One Month of Korea down!

Well this is kind of crazy to think that I have already been out here for a month! It sure doesn't feel like that! I guess staying as busy as possible is really making everything move this quickly! I have had a great week this week but it has had it's moments of frustrations and just disappointments. But what would missionary work be without that right?? It has really helped me appreciate the people are progressing! Those people I'll talk about in just a little bit but first I just wanted to talk about the tough parts so we can get those out of the way and move on to the great things! 

 

During this week we had those moments where it just felt like nothing was going right. This week it rained quiet a lot, I'm not complaining because I love the rain, but people in Korea definitely do not. There is this stigma here that every little drop of rain is very acidic, which sometimes it is, but they always fear that if they go out without an umbrella there hair is going to fall out!!! So they don't like to stay outside for to long which obviously makes finding new people pretty hard! But for the most part we have enough investigators to not be too worried but I'd still love to be finding new people. We had this moment where we had a meeting with this potential investigator who said he could meet at this place at this certain time. That place is an hour and a half walk but half hour by bus. We had some other things fall through so we decided, hey, lets just walk. Totally wrong decision hahaha. It was extremely disappointing because we finally made it over there and it turned out we had blown us off. It wasn't the worst thing in the world but it really did feel like we had just lost a full day and that we were going to have to make it up somehow. 

 

Another tough point that came was when we tried to go teach the man who owns the dojo, the one that has the adorable family haha. Anyway we got there and he decided to tell us that he wasn't interested in the gospel and that he had a religion already. The only good thing that came out of that was that he told us he wanted us to keep coming and working out with him, so we've done that and we have built a real strong relationship with their family! But it was a real tough moment when I was leaving their dojo after he told us that, I asked Elder Todd "I'm going to have to get used to that aren't I?" And he told me that yes I would. It was a tough moment, I really love their family and it makes me sad thinking that they don't know what blessings come from the gospel, that they don't know they could live with their family forever. I know they will get there chance someday, but I guess just not yet. 

 

I guess that is enough for tough parts, I wanted to first talk about our best progressing investigator, 송준영. He, I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but is a 'gangster'. He seems that was mainly just his past but we all know that he has a lot of work to do before January 10. Why that date? Oh because that is his baptismal date :-) The first time we asked him he kinda laughed, but as we talk about it more and more he says he wants to be a member and follow Jesus Christ and be happy. That makes us so happy. We thought that his biggest problem would be alcohol but surprising since we talked to him and his friend about it (they are supporting each other) he hasn't drank! So for the last 6 days he's been clean and he has just barely started!!!! Sounds like his biggest issue will be coffee but if he goes at it the way he did alcohol he will not have any issue! We talk to him just about every day and he loves hearing from us and is starting to realize why he feels so good when he's with us. I truly believe that he will be baptized and is on his way to becoming an amazing man! He is just someone that you can't really understand until you meet him haha, great guy! Sometimes he'll call us and just say, pray for me! Jeez, love that guy!

 

Then our other really great investigator's name is 김준석. He is the same age as me, he was the one who stopped us on the street! Anyway the more he meets with us the more he agrees! He said that he had heard our church was he racy, and that after he came to church with us he didn't understand why people thought that! We have a youth in the ward that is our fellow shipper for him and they are becoming really good friends! I really believe that he is going to be baptized once he becomes more comfortable with the ward and everyone there! 

 

We have a member in the ward who has some kind of physical impairment so he rides everywhere on this big tricycle that has all these gadgets on them. So a few days ago we went over to help him fix it up and he told me it's name... 3 Nephi!!! haha so I asked why it was named that and he said that 1st Nephi was at the dump and 2nd Nephi had no gears! It really made me laugh, I love the people in the ward and in this country! There is something about some of them that just make them the sweetest people! 

Productive Week!

Wow... Haha that's really the way to put it best! There is so much that I could put into this email so I'm going to try to get the most important things and mention the other things. But before I start I just wanted to remind you all that you are in my heart as we go through the holidays. I mean, Christmas isn't as big here, but we still have it all around us all the time and it almost always puts a big smile on my face when I see it because it reminds me why I'm here, why I am serving. Family is the most important thing to me and I can't wait to see you all again, I can't wait to have the best Christmas present ever and see your faces and hear your voices again! I cannot wait! Well as for my week, I guess there is only really one way to put it, 'a turning point'. 

