Tuesday, April 23, 2013

And you thought Korea was dangerous...


Hey President!!
Wow, what a week! So many miracles to be spoken of this week. It really was incredible! This week felt so unreal! I spent a lot of my study this week preparing for District meeting and investigators. In preparing for district meeting, and preparing my training, I came to train on a principle, that I certainly was far from the best about actually. It has really helped our 전도 in the past few days, and has helped the blessings flow. I used to spend a long time waiting for an in to the gospel while BRTing, but it occurred to me that people will recognize us regardless of our BRT skills. It helped so much! It was an awesome experience.
Elder Mumford continues to excel as a missionary. His Korean in particular is taking bounds right now I feel like, as well as his teaching skills. I anticipate it won't be long before he's in the situation that I am in right now as a trainer. Such an awesome missionary, and is truly a blessing to work with.
Over the week, we had invited 5 people to attend sacrament meeting, but unfortunately only one of them could make it yesterday. The one who did is just a super awesome guy. He wants to be a really good person, and acts upon that desire. He is just the kind of person where you feel like the church is perfect for him to help meet his desires to be a good person.
The miracle that I would like to outline this week is the fact that we found 4 new investigators, after realizing, that there were investigators who were not progressing, and they needed to be dropped. It was incredible because we went from one or two investigators with okay potential, to 6 solid investigators, in a span of about 4 days.
Thanks for everything president! My mom told me that she sent you some pictures. I hope you enjoy them!
-Elder Clawson
Hey Everyone!!!!!
So many fun experiences this week!  None like last time where I accidently lead my companion outside of the mission boundaries, but still a good week nonetheless.  I don't know if I will have the same typical sass and silliness that accompanies my normal letters, but hey thats okay.
So this week was super awesome!  I feel like as a district leader I'm somewhat obliged to report on my district, so here we go.  Well first off there are 4 companionships in my district and it's super awesome!  One of them is sisters, another is kinda way far away from everyone else, and then there's us and the zone leaders.  The sisters had been having a hard time finding investigators, so the zone leaders and I decided that we needed to make an effort to help them to find some.  Apparently it worked because they got 6 referrals from various sources including other missionaries, and picked up 2 new investigators, and 2 new baptismal dates!  I was so happy for them when I found that out!  Legitimately one of the cool experiences to have seen as a zone leader.  We do a bunch of combined finding activities, and we've been trying to focus them in the sisters area.  Apparently it's working out!!  Soooo cool!!!!!
This week was actually an awesome week for the whole district.  We found a total of like 10 investigators!  it was so awesome to see as a leader and get to show to the zone leaders.  When things are going well in your district, it is so nice to be a district leader!  I like seeing my own investigators progress too, but as their leader, it's almost like seeing my investigators progress so who cares haha.
So this week has been kind of scary in that we rand out of copies of the Book of Mormon on like tuesday.  We have nothing to work with!!!  We're down to our last copy for both us and the zone leaders!  It's crazy!!!!  It was funny though, we would just find copies laying around the church and I swear  every single one that we found was a huge miracle!!  That happened, and then last night, we ran out of contact cards too!  We have nothing to work with!!!  It makes it really hard to get people to remember us as much as when we actually have stuff to give them.  Regardless, we're supposed to get BoMs in the next couple days or so, and then contact cards soon after.  We are in desperate need!!!!
Oh yeah, Kevin Beck!!! Congrats on being married!!!!  I have a few pictures, but it looks like it was an awesome experience!  Unfortunately, my companion thinks that you are not marrying into his family, so that's a loss, but nonetheless, congratulations!  I heard there were cut outs of Tyler, which is obviously the way to go!  Maybe me and Tyler could have a little hang out sesh in cardboard form.  That'd be pretty rad hahaha.
When we were contacting this week, there was this man that I met on a bus, and I'm pretty sure that he kinda wanted to talk to me because when he saw me standing he pulled out his bible.  Anyways, in the conversation, I found out that he's a theology student, and therein knows the bible really well (or the book of Revelations, I swear that's the only thing they study in this country), and was actually a little bit more well versed in his thoughts with regard to the Book of Mormon.  It was interesting because we were on exchanges, and I finished the conversation and such, and it ended in a good place, but then my companion for the moment thought he needed to kinda add insight, and then the guy said something that stumped him, and kinda killed the feeling it was left with.  I guess that could have been my fault because the opportunity was there maybe because I forgot to say something that was necessary, or missed a prompting, but nonetheless, it was disappointing.  Super cool guy though!
That same day though, we met another guy on the bus.  There's this quote in PMG that says "Those who are prepared will recognize you as servants of the Lord".  Prophecy came true that day!!!!!  So awesome, this guy immediately just was super receptive to us, and wanted to meet.  He was busy then so we set an appointment for the next day.  When we met him, he brought a friend of his who was a theology student, and she was super nice too!  They were both awesome and super receptive to our message!  Unfortunately, as a result of the prior mentioned issue of insufficient quantities of copis of the Book of Mormon, we only had one copy.  We gave it to the young man, but hopefully we can share one with her when we meet in the future.  Also he bought us food!  That's always nice.
Well, I seem to be running out of time, so I will finish this up real quick!  It's really been incredible to see all these things come together so fast!  Just keep working hard even through trials (my neck was super painful last week, but it's all good now!!!) and you'll see the blessings come!  Summer is approaching fast, and I'm not too excited for what that brings with regards to weather, but it's a new season, with new opportunities!
Also, sorry to end on a sad note, but I did hear about the terrorist attacks, but I didn't know they were in Boston until just now.  That trule is a frightening experience, but the stories from the other missionaries are so incredible.  The Lord will protect us if we need protecting!
I love you all and stay safe!!!
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It's hard to understand President Monson's jokes in Korean




