Herro. (15 February 2015)

Herro. I am in kolea stirr. Don't wolly. I rove you arr. 

I have gained at least 10 pounds on my mission. Maybe even as much as 15. I am not quite sure. But I have! Chubs. 

We had a baptism this last week! Yay! I don't even feel like I did anything, though. He was so prepared. Ha. We had 4 investigators at church, too. 

We took our guy that got baptized to a member's house for dinner the other night, and while we were sharing the spiritual message, one of their little boys let out a fart that was about 10 seconds long. We laughed for a really long time. Ha. 

Also, I had a really small but special service that I was able to render. It really touched me. There were these two Chinese girls who were carrying lots of stuff. A lot. They ended up moving to a new house, but it was a lot of stuff. And the girl whose stuff it was had some sort of physical disability. She walked funny and therefore had to walk slower. And also had some other deformity on her face. Not anything huge, but just affecting her physical appearance and condition. There was just something about being able to help them that really humbled me. There was something about her and her condition and her humble spirit that really touched me. It made me want to always help. To always serve those people who need it. It was such a great feeling. Those five minutes changed me for the better. Especially, sometimes we think that we can't help others because we need help ourselves. That day, I wasn't having a very good day. One of our investigators was ignoring us, our phone wasn't working, other stuff. But that simple interaction changed me. 

Anyways. I love you all! Have good weeks! 

Love, 

렌프로 장로

Howdy. (8 February 2015)

This week was crazy!

We have a baptism this Saturday! How fun, right? He is a 24 year old kid that we found on the street maybe 4 weeks ago. He is so prepared we had to move his date up. Hahaha. He is really great. He actually wants to get baptized! Haha. It is nice how easy it is when someone is actually prepared. He has been looking around at churches for quite a while, but he said they all seemed fake. But now that he has found ours, he feels it is real. That is the watered down summary. Ha. 

Also. We just met a random English guy at a restaurant. He met sister missionaries back in England, and he said that when they talked to him, he just got this feeling that what they were saying made sense and was true. So ever since then he said he knew that God actually spoke to Joseph Smith, he has just wondered what it was that God said to him. Hahaha. So we told him. As I was reciting the First Vision to him in English, he said right after that he got the same feeling as when he met the sisters. Pretty crazy. Both me and my companion were flabbergasted. Hahaha. Definitely a first. He is only living here for a little bit it seems, but he'll be in Korea for awhile. So even if we don't get to meet with him, it was just so nice to find such a prepared person. Prepared people! They are out there! 

We had Stake Conference this last weekend. All of the choir numbers we did went well. It was really cool to sing the 3rd verse of brightly beams our fathers mercy with 700 Korean people. Next week, I have to sing for the seminary graduation. Yay! More music! hahaha. 

I am going to go on a one month road trip with a Korean friend when I get back to America. People give me money. Hahahaha. One of my investigators wants to do that with me. Haha. 

But things are going well. 

Also, I led a Chinese man around for a day who had come to visit the temple. I had to use my meager Chinese all day! My brain hurt. He isn't a member but wants to be. He has known about our church for 5 years, but hasn't know where to go, what to do about it. So I helped him get information of our church in China, branch locations and stuff. Pretty crazy. He said he went to a temple in Thailand one time but no one spoke Chinese there. So he was really happy to meet me. Ha. 

Anyways! I love you all! I gotta go! Talk to you next week!

Hi. (2 February 2015)

We didn't have any time yesterday to email because it was a zone leader meeting. So today is our P-day! Sorry for the inconvenience. Ha. 

 

This week was good. Kind of a roller coaster in terms of investigators. It is going really well though. I am grateful to be here and serve with these people. To be able to help these people. We have 3 baptismal dates and will have one more in a little bit. 

 

One of our investigators has a really hard life and things went kinda crazy and he had to move way out into the countryside. I was really sad about that, but he called last night and said that he will be moving back into Seoul, and back into our area. So we will still be able to work with him. I have been working with him the entire time I have been in this area. He just needs a little more of a testimony. He just needs to feel the spirit a little more. He already lives all the standards of the church and is doing great, reading and coming to church. 

 

One of our investigators is really really prepared. We might move his date up so we can baptize him sooner. Haha. That is a first. 

