The term, Potential

Dear family and friends,

This week has been a huge eye opener to me and my companion.  Especially for me.  Sometimes, I think to myself this week has been a good week, and I don't really know what I can improve on.  Then I realize that I have so much more to learn, do, and say.  Especially now that my training will be done after this transfer, many missionaries have been telling me things that I really haven't been thinking about.  This week helped me realize my potential, and what I could be and do.  

I am really excited for this week, and I am excited for all of you!  

To answer some questions that some people had.  

Summer Hill is a suburb, but I go to the city quite often.  Like right now.  

I really enjoy my mission.  It isn't difficult when you have the right attitude.  

Something really cool I learned is this.

A-1

T-20

T-20

I-9

T-20

U-21

D-4

E-5

100%  Attitude is everything in life!

Love you all 

September 15th, 2013 letter

There is a time in missionary work where the missionary just receives the best of blessings and does so well. This week was that time!  We really were blessed and literally everything we did, we not only felt a strong spirit of peace and love, but the people we taught and the people we met were extremely prepared.  It just shows that if you work extremely hard, good things will come out of it.  

Currently, it is week 4 of the transfer, so 2 more weeks and it's back to being nervous if I am staying or going.  I really like it in SummerHill, and the people are so nice and welcoming.  I really feel that the missionary work with the members in my ward will really progress in the next couple weeks.  My trainer is doing really well, and of course he has to put up with me.  

We are really working well together as a companionship, and we are really grateful we are together.  My korean is not very good yet, in fact I think it is kind of deteriorating, because I'm back in ground zero.  My companion taught me the real pronunciation of reading and speaking, so I am back in level 1, and have yet to progress more.  

I'll tell you some blessings about my area.  There is a tongan man who before we met us had already started reading the Book of Mormon, and on the website Mormon.org, it tells people to really pray to see if the Book of Mormon is true.  He did, and he received an answer telling him that he needs to keep learning and to get his questions answered.  When we met him, we really felt the spirit.  For those of you who don't know what the spirit is, it is a feeling where we receive a peace or comfort, and sometimes a burning feeling in the heart that just makes you feel super happy and spiritually uplifted.  we felt the spirit, and we invited him to be baptized by October 12!   

Anyways, I hope all of you are healthy and safe, and hope that you be happy this week, and keep going!  

Love,

Elder Han

September 8th letter

Dear family and friends,

There were many blessings and miracles that happened this past week, some of which were extremely exciting.  One of our investigators is getting baptized, and he is so strong in his faith and his belief in Jesus Christ.  It is an amazing experience to witness people improve and to see them want to change in order to find their purpose in life. 

Apart from that, it is already week 2 in my second transfer, and it is pretty much a blessing to be in my area.  We are really working hard, and trying to get to know all the members we possibly can.  However, we can always do better.  That's the best thing about life: there is always something we can improve on.  Whether it be friendships, knowledge, charity, faith, etc, we can all work on things to help us improve.  I'm really excited to see how next week is, and how much will change. 

I feel like I've already been out on my mission for a year, but I still remember the first day I got to the field. 

My companion and I are getting around like two peas in a pod.  He is very different from me, but because of that we are really good together, I think.

Right now I am in a Korean Internet cafe, and so many people around me are watching Korean dramas.  ㅋㅋㅋ.

I have had a huge time this week to reflect on how I improved, and what I could do better.  I realized that we shouldn't be content in the state that we are in, but we should always keep on pushing through and through. 

I really appreciate the constant emails, and the awesome news that I always receive.  

SHOUT OUT TO MY COUSIN: LIA!  HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!

I always promise pictures, but I always seem to forget my camera....  Okay next time, I will really bring it.

Love you heaps,

Elder Han

September 1st, 2013 letter

Every day is such a beautiful day.

And what is quite interesting, is that it isn't getting cooler, but getting warmer.  Yep, the seasons are opposite, and I actually heard that Christmas is almost the hottest day of the year!  O.o

Anyways, our area is doing okay.  We received a car.  I probably already said that, but it's different and hard to get anywhere.  So i bought a GPS.  BEST THING I DID SO FAR.  Haha, it is really helpful, and now we don't need to worry about getting lost. 

Anyways, today was pretty busy, and this week was okay.  We have a couple of baptisms coming up, and hopefully they don't drop us before that.  There are heaps of Chinese and it is really interesting to talk to them, because they are really interested in God and Jesus Christ. 

I really appreciate all the emails and I am super glad that they keep coming.  Every week, reading the emails of everyone make me so motivated and ready to keep on going. 

A blessing for us this week was probably this one Vietnamese guy named Ricky.  There was a baptism the day we were going to teach, and he straight up asked us if we could go!  It was crazy, and he really wanted to see how it went and what we did. 