Hey President!
Lot's of things happened this week and Conference was awesome as ever! I missed out on a little bit due to helping the zone leaders get their investigators involved, but that's just fine. For study this week I focused on my training, and then on investigators. The training was interesting because I feel like I wasn't sharing anything remotely new, but everyone said they liked it so that was cool. What I studied for our investigators never really came into application because they either didn't meet, or the lessons didn't go as planned, but that is okay.
I still claim that Elder Mumford is indeed training me and I am the one who should be thankful and am very thankful for him. I swear the only thing that he needs me for is the language (which he hardly does need me for sometimes) and minor cultural things. It is a pleasure to serve around someone so diligent as him.
One of the investigators we have right now is an incredible man, who is probably one of the nicest men I have ever met. He has one of the most genuine desires to learn, and really is willing to put whatever we say to the test through prayer and study of the Book of Mormon. An incredibly easy investigator to love to say the least.
A recurring miracle that we seem to happen upon is just the opportunities we get to talk to people, and how all the timing lines up perfectly so that we get to see them at just the right time, where we have an opportunity to start a conversation in the manner that will help them recognize us as servants of the lord.
Have a great week!
Elder Clawson
Hey Everybody!!!!
So I'm not sure if you're aware but in Korea we watch conference the week after it has been recorded, so I just recently got to watch it yesterday and saturday.  SOOOOOOOO AWWWWWEEEESSSSSSOOOOOMMMMMMMEEEE!  Now that overzealousness has taken its entire role with regard to capital letters and redudancy, yes it was awesome.  I didn't get to watch/understand all of it due to time spent watching it in Korean, and time spent looking for investigators, but the parts of it that I did get to watch were incredible, as were the parts I didn't,  I'm just not totally sure why yet hahaha.
So there have been lots of fun experiences this week.  One of the better ones was my accidental journey out of the mission into the 대전 (dae-jeon) mission.  I'm sorry brother Lanier, I didn't mean to impede on your stomping grounds.  So we were intending to go to district meeting, and so we went to the train station.  On bigger subway lines, there are what are called rapids, and if you get on one, it skips a bunch of stops and brings you to a destination in quicker time than otherwise would occur.  We got on a train, that apparently was a rapid, however, it skipped all the stops that would leave us in our mission, and went like three train stops into the other mission.  Don't worry I called president, and he said it was okay and an honest mistake.  It most certainly was scary though.  We made it back in time for district meeting though, and all was well.
At district meeting, I gave my first training as a district leader.  Boy was that stressful.  I cannot begin to express to you how weird it feels when the balance of the missionaries in the room are older than you, and you're supposed to be training them.  Certainly a new experience.
Another fun story, the other day, we ran into a pastor for another church.  He pretty much just yelled at me for like ten minutes.  My companion tried talking to him, and then the guy started calling us a cult (not that strange by the way) and proceeded to try and make me look stupid in front of everyone that was around.  I have found that when you are speaking with someone who needs to hear about the gospel, and the words they are saying are important, the spirit will make sure you understand.  With this guy it was the total opposite.  He had no interest in what we were trying to share, so the spirit may have impaired my understanding, as well as my companion's, of what he was trying to say, to preserve us.  I legitimately tried everything that you're supposed to do in PMG, testify, talk about how you don't want to argue and what not, but he was still just as rude and incosiderate.  My companion told me after, that he could see the discomfort on our behalf in the people around us.  I'm just glad that this man was young enough to still have an opportunity to be helped by other more capable servants than myself.
While that was a fun (and by fun I mean not remotely fun) experience, it was not the highlight of my week.  The investigator I talked about in my email to president came to our appointment, and he's a super busy dude, but he'd already read like halfway through first nephi I think.  He wasn't specific, but he said that he wants to finish all of 1st Nephi before our next appointment.  Sooooooo nice of a man.  I cannot begin to express the love I feel for this man, and how badly I want to help him to understand the love that God feels for him, and that he can feel in return.  I think he may be the first investigator that I have had this sort of a connection with, and it makes me feel somewhat bad for my other investigators.
Right now we have to go, because my companion is like 6 foot 10 foot 4, we have to go places far away to find him a suit, but that's okay, because he needs one so we will do it!
One last thing, one thing that I got a whole bunch of out of conference, is that the lord prepares paths for the prepared to find his church not just through those who are full time missionaries, but for all members!  Make sure you look for those opportunities, so that you can feel that joy that comes with the work of the Lord!
Have a great week!
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I am one third of the way through my mission... what the?...