 

I taught Sunday School on Sunday. I am so grateful I can speak this language now. I can't say all things in the world, but I can express myself the way I want to. I really love that. All the hard work has paid off. I am going to learn Korean the rest of my life. Ha. 

 

The choir I am leading is finally coming together. We actually sound kinda good now! Ha. Thank goodness. 

 

This week in Sunday School I taught about the creation. It is surprising how much there is to learn in the doctrine of the creation of the world. I will tell you one thing that stood out to me as I was preparing. The reason for the creation of the earth was so that we would have a place to learn and develop. It was planned. We needed to leave His presence to learn and grow. But there is so much more on this earth than just the basic necessities. Birds and animals and plants, nameless beautiful things that weren't necessarily necessary for our salvation. They are expressions of His love. He didn't just send us to a cardboard earth, but He sent us to an earth of endless beauty. The only thing we have to do to feel His love is open our eyes. 

 

Anyways. I love you all! Keep me in your prayers. See you in 8 weeks. Ha.  

Hi. (25 January 2015)

I have 9 weeks as a missionary left. Remember when I had only been out for 9 weeks?

This week was pretty good. We were really busy running around and teaching people. 

We had interviews with President, a few new investigators and met lots of people who seem like they will be pretty great. 

One of our investigators who is really great, though, is moving. :( He is moving way out into the country, but there is a church about 30 minutes away. So that is good, still. But. Sad. It is all of a sudden as well. We had no idea and then this week he came up to us at church and told us he was leaving this next week. Maybe he will have nothing to do but read the Book of Mormon and pray out there and he will get a testimony! Hahahaha. It is still our mission, so if he gets baptized, I'll be able to see it, I guess. 

But other things are going great. We had people at church and it is going really well. 

This week I have been learning about prayer. The things that stood out the most to me was this. Prayer in the Old Testament was usually accompanied by sacrifice. People built altars and gave burnt offerings. Pretty serious business. But nowadays we just pray. But I think the concept should be the same. When we pray, are we offering? Or are we demanding? Do we see it as a burden or an opportunity? I have noticed that my most effective prayers, my most rewarding prayers have been when I have a heart to give to the Lord. When I repent. Prayer isn't just a discussion board. It is a conversation, but we also are not praying to change God, but to change ourselves. So we must give Him something. We must sacrifice our hearts to Him. 

Anyways! I love you all! Have good days and lives. See you in 2 months-ish.

Love,

렌프로 장로

Howdy, me lovelies (18 January 2015)

This week was great!

 

We found a great new investigator this last week. We actually found 3, but one of them was really good and will be able to meet regularly. He didn't seem to be extremely interested on the street when we met him, but it was way great. He has honestly wondered about a lot of stuff and has real interest. 

 

Also, I met with a kid from my college. A Korean member who is studying there. He is great. We will be best friends for life. Hahahaha. 

 

I am leading a choir of missionaries for Stake Conference in February. Hahaha. It has been a lot of work to get everything together. I even translated a song into Korean that they don't have in the Korean hymnal. There is one on the Internet, but it doesn't preserve all of the meaning. I am also working on doing some others. 

 

As I was translating that Hymn, Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy, and rehearsing it, I felt some really special things. It is just such a beautiful tribute to the Savior and our role as His servants. Just to sing it in Korean was so touching to me. A song of saving those in distress and trouble directed specifically at this people and culture I love so much. 

 

I love all of you! Keep me in your prayers. 

 

Love, 

렌프로 장로

Hi! (11 January 2015)

I have 11 emails left after this. 

 

11! That is pretty weird. I got a new companion this week. A big teddy bear from Salt Lake City with a heart of gold. His name is Elder Hollingshaus and it is great. Working hard. 

 

I will be happy to end these last 2 transfers with him. Our strengths and weaknesses go really well together. Ha. What I mean is that we can do a lot more together than we can alone. So I am grateful for that. 

 

One of our investigators agreed to a baptismal date once again. He is so close. He is reading the Book of Mormon every day and really is learning a lot from it and enjoying it even. He says he feels like it is God's word and he hopes it is God's word, but just isn't quite sure yet. But we will be reading with him everyday, basically. 

 

We have been meeting a lot of nice and cool people. And some not so nice or cool people. I met one lady the other day that I thought really bad thoughts about. She was so rude. But I repented. Ha. But then we meet cool people, so it all balances out. 

