My companions are freaks... Elder Skinner encounters Harmony-step!

Morning, afternoon, and brunch to all! How is everyone doing this wonderful Christmas season? Hopefully you all are doing great and remembering the true meaning of Christmas while experimenting with new gifts and shoving candy into your faces.

This week has been pretty great out in Korea! We've seen a lot of cool miracles, and had a few fun adventures as well.

To begin, this past Monday, I encountered a style of music I can only describe as "Harmony-step" (Harmony being the Korean word for grandmother) while we were shopping. It used usual harmony phrases and voices, mixed into an interesting dubstep song. Of course as a missionary I didn't listen to it, but I couldn't help but notice it.

Later on in the week we participated in three activities with our entire zone, using Christmas as a time to find people to teach. For Imun's activity, we wrapped up some Book of Mormon copies to give to people as Christmas presents, but we chose some interesting wrapping paper... We'll just conclude by saying that I never want to see another small green paper circle in my life. ^^

Seriously, though, all went well in those. We gave out lots of presents, and in addition we gave out Book of Mormon copies in three languages other than Korean; Chinese, Arabic, and Persian! We all saw lots of miracles from those activities.

Of course on Saturday I was able to Skype home and talk to family, which was obviously the best part of the week! I've forgotten a bit of my technology knowledge, but not all of it! We figured it out!

As for the title, we had an interesting experience with our roommates yesterday... They could hear my companion whispering to them across the apartment, when I (sitting in the same room as him) could barely hear him. We're pretty sure our roommates are aliens or something, but at least I don't think they're here to invade... haha!

As for people to meet this week, we met with a few awesome people! First off was Tony, a teacher at the foreign language university from Hawaii. He has no religion, but is interested in learning about ours after we taught him about the First Vision and the Restoration on the street. This week we met with him and talked about missionary work in general, as we didn't have a lot of time to go into a full lesson, but it was still good and he is willing to hear the discussions, and he took a Book of Mormon to read.

Next was Brother Beck. He's an older Korean man, who likes us and likes meeting with us, but is sometimes hard to understand (he speaks hard Korean!). We love him anyway though, and this week we taught him the Plan of Salvation.

Finally we met with Brother Yang. You know brother Yang, but this time we gave him a new Baptismal date for the 10th, and we're going to really push for him to be baptized then. He's still progressing, and he has the desire to be baptized, and we know it can bless his life!

During proselyting we met some interesting people. First was a cool homeless guy who asked us about our church, how he can receive salvation, and about Baptism. He wants to be baptized! We invited him to church and shared with him the chapters in Alma where he talks to those who have been "humbled by their afflictions", and we know that it can help him a lot.

I know this is a long email but it's almost done! I want to end off this week by sharing a spiritual thought through my favourite Christmas hymn! It's a bit of an unorthodox one, but I really like "Come, O Thou King of Kings". Every time I hear this song I'm reminded of the Saviour's sacrifice for us and what it means for us that He was born. It more specifically talks about His second coming, but I feel it applies to His birth as well.

Love you all, wishing you all the best of luck from Korea!

~Elder Skinner [?]

서울시 종로구 자하문로 152 1동

서울 선교부

Seoul-Si Jongno-Gu Jihamun-Ro 152 1-Dong

Seoul Mission

Nov. 22 Beyond Infinity! Elder Skinner and Tommy Choi!

Good afternoon, my subjects! XD How are you all doing this wonderful day?

This week's been pretty busy on our end! Weather's been going between just a suit to suit and sweater to suit, sweater, and rain coat the past couple weeks so hopefully it'll settle down a bit, even if it does mean it's cold. I quite enjoy the cold, honestly.

Plus, we had a performance to practice for this Saturday, so we had to set aside some time for that. Co-ordinating schedules between three missionaries enough to practice for a musical performance is quite the hassle at times, but we managed to (barely) put it together and deliver a (somewhat) good performance. Everyone tells us we did super good but I'm not sure I believe them yet.

A little earlier on in the week, on Tuesday, Elder Wyckoff feels the spirit and he takes us down a bunch of little side roads, knocking on a couple doors and talking to everyone we can, and just as we're about to finish up and head to District Meeting, we meet a cool kid named Tommy Choi. We haven't got a hold of him yet but he seemed super interested and now we know that going by the Spirit doesn't fail!