Hey President!
Well, to say the least this week has been a lot better than the last. Elder Mumford and I are starting to get along super well, and it's a great time to serve around him, as well as the zone leaders. It's really fun and training still feels like I'm learning from him more than he is learning from me, but I feel like we're doing a good job furthering the work.
For study this week I've begun to prepare for my first training as a district leader, and it's pretty cool. I decided I'm kind of basing my training off of the story of Jonah. I feel like there is a lot to pull from there, and that there is a lot of opportunity to help inspire the district as well. To the best of my knowledge the spirit agrees too.
Last night, we met with that same investigator that I talked about last week and it went pretty well. We tried to give him a baptismal date and he accepted, but his mom called right after the lesson, and he asked her about it, and she said no. We intend to meet her sometime soon this week, and talk to her and explain a little more in depth what we are doing.
That investigator we met last night actually came to church yesterday too, and was a lot more into it than I would have expected of him. We had challenged him like a week and a half earlier, and he said he couldn't come last week, but would come yesterday. It was super cool to see him come out to church to be enlightened by the doctrine.
Thanks for everything President! It was great talking with you on Saturday!
-Elder Clawson
Hello everybody!!!
First off, I would like to tell everyone that the issues with North Korea are taken substantially more seriously in America than they are in Korea apparently,because if you asked virtually any three people about it, they would all say it doesn't matter pretty much.  There's the occasional few who worry, but typically no one really does.  It's okay though, I promise!  Our mission president promised us that there wouldn't be any problems that affected us.  It's kinda just how North Korea gets attention so that people will come and help them when they need it.
Well outside of that sort of news, this week has been super good!  I have started to get along with my companion super well.  We legitimately spend the balance of the time around each other laughing or if it's not appropriate, we don't but yes, we have lot's of fun.  He's a stinking workaholic, and it's such a blessing to be able to serve around someone that has such a desire to work and further the kingdom of heaven.  I'll be honest, he's a way harder worker than I am, and it makes me feel good that it's rubbing back onto me.
Holy cow, with regards to the being a third of the way through my mission, it doesn't feel remotely like it at all!  It's crazy!  I swear the last two transfers felt super long while they were happening but, it wan't that bad really.  Time is such a strange thing in that regard.  I wish I could get a lot of it back!  It's so sad!
Oh yeah!  A couple nights ago, me and my companion cut each other's hair!  Legitimately one of the most entertaining experiences of my entire life.  He did a super good job on my hair, having never cut the hair of another person before in his life, and I did okay on him, but he rocks it super well.  Also I've never cut anyone elses hair in my life either.  Everyone should experience that at least once.  Soooooooo entertaining.
I'll have to apologize for the lack of awesome Korean knowledge to give you in the future, just because we end up being so busy that it's hard to find the right things to share but today I'll share something valuable
북한 (buk-han) pretty easy to pronounce, and it's how you say North Korea in Korean!!  Its exactly the same literal translation too.
Future Elders Kayvon Aussef and Kyle Beck, that's so sick about your calls!  I know both of them are going to be super awesome! If you are ever skeptical, don't be, the work is awesome everywhere.  If any of you prospective missionaries have questions about things that you think I can answer, shoot me an email and I'll do the best I can to answer!  Things are different everywhere, but the same too, so there's always wisdom to be learned I suppose!
I think I have not much time left, we're not sure because we did a bad job at remembering what time we got on, and my companion still has to write president, but I think I will leave you with a little bit about what I plan on training about as district leader.  In Jonah's story, he doesn't even try to go to ninevah at first.  He just runs away immediately.  You never know what kind of success you can have until you try.  Once he finally goes to Ninevah, pretty much everyone there repents.  You never know until you try.
Bye!!!
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Letter from the Embassy