 

I made cookies this week and they tasted like popcorn. Korean butter is to blame, I think. Ha. 

 

I have been learning lots of things lately this week through the scriptures. It honestly has been incredible. The truths of the restored gospel. They are infinite and eternal and contained in God's word, which has been given to us in this day. Heavenly Father truly has poured out abundant blessings upon us in these latter-days. 

 

I don't think I could even begin to share them in a email. But they have made me love my Heavenly Father more, appreciate the sacrifice of His Son for me, and even healed my soul in ways I didn't expect, and will continue to do so.  

 

I love you all!!!  Keep me in your prayers!

 

Love, 

렌프로 장로

Hello, me lovelies. (28 December 2014)

Hi! 

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. It was crazy here. So many people on the streets just running around. Huge crowds. Crazy! I have a picture somewhere. I will have to send it. 

Other than that... Just a normal week. We had breakfast at a member's house and another member gave us a referral on Christmas. So that was great. And. We went caroling and handed out Book of Mormons wrapped as presents. Hahaha. We explained what the present was. We weren't just throwing them around. Hahaha. I think we gave out about 80. 

I don't have a lot of time today! I gotta go. My companion only has 2 P-days left. 

I have been reading the Korean Book of Mormon a lot lately and it has been really great. 

In English Helaman 3:29 it says "behold we can see..." and throughout the previous verses it talks about things of God's characteristics that we can see from some sort of evidence. "Thus we can see..." That God is merciful... or other things like that. But in Korean is says "Thus we can know..." "Behold we can know..." It just seems more definite. That by observing the works of the Lord, we can learn, and know, even cherish His attributes and character. It isn't just a passive observation. But it is an active attainment of knowledge. Which is the basis of Faith. Faith changes us because it is Faith in Him, in His character. Therefore, we must know who He is. And we can. As it is stated clearly in the Korean.

Anyways! I love you all! 

Love, 

Elder Renfroe

Helloer (21 December 2014)

Hello!

 

Merry Christmas! 

 

I have been really busy doing a lot of stuff this week that wasn't proselyting... But I guess it was ok. We had a big Christmas Zone Conference that we had to plan and prepare everything for. At the conference, we had a training from our president and his wife and the assistants. It was really good. After that we had a really good meal. And then went caroling and handed out Book of Mormons wrapped as presents. Hahah. It was great. Then we had hot coco and krispy kreme donuts. Ha. It was great. 

 

Then, we had a ward Christmas party that we had to prepare for and get some music ready for as well to sing as a musical number. It went really well. We sang Silent Night and Carol of the Bells. Haha. I was proud of the missionaries and their performance. 

 

Also, we have to prepare a musical number for a talent show next week. I feel like I have just been leading choirs all week. Musical Mission. Ha. 

 

We also got back in touch with one of our investigators who has a lot of potential but started ignoring us because he felt a lot of pressure from some ward members. It was a miracle. But he still has a lot of potential. So, I am really glad we can meet with him again now. 

 

Tomorrow we go to the temple, and don't really have any special plans for Christmas. Just a normal work day. It will be great!! 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJ_MGWio-vc

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifCWN5pJGIE 

 

Listen to both these songs. They are great. I used to hate the little drummer boy. Because it usually is the most annoying song on the radio. But this version is really good. And it has allowed me to actually think about the true meaning of the song. We have such meager gifts to give to Him. We are so poor. But we give them and He accepts them with love. He is so kind to us. And loves us more than we can currently know. But we can feel it. 

 

Anyways. I love you all! Keep me in your prayers! 

 

Don't worry, I didn't break rules to link those videos. Hahaha. 

 

Bye!

렌프로 장로

Hello! (14 December 2014)

Hi, People. 

It is freezing! My bones hurt. Not really I am fine. Don't worry. I have a really fluffy coat. Ha. 

I don't have nearly as funny stories as last week. But I was walking next to an old man, and was about to start talking to him. But he started to flatulate quite loudly about three times. I curled over in laughter. It was kinda sad though because the laughter kept me from being able to talk to him. Hahaha. 

