Off to a Battleship!

I get to go on a tour of an old Korean battleship today...I'm pretty excited. I like my little town on the coast. Jinhae is a magical land where miracles pop out of the woodwork everyday.

I think Matt should buy Chalene's house, too! I know I would if I had the money...but I just don't.

Story about miracles in magical Jinhae: Do you remember the sailor last week who hugged me when he first saw me? Well, I found him again. And he is basically one of the most prepared people I've met my whole mission. I saw him from afar off and I said "Hey...I know you!" and he practically ran towards us and I asked him what brought him into to town (he lives on a boat--in the merchant marines). He said "Actually, I just FOUND what I was looking for!" Which at first was a little awkward for me because I was scared he was looking for ME not the MISSIONARIES. But, when I asked why, he said "Well, I had an interesting experience last night and afterwards I just felt like I needed to find you too afterward." So...I invited him to the Church nearby, called the Elders and let him spill his guts. Long story short---with not much better to do he had gotten into this vicious drinking cycle and it seemed like a decent way to run away from some very serious family issues, so he kept up with it. Well, naturally that made him very depressed and he decided he needed to talk to his Grandma (a member who works for LDS Family Services) about it. YEARS ago his Mom left the Church as a youth and eventually his Dad was so against it that the grandpa agreed not to talk aobut the Church with the grandkids....but this time Robert went to HIM for help...so he basically taught the first lesson and gave him a Book of Mormon just in time for him to take off to sea again. He left the Book at home. So we got him a new one. Anyway...he had a rough night with drinking and when he woke up and remembered what he couldn't remember....his first thought was "I have to find those missionaries!" and so...not having any other way to find us...he just wandered to town. The crazy thing is that I had planned on spending most of the day in the opposite end of town...but I accidentaly left my list of addresses for those people at the house....so I went to the other ward instead because there were things I knew I could do there. He said he hadn't even been looking for 5 minutes before he found us. He's just dying to have a reason not to act like everyone else on the ship does. He's dying for a reason and a way to change. He's had so many little tiny miracles leading him to us and the best part is that he flat out recognizes them. He even sat through 3 hours of Korean Church, which isn't even easy for MISSIONARIES to do. Unfortunately his ship leaves May 23 which is not quite enough time to meet the 2 sacrament meetings and 1 more after for confirmation requirements. We've already gotten in contact with the missionaries in the next area his ship is going (around the coast to an area in the Daejeon mission). He flat out said last time we met "I'm pretty sure this is the Church for me." This is a change...my investigator, rather than myself, is getting "transferred" just before baptism.

That's about it for now...It was nice to talk to everyone on Monday (Sunday). You all sound wonderful. I continuously pray for you all. Be safe and and say your prayers!!

~R~