Scott is in the very far left of the picture, he still looks the same!  Also we got a letter from the Embassy. Scott's mother has been very proactive in knowing how safe Elder Clawson is. There are not enough miles between bombs and his body. All is well though, as we know now. PS Sorry for being kinda slow the last couple weeks. I have been appropriately chastised for failing at putting up his letters... He should just do it himself ;-)


A Security Message for U.S. Citizens
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US Embassy - Seoul
The U.S. Embassy informs U.S. citizens that despite current political tensions with North Korea there is no specific information to suggest there are imminent threats to U.S. citizens or facilities in the Republic of Korea (ROK). The Embassy has not changed
10:06 AM
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https://owa.ldschurch.org/owa/14.1.355.2/themes/resources/clear1x1.gifUS Embassy - Seoul [seoul_acs@state.gov]
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To:
M
https://owa.ldschurch.org/owa/14.1.355.2/themes/resources/clear1x1.gifKorea Seoul Mission
Friday, April 05, 2013 10:06 AM
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Retention Policy: Inbox Retention Policy (3 Months) Expires: 2013-07-24
The U.S. Embassy informs U.S. citizens that despite current political tensions with North Korea there is no specific information to suggest there are imminent threats to U.S. citizens or facilities in the Republic of Korea (ROK). The Embassy has not changed its security posture and we have not recommended that U.S. citizens who reside in, or plan to visit, the Republic of Korea take special security precautions at this time. The U.S. Embassy takes as its highest priority the welfare of American citizens in Korea. Should the security situation change, the Embassy will issue updated information.

We urge U.S. citizens to keep in regular contact with family and friends. U.S. citizens living or traveling abroad are encouraged to enroll in the Department of State's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), to receive the latest travel updates and information and to obtain updated information on travel and security issues. We encourage you to read the Emergency Preparedness Section of the Embassy website. You can also get global updates at the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs website where you can find the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Warning, Travel Alert, and Country Specific Information. Follow us on Twitter and the ACS Seoul page on Facebook as well, or you can download our free Smart Traveler App, available through iTunes and the Android marketplace to have travel information at your fingertips. U.S. citizens without Internet access may register directly with the appropriate U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, U.S. citizens make
it easier for the U.S. Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency.
Travel information is also available at
http://travel.state.gov/. Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1-888-407-4747 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlighting toll-free in the United States and Canada or, for callers outside the United States and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Monday through Friday, Eastern Time (except U.S. federal holidays).
For information on "What the Department of State Can and Can't Do in a Crisis," please visit the Bureau of Consular Affairs' website at
http://travel.state.gov/. For further information on specific countries, U.S. citizens should consult the Country Specific Information pages, Travel Alerts, and Travel Warnings at http://travel.state.gov/ as well as the Worldwide Caution. Follow us on Twitter and the Bureau of Consular Affairs' page on Facebook as well.

Embassy Contact Information
American Citizen Services
U.S. Embassy Seoul
188, Sejongdae-ro, Jongno-gu
Seoul 110-710, Korea
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American Citizen Services
U.S. Embassy, Seoul
Unit #9600
DPO AP 96209
Tel: 02-397-4040 (Passport Inquiry line)
Tel: 02-397-4114 (All other services)
Fax: 02-397-4080
DSN: 721-4114
English:
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E-mail: seoulinfoacs@state.gov

Murphe Choe



We aren't sure exactly what all this means, but it's likely funny...

Monday, April 1, 2013

You tremble little lion man...

So there was this one time when Scott was a small child & he was taking the standardized testing & scored in the 97th percentile. Mom explained that out of 100 kids he scored better than 96 of them! He, rather than being excited, was slightly put out at scoring poorer that 3. This is the child who is a trainer & District Leader in his 5th transfer. He is truly an example of what hard work can do for you. 