What else? I ate a turkey dinner again. The Americans in our ward made 2 big turkeys for the Christmas devotional. The first time I ever had turkey and kimchi together. It was great! We will have kimchi at all Thanksgivings for the rest of my life. 

We had an investigator and a less active that hasn't been at church in 4 years there. We had a really good meeting with the less active member afterwards. He was one of our miracles last week. 

I forgot to tell a different funny story last week. Our investigator that randomly called us last week... When we were teaching him to pray, he kept asking how to say it in English. Which was weird because he hadn't mentioned anything about English up to that point. And he kept saying it out loud and practicing. So I asked him why. He said that He didn't feel like Jesus could speak Korean so he had to pray in English because He wasn't Korean. So I told him by that logic He doesn't speak English either. Hahaha. He just prayed in Korean. 

My companion bought a sweater that makes him look like he is from Star Trek. He goes home to the mothership in 25 days. 

We went caroling this week. It was really interesting. To stand in front of a bunch of people, as 6 missionaries. 5 of which are foreigners. And sing about Christ. These aren't just Christmas songs. These are songs that literally testify explicitly of the birth of our Savior. I don't think I would ever scream on a street about the Savior. But I will certainly sing of Him. It was interesting how bold we are able to be with song. And how it can act as a conduit of the spirit. I certainly felt the spirit as we were singing. I felt closer to my Savior. 

But I love you all. Keep me in your prayers!

Love, 

Elder Renfroe

렌프로 장로 

Week of Miracles (7 December 2014)

Helllo, my lovelies. 

This week was really great. It is as cold as a baboon butt in Antarctica. You have to say that sentence in a Texas accent. But it is freezing cold. I am grateful for thermal underwear, to say the least. 

Also, some embarrassing things happened this week.

We work out at the temple in the morning and there is a treadmill that I run on because it is freezing outside. And my companion is a bum and doesn't want to run. Haha. Anyways. The treadmill wouldn't work, and I was quite sad. The converter was blown out or something. So I brought another converter to see if it would work. The second I plugged it in there was a really loud noise and sparks and smoke started coming out of the treadmill. I exploded the Lord's treadmill. I was so sad. But some other missionary fixed the converter and it works now. It withstood the explosion. All things are possible with the grace of the Lord. 

Then this... I think this is the funniest thing that has happened to me on my mission. Maybe my whole life. But here it is....

We were in a really big business type building. It was really fancy. So fancy. Like metal trees on the inside and really tall and in a really rich part of town. Business executives everywhere going in and out in their suits. We went in to go to the bathroom. My companion was taking forever. Korean Mexican food. Like literally forever. So I was getting tired of standing there right next to the bathroom. I looked like a creeper to all the men going in an out anyways. So I look and there is a little metal bench thing like 10 meters away. It is pure shiny metal and is in a weird V-shape. It fits, we are in a big executive building. Even the benches are fancy. I just wanna sit anyways. So, when I get closer I notice the bench is really short. Uncomfortably short. But I don't care. I just wanna sit. So I take the far plunge to sit on the weird fancy bench. The thing just falls over. And these two little plastic props fall out from the side. It makes a really loud noise that echoes through the marble halls. And the lady at the front desk starts waving at me like, "Nooooooo!" 

It wasn't a bench. It was a piece of art. I laughed for a really long time. And so did the lady at the desk. I didn't break it. I was the weird American that sat on someone's art. She said it was the first time anyone has done that. Hahahahaha. 

I also went a visited a beautiful little girl and her dad in the hospital. They are from Mongolia, but are here because the daughter has some sort of condition they can't treat there in Mongolia. The father is a member and has been coming to our sacrament meetings for the last 2 weeks. He has 3 other kids, so the whole family isn't here. He just asked us to come help him, so we went and visited. The girl is so cute. It was really great being there and seeing her spirit. 

But the miracles. We contacted an old random less active member who is the same age as me and was baptized about 3 years ago. He went to Korean military and then fell off the face of the earth. But he answered and apparently moved to Australia after military and hadn't been in contact with anyone in Korea yet that he knew before because he just kind of wanted to get away, I guess? But anyways, we met him and it was really great. We started to reteach him, and he said he will start coming back to church. It was a miracle! So great. 