I am extremely grateful for all of you, and of the wonderful support I have received.  I know that you are doing all well, and I hope that you have a wonderful week!

I will continue to write you, and try my best to keep it interesting, but all is well, and

Love you heaps!!

Elder Han

P.S.  If you find Tim Tams in America, try them and warm milk and bite the ends and use it as a straw and then eat the tim tam.  Oh so good!!!  But I don't eat them too much - don't worry mom.

Have  a wonderful week!

August 18th, 2013 letter from Elder Michael Han

I honestly have no idea how time flies in the Mission Field!

This week has been amazing, and I have been learning so much!  The weather is getting a little warmer, but it is awesome and nice and cool.

There was a miracle last night.  A man from the navy, has been living on a ship with 3000 people, and came to church last night.  His buddies have been teaching him about the church for about a month and a half.  He had only 3 days on Sydney and then will go back to the ship for more time.  He wanted to get baptized, so the missionaries taught him all the lessons in 4 Hours!  And he got baptized 2 hours later!  I was able to witness the baptism and his faith was so strong, and the spirit was so strong.

It is miracles like these that help me get motivated and pumped for my mission.  Everyday, I know that miracles will happen all the time.  

On another note, we don't play sports that much.  We play footy (rugby), but touch rules.  So if we get touched we have to roll the ball in between our legs and start playing again.  It's fun, but not dangerous.

I get Korean food almost every day.  

Honestly, I love my mission and the people within.  Not only the missionaries, but the people and the ward, and the culture.  

Until next time, 

Love ya heaps,

For all the family and friends: keep working and enjoy life, and have fun at school.

For all the missionaries:  Anything is possible.

Elder Han

사랑해요!!

WEEK 9 " GRAND FINALE"

Hello friends and family,

I am excited to tell you that I am leaving in 3 days to AUSTRALIA!  There are so many good things that are coming out of this, but I am sad because I am leaving my whole district that I grew to love and care throughout my stay here.

It's been a pretty fast week.  Really, I've been thinking a lot about what my purpose is here, and why I am on a mission.  I am super glad that I am serving here, and I know that my call was of God, and he wants me to go to Australia for a reason.

My Korean has been doing super well.  The Korean Natives always come to me, and say how good my korean is (NOT THAT GOOD).  The first week here, no one could speak korean, but I've seen so much progress it's incredible.  My whole district can speak really well, and it's insane how much they learned in only 2 months!  I am so excited for them, and the fact that they will learn so much more and mature so much more.

I have TRC tonight, where we will skype Korean speakers and teach them.  It is super hard, but worth it.

One thing I learned in the MTC is having patience.  It required a ton of patience to have a companion with you 24/7, and teaching with them. 

I am so glad that you are all supporting me, and I appreciated any letters I have received.  I hope Grandma and Grandpa are doing well, since they came back from Korea.  Also, I hope Alison is doing well, and I was wondering when the baby will come.  I saw Iris's car and heard many adventures from her, and I am glad that this summer is so much fun. 

I love you all and here are some pictures of me and my friends in the mission MTC,

Love,

Elder Han

P.S.

MY ADDRESS IS

Elder Michael Chong Jae Han

Australia Sydney Mission

P.O. Box 2723

Carlingford NSW 2118

Australia

Phone: 61 2-9841-5430

If your family ships a package with a private courier, they will need the mission office telephone number indicated above.

Week 8 - "TRAVEL PLANS AND KOREANS"

HEY FAMILY AND FRIENDS,

It's crazy how long it's been since I've seen all your beautiful faces.  First I got some exciting news.

I GOT MY TRAVEL PLANS.  It's exciting that I finally get to leave from the MTC. 

Editors note:  Michael leaves for Australia on Monday, July 29th

During this week, I had some questions that I hope that everyone asks themselves everyday.  Am I a better person?  How can I be a better person? How can I love everyone? I have understood in the MTC that goals are extremely important, and if you don't do anything than how will someone change? 

This week, I realized it is up to me to change, and be the best I can be. 

Another thing is is that the KOREANS are here.  I just love it, and one of them almost looks like Chris.  It's funny, but me and the Koreans have a certain bond that can't match anyone else.  

It is also exciting that I can somewhat talk to them.  During the past 3 days, I was their translator for a sprained ankle, a upset stomach, and all those things that happen at the MTC.  I am so excited to go to Australia, and the only thing that makes me sad is that 3/4 of my district is going to Korea, and just my companion and I are going to Sydney Korean speaking.  I will miss them, but I know that the Lord will bless them and that is awesome.

The crazy thing about being here is that everything is going by so so fast.  But at the same time it feels so slow.

What a blessing it is that all my friends are such great examples to me, and I know they are working extremely hard both in the field and out of the field. 

It is crazy to think about that I have almost been in my mission for 2 months now. 

I love you all,

ELDER HAN