Elder Beckett in Korea: When Life Doesn't Go According to Plan (August 6, 2017)

Wow. Starting this transfer, my 9th transfer in the field (what?) I have now been out on my mission as long as Allie had been when I arrived in Korea. Allie has now been home for 6 months. Her 동기(Dong-gi), or the group of people she came to Korea with, are now going home-- tomorrow. I loved that group of people! Elder R, Elder P, Elder L, and Elder S, and many more. One of the ones I was closest to in Allie's 동기 was Elder L, from Hurricane Utah. He gave me a call last night to say goodbye, before he gave home. Elder L was an amazing role model for me on my mission-- he was stellar and excellent in every way-- Christlike attributes, Spirituality, physical and athletic ability-- I really looked up for Elder L, and I am going to miss him.

Before he hung up, I just asked him the quick question, "Is there anything you have learned recently or tried that you wish you would have done more during your mission?"

Elder L replied," You know, I guess the biggest thing I would say is just to not sweat the small stuff. As missionaries we can get really down and be really hard on ourselves-- my Korean isn't good enough, I can't find investigators, or the members are hard to work with. But these moments pass. We are serving God, who is in charge of everything. He has all power. We just need to keep our heads up and keep going."

That advice is pretty simple, but really profound. And I want to share a couple of my thoughts on it.

This morning in personal study I was reading in 2nd Nephi 2, one of Lehi's great teachings about the Plan of Salvation. Recently I decided to strengthen my testimony of the Book of Mormon, so I started from the beginning, and started often to have my testimony of it reconfirmed. It has been, but not while on my knees-- it came as a gradual increase of feeling, while I was reading. I could feel the light and goodness of the book, and it was the gentle feelings that the Spirit gave me to testify of its truthfulness to me. I hope you all continue to strengthen your own testimonies of the Book of Mormon.

Anyway, as Lehi teaches about the Fall of Adam and Eve, he lists how many things could have gone wrong, but then sums things up, saying, "24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things."

Beautiful Youngdo

There are times in this life where our careers, our family, our goals, schooling, or any other number of things do not end up in the perfect way we planned them. Sometimes, we didn't have much of a plan anyway, but our circumstances turned out worse than we had expected. Whatever the situation, we can be left feeling discouraged, frustrated, sad, angry, even resentful, at others, ourselves, or even God. It is at times like these that we must take a step back in perspective. Perhaps God has a greater plan for greater results than we had imagined! But, to be a part of that plan, we must forego some wanted or desired blessings for now. Yet, "all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things". All of them.

In Proverbs we are counseled to "trust in the Lord with all [our] heart; and lean not unto [our] own understanding. In all [our] ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct [our] paths."

King Benjamin encourages us to "believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend."

I know that God's plan is perfect. It can be really hard for us, cause we can't always see where we are in that plan-- we can't see the way it will become resolves, perhaps because much of the plan will be accomplished not in this life but in the next, in the world of spirits. But I know that God does have a wonderful, perfect plan, for the greatest happiness of the greatest number of his children. He isn't foolish. He knows what he is doing. In God's own words, we are counseled,

"Be still and know that I am God."

I know as we put unwavering faith in God, we will be comforted in our trials, find peace in affliction, and someday, as Paul taught in Corinthians, receive blessings that "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man."

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Love,

Elder Beckett

PS:

Transfer calls came! Me and Elder A are both staying in Youngdo! Wahoo! And I will be our district leader this transfer.

Pictures! So you know the sister who sent you a picture of me eating dog a couple weeks ago? Her and her mom were converts years ago, and she served a mission, and attends BYU Hawaii. Well her dad is one of our investigators-- we teach him free English. He is the one who bought us Boshintang, or Dog soup. This week he took us to get Dwayji Kuk Bap, which is a pork soup. But he ordered something a little different-- one with blood sausage, different organs, and skins in it. Attached are delicious pictures.