And recently, we have dropped all of our investigators. Because they weren't going anywhere. We had a lot of them, but it just wasn't really going anywhere. It was hard, but we decided to stop meeting with them because they were wasting our time, even though we love them. But a guy randomly called us. Called us. US! That is a first. Hahaha. And said he wants to learn about our church and meet with us. We met with him and it was so great! He is so great. 26, having a hard time and needs more purpose in life, never had a religion. He was referred to us by his friend who used to be an investigator way out in the countryside. He told him to just contact us and we are the best. It was awesome. It was incredible to see the Lord's hand to specifically give a prepared person to us. We also had another guy become a new investigator this week. It was pretty good. Lots of miracles. 

There is a new video produced by the Church. Our mission is focusing on it. 

http://www.mormon.org/christmas

I love the end where it says to discover the gift. To embrace it. No matter where any of us are, we can discover Him more. We can love Him more. We can discover His goodness and character more. We can discover why He is the Christ. It is an open invitation. To everyone. 

Anyways. I love you. I pray that we can all think about the real reason for Christmas. 

Keep me in your prayers. 

Love,

Elder Renfroe

렌프로 장로 

Thanksgiving! (30 November 2014)

Hellloer

 

That is how you say hello in a New Zealand accent. Hahaha. I have learned so many language skills here in Korea. 

 

This week, I ate more American food than Korean. My bowels had a hard time. Tree frogs. We ate together at an American family's house and it was wonderful. My first Thanksgiving in 2 years. I had Korean food last year, remember? haha. But It was great. I also had lasagna this week for the first time in 2 years. And they gave us the leftovers. It was amazing! Hahaha. 

 

This week was really hard. Basically, we have to start our area over. We have had to stop meeting with most of the people we were meeting with because they weren't going anywhere, or dropped us. We had a lot going on, but I think it will be good to start with a cleaner slate. It was hard on my heart. But has to be done. 

 

I am starting a new study. Faith is the first principle of the gospel. Yet it is so misunderstood. The most important thing is Faith in Jesus Christ. He is the reason for our hope. And basically everything. It is faith in Him that changes life and outlook on life. But it isn't just faith in a name. The reason faith in Him is important is because of His character. It is because of who He is. Many people understand this basically, but the changing process of faith is just that - a process. The more we understand of the character of Jesus Christ, the more we are changed. So I will be studying that more. It is understanding that principle that causes faith to change our life. That is the essence of faith.

 

Anyways. I love you! Keep me in your prayers. 

 

Love, 

Renfroe Elder. :P

Hello, My Loves! (23 November 2014)

Hi. 

This week was hard. And cold. But then not cold. But still very Korean. 

I had to translate all of church on Sunday. It is so hard. And sometimes people talk about nothing. So that is the hardest part. Haha. 

We have actually a good amount of people that we are meeting with, but they are all kind of going no where. And it is annoying. But I love them. But we may have to stop teaching all of them and just start over soon. 

There is a new Mormon Message. I really like it. It has sparked some new interest for me in terms of how I want to study, and the things I need to learn. 

Here it is! You should all watch it. http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=3897359657001

The part I like the most is right at the end. When she says that the Savior really is just so sweet. If that lady can say that, can't we all? Or shouldn't we all be able to? It is a really interesting take on it, I think. To feel the sweetness of the Savior. If only we could feel that, life would be so much more enjoyable, right? I feel it some times. I have felt it this week at times, but certainly have much to learn. If only we could feel more tenderness towards our Savior. And not hate the very things which are helping us become who He wants and needs us to be. 

But I love you all. Keep me in your prayers!

Love, 

Elder Renf

Hi, America (16 November 2014)

Hello, America. 

This is Elder Renfroe. I made kimchi today. Lots and lots of kimchi. We had a huge service project that we participated in. Basically all I did was lift stuff and give people more cabbages to pepper stuff in. It was actually pretty simple. But tiring at the same time. And I kept getting fed kimchi by the ladies. Hahaha. And you get pepper paste stuff all over you. Fresh kimchi is actually completely different in taste than the usual kimchi. It is sweet and spicy and just tastes really fresh. It isn't sour at all. Then after it is aged for a while it becomes real kimchi. Hahaha. 