 

Dad you asked me something about my mission that I don't think I ever addressed and that is "If your mission is anything like mine you'll have 25-30 baptisms". I wanted to let you know, that isn't the case just yet haha. My trainer has had 1 baptism throughout his mission so far and for the most part people tend to believe this stigma and it drags them down with it. I however, do not believe this for one moment, and I promise I am working my hardest to show it! At the beginning of this week we had just 1 or 2 possibilities for investigators, and they weren't very consistent. We now currently have about 6... Now I'm not so sure how this happened, but I can testify to one thing. It wasn't because we found them haha. During this week we wanted to work as hard as we could, my companion loved the fire I brought from the MTC and used it to both of our advantages haha. One thing I began to realize was that after we did all we could we were then blessed with these people. We had no power over it, almost ever single one of our investigators are people who seeked us out and bumped into us out there on the streets. It really grew my testimony that Heavenly Father is watching over his missionaries. For example, We had this one man come up to us who spoke really well English and he said he was a gangster, we thought he was kidding, then we met his friends haha... Over the past few days we have had 3 lessons with him and we have concentrated on the Atonement, and he feels that he needs it, he feels the Holy Ghost, and he actually woke up early for him, (he normally sleeps in until noon) and came to church! Amazing, he has a lot to work on, but I have felt that he sincerely wants to change :-) 

 

So this week we had Fast Sunday and as it being the first fast sunday I would have out in the field it was really... Tough. The thing that made it better was we had 2 investigators come to church and I chose to try and show the ward how much I wanted to work, so I stood up and tried to bear my testimony in front of 70 people in a language I'm still learning. It went really well and I felt my testimony grow very strongly. 

 

This week, I am going to make it a quick note because there is so much I could write, but this week we gave a homeless man on the side of the road a blessing. He begged us for a place to stay that was warm and that he couldn't work because is legs hurt to much. So we offered him the only thing we could, the power of God, he accepted and on the side of the street, in front of many others, gave him a blessing of health. I don't know the outcome but I pray still that it worked.

 

So we also had my first exchange this week with a native and it was pretty cool, for the most part we just did proselyting but we went and did a youth activity which was soccer so that was really cool! I got creamed, but still really cool :-) 

 

Oh! One other cool thing we did! We got the chance to go to a 택견 Dojo ( a kinda martial art) because the teacher/owner is an investigator. He asked us to join one of his classes with his family and so we decided it would help us bond with him! It was crazy! I loved there family so much, they had 2 little girls and then a little boy. His daughters were adorable, they were calling us uncle by the end of it. It reminded me why I was here on a mission. I saw there whole family laughing together and I could see the love he had for his children in his eyes and it broke my heart thinking that they don't know they can live together forever. I pray for them so much that they be able to understand what we teach and desire to be baptized so they can spend eternity with each other like I hope to with mine.

 

I can't tell you all how much I miss you, I hope you understand that how I feel for these investigators is because I have been testified to by the Holy Ghost that this work is true, and I know that my sacrifices are nothing to the reward of bringing others to the gospel. I love you all so much and I hope you never forget how meaningful it is to me that you write to me each week so I can know that you are all okay and doing well. I love you all so much and I can't wait to the 25th so I can kiss the computer screen as hard as I can :-).

 

I love you all so much,

Elder Fox 

FIRST WEEK IN KOREA!!!

Wow I don't even know where to start when it comes to writing this email!! I guess I'll just start from stepping off the final plane of my 25ish hour journey haha. We stepped off the plane and had to take a bus to the actually terminal to pick up all of our luggage and meet our Mission President. Might I add that he is probably one of the greatest men I've met while being out here? He just seems so happy all the time and immediately we all felt so comfortable talking to him. Him and his wife honestly felt like our parents right out of the gates, probably because we all had no idea what we were doing! Anyways we  were then hurried out to the set of cars that were waiting for us and then off we went! I'll just say that I would prefer not to drive in a car to many more times in Korea because that was scary haha. So we were able to make it to the mission home safely, which let me just say I don't think I've seen a more gorgeous city at night, it truly was overwhelming! We stayed at the mission home for the first couple nights, we were able to experience some of the food, which I'll talk about more later, we had some nice long training sessions but that was kind of expected. What was unexpected was on day one, they told us we were going to do some good old 전도. I then realized what that meant, Proselyting. Yup so day 1 we were out there walking the streets trying to meet new people and bring others to Christ, crazy. It was really great though, it was an amazing experience, of course the trainers talked mostly but it was a great intro into the new world I had just walked into. I learned from that experience was to just talk to everyone, don't be scared. We started talking to this man and he completely shot us down but we kept trying, then suddenly his son in law came up and we had a nice 15 minute conversation with him.

 

The next day came and we were told where and who with we were serving, I am now currently in 마산 (Masan). It is a bigger city that rests at the bottom of this mountain/big hill. Unfortunately for us, our apartment is at the top of that mountain haha. I'm not complaining to much because the view is unforgettable! It overviews the whole city and we can see all of the hills in the distance and the ocean, it's just gorgeous. I'll definitely send a picture later! In our apartment it has 4 Elders which is nice cause all of them are really cool. Oh also, in Korean they don't really do beds, so we just have 4 mattresses and what's called 요 (YO)s which are just like big thick pads. anyways, My trainer, he's fantastic. He's been here for about a year and 3 months and has been in Masan for about 6 months. He knows so much it's ridiculous! I'm just trying to keep up! His name is Elder Todd which always gives me a laugh because the Fox in Fox and the Hound is named Todd so we are totally meant to be companions haha. He is just great.

