Elder Holland in South Korea

 

 Above is a picture of those that I came to the Stake Center with and a picture of the building itself.


I figure with this post I will also include my own testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the end.  For today was a great example of how amazing the Gospel really is.

I woke up at 6:30 AM to catch a ride at 7:30 AM with Sister McWiggins (the branch president's wife), their daughter, and the missionaries from Geoje.  We followed some other members from our little branch up to Masan and the stake center.  I remember sitting there talking with Sis. McWiggins and other members when a hush came over the crowd and we all stood for Elder Holland as he entered.  The spirit was very strong as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ walked into the room.

Before he spoke, the Stake President spoke, the mission President (President Jennings, father of the famed Jeopardy! star), and the 1st Counselor in the Area Presidency.  President Jennings surpirsed me when he started in Korean and then continued, very fluently.  I was hoping to understand a talk in english for a reprieve, but President Jennings has spent 17 years of his life in the country.


After Sis. Holland spoke, Elder Holland had previously asked for 2 testimonies of youth preparing for missions and then called 2 people out from the audience.  The Spirit really filled the room at that time.  The sister he called up from the audience on the spot spoke of how she had started to read Elder Holland's talks when she heard he would be coming.  The lessons she took away from the talks had changed her life and she prayed for an opportunity for someway to thank Elder Holland.  She had never met him before, and had never imagined the Lord would present such an opportunity where she could thank him from the pulpit.


Elder Holland then took the stand and delivered a simple but powerful testimony that I will summarize in some bullet points.  In general, his talk was to the youth of the Church, urging them to stay faithful:

• No one can rest in the Gospel, even if they deserve the break.  He shared how President Hinckley, someone who definitely had earned a break for his service in the Gospel, was conducting their special temple sacrament meeting on the Thursday before he passed away (on a Sunday).  We cannot rest until everyone has a testimony
• The Gospel is the only safe path in this world with strife all around.  (He referenced the North and South Korea conflict).
• He then made a statement that he repeated often during the talk "If you leave the Church, it is at your own peril!"
• He then asked the youth for a tithing of their life and asked them to pay it early in their lives.  For the ages of 12-22, dedicate it to the Lord and gaining a testimony.  For during those years, we will make or prepare to make every important decisions in our lives (education, friends, mission, dating/marriage, etc.), which in turn affect the rest of our lives.
• He stressed to the youth that during those years they will learn the Gospel is true.  But until they know it, to rely on the older members who do know.  And if they will tithe their life from 12-22, they will gain their own testimony.
• The future of the Church is in the hands of the youth and the decisions they will make in that decade of life

Last of all, he gave an Apostolic blessing to all present.  This was his blessing in general:

• A blessing to know that this is the True Church of Jesus Christ.  It will bring peace.
• The priesthood brethren was blessed so that we could be worth of said Priesthood and understand the power that we have to bless others; that we must bless others.
• Sisters were blessed to continue being the strength of this Church.  He stated that more sisters are baptized than men, more are active, more go to the temple, etc.
• Blessed all in attendance to be strong and faithful.
• Blessed the youth to be safe in the dangerous world and to be wise.
• All who were sick were blessed to recover and regain their health
• The lonely were blessed and reminded the Church can help fill that void.  That is why we are brothers and sisters
• God knows us individually and he knows our language
• Our only requirement to make this blessing come to pass is our love for God and our faithfulness
• His arms are always open

With that they ended the meeting.

I just want to say how amazing it was to see an Apostle.  I sat not 12 rows away from him.  I have not been that close to any other Apostle besides Elder Scott at the MTC when I shook his hand.  Elder Holland was very firm in telling the youth that to leave the Church now would be at their own peril, with echoes going to all members that life is perilous without the Gospel.

I can add my voice to his testimony.  Whenever I have the Gospel around me and a way to be active in the Church, I feel fulfilled and protected.  Despite not having a common language (yet) with some of the members, I know that we are brothers and sisters.  We would help each other despite not being familiar with one another.  That is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  To love one another and sometimes we must turn the other cheek.

I am thankful for the healing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  I think that I have usually viewed it as a way for me to repent and become clean, but through recent events of which some of you know the full details, I know that it can heal other wounds as well.  It is amazing what the Spirit can bring to our remembrance.  A quote that I heard while attending BYU continues to ring in my head, and thank you to whoever said it.  Little did they know that it would affect me years later.  The quote: "Hatred is a poison meant for someone else, but which we take ourselves." (Such feelings only ruin those who harbor them, the person they are for will never feel them.)  Whenever such feelings rear their head and begin to infuriate me, this quote comes to mind and I work to turn to the Lord to help me overcome those feelings.  I can promise that the Lord has helped me so much since coming to South Korea.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is God's true church on this earth and was restored through Joseph Smith.  The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ, and confirms with the Bible that Christ is our Savior.  I know that God will answer our prayers.  He answered mine in force before I came to Korea and continues to answer them.

I would be lost without the Gospel.  I would be lost without Jesus Christ.