One of our investigators took us out to dinner. We had ribs that were on a bed of melted cheese. And then you eat it together. It was quite tasty. I will have to make it for you all when I get back. It seems like it would be a hit in America. It was also pretty spicy. Like nearly hiccup spicy. I have had a few hiccup fits in Korea from spiciness. But it didn't happen that time. 

This week. 

I learned some powerful lessons of the power of the Book of Mormon. We have an investigator that we have been having a kind of rough time with because of his unusual thoughts. Ha. And we have been talking a lot about certain things like the law being fulfilled by Jesus. And whether or not we need to keep the commandments or need to be baptized. Just kinda unusual things like that. But this week I stumbled across things in the Book of Mormon. They were just so clear. And so perfect for this investigator. Like it was written expressly to solve his concern. And it just went so smooth as we shared it. It just fixed that concern way quicker and better than anything we had ever tried to say to him. God knows us. He knows our problems. And He has provided a way to solve them. To heal our souls, our hearts, and even our thoughts. His influence is deeper than we think. 

Anyways. I love you all. Keep me in your prayers. 

Love

Renfroe Elder. 

Hello!!! (10 November 2014)

Today is my birthday. And I have eaten a lot of chips. Ha. I got all 10 bags of chips! They are delicious. Korea just doesn't make good chips. :( 

This week was really crazy and it was my companion's turn to get sick, I guess. Haha. This weekend we were in the house a lot. And we had trainings and stuff that we had to do and prepare, so that took a lot of time. But it was really good. I think our training went really well. 

My favorite thing that we talked about was daily repentance for the Holy Ghost to remain in our lives. We have to be changing and yielding to the Holy Ghost to be able to continually feel it. We can't just ignore it and expect it to help us. We must be changed into who God wants us to be. I did a cool little chemistry trick at our zone meeting because we were talking about conversion. I filled a big bottle with ethanol and then shook it around and lit it on fire right after opening it. It just makes a flame for a little while. But it is alcohol, so it burns at a really low temperature. Anyways. Because we were talking about conversion. It is interesting that conversion is a real change. From one thing to another. Alcohol to water. It has certain ingredients. It takes time and energy and certain pushes and pulls. 

But the Spirit works the same way for us. It is changing us. Everyday there are things to do and ways to become. We just have to listen and act and rely on Him. 

I love you all! I am going to a zoo today. I have already been there before. But whatevs. It is Korea!

Keep me in your prayers!

Love,
Elder Renfroe

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Hello! (3 November 2014)

I wasn't able to write a big email yesterday because of a big meeting we have every month with all of the Zone Leaders. It was a really good meeting, but our P-day gets moved to Tuesday!

 

Anyways. Things are going well. I didn't lick any chicken this week, so no food poisoning anymore. But it is starting to get pretty chilly! At nights. Daytime is fine. Ha. 

 

Koreans are still Korean and they still speak Korean. I am really comfortable with Korean now. I don't worry about it really ever. But I still learn lots and have plenty to learn, of course. 

 

We have really hard investigators! They have a lot of potential, they just are people that will probably take a lot of time or people with complicated problems. But they really aren't that complicated, they are just missing a really basic principle or something. 

 

I don't know what else to write about... I am sure there was something interesting... It just all is the same to me at this point. Ha. 

 

I learn Chinese for an hour a day. I said that last week right? It is fun. Hahaha. 

 

This month we are focusing on the role of the Spirit in conversion. That is what we learned about at the meeting yesterday. It was really good. Something that stood out to me as I was thinking about our investigators is how concrete the promise is from Heavenly Father and the Holy Ghost. Through the Holy Ghost we may know the truth of all things. It is not that we can have an idea about the truth or be 50% on it or think we know something. But it is a concrete knowledge. God can impress truths upon the soul in such a way that we know. It isn't based on a word in a scripture or the reasoning of a certain preacher or idea, but it is a knowledge only God can give and no one can take away. It takes faith and trust, but He teaches us so that we know. Not so that we think. It isn't guesswork. 

 

I love you all! Keep me in your prayers!!

 

Love, 

Elder Renfroe

Hello! (26 October 2014)

Howdy, Me Fellers.

Sorry I got on so late today. We had a lunch with some Japanese people. Hahaha. I ate many things. Ha. But I also am recovering from food poisoning. I had the worst 6 hours of my life 2 days ago in the middle of the night. Don't worry. I am fine now, but I will tell you about it. 

