Elder Nathan Stagg: Goejeong: Heck-sheem

HELLO FROM THE OTHERSIDE!!! I MUST OF EMAILED A THOUSAND TIMES, TO TELL YOU A STORY OF OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.

This week has been HECTIC!!! We have had so many meetings and appointments!! Basically the run down of this week is this:

This weeks "HECK-SHEEM" (Mainpoints)

We have a progessing investigator!! 최수원 (Choi Soo Won)!! He is in 9th grade, almost 10th, and he has a baptism date for the 16'th of july. We have taught the 2nd and 3rd lesson with him and invited him to come to church he said he would!! But then he slept in so we need to push his date back a week or two! We can meet with him like 4 times a week and it is usally half soccer half lesson! Really cool kid! I think he will get baptized this transfer!

Next is 이민혁 (E Meen Hyuck). He is a members grandson and he comes to chruch sometimes, we are trying to meet with him outside of chruch but he is busy until this thrusday then we will try to meet with him again.

We have about 25 people we could meet with but honestly most of them are not progressing. So we have picked about 6-7 people that we can focus on, as they progress i will talk about them! But right now we are seeing miracles everywhere!! We are so busy we dont have much time to proselyte but I feel like people are finding us! we are picking up like 3-4 new investigators a week and I dont know how!?! Its crazy!! We better be able to get a ton of baptisms this transfer, I feel like god is throwing them at us! But Lots of them aren't progressing or dont have a ton of interest!! We will keep working our hardest! :)

The weather is hot and humid, I woke up this morning and was vacuming the house ( its a small apartment) and by the time I was done I was dripping with sweat, that was in our house with fans, i was wearing a hawaiin shirt not buttoned up and sports shorts. Imagine how terrible it is in long pants, socks, a button up shirt, and a tie, while running around in the hot sun!! But hey those are the perks of missionary work! Plus christ has sweat blood for me, I can sweat for him! :) IN FACT I WOULD LOVE TO SWEAT FOR HIM!! :)

So this week in district meeting I was asked to bear my testimony, I was trying to decide what to share it on. Well I ended up sharing it on light and happiness! As I am always talking to people I often bring up the question 인생의 목적 뫄요? (wha is the purpose of life) IT TO BE HAPPY AND FEEL JOY!!! Now the question is well Elder Stagg how do you do that? Let me share with you a scripture! :)

Alma 5: 14

14 And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?

Now that verse has a lot of good meanings and I encourage each of you to study that and ponder those questions deeply but today I want to focus on the part "have ye recieved his image in your countenances?" What does that mean? What is Christs countenance look/ feel like?

3rd Nephi 19: 25

25 And it came to pass that Jesus blessed them as they did pray unto him; and his countenance did smile upon them, and the light of his countenance did shine upon them, and behold they were as white as the countenance and also the garments of Jesus; and behold the whiteness thereof did exceed all the whiteness, yea, even there could be nothing upon earth so white as the whiteness thereof.

His countenance did SMILE upon them and they did SHINE!! That sounds super happy!!! AND super joyful!! SO how do you feel happiness and joy? Through christ, and his gospel!! And I can testify that that is true!! There is a reason christ is often described as light (Christs light, the light of christ, and his countenance did smile upon them, and the light of his countenance did shine upon them, let your light so shine before men, etc). Imagine a sun flower, when you stick it in the darkness it droops, starts to loose it color and eventually it will die, when people see it they dont feel feeling of happiness or joy because it look sickly and sad. But stick that same flower in the light and it will slowly start to reach towards the light, it will stretch and straighten up, the color will come back to it and it will be strong and proud and people will see it and be happy!

When christ created the earth he commanded Light to shine out of darkness! He commands the same for us let our light so shine before men, but before that we need to let his light shine in our lives! I testify that through christ we can always be happy! Iove this gospel and it is for everyone!! Everyones lives can be blessed and brightened through the light of our savior Jesus Christ!

Alma 30: 34

34 And now, if we do not receive anything for our labors in the church, what doth it profit us to labor in the church save it were to declare the truth, that we may have rejoicings in the joy of our brethren?

I love you all!! Keep striving to become better disciples of our savior Jesus Christ!! Have a good week!!

-love Elder stagg