HEART "IN" SEOUL April 9-16, 2006

HEART April 9 - 16, 2006

Dear Family,
Today we taught our second Gospel Essentials class which consisted of five or six investigators, four or five newly baptized, plus several missionaries. Our subject was on the Priesthood and like most lessons, the teacher benefits more than the students. To us, we reflected upon Sister Beck's talk in General Conference on the tremendous influence the priesthood has had throughout our lives. Then when Sister Willoughby (a missionary here in Korea with Nancy's friend Buffie O'Brien) related how she was going through personal trials and needed a Father's Blessing...not just for her father to offer prayers in her behalf, but a Father's Priesthood Blessing and though separated eight thousand or more miles away he pronounced upon a fathers blessing via telephone and she felt the power of that blessings and peace filled her soul, we were once again reminded of the Power of the Priesthood as long as we stay tuned in to Divine sources.
Brother Gilbert and Sister Mbouyi Gabongo are members of this class. Gilbert received the priesthood last week and was ordained a priest. Today he assisted in passing the sacrament. The highlight of this Easter Sunday was the baptism of Mbouyi by her husband Gilbert. Your mother was ask to give one of the prayers and a large percentage of the branch remained after our block meetings to attend this spiritual event. It was most interesting, since Mbouyi speaks French to have the young Deacon's president, Pierre Barbieri, give the baptismal talk in French. Pierre's father is French, mother is Phillipine, hence he has command of three languages. Once again we witnessed the power of the priesthood as we felt Brother Gabongo's spirit in performing this priesthood ordinance in behalf of his wife. Brother & Sister Gabongo will have a powerful influence upon their children and community when one day they return to Africa.

SEOUL

Our first week of the temple shut-down began with our usual FHE at President & Sister Sellers home. On Tuesday, we with the Guinns returned to the Korean War Museum. Last year we visited thie site but were only able to see half of it. On the way home, your mother and I decided to not get off the bus at our regular stop but to continue on to it's completion. It was a three hour long trip and we still never left the city of Seoul but it was most interesting.
Wednesday four couples, Kastendieck's, Guinns, Chons and ourselves, traveled in the temple van driven by Elder Chon, across the Korean nation to the east coast. We went by way of the Odaesan National Park where we visited one of the many historical budhists temples throughout Korea. We ended up in the city of Gangneung and stayed over night at a beach hotel owned by the huge Hyundai corporation, where Brother Chon was able to get us half rate rooms. It was a luxury hotel that overlooked the East Sea which separates Korea from Japan. On the other side of the hotel grew a most interesting Bamboo forrest. This was the first time we have actually seen bamboo growing. We ate our dinner and breakfast in the hotel restaurant and enjoyed delicious American food. On our way home we traveled along miles and miles of beautiful beach. Another interesting part of this trip was our visit to the Ojukheon Municipal Museum in Gangneung which dealt with the life of a famous historical figure, Mulgok Yi Lee, in Koren history and whose picture graces the 5,000 won bill.
On Friday with the Kastendieck's and Guinns, we took a city tour via bus traveling where we had a thumbnail view of some of Seouls most interesting places. We got on and off the bus as we desired and ear marked some of the other places we may wish to return. We did however, stop at the famous Electronic Mark and rode the elevator to the top of the Soul Tower which is reputed to be the third highest tower in the world. We wished we had taken this tour earlier in our mission to help us be better acquainted with the city of Seoul.
"Saturday, is a special day, it's the day we get ready for Sunday" and thus we did.