Elder Kyle Jensen

To start, I'll tell ya a little about Korean.  it's pretty crazy fun.  I love it.  The language does have an alphabet so that's really nice.  It gives the opportunity to read everything but not understand it all a haha.   When speaking and writing, Korean typically has three forms:  high, middle, and low form.  Each form correlates with amount of respect, who you are talking to (older or younger, friend, parents, elderly, etc.).  High form like you might guess is the one we are taught here at the MTC because it's most respectful.  The difference between all the words when you speak them is not drastically different, but it does sound a tad bit different in each form, and the high form usually takes longer to say because of the conjugation and respectful terms used.  It'll be interesting to adjust to each of these forms and that will be a story by itself when I get to Korea haha.

We don't get to learn a lot about the customs, but we do have a native teacher who is the nicest Korean I've met haha.  She tells us a little bit about what we have coming.  One thing that I'll have to get used to is apparently it's not the most respectful to shake your leg.  I guess it shows impatience, stuff like that, so I'm going to have to work really hard to stop that because I do it ALL the time.  Anyway, I'm super excited to dive into this culture.  I know that it will help me grow so much and shape my life for the future.

After hearing form the BYU President on Sunday, I and a chance to watch the Joseph Smith film again.  I'm fairly sure it gets better each time, haha, I love it!  One thing that really hit me is a line Joseph says after he gets tarred and feathered (not sure if it's actually words he spoke or just scripted).  Anyway, it's, "Perhaps I am meant to swim in deep water."  I know I have a boatload of trials and challenges ahead of me in my mission and my life.  These are going to be the hardest moments in my life.  But I can confidently say I'll be ready for them.  I know that God expects a lot from me, and I'll overthrow Satan's hoards of temptations and shake the foundations where he resides.  My faith has grown so much, and with my faith in God and Jesus Christ, I can perform miracles like they did.  nothing can stop me or this work from moving forward!  I do have my down times, but they are so incomparable tot he joy I feel from seeing God's hand in my life.  Some awesome news yesterday.  I had the opportunity to escort the incoming missionaries, and guess who I got to show around?!  Elder Ryan Funk and Elder Tyler Larsen!  Haha, it was so great, it made me so happy to see so many familiar faces coming in from Cache Valley.  i did get  little irritated though when I realized they were both leaving the MTC before me haha.  Oh well, I'll get to Korea eventually.

One more thought I'd like to share with you guys.  I had an amazing experience that happened to me this week.  i won't get into details, but I can testify to you that the Lord is waiting to bless us with his tender mercies ACCORDING to their faith.  It reminded me of this scripture in Nephi.  It's no coincidence that Nephi ends the first chapter of his writings with this verse.  God is real.  And the moments we see and feel His presence in our lives are pure joy.

20.  And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that they might take it away.  But behold, I Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.

I love you all.  Thanks so much for the emails!  They really helped me today, I really needed them!