 

Now for the food, this food has 3 words I'd use to describe it. Different, Spicy, and GOOD. Haha I didn't really expect to enjoy the food as much as I do, maybe they're just spoiling me since it's my first week but this food here is really good. Definitely different though haha, I am still trying to get used to the temperature of everything, which is lava hot, and trying to eat it with chopsticks hahaha. I can hold my own but I definitely can't eat as fast as everyone else! So I have been here for just a few days and I was in the middle of one of my meals and I pull out something I didn't recognize for a moment, it was an octopus leg. Apparently super common, definitely unexpected haha. Other than that I haven't had anything crazy just yet, but you just wait! 

 

So other than classic missionary work, we've gotten the chance to teach a couple English classes which is really cool and a weekly thing we do here! We also got to go bowling with the youth and I did something really weird haha. Well first game I did great with a 158, then I became cursed by some bad luck from my companion haha and then scored 79... Let's just stick with the first one hahaha. :-) On Sunday I also was able to introduce myself to the ward (which has about 60 people) and tell them who I am and where I'm from and all that. They all gasped when I said I had only been in Korea for 1 week hahaha. 

 

I can't believe that my first week here has already gone by! It's amazing but still so scary trying to speak a language that I'm the best in, but I know eventually it will come. I can't wait to be able to tell people what my heart is saying, and to be able to share this wonderful message I have even better. I love you all so much and can't wait to be able to see you all again, I can't wait until Christmas! Okay, I love you!!!

Elder Fox

The Day Is Here

This Morning (November 17, 2015) Spencer's plane landed in Korea!!!! and he sent this email today...

Wow... Guess what just hit me, a CULTURE SHOCK! I can't even explain how overwhelming this is, but I can say this. This place is probably one of the most beautiful places I've ever laid my eyes on. I will be sure to take a load of pictures so that everyone can see! So we were able to just email really quickly today just to tell everyone we've made it here safely, So I just wanted to say again, I love you. I love each one of you so much and I hope you guys realize that doesn't just change because I'm on the other side of the world haha :-) I will keep you all updated about my first week. There might be too much to put into one email! I'm pretty sure my P-days are Mondays, or Sundays for you haha it is currently 9 am here and I'm guessing around 5 for you all? Wow I miss you all so much,  I can't wait to be able to tell you guys everything!

All my love, 

Elder Fox

Last Week in The MTC!!!

There is no way to express the craziness that has filled this week! Although it has been practically the same as any other week, it couldn't be any different! I cannot believe that I haven't see any of you in the last 8-9 weeks of my life. It really is a change! Anyways I'll just kinda explain real quick how this week started out. Friday morning we got our flight plans, which set us all off and got us all insanely excited! The biggest surprise about it was that we are going straight from SLC airport to Tokyo Japan! That is like a 12-13 hour flight! I'm not sure but we may have a stop in Portland too... Guess I might as well read the book of Mormon again or something ;-) From there we have a 3 hour layover and then on to Busan South Korea! 

 
   I just wanted to take a minute real quick and thank everyone who has sent me letters or packages! They are always a pick me up! And Dad got mad at me for not giving him any glory for the cinnamon rolls he sent me so I've got to thank him for that now ;-) Those and the toaster oven are a really great combo though, my breakfast now consists of chocolate milk and a heated cinnamon roll :-) 

This week we were lucky enough to participate in testimony meeting of English speaking elders. Not just normal English speakers, foreign English speakers. these 5 people were from all over the world and were going English speaking. They testified to us and I don't think any of us realized the power of a testimony, even if it was in a broken language. They did not teach us through their language, they taught us through the Spirit of God and I was overcome, in tears. It made me think of everyone at home, my family. I wanted to just shout out to everyone the testimony that I've grown here, but I know I'll get my chance :-) 

So on Sunday sacrament meetings our presidency chooses 2 people randomly to give talks. The brutal thing is they don't tell you until you here the conductor announce your name (in Korean). I was chosen. It was very weird, because normally I am really nervous about it up until the names are announced, but a part of me knew that I was getting called for some reason. When I was called I bowed my head in prayed and quickly said, "Please do not let me be the one giving this talk, let me be your instrument, speak through me". I got up to the pulpit and began to speak, I began to speak smoother than I ever had in Korean, I didn't feel worried, I wasn't scared, except my body hadn't figured that out yet because it was still shaking hahaha. I wasn't sure if it was making sense until I got down from the pulpit, the Korean natives were smiling and shaking their heads up and down so I took that as enough of 'you did good'. :-) 

We did one on one coaching and evaluations with our teachers this week too, and it was what I needed. My companion is very very good at this language and sometimes I struggle to keep up. But that is not what my Teacher thought. She said exactly what I needed to hear. Sister Washburn told me that I am one of the most sincere and caring missionaries. She told me that I truly concentrate on the Investigator and that is more valuable than any part of the language :-) even my Branch President complimented me on it which was a nice relief.