On Wednesday we made some Kimchi... And by 'some' I mean 'enough to fill a parking lot'. I didn't 'make' the Kimchi, per se, but I did do some of the heavy lifting (you know how I love heavy lifting), and there was a lot of Kimchi to be lifted.

 

As for investigators, it looks like we'll be pushing back Brother Yang (Our investigator with a baptismal date)'s Baptism for a couple weeks. He just doesn't seem ready to make and keep the covenants associated with baptism. He's still willing to make that step, though!

We haven't met with Yi since last week, but we're gonna call him and reschedule something.

No new investigators of note this week, but we've also been running around between other appointments. This week's looking good, though! I've gotta head out but I love you all! This week I'm studying faith, so please send me your insights! I really like Elder Rasband's talk this last conference about centering our lives on Christ, and
it's something I'm going to especially focus on this week. Have a wonderful week, everybody!

~Elder Skinner of Star Command 

Nov. 15 Happy Peppero day!

Morning everyone! Elder Skinner coming to you LIVE from a PC room in Seoul, South Korea! Brought to you by the Book of Mormon, bringing only the best tunes to bring the spirit into your workday!

This week's been pretty good for us out here in Imun, but I'll be honest not a lot happened. Just warning you cause this email's gonna be a short one!

We met with one investigator this week though! His name is Yi (like a lot of other Koreans) but he's meeting with us to learn English and the Gospel. He's super shy, so we don't actually know his true level of interest, but he's still meeting with us so I guess it can't be that bad?

And of course, this Wednesday was Peppero day! It's a major holiday in Korea where people buy Peppero!... And that's it. but it's awesome! ^^

This week I've been thinking a lot about desire and drive to work... Today especially I found a lot of good scriptures that prove that the Lord is in this work and driving it forward! One I'd like to share is Zechariah 1: 14, and Mosiah 28:3

This next week is gonna be exciting, though, and I promise a better email then! For now, though, here's a picture and until next week,

~Elder Skinner 

(This is the building in which Hangul, the Korean Alphabet, was developed!)

 

 

Come, O thou King of Kings! Elder Skinner gets into the Christmas Spirit!

...Okay, I know it's not technically a Christmas song, but I like it anyway!

This week, the Christmas spirit has been very apparent in the mission, as now missionaries are willing to sing Christmas hymns and the church has just today released the "A Saviour is Born" program, so for the next 26 days, Christmas Spirit will abound!

Plus, out here in Korea, the weather just turned on the AC! It's cold out here! I'll attach a picture of me in my full getup for this week!

This week's been pretty normal, but there are a few things I'd like to share about.

On Friday we met a guy who isn't interested in religion at all, but wanted to meet with us just cause. But wouldn't you know it, the Book of Mormon answers all of his questions and concerns about religion and he wants to know more about what we teach. It's almost like the Gospel is true or something!

This Thanksgiving in Korea, as missionaries we ate a heaping Thanksgiving meal of... Pizza! It was delicious, but not anywhere near the good stuff I'm sure you all ate and gave thanks for.

I'm thankful this week for the perspective of the Gospel! That's helped me a lot through recent times, just recognizing that there is an eternal plan for us, and that the work WILL move forward!

To close out, here's a verse I've been studying, in Ezekiel 34:12;

As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek

out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

I took that verse two different ways this week... as the shepherd, and as the sheep. It's interesting to think that as missionaries, and as members generally, we are at times shepherds searching out the flock, and other times sheep in need of rescue. I can think of distinct moments on my mission where I've felt like I was both at one time or another. Brothers and Sisters, the Gospel is true, and we do have a Saviour!

I hope you all have a wonderful week. Best of luck to all my friends in Christ Jesus,

~Elder Skinner

Out of all the students in the world, he might just be the busiest... Elder Skinner turns 1!

Hello everyone! I don't have a lot of time and my keyboard is having some trouble typing so I'm gonna just send out a quick email this week!

This week has been pretty good, contributing slightly to the fact is this past week was my mission hump day! On November 5th last year I entered the MTC! We celebrated by going to a theme restaurant called Chicken Toilet! We get fed chicken out of toilets! That was lots of fun.

 

This week we meet a ton of cool people, including but not limited to a music kid who likes to sing Gospel, a kid who wants to learn English, and others!

Also this week one of our investigators decided to get baptized! He's been taught everything but has some other issues to work through, so we set a date for the 6th of December. He's super sincere though and we have faith that he'll be able to make that date!