Hey President!
Well, I would like to start this letter the same way as the rest of my letters, but It would be somewhat of a fabrication, It's been pretty tough, but thats how we grow! So Thursday I started to get sick and my whole body was achey, but Elder Mumford wanted to get some proselyting done, so I just kinda bore through it and we made some contacts. That young man is the man as far as desire goes. I feel like I'm not training him so much as he is training me.
Study this week has pertained mostly to our investigators so that we could try and more effectively reach them. They aren't many, but with the desire that Elder Mumford has and is instilling upon me, that shouldn't be the case for very long.
This one investigator we have is a young man, about 15, and has had quite a tough life experience from what I understand. We meet him twice a week, and I think we made some headway with him this week, in talking about his potential for happiness and constant improvement. I think it really struck a chord with him, and that he may have more interest with us beyond just friendliness, well and the fact that I play guitar. He really likes that too haha.
Something cool that happened this week came up last night. We were out 전도ing, kinda just looking for a good cross walk, and I felt like we should go this way that had no one on the whole street. We never saw anyone in front of us, but this man that came up behind us was a super nice guy. Unfortunately he doesn't have a phone and is kinda busy, but he seemed interested and that he might want to meet! Super cool experience.
Have a great week and see you friday!
-Elder Clawson


Hey Everybody!!!
Does anyone get the joke with the subject line yet?!?!  First one to get it gets a cyber high five!  Well not really cause I am too stubborn to not acknolwedge the joke myself and it's funniness.  That is a lyric from a song written by a band whose name contains my companions last name!!!!  Yes, you guess it my companion's last name is "And".  Just kidding it's "Sons".  But really his last name is Mumford.  So seriously now, my new companion is Elder Mumford.  That is the second joke I have made about his last name, that no one will get and will probably blow over and make no sense whatsoever.  Such is life as a missionary trying to be funny and failing miserably.
Well, this week has been kinda hectic in all honesty.  So much going on, and yet nothing going on at the same time.  So I didn't mention this in my last email, but in addition to training a new missionary, I am also District Leader.  So in conjunction with becoming a senior companion and a trainer at the same time, I also became the district leader.  How stressful do you think that is?  To answer for you, the answer is very.  I've never really been stressed before though, so it should be good for me.  I haven't really done much lately, but it will all come in good time.  What the heck is president thinking putting someone whos in their 5th transfer in this kind of a position?  I'm sure he's right haha
Anyways, about my companion, he's from Bellingham Washington, which according to my previous companion, has nothing there.  Apparently it has something there, namely my companion, well I guess he used to be there, so now there could be nothing...  who knows...  He's 6'4, which continues the trend of all of my companions being taller than me -_-  I don't like this trend...  It upsets me.  I'm not even that short!!! What the heck is going on man.  He was a drummer and liked to snow ski a lot before his mission, so we have some things in common already!  Super fun
Well this week we had most all of our teaching appointments fall through which was wonderful, considering my slight sickness.  We had one appointment that went how I wanted it to.  It was this young man who likes to kinda just hang out with us, so we do that for 30 minutes, and then the gospel for 30  minutes or more.  This week he brought an electric guitar, and that was fun for me.  He wanted me to learn this song he wanted to play, I think I played it right, not 100% on that one, but fortunately he was impressed to my understanding.  That led to him taking us seriously for our lesson and I think we really left him with something that we enjoyed.
One bit of sad news from this week is that my recent convert from my last area, who has been begging me to put his name in my email cause he stalks my blog, is going to basic training for 군대 this week.  That's the mandatory miltary service that Korean young men have to do.  Well it's a stretch calling his service military because he'll be working at a zoo for two years, and not doing the typical military service haha.  Murphy, I hope I did a good enough job acknowledging your existence this week.  Have fun at training and the zoo, and I'll see you tommorow.
yesterday we went to this meal that was at a member from english class's house.  First off the house was super nice, and super clean, which isn't super common in Korea, and it was a baby's first birthday party too!  First birthdays are a huge thing in Korea, and this was no exception.  SOOOOOOO much food, and cake that actually tasted like cake and not just a pile of butter.  That was super cool, though not the best food I've had in Korea.  It was good though, no question abou that.
Well I'm running out of time, so I'll have to close this up.  Last week my parents sent me a letter with a spiritual thought from some big name in the church, can't remember exactly who it is, but it was awesome none the less.  It said that you are never given anything that you are not ready for.  Despite my best efforts, that seems to be true today too!  I'm learning that in spades!  Well have a good week, and hey, if you wish to email me, my email is clawson.scott@myldsmail.net   hint hint...
bye love you all!
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