This week we had our 2 sisters from Tonga leave for Korea early, it was pretty sad because we all had really grown close. 

 Love you all!!!

8 Weeks!

Hey to everyone back home! Especially my Family! :-) I don't know if you all have realized this yet but today will mark 51 one days since the beginning of this crazy little journey! I can't express how excited I am in my preparation for Korea and spreading the word of the gospel, even though it might not be the easiest thing to do in a foreign language I didn't understand at all 50 days ago haha. I can admit that this is definitely something that I never fully understood that I would be experiencing. I am growing so much here and I really wish you all could see me right now, because I'll be honest I am not the same person, haha in a good way though. I can truly say that being here at the MTC is like someone hits the fast forward button on your mental and spiritual maturation. It makes me look back on my past and wish I understood what I do now. But that is a part of learning and growing and I couldn't be more grateful :-) I miss you all so much and really do wish I hadn't taken for granted the time that I spent with each and every one of you. I love you all so much and I truly hope you realize the extent of that love I have for my family :-)

    As for anything new over here, we had a kinda big change this week. At the beginning of the week we found out that we were splitting our district in half, it was really bitter sweet because I had grown so close to all the people that I've met and had learned this brutal language with. But it was needed. We are now down to 6 in a district (which is still big) and next week we have some sisters from tonga who will leave a week early so then we'll be down to 4! We were moved back to our old building which is lot more... Cozy. Haha but it's not a big deal other than I miss the view we had from our top floor classroom (the stairs I don't miss at all). Anyway our district had a flag that we fought over because it was given to us by an older district. We earned it but it keeps getting stolen every once and a while hahaha. 

Yesterday we got our first letter from our branch president in an attempt to kinda give us a heads up of what we'll do when we get to Korea. Now everyone's going crazy over it hahaha. So dad asked about who is going to Korea, Well everyone in our district is except one, half of us are going to Busan, and the other to Dagon. The one other elder is serving in New Jersey because there is a Korean branch there! Mom asked what kind of uses we've been getting out of the toaster oven and I'll tell you you've gotten your value out of it! We really enjoy toasting bagels and bread in the morning, sometimes even cinnamon rolls! Later in the day we use it to heat up Korean style jerky(which is delicious) and to make smores! Thank you so much for everything you guys do, this is just one of the many things my family has done for me and I couldn't be more grateful :-).

    This Sunday I had a great opportunity to bear my testimony, yes, in Korean. I can say nothing less than I was not speaking, the Lord was speaking through me. I felt at such peace while talking, having prepared nothing before and not knowing exactly what I wanted to say, but as I spoke I felt the power of the Holy Ghost fill me and I was at complete peace, no pressure. Dad you sent me and amazing little story from you missionary journal, I'd like you to share that on my blog, it brought me to tears and I loved it so much I wanted to share it with everyone. That night we also had a devotional completely dedicated to families, and I'll tell you, I was a wreck so to speak. haha. I am so grateful for you all, I really can't express it enough, I love you guys. 

     But what most importantly happened this week, I finished the Book of Mormon, cover to cover. I don't think I could complete express my testimony of it's truthfulness over an email, but I will try. As I went throughout my day pondering the last few chapters of the book, I was preparing to take upon myself Moroni's Challenge of praying with an open heart about the Book of Mormon. Moroni 10:3-5. That night when I knelt down to pray, I was completely overwhelmed with the Holy Ghost, it was as if the inside of my chest was being warmed by a fire, that was growing to become larger than my chest. I, without a doubt, know that this Book is the Word of God. I know, that through sincere study of this book, the Lord will grant unto anyone the ability to learn for themselves the beauty and truth that lay waiting to be found within the pages of this book. I love you all, I love my family, my aunts, my uncles, my grandparents, I love my friends, I love Mckalie. And if I could ask of one thing for the well being of every single person I love in this life, it would be to read this book, look for the truth, want to find the truth, and I promise, with all of my heart, you will find it. I love you all so much, and I can't  wait to see you all again.

God be with you till we meet again, :-)

Elder Fox.

Lots of Photos!!!

