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Show Ho 0 s li sown Elder's Best Mission Field Chin Hui Pak, left, and Un Hui Pek are two Korean students who were taught English and the gospel by Eldon White. Gi)EN. UTAH I The opportunity for missionary work pver ceases, if youre willing to put rth a little effort, claims Eldon White, ho served a mission in Korea, 1971-7- . n M Reluming rot her White m add to the home to Ogden, Utah, had another 11 baptisms he helped bring about ?hile in the mission field. Strangely nough, the 11 new converts were iorea"s. members of two families who ad moved into the Ogden area shortly efore his return home. ) 37 His involvement with the families iame about through a rather complicated process. A high school friend of iroihtT White, .Jack Briskey, is a dative of the new converts. Ilis iiotlit-rwho is originally from Inchon, jtorea. married an American service-Jnas- i and moved to the United States i ibout 25 ears ago. Seven years ago, lack s grandmother came from Korea o make her home in Ogden; then 16 nonths ago. two aunts and their disbands and their children joined them n Ogdon. While teaching the students English to help them succeed in their school work. Brother White began teaching the families the gospel to help them succeed in their home life in their new country. A member of the Farr West 1st Ward in Ogden, Brother White was called to serve as a "stake missionary. His first companion, Walter Kunz, had also served a mission in Korea, so the missionaries were able to present the discussions to the families in I heir native language The missionaries began to see the beauty of the gospel unfold as they started teaching the Korean investigators. Working with the bishop of the Farr West 2nd Ward, in which boundaries the two families resided, the missionaries encouraged a felicwship-pinprogram by ward members. They accepted these families with open arms, Brother White said of the ward members. They realized the situation these people were in of being in a new country, and being quite unsure of the customs and not being able to understand what was going on. The members tried very hard to communicate with them, and learned about Korean customs. The families Battle Being Won by Faith A University of Utah psychology student, whose dreams of an athletic career vanished six years ago in a truck crash, said his strong religious faith helped him in his battle for rehabilitation. Donald Smith, a Navajo Indian from Kayenta, Ariz., was told by doctors I I The two families. !he Paks and the Yoms. have six school-ag- e children, none of whom knew English when they enrolled in school. Thats when Brother White became acquainted with the families. Brother Briskey told Brother White about the problems the students were having in their school studies. The elementary, junior high and high schools where the students were enrolled also thought of Brother White as a solution to some communications problems. For two weeks at the beginning of the 1973 school term, he traveled from one school to another, helping the students find their classrooms, and giving them a crash course in some basics of English. As soon as the students began functioning more independently, with help from other students and faculty, Brother White returned to his studies at Utah Stale University in Logan. One day during each week, and on weekends, he returned to Ogden to assist the students. after the i aid Smith doeshi'lef vheelchair dim bright future. : ,; 1968 accident that he probably would be permanently paralyzed from the neck down. I kept trying to move a finger, night after night, time after time. I tolt hopeless at times, but the night 1 got ' that first movement convinced me I ' would regain se of my arms." Smith Said. His laier years as a teenager were a string of hospital stays at Shiprock, Albuquerque and Gallup, N.M., and later at a government rehabilitation center in Denver. A convert to the church. Brother Smith said the tenets of the religion and his own cultural upbringing gave me reason to live. 1 learned that I had a reason to accomplish and better myself. After obtaining his bachelors degree next spring. Brother in psychology Smith plans to work towards a masters degree in social work. Along with his studies, he works at the university as a counselor in the Upward Bound program geared toward assisting veterans prepare themscives for college. WEEK piifcrfiriinrrTii in ifinut uflpi were included in the ward functions; the young people were especially great shout taking the children by the hand and. helping them in evervthing they did, Brother White gave an example of how one of the Korean girls had made a lriend with another girl in the ward. They were both in the same physical education class. One day, as they were playing softball, it became apparent to the American girl that her Korean friend didnt understand what she was supposed to do. Guiding her to the home plate, the American somehow' communicated to her friend that it was her turn at bat. When the Korean girl finally hit the ball the American grabbed her by the hand and ran the bases with her. The Pak and Yom families reciprocated their love for the ward members by inviting many of them into their homes for Korean meals. It's been an exchange of love and understanding from the very beginning. Brother White said. assist the family members in of the gospel, a special investigators class was established durTo their study ing Sunday School. Korean Was the language in which the class was taught ; 14 people, members of the two new' families and other relatives, attended the class. Kim Taylor, another returned mis sionary who had served in Korea, became Brother Whites companion as Brother Kunz returned to Salt Lake City to resume his studies at the University of Utah. By March, the discussions had been presented to the families. On May 4, 1 1 of the i 4 Koreans were baptized. Brother White and his .Although companions were thrilled in being able to bring the gospel to their new neighbors, Brother Briskey, who is now a missionary in Sw'eden, was perhaps the most delighted with the progress. He baptized his mother, who attended the investigators class with her sisters and their families. FNDING NOVEMBER 0,1 974 OiURCH r-13 |