This week also I passed a Korean language test, got visited by President, ate dinner with an investigator who's pretty cool, and of course traveled thee entire area!

I love you all! Super sorry for the short email, but I'll make up for it next week! This week's ponderizer is Romans 9:38-39!

~Elder Skinner 

Our bus driver is definitely Crazy... Elder Skinner wanders around Imun! Nov. 1

Hello everyone, and welcome to another episode of Elder Skinner's uninteresting adventures, starring Elder Skinner!

I'm not proud in my heart, I swear.

This week I got transferred! On Wednesday

we went down to the Mission Office (where transfers would be held) for Elder Bybee's final interview, and we decided to take the bus there rather than taking the train as we normally do. That turned out to be a bad idea, as it took nearly twice as long, (we also had to carry some luggage) and our bus driver was quite the crazy driver! It was kind of scary!

Then we transferred, and my new area is smaller than I thought it would be... We can literally walk around our area in a big circle once in a normal day (assuming no appointments)! It's a lot of city, but not quite the same city as Shinchon or even Guri... I guess it's kind of a smaller city sort of feel, a little bit more compact, maybe. Plus there are 7 universities within our area, a few of them being pretty big.

New companion's name is Elder Wyckoff, from Orem. He's in the same MTC group as Elder Bluhm (about 4 or 5 months ahead of me), and he's a fun Elder to serve with. He's energetic and really gets involved in things. He's a nerd like I am but he just doesn't express it as openly. XD

New apartment is bigger than my old one but still not quite the size of the ones before that. Not too much special about it, except for the other Elders living there... I'm with Elder Seely, from the MTC! He's finishing training a new missionary (also from Utah) who I don't know as well but seems cool.

The branch out here is super cool so far... It's about twice the size of Gangneung but still only half the size of Gyomun (Guri) or Shinchon... We're gonna make it a ward while we're here. ;)

But that's about it for this week... I've attached a picture of me and Elder Wyckoff being awesome, but that's about it for events this week.

This week's scripture is my Ponderizer for this week, Alma 30:41. It reads like this:

41 But, behold, I have all things as a testimony that these things are true; and ye also have all things as a testimony unto you that they are true; and will ye deny them? Believest thou that these things are true?

This scripture is a good reminder that we have a stronger testimony than sometimes we think we do. Just remember the basics and you can see yourself as God does- a person with a lot of potential! Have a wonderful week, everyone, and as always, Let us All press on!

~Elder Skinner

It's a wonderful day in the neighbourhood... Elder Skinner and the Awesome Investigator! Oct. 25

Good morning to all who roam the earth! I had prepared a video for this week's email but it's too big to send so we'll have to find some other way to watch it.

For now, though, I'm still in Korea and this week, as usual, has been awesome.

This Monday we went on quite the adventure up to Uijeongbu (의정부) to get some cheap, custom-tailored suits up there for my companion and our roommate, Elder Sullivan. 100% custom, delivered to our house, all for about $150. Pretty nice deal, I think, but I didn't get one this time around. Next time, maybe.

Also had interviews with President this week. Just some 'how are you doing' questions mostly, some advice on missionary work.

This past Saturday we met a potential investigator named Yu, and as it turns out, he knows where the church is, has taken all the discussions, and read the entire Book of Mormon. He's been busy lately because his father is in a hospital 2 hours away and goes down there whenever he's not working (also quite a distance away). He lives in our area though, so we were able to meet him for a little bit and discuss some of this. He's super cool.

Also on Saturday we got transfer calls... You all knew my companion would be going home, but guess what?

...No guess again.

...Okay, fine, I'll just tell you. I'm getting transferred! Even though I've only been here for 6 weeks! I'll be going to Imun (이문). It's the smallest area in the entire mission. O.o

So next week's email will come from Imun. Until then, here's a scripture I found lately that I've enjoyed...  It's Isaiah 61: 1-3.

 1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek;he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

 3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

This scripture, to me, means that not only through the Atonement of Christ can we be released from bonds of sin and death, but also reminds me of just how much good we as individuals can do, as well as as a church. Think about the service of the Humanitarian program, the way Fast Offerings are given, and even just how much good we can make in the lives of those we meet personally. This is our mission in our lives- to do good, and to proclaim the Acceptable Year of the Lord.

Love you all, hope you all have a wonderful week, and as always, DFTBA!

~Elder Skinner

Korea Seoul ("Best") Mission