Spencer's Desk

Laundry

UGLY TIES

Messing with the air

Spencer's class

Ugly ties again



Halloween in the MTC

Mouse Catching Crew

Eating Kimchi (Spicy)

Singing to the leaving missionaries

Song they made (to make a man out of you)

Week 6

wow I don't think you guys realize that you are one of my biggest motivations out here. Thank you for all the support that you all constantly send my way, I love you!!! I love hearing about all the things going on at home and in your lives! Remember, you never can be too detailed! ;-) 

This week we had a group above us left which was really bitter sweet. We had grown close to them and were sad to see them go. Because of tradition, we as the middle district prepared a missionarized version of a song to sing them on their last night. We did "I'll make a man out of you" and it was fantastic! I'll find a copy and send it to you guys! We also sing them "God be with you till we meet again", in Korean which always gets the emotions rolling! That night also made us realize how close we are to leaving,(we're the oldest district now), and got us bother really scared and really excited, mostly really scared. 

 

That same night I think we had a nice little experience... A mouse came to reek havoc on our residence hall! Now there's an elder from California, and it shows, who was screaming, this was way past curfew by the way haha. So me, Wilson, Lunt, and Allen go corner it into a room and began a game of chicken with it! It actually made it into another room before I caught it! I jumped on it with this boxed and the battle was finally over! They wanted to kill it but I insisted we free it outside, so we named it Kim and released it into the world! 

 

Mom, you are now an Idol in this residence hall. That toaster oven was the best investment of $18 ever! I've decided to pass it down from generation to generation!

 

So I want to stay updated on Halloween and I want pictures. Dad asked me a load of questions so I'm just going to answer those real quick! :-) During gym we don't really do any chants for our scriptures or prophets or anything. Every morning I go run a mile and then do a nice core workout, then cooling of with some 4 square hahahaha. On P-days we do beach volleyball out by the fields with the whole district and it's a load of fun (mainly because no one is that good)! We also asked about the food, to be honest you start seeing repeats within your first week so not much variety. We all know what to avoid now, unfortunately even the decent stuff messes up your system hahah. And yes dad, the elders gas problems here are ridiculous... dad, this is a pretty supportive group, we had some issues spark up for a bit. I didn't realize how powerful complete honesty and truthfulness can be and how useful it is to fixing problems! 

 So I heard about Big Fish... And I am so jealous!!! I would of loved to see that! I know you guys enjoyed it for me though ;-) I have to ask, did they send a baby sliding down a hallway hahahaha? 

 In the last 40 days I have probably read just short of 400 pages of the book of Mormon. I am just about 40 pages left until I'm finished and I couldn't be more excited!!! I cannot explain my enthusiasm and love for the Book. It makes me wonder why I had never read it with such great intent and purpose before... I am so grateful for the effects it has had on me. I know if you all met me again right at this moment you would have to take a second to realize how much I've changed. I have grown closer to our Lord and Savior. I have seen small little everyday miracles performed by him, I have seen his gentle guiding hand in my life and it is something I pray I will be able to share with everyone. We are his children, and just like a mother loves her newborn child, God loves us with a mercy and love tough to comprehend. Even the ones who don't know him, the lost sheep of the world, even them the Lord, our shepherd, loves unconditionally to the ends of the world and forever on. "Many are kept from the truth, because they know not where to find it", I am a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to bring the light of Christ and the everlasting love of a father into their lives, and I couldn't be more grateful. I love you all with all my heart, My family is my world. And I serve the lord to bring the knowledge of eternal families to others. I love you all so much.

 All my love, 

Elder Fox :-)

36 days

Hey all of you :-) I love you guys :-) I'm so happy you guys had such a great time up camping! I'm so bummed that I was not able to be up there with you guys but I'm sure you had just as great of a time without me! I love knowing you guys were up in one of my favorite places on earth!. I hope that you told everyone up there hi for me! I hope you guys are feeling as blessed as I am. Of course there will be those days of homesickness and loneliness but I know that I'm doing the right thing here and that it is growing my testimony along with preparing me to be my own man for the future. 

So let me just tell you all a little more about life here at the MTC. I'll be honest it's kinda rough, I mean like training for ragnar rough. There is not a drop of caffeine here! I feel like I'm being forced to enjoy root beer more than I ever have before. That's what happens when you have such a low variety of choice... The food... That is a whole subject on it's own! Well every Sunday and Wednesday we have ice cream for lunch and dinner. Sunday because it's Sunday and Wednesday to kinda help out the new arrivals. But for me it's not just getting old hahaha. The food at most times is bearable, nothing to boast about though that's for sure. And the first few weeks it throws your body off unexplainable ways. (lets just say that the English elders are lucky their here only 2 weeks) Because week 3, most people end up sick hahaha! I didn't, of course ;-).

 

My Korean is moving along just fine, I feel as if I've learned more about this language in the last week than I have in the whole time here! At the end of the day you definitely feel it though, I only just collapse on my bed and wonder if I can Korean every again! When I get to call you guys on the way to the airport I will show you guys just a little of what I know :-) (BTW I need a couple burner phones soon!)

Every Tuesday and Sunday we have devotionals, most the time its someone we've never heard of but we've had a couple members of the seventy come so far! (no apostles yet though) But that's expected because we got general conference! But on Sundays we get to go see a church movie after the devotional and most the time they're really good but every once and a while we'll go to a movie in Korean and just laugh/cry as we realize that they talk way way way to fast! 

