08/23/2010

Hey family!

Wow guys it's been a week for craziness. I can I feel really humbled when it comes to becoming a Senior. It's hard work! But it teaches you to stop relying on your own strength and really go for the Lords strength. Elder 김유진 has got to be one of my favorite companions so far! This guy is awesome! He is full of spiritual power and is THE MAN! This Elder is full of awesomeness :D He wants to work hard and sets the high example of being a good missionary. Something I need to work on myself.

The area here in 대명 is really nice....but really HOT! Apparently Daegu (the main city name) is the hottest area in all of Korea. So, missionaries serve here are the survivors as they are called. I like this area a lot, it's a mix of Country and BIG City! Right now, Elder Kim and I have been hard at work to find people on the street. All of our investigators that we have, have not been really available for meeting this week so, we decided to really make an effort to find people on the street.

It is a little difficult to do for a little bit, but with Elder Kim we make it fun. Something funny for him is that people think he is a foreigner and every time will say "Oh your Korean is really good!" This makes him very frustrated, but he knows how to use it for his advantage. He's a really nice guy and really wants to serve the Lord with all his heart. It's helped me as well to really do my best at keeping all the rules 100% (Working out in the morning is really hard lately) But I'm trying to be better.

Yesterday I met my ward, they are really nice! Our bishop was one of the main people who helped translate the Book of Mormon when it first was published into Korean! They are all really nice and I'm excited to get to work with them this transfer! I have about 65 members in the ward so I have a lot of memorizing to do. :D

I feel really good about this new area and I have a new jump start with Elder Kim a spark to really push myself harder then before that I have no regrets. It's been really a great experience to feel that rejuvenation.

Last week I actually had to go down to Busan because Elder Kim had to go to a military training (required for Korean Men) for a day. So....they put me at the HQ for a day. ..I've never seen people jump for me happily...it was scary. But I can say now that I'm glad I'm in the field than at a desk.

Well I must leave
Love you all,
Elder Harken

08/16/2010

Hey family!

So you are all pretty interested of what happened on transfers aren't ya? Well....I'm not training. *whew* The 14 that are will be great trainers and I have faith they are called to do it right now. Now yes, I admit it is a little disappointing but it's not my place to tell the Lord or President what's good or bad. BUUUT, I do have some other news about transfers that you all might be curious about. For one thing I got moved! My companion Elder Kaing will train in 경산 (give him a hand for being a great missionary) and I have been moved about 45 minutes away in Daegu called 대명. (Dae-Myung) ...7 areas...big record.... >_> I also have a new companion who I can call a "greenie" for I'm his 2nd companion. Ladies and Gentleman let me introduce my first Junior Elder 김유진! (Kim Eu Jin) Yep, got another Korean Companion! So, your guess wasn't completely off just not a "brand new greenie" :P So also to add more fun, the house I live in is a 4 man house! Elder Green who works in 수성 also lives here with his new greenie who he'll train. It shall be a very entertaining transfer. Also indeed we have been rained on to death over here, not to mention the thunder! It's SO LOUD over here! Mom you would love it! It has cooled off but the humidity does hit us hard afterward....not fun....
So about today, so after moving to the new house (very big but very ghetto) we went up to a HUGE Buddha temple place where all these Buddha temples are. Lot of cool pics hence why this email is very short. (no time :*( ) But I leave more pics (sorry about last week they kicked us out due to time.)

So I have to be quick other elders have to write,
Love you all,
Elder Harken

08/09/2010

Hey family!

Wow today I'm afraid I have to be pretty short BUT I'll leave a lot of pics explaining my self of why this is. I just got here about 30 minutes ago so I have to be quick. So yeah 5 weeks are about up so it's time for transfer calls this Thursday! This one is pretty intense because we have 14 elders coming! ....Yeah I'm in trouble, now if you're wondering what are my thoughts about it...it's mixed. One side is that I get to do what I always dreamed of doing training...however Elder Harken is very horrified at the same time of training because he fears his Korean will not stand up to what it takes....but I think I'd be holding on to the spirit for the next transfer....