It started around 10PM with some abdominal pain. It felt like a strong pressure and it would just pass. But it never did. And then I just threw up 8 times and laid coiled over in the bathroom for 6 hours. It was the worst pain I have ever felt. But I guess it makes a good story. I thought I was going to die. But don't worry. I was in contact with my mission president who is a general surgeon the whole time. So I wasn't actually going to die. But I was out for a while after that. That was my near death experience for the mission. I hope it is the last. I think it was my own fault. I think I got infected while cooking. I should stop licking the chicken before I cook it.

Also. I just reapplied to college. It made me so trunky! I just love college so much. And they have a new degree at UT that I am 77% done with. But it is actually more than that. I could be done in like 18 credit hours, I think. What the heck! But it will take longer depending on the minor I take. Anyways. I can deal with that later. 

What else happened this week? Our investigators are kinda butts lately. Hahaha. But they are fine at the same time. I just have to be patient. Also, I started learning Chinese because we have lots of Chinese people we are teaching and meet lots of Chinese people all the time. It is so hard. But Korean is still harder! Hahaha.

Lately I have been thinking about reality. And how written records and things in the past can seem less real sometimes. But they are just as real as the things happening in this current exact moment. The prophets lived and Christ lived. His suffering was real no matter how much we don't feel it in the current moment. But we can feel it. And that is the job of the Holy Ghost and our experiences. 

I love you all! Keep me in your prayers! 

Love, 

Renfroe Jangno

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Hello, Me Lovebuns. (19 October 2014)

Hello from Hangook. That is Korea in Korean. Ha.

This week was great. I got a new companion. His name is Elder Jared Thompson. He doesn't have a home because he has moved a lot in his life. But his family lives in Florida right now. He is pretty fun. We are having a good time. He is both slightly skinnier and taller than me. Ha. 

Apparently you can't wear green hats in China. It means your wife will have an affair. Ha. We learned that from our Chinese friend. Speaking of China, we had a miracle this week. We found a new investigator who has a baptismal date already. He is really great. He is from China and has always wanted to have a religion, but didn't really know where to start because there are so many. 

We taught lots of lessons this week. And had lots of fun. The weather is great and the leaves are starting to change colors! Yellow ginko leaves everywhere!

We had the primary program at church on Sunday. It was really cute. Little Korean kids. Hahaha. The cutest part was these three American kids in our ward that can speak Korean. When they spoke everyone was just like woooooooooo!!!!! It was adorable. They are so good at Korean. One of them is like 3. Hahaha. 

I have really been thinking about the Gift of the Spirit lately. It is such a gift! We are blessed so much by it. We can have the presence of God with us to confirm truths to our soul on a personal level. It is merely dependent upon our asking and our obedience. He is there. 

Anyways! I love you! Keep Praying for me. I pray for you everyday! 

Love, 

Elder Renfroe

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Hello! (12 October 2014)

This week was pretty crazy! But it was pretty good as well. 

Our investigator didn't get baptized yet. But I still think he will. He sent us a text that said "I want to be baptized."  But his back hurts a lot and he is having a really hard time right now, so It didn't work out this weekend. But hopefully sometime soon. 

We watched conference this last weekend and we had a little breakfast beforehand on Saturday morning. It was really good. I made a French toast casseroly thing and biscuits and sausage gravy, and lots of other stuff. An American guy in our ward provided many of the ingredients, but we prepared it all. It felt like America! Hahaha. 

Also, another one of our investigators took us out for dinner. It was really nice and filling. He bought us so much food! He is a really nice guy. His wife has passed away and his only daughter lives in France married to a Frenchman. We found out all of this at dinner. Ha. But he seems to be progressing very well, and has made some really good friends in the ward. 

My companion is being transferred and I am getting someone I already know and actually is already in the same area as me, he is just going to be my companion now. Ha. Anyways. His name is Elder Thompson. He is slightly taller than me, or the same height if I stand up correctly. Not sure which. Ha. And skinnier than me. These are his last two transfers, so if I am with him until he goes home, I will have 2 transfers left at that point. Ha. I have 24 weeks left! 