So this week in the Secret tie draft I unfortunately got one of the worst ties hahaha! It was a tie covered in roller skates and just said "skate" everywhere!!! I only wore it half the day because we had devotional later that day and I'd prefer to not get panned over during choir and everyone see that ugly tie! My companion however had a Christmas tie on and wore it proud!

I need more pictures of you guys!!!! and some more of those adorable puppies! they look like they're growing like crazy!!! I have no idea how you guys expect to get rid of them when they're that adorable :-) 

So I'm just going to real quick tell you the amazing story I had this week. Last Friday we were pulled aside for one on two coaching and what me and elder Wilson were told was that we had to be more unified in our lessons. We really took this to heart. I know that these lessons are just role-play but I'll tell you guys that the spirit is so extremely strong in them. Over the last week we had 2 of the strongest lessons we've ever had. The teacher never is really supposed to give you feedback about your lessons because no investigator is going to tell you how you did, but our teacher came back in and came up to us and told us how amazing our lesson was! This lesson that we taught (in Korean) was not the lesson we went in there planning to teach. It is amazing how strongly the spirit will guide a lesson if you are willing to take its guidance. The next day during our lesson about the same thing happened, we had had him watch a video about God's love for us (BTW if you guys are ever bored just go watch bible videos and Mormon messages they are amazing!) anyway he was asking questions and I asked him about his faith in Christ and God. He told us about his faith and I then asked him if he'd show that faith to God by being baptized. After a moment of silence... he said yes. My Companions head shot up and I was completely overwhelmed with emotion. I tried to tell him how happy we were for him making this choice and finally was able to through my tears. The Holy Ghost was as if a fire. I know it normally speaks in a still small voice, but this was a roar. A roar of overwhelming joy and happiness for my brother, who just took a step forward in his life. It made me think about how God must feel when we obey his commandments, the undeniable love he has for us is something that lesson truly testified to me.

I love you guys so much and I hope you're all doing alright! I love you guys so much!!!

Keep me updated! I love you guys with all my heart :-) Miss you guys!

Elder Fox

It's Been One MONTH!!!

hey all of you guys! I just wanted to say that I'm so grateful for the support you've all given me! Isn't it crazy how tomorrow it's going to be one month!?? You guys really are such an inspiration for me and while I've been out here I have thought about you guys endlessly. All of you are such a great motivation here that it excites me to go out into the world and share the true blessing of Eternal Families with everyone I meet.

 thank you so much for the photo album that you guys sent me! I was finally able to show you all to the people that I've been spending everyday with!:-) Again, I have absolutely adored the pictures sent to me so far! In that care package you also sent me a mini-fridge, I was semi-joking about that request but now you sent it I'm practically a celebrity in the dorms! There's multiple requests to use it and I may make a waiting list, haha thank you for that!

 I am so jealous of you guys out camping right now! I have pictured myself out there with you guys and it's just a sweet taste of home. Please tell me everything you guys do out there, please!

 So I'm going to tell you guys about what other things I have been up to here but first I want to start out telling you guys the crazy/irregular things! haha Well probably the worse thing about our classroom is the temperature. It is so warm! We call it napping temperature... We thought that it could be fixed if we, well... Steamed the Thermostat. Lets just say it got the AC cranking hard, then it wouldn't stop! We realized, after closer inspection, that we may have melted the wires so now it always thinks it's hot hahaha! whoops! Another thing we did was the secret tie draft where we auction off the ugliest ties to be worn the next day(so I'd love if you sent me a disgusting tie ;-)). I got a pretty bad one myself and I need to seek revenge!

 My P-days consist of laundry early in the morning while I email, lots of exercise time, and then the temple, which is that much more beautiful looking at it in this new found light of mine :-). Every night over the intercom we hear in a voice like Jim Gaffigan's impression of God say, "It is now 10:15, Quiet Time". It is seriously the weirdest thing getting to bed at this time!

 So yesterday In my lesson I had one of the strongest spiritual experiences yet! I was giving a lesson about baptism and i knew I was struggling slightly getting my point across in Korean, but then a thought, as if it wasn't my own, told me: "Just bear your testimony". It is amazing how much:

 저는 형제님을 사랑합니다. 하나님은 혀제님을 사랑합니다. 저는 이것을 알습니다. 구분은 우리의 아버지 입니다.  

 Or for English, I love you, god loves you. I know this, he is our father." can invite the spirit. Yes very simple, and I knew it wasn't much, but the room was flooded with the spirit. It was enough to let this investigator, someone so completely unfamiliar with the spirit, feel something never before felt by him, It was nice.