HOWEVER!!! I don't know yet, I may, I may not we're not sure everyone is presuming right now...don't like that. So if it does I'll let you know don't cross your fingers. XP

Work continues to go forth we are back to 3 baptism dates. All three are progressing really well we are just having a hard time getting them to church...they're pretty far out. So we continue to work and I've met so really cool and spiritual people. Kind of a cool story: one of our investigators gave up coffee after hearing the word of wisdom lesson it was really cool!

The house is really hot at night....It's like camping :D....kind of.

I must leave but I leave pics

07/26/2010

Hey family!

How are we doing? I thought you are doing well right now things are looking really good. A lot of success has happened and I'm please to announce 경산 has now a new member. 이상록 received baptism last Sunday. He's 19 and seems like a really cool guy, Elder Kaing meant him a transfer ago and when I came in he committed to baptism. It was really well done, in fact because are Branch is small...I had to conduct it...in Korean. That was fun. Elder Kaing baptized him and he did the exact thing I did...took three tries. I told Elder Kaing I did the same thing too.

Also as I said last week the mission system has completely changed for the better. For Mike and Randy they say Preach My Gospel really changed the mission greatly, this next step increased it. In fact, homework for the family (please do), tell Janet Zaldivar I enjoyed greatly watching her in "The District 2!" That's right Sister Zaldivar was part of the new system while she was on her mission. After watching the videos you can see her spirit BEAMING! Everyone agreed that Janet was the most spiritual missionary in the movie. But, due to our new training a lot of changes have happened. In may 2011 they are changing the whole MTC to this system:

EIGHT FOUNDATION PRINCIPLES

1. The Doctrine of Christ − Your Purpose
2. The Role of the Holy Ghost in Conversion
3. Revelation through Prayer
4. Revelation through the Book of Mormon
5. Revelation through Church Attendance
6. Teach People, Not Lessons
7. We Invite, They Commit, We Follow Up
8. How to Begin Teaching

Me and Elder Kaing have already begun using it and we've already seen a lot of miracles. (We have 3 baptism dates now) and we were just trained last Wednesday. So you can say this really is a change and it has sent a beam of confidence and hope in us missionaries.

Also it has been confirmed (or I've been told for the time being) in August I mention 14 Elders are coming....President made it quite clear that me and Elder Kaing will be training. -.-; This not for sure yet, but president says "Be Prepared." ....*sigh*

Also I found out why pictures weren't working, my new SD card reader doesn't work...>_> so I have to go buy a new one. But before you grab your pitchforks I have a Elder Kaings and pictures are coming.

That's all for this week, it's very hot up here and fun.

07/19/2010

So I'm hot and you are hot....I think we can feel each others pain. Except mine is like South Carolina XD

So this week went really fast didn't it? I was really surprised, but was really good. In fact, we have a baptism this Sunday! Before I came in there was a guy the missionaries were working with and now decided he want to receive baptism. He's really cool he works at a karaoke and comes to church even though he gets off work at 3:00 am on Sunday! This guy is awesome.

We also have 2 really progressing investigators. One speaks really good English 형절 and the other is a hair salon 김정황. Both are really progressing and have a lot of potential this transfer so me and Elder Kaing are really trying to help them out.

Also Daegu and the branch are really fun. The ward is small but really funny our Branch President is so funny. I also last Sunday I had to give a talk. -.-; That was fun >_> it was just funny cause I had a prompting feeling to bring with me one of my old talks from my other that I had to give and I got asked to give one. Happy days.

About pictures...um I got the usb thing I need...however the computers that I use for some reason will not read the usb so I can't get pics on. *Bangs head on table* very frustrating. Please be patient I am really trying to get them to you guys I want you to get them.

So some cool things in the mission is going on, in fact worldwide. They are changing the whole mission structure again! It's like when the Preach My Gospel came out. All our Zone Leaders and District leaders went to a 3 day meeting and they all came back pumped in fact baptism rate has actually gone up a lot! I talked to one of the Zone leaders and this Wednesday we learn of what's going on. Very exciting.

