Week 35 March 9, 2015 "Miracle on my way to Zone training"

Last P-Day my companion and I had quite the adventure trying to find a Costco we had never been to before. We got a little lost... First off the Costco was out in the middle of nowhere and I mean who puts a Costco out so for with like no bus stops close by. We got there and had to walk a bit to the Costco then when we were going home we couldn't find a bus stop that would take us back towards our house. At this time I had a huge box of groceries I was trying to carrying around so let me tell you it was not the funnest time. We finally found a bus stop and were able to go home so most likely we will not be going out to that Costco ever again. 

     This week we had Zone training and it was my first one here in Gangseo Zone. I was blessed with quite the miracle on my way to Zone training. We had to take two different buses to get to Whagok and one the second bus is where the miracle happened. I got on the bus and noticed there was a seat next to this man who looked to be around college age. I asked him if I could sit there and he said yes so I sat down next to him. After a minute or two I started talking to him and we got a pretty good conversation going. I told him that I was a missionary and my purpose of being here in Korea. He was really nice and accepting to all that I had to say. He even asked me some questions that I was able to answer. I mean I probably didn't answer them that well with the Korean level that I am at but I tried. I stumbled quite a bit on what to say but managed to get through and complete all of my sentences. I am not fluent that's for sure but I definitely felt the spirit and it helped me say what I needed to. I taught him about the Book of Mormon and pretty much ended up teaching the whole first lesson to him. It was about time to get off the bus and I felt impressed to offer him my Book of Mormon so I did and he accepted it! It was the coolest thing someone actually took a Book of Mormon. That for sure doesn't happen too often here so it was really cool. I gave him my name card and committed him to read the Introduction. I am not sure if he will call me back or not but the important thing is that I tried and did the very most I could do at the time. If the Lord is ready for that man to hear the gospel I know he will call me. A lot of times we have to just put our faith in the Lord and let him do the rest. Who knows maybe that man will not call me but 10 years in the future he will call some missionary and be ready to accept the gospel. This experience has taught me the huge importance it is that you just simply open your mouth. That very thing is extremely hard on missions and in life when talking to a stranger but I truly can feel a difference at the times I opened my mouth. I have always loved to talk to people but that doesn't mean for me it is easy to open my mouth sometimes. I just know that everyone needs to hear this gospel so I try as hard as I can to speak to everyone. Don't get me wrong there are some days in fact a lot of days where I just don't talk to people but those days always turn out to be not very happy ones. Not saying just talking makes you happy but talking about the gospel DOES! 

    Since my companion is DL I had to go to some super long 3 hour meeting for all the DL's in the mission. I wasn't too stoked at first but I ended up learning a lot of good stuff. I learned that pride turns off priesthood power and that humility turns it back on. This being said it is very important to never let pride get in the way. Since I am an athlete and all it is very hard not to be prideful. I mean sometimes you are prideful without even knowing it or in the smallest of things but even those things can get in your way. Another really cool thing that I learned was from a talk President Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave. I can't remember the name but he talked about when he was a pilot he had this pen with 4 different colors that he would use. No matter what color he wanted to use at the time the pen would always being accepting and put forth ink. He then related this to the fact of us as God's children being in place of that pen and how important it is that we let the Master (God) do the thinking. Our part in this is to do the work and being accepting to His plan at all times. If we want success in our lives we cant just sit back and not do the work. The Lord has already told us what to do and how to live our lives so now it is our job to live according to His teachings. I know all of this to be true and also that if we let the Lord guide the pen with us as the ink that He can make one spectacular masterpiece!! I love you all so very much. This mission for sure is not easy and is HARD emotionally and physically but I know with the Lord's help that I can DO this!

Love, 

Elder DJ Picard 

We were out walking in the country and found a horse ranch haha. 

This is a family we are trying to start teaching that we ate the really good three layer bacon with (삼겹살).

 I ate this huge (왕돈까스) which is like a giant slab of pork meat that is fried with breading on it.