 I would love it if you guys would write to me more!!! Also seriously it would help me with my organization so much if you just wrote down a list of questions in one dear elder and just sent it to me so I could make sure I answered everything, I love you guys so much! I love hearing from you all and I miss you so much, please have a good time for me while up at camping. Trust me I am sooooooo jealous of all of you right now so please don't take it for granted. I love you guys so much, I know you guys pray for me as much as I pray for you, I hope that you have seen the blessings that have appeared in your life as much as I've seen them in mine. :-) Keep smiling and know I am always thinking of you guys :-)

3rd week

Hey guys! Time is definitely flying by here, I'll be honest, I swore just 2 days ago was P-day! So sorry if this isn't the best email because it definitely feels like I'll be only writing about 3 days here! I've been having some great experiences here, I have been able to concentrate completely on learning Korean and I feel like it's coming along pretty well! I have memorized hundreds of words (like seriously I have HUGE stacks of flashcards). I don't know how I'm going to do it, to be able to talk to people who I've never met and tell them in their language about the restored gospel, but I have complete and utter faith that through the holy ghost I'll be able to invite others unto Christ.

 So I guess it would be ridiculous if I didn't talk about general conference in my mission email right? haha I have to say that it was aaaamazing! Watching it in the MTC  is definitely a completely new experience that I wouldn't trade for anything! I learned so much from this general conference and was extremely sad when it was over. I did find one part of it unfair, Elder Holland's talk about mothers, not fair. In the MTC we're all missing our moms so much and that talk just was perfect, there was hardly a dry eye in the room, especially mine! Another talk that I hope you all listened to was, "Ponderizing" I hope you all have a scripture picked out! I can't express how important to me the scriptures are now. I mean, I knew they were important when I got here but I did not understand in the slightest the power and comfort that they hold. I have read the Book of Mormon for my personal time every day and I get disappointed when I have to stop! I'll be trying to send you guys some scriptures to look so you guys can share with me in this experience :-). I can testify of the truthfulness in these words from God. I have opened my heart to understanding and pondering scriptures, and it is true; if you will read them and pray about them to your Heavenly Father with a sincere heart, the spirit will manifest it's truthfulness to you. So after general conference we had a special devotional from Vocal Point which was pretty awesome. The power of music really does influence inspiration and peace, they were completely different than any other devotional we've had so it was a really nice mix up. That day we went and watched the restoration in Korean. It was really cool, but really really funny. Haha the voice overs were probably the cheesiest things I've ever heard! But on the other side it was a little overwhelming too because of the speed of their speech.

 I love you guys so much, I'm sorry if I didn't write that much but I just wanted to let you guys know that I'm thinking about you guys all the time. I hold dear to me the letters I get from all of you and wish I could give you big hugs for all the support you guys have given me!  I can't wait to hear your voices in 6 weeks, It is CRAZY to think that I am already a 3rd of the way down with the MTC. Like wow! Next week it'll be a month, It really is fascinating at how quickly time moves here.

 thanks for everything you guys!

2nd Week

Wow.. 2 weeks already!?!? The weeks are definitely fast here! Thank you guys so much for the letters throughout the week they are such a pick me up no matter what mood I'm in :-) So as you all know my dad has been nagging me with a million different questions so hopefully I'll be able to provide ;-)

Well everyday starts the same, too early. I wake up at 6:30 every morning and go straight to gym, us Koreans are lucky because of that. I feel myself getting healthier and stronger (I run every morning). We then get back, get ready and go to breakfast. Then the real work begins, we go back to our rooms and plan our lesson for the day (we teach a lesson in Korean 5 out of every 7 days) After that we go tour lovely classroom at the 5th floor and do personal study, companion study, and Korean study, each for an hour. We then have a little additional study for ourselves then we have lunch. After lunch we go to class taught by a returned missionary for 3 hours, more add. study, then dinner. Back to class for another 3 hours, go to the dorms and relax for about 10 minutes, then write in our journals and go to bed. Hope you're happy dad ;-)

As for my district we all speak Korean and we're all going to Korea, haha except one elder going to New Jersey! The three elders I've specifically mentioned are going to Busan! 

 This week we viewed Richard G. Scott's funeral and it made me regret not watching any other apostle's funerals. It also got me really excited for general conference, and it is going to be a BIG ONE!

 This week I also got the opportunity to participate in a blessing for the sick, I anointed the oil. I felt the spirit so strongly that moment I was truly overwhelmed.

 Speaking of the spirit, it is truly something above this world. I had a couple days where I felt like I was stuck in a rut and I couldn't keep a grasp on the Holy Ghost like I was normally able to. Then I prayed.. I didn't just talk to God, I poured my very soul to him in prayer. I begged for peace, for my heart to be freed from the troubles that had overcome them and mocked me. I awoke the next morning knowing my prayers had been answered. read (Mosiah 27:25), that is the only way I can describe it. I was reborn, I was reborn onto Christ. I know that my savior lives, there is no way in this world where I could speak in a language completely unknown to me 2 weeks ago and be now be able to read scriptures, fully pray, sing hymns, tell a man I am his brother for we are all God's children and so much more save it be a miracle. The Lord is with me and I pray every night he won't leave my side again. 

