Ansan is AWESOME

Hello family and friends!

So if you remember, April 16th last year there was a terrible ferry accident that killed many people. The nearby high school's senior class during that time was on a field trip and rode that same ferry in which many of those students died. The picture of the banner is a memorial acknowledgement of those who died which says you will never be forgotten. 

If you don't remember you can go here to read the story about it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinking_of_the_MV_Sewol

Last week on Friday April 16th there was a huge memorial concert going on at a park where about 5,000+ people came out in support. It was a magnificent sight to see the love and care those people had. As they listened to the concert each person had a lit candle they were holding. 

Stock photo I found on internet of the event.

As far as missionary work goes, it has been great! When you meet with anyone in Korea, especially since we are Elders, we can almost guarantee that some sort of food will be given to us. Even when we meet at the church building, people still give us food. Its great! Its there way of showing us their appreciation for what we are doing for them. Saturday night we had a lesson with a member and his wife gave us strawberries with milk and honey mixed together along with sweet bread which contained creme and nuts inside. It was sooo delicious! We taught them a great lesson on baptism and enduring to the end. 

On Sunday, one lesson we had was with Oliver. Oliver is a guy from Cameroon that we have been meeting with. Lessons with him we do in English which makes me very excited because that is a language I currently know how to completely speak. When we arrived to his house it was apparent that he had other friends over so Elder Barton and I decided to do this lesson by the Spirit. When we went inside we met Oliver. Because Oliver was cooking he invited us into another room where Jack was. When jack saw us he asked, "Oh Mormon missionaries?" we replied yes we are Mormon missionaries. Jack goes on to explain that he meant to go to his church which is an hour away from where he lives but he stayed up too late to attend. He's been trying to apply for the CPA exam (Certified Public Accountant). I am also an accounting major so inevitably the conversation led to the Enron scandal, checks and balances, mergers and acquisitions and so forth. I haven't had that good of an accounting discussion since the last time I have talked with my Dad who would be very proud of the conversation we had. ha ha. 

When the conversation died down, Jack says out of the blue, "Yeah a year ago when I met with the missionaries and got baptized I didn't know there was another church in Ansan with more missionaries like you..." 

Our mouths dropped... We had no idea for the first 15 minutes of talking that jack was a member. He told us his conversion story and says that he is currently working with his Bishop to receive the Priesthood. He said one day he wants to serve a mission himself like us. 

What are the chances that an investigator of ours randomly has a friend over who is a member? Unfortunately time was short and we had to quickly head off to our next appointment with a member. 

Elder Barton has been a tremendous help to me by doing all that he can to better help me in the language, gospel and ward.  He is such a wonderful example.  He is a wonderful example of what a consecrated missionary is.  And what a blessing it is to me to have him as my companion!  We have bonded extremely well.

Being a missionary is hard work. This is no vacation although this is the most fun and joy I have experienced ever in my life. I have gone skydiving, scuba diving and cliff jumping but missionary work I know has a more lasting affect than anything else I can be doing right now. Not everybody agrees with what I believe or do and that's okay because I know what I am doing and I know that I can do something to help those people in need. 

I love each and everyone of you. Each of you has had a significant role in my life for the better. Thank you!!! :)

Elder Eads

Korea Seoul South Mission

 the church building we attend

This is me cooking my kimchi fried rice . My district elders really like it

Elder Eads selfie with his companion Elder Barton and other apartment mates (Elders)

This the PC bang I am literally at right now.

This is how Koreans move