Also I got a new joke for myself, I have now been considered to look like the guy on "Twilight" ...I think I need to get a haircut. (It's not that long, I swear! D:)

07/12/2010

Hey family!

Hey, thanks for all your comforting letters about my transfer, it was really hard to leave but it felt like the area was in good hands. Ironic how Mike had a similar story like mine. When I went to Masan we had a huge wall between the members and us due to old missionaries of the past. It took me and Elder Grover 3 transfers to get it better in fact me and Elder Grover got the first baptism for that ward for 1-2 years. When we both got the calls saying that our area was going to the sisters. Our Bishop nearly called President Jennings to see what was going on. Lucky for president we convinced him to call the AP's for specifics. I don't worry about the ward but I do miss them.

So yes new area! 경산! It's HOT! It feels like South Carolina over again. So it's not the worst but I've been sweating a lot...and I don't sweat. :O But I really like the area it's got a lot of nice people! Not to mention our branch, they are really cool! The branch president is a retired grandpa and he is the sweetest man I've ever met. The whole branch welcomed me with welcome arms and so I hope that I don't let them down. The house I live in (yes house or part of a house) is the smallest house I've ever lived in! I'll send some pics next week. (I forgot my plug in for my SD >.>) But I have to lovely fans to help me out at night. There are a BAZILLION Universities here! It's tight! Lot of cool people! :D One thing that is really nice up here in the city Daegu (that's what the big city is called) the people here are REALLY nice. When we say to people on the street they always say hi back and smile. In Busan they ignore you or say other lovely things. >_> But I like up here even in the hot summer.

Elder Kaing is an amazing missionary! He's two transfers behind me but is more righteous and burning missionary than I will ever be. He's actually a Recent Convert back in 2007! He's really cool, and loves to dance. If you guys could meet him, some of you would say we act together like me and An-d act around with each other. He's a lot of fun, the area is really cool and we've got a lot of potential investigators. Elder Kaing is the King at tracting so he got over 100 contacts last transfer D:! That is a lot! AND he contacts them! He's got something around that sort of fills me up with hype of "Lets do missionary work!" So I think it will be a good transfer.

But yeah, I'm doing okay now about the transfer, it feels right that I'm suppose to be here. Plus I get to ride a bike :D I can say I'm one of the few who in the mission who has to know the rules for Walking, driving a car, and riding a bike. It's pretty rare to have all 3. It will be fun here. On a sad note last Thursday I watched my sisters that came with me into the MTC die. I got to say goodbye to them and said to keep in touch. I have now one sister left from the MTC 정민희, after that...yeah. >_> I hate the feeling right now. But yeah, 12 transfers folks.. D: Really a mission goes a lot faster than you think. I remember thinking it was yesterday I left you guys at the MTC with my thumbs up.

Kind of right now I've been thinking a lot of "Have I changed?" I've come to the conclusion of yes. I won't tell you what I've changed yet. You'll have to wait. I hope you guys have seen a change too I hope not to be the same ol' Harken when I get back but a better person (with his personality and likings) I think I'm going through missionary syndrome.... BUT on the bright side I still want to be a great missionary and I still have a LOOOOONG time before I'm done. I can proudly say I STILL don't want to come home. I intend to keep that going till the day I have to come home....maybe longer.

Well that's all for this week, hopefully the long letter will make you all happy about the no pics this week. (Sorry about that, I have to go buy a new one due to the new SD card I have is an SD HC) Elder Kaing has an extra so I'm going to try to buy it from him.

For everyone curiosity here's how the life span goes for the Busan Mission.

(6 weeks make 1 transfer)
Elders:
Foreigners (*sigh* it's easier to spell it in Korean): 16 transfers
Koreans: 17 transfers, because they only have to go to the MTC for 3 weeks compared to the 3 months.

Sisters:
Foreigners 12/13 transfers
Korean 13/14 transfers (pending on the sister)