This morning I studied a few things, but something that stood out to me was a scripture in Matthew 11:28-30. Most people know it. But it gives instruction on how to find rest from our labors. Relief to those that are are heavy laden. I definitely feel that way sometimes. But His invitation is to take His yoke upon us. Take upon us His purposes and work with Him. I don't imagine that we would pull His yoke alone. But that He would be there with us. And we learn of Him. As we step side by side with the Savior and do what He would do. That is how we find rest from our labors and relieve our heavy burdens. We learn of Him. 

But anyways. I love you all! Keep me in your prayers!

Love, 

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Weeeeeeeeeek a lot. (5 October 2014)

Hello! This week was hectic! I hear that is what the cool kids are saying nowadays. Instead of saying crazy they say hectic. Is this true? Huh? 

We have three people with baptismal dates. One of them will hopefully get baptized this weekend. Maybe on Sunday after Conference. The other one is a funny Chinese man. Hahaha. He is kind of a pain. Ha. Very... Difficult. But who knows. The other one is this man that feels like all churches are fallen, so he is looking around. He is really good, and has been friend-shipped by the members a lot. So, that is great. 

We had a ward picnic that lasted for forever. Hahaha. And I talked to a guy that was from Israel. There is an Israeli Embassy here in Korea. He was super tall. And one of our members brought him to the picnic. It was him and his family. They kept speaking Hebrew to them. It was great! I should learn Hebrew. After I learn more German and Spanish and Japanese and Chinese. Hahaha. 

We had a guy that was meeting with us that was really good, but apparently we had the wrong phone number. So we weren't able to meet with him for like 3 weeks. But he called us randomly the other day. So that was our little miracle this week. I was pretty sad about that. But now we are back in contact. 

That has happened with 2 other people we were meeting with and they were actually really good too. But they just dropped off the face of the world. Sad. 

Anyways. One of the things I am definitely learning is perspective. There is so much more than just what we are doing right now. We are now in the temporary processes that we can't quite see the eternal end for. We are growing and developing under the hands of the Gardener. We can't see it now, but we can have faith in Him and trust Him. The very difficult things we are experiencing right now are the very things which help us to grow into who He wants us to be. 

Anyways. I love you! 

Keep me in your prayers!

Hello! (28 September 2014)

Sorry I didn't get to write anything last week! I didn't have much time and our email times have been really weird lately. Today I had to email really late because of a leadership meeting.

This week was kind of a hard week. But we got through it. We are still meeting with some good people and it has been good. 

We had a really good meeting today. We are focusing on the gospel of Jesus Christ this month. But specifically on enduring to the end. We talked about seeing the end from the beginning. It is a really interesting concept. And about feeling successful even if we don't see results. The medical advisor missionaries came and visited us from Tokyo. One of the sister's shared her conversion story. She met missionaries when she was 14. Before she met them for the first time, she remembers seeing the missionaries on the street before they entered her neighborhood and everyone hiding and acting like they weren't home. She would hide under the bed and in the closet or whatever. But one time she was home alone. And without even thinking, she went to the door. And she saw it was the missionaries. She paused in fear. Hahaha. They saw her and now she felt like she had to answer the door. Anyways she let them in and they taught her about the restoration of the church. She felt it was true and was excited to learn more. They agreed to meet again. But when her parents got home, she was all excited to tell them about the wonderful things she had learned. Her parents said... I hope you didn't invite them back. She lied and said she didn't. Fearing her parents would get upset. Anyways those missionaries did come back, but they weren't home. She never saw those missionaries again. She only met them for those 15 minutes. Doesn't remember their faces or names. They know nothing about what has happened in her life, that she was baptized 5 years later after asking her parents 5 times. But the point is this. We never know the end from the beginning. And we won't be able to. The important thing is not the results that we see. But simply the good that is done. 

We met a man that believes he is the Emperor of America. He is cray cray. He said he is the blood father of all LDS missionaries. He also wrote an epistle to our church saying that he wants to retranslate the Korean Bible and is planning to establish our church in North Korea. 

I also got spit on this week while I was running in the morning. But it was an accident. Ha. 

I met a Swiss German dude who is pretty sick. A Norwegian guy. A guy from the United Arab Eremites. I meet so many Muslims. They are such good people! And I also meet lots of Koreans. 

Anyways! I love you all! Keep me in your prayers! 

Love, 

Elder Renfroe