I've learned so much from him and he's really helped my Korean. But I know he's gotta go... He's been in this area for 6 months... down to my last 2-3 weeks with him.... But life goes on...

Life in the city has been really great and fun and exciting. Always new things to see and new people to meet. I just can't believe it took me 15 months to get here. BUT not a bad way to start finishing up my mission. SOOOO much good food!! SOOOO much Korean food!! I'm set, my decision is made that I will visit and try to live in Korea for a bit through the Army. I love the food here, but every Korean I meet says the food is far better in Korea hahaha so it must be Heavenly in Korea!!

Anyways I hope you all have a great week as I slowly become a full Korean.

Elder Brandon Escamilla
에스카미야 장로
Australia Sydney Mission
호주 시드니 선교부

06 JAN 2020: Transfer 10 Week 4 --> Transfer 11 Week 3 - Transfers, Greenie Again, Baptism!!!!

안녕하세요 여러분!!!

Sorry it's been so long since I last emailed. But a lot has happened since so I'll jump right into it. So last time I was in Blacktown with Elder Carter and Kaburara. At the end of my time there, we committed a girl to be baptized who had been coming to church for awhile and been taught all the lessons by the missionaries!! She was going to get baptized during our transfer day, but then her mother changed her mind last minute... So almost, but that's alright because she still knows the church is true, just needs to wait. It'll be good because it'll give her some time to prepare.

After that, we got transfer calls!! Elder Carter stayed in Blacktown. Elder Kaburara got sent to the Bush up in Tamworth! Then I finally get sent to KOREA!!! Or in other words, Summer Hill!!!!! Summer Hill is the remnant of the old Korean areas in this mission, where there used to be the Korean branch several years ago. Also it covers some areas that are VERY Korean. I've dreamed of coming to this area for my whole mission. Summer Hill also covers the City!! So I finally made it to the city!! Then to top it off, my companion is Elder 손유성, a KOREAN!!! I've never been so excited to be in an area as much as I was to come here. I was literally jumping for joy. After 15 months I finally made it...

The first day in this area was completely in Korean and I was so happy I could cry. We had service with a Korean couple, 안 형제님과 황 자매님. Afterwards, they took us out to eat KOREAN FOOD!! (Pro tip for future Returned Missionary Brandon Escamilla, if you want to see the happiest human on earth, take him to eat Korean food and sit back and watch the joy!!) We had Korean food with the Korean couple, speaking in Korean. Then afterwards we walked around the area we ate Korean food and it was in mini Korea, or Strathfield. Just Koreans EVERYWHERE. Then my companion was Korean... I could've cried hahaha In our ward, there is also a KOREAN Sunday School!!! Where the Koreans in the ward break off and meet up!!

So my Korean is at a level of.... able to learn... Which isn't a bad area because I've got the basics and fundamentals down, but just lacking in vocab and then the dialect. So I understand and speak Standard Korean. Not a bad place, but different from conversational Korean. In English, there is proper English but then there is conversational English where there is slang, English sayings, fast, slur, omission of words and so forth... Korean is no different... and for having only served with a Korean for 3 months of the past 16 months... I've been getting wrecked with the older speaking in their thick accents, and the young people with the slang and so forth... Since being here, I feel like a brand new missionary... I have this experience and idea of how to go about the work, but I almost can't use any of it because of the language. Lessons I've come to teach heaps, explanations, conversational skills, people skills and so forth... Nothing... because of the language... Heavenly Father surely knows how to keep His children humble... I've been sufficiently humbled these past 3 weeks. Last night with a Korean family, I was told that I was so quiet. Or rather they told my companion in a Korean like I couldn't understand.... Which is partially true... I just process slowly and it takes time to come up with a response... So by time I understand and think of something to say, the conversation has since flown by.... So things have been hard in that aspect. Frustrated with myself, the process and the fact that I am running out of time... They say, it's ok you'll learn and get there. Which would be fine at the beginning of my mission, but by time I get the hang of it and learn it... my time is up.... So I'm just trucking along, because there's only one way I'll get there... I think if anything I need to learn how to spend more time on my knees and reliant on Him rather than my own abilities...

I've been blessed with a very patient and great companion though. We've gotten along so well it's like we've been together for a long time now. He's very helpful with my Korean, and I've been able to help with his English. He cooks very well, and we have had so much Korean food together. I honestly think that I have used chopsticks more than I've used a fork or spoon hahahaha I wouldn't have it any other way hahaha A great missionary.

Serving in the city has been so great, fun and a dream. So many places to explore for Pday, good food to eat, great missionaries to serve and serve with. After having spent most of my mission with Samoans and Tongans, I've come to love with Islanders. Now I'm amongst the Chinese, Korean, etc, and I really love the Asians as well. Kind of funny, so all my areas besides my first area have been wards with so much diversity. Mostly Samoans and Tongans, but also Filipino, South American, Asian, etc. That being said, it's been "Spot the Aussie" in each ward and I haven't served among the.... Aussies... or white people in awhile... So when I came to Summer Hill where there is a lot of Aussies, it was a mini culture shock hahahaha It's been awhile since I was a part of the diverse minority hahaha algoods though, just funny to think about.

So this past Friday was a huge blessing. We had the chance to go back to Blacktown for a baptism of the little girls we were teaching!! They asked me to baptize one of them and Elder Kaburara to do the other girl. It was so good to see them again. One of the girls told Elder Kaburara that she missed us, and that broke my heart. Made me think of and miss my sisters. But, I can't think of any greater experience than to walk in that water with them and baptize them.... My first baptism and it was the greatest experience ever. Especially having been with them during all the lessons. The fun times we had. So special...

Well I hope you all have a great week, can't believe I'm down to my last 6 months... Time flies... Love you all, 사랑해요!!

Elder Brandon Escamilla
에스카미야 장로
Australia Sydney Mission
호주 시드니 선교부