 I am like the sons of Mosiah (Alma 17-27) amazing chapters you guys should definitely read it. This book has changed me, in 10 days I've read 170 pages and everyone knows that I'm not the biggest fan of reading haha. I will go out to the front lines of the adversary and proclaim the truthfulness of the gospel, to be an instrument in the Lord's hands. I love you guys so much, I miss every single one of you. by the way mamas those cookies you and papas sent made me feel so at home (there was definitely a frenzy for them with the other elders haha). 

 I love you all so much!!! 

Until we meet again

FIRST WEEK IN THE MTC

I'm Samantha Fox, Spencer Fox's Sister, I will be doing this blog about his mission for the next two years

(Spencer is in the back row on the left)

                                            

 

   Oh my gosh I can't believe I haven't seen you guys for a week! I have to say it's been crazy but as of 8 days into it I can say that I am feeling like this is going to be a pretty amazing experience. :-) Before I start telling you guys about everything that I've been doing while out here I just wanted to say that I miss you guys and that I love  you so much. I know this is going to be hard but I know that this is going to be a gigantic blessing for my life and yours as well.

 I'm going to start out by saying that the first couple days were extremely hard, as you'd expect. The second you're away from your family everything is moving so fast you begin to get overwhelmed and you just can't see and ending to it... Then they start speaking Korean to you. Haha I'll say this though, The gift of tongues is definitely true, but more of that later. Anyway I just couldn't stop thinking about my family, McKalie and my friends that first day and it was definitely hard. What made it so much better was the elders I had by my say. I am not surprised that everyone says these will be your lifelong friends because you definitely spend enough time with them for them to become that! There is elder Lunt, Elder Malher, and elder Wilson, my companion. They are such a great group of guys that truly are a great time to be around.

 But my true turn around happened that Sunday; we were sitting in the choir on Sunday devotional and we sang how firm a foundation. The third verse struck me so hard, I could feel the holy ghost rush into my heart and I knew why I was out here again, to bring others the knowledge of the true and everlasting gospel, and my personal most importance, eternal families. I knew right then and there that I needed to stick with it and that I was in the right place for myself at that time. I needed the inspiration that day badly because I definitely felt as if I had a few issues with my companion. Our personalities at first didn't mesh the best.  To find an answer to this I knelt down in prayer and ask the Lord for guidance and understanding.  Not one day later, I was perfectly fine. He had not changed at all and yet I knew I was capable of what I must do.  Along with this change, I didn't get sad thinking about my family, it gave me a smile, I got a letter from both my family and Mckalie that day and I'd say that getting them didn't make me homesick, but just extremely happy, it was rejuvenating. 

 Oh ya, as for Korean... It's insane, it really is. At first I had no Idea how I was supposed to figure out this language in just 9 weeks, but then something started to change. I began to see it differently, we prayed for the gift of tongues at every meal, every lesson, every prayer since, and it has shown its power through our prayers. By day three I could read the language, I didn't know what it all meant, but I could read everything, not fast of course. I am so grateful that I get this opportunity to receive this gift. I know that I'll be strong in the language in my own time and I look forward to the time when I become fluent. did I mention that they made us teach a lesson the third day? All Korean. Those lessons haven't just helped with the language, but have truly cemented parts of my testimony. I also can pray in Korean now too! Other English lessons have been true testimony builders too, I can't say that I have ever felt the holy ghost so consistently in my life. I have felt it's strength before, but I can say that I have felt those holy ghost not leave my side for days on end. It is such an amazing experience to feel and to know you hold a part of the God head with you at all times, I'll just take a moment to stop and think how big of a blessing that is. 

 The MTC is pretty nice, we have all our days planned out for us and we are able to get anywhere within 5 minutes (even though they put the Korean missionaries on the top floor of every single building to prep us for the field). The food however, not so nice. It was nice the first few days but once you have a mediocre hamburger for 5 days in a row, not so appetizing. haha, it is part of the experience though so I am so grateful for it. Other than for the food we sit in class 8 hours a day at the least and drill ourselves with Korean. 

 Mom, just wanted to let you know, mainly out of spite, I have worn a long sleeved shirt and suit for 8 of the 9 days I've been here, sorry ;-). Oh and for my blue suit, totally fine! Not one comment or complaint, (well except for the compliments). 

The days are long here but the weeks are short, I look forward to being able to see you guys again and can't wait to tell you everything I learn. As I learned during the Sunday devotional, these won't be the best years of my life, but the best years for my life. I testify of the truthfulness in that statement, and the truthfulness of the Gospel. I can't wait to serve the lord, and to see you all again.

 Until we meet again, Elder Fox.