Dongdaemun Week 3

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was pretty interesting and ended with quite the big holiday, The Chinese New Year. The most time consuming event this week, though, was our Zone Training meeting along with the whole day of preparation before.  We talked and learned a lot about studies and preparing for the day in the morning.  It definitely helped me to realize how important it is to prepare for the day and use our three hours of study time effectively.  After the meeting, I went on an exchange with the district leader in Dongdaemoon and talked a lot about our zone's focus on preparation.  My district leader's name is Elder Erickson, and we came to Korea at the same time.  The exchange went really well and we were able to meet with a less active member of our church whose father is opposing the church really hard.  It was a miracle that we met him as he was walking outside his house, otherwise his father wouldn't have let us talk with him.  

This week we weren't able to meet with Brother Byeon because of the huge holiday that is occurring.  Usually for three days, everyone leaves Seoul and goes to their hometown to do a ceremony for their ancestors, called 제사(Jesa).  We were, however, able to meet with Eddy who is doing well. He keeps telling us how he is starting to feel a need for religion, but he's fearful of all the changes that will come with it.  He talks a lot, and it seems like in the future he will make a change and start coming to church.  Right now its a little difficult because his back is hurting him, and he is pretty well rooted in his ways.  As for other investigators, we are working with friends of the young men in our congregation.  We played soccer this week with a bunch of the young men in our stake because one of the young men from our congregation brought two of his non-Mormon friends.  We then had a lesson with the friend afterwards.  It went well, but it sounds like his parents are not very fond of Christian churches.  Regardless, my legs are feeling it from the hour plus of soccer that we played. 

Yesterday, few members came to church because they are all out traveling, but it was still a great testimony meeting.  Not a lot of people were out on the street either because of the holiday, so we decided to knock on doors at an apartment complex by our house.  Well, it was going pretty well until the apartment administrator came up.  He just started screaming at us for knocking on doors and trying to share a message, like he was not happy.... Oh well.  We've also been trying a variety of things such as calling old investigators and walking around high schools as the kids are released.   We've had quite a bit of luck calling people who have met with the missionaries in the past.  Unfortunately, we have to spend more time on the phone.  Lastly, we had a great visit with a Mongolian family in our ward who is awesome.  They broke out all of these interesting bread creations and dried yogurt, some of the strangest things I have tasted in my life, but surprisingly good.

Thanks for all the love and support during these holiday seasons.

Your Favorite Missionary,

Elder Wheeler

Elder Wheeler and Elder Jeong

Elder Kang with the family from Mongolia